I know what severe panic attacks feel like, and when I saw the child I was caring for face the same thing my heart broke. Shaking and with tears in his eyes, he was not sure what was going on or how to stop it. From what I learned through my own experiences, I was able to help guide him through it, and go on to teach him methods to deal with struggles such as this in the future. Throughout my time nannying for him so far, we continued to practice strategies to work through his emotions. Seeing him utilize what he learned in order to take control of his life was the most impactful moment of my summer. I am passionate about helping children. Between my volunteer work at my local elementary school, teaching in my church’s preschool, helping children who face food insecurity, and my work in childcare- I have learned a lot about the lasting outcome leadership in these communities can make, and have had many opportunities to practice this service. It is so rewarding to see academic growth, as well as development in integrity and character, when working with students in and out of the classroom. Helping children create their own bright future has resulted in meaningful connections I have had the pleasure of being a part of. There is no greater feeling I have experienced than a young child running up to me with a smile to come give me a hug. The community I have been able to become a part of through volunteering has driven my motivation to pour into it and help improve upon it. My experiences have helped me to see how important a life including helping children and prioritizing community are to me. From a young age, I have been able to see the impact teachers make on students first hand, through their hard work and compassion towards myself. Through my mother’s teaching career, I have gotten a close look at the profession and how involved she has become in families’ lives. Seeing this community connection, and the satisfaction in helping others, has made a big impact. With this, I have decided to pursue Elementary Education so I can practice my two passions of helping others and fostering community each day. A future that is centered around meaningful relationships and giving back to the community is of the utmost importance to me, and a college education will give me the required certifications and necessary tools to make that future dream a reality. Higher education would equip me with knowledge on how to truly best support my students, and be able to continue a life of giving back to my community. All that I have taught, I have learned. I was able to help the child I was watching through his panic attack because I had previously learned strategies from those who pour into my life. Becoming a teacher will help me create a life centered around compassion, community, and growth.

My mental health journey was not loud. It was a consuming quiet. I felt the weight of the still world around me, while I was screaming inside. Specific low points in my life where I felt trapped and consumed by this feeling remain vivid in my mind, yet it is still hard to put words to these experiences. I struggled with feeling frustrated with myself for not being “strong” or “tough” enough to get rid of these feelings on command. Sometimes I felt so happy I forgot there’d ever be low points again, so when I came crashing back down I felt so dumb for not maintaining my happiness longer and wondering what I did wrong to get back to the same place. However, I have been able to grow through these challenges, learning how to take better care of my mental health and growing into a deeper relationship with God. I see my experiences with my mental health as valuable, as they have helped me have deeper friendships and have given me a mission for my future to help others. My experiences with my own mental health have helped me to help my friends around me. The people in my life are of the utmost importance to me, and my community means the world to me. When I was struggling, I felt alone even when my caring mother was by my side or my community within my soccer team was there for me. I know what it feels like to feel alone, and even start to push others away knowing that that's the last thing I should be doing. With this, I know how important it is to be an understanding, dependable, and consistent support for those around me. I try to actively help those in my community between personal relationships, and my involvement in my school's Sources of Strength program. Learning from my own experiences, I regularly check in with my friends, am diligent to look for the subtle signs someone isn’t ok, and have a default of compassion. Within Sources of Strength at my school, we help educate the student body by giving them tools and knowledge to take care of their mental health as well as planning events to get students involved and connected. This program has been so influential for me because it has given me resources to take care of myself, as well as help others which is so rewarding. Being a welcoming force through this club has helped me to understand the importance of community. My enthusiasm for helping in my community permeates many areas of my life. For example, I love helping children. Between my involvement in childcare, volunteering at my local elementary school, and teaching in my church’s preschool - I’ve learned a lot about the lasting outcome leadership in these communities can make, not only on the kids, but also myself. The leadership roles I’ve stepped into have led me to learning about hard decisions, being a consistent role model, and the relationships involved. From this, I’m proud to say I’ve become a trusted adult for many of the kids I work with. One of the most significant moments in my journey is when a child I was babysitting had a panic attack, and he wasn't sure what was going on or how to stop it. My heart broke for him, as I knew what it felt like. Thankfully, through my experiences, I was able to help him through it and teach him methods to deal with it. It was so rewarding to see how he had grown over time to deal with his emotions, and how he was utilizing these simple practices to take control over his life. This has inspired me to pursue a career in Elementary Education. My experiences have helped me to learn that I want to make a difference in my community, and a career as a teacher would give me an avenue to help others with what I myself have dealt with. Scholarships like this would help me be able to get my degree so I not only will have the credentials to be a teacher, but also so I can truly learn how to best support my students, and be able to continue a life of giving back to my community.

I was scared. Looking out onto the pitch from the passenger seat of my mom’s minivan I saw everyone getting ready for the first soccer kickaround of the summer. They all looked so much older, so much faster, so much stronger than me- and they were already all so established, knowing exactly what to do. I was scared. Yet, as soon as I walked up I was not only greeted, but welcomed by the only three girls at the session. These three upperclassmen made me feel as if I belonged and included me. As my freshman year came to an opening, I was not solely a part of their community on the field. Rather in the halls, at lunch, and even in the store I was seen as a friend and felt as if I belonged to something bigger. Since this shaping moment my freshman year, I realized the importance of a welcoming, supportive community. Being welcomed myself inspired me to make a conscious effort to always step out and be a welcoming force for others, and taught me about the kind leadership I apply within my daily endeavors today. Fostering a positive community is one of the most important things in my life, and volunteer work helps me to practice and pursue my passion. Whether it’s packing bags of food so children don't feel the burden of hunger over the weekend, building authentic relationships with the families through teaching in my church’s preschool, or helping my school’s community through trash pickups, planning events, and community outreach events- volunteering is one of the most rewarding things one can participate in. There is no greater feeling than a little kid from the classroom you help in running up to you with a smile to come give you a hug. The community I’ve been able to become a part of through volunteering has driven my motivation to pour into it and help improve upon it. I am committed to excellence in all areas of my life. Whether it’s spending hours perfecting art for outreach events for the National Art Honor Society or working hard regarding school resulting in me being in the top 1% of my class- I care about what I do. One of the things I care the most about is helping children. Between my volunteer work at my local elementary school, teaching in my church’s preschool, and my experience in childcare- I’ve learned a lot about the lasting outcome leadership in these communities can make, not only on the kids, but also myself. From this, I’m proud to say I’ve become a trusted adult for many of the kids I work with. It’s so rewarding to see academic growth, as well as development in integrity and character, inspiring them to do good themselves. This has inspired me to pursue a career in Elementary Education. My experiences have helped me to learn that I want to make a difference in my community. Looking ahead, I’m hoping to help build supportive communities and continue a lifestyle of helping others, as I’ve practiced within soccer and my experience volunteering, and to encourage others to do the same. Receiving this scholarship would help give me needed support to pursue my degree and fulfill my dream of becoming a teacher. Scholarships like this would help me be able to get my degree so I not only will have the credentials to be a teacher, but also so I can truly learn how to best support my students, and be able to continue a life of giving back to my community.

Nature has been a comforting force in my life, as the fresh air and awe-inspiring details have provided me with peace. Whether it’s taking in the breathtaking view from the top of a mountain, the cool embrace of jumping into the lake in summer, or simply listening to the sound of leaves dancing in the breeze- my most cherished memories include nature playing a pivotal role. In these moments of tranquility I feel connected to the greater world around me, which inspires me to help preserve its beauty so others can experience it as well. My deep reverence and admiration for nature is what fuels my commitment to sustainability, and my dedication to making intentional choices to reduce my carbon footprint. Due to the ever present way that nature provides for us, it’s important we reciprocate and take care of it. Protecting our environment is a passion of mine because a hurting planet leads to a hurting future. Increased health issues from air pollution, the devastating impacts from climate change, as well as our reliance on nature reflects the drastic impacts nature has on our lives. Helping the environment has become a central piece of my life. What I’ve learned from others- especially within my volunteer work on sustainable farms- has empowered me to help share my passion for nature and the need to take care of our environment with others. Calling others to join in has been so rewarding- from encouraging my friends and parents to make sustainable decisions, to environmental advocacy through art. My passion around this has driven my motivation to pursue a career in Education, so I can help further encourage and spread this imperative message to the next generation. Daily consistent choices have resulted in a lifestyle of sustainability. As a consumer, our decisions matter. Eating locally grown produce, limiting my meat consumption, utilizing reusable options, and going against our overconsumption culture are all a part of the choices I make that lessen my footprint. Also, my enthusiasm for using second hand clothes contributes to reducing my carbon footprint. Choosing to get any needed clothes from second hand stores helps to reduce my carbon footprint, as well as giving me a way to express myself through fashion. While purchasing choice may seem insignificant to some, it’s important to realize all of the impact that leads up to each decision- including water pollution and consumption, deforestation, greenhouse gas emissions in transportation, excessive waste, and not to mention ethical issues that are associated with fast fashion. From being energy conscious, to regularly going out into the community to help pick up trash, the multitude of environmentally conscious choices I make help shape how I interact with the world around me. However, there are still many areas where I need to grow, and lessen my carbon emissions. For instance, while I try to carpool or walk to the greatest extent possible, driving my car still inflicts harm on the earth. Likewise, I try to use art materials responsibly, often making projects out of materials destined for the landfill and only taking what I need. Yet the packaging and production of paints and other materials still has an impact. And although there are areas of my life I need to improve, some that I am yet to be aware of, I am consistently inquiring and diving into research. Therefore, I can become and remain educated about the impact of my choices and how I can best go about stewardship of our planet. I always want to grow and take steps forward towards an increasingly sustainable life.