| Please write an essay delineating the reasons why you believe you qualify for a Service Above Self scholarship. | Philanthropy and community service have been cornerstones of my life. In middle school, my family welcomed foster children into our home, and I became involved with the National Charity League. These experiences have allowed me to volunteer with organizations such as With Love, Cards for Veterans, and Down Syndrome Network Oregon (DSNO), deepening my passion for serving others. In particular, I have a special place in my heart for children with disabilities and have been very grateful with many opportunities to support and build connections with them.
One of the philanthropies that has been the most meaningful to me has been DSNO, where I plan and lead exercise classes, while forming lasting friendships with many of the children. These relationships have opened the door for me to take on additional leadership roles, such as helping lead Capernaum youth groups and experiencing the Capernaum prom with them last year. Capernuam is a YoungLife group for kids with disabilities in my community.
Beyond my immediate community, in July of 2024, I went to the Dominican Republic on a mission trip with my church to help and serve people in the town of Jarabacoa. Though I had certain personal goals and expectations for the trip, once I began to work with the people in Jarabacoa I realized that they were helping me as much as I was helping them. Every day, I gained a deeper understanding of how joyful life could be without the material possessions I take for granted. More than anything the people there crave connection with others and opportunities to live their lives to the fullest. Since returning home to the United States, I constantly remind myself to maximize every hour of every day by listening to my heart, creating new connections, and savoring my existing ones, a perspective I look forward to sharing with my future community at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.
Looking ahead to this summer, I am excited to continue my service journey by attending a YoungLife summer camp at Washington Family Ranch, where I will be a buddy for a girl with Down syndrome. I have been very grateful that her parents and my YoungLife leaders trust me with this fulfilling and life-changing experience for her in her faith and at camp.
While I hope I am deemed worthy for the Service Above Self Scholarship to help further my education at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, regardless, I am grateful that I have been given the opportunity and position to build these connections and serve my community.
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| Please answer the following three questions in the box below. | I have accepted admission to Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo, California.
In addition to Cal Poly, I applied to the following universities:
Gonzaga University
Pepperdine University
Santa Clara University
Loyola Marymount University
University of Oregon
University of Utah
University of Arizona
University of Colorado, Boulder
San Diego State University
Stanford University
University of Southern California
University of Texas at Austin
I was accepted to all the schools to which I applied other than Stanford, the University of Southern California, and the University of Texas at Austin.
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