1) After Graduation I will be going to Rosedale Technical College to become an automotive mechanic. 2) Through all of high school it has been my dream to become a mechanic and learn how to fix cars. I love any chance I get to work with my hands to build or fix something to make it work. I love cars and trucks and that is what I am most passionate about and I am excited to go to college to learn and fulfill my dream, and I hope that this scholarship can help me get there. 3) I am currently a part of a FIRST robotics team, which requires great creativity, problem-solving, and outside the box thinking. Every year there is a new game with different challenges and we have to design and build a robot that can do these challenges successfully. This required me to think outside the box to try to find the best design for the robot that can accomplish these tasks reliably. I made many different prototypes, testing each one to see what works the best, and then innovating on that design to make it more reliable. We have run into a lot of problems and setbacks every year but we always find a way to fix them and make our robot better. Last year my team, the Titanium Titans (#4467), made it to the World Championship, by winning the Engineering Inspiration Award at a competition in Pittsburgh, and by winning a competition in Tennessee. This experience is where I gained most of my technical and problem solving skills. 4) After I graduate high school I will be going to Rosedale Technical College for automotive technology. I have already applied there and I have been accepted. During my time there I plan on getting a job at a local shop to get me real work experience so that I can learn and grow my career faster and eventually open my own repair shop. I have not decided where I will work yet but I am actively searching for jobs in the area to see what could be a good fit for me. 5) If you called an adult in my life, I am confident that they would recommend me because I have strong technical skills and work ethic. I am good at solving problems and I enjoy working with my hands to fix them. I always work hard and do the best that I can even when it's hard.

Big trucks and fast cars, that's where it all started. As a little kid those were my absolute favorite things, I could never get enough of them and I was excited about every new car I got, no matter how many I already had. I used to play with my toy trucks for hours on end, and I find that I still do today with my 4-year-old cousin. Other than cars I loved playing with legos, or just doing anything where I could build and create something. One of my favorite feelings is getting to look at the finished product of something I made, or seeing something I fixed work that didn't work before. I used to go to Home Depots kids workshop every month where they have a set of supplies and instructions to build something. I remember always being so excited to go every month. I liked doing my own thing, sometimes I wouldn't even look at the instructions and just build it myself, and I would modify or change parts that I didn't like to make them how I wanted. Today even though I’ve gotten older and I may not be playing with Hot Wheels and Tonka trucks all day anymore, my interests have stayed the same. I still love cars, and I still enjoy working with my hands. In 7th grade I was going to Central Christian Academy, and they had a FIRST Lego League (FLL) robotics team, it sounded fun so I joined. Since then I have loved working with more technical things. After I went to high school I went to a higher level robotics and joined a FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) team, the Titanium Titans (#4467) this experience is where I got most of my technical and mechanical skills that I have today. On the team my main job was doing mechanical work, and building or fixing the robot. I also did a lot of electrical work and machining on the mill. In the 2025 FRC season, my team made it to the world championship in Houston TX. That was such an amazing experience being there, only the top 10% of FRC teams make it to the championship and this was the first time my team has ever gone. Apart from FRC, last year I was also a part of a Bots IQ team for Commonwealth Charter Academy, with the role of electrical engineer. Collectively these experiences have given me many technical skills that I will continue to use as I study to become an automotive mechanic at Rosedale Technical College. During my time there I plan on getting a job at a local shop to get me real work experience so that I can learn and grow my career faster and eventually open my own repair shop. I understand that success in this field requires dedication, discipline, and continuous learning. I am prepared to take on that responsibility and work as hard as I can to achieve my goals and I am excited to take the next step in my journey. With this scholarship, I will be one step closer to achieving my dream of not only mastering a skill but also building a successful career and future in the automotive industry.

Big trucks and fast cars, that's where it all started. As a little kid those were my absolute favorite things, I could never get enough of them and I was excited about every new car I got, no matter how many I already had. I used to play with my toy trucks for hours on end. Other than cars I loved playing with legos, or just doing anything where I could build and create something. One of my favorite feelings is getting to look at the finished product of something I made, or seeing something I fixed work that didn't work before. I used to go to Home Depots kids workshop every month where they have a set of supplies and instructions to build something. I remember always being so excited to go every month. I liked doing my own thing, sometimes I wouldn't even look at the instructions and just build it myself, and I would modify or change parts that I didn't like to make them how I wanted. Today even though I’ve gotten older and I may not be playing with Hot Wheels and Tonka trucks all day anymore, my interests have stayed the same. I still love cars, and I still enjoy working with my hands. Since 10th grade I have been part of a FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) team, the Titanium Titans (#4467) this experience is where I got most of my technical and mechanical skills that I have today. On the team my main job was doing mechanical work, and building or fixing the robot. I also did a lot of electrical work and machining on the mill. In the 2025 FRC season, my team made it to the world championship in Houston TX. That was such an amazing experience being there, only the top 10% of FRC teams make it to the championship and this was the first time my team has ever gone. These experiences have given me many technical skills that I will continue to use as I study to become an automotive mechanic at Rosedale Technical College. During my time there I plan on getting a job at a local shop to get me real work experience so that I can learn and grow my career faster and eventually open my own repair shop. I understand that success in this field requires dedication, discipline, and continuous learning. I am prepared to take on that responsibility and work as hard as I can to achieve my goals and I am excited to take the next step in my journey. With this scholarship, I will be one step closer to achieving my dream of not only mastering a skill but also building a successful career and future in the automotive industry.

Big trucks and fast cars, that's where it all started. As a little kid those were my absolute favorite things, I could never get enough of them and I was excited about every new car I got, no matter how many I already had. I used to play with my toy trucks for hours on end, and I find that I still do today with my 4-year-old cousin. Other than cars I loved playing with legos, or just doing anything where I could build and create something. One of my favorite feelings is getting to look at the finished product of something I made, or seeing something I fixed work that didn't work before. I used to go to Home Depots kids workshop every month where they have a set of supplies and instructions to build something. I remember always being so excited to go every month. I liked doing my own thing, sometimes I wouldn't even look at the instructions and just build it myself, and I would modify or change parts that I didn't like to make them how I wanted. Today even though I’ve gotten older and I may not be playing with Hot Wheels and Tonka trucks all day anymore, my interests have stayed the same. I still love cars, and I still enjoy working with my hands. In 7th grade I was going to Central Christian Academy, and they had a FIRST Lego League (FLL) robotics team, it sounded fun so I joined. Since then I have loved working with more technical things. After I went to high school I went to a higher level robotics and joined a FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) team, the Titanium Titans (#4467) this experience is where I got most of my technical and mechanical skills that I have today. On the team my main job was doing mechanical work, and building or fixing the robot. I also did a lot of electrical work and machining on the mill. In the 2025 FRC season, my team made it to the world championship in Houston TX. That was such an amazing experience being there, only the top 10% of FRC teams make it to the championship and this was the first time my team has ever gone. Apart from FRC, last year I was also a part of a Bots IQ team for Commonwealth Charter Academy, with the role of electrical engineer. Collectively these experiences have given me many technical skills that I will continue to use as I study to become an automotive mechanic at Rosedale Technical College. During my time there I plan on getting a job at a local shop to get me real work experience so that I can learn and grow my career faster and eventually open my own repair shop. I understand that success in this field requires dedication, discipline, and continuous learning. I am prepared to take on that responsibility and work as hard as I can to achieve my goals and I am excited to take the next step in my journey. With this scholarship, I will be one step closer to achieving my dream of not only mastering a skill but also building a successful career and future in the automotive industry.

My name is Zechariah Thomas, and I am going to Rosedale Technical College to become an automotive technician. Helpfulness, perseverance, and persistence have always played a significant role in my life. I always enjoy an opportunity to help others whenever I can. I have faced many challenges that require me to persevere through difficulty and struggle. My whole life I always had a passion for helping people in need. When I was younger, every summer my church would have an event where kids go out to the homes or farms of elderly or disabled people, and help them with work that they were not able to do themselves. This was one of my favorite things and I looked forward to it every year. I have also gone to many other different events at my church that serve and help others. For the past two years I have been serving at a local food bank every month for others who do not have enough money. I have shown generosity throughout my life and continuously donate money to help others even when I may not have much at that time. Even now when I need thousands of dollars to pay for college, I have not stopped giving generously. Persistence and perseverance have been an important part of my life. Ever since my sophomore year at high school I have been a part of a FIRST robotics team, the Titanium Titans (#4467). During robotics season, we have to build a robot to overcome a new challenge every year. There have been many moments where perseverance was needed to succeed. One example is that last year we designed a very ambitious robot for the game, but it came with many challenges. We had many parts break and those needed to be fixed very quickly if we wanted to compete in our match. The robot also ended up being above the weight limit and we had to get rid of a big part of it to be allowed to compete. Even with these challenges I never gave up and that year my team ended up winning a competition in the Smoky Mountains, and making it to the world championship for the very first time. We did not win the championship, but last year was a great accomplishment for me, and it was the farthest the team ever went in competition. Persistence and helpfulness have impacted every area of my life and have always been very important to me. I have pushed through many challenges, and have also helped others get through their own challenges in their life. Getting to college is now a new challenge that requires great perseverance. I hope that this scholarship will help me get there.

Trade school is often overlooked, everywhere you look, people are pushing you to attend a four-year college. They say that a four-year college will take you farther in life and you will earn more money. They say going to trade school is for the “uneducated” or people who just aren’t “smart enough” to get into a four-year college. These false claims often hinder many people from pursuing a career in the trades, and I want to prove these claims wrong. My name is Zechariah Thomas, and after high school I am going to attend Rosedale Technical College to become an automotive technician. As long as I can remember, I have had a passion for building and fixing things. I knew early on that I wanted to join the trades after I graduated, though some people did not agree with me. I consistently got A’s in class, usually in the high 90’s, and most people I knew expected me to go to a four-year college, thinking that was what was going to get me the most money. They said I should not go to trade school because they knew I could do “better than that.” But I knew that the trades are what I wanted to do, and I was going to stick with it. Trade school is beneficial for many different reasons. One big reason is because of the shorter length of going to a trade school, I will only be in school for 16 months, rather than four years. This allows me to start my career sooner and actually start earning money sooner, while others are still thousands of dollars in debt after getting into college. Another reason is that you gain useful life skills that will end up saving you more money in the future, because you can do things yourselves instead of paying someone else for an overpriced fix. During my time at Rosedale, I plan on getting a job at a local shop to get me real work experience so that I can learn and grow my career faster and eventually open my own repair shop. I understand that success in this field requires dedication, discipline, and continuous learning. I am prepared to take on that responsibility and work as hard as I can to achieve my goals, and I am excited to take the next step in my journey. With this scholarship, I will be one step closer to achieving my dream of not only mastering a skill but also building a successful career and future in the automotive industry.

My name is Zechariah Thomas, and I am pursuing trade school to become an automotive technician. As long as I can remember, I have always had a passion for building or fixing things with my hands and I was excited about any opportunity I had to do so. I knew early on in my life that after high school I wanted to join the trades. I have considered many different trades throughout my life and given careful thought to which one I wanted to pursue as a career. I have decided that being an auto mechanic was the one profession I was most passionate about, and one that I could have great success in. After high school, I will be going to Rosedale Technical College to pursue this dream, and I hope that this scholarship will help me get there. Attending school will provide me with the knowledge and experience I need to become a successful mechanic. During my time at Rosedale I plan on securing a job at a local shop to get me real-world experience so that I can learn and grow my career more quickly and eventually open my own repair shop. Trade school is often overlooked, everywhere you look, people are pushing you to attend a four-year college. They say that going to a four year college will greatly increase your success in your career. But I believe that going to trade school can offer you the same, if not a higher level of success than a four year college can offer you. Going to a trade school can get you work experience sooner and gives you useful life skills that can give you a more successful life. For me, a successful career is something that you love to do, and that can support a family. I am willing and ready to work hard and study hard to continue becoming a better mechanic, and to work with my full capability, making sure I do the best job I can do. I understand that success in this field requires dedication, discipline, and continuous learning. I am prepared to take on that responsibility and work as hard as I can to achieve my goals, and I am excited to take the next step in my journey. With this scholarship, I will be one step closer to achieving my dream of not only mastering a skill but also building a successful career and future in the automotive industry.

Trade school is often overlooked, everywhere you look, people are pushing you to attend a four-year college. They say that a four-year college will take you farther in life and you will earn more money. They say going to trade school is for the “uneducated” or people who just aren’t “smart enough” to get into a four-year college. These false claims often hinder many people from pursuing a career in the trades, and I want to prove these claims wrong. My name is Zechariah Thomas, and after high school I am going to attend Rosedale Technical College to become an automotive technician. As long as I can remember, I have had a passion for building and fixing things. I knew early on that I wanted to join the trades after I graduated, though some people did not agree with me. I consistently got A’s in class, usually in the high 90’s, and most people I knew expected me to go to a four-year college, thinking that was what was going to get me the most money. They said I should not go to trade school because they knew I could do “better than that.” But I knew that the trades are what I wanted to do, and I was going to stick with it. Trade school is beneficial for many different reasons. One big reason is because of the shorter length of going to a trade school, I will only be in school for 16 months, rather than four years. This allows me to start my career sooner and actually start earning money sooner, while others are still thousands of dollars in debt after getting into college. Another reason is that you gain useful life skills that will end up saving you more money in the future, because you can do things yourselves instead of paying someone else for an overpriced fix. During my time at Rosedale, I plan on getting a job at a local shop to get me real work experience so that I can learn and grow my career faster and eventually open my own repair shop. I understand that success in this field requires dedication, discipline, and continuous learning. I am prepared to take on that responsibility and work as hard as I can to achieve my goals, and I am excited to take the next step in my journey. With this scholarship, I will be one step closer to achieving my dream of not only mastering a skill but also building a successful career and future in the automotive industry.

My name is Zechariah Thomas, and I am pursuing trade school to become an automotive technician. As long as I can remember, I have had a passion for building and fixing things. I knew early on that that was what I wanted to pursue. I have considered many different trades throughout my life and given careful thought to which one I wanted to pursue as a career. I have decided that being a mechanic was the one profession I was most passionate about, due to my love for cars and trucks, as well as hands-on mechanical work. After high school, I will be going to Rosedale Technical College to pursue this dream, and I hope that this scholarship will help me get there. During my time at Rosedale I plan on getting a job at a local shop to get me real work experience so that I can learn and grow my career faster and eventually open my own repair shop. I understand that success in this field requires dedication, discipline, and continuous learning. I am prepared to take on that responsibility and work as hard as I can to achieve my goals and I am excited to take the next step in my journey. With this scholarship, I will be one step closer to achieving my dream of not only mastering a skill but also building a successful career and future in the automotive industry.

Work ethic can be defined simply as a set of principles, values, and standards that guide how you do your work. Your work ethic influences your behavior when you work. Your reliability, integrity, and discipline all develop from this standard that you create for yourself. Therefore, it is up to each person to decide what principles and values to live by, and how high or how low they set their standard. It is essential that you set standards and rules for yourself, because if you don't, it will significantly impact the way you work. Without clear standards, you give yourself an excuse to not work reliably to your full potential, because you have not made it a goal for yourself to do so. I want my work ethic to be as strong as possible. This means working to my full potential, even when others aren’t or I may not feel like it. Every day I go to work, I make a goal for myself to be the hardest worker there. There are going to be others that do not work by the same standard you do, but they do not give you an excuse to lower your standards so that it meets theirs. On the other hand, if others are working harder than you, that does not give you an excuse to just let them do that hard work for you, since they're already doing it. Instead, learn from them and strive to work more like them. I believe that if everybody tried to be the hardest worker, the workplace would be so much more efficient. In conclusion, work ethic is not just about getting the job done, it’s about holding yourself to a higher standard and consistently striving for excellence. By setting clear principles and values for yourself, you create a foundation that guides your actions and decisions, ensuring that you work with integrity, discipline, and reliability. No matter the environment or the actions of those around you, maintaining your own high standards and continuously pushing yourself to be your best will not only lead to personal growth but will also contribute to a more efficient and productive workplace. Ultimately, a strong work ethic is a reflection of who you are, and it is within your power to shape and strengthen it each day.