Scholarship Questions:

1. We know that you work incredibly hard, go to great lengths to excel on and off
the field - but why? Where does your hunger to succeed come from?
I have always held myself to a higher standard than my peers in every
activity that I participate in, both in and out of school. I believe that this is mainly
because there has never been a time in my life where I felt satisfied settling for
average or just okay. Instead, I have always had a strong urge to push myself to
see what I can accomplish, especially when others may doubt my ability or my
potential. This is especially evident in my successes in the classroom. School
has never been easy for me, so I have had to work hard for every ‘A’ that I have
earned. Typically, this means working twice as hard as my peers through hours
of studying at school or at home. While I could have easily settled for lower
grades, I would never have been satisfied because I have always known that I
can achieve great things simply by putting my mind to it. This mentality has
helped me to achieve many academic goals throughout high school, including
allowing me the privilege to hold the position of Treasurer for our local National
Honor Society chapter. As I continue through college and once I join the
workforce, I will use this same mentality to push myself to exceed any goals
placed before me.

2. What did you do to overcome an academic or athletic challenge and what were
the results?
I have always been very involved in my community in both academics and
athletics. Because of this, I have had to tackle the sometimes daunting challenge
of learning to balance these two worlds throughout high school. In order to
maintain my GPA, while also participating in several extracurricular activities, I
learned to maximize my time, taking advantage of any extra moment that I had in
order to study or complete my homework. This has allowed me to develop a
strong work ethic and time management skills, while also allowing me to dedicate
myself to the betterment of my community. With each of these skills, I have no
doubt that I will be able to overcome any challenges that I face after high school.

3. Tell us about something you are most proud of, whether it is an achievement or
an impact you made for your team, your school, your family, or your community.

I had the honor of sewing stuffed animals for patients at the children’s
hospital in Omaha in memory of my great-grandmother who passed away. I used
her fabric, stuffing, and many of the different patterns that I had been given when
she passed away. After I made them, I took the stuffed animals to the hospital
 and was given the opportunity to meet several patients that I gifted them to. Each
of them were in the pediatric cancer wing of the hospital and were fearful of their
sickness because many of them were facing the very real possibility they might
not live much longer. I loved that I was able to impact their lives by bringing a
smile to their faces with something so little. I told each of them to use the stuffed
animal to help to comfort them when they are feeling scared, just like the way my
great-grandmother comforted me when I was scared.

4. What role has your volunteerism played in the development of your character?
Please detail a specific instance where you feel your service made an impact
both on you and the individuals you serve.
I have found that I greatly enjoy volunteering in my community. While I am
shy and therefore find it difficult to try new activities, I have taken great pride in
helping others whenever the opportunity presents itself. I have found that when I
dedicate myself to something that means a great deal to me, I am able to do
things that I have never dreamed possible of doing. During Covid, I made masks
for the nurses and residents at a nursing home in Geneva, Nebraska. Covid was
a very difficult time for these individuals as they weren’t allowed to interact with
each other. The residents were forced to stay in their room and were not allowed
to leave or see others in the building. While making masks for them was a simple
thing, it made an impact as they were allowed to walk the halls if they had their
masks on. This also impacted me as it taught me you don’t have to do something
big in life to make a difference for someone else.
5. How would receiving this scholarship impact your ability to attend college?
This scholarship would allow me to pay for my classes at Wayne State
College while majoring in Mortuary Science. With that degree, I will be able to
pursue a job as a Mortician and further the impact that I am able to have on
those in my community. A dream of mine has always been to earn money
through scholarships so that I am able to pay for my college courses without
having to burden my parents, therefore my academics and my service to others
has always remained a priority for me. Through this scholarship, I would be one
step closer to achieving my goals.