Hobbies and interests
Painting and Studio Art
Hiking And Backpacking
Music
Art
Volunteering
Camping
Education
Science
Graphic Design
Astronomy
STEM
Community Service And Volunteering
Sustainability
Exploring Nature And Being Outside
Board Games and Puzzles
Jewelry Making
Ecology
Geology
Canoeing
Mandarin
Reading
Science
Science Fiction
Fantasy
Anthropology
Art
Environment
I read books multiple times per month
Kylie Sauer
3,915
Bold Points27x
Nominee1x
FinalistKylie Sauer
3,915
Bold Points27x
Nominee1x
FinalistBio
Hello, I am Kylie Sauer! I am going to school to become a National Park Ranger. My dream park would probably be Acadia NP in Maine. I am going to Ohio University to major in Outdoor Education and Recreation with a minor in Paleontology.
I was diagnosed with Stickler's Syndrome in October of 2019. Stickler's is a rare genetic disease that affects my joints, eyesight, hearing, and causes chronic joint pain. However, I don't let that stop me. I canoed 120 miles across Michigan just to prove to myself that I could. Being chronically ill & disabled has changed how I live but it also made me a more motivated and developed individual in the process.
One of my favorite things to do is make glass beads, I sell the earrings & beads I make on Etsy. Art has always been a way for me to express myself in both good & bad times. I love to hike, paint, volunteer, and try new things outside of my comfort zone.
You can learn more about my experiences, internship, and projects on my digital portfolio!
https://kyliesauer.wixsite.com/portfolio
Awards:
Service Over Self Award - 2020
Kettering Rotary Club
Education
Ohio University-Main Campus
Bachelor's degree programMajors:
- Outdoor Education
Minors:
- Paleontology
GPA:
3.5
Miscellaneous
Desired degree level:
Graduate schools of interest:
Transfer schools of interest:
Majors of interest:
- Outdoor Education
Career
Dream career field:
Recreational Facilities and Services
Dream career goals:
National Park Ranger
Servers Assistant
Butter Cafe2018 – 2018Hostess
Bob Evans2018 – 20191 yearSales Manager
Parrot Sports gear2019 – Present5 yearsAfter School Monitor
The Dayton Regional STEM School2019 – 20201 yearServers Assistant
Buffalo Wild WIngs2020 – Present4 years
Sports
Volleyball
Club2010 – 20155 years
Canoeing
Intramural2017 – 20192 years
Research
Water, Wetlands, and Marine Resources Management
The Dayton Regional STEM School — data collector2019 – 2019Aeronautical/Aerospace Engineering Technology/Technician
Physics class - The Dayton Regional STEM School — statistical analysis2016 – 2016
Arts
K-12 art studio
Mosaicpublic mural2014 – 2015Independent
JewelryEtsy Business2012 – 2020
Public services
Volunteering
Shelter Community Church — Sign in & Greeter2019 – 2019Volunteering
Fairhaven Church — Special needs buddy2018 – 2020Advocacy
End it Movement — Advocate & media manager2013 – 2016Volunteering
Shelter Church — Junior Camp Counselor2017 – 2019Volunteering
Student Ambassador — Senior ambassador/ ambassador2013 – 2020
Future Interests
Advocacy
Volunteering
Philanthropy
Entrepreneurship
Great Outdoors Wilderness Education Scholarship
Wilderness Experiences
When I signed up for the wilderness canoe & camping trip during my sophomore year of high school I never expected it to change my life the way it did. We were set to canoe 120 miles over seven days, to be honest, I was scared. I had never done anything like this or been camping for more than a few days at a time. However, I was so excited to go on this trip and try something new. On the camping trip, I found myself cooking over fires, navigating rivers, making boat rescues, and learning vital wilderness survival skills. My classmates & I canoed 120 miles on the Au Sable River over the course of 7 days. After the trip I found myself longing to go back, when my teacher offered me a spot on the trip as a student leader the next year I quickly accepted. As a leader, I loved planning meals, survival skill lessons, training sessions, and guiding younger students on the water. I had never found something I was so passionate about before.
I remember sitting in my canoe on the river while the rain was pouring down on us. If you had asked me before then, I would probably tell you “no, I wouldn’t enjoy sitting in the rain on a river for hours” but at the moment I found it motivating. I knew I had another dry set of clothes in my water-proof bag, and if those got wet in the downpour, we had a rope to make a clothesline at camp when the rain cleared. It didn’t matter what it took, I was going to canoe all 120 of the miles planned out. Without rain, I would not be able to canoe or enjoy the pine trees that grow there. The rain beating down on my classmates and I kept the whole ecosystem alive, even if that meant not being able to feel my toes from the cold. That rain didn’t come to ruin my day, it came to provide life to the river.
I found myself wanting to be in the outdoors for the rest of my life, so that is what I decided to do. When I got home from my trip the second time I started researching careers in recreation. I learned about jobs within the national park service, the more I looked into the recreation & outdoor education field the more I knew I had to be a part of it. I often find myself dreaming of what adventures are out there. What rivers I could paddle or mountains to climb. I think of my friends who also had their lives changed that week, even if it didn’t lead them to a career in the outdoors. My goal is to educate people on the importance of the outdoors and why we have to conserve it. So many people are unaware of how spending time in the outdoors can change you for the better. My experience on those two trips changed my life forever, and I hope to give that joy to others through my career. I owe where and who I am today to those canoe trips. I cannot imagine where I would be without my experiences in the wilderness.
Nikhil Desai "Perspective" Scholarship
When I am outside I find it easier to find the positive, I remind myself I have no control over what the world throws my way. I do not decide if it rains, or which way the wind blows. When I find myself upset about the conditions I am in, I try to step into a different perspective. I try to look into the grand scheme of things where I am not the center. The rain did not come to fill my boat or soak my clothes; it came to water plants and supply the streams I was paddling down. Without rain, I would not be able to canoe or enjoy the pine trees that grow there. The rain beating down on my classmates and I kept the whole ecosystem alive, even if that meant not being able to feel my toes from the bitterly cold water filling my boots.
Taking yourself out of the situation humbles you, your perspective changes. The rain would still come whether or not I was in a boat on the river that day. The sun shines when we are not there to feel its rays on our faces. The river flows with no canoe atop it. All of it sounds so obvious, but when you are there, it is hard to not wish the rain away. I try to remember that I am a visitor wherever I go in nature. Trees and wildflowers do not grow for me but I can appreciate them. The most humbling thing to realize is that the world moves on even if you do not keep up. This was most apparent my second-year back. I remembered how the campsites looked and I could recognize some stretches of river or lake. Even then, in some places, there were more lily pads or new wildflowers. One stretch of river yellow and white flowers peppered the riverbank that were not there the year before. It was a reminder that life goes on. If I am stuck on the fact that my hands are cold and my socks are wet, I am missing everything around me.
This perspective changes it all. You thank every ray of the sun more because you never know when the clouds will roll in and it will be gone. Every drop of rain goes to a plant, animal, or river that needs it to grow and thrive. You realize it has a purpose that is not making you cold and uncomfortable. This applies to everything in life, you could easily live life passively and miss the beautiful things happening around you. The tiny details I was missing in my daily life become more valuable to me after that canoe trip. I learned the experience will become more enjoyable if you can be thankful for the little things, even if they appear bad. So every time I find myself caught with water in my shoes, I remind myself to be appreciative that the rain was ever there at all.
1000 Bold Points No-Essay Scholarship
Bold Moments No-Essay Scholarship
The boat was filled with an inch of water and my socks were submerged in my shoes. I still remember how the rain soaked all of my clothes that day. I would wipe the water dripping down my face and continue paddling. I wasn’t bothered by my clothes being completely soaked, I knew I had another dry set in my water-proof bag, if those got wet in the downpour we had rope to make a clothesline at camp when the rain cleared. It didn’t matter what it took, I was going to canoe all 120 of the miles planned out.