Since a young girl, I have always been known for my hard work ethic. From playing sports in school to competing with my horse to volunteering with my 4-H club, I was always the kid going 150% all the time. Even when I knew I did not have it in me, I still pushed myself to my limits. I still find that to be true going into my second year of college. Now more than ever, I am having to push myself to the limits between working multiple jobs, studying, doing homework, going to classes, playing sports, and maintaining friendships and relationships, I am constantly busy with something. Even though I am busy with many things, I still find it so important to put every ounce of dedication I can into what I am doing. I found this to be very apparent in my first job. I worked at the Dairy Queen in my hometown for five years. I started as a timid trainee that was nervous to be around the college kids to becoming the manager and being a coach for the younger kids starting where I did. It was not easy to get to that point though. I was always working and whenever someone could not cover their shift, I was always the first person to take it. When I was at work, that was the only thing I focused on. The longer I worked there, the more I would come in early, stay late, and also come in to help when I drove by and saw they were busy. When I became the manager, whenever the kids had an issue they would call me and I would drive into town and take care of it, sometimes staying to help for hours on end. I loved that job along with all of the friendships I made along the way. I am so grateful for my hard work ethic because, without it, I never would have become the person that would become the manager. I also would never have figured out my passion for management and leadership, leading to my dream of becoming a Chief Executive Officer. I believe the characteristic of having a hard work ethic is vital in today's society. It is so difficult to find people that are willing to go the extra mile with anything, especially with the technology access we have. Having a hard work ethic allows me to look at things differently and try to figure out how I can do the most possible to help everyone in the culture and community. I think this characteristic is going to help me immensely in my life journey because becoming a CEO is no easy task. I am going to work from the "bottom" as a regular employee and work my way to that position but the best part about it is that I know I will do it. Having a hard work ethic not only gives me the confidence that I will be able to achieve my goals but also that I can make a positive impact on the people around me because when people see another person working harder than them, the natural response is to work harder as well. This will cultivate a positively radiating community that can grow. Having a hard work ethic has helped shape me into the passionate and driven person I am today. It is my most valuable characteristic because it helps me shape and strengthen my relationships, and the community around me, as well as pave a path to success in my future.

I am a sophomore at Concordia College in Moorhead, Minnesota. I am pursuing a major in Business Management and a minor in Spanish. I am very passionate about management and leadership all because of my first job. I worked at my hometown Dairy Queen from the age of fifteen until last summer, lasting five years in total. I started as a trainee, but as the years went on I moved up within the company. In my second year, I became a trainer for the new employees. Through this position, I was able to become a great coach, and also a leader. In the last two years, I became the manager. I loved being the manager there because of how I was able to impact the customers, employees, and the business itself. As the manager, I knew that some employees that were older than me would be upset that I received the position because I was younger than them. Because of this, I knew I had to work harder for them to show that I could be a valuable leader for the business and create a positive and encouraging environment. My favorite part of working as the manager was the relationships I developed with the kids. They became some of my closest friends because they trusted me and loved the environment I had created within the store. I walked in every day with a bubbly and positive attitude because I knew how busy some days would be. Working as a manager gave me a unique opportunity to grow a positive and fun environment because it is easy for a restaurant to become a toxic environment fast. To this day, the kids try to get together with me and ask for my advice on things which I think is so amazing because I know I made a positive difference in their lives. This position opened my eyes to the dream of leading a company as a Chief Executive Officer. I want to create a positive, fun, driven, and successful work environment where I can meet the needs of my employees. I want my employees to know that I care about them and what they think of the company as well as how I lead it. If they have ideas on how to change it, I want to hear them because if the employees are not happy, it creates a hostile work environment. I want to be someone that the employees can come to with concerns and feel they can trust that I will listen. In doing so, I hope that it will close the stereotypical gap between the "authority" within the company. I am passionate about leadership because the leader of a company shapes how it functions. If an employee is not doing something right, I want to take that upon myself to help them understand what is going on and to help them through it. I also want to be involved with my employees and work with them because it will be impossible for me to understand their situations if I do not experience them myself. I also think it is important to be involved in the community surrounding the business. Having a community that supports the business will cultivate trust and create a positive culture. Being a leader within Dairy Queen helped shape me into a person that is passionate about leadership and making an impact on people's lives. I may not know where I will end up after college, but I cannot wait to start making a difference in a world that needs positive encouragement so direly.

I live in a very small town in West Central Minnesota where you cannot walk through the grocery store without running into five people you know. I have lived here for my entire life and I could not be more grateful. Living here has given me the chance to form relationships with people and have a sense of a big "family." When I was in high school, I was a part of the National Honor Society (NHS) at my high school where I was able to reach many parts of the community. I helped at blood drives, sang carols at the nursing home, and participated in community clean-up days where we would help people clean up their yards, put up fences, and more. Moreover, I was able to make the varsity team in basketball when I was in ninth grade which gave me the chance to help the younger girls when I was in the last years of my high school career. I also have been a member of 4-H since I was seven. We have done multiple projects over the years including shopping at the Armful of Love tree for Christmas presents for little kids that would not have a Christmas otherwise, making baskets for a newborn baby and mom, and many more. One of my favorite projects we did as a club was the "Welcome to the Community" baskets that had school supplies and other fun things for the new students coming into our school district. This was so important because the first day of school in a different place can be such a daunting thing for children. If they do not know anyone so with my club handed these baskets out and learning their names gave them a chance to know at least one person on their first day. I also volunteered as the Assistant Kettle Coordinator for The Salvation Army in our division of the state. I helped the Kettle Coordinator set up the pick-up and drop-offs with the bells and kettles as well as scheduling. I went out to my high school and spoke in front of my NHS club about why it was important, where they could ring, how to sign up, and how impactful it would be for the community. I was also a part of the crew that rang the bell for multiple shifts. I have also been an active volunteer for Someplace Safe. I have helped move people from one location to another, packed meals, and I have helped organized events. Through 4-H I was also able to run and manage a horse riding clinic for younger 4-H riders. I have ridden horses since I was around four years old and I have since competed and won at the Minnesota State 4-H Horse Shows, the Western Saddle Clubs Association Championship Shows, and numerous open shows around the state. I was able to teach the kids my personal tips on how to ride better as well as have fun with the kids while I was guiding and teaching them. Since I was very young, I have always been an active member of my community by playing basketball, riding horses, 4-H, being a volunteer for Someplace Safe and The Salvation Army, and being a member of the NHS club at my school. I believe that it is so important to stay involved in your community and to help people as much as possible. The amount of joy that one seemingly small thing to you can mean to someone else is the most important and rewarding thing I believe a person can experience.

Living a healthy life does not exclusively mean just eating right and exercising. There is so much more to consider when you want to start living a healthier lifestyle. Living a healthy life means exercising, eating right, taking time for mental health to combat struggles, and much more. First, all you hear from elderly people is how fast life goes and to treasure every moment you can. Living a healthy life can help you live longer as well as lower your medical expenses because you will not have to go to the doctor as often. Treating your body like a temple will allow you to be able to fight diseases and lower your risk of getting diseases in the first place. Besides the physical benefits of living a healthy lifestyle, it will help with mental health as well. I know for me that as soon as I started working out, I felt better than I ever have before. I had a whole new level of confidence and self-esteem I never knew I would be able to achieve. Staying active also helps me lower my stress level. I am in one of the most stressful times in a person's life- college. It is one of the hardest things I have had to go through both mentally and physically. During the week I am busy running myself into the ground with working, going to my classes, doing homework, and studying that sometimes it is hard to find the time to eat. During the weekend, I am working, finish my homework for the week, study for any upcoming tests, and trying to get ahead as much as I can so I do not fall behind. I also get a significantly lower amount of sleep when I am at college. I look back at my freshman year of college and it was very hard because of the transition from being at home to being free to do whatever I wanted. I also had friendship and roommate issues that were constantly weighing on my mind and causing me stress. I found it was very easy for me to start going downhill fast so I knew I had to change something. I started going back to the gym and lifting weights. I got myself on a somewhat normal sleep schedule and when I ate, I was focused on getting protein, fruits, and vegetables into my body to keep me energized. As the year went on, I got better at managing my time but also making time to work out and for my mental health. I think it is so important for everyone to maintain a healthy lifestyle because it truly makes a difference in how you act, feel, and continue living with a positive mindset.

Mental health is one of the most vital and important things within the human body. Good mental health can result in better grades, being more active, enjoying life, and so many more positive outcomes. But unfortunately, mental health can be the biggest battle a person will face. The highs in life make it easy to look at life with a better outlook but the lows in life can drag a person down to their lowest point. I have been personally impacted by the effects of suicide. I have a few friends that have committed suicide and an uncle that did it as well. The after effect that suicide has on all of the loved ones of the person has such a painful grip on each one of us and that hold can drag someone else down as well. I have a personal story about suicide with my best friend in sixth grade that has shaped me into a completely different person. We had been best friends for years and I knew she was sad because of the comments she would make to me sometimes. When I was in sixth grade, I did not think much of these comments because I figured we were too young for something like that to affect us. Wow, was I proven wrong quickly. In the middle of our sixth-grade year, my friend called me and said she had a knife to her throat and she was crying saying "I'm going to do it. I just can't do it anymore." I knew this was a moment of life or death, but I knew I could not panic because time was ticking and it was not on my side. I stayed on the phone with her as I walked downstairs to talk to my mom. I wrote a note stating what was happening and to call her mom. My mom called her mom and luckily, she was able to stop her before she was able to do any harm. After that, she did not talk to me for years because she was so mad at me. During our junior year of high school, she met up with me and gave me a huge hug, and thanked me for saving her life. That was one of the scariest moments in my life that I will never forget. Unfortunately, many people are not so lucky and the family and friends of the individual are left in pieces when they are gone. Personally, I have had a struggle with my own mental health and self-worth. Luckily, I have learned what my triggers are and how to avoid them. Because of this, I am constantly active whether that is participating in a sport or doing an outdoor activity. I also surround myself with people as much as possible. I know that if I am around people that make me happy and feel like I belong, I know I will not fall into that dark pit of nothingness again. I have also worked harder to become closer with anyone I can. I have become a person anyone can come to with their problems and I will try my best to walk them through them. I have formed stronger relationships with people because of this and I can read people well. Today, I strive to best the most positive person I can be, and I try to give everyone a reason to smile. Even if it is just a small comment like "I like your glasses" or "I like your style," it can make a huge difference to someone that might be struggling with their mental health.

"A genuine leader is not a searcher for consensus but a molder of consensus." -Martin Luther King, Jr. This quote is one of my favorites from Martin Luther King, Jr. I think this encompasses what it truly means to be a leader in a community. To me, this symbolizes that as a leader, I need to bring people together, communicate, and strive for teamwork within my community. It feels like I have been volunteering in my community before I could walk. Whenever my parents went to volunteer for our church, I would always go with them and help. When I was able to join a 4-H club, we did multiple projects every year. To name a few, we made baskets for new students and families moving into our school district, shopped off of the Armful of Love tree, and made baskets for newborn babies and moms in need. I also created a horse clinic where I was able to guide younger kids on how to ride their horses. I also gave them tips on how I was able to go from competing in local shows to winning at the state and championship shows. Outside of 4-H, I volunteer for The Salvation Army and Someplace Safe. I have personally grown a lot from volunteering for these organizations because they were able to open my eyes. I will never forget the petrified faces of women while I was helping them move into an apartment because they thought the man they were running from would come for them. When I was fourteen, I volunteered as a summer recreation program teacher. For the next couple of years, I was able to work there for a job. While I was there, I was able to help kids learn how to play sports, build their confidence in their skills, help them make friendships, and have fun with the kids. It was one of the most rewarding jobs I have ever done because I love working with kids. I worked at the Dairy Queen in my hometown for five years. I started as a timid trainee and ended out as the manager for my last two years there. After my first year working there, I was promoted to a trainer where I was able to coach the new employees. I loved that job because I was able to show kids that the job was not as hard as they thought it was and build their confidence. I eventually became the manager which gave me even more opportunities to make an impact. The kids still go out bowling with me every year and stay in contact with me. One thing I will never forget from that job is all of the amazing friendships and connections I have made with the kids. A few of them actually bought me a "going away for college" gift and were crying when I left. Seeing that showed me how much of an impact I can have on people and to cherish that gift. This coming year at school, I am going to be a Resident Assistant at my college. I am in charge of a full floor of thirty-six freshman girls in the most chaotic resident hall on campus. I know it is going to be challenging but I cannot wait to help the freshman transition into college life as smoothly as possible. All in all, I believe my community involvement has made me a better, more well-rounded person that can positively impact people as well as give them inspiration and hope in desperate times if they need it.

A healthy lifestyle has always been a big part of my life. I have been very active since I was young. Between sports at school, competing with my horses at shows, or hanging out with my friends, I have always had a very active lifestyle. I love living a healthy lifestyle because it has so many benefits for me as well as the people around me. When you start living a healthy lifestyle, everyone around you wants to as well because they want to be happy like you are. This is very important to me because if I can help the other people around me start a healthy lifestyle, I will always take that opportunity. Living a healthy lifestyle has countless benefits to your body as well as your mind. When you eat healthily, you reduce the risk of getting diseases such as cancer, diabetes, heart disease, obesity, and many more. Mentally, a healthy lifestyle will boost your mood, energize you, and strengthen your relationships with family and friends. Living with this lifestyle enables you to be happier and more resistant to depressive thoughts, anxiety, and stress. It will make relationships with the people around you better because people generally like being around people that are happier and more energizing. Many people find it difficult to be around others that are grumpy and depressed a lot of the time. I found all of these to be true tenfold. I have many friends that tell me they love being around me because of how much positive energy I carry all the time. I did not always live a healthy lifestyle, though. When I was fourteen, I was severely bullied at school and then my horse died all within the same year. I stopped hanging out with my friends and family, I stopped eating, and I stopped going out to do things. I fell into an extremely deep pit of depression and eventually, I stopped looking for a way out. Luckily, this was when I decided I knew I could not live like this anymore. I slowly started doing more things and hanging out with people again. When I turned sixteen, I started lifting weights at the gym. At first, I was very scared and unsure of myself but eventually, I established a routine and became confident in myself. I started seeing amazing progress, and I was hooked. I started upping my protein intake and watching what I was eating. Soon enough the part of my day that I looked forward to most was the gym. I still go to the gym to this day, and I could not be happier for myself going that first day. The gym and eating healthy saved my life. Now that I have been living this healthy lifestyle for a few years, I feel so strong both mentally and physically. I have noticed that I do not get stressed out as easily and I am happy with how I look which is something I never thought I would get to. A healthy lifestyle is very important to me because it took me from rock bottom to thriving and happy and I could not be more grateful.

I will never forget Bindi, the dog that changed my life forever. Bindi was the dog that I grew up with. I had her from the time I was seven until last year before I turned nineteen. She was always glued to my side and we were inseparable. She was with me during the hardest times of my life. One of the most trying times of my life was in middle school. I was bullied for my height because I was at least a head taller than everyone else. I was constantly picked on for something. I made a lot of friends but I never seemed to pick the right friends because eventually they would turn around and stab me in the back. It was rare for me to come home and not be crying about what had happened that day at school. Having Bindi there with me made the biggest difference. When I would come home crying, she would crawl into my bed with me and start making funny noises to make me laugh. She would then go grab her frisbee or tennis ball and drop it in front of me. She would start barking and carrying on if I did not go play with her. She knew I loved being outside and being active so going outside was the best thing for me when I was sad. Despite the ups and downs of middle school, the hardest time in my life, though, was when my horse passed away due to a training accident. I was fourteen at the time, and I was completely heartbroken. Besides Bindi, that horse was the other animal I spent all of my time with. After he passed away, I was depressed for months. If it was not for Bindi cheering me up and never leaving my side, I do not know how I would have gotten through that tough time in my life. She kept me going and helped me find my purpose again. Bindi was such a kind-hearted soul that was always excited to see me. I looked forward to seeing her smiling faith every day no matter what had happened that day. She was the one that helped me build my confidence to a level I never thought I could have reached. Taking care of Bindi gave me the responsibility of having to take care of and think of someone else besides me. I was able to take care of her which gave me the boost of confidence knowing I could do more than I thought I could when I was that age. She also gave me patience. When I was younger, I was very quick to getting frustrated when I could not do something right. Through agility training with her and taking her with me biking, I learned that I could not be amazing at things right away when I try them the first time. Bindi truly changed my life as well as my outlook on life. She taught me to live in the moment and to be happy because in the true scheme of things, this life goes by too fast to be sad all the time and not look forward to tomorrow.

College has become one of the most pivotal times in my life. When I started school last year, I felt I was starting a new life. I was away from home for the first time in my life, and I had to make all new friends. In my mind, the best part of college was that I got to start over. No one at my college knew anything about me. This enabled me to decide who I wanted to be and become the independent person I wanted to be without my parents peering over my shoulder. Even though I have only gone through one year of college, I truly feel that I discovered a new part of myself. A college education means a significant amount because of how much value it has to me. Going to college for an education is going to give me an advantage with how I want to live my life in the career realm of this world. My education can provide me with the things that my life experience would not be able to. For instance, if I am competing for my dream job against someone that does not a college education, I will have a leg up on getting the job. Having a college education will broaden my horizons and give me more job opportunities as well as prepare me for my dream job of becoming a Chief Executive Officer. I am extremely grateful to have the opportunity to pursue a college education because some women in other countries do not have this opportunity. I think it is very important for me to take advantage of this right and make the most of it. Another thing that is very important to me personally is that having a college education will give me the chance to be independent so I will not have to depend on anyone else to make a living for me. Receiving a college education will give me something I can always rely to fall back on if I need it. Despite the career benefit of having a college education, it will do wonders for myself personally as well. Having the educational background from college will give me a unique and fresh prospective on how to look at things in my personal life. I will be able to make solid decisions with vital things going on in my life. I will also be able to give advice to other people if they are wanting it. A college education gives a unique and ever-developing mind that will continue to adapt and learn in new situations. Another important part of achieving a college education is the economic stability I will have because of that degree. Achieving a college education is one of the most important things to me because I am the first person in my family to work towards it. After I graduate with my degree it will give me a new sense of self-confidence knowing that I achieved my education on my own. I have had such an amazing time in college so far, and I cannot wait to see what my second year holds in store for me!

"Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on earth"- Muhammad Ali I truly believe this quote says it all. I have been in 4-H since I was seven years old, and I was volunteering for my community long before that as well. When I had to volunteer when I was young, I would always get wrapped up in complaining about why I was doing it. I always thought I had better things to do instead of that because I never saw the direct benefit to me of volunteering. As time went on, I realized that volunteering changed my life and how I perceive the world. Volunteering allowed me to think of other people and become compassionate towards others. I have been volunteering for Someplace Safe for about 5 years and it has opened my eyes. Seeing what all of these men and women have been through is devastating. I have a newfound respect for people in abusive relationships because I used to think the stereotypical, "If it is so bad, why not just leave- it's not that hard." But, now I understand and I can empathize with and help them. I have also been volunteering for The Salvation Army for the past 3 years. I ring the bell multiple times during the Thanksgiving- Christmas season and it could not bring me more joy. Many elderly people will comment about how great it is to have such a young person ringing the bell. Volunteering has taught me many things about myself. I have learned to be compassionate and patient because I have no idea what is going on in the other person's life that I am helping. I have also learned that I love helping people. Whenever I get the chance to talk with someone about their feelings and they come to me to see if I can help them, I will always take that opportunity. One of the most vital things I have learned in volunteering for Someplace Safe and The Salvation Army is that even though sometimes all I am doing is keeping them company or giving them food, just a smile is enough. These people are some of the most grateful people I have ever met in my life. Through this, I have learned that I need to treasure my life and what I have. Volunteering has made me such a better and more well-rounded individual. It has shown me patience, compassion, and humility. I plan to continue volunteering for these organizations and many more in the future.

Dogs are a man's best friend. The phrase almost everyone has heard at some point in their lives. In my opinion, I could not agree more. I have had 2 dogs in my lifetime. The first dog I had was named Jessie. She was the dog that helped my twin brother and me walk when we learning. She would walk next to us and let her grab her coat to help hold us up. She also used to tug the sled along after us all by herself. She was one of the most loving and caring dogs I had ever seen. She, unfortunately, ended up passing away when I was about four years old. Now, the dog that ended up being my true best friend for almost 12 years- I will never forget that dog. That dog's name was Bindi. We got her when I was seven years old. Bindi and I were almost inseparable from the day we got her until the day she died. I grew up with that dog and I will never forget how she helped me every single day. She was a purebred collie so she had a lot of energy and she was very smart. I remember she would recognize the time, my mom would let her out of the house, and she would sprint down to the end of the driveway to meet me when I was getting off the bus. She followed me everywhere I went, and she slept with me at night as well. Once I was able to drive, one of our favorite things to do was go for a drive. That dog was always attached to my hip wherever I went. Unfortunately, she passed away a few months before I went to college and things have never been the same at home since. I love dogs so much because they have such pure and loving souls. Regardless of what you had going on that day, they will always make it their obligation to make you happy. They are rarely sad, and they get just as excited to see you when you come home from work as they are when you come out of the bathroom. Dogs are the definition of the perfect being. They do not have to stress about paying the bills or how they are going to finish a project at work. Their main focus is to make their owner happy and they do just that. Bindi would always notice when I was sad or upset. She would always crawl up next to me and start rolling around on her back while making funny noises because she knew that always made me laugh. Whenever I had a bad day at school, I knew I could always count on her to be there for me. She taught me that even though life can get hard, there is always a light at the end of the tunnel. She also taught me to live in the moment because you never know when it all could be over. Another beautiful thing about dogs is that they will never abandon you. They will always protect you and remain loyal. In our world right now, many things are constantly trying to hurt all of us. Life can be very trying at times, and having a dog's happy, smiling face to look at can make a world of a difference. When I finish college, I plan on having a few dogs of my own at my house to always keep me company.

Nelson Mandela once said "I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear." Since I was young, I have always been very active. When I was a child, I had no fears and I was not afraid to try anything. However, when high school hit me, kids were cruel. If I was not good at something right away, they would always make comments and rub them in my face. This resulted in me always being afraid to try anything new. I never wanted to be made fun of or picked on, so I figured I would just stop trying things. Well, that did not last very long. I decided that to be good at things, I needed to try them no matter how scared I was. I wanted to rise above these bullies and show them that I was stronger than them. So, I started trying everything I could. I bought a mountain bike, went hiking, started playing new sports, and I was always the first one in line to try something new when the demonstrator would ask. As time has gone on, I still get a little scared when I try new things because of my experience with those bullies but I push myself through it. I look at everything as a challenge to conquer. I use that motivation to make myself better. I could not be happier that I pushed through that fear because I would not do nearly the crazy things I do now if I had not changed my mindset.