Nicholas Hamlin Tennis Memorial Scholarship What have you learned from tennis, and how has this shaped your future? As I wrap up my senior year of high school, I have gotten a chance to reflect on all the things I have done. I have made a robot, competed at international business conferences, and made an award-winning film, just to name a few. But the most impactful experience I had was being on the tennis team. Tennis gave me role models. I have been a varsity player since my freshman year, and I was deeply shaped by the team captains that I had during my freshman and sophomore years. They were confident leaders and close confidants. I admired the way that they managed to excel in school and on the tennis courts. I admired them and did my best to learn from them. They taught me tennis skills like how to score a tie breaker and doubles strategy, but they also taught me what it meant to be a positive presence. I was honored to be elected as the team captain during my junior year and again during by senior year. I am proud to say that I have stepped up to fill the shoes of the legendary captains that came before me. Being a team captain has allowed me to find my leadership style, work and communicate across different ages, and manage large groups of people. Last week was Spring Break for my school. Since our coaches were out of town, I decided to organize voluntary practices for anyone who could make it, something introverted freshman me would have never done. I made a special agenda for each day with a focus and a set of drills and activities to support skill development on that focus. Over one week I poured more than ten hours into our varsity and jv team. The experiences I have had as a tennis captain like organizing the spring break practices has helped me develop my organization skills and confidence. Because of tennis I have become a more confident leader, a clear communicator, and a positive support for my community. I am proud of the person I have become, and I owe my success to the role models tennis has given me. So, thank you to all of my coaches and thank you to Nicholas Hamlin for being the guiding light for people like me. Thank you.

My dog, Ollie, lives like a prince. He is five-year-old goldendoodle with a vocabulary that includes, “walk, park, mama, and bedtime.” My family got Ollie during quarantine, so he is used to our undivided attention. As a puppy he woke early, so I was up at five-thirty every morning to play with him. By 8 o’clock most mornings we were both played out and ready for a nap. He would curl up in my lab and we would rest. Ollie is much bigger now, but he still thinks he is a lap dog. He enjoys keeping me company by chewing a bone in my lap while I do homework. I wish I could take him everywhere I go. I think he would love to see what my life is like. If I could, I would take him to school to see the robotics lab. He could chase my team’s robot down the hall, and our robot could throw balls down the hall for him using our robot’s launching mechanism. I love robotics almost as much as I love Ollie, but don’t tell him I said that. Robotics is where I get be creative and solve problems. It has shown me my passion for engineering and science. Over the past four years, my robotics team has won five awards for our design and presentation skills. I would also take Ollie to come play tennis with me. This year is my second year as team captain, and he could be my captain in training. Although he may not be good about organizing events and planning workouts, he could help pick up balls and be our mascot for the day. Our next stop would be the Salem Public Library for a Read to a Pet event. I am on the Teen Advisory Board (TAB) at the library, and I help make events like this happen. As a board member I have planned murder mystery parties, game nights, improv workshops, and more. I love being a member of TAB because I am able to give back to a institution that has helped me become who I am. I have participated in library events since I can remember, and I am constantly checking out books for both leisure and research. I don’t know that Ollie would be especially into the books, but I am sure that he would love he love to find a cozy place and to rest while I read. I love Ollie, just like you loved Otto. And although Ollie and Otto may never understand all that I do in a day, I hope they would be proud of my life and career. This fall, I will start my freshman year of college studying medical device engineering. I want use technology as a force for good, helping developing countries provide affordable the medical care. My variety of interests and problem-solving mindset will help me to find creative solutions to global health issues and change lives through scientific innovation. (Disclaimer: I have a 3.89 GPA, BOLD required me claim a 3.5 GPA to apply. I take rigorous classes and work hard to excel in school.) P.S. My favorite Taylor Swift lyric is “Never be so polite, you forget your power. Never wield such power, you forget to be polite.”