My grandfather committed suicide when I was ten. That was my introduction to the topic of mental health. Soon after my grandfather’s suicide I began my own battle with mental health. The struggle has been long lasting and difficult. In high school, when I was struggling the most, my teachers were a great source of support. That’s a large reason why I hope to go to school and become a teacher myself. I want to support teens that are struggling the way I was. My history with mental health has motivated me to help others the way I was helped. I’ve grappled with my own mental health my entire life. I began suffering from depression at the age of 11, soon after my grandfather’s suicide. My family never discussed mental health, so his passing left me confused and spiraling. I turned to unhealthy coping mechanisms like self mutilation because I didn’t have the resources I needed. As time passed I also developed a restrictive eating disorder. Despite my rapidly declining energy and body weight my family didn’t notice my struggle. I was ashamed to ask for help, so I was left to attempt recovery on my own. Despite my attempts at recovery I’ve been left with lasting issues on my relationship with food. To cope with my continued depression I turned to another unhealthy coping mechanism, drugs and alcohol. I began abusing alcohol and other substances because it felt like the only thing that distracted me from my thoughts and feelings. Throughout this time in my life, it felt like my high school teachers were the only ones that noticed I was struggling. During a time when I felt more isolated than ever, my teachers were my greatest support system. When my drug abuse started, my grades and attendance plummeted. I had once been a straight A student with a 4.0 gpa, and my teachers noticed the change when my family hadn’t. Many of my teachers pulled me aside, asking if I was okay and how they could support me. Just knowing that they cared enough to notice that I was struggling brought a lot of comfort to me. Teachers offered their classrooms as quiet places of solace, and their time to listen to my problems. One particular teacher, Ms. Enich, offered me more support than I could’ve asked for. She pulled me aside to talk often and provided me a safe place to disclose my struggles with mental health. She encouraged me to express my emotions through writing. Her support inspired me, and made me want to get sober and help others the way she helped me. She taught me that I could be more than I hoped to be. That my mental health and coping mechanisms didn’t define me. After graduation I’ve taken two years to overcome my addictions and mental health setbacks. If not for Ms. Enich’s constant encouragement I would’ve sank even deeper into my depression. My lifelong struggle with mental illness has inspired me to help others the way Ms. Enich and my other teachers helped me. Throughout my struggle with mental illness and addiction it felt like the only ones that supported me were my teachers. That is why I’ve become determined to become a first generation college graduate. I want to beat the odds, go to school, and become a teacher so I can help students like me. I am confident that with the help of this scholarship I’ll be able to help many other students that are struggling with their mental health. Thank you so much for your consideration.

My grandfather committed suicide when I was ten. That was my introduction to the topic of mental health. Soon after my grandfather’s suicide I began my own battle with mental health. The struggle has been long lasting and difficult. In high school, when I was struggling the most, my teachers were a great source of support. That’s a large reason why I hope to go to school and become a teacher myself. I want to support teens that are struggling the way I was. My history with mental health has motivated me to help others the way I was helped. I’ve grappled with my own mental health my entire life. I began suffering from depression at the age of 11, soon after my grandfather’s suicide. My family never discussed mental health, so his passing left me confused and spiraling. I turned to unhealthy coping mechanisms like self mutilation because I didn’t have the resources I needed. As time passed I also developed a restrictive eating disorder. Despite my rapidly declining energy and body weight my family didn’t notice my struggle. I was ashamed to ask for help, so I was left to attempt recovery on my own. Despite my attempts at recovery I’ve been left with lasting issues on my relationship with food. To cope with my continued depression I turned to another unhealthy coping mechanism, drugs and alcohol. I began abusing alcohol and other substances because it felt like the only thing that distracted me from my thoughts and feelings. It gave me the dopamine hit I was desperately looking for. Throughout this time in my life, it felt like my high school teachers were the only ones that noticed I was struggling. During a time when I felt more isolated than ever, my teachers were my greatest support system. When my drug abuse started, my grades and attendance plummeted. I had once been a straight A student with a 4.0 gpa, and my teachers noticed the change when my family hadn’t. Many of my teachers pulled me aside, asking if I was okay and how they could support me. Just knowing that they cared enough to notice that I was struggling brought a lot of comfort to me. Teachers offered their classrooms as quiet places of solace, and their time to listen to my problems. One particular teacher, Ms. Enich, offered me more support than I could’ve asked for. She pulled me aside to talk often and provided me a safe place to disclose my struggles with mental health. She encouraged me to express my emotions through writing. Her support inspired me, and made me want to get sober and help others the way she helped me. She taught me that I could be more than I hoped to be. That my mental health and coping mechanisms didn’t define me. After graduation I’ve taken two years to overcome my addictions and mental health setbacks. If not for Ms. Enich’s constant encouragement I would’ve sank even deeper into my depression. My lifelong struggle with mental illness has inspired me to help others the way Ms. Enich and my other teachers helped me. Throughout my struggle with mental illness and addiction it felt like the only ones that supported me were my teachers. That is why I’ve become determined to become a first generation college graduate. I want to beat the odds, go to school, and become a teacher so I can help students like me. I am confident that with the help of this scholarship I’ll be able to help many other students that are struggling with their mental health. Thank you so much for your consideration.