From a very young age, I was very driven and determined to excel in everything that I participated in. I wanted to always be the best and to always make my parents proud. There is nothing in the world that is better than knowing that you’ve made your parents proud to call you their child. I loved to play sports and I grew up being very focused on athletics. The top sports that I played were volleyball and swimming. I found my love for volleyball during middle school, but I was always drawn to the water. Swimming competitively was my favorite sport. I felt so free and powerful when I swam. My arms would crash over the water as my legs propelled me further. There is really nothing like it. I banked my whole life on swimming. I planned to get a swimming scholarship to pay for college and then go off to the Olympics. Unfortunately, my plan was completely ruined in the Spring of 2018, when I discovered I had a progressive heart condition. One day, while I was at swim practice I passed out in the middle of the pool. I was underwater for about two minutes before I regained consciousness. I made my way to the edge of the pool but was unable to pull myself out. I remember feeling my heart pounding out of my chest and praying to God saying, “Please don’t take me. I’m not ready”. I threw up and then fell unconscious again. I woke up about five minutes later with my coach screaming in my face telling me to wake up with tears in his eyes. I had everyone at the pool that day huddling around me. I was covered in vomit and crying from the embarrassment. I was rushed to the hospital where I stayed for a month until the doctors determined that I had Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy (ARVC). I was told that I would never be able to play sports again without the risk of heart failure. This completely crushed me because my whole life I was a strong athlete. I was able to succeed and go further in life because of my athletic ability. Then, all of a sudden I have become this weak fragile little thing that can not even participate in basic Gym class. I have struggled a lot with mental illness and depression since then, but rather than letting myself completely go I tried to find other areas of interest. I focused more on my studies and my classes. One class I enjoyed the most was my Biotechnology class. I learned about eugenics and the process of genetic modification. This interested me mostly because I couldn’t help but think “what if my parents had the option to do that with me?”. My parents could have genetically modified me to not have the heart condition. My biotech class has inspired me to want to learn more about genetic modification to help other people whose lives are significantly affected by genetic diseases/disorders. I want to be able to prevent what happened to myself, happen to other people. Through genetic modification, one’s life can be greatly improved and prolonged. All I want to do in life is help other people achieve their dreams and make it so that nothing can hold them back in life that cannot be changed. Although I will never forget how hard it was for me to give up my dream, I will always be thankful for how it has shaped my perspective on life and inspired me to want to help others.

All my life, I was an elite athlete. I was a competitor and determined to win everything. My whole existence and worth were based upon my athletic performance and abilities. I was on the rise of swimming for the college of my dreams. I was winning every competition and race and quickly attracting notice from college coaches my freshman year. Then suddenly, my whole world changed. On March 30th, 2018, I was rushed in an ambulance to the hospital after passing out in the middle of the pool. I was unconscious for 3 minutes underwater before I woke up and pulled myself up onto the pool deck. After I was able to signal to my coach, I went unconscious again for 7 minutes. As I lay there in the ambulance, I begged and prayed that this was all a dream and that I would be okay. When I was in the ER, I was shocked to see that the room was quickly filled with at least 10 hospital staff. I was getting poked in both arms as my swimsuit was getting cut off. This was one of the most terrifying situations I have ever been in my life. This was the first time that I felt fragile and vulnerable. The room was so cold. I couldn’t see my parents, but I heard my mom crying, holding my feet saying, “Everything will be alright, Paigie. You’re going to be okay”. I stayed in the ICU for 3 weeks before finally being diagnosed with the rare and progressive heart condition, Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy (ARVC). ARVC is a very dangerous and deadly cardiac condition among young athletes especially. I was fortunate to have survived that day. I was then informed that I would have to quit all sports. This crushed me because all of my life, I had identified as an athlete. I thought, “Who am I if I can no longer play the sports I love?”. After a year of suffering from depression and an eating disorder, I decided that instead of feeling sorry for myself and giving up, I would get my life back together again. I chose to come out of my depression stronger, maybe not physically, but mentally. I was ready to sort everything out and begin my new purpose in life. After suffering from such a traumatic event and then struggling to cope and maintain my mental stability, I began researching and understanding more about my condition. As I learned more and more about how and why this happened to me, I became fascinated with the idea of genetic modification. I thought that if my parents had known that I would develop ARVC while I was still in utero, they would have wanted to try and prevent it from progressing. After learning so much about biological modification, I have decided to focus my studies on developing biotechnology. I want to help other people and future children from the same experience I went through. I want to make a difference in people’s lives. My experience will follow me wherever I go. Before finding myself again, I was a frail and sad little girl. Now, I walk with my head up, knowing that I am strong and will achieve great things by helping other people.

I suffer from arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy, a rare progressive heart disease. Since the condition is genetic, I have been looking up ways of preventing passing it down to my future children. I have learned that through the process of IVF, doctors could use a technique called PGD, preimplantation genetic diagnosis, to spot and then use genome editing to delete undesirable genotypes, such as the gene for heart disease, or introduce genotypes that can rise desired traits, such as height, weight, and eye color. This type of biotechnology would allow parents to detect and remove a fatal or chronic disease or disorder and make it so that they are no longer inheritable to the next generation. After researching and learning more about genetic engineering, I decided that I wanted to make a career of studying and improving biotechnological advances to boost the practice of genetic editing. If my parents had the opportunity to remove the gene that resulted in the development of a heart condition, then I would still be playing volleyball and on the road to swimming in college. I want to normalize using IVF and PGD to help improve and possibly prolong many peoples’ lives. I want to be a part of this practice and help advance research and technology.

I am currently working on earning my high school diploma. When I graduate, I hope to move onto a four-year college and study Biology. Majoring in Biology gives me the potential to go into any field of medicine. As much as my parents want to support me in my endeavors, I know that it would put a tremendous weight on their shoulders. If I am awarded this fantastic scholarship opportunity, it will lift the financial burden that will soon be placed on my family. I want to be successful in life, and I want to do better in life than my parents. I want to become so successful that I can repay my parents for everything they have sacrificed for me one day. This grant would help with purchasing books, housing, and food plans. My family and I would be extremely grateful if to receive this grant.

This is Tater, my family rescued him when I was in second grade. We named him Tater because when we first got him, he was all golden and brown, like a tatertot! He is the sweetest dog I have ever met. Even though sometimes he can be a grumpy old man, he still loves to be held and cuddled. He sleeps with me every night. I like to believe that I am is favorite human lol. Instagram: @paigesalyer https://www.instagram.com/paigesalyer/

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I grew up as a child of a single mother. My mom worked tremendously hard to support my family, which included my older sister. There were some days when she would go without just so my sister and I could have what we wanted. I did not know the time how much she was sacrificing to take care of us. My mother and I were very close as I grew up. She was my hero, and I looked up to her so much. She did so much for my sister and I, without ever showing an ounce of struggle, even though I know it was difficult for her to raise two stubborn daughters by herself. Growing up, my mom tried to make life as comfortable as possible for our family. She always did her best to buys us the things that we needed and sometimes even buying us things we only wanted. Once, my mom told me how one time we went to the store to get food for the house, I kept asking for one of those little goldfish cartons. She kept saying no, but still, I persisted. When we got to the checkout line, my mom handed me the goldfish. I was so happy, and she smiled as I giggled and hugged her. She told me that instead of buying a drink for herself, she bought me the goldfish. I know that this probably seems insignificant to some, but thinking about this story brings me to tears. My mom gave up a lot to make me happy. For 12 years, she never even went on a date. My mom has taught me so much about how to carry myself with pride and respect. Like most single parents, my mother was judged. People would look at her and make assumptions about why she was alone and stuck, raising two kids on her own. She was looked down upon by the other parents at school and relatives. But she did not care because she knew that she was doing everything she could to make a better life for her daughters. Money was tight growing up. My mom worked a lot to put my sister and me through private school and club sports. She taught us the importance of money and how to save it to get the things you need. She also stressed acknowledging when something is a “need” or a “want.” Of course, for most of my childhood years, everything was a want. It was hard to understand back then what she meant, but as I am growing older, and my eyes are opening to the reality of the world, I get what she was saying. I can finally see and appreciate the lengths my mom went to, to provide for her family. Being awarded this scholarship would help me make my dream of going to a four-year college to become a physical therapist. My mom never went to college, and my sister took a few online classes. I would be the very first to go to a real college. I need a little extra help to make that possible. I want to go to school and become successful enough to repay my mom for everything that she sacrificed for me to put me through school. I always told her that when I grow up and make enough money, I would buy a house for her right next to mine so that we could be together forever.

After I was diagnosed with ARVC, a progressive heart disease, life became tough for me. I had to give up playing all sports and practically all physical activity. They also cautioned me not to stay out when it was cold because my blood pressure was so low, and they said that I would not be able to stay out in the sun. They said that at any moment, my heart could fail, and I would die. This impacted my whole way of life. I was scared to walk upstairs, go on walks with my family, go to the lake with friends, go out during winter, and everyday things that so many people take for granted. The biggest challenge I faced was not being able to play sports. I have always been athletic and excelled in whatever sport I chose to pursue. Sports used to be my everything. I remember taking these Buzzfeed quizzes, you know the ones where you answer all of these questions and they predict what type of person you are. Well, I always got “athlete.” Finding out I had a heart condition took my identity away. I then began the process of physical therapy to regain some of the muscle that I had lost from my time in the hospital. It was hard for me because I was so used to being good at everything and being the best that I was not prepared to relearn everything. I lost all of my muscle definition that I had been so proud of for so long. It took a massive toll on my mental health. My doctors helped me through it, though, and I recovered. They helped me regain not only my strength but also find my new identity. I could no longer be “volleyball stud“ or the “torpedo”, but I did become a strong fighter. As I began thinking about what I wanted to be when I grew up, I immediately thought of a physical therapy or sports medicine career. I felt that it would be the perfect way to stay somewhat involved in sports while helping people at the same time. I am very passionate about helping people get better, not only physically but mentally as well. I had to go through a lot of physical therapy, which was very hard on my psyche. I am so grateful for my doctors that helped me get through it. I want to one able to do the same for other people who struggle with the same thing. I want to make a difference in someone’s life, just like how my doctors did.

“Life’s challenges are not supposed to paralyze you; they’re supposed to help you discover who you are.” – Bernice Johnson Reagon. The greatest challenge I have ever faced was being diagnosed with a heart condition during my freshman year of high school. Ever since I was young, I was always an athlete. I played three sports, basketball, volleyball, and swimming. I excelled in these sports, and I dreamt of one day playing in college and going to the Olympics. Out of the three sports I played, swimming was always my favorite. I was one of the fastest swimmers in my conference. I broke records and won awards every season. In my freshman year, I was at practice when my heart gave out, and I almost drowned in the middle of the pool. I remember thinking that I would die, and I begged and prayed to God to let me stay. When I woke up, I was in an ambulance on the way to the hospital. I spent three weeks in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit before doctors finally diagnosed me with a rare progressive heart condition called Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy (ARVC). The doctors told me I would never play sports again without the risk of my heart failing. This completely crushed me. My whole life, I identified myself as an athlete. What was I if my doctors took that away from me? Finding myself again was the most significant challenge on my road to recovery. After my surgery, I was determined to keep playing sports regardless of what the doctors told me. I went through my physical therapy, passed all of my endurance tests, and then made the varsity volleyball team at my school. I worked hard on and off the court, but nothing seemed to be enough for my coaches. I went from being the all-star in every sport I played to be a bench warmer. Being overlooked by my coaches took a toll on my confidence and mental health. I entered into a deep depression and struggled with suicidal thoughts for two years. I crawled my way out of that dark place by going to therapy and surrounding myself with positive people who lifted me up. I turned to art, music, and my studies. I learned that playing a sport does not define who I am. I realized that what I went through made me an even stronger person mentally and physically. I no longer identify myself as just an athlete but a fighter.