In an imperfect world, there are many things we could analyze as modern-day issues, such as unemployment, data security, illegal immigration, inflation, minimum wage, homelessness, higher education, human rights, political corruption, government overreach, law reformation, etc. To narrow down the long list of pressing issues to one is a challenge that I do not pretend to be qualified to do. If I had to decide to move forward with progress in mind, tackling each issue one at a time could be the way to go. This would ensure everyone is moving in the same direction, leading to a focused effort to create a solution. Carefully considering the most pressing issues, I would target a solution where the outcome benefits the most individuals in the U.S. population. In doing so, I want to create lasting change that could positively influence others to lead the charge in making America great. For me, taxation lands high on the list. If you are like me, you would agree that paying taxes should be illegal. I understand the principle behind taxation is to support society by building public roads/highways, bridges, etc. Here's the issue, if the government can bail out banks as it did during the 2008 financial crisis, why can't tax-paying citizens be bailed out from paying taxes? The government has shown the ability to print money. This is nothing new. If the government has the power to print its own money, I ask why the government needs my money. Let me answer that: it doesn't! Yet, I am still expected to pay taxes on essentially everything. At this point, I truly feel overtaxed. Especially as an unemployed student who is already financially struggling. Secondly, why does the government get away with needless spending? Here's a solution: employ a team of financial advisors to invest the money it has compiled into a high-interest trust fund and only spend the accrued interest. This idea promotes a healthy relationship between citizens and the government as it aligns with the Constitution and permits the government to work for the people as opposed to us working to pay the government. With this prescribed solution, it makes sense to eliminate taxation altogether. Yet, taxation continues to increase and those who fail to pay taxes are held at the mercy of judges and legal precedence. Taxing citizens is inconsistent with the Constitution, which asserts the inalienable right to freedom, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. With great power comes great responsibility. Who is holding the government responsible when it perpetually violates the rights of Americans? That's the heart of the issue! If I had the power of Thanos and could snap my fingers to reach back in time and assemble a historical task force to effect change, I would retrieve three of our founding fathers: James Madison, considered the architect of the US Constitution; George Washington, considered the General Contractor of the US Constitution; and Benjamin Franklin, a diplomat who was known for being an effective negotiator and a mastermind in his own right. With this team of political leaders, I would open a case against the U.S. Government to enforce the rights of the American people and navigate taxation laws by throwing the book at those who violate our rights. In doing so, I would establish a task force to check the authority of governing agents by removing violators from any capacity within law and government. My team would work to dismantle the overreaching power of the government. Lastly, a class action lawsuit would be filed to recover compensatory and punitive damages, and tax law would cease to exist.

My life changed in 2001 because I dared to try something new. The wrestling team needed a Varsity Heavyweight and my peers looked to me to fill that role. Although apprehensive, I chose to answer the call. As a High School Freshman, I accepted the challenge of competing against the biggest and best. I had no experience and was the first in my family to step on the mat. Most would say I had a late start. This was evident against talented competition. That said, taking losses was no surprise. It was expected. Those losses became lessons that taught me to work harder. Initially, I endured the aches and pains of defeat but naturally understood it was part of the process. Shedding all excuses, I recognized the necessity to embrace discomfort. I coupled strength with resilience, transforming courage into confidence. I was in motion to become the best wrestler I could be. In hindsight, I never imagined how wrestling would impact my life. I started with the mindset- quitting is not an option! As I developed, my strength of mind evolved from an internal plea that silently cried to keep moving forward no matter how badly I wanted to quit to a determination to push further and dig deeper. I discovered personal growth and reached beyond my own self-limitations to achieve more than I thought possible. I soon realized that no matter the challenge, I could wrestle through it. Despite significant disadvantages and insurmountable odds, I wrestled with heart. I never doubted myself and I knew I could persevere! As a Team Captain, I captured the Heavyweight State Championship to capstone my senior year with 113 career wins and set a school record for "Most Wins in a Season." Wrestling was my passion. Success was my addiction. Only after graduating High School did I begin attracting college coaches/recruiters, which allowed me to see college as a realistic option. Competing at the next level came with several costs that amounted to involuntary servitude. My wrestling endowment barely covered half the cost of attendance. I was immediately forced into debt by way of student loans. Even with a Pell Grant and a work-study job paying $5.35 an hour, I struggled to buy books. Broke and barely eighteen, I was dropped off in Kentucky, many miles away from home, and left to learn what being an adult was all about. During this time, I lived without the luxury of a car, phone, and laptop. Worst of all, I had to hike two miles to grab detergent to wash my laundry. Suddenly, wrestling became a way of life. I endured four long years to become a first-generation college graduate with a Bachelor's in Business Administration. I finished my wrestling career a match away from All-American, competing against grown men who were nearly thirty. I am proud to say I never backed down and never gave up. My passion for wrestling spawned into something bigger than myself. Though I struggled to see my potential as a wrestling coach early on, my experience as a volunteer allowed me to recognize- I can do this! I uncovered the hidden ability to lift, lead, and empower others. On this path, I discovered my purpose. I have suffered so others don't have to. I plan to change lives by coaching and advocating for others. To prepare the way, I have reached for higher education to grasp opportunities in professional development to serve others at a higher level. Struggling financially, I am humbly asking for your support. This scholarship will help me pay tuition for the coming semester.

In 2001, my life changed by daring to try something new. The Varsity Wrestling Team needed a Heavyweight, and my peers looked to me to fill that role. Though apprehensive, I chose to answer the call. As a high school freshman, I accepted the challenge to compete against the biggest and best. Again, I had no prior experience and was the first in my family to step on the mat. Most may say I had a late start. This was evident against stronger competition. While taking losses was expected, each loss was a steppingstone that taught me to work harder. I endured the aches and pains of defeat and recognized the necessity to change my habits. Making no excuses, I embraced the grind. Early on, I coupled strength with resilience, which enabled me to transform courage into confidence. I dedicated my life to becoming the best wrestler I could be. Looking back, I never imagined the impact wrestling would have. I started with the frame of mind that quitting was not an option. As I progressed, my strength of mind evolved into a relentless mindset to keep pushing forward. Through this experience, I discovered I am incredibly resilient and capable of doing more than I thought was possible. No matter the challenge in front of me, I was able to wrestle through it. Despite significant disadvantages and insurmountable odds, I persevered. That is precisely why I am a great asset to any team. As Team Captain, I accomplished many milestones, which included setting a new school record for Most Wins in a Season and earning over 100 career wins. My success attracted the attention of College Coaches across the Nation, allowing me to compete at the next level. On the edge of eighteen, I stood against giants, some of whom were nearly thirty. Regardless of age or size, I courageously toed the line. I was a 3-Time National Qualifier on the path to becoming a National Champion. As a Junior, I finished one match away from All-American in 2008. Going into my Senior year, I was ranked 8th in the Nation in the Pre-Season Polls. Unfortunately, I was forced to sit out of Nationals due to Coach's decision for 2007 and 2009. Essentially, I was robbed of the opportunity to chase my dreams, which undoubtedly steered my trajectory of success off course. Searching for a silver lining, I recognize I can’t go back and change what happened; I can only move forward with the hope of making a positive change and becoming an influential difference for someone else. My passion for wrestling and desire to keep going spawned the courage to enter Coaching. Since graduating from Campbellsville University as a First-Generation College Graduate, I have pursued volunteer opportunities to uplift and lead others as a Youth Wrestling Assistant Coach. In route to pursuing excellence and developing personal gains of enrichment, I decided to pursue a Bachelor in Exercise and Sport Science at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill to allocate toward a professional coaching career. To expand my qualifications, I plan to simultaneously train at the Tar Heel Wrestling Regional Training Center to compete for a World Championship. In 2028, I aim to qualify for the United States Freestyle Wrestling Team to compete for Olympic Gold in Los Angeles, California. My success shows I can accomplish great things. Oftentimes, I only need the opportunity. Please allow me to make my dreams come true by supporting me with the financial barriers that stand in place. When we work together, we can make a difference.

Why did I go after the paralegal technology program? In a few words, it was a calling. Let's rewind it back to the beginning. I graduated in May 2024 with an Associate in Science degree from Forsyth Technical Community College (FTCC). Since post-graduation, I was leaning into the idea of enrolling into UNC Chapel Hill as a transfer Student to target a Bachelor of Science in Exercise and Sport Science. This appealed to me because it's not too far from home, it's relatively affordable unlike others schools I have dreamed of attending (University of Miami), and allows me to seek a degree from a recognized University that I can allocate toward personal interests and a career that I would enjoy. That was my plan. Unfortunately, I missed the application deadline which was much earlier than I anticipated. Since the application deadline does not rollover, I had no choice but to wait for next year to apply. So in the meantime, I re-enrolled back into FTCC to complete an Associate in Applied Science (A.A.S.) in Teacher Prep. Having majority of credits, I recognized I only needed five courses to complete the program. This meant I was going to complete two Associate degrees in one year. As soon as I entered the program, I was extended an invitation to apply for a role as Student Ambassador which was presented as a prestigious position and came attached with the promise of all expenses paid (Tuition, Fees, and Books). Being unemployed with no income, this was a necessity. Without hesitation, I jumped on this offer. Upon acceptance, I was fortunate to be promoted to Lead Student Ambassador. Basically, I hold a position as a Team Captain over a team of five Ambassadors. To remain in compliance, I needed to be enrolled for both Fall/Spring which was impossible to do without adding unnecessary courses which would have complicated my academic standing. I wanted to continue as a Lead Student Ambassador so I chose to re-evaluate my choice of program. This led me to bounce around from one program to another due to course availability issues. As the start of the Fall Semester grew near, I was in panic mode. I was running short on time and needed to figure out which available program fit my needs. Then this happened! Just three weeks before the start of school, I was informed by the SLE Director that changes had been made due to budget cuts which significantly affected Ambassador Scholarships. I questioned is this real? This was going to cause a financial injury on my behalf and possibly on the behalf of other students as well. After recognizing we had a social contract, I was able to use my knowledge of contracts and attention to detail to position myself in the power seat. I decided to take a stand. I pushed my grievances through the proper channels and was able to retain the original terms to the Agreement which provided full benefits to 17 Student Ambassadors. It was after this major win, I decided to go into the Paralegal Technology Program. Since then, I have advocated for fair treatment and equal opportunity for all participating parties and have followed up with the SLE Director to circulate the Rights/Privileges of Ambassadors by initiating a meeting via face-to-face to spread awareness and uphold the conditions of contract. Because I stood up when nobody else would, I can claim to be an agent of change. Working as a Lead Student Ambassador has impacted me in more ways than one. For one, I'm a better leader. However, it's taken sacrifices.

My life changed in 2001 because I had the courage to try something new. The Varsity Wrestling Team needed a Heavyweight and my peers looked to me to fill that role. Although apprehensive, I chose to answer the call. As a High School Freshman, I accepted the challenge to contest against the biggest and best. Again, I had no prior experience and I was the first in my family to step on the mat. Most might say I had a late start which was exposed against talented competitors. Taking losses was expected. Those losses became lessons which taught me to work harder. Having said that, I am confident if l had known then what I know now, it would be a different story. In the beginning, I endured the heavy aches and pains of defeat. I understood it was part of the process, so I made no excuses about it. I recognized the necessity to change my habits and embraced the grind. Early on, I coupled strength with resilience which transformed courage into confidence. I dedicated my life to become the best wrestler I could be. Looking back, I never imagined the impact wrestling would have. I started with the frame of mind that quitting was not an option. As I progressed, I developed strength of mind which evolved into a mindset to keep pushing forward. I discovered I am incredibly strong and capable of doing much more than I ever thought was possible. No matter the challenge in front of me, I realized I could wrestle through it. Even when confronted with significant disadvantages and insurmountable odds, I have consistently shown grit and perseverance. This is a core strength I possess which makes me an asset to any team. As Team Captain, I captured a State Championship to capstone my Senior year with 113 Career Wins and set a NEW School Record for Most Wins in a Season. My success attracted the attention of College Coaches across the Nation which afforded me with the opportunity to compete at the Next level. While young and barely eighteen, I stood against giants who were nearly thirty... and every time, I toed the line. I was a 3-Time National Qualifier on a warpath to become a National Champion. As a Junior, I finished a match away from All-American in 2008. The following Season, I was ranked 8th in the Nation in the Pre-Season Polls. Unfortunately, I was forced to sit out of Nationals due to Coach's decision for 2007 and 2009. Searching for a silver lining, I learned sometimes you don't get second chances. My passion for wrestling and the desire to keep going spawned the courage to enter Coaching. Since graduating Campbellsville University as a First-Generation College Graduate, I have pursued volunteer opportunities to lift and lead others as a Youth Wrestling Assistant Coach. Today, I continue to pursue excellence by targeting a Bachelor in Exercise and Sports Science at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill with a double minor in Sports Medicine and Conflict Management which I aim to allocate towards a successful career as a Fitness Professional and Collegiate Wrestling Coach. I need your support to push through the financial barriers that stand in the way.

As a First-Generation College Student with no income and struggling to find employment, I am desperately trying to find an alternative solution to overcome the financial barriers I am confronted with. In 2022, I submitted my student application to the University of Miami (UM) and was accepted into the School of Education and Human Development to major in Exercise Physiology and minor in Sports Medicine. During this time, I had plans to chase many majors but soon realized my plans weren't financially feasible. Needless to say, the University of Miami is extremely expensive and seemingly impractical for students like myself, who are having to juxtapose financial hardship with the complexities of financing an extremely over-priced education that doesn't guarantee any form of prosperity but certainly compounds debt at an alarming rate. I felt squeezed for money that I didn't even have. As the Fall semester drew closer, I was already feeling the pressure of debt looming over head with the expectation to pay nearly $30k upfront for the first semester. I was blindly overlooking the unwelcome feeling that I came to know after the school refused to work with me when I requested a tuition waiver or any form of financial assistance. To me, it seemed impractical to expect a student to pay the excessive cost of attendance, especially when showing financial need and zero expected family contributions. Having little to no loan options available to me, I would've had no other choice but to work and pay as I go. With inflation affecting the cost of everything, living in South Florida was an impossibility to navigate around without a job. I was looking at the real possibility of immediate homelessness. After analyzing the unfavorable prospects and challenges laid in front of me, the decision was becoming quite clear. With so much held against me, the journey was pointless. Speaking from experience, I believe my effort to simply survive would've undermined my education. I made the mature and yet, painful decision to withdraw my application and decided to go about this differently. Looking at affordable options nearby, I rebounded by enrolling into Forsyth Technical Community College to acquire transfer courses and obtain credit for merely a fraction of the price of UM. While excelling in my classes, I discovered many opportunities to expand my concept of leadership through extra-curricular activities. With a High GPA, I was inducted into the Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) International Honor Society which requires a student to maintain 3.5 or higher GPA. In addition to PTK, I explored volunteering and professional development activities that lead me to become a LEAD Fellow and Global Scholar. At the same time, I was nominated as a Finalist for the Academic Excellence Award. Since graduating with Honors and obtaining an Associate in Science, I have recently considered a career as a Physical Education Instructor which easily aligns with my passion for Coaching. Seeing an opportunity to overcome financial stress while helping others achieve greater fitness and health propels me to enter the Teacher Preparation Program at FTCC which I expect to complete by the end of this coming Fall. Upon completion, I will be extending my transfer application to UNC Chapel Hill to pursue a Bachelor of Art in Exercise and Sport Science with a double minor in Coaching Education and Conflict Management. At UNC, I seek to gain Coaching Experience by working with the Tar Heel Wrestling Staff. Having your support allows me to push forward to overcome adversity and income disparity.