Throughout my life, I have been impacted by many life-changing experiences; including the murder of my mother. This tragedy in my life, along with many other events, has inspired me to make a difference in the lives of others. My favorite way to give back to my community and help others is through a school organization called FCCLA. Through FCCLA, I am able to make an impact and reach a large group of people. Most recently, I have developed a plan to help survivors of domestic violence. My mother was a victim of a domestic violence homicide, and her loss inspired me to help others like her that are in need of help and resources. Through FCCLA, I was able to organize three separate fundraisers, raising over $1,100 for local victims of domestic violence. I was able to donate a check for the funds to an advocate of the Bolton Refuge House. FCCLA is my favorite way to give back to my community and help others in need. There are many opportunities to give back in many different ways. In the past, I have made Christmas cards for veterans, made tie blankets for children in need, set up a winter clothes stand for those in need, raised money for Leukemia patients, and so much more; all through FCCLA. FCCLA is my outlet for giving back to those around me. I am incredibly grateful for the opportunities this club provides for me, and I will continue to be involved with my community for many years to come.

Recently, our world has been plagued by the Coronavirus. Amongst all of the chaos in 2019, Thomas Rhett introduced a new, inspiring song titled "Be a Light." Many of my friends know that I am not a huge fan of country music. However, the message within this song left me with goosebumps, and still does every time I hear it playing on the radio. This song was written to process the negativity and sadness that was being experienced in our world. The lyrics throughout this song reflect this message, and bring a light into the darkness of the world. In my mind, the most impactful words written in the song are at the very end of the song, and the message of those words hit me hard every time. "It's hard to live in color when you just see black and white." Those words differ from the rest of the song. The entirety of the song before that point is about making a change, being a difference, and making things right in the world. These words, however, point out the fact that we are living in a world where the color of our skin greatly defines us, when it shouldn't. These few words have inspired me to make a change and treat everyone around me with respect, despite the color of their skin. It is the job of my generation to make a change in the world. We must make an impact. This song greatly inspires that.

"There is nothing so useless as doing efficiently that which should not be done at all." - Peter Drucker I love to read. Opening up the pages of a book and becoming entranced in the pages is an incredibly soothing passion of mine. Recently, I have been introduced to the book titled Managing Oneself, written by Peter Drucker. Managing Oneself is all about discovering who you are, focusing on what you can contribute to the world, and taking responsibility. Drucker asks numerous questions throughout the book, allowing the reader to become more self-aware and to discover the ability to apply that awareness. Simply thinking about the questions posed in this book will leave you deeply engrossed in thought and wonder. Each question allows for the reader to delve deeper into thought and new ways of understanding. This book has allowed for me to become increasingly self-aware and to apply that awareness into my everyday life. This book is an incredibly short read, and it's easy to take notes and fully apply yourself to the words on each page. After reading this book, my knowledge, thinking, and understanding of myself has greatly improved. I have began to apply this knowledge to my everyday life, and will continue to do so as I further myself throughout my post secondary education.

Throughout my career in high school, I have learned little about personal finance. Unfortunately, there was a noticeable lack of knowledge regarding my basic financial education. When I got my first job as a waitress in 2020, I found that I was pretty clueless when it came to money management. Thankfully, I have since been given many useful pieces of financial advice that have helped me along my financial journey. The best piece of financial advice that I have received would be to "save money into an emergency fund." Although simply saving money may seem like an obvious piece of advice, having an emergency fund has greatly benefited my financial stability. During the summer of 2021, the sustainability of my 2004 Chevrolet Trailblazer took a turn for the worse, and I found myself in dire need of a new vehicle. Without a vehicle, I would be unable to travel to my place of work, which was a large problem. Luckily, I had taken the financial advice about starting an emergency fund. With the money in my emergency fund, I was able to put $3,000 down on a new vehicle right away. Saving money into an emergency fund has greatly benefited my financial stability. Without that fund, I strongly believe that I would have had a much more difficult time finding a cheaper vehicle that I could afford without the fund. Putting money aside and saving for the future is the greatest piece of financial advice that I could have ever received. Whether saving for emergencies, college, or other large expenses, saving money is incredibly important to finding a sense of financial stability. Learning and applying this advice has greatly benefited my finances, and I will continue to apply this knowledge throughout my future in college. Saving money and having money for emergencies will be incredibly important as I embark on my journey throughout college, and I know that this advice will be useful for many years to come.

Everyone in this world has a different combination of qualities and characteristics that are unique. These characteristics are what define us. In myself, my greatest characteristic would have to be my strong work ethic. I strongly believe in putting my best foot forward and applying myself to the best of my ability, no matter the situation that I find myself in. I strive to always give my best effort, whether I am behind my desk in the classroom, on the volleyball court, or waitressing at my job. I have found that prioritizing my good work ethic gives me a great advantage. Completing work to the best of my ability has already made an impact on my life. Throughout my experiences in high school, I have always completed my work to the best of my ability. I have always been the student that other peers run to for partner-related coursework. Everyone around me knows that I will get my work done, and I will get it done right. This work ethic has greatly benefited my pursuit of a higher education. After putting in my hard work and dedication, I received my acceptance letter to the university of my dreams. My work ethic has benefited me this far on my educational journey, and I know that this characteristic will continue to give me an advantage in the world outside of high school. Throughout my experiences, I quickly learned that having a strong work ethic meant making many compromises. To this day, I give up every weekend to work double shifts at my waitressing job (which happens to be over an hour-long drive away). Additionally, I spend a lot of my time staying after school in order to volunteer, and I spend the rest of my free time keeping up with my family. Overall, I can easily recognize the benefits that having a strong work ethic has given me. I look forward to attending the University of Wisconsin - Madison as an aspiring accounting major, because I know that it is something that I will enjoy. I know that it will take a lot of hard work and determination to reach my goals, but I have the ability to achieve anything I put my mind to. No matter what the challenge is, I know that I can do it because of my strong work ethic.

When I lost my mother to a domestic violence homicide in 2017, there was only one thing that came to my mind. The relationship between my mother and I was never a strong one, and regret flooded my mind. When I was younger, I forced her out of my life. Once she was gone, I realized that I never had the chance to repair our relationship, and I would never again have the chance to tell her that I love her. Instead of sulking about the death of my mother, I had discovered motivation. Since losing her, my greatest goal in life was to give her something to be proud of. I decided that nothing could make a parent more proud of their child than their success. This tragic challenge that affected my life turned out to be my greatest motivation for success. I worked hard to stay within the top of my graduating class, receiving nothing but A's in each of my courses. I stayed involved with school clubs, volunteer work, and extracurriculars that would further enable my educational success. Within my education, there has always been a deeper purpose for my great passion for learning and success. My experience through building and expanding upon my education has greatly shaped the way that I see the world today. My education has enabled me to look at the world with new eyes, and it has brought me to the realization that others don't have the same educational opportunities that I have. Although I've gone through challenges in my life, I found that my education was my way to cope with the challenges. Many people in the world aren't as fortunate to be able to turn to education as an emotional crutch. Because of this great realization, I soon devoted much of my work within my education to community service. I have done many things to service the people within and outside of my community; such as raising money for Leukemia patients, advocating and fundraising for survivors of domestic violence, and many others. Although my service has started at a small, local level, I hope that my experiences throughout my post-secondary education will enable me to service people on a larger scale. Education has taught me that there are people in this world that aren't as fortunate as myself. My worldview was once very limited, however, my experiences in education have taught me that being kind, volunteering, and giving others a voice is an incredibly important part of my life. Thanks to my educational experiences, my worldview has developed into one of kindness, service, and passion for one another.

When I lost my mother to a domestic violence homicide in 2017, there was only one thing that came to my mind. The relationship between my mother and I was never a strong one, and regret flooded my mind. When I was younger, I forced her out of my life. Once she was gone, I realized that I never had the chance to repair our relationship, and I would never again have the chance to tell her that I love her. Instead of sulking about the death of my mother, I had discovered motivation. Since losing her, my greatest goal in life was to give her something to be proud of. I decided that nothing could make a parent more proud of their child than their success. This tragic challenge that affected my life turned out to be my greatest motivation for success. I worked hard to stay within the top of my graduating class, receiving nothing but A's in each of my courses. I stayed involved with school clubs, volunteer work, and extracurriculars that would further enable my educational success. Within my education, there has always been a deeper purpose for my great passion for learning and success. To put it simply, my passion for receiving a higher education stems from the tragic loss of my mother. This setback in my life became my motivation to succeed, and my passion for learning and working towards a higher education is unmatched.

When I lost my mother to a domestic violence homicide in 2017, there was only one thing that came to my mind. The relationship between my mother and I was never a strong one, and regret flooded my mind. When I was younger, I forced her out of my life. Once she was gone, I realized that I never had the chance to repair our relationship, and I would never again have the chance to tell her that I love her. Instead of sulking about the death of my mother, I had discovered motivation. Since losing her, my greatest goal in life was to give her something to be proud of. I decided that nothing could make a parent more proud of their child than their success. This tragic challenge that affected my life turned out to be my greatest motivation for success. I worked hard to stay within the top of my graduating class, receiving nothing but A's in each of my courses. I stayed involved with school clubs, volunteer work, and extracurriculars that would further enable my educational success. Within my education, there has always been a deeper purpose for my great passion for learning and success. To put it simply, my passion for receiving a higher education stems from the tragic loss of my mother. This setback in my life became my motivation to succeed, and my passion for learning and working towards a higher education is unmatched.

Throughout my career in high school, I have learned little about personal finance. Unfortunately, there was a noticeable lack of knowledge regarding my basic financial education. When I got my first job as a waitress in 2020, I found that I was pretty clueless when it came to money management. Thankfully, I have since been given many useful pieces of financial advice that have helped me along my financial journey. The best piece of financial advice that I have received would be to "save money into an emergency fund." Although simply saving money may seem like an obvious piece of advice, having an emergency fund has greatly benefited my financial stability. During the summer of 2021, the sustainability of my 2004 Chevrolet Trailblazer took a turn for the worse, and I found myself in dire need of a new vehicle. Without a vehicle, I would be unable to travel to my place of work, which was a large problem. Luckily, I had taken the financial advice about starting an emergency fund. With the money in my emergency fund, I was able to put $3,000 down on a new vehicle right away. Saving money into an emergency fund has greatly benefited my financial stability. Without that fund, I strongly believe that I would have had a much more difficult time finding a cheaper vehicle that I could afford without the fund. Putting money aside and saving for the future is the greatest piece of financial advice that I could have ever received. Whether saving for emergencies, college, or other large expenses, saving money is incredibly important to finding a sense of financial stability.

In 2017, when I was twelve years old, I lost my mother to a domestic violence homicide. When this challenge first surfaced, I struggled to find healthy ways to cope. After time, however, I found a passion for giving back to my community. In order to honor my mother and heal from her death, I started to advocate and fundraise for survivors of domestic violence. I organized and led three separate fundraisers in order to raise money for my community's local Bolton Refuge House. In addition to organizing community fundraisers, I advocated through Facebook posts and the local newspaper: The Banner Journal. I was also given an offer to appear on a podcast in order to speak more about my story and my cause. After all of the fundraising and advocating, my small community came together to raise over $1,000. My passion for my community gave me a healthy way to cope, while also making a great impact. Although my mother isn't here today, I know that she would be proud of the work that I've done in her honor.

The concept of generosity does not lie simply within material objects or possessions. Although leaving a nice tip for your waiter can be considered an act of kindness, the idea of generosity goes much deeper. There is a great difference between doing what is expected and simply being generous. Before I go deeper into what generosity is, I think that it is important to know what generosity is not. Generosity is not rounding up at McDonald's because you want to impress the passenger in your car. It is not putting money into a raffle only hoping to win a prize. Generosity is not donating your time, money, or spare possessions to please or impress others. Generosity is, in fact, holding the door open for the person behind you as you walk into the gas station. It is entering a 50/50 raffle and donating the winnings back to the organization. Generosity is donating your kindness, smile, and love to simply help others without receiving any kind of reward. The smallest acts of generosity can have a large impact on someone's life. A helping hand can put someone back on their feet. A hug can show someone the love that they thought they did not deserve. A smile can save a life. There is a great difference between doing what is right and being a generous person. The concept of generosity does not lie within the things that one can give in order to gain a reward. Generosity exists within the simplicity of kindness.

In my freshman year of high school, I took my first business related course; Intro to Business. It was within that class that I found my passion for bookkeeping and calculating numbers. Since having my eyes opened to the love that I have for math, I have come to greatly appreciate the relevance of math in my life. As an aspiring accounting major at the University of Wisconsin - Madison, math has and will continue to be an incredibly important part of my life. Math has given my life direction and purpose. Math is a vital part of my post-secondary education, and its importance is great. Although learning new subjects within math can be difficult, I have always loved a challenge. Learning and utilizing new formulas can be exciting, especially when I find ways to use them in the real world. Overall, math has become an incredibly important part of my life, and I love taking on the challenge of learning new concepts.

When applying for scholarships similar to this one, many students will write about themselves. They often write about their own dreams, hopes, and aspirations for their own future. However, when I was presented with this question about what gives me hope that the future will be better, my mind did not go to my own future. Instead, I thought about my two-year-old sister Hazel. Although Hazel came as a bit of a surprise to our family, she is one of the greatest things that could have ever graced our lives. Describing Hazel in only a few words would be an impossible task. She has the most beautiful blonde curls that compliment her lovely blue eyes. Her beauty, however, goes much deeper than her features. She has an incredibly contagious laugh and a sense of humor like no other two-year-old that I have ever met. Hazel is one of the most precious things in my life. Her utter existence gives me hope that there is a better future out there, simply waiting for her. I cannot imagine such a beautiful, funny girl living in a world of such hatred that we do today. In Hazel's future, I see nothing but prosperity and love. Hazel gives me hope that our future will be full of kindness and compassion. She makes me believe that there is nothing but positivity awaiting. When I look at Hazel, I see a great future ahead of her. I know that her future will be full of love, warmth, and hope.

After losing my mother to a domestic violence homicide when I was twelve years old, I struggled to find healthy ways to cope. During that time in my life, sports weren't an important part of my life, and there wasn't much that I could say that I held a passion for. After a few years of poor coping methods, I finally found myself joining to be a member of my school's volleyball team. By this time, I was already in my junior year of high school, and I had no prior experience playing this sport. My lack of experience, however, didn't hold me back from becoming passionate about the sport. During my first year of volleyball, I found myself playing in the back row of our junior varsity team. Although I was new to the sport, I was learning quickly, and I wanted to keep improving my skills. The work was hard, but my practice seemed to be paying off. During my second (and last) year of volleyball, I worked hard and played the front row of the junior varsity team, and I was also asked to be a "switch player," and I found myself with some time on the varsity court as well. Throughout my experiences, I could always feel my mother's love and support. My hard work and commitment to my sport stemmed from the loving and caring nature that I knew my mother held for me. My mother always supported me, and I could feel that support even after her passing.

I was born and raised in the small town of Alma Center, Wisconsin. Growing up in a small town - with a population of less than 500 - has taught me many things; the most important being relationships and involvement within my community. In my mind, the word "community" holds the same meaning and value as the words "togetherness" and "support." There have been many instances in which members of my community have supported my family. Their love and support has shown me that giving back to the community can have a large impact. Since seventh grade, I have been involved in projects through FCCLA to service my community. Through my community service, I have been involved with engaging the minds of young children; expanding their love for reading. For two consecutive years, I raised money for Leukemia patients through Pennies for Patients. I have made Christmas cards for local veterans, set up a clothes stand for community members to donate and receive winter wear (jackets, hats, gloves, and more), and made tie blankets for children in need. Additionally, through advocating and fundraising, I have raised over $1,000 during this school year for victims of domestic violence. Outside of my FCCLA projects, I have volunteered at Red Cross Blood Drives and my church’s Fish Boil. Through the National Honor Society, I have put in numerous additional hours of community service. Each of these activities have greatly demonstrated the service and love that I strive to give back to my community. Through my extensive involvement within my community, I have learned many things about myself. I am a student that likes to take on numerous challenges, meet deadlines, and work to the best of my ability. While I have taken on many projects in order to give back to my community, I have also taken on many challenges within the classroom; all while maintaining a 3.9 GPA. My passion for hard work, time management, and organization has led me to the pursuit of a career in the field of business. I had developed a dream in which I would pursue this career through the University of Wisconsin - Madison; that dream has since become a reality. In the fall of 2022, I will be majoring in accounting (and possibly finance) at UW-Madison. Although this career path doesn't have an obvious correlation to community involvement, I will always value the experiences that I've had through community service within my small town, and I will strive to find new ways to give back to my community in Madison.

In 2017, I lost my mother to a horrific domestic violence homicide. Since this challenging experience in my life, I have grown to become accustomed to being raised in a single - parent household. Growing up in a single-parent household - as the oldest sibling of four girls - has molded me into the strong leader that I am today. Living with my dad and three younger sisters has taught me a lot about being a strong, caring leader. As the only child that can operate a vehicle, I have taken on many responsibilities including transportation to school, work, and extracurriculars. Although being a strong figure for my sisters is very important to me, I have also learned the importance of love and support. Living in a single - parent household has brought my siblings and I incredibly close together. I have learned that showing love and compassion to my sisters is an incredibly important role that I have gladly adopted. Additionally, being the oldest sibling has brought my father and I close together, because we both do what we can to support the youngest three girls. Today, living in a single - parent household continues to shape and mold my personality. Being a strong, compassionate leader has and always will be a great part of my personality. I will continue to live by these traits, and will always value my experiences while growing up in a single - parent household.

Since seventh grade, I have been a member of the student organization FCCLA. I have taken on many projects and led many groups to reach large goals. In eighth and ninth grade, I took on the project Pennies for Patients in order to raise money for leukemia patients. In tenth grade, I took on a community service project and made blankets for children in need and Christmas cards for local veterans, and I also set up a clothes rack so that members of the community could donate and take winter clothes as they needed. In twelfth grade, I took a more personal approach to my FCCLA project. I decided to honor my mother who had lost her life to a domestic violence homicide when I was younger. This project was designed to advocate and fundraise for survivors of domestic violence. Overall, I raised over $1,100 for the local Bolton Refuge House through numerous fundraisers. Through FCCLA, I have spoken numerous times to large groups of people within my community, and I have taken on many leadership roles. Outside of FCCLA, I was on the student council every year of high school (excluding my senior year), and took on a lot of event planning and other activities within my school. I was also class president during my junior year of high school and took on greater responsibilities and planning activities during that time. I am currently a member of FBLA as well, and have helped organize many activities, such as a Daddy Daughter/Mother Son Dance. Additionally, I have volunteered much of my time and leadership skills through Red Cross Blood Drives. Outside of school, I have often volunteered my leadership skills within the local Fish Boil at my church. I am also a waitress at a Cracker Barrel, and have demonstrated many leadership skills since I started working there in 2020. All of these activities, both within and outside of school, have allowed for me to demonstrate my leadership. A great leader is someone with a passionate goal with honesty, integrity, and a clear focus. Great leadership means possessing an array of traits that will activate the full potential of a team of people. Having and utilizing great leadership means caring and looking out for others, while still prioritizing one main task at hand. Being a good leader is very important to me. I have always strived to be a good leader in my school, community, and work through the activities that I participate in. My leadership skills have helped me to develop into the honest, hard-working, outgoing person that I am today. Being a leader is important to develop these skills and discover a deeper understanding of one's self.

In 2017, I lost my mother to a domestic violence homicide. Since her death, I have been inspired to advocate and fundraise for survivors of domestic violence. Because this problem hits so close to home, I have found that I am incredibly passionate about tackling this issue. I have already started some work on this project. I organized three different fundraisers within my community in order to raise money and awareness for these survivors. In total, my project has raised over $1,000 for this cause. In addition to raising money, my goal was also to raise awareness and advocate. I often took to Facebook posts to reach out to my community. Many community members reached out to donate even more funds. I also wrote an article that appeared in my community's local newspaper; the Banner Journal. All of the money that I have raised so far has been donated to the Bolton Refuge House in my community; Jackson County. Although my work has greatly impacted my community, it won't end here. I have gotten in contact with Teresa Miles, an advocate for the Bolton Refuge House. She has offered to give me a tour of the Bolton Refuge House, in addition to bringing me onto her podcast in order to tell my story and advocate further. Overall, I am very passionate about helping survivors of domestic violence. My mother is my greatest inspiration, and I will forever strive to make a difference in her honor. I will continue to pursue ways to improve the lives of my community through more fundraisers and advocacy activities within my community.

Having the concept of a growth mindset has enabled myself to believe that my abilities aren't set in stone. Expanding upon my growth mindset has helped me to approach my goals with a new sense of confidence. If I am unable to perform a difficult task, I remember to tell myself that I can work on that skill or task until I am able to complete it. To keep a growth mindset, I constantly remind myself that I will always have time and room for improvement. My skills and abilities haven't reached their limit; and it's important to remember that. I refuse to let setbacks and obstacles hinder my ability to improve and grow. Additionally, much of having a growth mindset is having optimism. Negativity doesn't allow for personal growth, and it limits the possibility of success. Positivity allows for the improvement of personal skills, and it enables success and prosperity. Overall, having a growth mindset is incredibly important. There are many ways that I practice and keep a growth mindset. Typically, I do this by staying positive and reminding myself that I can always improve.

The practice of patience has always been an incredibly important aspect of my life. When I lost my mother to a domestic violence homicide in 2017, I had lost much of my patience, motivation, and strength. My mental well-being was at an all-time low, and I was struggling to accomplish the goals that I had set for myself. In order to change my mindset and persevere through this obstacle, I developed a long-term vision for myself. To overcome this challenge in my life, I looked into my future and realized that life had more in store for me. Through patience, perseverance, and hard work, I achieved my long-term goal of getting accepted into University of Wisconsin - Madison. I discovered that patience is a pause in time that allowed me to get my thoughts, feelings, and emotions back in order. Practicing being patient allowed for me to stay in control of my emotions, and I was able to take charge of my life once again. Despite major setbacks like my mother's death, I found a way to persevere and achieve my goals through patience. I've been able to discover a new sense of self-control. Patience is a great virtue, and it has given me the chance to reach my long-term goals. Good things take time, and I've learned that every obstacle that I've faced is meant to be overcome. Overall, patience is incredibly important in my daily life. Without the practice of patience, I would not have been able to accomplish the goals that I have set for myself. Being patient has allowed for me to develop a new sense of motivation and determination. Patience is a skill that has greatly benefited my long-term goals, and it is a skill that many others should practice and internalize.

In 2017, I lost my mother to a domestic violence homicide. This tremendous loss has since inspired me to set ambitious goals for my future in order to honor my mother and make her proud. Many of my goals have been education based, including my acceptance to UW-Madison. Other goals, however, were based on community involvement, including raising over $1,000 for survivors of domestic violence. My future vision is to continue to set and achieve large goals, and to give back to my community whenever I can. My vision of community service will greatly impact the world around me, and I will always prioritize my community. My mother is my biggest reason "why." She is the reason why I strive for success, set large goals, and work hard to make an impact.