At eleven months old, I was diagnosed with cerebral palsy. Doctors weren’t sure if I would walk. At two years old, my physical therapist introduced me to my first walker, which was life-changing. About two years after I received my walker, I took my first unassisted steps. As I grew older, I realized that many people created expectations of what I could do based on my physical disability. In second grade, I was discriminated against by my physical education teacher, who would not allow me to participate in the games, and I was also barred from running for class representative because my teacher did not want me to represent the class because of my disability. Years later, I was almost denied entry into a summer adventure camp because, in the 11 years of operation, the camp had never had a camper with a disability, and they were unsure of how I would perform. I have also been told that being in a wheelchair “precludes me from leadership.” Because of these experiences, it has become my mission to break through social barriers for myself and others by being an ambassador for people with physical disabilities and showing others that physical limitation does not define success. I am usually the only person with a disability in spaces like classrooms, events, and camps. Often, I am the first person that people have met who has a physical disability. This has given me the responsibility and honor to teach people about disability and how to live and lead despite it. For example, when I attended Girls State this summer, I was the only delegate with a disability, but I was elected state senator and nominated as one of 10 girls, out of 115 delegates, to be nominated for Girls Nation because of the strong relationships I built with the other delegates. This experience exemplifies that success and leadership are not defined by a person’s physical strength, but by their willingness and ability to lead with strength, confidence, and grace. As a student with a physical disability pursuing an economics major, I have learned that access to opportunity is often the biggest barrier to success, so this scholarship will help me break through that barrier. My goal is to become the chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers at the White House, so earning my Bachelor’s degree in economics will be an investment in that goal. Because six of my siblings will still be living at home when I attend college, receiving this scholarship will relieve the financial burden of my college education and allow me to focus on academics, leadership, and continuing my mission of breaking through barriers for myself and others with physical disabilities.

“Well done, good and faithful servant!” I know my life will have been successful if I hear these words from my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ when I arrive at the gates of Heaven one day. For me, success has never been rooted in material things, such as how many people know me, fame, or recognition. It is rooted in my relationship with Jesus, and whether I’m able to be a beacon of hope and encouragement for others. This world will take everything away from me one day. My family, friends, and trophies, but what it cannot take away is my relationship with Jesus and my soul. So, my goal is to help others set their eyes on the thing that is eternal, which is Jesus, and show them His love, mercy, grace, and kindness. One of the ways I endeavor to make everyone feel seen, known, and loved is through encouragement. One of the ways I have encouraged others is through handwritten letters and notes. I have handwritten an encouraging letter to all fifty governors, my friends, and my family. I have also written encouraging words on sticky notes and placed them in my school’s bathroom so that anyone who walked in would have the opportunity to be encouraged. Ultimately, I want everyone I know to understand that their lives have deep meaning and purpose, despite any hardships. My greatest hero is Mister Fred Rogers. I often think of the way he would end every episode of Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood by telling us, “I like you just the way you are.” That level of kindness, love, and compassion is often buried in the world today, and I hope that I can be a part of the change that brings compassion and kindness back to center stage. My passion for serving others has led me to become deeply involved in civic life. I attended Girls State and was elected state senator, and I also attended Patriot Academy, where I served as a congressman. I also regularly listen to White House Press Briefings and Senate hearings to better educate myself about public policy. These experiences have taught me that making meaningful change begins by forging meaningful relationships with people who have unique perspectives. As I pursue an economics degree over the next two years, I will make it a priority to encourage and uplift others, and surround myself with as many unique perspectives as possible. In the future, I hope to be an effective listener and communicator who can take everyone’s opinion into account and create economic policy that will uplift everyone. Receiving this scholarship would be amazing, as I am responsible for paying for college myself since I am the second oldest of eight children. Additionally, it would assist in my vision of bringing kindness and compassion to center stage and encouraging as many people as possible. Because I believe that when we all come together with our unique thoughts, experiences, and perspectives, we are all uplifted.

In the summer of 2024, I discovered Hillsdale Online Courses and found my passion for economics in the course “Supply-Side Economics and American Prosperity with Arthur Laffer.” Now, as the second-oldest of eight children, I am pursuing my degree in Economics with the hope of one day becoming an economist. This will be an extensive feat, but I am already working steadily towards this goal. To maximize my time, I graduated with my Associate’s degree in high school, so my bachelor’s will only take an additional two years. During these two years, I will maintain my seat in the Honors College at Grand Canyon University, develop my leadership skills, and engage in research and internship opportunities. These experiences will help open more doors for me after graduation as I plan to enter the public sector. During my undergrad degree, I plan to join several extracurricular activities, like the Canyon Civic Institute, and work an on-campus job to help pay for the expense of college and gain more experience engaging with public policy. After I graduate with my Bachelor’s in April of 2028, I plan to secure a position in the public sector, where I can gain professional experience while deciding if graduate school is the best path for me. Within 3-5 years of graduating, I plan to be progressing into more advanced policy-related positions. ​ My goal is to graduate college debt-free, and it’s a goal I’ve been working towards since I was young. Since I am responsible for paying for college myself, I started pursuing this goal when I started my first job as a cleaner, alongside two of my sisters, at a massage therapy practice. For five years, we cleaned treatment and common areas to help maintain a welcoming environment for clients. I also babysat for many years. Rather than spend my earnings, I saved them for college. For the first semester of college, I used my dad’s GI benefits and had $4,500 remaining for room and board, which I covered with personal savings. For the Spring Semester, I am unsure of whether I will receive GI benefits, so my costs will be significantly higher. Since I will receive $5,000 in institutional scholarships, the cost of the second semester will be $9,370.92. Additionally, besides the institutional scholarships, I don’t have any outside assistance for my final year, so the cost of my final year will be around $19,009.12. Therefore, my current funding gap for my entire education is currently at $28,380.04, which this scholarship will help me close. ​ In order to compensate for my funding gap, I will be pursuing all scholarship opportunities available to me through the Canyon Civic Institute, the Honors College, and scholarships I find online to cover the majority of the cost. I will also be working throughout the school year and summer to supplement scholarship awards. ​ My goal is to be an economist, but there are many ways I could reach this goal. I am willing to work for a state government, government agency, research agency, or think tank. I know this scholarship will relieve the financial pressure of the first step towards my goal of being an economist, which is earning my Bachelor’s in economics. My goal is to graduate debt-free, and I have built a plan to make that a possibility. By graduation, I intend to not only have a degree, but also the financial independence, professional experience, and policy knowledge necessary to begin making a significant contribution to economic policy. ​

In the summer of 2024, I discovered Hillsdale Online Courses and found my passion for economics in the course “Supply-Side Economics and American Prosperity with Arthur Laffer.” Now, as the second-oldest of eight children, I am pursuing my degree in Economics with the hope of one day becoming an economist. This will be an extensive feat, but I am already working steadily towards this goal. To maximize my time, I graduated with my Associate’s degree in high school, so my bachelor’s will only take an additional two years. During these two years, I will maintain my seat in the Honors College, develop my leadership skills, and engage in research and internship opportunities. These experiences will help open more doors for me after graduation as I plan to enter the public sector. During my undergrad degree, I plan to join several extracurricular activities, like the Canyon Civic Institute, and work an on-campus job to help pay for the expense of college and gain more experience engaging with public policy. After I graduate with my Bachelor’s in April of 2028, I plan to secure a position in the public sector, where I can gain professional experience while deciding if graduate school is the best path for me. Within 3-5 years of graduating, I plan to be progressing into more advanced policy-related positions. ​ My goal is to graduate college debt-free, and it’s a goal I’ve been working towards since I was young. I started pursuing this goal when I started my first job as a cleaner, alongside two of my sisters, at a massage therapy practice. For five years, we cleaned treatment and common areas to help maintain a welcoming environment for clients. I also babysat for many years. Rather than spend my earnings, I saved them for college. For the first semester of college, I used my dad’s GI benefits and had $4,500 remaining for room and board, which I covered with personal savings. For the Spring Semester, I am unsure of whether I will receive GI benefits, so my costs will be significantly higher. Since I will receive $5,000 in institutional scholarships, the cost of the second semester will be $9,370.92. Additionally, besides the institutional scholarships, I don’t have any outside assistance for my final year, so the cost of my final year will be around $19,009.12. Therefore, my current funding gap for my entire education is currently at $28,380.04, which I have a plan to close. ​ In order to compensate for my funding gap, I will be pursuing all scholarship opportunities available to me through the Canyon Civic Institute, the Honors College, and scholarships I find online to cover the majority of the cost. I will also be working throughout the school year and summer to supplement scholarship awards. ​ My goal is to be an economist, but there are many ways I could reach this goal. I am willing to work for a state government, government agency, research agency, or think tank. I know this scholarship will relieve the financial pressure of the first step towards my goal of being an economist, which is earning my Bachelor’s in economics. My goal is to graduate debt-free, and I have built a plan to make that a possibility. By graduation, I intend to not only have a degree, but also the financial independence, professional experience, and policy knowledge necessary to begin making a significant contribution to economic policy. ​

Patriot Academy Leadership Congress – Congressman June 2025 Contact: Janessa Pogue, Director of Campus Events & Leadership Congress Specialist, 986-777-1366, janessa@patriotacademy.com Patriot Academy is the country’s most realistic simulation of Congress. I served as a congressman, wrote my own bill, collaborated with fellow congressmen to get it passed through committee, and worked with them to pass and debate bills on the House floor. I also earned invaluable leadership training about how to live and lead with character, persuade others kindly and effectively, and uphold Constitutional principles of freedom. Colorado Girls State – Delegate/State Senator June 2025 Contact: Kellie Hayes, Registrar/Chairman, 719-494-7167, register.alacgs@gmail.com Colorado Girls State is a realistic simulation of a state government, with delegates participating in the civic process from campaigning to writing and passing bills. I wrote speeches, debated legislation, worked hard to build meaningful relationships with my fellow delegates despite our political views, and was elected state senator. Out of 115 delegates, I was one of 10 delegates to be nominated for Girls Nation. Colorado Senate Minority Leader Paul Lundeen – Job Shadow February 2024 Contact: Former Senator Paul Lundeen’s legislative office is no longer active; however, photo documentation of the experience is provided. I spent 2.5 hours on the active senate floor with Senator Lundeen, learning firsthand how legislation is passed, and how to work in a kind and effective way with your fellow senators. I also got to speak with Senator Lundeen about how he got into politics, and his main priorities for the state of Colorado. Passion Project - Letters to U.S. Governors 2023-2025 Contact: This was a personal endeavor, photo evidence is provided. I handwrote personal letters to all 50 governors, encouraging them to lead with integrity and work to uphold Americans’ constitutional rights. I wrote in order to understand their differing viewpoints on the role of government, and how to uplift America the most. Many of the governors responded, which was encouraging. Independent Political Study 2020 - Present Contact: This was a self-directed endeavor. I invested over 50 hours reading the Constitution, the Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation, and I am currently reading through the Federalist Papers. I have spent over 200 hours listening to White House Press Briefings, and U.S. Senate Hearings, including foreign and domestic policy discussions, and confirmation hearings of Supreme Court Justices and federal department leadership. Over the years I have also attended many mayoral debates, town halls, and political commentator events to gain a fresh perspective of current American politics, and how people work across the aisle with one another. This ongoing political study has helped me seek perspectives beyond my own, and engage in political disagreements with grace and understanding. Hillsdale College Online Courses June 2024 Contact: Self-directed coursework, but photo of Certificates of Completion are provided. This endeavor has deepened my understanding and appreciation for America and its political systems. It has taught me to be more open-minded about policy making, and understand how the U.S. works to build relationships with foreign nations. Also, the course Supply-Side Economics and American Prosperity with Arthur Laffer is what made me interested in economics, and led me to pursue it as a degree in college.

At eleven months old, I was diagnosed with cerebral palsy. Doctors weren’t sure if I would walk. At two years old, my physical therapist introduced me to my first walker, which was life-changing. About two years after I received my walker, I took my first unassisted steps. As I grew older, I realized that many people created expectations of what I could do based on my physical disability. In second grade, I was discriminated against by my physical education teacher who would not allow me to participate in the games, and I was also barred from running for class representative, because my teacher did not want me to represent the class because of my disability. Years later, I was almost denied entry into a summer adventure camp because in the 11 years of operation, the camp had never had a camper with a disability, and they were unsure of how I would perform. I have also been told that being in a wheelchair “precludes me from leadership.” Because of these experiences, it has become my mission to break through social barriers for myself and others by being an ambassador for people with physical disabilities, and showing others that physical limitation does not define success. I am usually the only person with a disability in spaces like classrooms, events, and camps. Often, I am the first person that people have met who has a physical disability. This has given the responsibility and honor to teach people about disability, and how to live and lead despite it. For example, when I attended Girls State this summer, I was the only delegate with a disability, but I was elected state senator, and nominated as one of 10 girls, out of 115 delegates to be nominated for Girls Nation because of the strong relationships I built with the other delegates. This experience exemplifies that success and leadership are not defined by a person’s physical strength, but by their willingness and ability to lead with strength, confidence, and grace. In college, I am pursuing an Economics degree, which I am very excited about. At the core, economics is about studying human behavior, and how to allocate scarce resources. With my Economics degree, I hope to go into public policy where I can help craft legislation and policies that will break down economic barriers for everyone. Because I am the second oldest of eight children, I am personally responsible for paying for college, so this scholarship would be life-changing, and help me continue my mission of breaking through barriers for myself and others with physical disabilities.

During a Spanish class, one of my friends conjugated his name, and the verb was “Trever - to obsessively learn.” It gave us some great smiles, and it perfectly describes why I read books. The greatest thing books have taught me is how to understand the world, and how to live with purpose. The most impactful book I ever read was A Grief Observed by C.S. Lewis. The book was the most raw and real book I ever read. At the core, it was a husband recounting the life of his wife that he loved so much. The memories. The laughs. The hardship. The grief of her being ripped from his arms by cancer. He didn’t sugarcoat anything, but instead chose to be vulnerable, and let others have a window inside of his experience with the most human experiences, which is pain, grief, and suffering. Because his writing did not try to escape reality, and was so raw and authentic, I felt I had stepped into his life, began to understand grief, and was grieving with him. And, as someone who has not yet experienced the grief of losing someone close to me, I appreciated that beyond measure. When I was twelve years old, I began to have sincere doubts about my faith in Jesus. So, I turned to books to try to find the answers to some of the most pressing existential questions such as, “What is my purpose in life?” “Who is Jesus? Did He really resurrect from the grave?” “Is Heaven for real?” To find answers, I read countless books, such as “The Case for Christ”, “Heaven is for real”, and so many others. I read these books to make sense of the world, and to grapple with what I believed. Through this search for meaning, I concluded that Jesus is real, He lived, died, was resurrected, and came into the world as my Savior and friend. I also discovered that my purpose is to advance His Kingdom, and give Him glory in everything I do. Beyond my ultimate purpose of advancing the Lord’s Kingdom, books have led me to discover the world through others’ eyes, and find my vocational purpose. I am planning to pursue a degree in economics, and the literary works of Thomas Sowell greatly influenced that decision. The way he speaks so frankly and eloquently about public issues such as school choice and economic disparities, such as poverty, have inspired me to use my voice in the same way through public service. Finally, through biographies and autobiographies, I’ve been able to better understand faith and perseverance through the stories of Jim Elliot, Joni Eareckson Tada , and Helen Keller. Each of these people have taught me how to look at life with more hope, optimism, and courage. Books have significantly impacted my life, in the way that they have shaped my Christian worldview, motivated my love for economics, and shown me that in every circumstance, joy is possible.

I embody selflessness by recognizing needs that are often overlooked. I have learned that needs are not always visible or physical. Sometimes, the greatest need is for someone to know that they are seen, known, and cared for. Encouragement is often a need that is tucked away in someone’s heart, but meeting that need can change someone’s life. I have found letters and sticky notes as the best avenues for me to encourage others. In my freshman year of high school, I began to realize that people did not take time to encourage one another, so I decided to help change that. That year, I began handwriting birthday letters to my friends. These birthday letters spoke about my favorite memories with them, the character qualities I saw in them, why I admire them, and why I love them. My friends loved the letters, and felt so encouraged by them. This inspired me to keep writing, and I started handwriting birthday letters to my friends’ parents. Over the years, I have continued to write birthday letters, and it brings me so much joy to see the smile on someone’s face when I give them a birthday letter. Although my birthday letter operation was going well, it limited me to only writing encouraging letters to people who told me when their birthday was. So, I changed my strategy, and instead of just writing letters to people on their birthday, I began writing letters to people who had made a significant impact on my life. For example, at the end of the school year, I handwrite a letter to all of the teachers I had over the year to tell them how much I appreciate them, and to share some of the best memories I made in their class. To this day, my teachers will tell me how much my letter meant to them, and how they still read it from time to time. As I began to handwrite more letters, I realized that I wanted my encouragement to others to go beyond just the people I knew. So, I decided to handwrite letters to all fifty governors. On top of all my other letters, from my freshman to junior year, I worked on writing letters to all the U.S. governors, thanking them for their public service, and encouraging them to stay rooted in their beliefs. I got several responses, and they all thanked me for my kind words, and putting time into writing them a letter. Although writing letters is amazing, I realized that I wanted my encouragement to go to more people than I could possibly write letters to, so I found a secondary means of encouragement: sticky notes. First, I began writing prayers on sticky notes for people that I knew, and gave them the sticky notes after a year of intentionally praying for them. To add to that, one time, I wrote encouraging messages on over 100 sticky notes, split them up in “Encouragement Envelopes” and placed the envelopes in my school’s bathrooms. My acts of encouragement have touched the lives of many, and have inspired others to encourage the people that they know. To me, selflessness means choosing every day to think about others, and take action to care for others. In a world that is full of negativity, I hope that my acts of encouragement bring comfort and peace to people’s hearts. I hope my endeavor shows people the value that they have because they are human, and inspires them to live their lives with optimism and perseverance, because tomorrow always brings hope of new opportunities.

Who are you? This is a question my mom asked my seven siblings and me when we were growing up. As I grew older, I realized she wanted to remind us of our identity in Christ. When I was eight years old, I finally hit the mark: I am a daughter of the Most High King, with a purpose to advance His Kingdom. Since I was eight, I have made it my mission to own my faith. When my peers would ask me why I used a walker, I became confident to say, “This is the way God created me,” and would ask them if they went to church too. I began my own research into suffering, intelligent design, the truth of the Bible and the resurrection when I was twelve years old. By fifteen years old, I had finished laying a foundation of why I am personally a Christian, and it was just in time for when I began taking classes at my local state college. In my philosophy class, the professor was openly agnostic and would try to argue against any mention of God because he believed that God was a way to explain different events. Before the semester ended, he asked us to write a paper on why God is dead. Instead of responding to that prompt, I chose to write an essay on why God is not dead. I talked about near-death experiences, evidence of the resurrection of Jesus, intelligent design, and objective morality. He did not appreciate my paper, but I had a lot of fun writing it, and I felt that it was the best way to be bold in my beliefs while also being respectful. Another way my faith has impacted my academics is that I am intentional about praying for my teachers. During my freshman year of high school, I wrote prayers on sticky notes for my teachers once a month and gave them the sticky notes at the end of the year. During my junior year of high school, I learned of a peer who was struggling with faith, so I got him a Bible, wrote prayers on sticky notes, placed the sticky notes in the Bible, and gave him the Bible. In this way, I was able to encourage him in his faith, and praying for him also increased my faith in the Lord. My faith has motivated me to pursue higher education because I believe the Lord calls us to use our gifts well. At college, I hope to grow both intellectually and spiritually, so that I can use my degree in economics to serve others well and be a faith-filled voice in the public sector after graduation. In the field of economics, my faith will give me a moral framework for making decisions, interacting with others, and interpreting different economic theories. I plan to use my degree in economics as an avenue to promote economic prosperity, so that every American can have the chance to pursue the American Dream. Although I will be attending a Christian university, owning my faith wholeheartedly will still be as important as it was in my elementary and high school years. While at college, I am planning on continuing to read my Bible, pray for others, and tell my peers about the Gospel when I have the opportunity. Although my environment will change at college, my identity and purpose will never change. I am still a young woman who is a daughter of the Most High King with a mission to advance His Kingdom, and this scholarship will help me do exactly that.

Who are you? This is a question my mom asked my seven siblings and me every few months when we were growing up. Often, I wondered why she would ask us this, because she knew everything about us; she was our mom after all. However, as I grew older, I realized she wanted to remind us of our identity in Christ. When I was eight years old, I finally hit the mark: I am a daughter of the Most High King, with a purpose to advance His Kingdom. Since I was about eight, I have made it my mission to own my faith. When my peers would ask me why I would use a walker, I became confident to say, “This is the way God created me,” and would ask them if they went to church too. I began my own research about the truth of the Bible and the resurrection around twelve years old. I read several books by Lee Strobel, explored why there is suffering in the world, and began to research intelligent design. By the time I was fifteen, I had finished laying a foundation of why I am personally a Christian, and it was just in time for when I began taking classes at my local state college. The first class I ever took at the state college was Intro to Philosophy. The professor was openly agnostic and would try to argue against any mention of God because he believed that God is just a way to explain different events away. Well, since I had a strong foundation, I decided to be bold. We had weekly assignments that required us to write essays about different philosophers and their beliefs. Throughout the semester, I had earned a few paper exemptions and had some near the end of the semester, so I decided to put them to good use. Three weeks before the semester ended, he asked us to write a paper on why God is dead. Well, instead of responding to that prompt, I chose to write a whole essay on why God is not dead. I talked about near-death experiences, evidence of the resurrection of Jesus, intelligent design, and objective morality. He did not appreciate my paper, but I had a lot of fun writing it, and I felt that it was the best way to be bold in my beliefs, while also being respectful. Another way my faith has impacted my academics is that I am intentional about praying for my teachers. For example, during my freshman year of high school, I wrote prayers on sticky notes for my teachers once a month and gave them the sticky notes at the end of the school year. The prayers encouraged them immensely. During my junior year of high school, I learned of a peer who was struggling with faith, so I got him a Bible, wrote prayers on sticky notes, placed the sticky notes in the Bible, and gave him the Bible. In this way, I was able to encourage him in his faith, and praying for him also increased my faith in the Lord. My faith has motivated me to pursue higher education because I believe the Lord calls us to use our gifts well. At college, I hope to grow both intellectually and spiritually, so that I can use my degree in economics to serve others well and be a faith-filled voice in the public sector after graduation. Although I will be attending a Christian university, owning my faith wholeheartedly will still be just as important as it was in my elementary and high school years. While at college, I am planning on continuing to read my Bible, pray for others, and tell my peers about the Gospel when I have the opportunity. Although my environment will change at college, my identity and purpose will never change. I am still a young woman who is a daughter of the Most High King with a mission to advance His Kingdom, and this scholarship will help me do exactly that.

What do notebook paper and brightly-colored sticky notes have in common? I use them both to spread encouragement throughout my community. Through handwritten letters on sheets of notebook paper and notes of encouragement on sticky notes, I’ve been able to preserve and strengthen human connections with those in my community. In my freshman year of high school, I began to realize that people did not really take time to encourage one another, so I decided to help change that. That year, I began handwriting birthday letters on notebook paper to my friends. These birthday letters spoke about my favorite memories with them over our friendship, the character qualities I saw in them, why I admire them, and why I love them. My friends loved the letters and felt so encouraged by them. This inspired me to keep writing, and by the end of my freshman year, I had started handwriting birthday letters to my friends’ parents. Over the years, I have continued to write birthday letters, and it brings me so much joy to see the smile on someone’s face when I give them a birthday letter. Although my birthday letter operation was going well, it limited me to only writing encouraging letters to people who told me when their birthday was. So, I changed my strategy, and instead of just writing letters to people on their birthdays, I began writing letters to people who had made a significant impact on my life. For example, at the end of the school year, I handwrite a letter to all of the teachers I had over the year to tell them how much I appreciate them, and to share some of the best memories I made in their class. To this day, my teachers will tell me how much my letter meant to them, and how they still read it from time to time. As I began to handwrite more letters, I realized that I wanted my encouragement to others to go beyond just the people I knew. So, I decided to handwrite letters to all fifty governors. On top of all my other letters, from my freshman to junior year, I worked on writing letters to all the U.S. governors, thanking them for their public service, and encouraging them to stay rooted in their beliefs. I got several responses from different governors, and they all thanked me for my kind words and for putting time into writing them a letter. Although writing letters is amazing, I realized that I wanted my encouragement to go to more people than I could write letters to, so I found a secondary means of encouragement: sticky notes. First, I began writing prayers on sticky notes for people that I knew, and gave them the sticky notes after a year of intentionally praying for them. To add to that, I wrote encouraging messages on over 100 sticky notes, split them up into “Encouragement Envelopes,” and placed the envelopes in my school’s bathrooms. The attached photo includes some of the encouraging sticky notes I placed around my school. Also, I took some of them and placed them on the mirror, so people would be encouraged right when they enter the bathroom. When I attended Girls State, I took a similar approach with the sticky notes by writing “you’re amazing!” on 120 sticky notes and placing them on the other girls’ dorm doors. Overall, my goal was to strengthen the human connection I had with the other girls and remind them how important they were to me. Since I started my encouragement endeavor during freshman year, it has brought me so much joy and fulfillment. Through notebook paper and sticky notes, I’ve been able to encourage countless people in both small and meaningful ways. Preserving authentic human connection does not require grand gestures. It only requires a small act of kindness to encourage another person. Whether through handwritten letters or sticky notes placed on a mirror, I have learned that acts of intentional encouragement can create meaningful and lasting connections in an increasingly digital world.

“I’m sorry to tell you, but your daughter may never walk.” These were the words my parents were met with when I was eleven months old. After noticing some developmental delays, they brought me to a doctor, where I was diagnosed with cerebral palsy, a condition I will live with for the rest of my life. By two years old, I couldn’t sit independently, let alone walk. Around that age, I began seeing a new physical therapist, who helped accelerate my progress. He introduced me to my first walker, which was life-changing. My mother encouraged me to use it inside the house and frequently took me on brief walks. I cried. A LOT. She believed in me and wanted me to believe in myself. She also believed our family needed a goal to work toward together. So, the Johnson kids would run their first kids’ fun run in April 2011. My physical therapist worked on balance and walking in a straight line with a walker. A week before the race, my mom spoke with me about the event. She explained that there would be lots of kids running and asked how I would feel if I ended up coming in last. Without hesitation, I joyfully said, “That’s ok! At least I’ll finish!” I was determined to give it my best effort. We completed the race, and it is one of my fondest early childhood memories. Not long after, I took my first unassisted steps. Six years ago, while recovering from major spinal surgery to reduce spasticity in my legs, I set a goal to one day climb the Manitou Incline. The Incline is a rigorous 2,744-step hike that gains 2,000 feet in less than a mile. The trek includes a 3-mile hike down Barr Trail to return to the start. It was an outrageous, lofty goal to set while relearning how to walk. I had never walked more than half a mile consecutively. Despite setbacks, I pressed toward my goal: the girl doctors once believed might never walk would conquer the Manitou Incline. On September 6th, 2025, friends and family gathered at the base of the Incline. With one person on either side of me, we began to ascend. Steadily, we climbed. Left foot, right foot, repeat. Rest. Repeat. A little over two hours later, we reached the summit! It was glorious! Then we collected ourselves to begin the four-hour descent. The uneven, rocky terrain was exhausting. But, with the support of family and friends, we persevered and conquered a literal and figurative mountain that day. For me, hiking the Manitou Incline was more than just completing a trail; it was a milestone that showed me how far I had come, and how far I still have to go. Living with cerebral palsy is not a challenge I have overcome once; it is one that I continue to overcome daily. Even if I have to put in 130% more effort than my peers to reach a goal, I will. If I have to wake up at 5 a.m. just to do my morning routine in time for school, I will. If I have to spend twice the amount of time on homework or doing physical activity, I will. I have learned that my limitations don’t define who I am, but my response to them does. Whatever task is put before me, I choose to do it any way possible. Yes, it is difficult to live with cerebral palsy, but this is the life I have been blessed with, and there’s no other life I would rather be living.

The hallway was silent, but the stress was unmistakable. It was the third day of Girls State, and behind every dorm door was a girl who felt exhausted, overwhelmed, and desperate to prove she belonged. I sat at my desk with a pen and a stack of sticky notes, writing the same three words more than 100 times: You are amazing! I placed a note on every door, hoping those words would remind each girl how much she mattered. Living with cerebral palsy has taught me the importance of showing up for others and encouraging them. Six years ago, while recovering from major spinal surgery to reduce spasticity in my legs, I set a goal to one day climb the Manitou Incline. The Incline is a rigorous 2,744-step hike that gains 2,000 feet in less than a mile. It was an outrageous, lofty goal to set while relearning how to walk. I had never walked more than half a mile consecutively. Over years of physical therapy, setbacks, and perseverance, I learned that goals are not reached alone but are sustained by others who encourage you, especially when progress feels impossible. That lesson shaped how I show up for others. I pressed toward my goal: that the girl whom doctors believed might never walk would conquer the Manitou Incline. At Girls State, I wanted to remind the people around me of their value. As I placed a sticky note on each door, I smiled, knowing those words could lift someone’s spirits. Many were surprised that I chose to spend my limited free time encouraging my peers, especially without any reward, but I did not care about being noticed. I cared about building connections and showing up for others. The next morning, the atmosphere had shifted. People smiled more easily, spoke more kindly to one another, and focused more on connection than competition. Some girls later thanked me for the notes after learning I had placed them, and many kept their sticky notes for future encouragement. I strive to continue Everett Frank’s legacy by choosing, every day, to be a friend, do hard things, and truly live. Whether I am climbing the Incline, skiing, playing the piano, or handwriting encouragement letters, I have learned that living fully means showing up for others with joy and wholeheartedness. Encouragement costs nothing, yet it has the power to change someone’s day, and sometimes, even their life.

Selected Paragraph Plato, The Republic, Book VII (trans. Benjamin Jowett) “And now look again, and see what will naturally follow if the prisoners are released and disabused of their error. At first, when any of them is liberated and compelled suddenly to stand up and turn his neck round and walk and look towards the light, he will suffer sharp pains; the glare will distress him, and he will be unable to see the realities of which in his former state he had seen the shadows; and then conceive some one saying to him, that what he saw before was an illusion, but that now, when he is approaching nearer to being and his eye is turned towards more real existence, he has a clearer vision–what will be his reply? And you may further imagine that his instructor is pointing to the objects as they pass and requiring him to name them,–will he not be perplexed? Will he not fancy that the shadows which he formerly saw are truer than the objects which are now shown to him?” Essay In Book VII of The Republic, Plato introduces the Allegory of the Cave, and in this paragraph, he illustrates prisoners being forced to see “the realities” instead of the shadows that have clouded their minds. This Allegory is often interpreted as the transition from ignorance to knowledge, but its meaning is far deeper. It uncovers that human nature is built to resist discomfort and change. The prisoners do not experience liberation when they are faced with reality, but with “distress, and sharp pains” that will cause them to be resistant and non-conforming to reality. They would rather cling to the shadows as “truer” than reality, because that is what they are comfortable with, and so they refuse to change. Plato asserts that ignorance is caused by the soul’s attachment to familiarity over reality, making internal resistance to truth the root of ignorance. Plato illustrates the prisoner’s distress to demonstrate their attachment to familiarity. First, the prisoners are “compelled suddenly to stand up,” showing that they were comfortable living in illusion, and they had to be forced to see reality. Unfortunately, when they are confronted with reality, they experience “sharp pains” because their belief system that was rooted in the shadows, being reality, has been crushed, and it is uncomfortable for them to admit that they were wrong. Through the prisoners' discomfort, Plato reveals that human nature causes people to want to surround themselves with others who have similar worldviews, so that a person’s beliefs can be confirmed, rather than challenged. This allegory demonstrates that it is painful for the heart and soul to change. Therefore, to resist that discomfort, people would rather shun the evidence and knowledge that reveal reality, and surround themselves with others who will confirm their illusion, than to depart from familiarity and explore reality. This excerpt also reveals that truth is objective, and the reason for ignorance is due to internal resistance to objective truth. If truth were subjective, then there would be nowhere for the prisoners to go outside of the cave, and they would not have to be forced to see reality, because what they saw in the cave would be the full truth. However, by showing that the prisoners are living in an illusion, Plato admits that truth is objective, because truth lies outside of the prisoners’ beliefs about the cave they have been living in. As Plato suggests, it is known that objective truth exists. For example, the study of mathematics shows that objective truth exists because no matter how a person looks at it, two plus two will always equal four. Therefore, it is no longer a question of whether objective truth exists, but whether a person will dare to see it. On this basis, the allegory shows that the reason for ignorance is the resistance of the human heart to being challenged and changed. If a lack of knowledge was the reason for ignorance, the prisoners would be joyful to gain access to the reality outside of the cave, and be glad that they could experience the truth. However, they were resistant to the world outside the cave, and wanted to settle in their subjective reality that the shadows were the truth, because their souls resisted discomfort. Therefore, the reason for ignorance is that the soul avoids change, not a lack of knowledge. Although written thousands of years ago, Plato’s allegory remains a timeless exemplification of human nature today. Similar to how the prisoners’ desire to remain attached to the familiarity of the cave, people today resist truths that challenge their beliefs, so that they can rest in familiarity even though there is a wealth of knowledge. The pain of having to change one’s perspective causes people to retreat into narratives and groups that confirm their beliefs. For example, people are able to curate the content they see on social media by listening to podcasters and using news outlets that uplift their beliefs. People often disregard evidence that challenges their beliefs, and instead look for information that confirms their beliefs, even if contrary evidence is stronger. Despite the vast amount of information available today, many people are still unwilling to face the truth. This shows that ignorance is caused by a resistance of the human heart to change, and not because of a lack of knowledge. In conclusion, this excerpt from The Republic projects a call for action. A call to be a searcher of objective truth, a truth that remains firm despite the twists and turns of cultural pressures. It reveals humans’ weakness of wanting to be comfortable no matter the cost, instead of choosing discomfort to grow. This excerpt demands that people endeavor to open their hearts and minds to objective truth by realizing that their deep-held beliefs might be wrong, and by leaving the familiar for the unfamiliar. It is a call that must be pursued daily with vigor and intention. In this search, one must also examine where the objective truth comes from and whether the objective truth-giver should be trusted. To find truth, one must leave familiarity behind and let one's heart be challenged, because in the end, to know and understand the objective truth is to be set free.