On October 13, 2008, my life changed forever. Children and Youth Services took custody of my sister and me when we were just five and seventeen months old. I was the fortunate one as my sister had already endured unimaginable abuse. That day also marked the moment I met my mom. A single white woman opened her heart and home to two black girls who needed love and safety. Her life transformed as she learned to embrace a culture that was new to her. Over the years she went from shedding tears over how to remove braids to confidently styling our hair, from having limited knowledge of black culture to fully embracing it and ensuring that my sister and I were exposed to every possible opportunity. She is an extraordinary mother, but our journey together has not been without challenges. Growing up in a single-parent household presented many difficulties. My mom faced the additional challenge of meeting my sister’s unique needs, as she continues to struggle with her mental health to this day. As a child, I was unaware of the financial hardships my mom faced because she never allowed us to feel that burden. She worked full-time, often taking on extra part-time jobs, yet she never missed a field trip, a school dance, or an evening helping us with homework. Now, as a teenager, I have a deeper appreciation for the sacrifices she made to give us stability. I understand how hard she worked to provide for us, and I have taken on jobs myself to contribute where I can. Being raised by a strong woman and seeing the things my sister has gone through as a result of her trauma gives me purpose. I want to fight for children who can’t fight for themselves, not just to remove them from abuse and neglect, but to seek real justice. I will be the unyielding force shattering silence and demanding justice; not just for my sister, but for every voice and I refuse to be silenced. I want to pursue an undergraduate degree in criminal justice and then continue onto law school. I hope to be a child advocacy lawyer to be that voice for those who are silenced. My mom has raised me to be a strong and independent woman, and I have some big shoes to fill, because she is the strongest person I know. I am aware that pursuing this path is quite expensive, and I am aware my mom may not be able to provide much financial support. Although this is an obstacle, it is not one I cannot conquer; I have taken on much bigger mountains. As I complete my senior year, I am focused on achieving my academic goals and actively applying for scholarships and grants to help me pursue this dream. Thank you for considering my application and for supporting students who are dedicated to making a difference.

Being a first-generation college student carries a deep meaning, not only because I will be the first in my family to attend college, but also the first in my birth family. I was adopted from foster care and growing up I learned early that opportunity is something many children never receive. My journey has been shaped by two families: the one I came from and the one that welcomed me with love and stability. Both remind me every day why I work hard and why education matters. As a high school student, thinking about college is exciting and overwhelming. It’s a world that my family has never experienced, and sometimes it feels like I’m trying to put together a puzzle blindfolded. Managing applications, financial aid, and pressure to make the “right” choices is very intimidating. There are moments when I wonder if I belong in places built for people with more guidance or more resources, but those doubts motivate me rather than discourage me. Being first-generation means stepping into the unknown, so my children won’t have to. My education has played a powerful role in shaping who I am. School is the one place where effort consistently created opportunity, where I learned that my circumstances did not define my potential. Every classroom, every teacher who believed in me, and every challenge I worked through helped me build confidence in my ability to think critically, speak up, and imagine a bright future. Education has opened doors and taught me that I deserve to walk through them. I’ve also been fortunate to have pretty amazing teachers who didn’t just teach curriculum but shaped my life. Some saw potential in me before I saw it in myself. They encouraged me to aim higher, pushed me when I doubted my abilities, and reminded me that my voice matters. Their belief in me made school feel like a place where I always belonged. Those teachers helped me discover my strengths, deepened my love for learning, and inspired me to pursue a path where I can be an advocate for others, just as they were for me. My experiences have taught me resilience, independence, and how to stay strong in uncertain situations. Being adopted has given me stability and support to turn that resilience into ambition. These experiences shape my desire not just to succeed for myself, but to help others who face similar challenges. As a student athlete, softball has been an anchor in my life. It has taught me discipline, teamwork, and how to balance a demanding schedule. Whether I’m at practice, in a tight game, or pushing myself through conditioning, I’m reminded that growth comes from hard work and persistence. These are qualities I bring into every part of my life. I have also been lucky to have coaches who have shaped me just as much as the sport itself. They pushed me to demand more from myself, believed in my abilities on days when I struggled to believe in them, and taught me how to lead with both strength and humility. Their guidance helped me understand that being an athlete isn’t just about performance, but it is more about character, effort, and resilience. The lessons I’ve learned from them extend far beyond the softball field. I am also deeply involved in my community through Key Club and volunteering. I have a special passion for supporting foster and adopted youth because I understand their challenges firsthand. I help run an annual holiday party for children in foster care, and I stay actively involved in my county’s foster family programs throughout the year. Serving others, whether at local events or foster youth programs, gives my work purpose. I know what it feels like to need support, and giving back allows me to be part of the support system for someone else. My dream is to become a child advocacy lawyer. My own experiences have shown me how important it is for children, especially those in foster care, to have someone who listens, understands, and fights for them. I want to be the unyielding force that challenges injustice, lifts up unheard stories, and demands accountability. Children deserve someone who will refuse to look away, someone who recognizes how powerful it is when a person finally feels heard. This scholarship would help make that future possible and ease some of the financial stress that makes the thought of college so overwhelming. It would allow me to focus on my studies, my sport, and service without worrying about how to pay for the opportunities I’m working so hard for. More than anything, it would remind me that others believe in my potential. Being the first in my family to attend college means stepping into new territory with courage, purpose, and hope. With your support, I’m ready to take that step.

Being a first-generation student carries a deep meaning, not only because I will be the first in my family to attend college, but also the first in my birth family. I was adopted from foster care and growing up I learned early that opportunity is something many children never receive. My journey has been shaped by two families: the one I came from and the one that welcomed me with love and stability. Both remind me every day why I work hard and why education matters. As a high school student, thinking about college is exciting and overwhelming. It’s a world that my family has never experienced, and sometimes it feels like I’m trying to put together a puzzle blindfolded. Managing applications, financial aid, and pressure to make the “right” choices is intimidating. There are moments when I wonder if I belong in places built for people with more guidance or more resources, but those doubts motivate me rather than discourage me. Being first-generation means stepping into the unknown, so my children won’t have to. My experiences have taught me resilience, independence, and how to stay strong in uncertain situations. Being adopted has given me stability and support to turn that resilience into ambition. These experiences shape my desire not just to succeed for myself, but to help others who face similar challenges. As a student athlete, softball has been an anchor in my life. It has taught me discipline, teamwork, and how to balance a demanding schedule. Whether I’m at practice, in a tight game, or pushing myself through conditioning, I’m reminded that growth comes from hard work and persistence. These are qualities I bring into every part of my life. I am also deeply involved in my community through Key Club and volunteering. Serving others, whether at local events or foster youth programs, gives my work purpose. I know what it feels like to need support, and giving back allows me to be part of the support system for someone else. My dream is to become a child advocacy lawyer. My own experiences have shown me how important it is for children, especially those in foster care, to have someone who listens, understands, and fights for them. I want to be the unyielding force that challenges injustice, lifts up unheard stories, and demands accountability. Children deserve someone who will refuse to look away, someone who recognizes how powerful it is when a person finally feels heard. This scholarship would help make that future possible and ease some of the financial stress that makes the thought of college so overwhelming. It would allow me to focus on my studies, my sport, and service without worrying about how to pay for the opportunities I’m working so hard for. More than anything, it would remind me that others believe in my potential. Being the first in my family to attend college means stepping into new territory with courage, purpose, and hope. With your support, I’m ready to take that step.

Irish twins. An Irish twin is two siblings born within the same year. My sister finds comfort thinking of us like that. Even though we are a year and four days apart, the word twin has always been associated with us since March 29th, 2008, my birthday. I have always felt my sister's pain when she couldn’t carry it for herself. I always tried to take it away and most of the time it worked. My sister had endured abuse at a very young age and I almost lost my “twin.” At an age I was unable to protect her which made me feel weak. We were adopted shortly after being taken into custody from my biological family, into a kind caring home of my single mom. Growing up my sister had problems with behavior, but it wasn't because she was a bad kid because I know my mom was raising us right. My sister was diagnosed with autism and several other mental health issues. Autism used to be such a silly word to me; I never saw my sister as different but then I noticed kids were mean and they saw she was different. In elementary school I would stand up for my sister. She was my best friend and practically my twin. We did everything together; my mom dressed us the same until we got old enough to pick out our own clothes. As I got older a deeper question resonated with me: was my sister this way because of abuse? Why not me? Why does she have to suffer for the rest of her life when nobody went to jail for almost killing a two year old? As I got older, the kids kept getting meaner. I kept standing strong for my sister though. For so many years I have stuck up for my sister; I have been her voice. I have shared a room with her all my life, to protect her from the monsters that lurk in the hallway or even just be that safety net she could fall back on. I remember in 6th grade someone said something rude about my sister. I simply stood up for her again just like I had done our whole lives. My teacher pulled me aside and told me that “you can’t control the outcome but you can control the way you handle yourself and you never fail to do it without sounding educated, and with grace.” That stuck with me; I realized then what I wanted to do with the rest of my life. I want to stand up for the underdog. I want to be the voice for the voiceless. I knew then that I wanted to work with kids who had come out of similar situations. I want to help them have a life that my mom worked so hard to give my sister and me. I want them to not only get out of the abuse, neglect, and the many other terrible things but I want them to get justice. I don’t want them to face the trauma my sister endures to this day. I will be the unyielding force that shatters silence and demands justice; not just for my sister, but for every person whose story has been ignored and every voice that refuses to be silenced. I am aware that pursuing this path is quite expensive, and I am aware my mom may not be able to provide much financial support. Although this is an obstacle, it is not one I cannot conquer; I have taken on much bigger mountains. As I complete my senior year, I am focused on achieving my academic goals and actively applying for scholarships and grants to help me pursue this dream, while continuing to be a rock for my sister. Thank you for considering my application and for supporting students who are dedicated to making a difference.

On October 13, 2008, my life changed forever. Children and Youth Services took custody of my sister and me when we were just five and seventeen months old. I was the fortunate one as my sister had already endured unimaginable abuse. That day also marked the moment I met my mom. A single white woman opened her heart and home to two black girls who needed love and safety. Her life transformed as she learned to embrace a culture that was new to her. Over the years she went from shedding tears over how to remove braids to confidently styling our hair, from having limited knowledge of black culture to fully embracing it and ensuring that my sister and I were exposed to every possible opportunity. She is an extraordinary mother, but our journey together has not been without challenges. Growing up in a single-parent household presented many difficulties. My mom faced the additional challenge of meeting my sister’s unique needs, as she continues to struggle with her mental health to this day. As a child, I was unaware of the financial hardships my mom faced because she never allowed us to feel that burden. She worked full-time, often taking on extra part-time jobs, yet she never missed a field trip, a school dance, or an evening helping us with homework. Now, as a teenager, I have a deeper appreciation for the sacrifices she made to give us stability. I understand how hard she worked to provide for us, and I have taken on jobs myself to contribute where I can. Seeing the things my sister has gone through as a result of her trauma gives me purpose. I want to fight for children who can’t fight for themselves, not just to remove them from abuse and neglect, but to seek real justice. I will be the unyielding force shattering silence and demanding justice; not just for my sister, but for every voice and I refuse to be silenced. I want to pursue an undergraduate degree in criminal justice and then continue onto law school. I hope to be a child advocacy lawyer to be that voice for those who are silenced. I am aware that pursuing this path is quite expensive, and I am aware my mom may not be able to provide much financial support. Although this is an obstacle, it is not one I cannot conquer; I have taken on much bigger mountains. As I complete my senior year, I am focused on achieving my academic goals and actively applying for scholarships and grants to help me pursue this dream. Thank you for considering my application and for supporting students who are dedicated to making a difference.

Imagine being the only girl in your class who tried out for the softball team, only to be cut. This was the beginning of my high school athletic journey, I was crushed, to say the least. Was I not as good as the other girls? Was the sport that had been my passion since I was five years old no longer my future? After a few days of processing, I picked myself up and made a promise to myself: I would make the team next year. I worked hard. When I wasn’t doing schoolwork, I was focusing on improving my skills. I increased my strength through lifting, practiced my batting day and night—with my hitting coach or even in my basement on rainy days—I worked on my mental game by studying college players and strategies. These efforts certainly helped me improve, but one important realization stood out: I wasn’t advocating for myself enough. I needed to talk to the coach about what skills I needed to work on and develop a relationship with him—one I had once been too nervous to pursue. As a rising freshman, I had heard that the coach had a reputation for being tough, even mean, and that scared me. But I knew that if I wanted to make the team, I had to overcome that fear. So, the next year, I started training with the team in preparation for tryouts, I made it a point to start conversations and ask questions about what I could improve on. To my surprise, he wasn’t as scary as I had been led to believe. In fact, I built a meaningful relationship with him and learned exactly what he was looking for in a player. My hard work paid off. Not only did I make the team that year, but my coach often referred to me as "the girl who was cut last year"—a reminder of how far I had come. My dedication had not only made me a better player but had also earned me respect from coaches and teammates. As I move forward, the lessons I’ve learned will stay with me. I know that hard work always pays off, even when the results aren’t immediate. The process of overcoming setbacks, whether in sports or in life, has taught me resilience and perseverance. I also learned the importance of forming my own opinions instead of relying on others’ judgments. In a world where it’s easy to be influenced by what others say, I now understand how critical it is to trust my instincts and stay true to myself. Above all, I’ve learned the value of advocating for myself. Whether it’s standing up for my abilities, seeking guidance, or pushing for growth, I now know that I am the most important advocate in my journey. These lessons will undoubtedly help me in college, in the classroom and on the softball field, where I’ll need to continue pushing myself to succeed. But they will also help me in all areas of life. My experiences have given me a sense of purpose; I want to use it to benefit others. I hope to apply the same dedication, empathy, and advocacy to help those who need it most. My dream is to become a child advocacy lawyer, where I can use my voice to fight for children who don’t have the resources or support, they deserve. I want to make a difference by standing up for those who may not be able to stand up for themselves, just as I once had to advocate for my place on that team.