Peter T. Buecher Memorial Scholarship

I am currently a senior at Orono High School. I swam under Pete as a middle school swimmer. He was a very kind and encouraging coach and made me love the sport. I am planning on pursuing Music Education this fall. I have been involved in band since I was in 5th grade, and it has had a very big impact on me. I have made a lot of friends through band, learned a lot of lessons about how to work hard and lead a group of people, and I have enjoyed it immensely. Over my time in band, I have also experienced some not so great student leadership. Having a challenging experience in band drove my passion for leadership. I made a goal for myself: as an upperclassman, I would not allow any younger percussionists, for as long as I was in band, to feel the way I had felt. On the first day of my junior year, I facilitated all the percussionists introducing themselves and getting to know one another. Throughout the year, I worked hard to make good on my promise, whether it was writing missing pieces of music for new percussionists or collecting phone numbers so that underclassmen could reach out with questions or concerns. Making an effort to connect and get to know people, I formed friendships, both in the percussion section and out. Wanting to do better than those who had come before me, I volunteered to become a teaching assistant in one of our lower bands. It pushed me out of my comfort zone, allowing me to develop new relationships. I have mentored several percussionists who came to me looking for help. I am so glad I could be there for them like I wish someone had been for me. Improving my leadership skills continues to be important to me. I was chosen to attend a Women’s Leadership Seminar and have already implemented many ideas. Being in influential roles such as Drum Major, a member of our Band Leadership Team, and Percussion Section Leader, I aim to make all students feel welcome, heard, and valued. I desire to become a music teacher who is a positive influence in the lives of my students. My experiences in band allow me to more easily recognize exclusivity, passivity, and poor leadership. I aspire to create an encouraging environment where students can learn, grow, experiment, feel safe, and ultimately improve their musicianship. Inclusivity will not be just a goal, but an expectation. We will not be just a band, but a family.

Strong! I want to help students and athletes be strong. I plan to be a Physical Education teacher and coach. I was fortunate to have multiple people teach me to be strong as I was growing up and I plan to continue. My swimming coaches and Phy. Ed teacher were great influences on me. Plus, both of my parents helped me to grow and be strongc. Coach Burroughs and Wildman were tough coaches and taught the team to work hard. When workouts or meets got tough they helped me rise up. They believed in me and helped me to believe in myself. They created a team that had strong connections across the grade levels. We learned to help each other train and push each other to be better. Coach Arens was my Phy. Ed teacher and Strength Coach. He also pushed me and challenged me. He would spend additional time so I could get on the Records Board. He taught me the necessary details to lift safely and to develop for my sports. He helped me increase my vertical which helped in both basketball and high jump. My parents are both teachers and coaches. I’ve seen how they have helped students, connected with athletes, supported families and made our small town of 3000 people better. They coached both my brother’s and my travel basketball teams. My mother, Wendy, is the Head Girls’ Track and Field Coach. She works with both boys and girls on the track team. Some have great success competing but some just need to be apart of a team and feel supported. She had to juggle watching and cheering for me and all the other athletes. It is important to her to make connections with her athletes and students. I know she works hard being a fourth grade teacher. She enjoys finding new challenges and activities for her students. My father, Cory, was a football and basketball coach and now is a referee for both. He has helped me the most in basketball which is my favorite sport. He helps me see the game and the different perspectives people have of the game. He was my 5th grade teacher and is passionate about teaching students to have a Growth Mindset. I am a culmination of all of them and want to influence students and athletes to have a Growth Mindset, work hard, value education, and care for others. In my community there are few female coaches. I plan to teach and coach because I think female athletes need to see strong female coaches.

I am from a small, tight-knit community and I wouldn't change it for the world! I love being able to walk around town and say hi to all the different people I know. I am quick to volunteer at all sorts of events wether it be with the high school, church, or the community. I am a part of NHS in my school where I am a part of helping at the local food shelf, bringing sack lunches for kids of low income, and putting in extra effort to make the community a better place. My favorite place to help out is through my church's youth group program. I teach kindergarten and first grade class every other week. It is so empowering to be bringing beautiful, encouraging lessons to little kids who are so intrigued with new information. I look forward to my night to teach every week because I get to develop new relationships with the future generations of my small town and teach them important life lessons they will remember for their entire lives. I always am willing to accept a challenge or task that may put myself out of my comfort zone. I strive to show, not just say, that the community only grows stronger when the effort and time is put into helping those less fortunate. There is something so motivating about making a difference in someone else's life. I thrive on making someone's day or being that person to smile at someone I may not personally know. Making connections and building relationships with community members is extremely important to me. I believe that having these connections is what starts the process of a better community. Wether a person is older or younger than me I still take the time to get to know them and enjoy their company. I love going to my church, seeing all the ladies that are my grandma's age that I have formed a bond with, and being able to talk to any of them about their struggles and my own. Teaching swimming lessons is one of the best parts of my summers. I get to meet nearly 50 new kids and continue to teach another 100 kids throughout the course of the summer. When lessons are over for the year I am always sad to see the kids I have grown to know leave. It is exciting to see them in the hallways during the next school year when they are calling my name or asking for a hug because of all the effort that was put in to building more than just a teacher/student relationship. These kids feel heard and understood when their stories and struggles are listened to. I believe this is a superb way to build up the future of my community and ensure that the next generations will carry on the tradition of giving back.

Growing up with two very athletic older brothers and a father who served as the Activities Director and girls basketball coach, I was exposed at a very young age to the opportunities that arise from high school sports. Though I didn't quite match the athleticism of my older brothers, or the expectations of many around, I would not change my experience for the world. I was fortunate enough to serve as a captain of both my volleyball and basketball team, as well as the award winner for "Most Valuable Teammate" on both teams at the end of the season. With this, overtime I understood what people meant by "Sports are more than just practice and competitions." Sports were lifelong friends, being a resource and a positive influence to the younger generations, dance parties in the locker room, and a chance to gain timeless skills: communication, teamwork, leadership, accountability, and selflessness. I would absolutely not be the driven person I am today without my experiences revolving athletics. Overtime, I have silently realized that my purpose is to serve and lead those around me. Each morning serves as a reminder that I am given a day to either be a greater good to this planet, or waste the opportunity. I grew up in very small, tight-knit, mid-west community that truly showed me what the word community means. Generations before laid the pavement and dirt roads in which created generational friendships and organizations that promote serving others. As early as I can remember, I witnessed so much selflessness in my community that I have eventually come to realize is the greatest attribute that one can contribute with their time on Earth. I currently strive to enrich myself in ways that can further enrich those around me. In May I will be traveling to Guatemala to provide free healthcare with various other volunteers to underserved communities. While this is an extravagant example of serving, it can be forwarded and followed by the simple acts in every day life. The interpersonal skills that I gained with sports has inspired me to offer whatever I can give to further our common goal of healthy habits, healthy relationships, and healthy planet as a whole.

The ability to harness momentum is a valuable skill that can be applied both in swimming and in life. As an accomplished swimmer, I have come to understand that the seconds spent pushing off the wall during a race can make a tremendous impact on the outcome. However, the physical push-off alone is not what determines success. It is the mental preparation and focus that goes into each turn that truly matters. Similarly, in life, success is not just about the actions we take, but also about the mindset we bring to each situation. Through my experiences in swimming and community service, I have learned the importance of preparation, and determination. As a five-time varsity letter winner in both Swimming and Alpine Skiing, I have experienced both individual and team success. However, what I cherish the most is the time I spend supporting my teammates and giving back to my community. One of my earliest community service experiences was helping to run a Junior High swim meet. Shortly thereafter, I timed at a swim meet for senior citizens. During both meets, I could clearly see the impact my presence had on the athletes, and I took delight in supporting my teammates and neighbors. These meets taught me that swimming is not just a sport, but a lifetime activity, and that caring for the people around you is equally important. Since then, I have become a member of the National Honor Society, which has given me numerous opportunities to engage in community service. I am expected to complete six hours of community service each semester. I am proud to say that I have completed almost fifty hours of community service this semester and over one hundred hours this year. I have had the opportunity to participate in numerous community functions during this time including leading elementary school students through a STEM day camp, removing invasive plants, and preparing meals for community distribution. Through these experiences, I have learned about the challenges my community faces and the solutions that can be put in place to address them. Moving forward, I plan to build on the determination and preparation I have learned to expand the impact I can create on my community. In college, I intend to study environmental science and get involved in efforts to preserve natural resources, engage the community in nature, and create a more sustainable future. By pursuing my passion for environmental science, I aim to make a positive difference in the world and help preserve the planet for future generations. I will continue to apply the principles I have learned through swimming to my future endeavors. I understand that success is not just about the outcome, but also about the journey and the values that guide our actions. I believe that determination, preparation, and a focus on making a positive impact on others are the key to garnering success, both in swimming and in life. I am committed to building on the momentum I have created and using my skills and passions to create a better future for all.

I had my first swimming lesson at two years old when my dad accidentally dropped me in the ocean. Of course, it wasn’t ideal for my parents, but it sparked my love for the water. When I was 5, I joined my school’s swim team and haven’t stopped swimming since. I grew my involvement in the sport by competing on club teams and my high school team. I was able to represent those teams at many state and section meets. In my senior year, I had the honor of leading my high school team as a captain. I loved being able to show my love for the sport in different ways and see that same love in my teammates. After competing for a decade, I wanted to give back to the sport of swimming and the community around me, so I became a lifeguard at the local pool. As I was in my lifeguard training, I learned drowning is the leading cause of death in children. It shocked me and became very important to me to teach kids how to be safe in the water while still having fun. I made it a mission for me to make the water a comfortable place for children, just like it was for me years ago. I started teaching swimming lessons to kids but soon realized being in the water means something different to everyone. For some, putting their faces in the water was scarier than Frankenstein, but others loved it so much they were practically mermaids. Each child had unique feelings toward the water, so to help those who struggled I had to get creative. Simply having the kids cannonball into a deeper part of the pool to get their faces wet or pretend to have Santa bellies while floating on their backs, improved their adaptiveness to the water. I was able to play many games with the children and watch their bond with the water grow stronger during each lesson. By disguising their fears in fun ways, I was able to make my community a safer place and save lives. Nothing has had a greater impact on me than getting to know the children and seeing that spark in their eyes when they finally learn to love the water. I know not all of them will go on to compete in swimming as I did, but the reward of knowing that I’ve been able to support my community and make the water a safe space is better than any medal I could win. Swimming has always had a special place in my heart and giving back to the sport and the community around me makes me know my mission has been fulfilled.