C A S E Y O.

H A M L I N

Hans and Laurie Schmid

The Tayler Schmid Fund Scholarship

In a couple of months, I will put Old Forge in my rearview mirror and take
on a new chapter of my life, one that is completely different than the one Im living
now. Now I have no doubt that this experience, and the culture shock that will
result, will be daunting. But if there is one comfort in this process, it is that I will
have the opportunity to take my love of politics and actually use it as I pursue a
degree, along with a career, in government and the political process.
There are two main ideas behind my endless pursuit of such a career: what
can I do to help myself and what can I do to help others. Now many think that a
political mind like myself would see helping themselves as making a lot of
money or gaining power. I mean, thats the mostly true stereotype of politicians, so
I cant blame them for thinking that way. But in my career, I will travel and meet
new people, people from all different socioeconomic backgrounds, regions,
ethnicities, religions and more, learning from them and expanding my horizons as
a human being. The understanding of different people and the knowledge that I
will undoubtedly pick up will be the greatest benefits to me in my own life, and I
cannot wait to get out and experience it.
In terms of how I will use this career field to make the lives of others better,
I have to go with the core reason Im entering the field in the first place. Those in
positions of power have the ability to stand up for those without a voice so that
maybe, just maybe, their issues will be addressed. I want to use my career to fight
for people whose voices arent heard enough, like the sexually assaulted college
student whose school isnt handling the situation seriously or the mentally ill teen
who needs treatment but cant find it in his area. While our politicians would rather
talk about the red meat issues like gun control or legalization of drugs, I want to
fight like hell to ensure that the little guy has a voice in government.
These are just some of the ways that my career field will not only benefit
myself, but also benefit those around me. I want nothing more than to leave a
lasting legacy of being there for every person, no matter what their background or
their current situation, and I know that Im going to work as hard as I possibly can
to make it happen.
114 Middle Branch Road, Old Forge, NY 13420

315-369-5677

caseyhamlin.org