Community has played a major role in my life. When I was eleven years old my older brother was killed in an automobile accident. I was devastated, but through the help of God and my community I got through it. My community reached out in extraordinary ways. I have a picture of myself sitting at the kitchen table with a huge stack of cards that members of my church sent me while I was dealing with this terrible tragedy. Because of the impact this had on me, I have tried to give back through service, leadership, compassion, and a willingness to be present for people during both ordinary and difficult moments. Earning the rank of Eagle Scout has been an important part of this journey because it taught me that true leadership is measured not by recognition, but by the positive impact one makes on others. As an Eagle Scout, I learned the value of responsibility, perseverance, and service to my community. For my Eagle Scout service project, in memory of my brother who loved the outdoors, I built an entrance to a two-mile community walking trail. This project helped bring awareness to the trail’s existence and encouraged people to use a resource that promotes exercise, connection, and enjoyment of the outdoors. Planning the project, organizing materials, and working with others required commitment, but the greatest reward was knowing that the trail could benefit the community for many years. My commitment to service has also led me to volunteer in different settings. I have volunteered for the United Way Clay Shoot, supporting an organization dedicated to improving the lives of individuals and families in need. During the Christmas season, I have rung the bell for the Salvation Army. Standing outside and asking others to contribute taught me humility and reminded me that even small donations can help provide food, shelter, and hope to people facing hardship. Through my church, I have served through public speaking and singing. These opportunities have allowed me to use my voice and abilities to encourage others, strengthen fellowship, and contribute to a community that has supported me. In addition, I have participated in two mission trips to Ecuador. These experiences challenged me to look beyond my own circumstances and recognize the needs of people in different communities and cultures. Serving alongside others in Ecuador taught me that meaningful service requires a willingness to help without expecting anything in return. I returned from both trips with a deeper appreciation for the importance of compassion and a stronger desire to serve others wherever I am. One of the most personal ways I serve others is by being available to my friends who are struggling. I try to offer them a listening ear, especially when they are experiencing grief. Since I had to learn how to cope with immense loss, I believe I have the ability to help others going through similar circumstances. Although that experience was painful, it has helped me understand that grief cannot always be solved with advice. Sometimes people simply need someone who will listen, remain present, and acknowledge their pain. Through service projects, volunteering, church involvement, mission work, and personal compassion, I have learned that community service is both a responsibility and a privilege. As an Eagle Scout, I strive to live by the principle of service—not only through large projects, but also through everyday acts of kindness and support. These strong convictions have led me to pursue a degree in pastoral leadership and to become a pastor one day. I look forward to continuing to serve my community through my future career.

Selflessness is not simply the act of giving time or resources to others; it is a way of living that places the needs and well-being of others alongside, and sometimes ahead of, my own. Throughout my life, I have tried to embody selflessness through service, leadership, compassion, and a willingness to be present for people during both ordinary and difficult moments. Earning the rank of Eagle Scout has been an important part of this journey because it taught me that true leadership is measured not by recognition, but by the positive impact one makes on others. As an Eagle Scout, I learned the value of responsibility, perseverance, and service to my community. For my Eagle Scout service project, I built an entrance to a two-mile community walking trail. This project was more than a construction effort. It helped bring awareness to the trail’s existence and encouraged people to use a resource that promotes exercise, connection, and enjoyment of the outdoors. Planning the project, organizing materials, and working with others required commitment, but the greatest reward was knowing that the trail could benefit the community for years to come. The experience showed me that selflessness often involves investing time and energy into something from which many people may benefit, even when there is no immediate personal reward. My commitment to service has also led me to volunteer in several different settings. I have volunteered for the United Way Clay Shoot, supporting an organization dedicated to improving the lives of individuals and families in need. During the Christmas season, I have rung the bell for the Salvation Army. Standing outside and asking others to contribute taught me humility and reminded me that even small donations can help provide food, shelter, and hope to people facing hardship. Through my church, I have served through public speaking and singing. These opportunities have allowed me to use my voice and abilities to encourage others, strengthen fellowship, and contribute to a community that has supported me. In addition, I have participated in two mission trips to Ecuador. These experiences challenged me to look beyond my own circumstances and recognize the needs of people in different communities and cultures. Serving alongside others in Ecuador taught me that meaningful service requires openness, adaptability, and a willingness to help without expecting anything in return. I returned from both trips with a deeper appreciation for the importance of compassion and a stronger desire to serve others wherever I am. One of the most personal ways I practice selflessness is by being available to my friends when they are struggling. I try to offer them a listening ear, especially when they are experiencing grief. Several years ago, my brother was killed in an automobile accident, and I have had to learn how to cope with immense loss. Although that experience was painful, it has helped me understand that grief cannot always be solved with advice. Sometimes people simply need someone who will listen, remain present, and acknowledge their pain. My own experience has taught me to extend patience and empathy to others during their darkest moments. Selflessness has shaped my character and continues to guide my decisions. Through service projects, volunteering, church involvement, mission work, and personal compassion, I have learned that helping others is both a responsibility and a privilege. As an Eagle Scout, I strive to live by the principle of service—not only through large projects, but also through everyday acts of kindness, attention, and support.

My name is Zac Baker and my faith is everything to me. I was blessed to have grown up in church and was saved in second grade at a summer VBS. However, my faith became much more personal in sixth grade when my brother passed away in a car accident. In this tragedy, I learned that life is short and that each moment ought to be cherished and used to the fullest. Though this was the hardest season of my life, I found hope and comfort in Jesus. That experience changed the direction of my life because I was reminded of the importance of spreading the good news of Jesus. I thank God He was there for me at my lowest moment; now all I want to do is help others understand this same comfort. Everything I do is done with the intention to exalt the good name of God. My passion can be summed up in three words: sharing the Gospel. Whether I am preaching, serving, leading, or even building a business, I want what I do to ultimately point towards the Lord. That mission became even more important when one of my friends and golf teammates died by suicide. I was honored to speak at his funeral and share the hope I have found in Jesus with hundreds of people. Afterward, I started a Bible study for our golf teams so that we could support one another through Scripture and prayer. Experiences like these have shown me that my faith does not remove hardship. However, It gives my hardship meaning, and it reminds me who has ultimately overcome my hardship. I know that as bad as any situation may be, God can take what the enemy meant for evil and turn it for good. I also have entrepreneurial goals for my life, but as I said earlier, even the things I do outside of vocational ministry, I will point back to God. I recently started JehNis Apparel, a Christian clothing brand built around creating clothing that communicates Biblical truths. Entrepreneurship excites me because it allows me to create something from nothing, solve problems, and hopefully build something successful for the Lord. I do not want success at the expense of my character. If my business grows but I forget Jesus I have failed. “Yours, O Lord, is the greatness, the power, the glory, the victory, and the majesty. Everything in the heavens and on earth is yours, O Lord, and this is your kingdom. We adore you as the one who is over all things” (1 Chronicles‬ ‭29‬:‭11‬.) My faith will assist me in my career by constantly reminding me why I am working in the first place. I feel called to pastoral ministry, and I hope to spend my life preaching the Gospel, serving people, and helping those who are hurting find hope. Everything else I do like my entrepreneurial endeavors are simply supplements to this main career goal. My faith is a constant reminder of the definition of success. Whether I am standing behind a pulpit or building a business, I want Jesus to be lifted high. Faithful stewardship in what God has given me, maintenance of my integrity, and discipline in my own relationship with Christ is how I plan to exalt the Lord with my life. Receiving this scholarship would be such a blessing and would greatly ease the financial burden of college in my life. This would help me focus more on the endeavors I spoke of in this essay. I hope you will consider me for this scholarship, and God bless.

Hi, my name is Zac Baker. When people ask whose story changed mine, I think of my brother Chris. When I was in sixth grade, my brother passed away in a tragic car accident. I have been a Christian all my life as I accepted Jesus in VBS in second grade, but my faith became much more real in this tragedy. Losing my brother forced me to answer a question: Where do you turn when life falls apart? Jesus was my only comfort in this storm. The grief never disappeared, but through it I experienced Christ as my source of hope, peace, and strength. That season completely changed the direction of my life. Instead of allowing tragedy to make me bitter, God used it to give me compassion for people who are hurting. It also gave me an overwhelming desire to spend my life sharing the Gospel because I know that the hope found in Christ is not just a comforting idea—it is the only hope that truly lasts. That calling has shaped everything I do. I have served as President of Fellowship of Christian Athletes, founded Bible Motivation to share daily Biblical encouragement online, spoken at Fields of Faith events, served on two mission trips to Ecuador, and now serve as a pastoral intern at my church. A problem that most people walk past in my community that I notice is that many families today simply do not have places where they can spend meaningful time together in an environment that encourages faith, healthy relationships, and genuine community. Entertainment is everywhere, but much of it pulls families apart instead of bringing them together. Loneliness continues to grow, parents struggle to connect with their children, and many people have never experienced an authentic Christian community outside of a Sunday morning service. If I had the resources, I would build a family community center operated by a local church. It would be much more than a gym or recreation center, but it would be a place where families could play sports, enjoy meals, attend concerts, study Scripture, receive counseling, and build lasting friendships all while Christ remained at the center of everything. Instead of competing with the culture, it would offer an alternative where Biblical truth and genuine joy exist together. This would be a place where children would play while parents build friendships with other families. Students could find mentors at this center who invest in their lives before, during or after a crisis. I see community events, marriage conferences, youth nights, Bible studies, sports leagues, and outreach programs that naturally create opportunities for people to encounter the love of Christ. Churches already exist to shepherd people spiritually; but I believe they can also become hubs where communities thrive relationally and physically. My brother's story taught me that life is fragile and that every interaction matters. Because of him, I have learned to use every moment as an opportunity to share the joy of Christ whether that is through preaching the Gospel, serving my community, or one day helping create a place where families can flourish together. My goal will always be to point people toward the hope that transformed my own life. I cannot change what happened to my brother, but I can spend my life making sure others know the Savior who carried me through it.

Hi, my name is Zac Baker. When people think about leadership, they often picture someone standing in front of a crowd. While leadership definitely involves guiding others, I have learned that the most meaningful leadership begins with serving. The greatest example of this is Jesus Christ, who said, "For even the Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve." That verse has become a model for the way I want to live my life. One of the most meaningful service initiatives I have organized was a weekly Bible study for my school's men's and women's golf teams after one of our teammates tragically died by suicide. This tragedy left the golf teams grieving, confused, and searching for hope. Rather than simply moving on, I felt called to create a place where we could encourage one another, pray together, and find hope through God's Word. Every Friday morning before school, we gathered in our golf coach’s classroom to study Scripture, talk openly about what we were experiencing, and remind one another that no one has to carry life's burdens alone. While I was the one leading the study, leadership was less about teaching and more about serving the people sitting around the table. I also found ways to lead through servantship as President of FCA. I worked to make our meetings more welcoming by adding worship, creating a welcome team, and bringing greater structure to our leadership so every student felt valued. My Church involvement has blessed me with many service opportunities as well. I have served on two mission trips to Ecuador where we helped build churches, met the needs of struggling people, and shared the hope of Christ. At my church, I regularly teach elementary-aged students, help lead worship, serve on the student ministry leadership team, and volunteer at community food giveaways. Whether I am serving students in my school, families in my church, or communities across the world, my goal is always the same: to love people well and point them toward Jesus. I believe leadership through service is important because it reflects the heart of Christ. Jesus could have demanded to be served, yet He chose to wash His disciples' feet and ultimately gave His life for others. He also taught us to treat others as we would want to be treated. When we serve with humility, generosity, and joy, we live out that command. Servant leadership is not about recognition, influence, or titles. It is about putting others before yourself, meeting real needs, and demonstrating the love of Christ through action. I have found that people are often more willing to listen to the hope of the gospel after they have first experienced its goodness through your service. As I pursue a degree in Pastoral Ministry, I hope to continue living a life marked by servant leadership. Whether I am leading a Bible study, organizing outreach projects, serving on mission trips, or one day pastoring a church, I want my leadership to reflect the example Jesus set. My prayer is that when people see the way I serve, they will ultimately see Christ. I believe that is the greatest impact any leader can make.

My name is Zac Baker, and I recently graduated as Salutatorian of my high school graduating class. I have been blessed with many opportunities to succeed academically, serve in leadership, and compete in athletics as captain of my golf team. While I am thankful for those accomplishments, they are not what define me. My utmost desire in life is to be a faithful servant of the Lord Jesus Christ. I grew up in church, and got saved in second grade, but my faith became much more personal when I was in sixth grade after my 26 year old brother was tragically killed in a car accident. That was the hardest season of my life. In the midst of my grief, however, I discovered that Jesus was more than who we learned about in church, and prayed to before dinner. Jesus became my source of hope, peace, and strength in this storm. Looking back, I would never choose to relive that experience, but I can honestly say that God used it for the good (Romans 8:28.) It gave me a burden for people who are hurting and a desire to spend my life pointing them toward the same hope I found. That desire has shaped every decision in my life. In school, I served as President of Fellowship of Christian Athletes, where I worked to make our meetings more welcoming by introducing worship, strengthening our leadership team, and creating an environment where students felt valued. I also had the privilege of speaking at weekly meetings and Fields of Faith events attended by hundreds of students. This past year, our school experienced another tragedy when a member of our golf team, and a close friend of mine, died by suicide. It deeply affected our entire community. I was honored to speak at his funeral and share the hope of the Gospel during one of the darkest moments many of us had ever experienced. Afterwards, I founded a weekly Bible study for our men's and women's golf teams to give students a place to encourage one another through prayer and Scripture. It also led me to become involved as a pastoral figure with a nonprofit organization (L3R) Founded by Landon’s parents dedicated to suicide awareness and prevention. People often carry burdens we cannot see, and simple acts of encouragement can make an eternal difference. One way I have been investing in my community is through my church The Torch. I have served on two mission trips to Ecuador helping build churches, teach children, and provide for the needy. I also regularly speak in our children's ministry, help lead worship for our student ministry, serve on the media team, and work as a pastoral intern. These opportunities have strengthened the calling I believe God has placed on my life: to become a pastor and help people grow spiritually while walking with them through life's ongoing cycle. I am also an Eagle Scout and was blessed with the opportunity to serve my community through many service projects and an Eagle Project. For this, I built a trailhead sign to raise awareness of a prayer/meditation trail dedicated to my brother on my church’s property. This fall I plan to attend Liberty University to study Pastoral Leadership. My dream is to faithfully shepherd a church, continue growing the ministry I founded called Bible Motivation, and one day, Lord willing, even help establish a Christian college that equips future generations to know Christ and serve others. Whatever specific opportunities God provides, I simply want my life to lead people to the paramount goodness of Jesus. Receiving the Treye Knorr Memorial Scholarship would greatly ease the financial burden of attending a private Christian university. It would allow me to devote more of my time and energy toward preparing for my life’s ministry instead of worrying as much about the evident financial burdens that accompany higher education. I hope to honor the purpose of this scholarship by living a life marked by determination, faithfulness, and meaningful service to others. If I can encourage people, strengthen my community, and point others toward lasting hope, then I will consider my life a success. God bless.

My name is Zac Baker. I was Salutatorian for my class of 459 students. I am an Eagle Scout, and was team captain for my golf team, but my passion can be summed up in three words: sharing the Gospel. I have grown up in church my whole life, and I am very thankful for that. However, my faith became much more personal in sixth grade when my brother passed away in a tragic car accident. That was the hardest thing I had ever experienced, but through it, I found hope and comfort in Jesus. Because I know what it feels like to hurt, I now have a strong desire to help other people who are hurting and point them toward hope. At my high school, I served as President of Fellowship of Christian Athletes. Through FCA, I had the opportunity to speak at Fields of Faith events attended by hundreds of students and at weekly huddle meetings. As president, I worked to make FCA more welcoming by helping create a better greeting system, adding worship, and encouraging our leadership team to pursue a spirit of excellence. I did not want FCA to just be another club. I wanted it to be a place where students felt seen, welcomed, and deeply encouraged. This became even more important to me after my school experienced the loss of a member of our men’s golf team to suicide. He was my friend and teammate, and his death greatly affected me. As hard as it was, I was honored to speak at his funeral and share that Jesus is the One we can turn to when life doesn’t make sense. After his passing, I started a Bible study for the school’s golf teams so we could support each other through scripture and prayer. I have also been asked to be a pastoral figure for a nonprofit organization founded by his parents to promote suicide awareness and prevention. This has increased my interest to a great degree for joining the fight against suicide. Additionally I serve in my church, The Torch Worship Center. I speak at Torch Kids worship services, serve on the student ministry leadership team, help with worship, and have gone on two mission trips to Ecuador where we helped build churches, held Bible School, led worship, and shared testimonies. I also serve in our monthly free food giveaway where we provide food for the community. Furthermore, I recently began serving as a pastoral intern, and I enjoy the work so much that it continues to confirm my calling to become a pastor. After college, I plan to make my community and the world a better place by becoming a pastor and continuing to serve people spiritually and emotionally. I want to preach the Gospel, walk with families through difficult seasons, mentor students, and help hurting people find hope. Philanthropy is very important to me as welI, and I hope to lead many different fundraising efforts, both large and small scale in the future. Finally, I hope to plant a church one day. I plan to attend Liberty University and study Pastoral Leadership so I can be better equipped for this calling. Attending a private Christian college out of state is a financial burden, but I believe this education will help prepare me to serve others well. This scholarship would help me immensely to pursue that calling and continue making a difference in my community and beyond.

My name is Zachary Baker. I just graduated on May 22nd from Habersham Central High School as Salutatorian for my class of 459 students. My passion can be summed up in three words… Sharing the Gospel. I have grown up in church all my life, and I’m so thankful for my Christian upbringing. I got saved in second grade at a summer VBS. However, I really began to grow closer to the Lord in 6th grade when my brother passed away in a tragic car accident. Obviously, this was very hard on me… However, through the whole situation, I found hope and comfort in Jesus. Because of the immense strength I drew from the Lord and the Holy Spirit in me during this tragedy, I have an incredibly strong desire to dedicate my life to Him and share Him with others who are hurting. During a church beach retreat in the summer of my Sophomore year, I felt a strong calling from the Lord to go into pastoral ministry. While there are obviously difficulties that come with vocational ministry, as much as I tried, I couldn’t run from the call. I decided that I was going to follow this calling no matter the trials ahead after my Junior year In an effort to spread the gospel in my school, I became very involved in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. I served as President this past year, and have been given the opportunity to speak at two Fields of Faith events attended by hundreds of students and at weekly huddle meetings. In 2024, I was chosen by teachers and coaches as FCA Huddle Leader of the Year and FCA Athlete of the Year in 2025. My school faced a tragedy this past school year when a member of our men’s golf team committed suicide. This greatly affected me, and made my desire to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ even stronger. As hard as it was, I was honored to speak at my friend's funeral and tell about Jesus being the One we should turn to when life doesn’t make sense. I founded a Bible Study for the golf team after this tragedy. We met on Friday mornings at 7:30 am. It was a source of strength and a way to support each other as we dealt with this tragedy. I have also been asked to serve as a pastoral figure for a non-profit organization founded by his parents to promote suicide awareness. I know this organization will make a huge difference in my community and beyond. I am very involved in my church, The Torch. I’m a pastor for Torch Kids Church, a member of the One Way Student Ministry Team, and a speaker at our free food giveaways. I am also a member of The Torch Ecuador Mission team. In October 2023, I spent fall break in Riobamba, Ecuador helping build a church, holding Bible School, and leading worship services. In October 2025, I spent fall break helping build another church in the Ecuadorian part of the Amazon jungle, holding Bible School, and leading worship services where I actually had the opportunity to give my testimony about overcoming grief. I have recently begun an internship at The Torch Worship Center as a pastoral intern. I have enjoyed this internship so much that I actually look forward to going to work, and I believe this confirms my calling to be a pastor one day. I plan to get a degree in Pastoral Leadership at Liberty University to develop my calling of spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ. I have recently realized what a financial burden it is to attend a private Christian college that is out of state which led me to finding this Scholarship opportunity. As I sow seeds, I am trusting the Lord to provide a harvest so I can honor Him best with my life. I look forward to being a pastor of a church one day and possibly even planting a new church. My utmost goal though… is to be a Godly husband and father who loves, protects, and provides for his family, setting an example of good moral character and having a servant’s heart. This Scholarship would definitely help relieve the financial burden that comes along with the educational essentials to pursue these goals.