My creative writing final...

Hitting two birds with one stone..My final is going to be writing all my scholarship essays.

Community Foundation Essays:
1. essay (not to exceed two typewritten, double-spaced pages) describing the most influential person in applicant's life and how this individual has helped the applicant become the person he or she is today and has helped shape applicant's goals for the future.



When most people sit down to ponder who their personal inspiration is, most faces that cross their minds are those of much older role models. Most don't realize how peers can sometimes be the biggest heroes of all. My best friend growing up has to be my biggest hero and role model.

It all started on my very first day of 6th grade. I cautiously walked up the steep stairs into the school bus. On the verge of choosing one of the empty seats, a scrawny, freckled, frizzy-headed boy offered me the seat in front of him. At first, I was unsure. The kid seemed a little dorky. At that age, I wasn't the deepest person. This scrawny, freckled, frizzy-headed boy's name was Tanner Heath May. Nevertheless, this day was the beginning of a friendship that would grow into the best relationship I have had with the opposite sex thus far. Remembering back to that day, I am so proud of my little Tanner for coming so far.

He and I lived on the outskirts of our tiny podunk town within walking distance from each other. Tanner would walk over to my house after school several times during the week. We stuck up for one another and whenever anything interesting happened he always called. We were always together and in some ways, I took this for granted. Now that he is off with the city folk at Franklin College, I realize that I can't ever replace our friendship. However when I start to miss my Tanner, I just remember that true friends are always connected, even when they are apart.

Tanner didn't have the greatest childhood; growing up in a broken home that is centered around drugs is not the best place for a kid. He didn't have the benefit of a strong foundation to shape his values and morals. His relationship with his parents was poor. Growing up, he didn't have the stability of a supportive family. Sometimes I wonder if this is why he pushed himself so hard and kept so busy. I never questioned his seemingly distant relationship with his family. Whenever he was upset about it, I would crack a joke in an attempt to help him forget. Even though Tanner came from a dysfunctional household, he never let it hold him back from becoming everything he wanted to be.

Name any club or sport in our high school and there is a huge chance that Tanner was involved in it in some way. Once he entered high school, our after school "hang out sessions" didn't happen quite so much. To name a few, Tanner was involved in choir, band, Spanish club, B.P.A., graduation committee, prom committee, S.A.D.D., national honor society, yearbook staff, track, swimming, key club, tennis, student government, and the hometown competiveness youth council during high school. I remember the days that he didn't have any meeting, practice, or game after school and he was simply shocked. Thinking back, I don't think he wanted free-time. It meant that he wouldn't have an excusable reason for being away from home. Also, Tanner knew from the beginning that he would not be able to afford college by himself. From the very first day of high school he started preparing to impress colleges and scholarship committees. Constantly worrying about every detail, Tanner was almost obsessive about perfecting his every move in school. I had to calm him down several times when he would frantically run to me, boiling over with emotion about a B+. His ambition, although overwhelming, is something I've always looked up to. A successful person always strives to be their best, and I saw that quality in him very early.

At the end of his senior year, Tanner won the Eli Lily Scholarship. The scholarship awards High School students a full ride to college. When Tanner told me he got the long-awaited phone call, I was so proud that I felt tears start to grip the edges of my eyes. In that moment, I realized what a transformation my scrawny schoolboy friend had made, from a twiggy, auburn-headed boy to a strong, intelligent young man. Put simply, Tanner Heath May is a rags to riches story.

For these reasons, Tanner is truly my personal hero. He inspires me to strive for success and he reminds me to be grateful for everything I have. Altogether, any high-school student could consider Tanner May a role model. He may not have the wisdom of elderly advice or the power of persuasive politicians but he has the ambition of a young man that will not cave in to failure without a fight.



2. Statement of Aspirations and Educational Goals (not to exceed two typewritten, double-spaced pages)

Everyone has a dream. Some dream of being rich and famous,being intelligent and successful, or having a loving family of their own. My dreams do not include any of these things. But in a way, my dreams include all of these things. If I could, I would choose several careers instead of just one. The reason for this dilemma is because I have such a vast array of interests and passions that it is hard to narrow my decision down to one field in particular.


My name is Kayla Michelle Mason and I am a native of the small town of Petersburg. Growing up in a country setting makes it even scarier when the inevitable “moving out” stage of a person's life comes around. Even so, I am ready to conquer my fears of living in a big city.


In the fall semester of 2011, I plan to attend the University of Southern Indiana to major in the field of nursing. I hope that I will be accepted into the nursing program in the first year, but it is very rare. Only eight students were accepted early in the fall of 2010 so I will have to strive for my best. I have always had a passion for helping others, so a career in the medical field is a perfect fit. Currently, I plan to specialize in neonatal care. Yet, I may change my mind when I start my clinical hours. After graduation, I am pondering whether I will stay in the Evansville area of move to a different location.

After I am a nurse and settle down for awhile, I would like to pursue my ultimate dream of publishing my own fictional book. Then I would like to become an editor for a book publishing company so that I will have the chance to make others' dreams come true. Hopefully I will be able to go back to school part-time to achieve this dream.

Also, I have a passion for photography and would especially enjoy having a side-job as a photographer. In the fall of 2010, I photographed four different seniors for their senior pictures. To my utter shock, two of them even offered to pay me for my service. The moment I snapped the first picture that autumn, I felt better than I had ever felt before. I know that I belong behind the camera. It is my hope that I will have enough time to take photography classes in college in addition to my nursing major.

For these reasons, I cannot imagine my life without a college experience. Honestly, I would feel lost if I did not attend a university. I am very grateful for the opportunity of higher learning and I will never take it for granted.


3. Written essay (not to exceed two typewritten, double-spaced pages) describing applicant's short- or long-term missions experience or similar community service activity, the impact it has made on the applicant's life, and the most important lesson(s) learned.

Since I can remember, I have always been involved in community service. My father was the inventory and warehouse manager at the Bread of Life Ministries, a food and clothing bank. The value of helping others was instilled in me since I was only about four years old. For several years growing up, I would volunteer at the Bread of Life during the summer by sorting food and helping load or unload donated items from the trucks. Every winter, I dressed up in an elf outfit along with my dad, Santa Clause, and we handed out the toys to unfortunate families.

Even when I started school, I continued helping out in the best ways I could. In elementary school, I created a singing group that sang at the Amber Manor nursing home every Wednesday. When I reached High School I started volunteering at Somebody's Place in Petersburg once a week. I was inducted into the National Honor Society my junior year and began service work with them.

Most recently, I have been helping me father collect toys and cash donations for Toys for Tots. Once again, he dresses up as St. Nick and I play as one of the elves. The first fundraiser we did for Toys for Tots was held on a truck and four-wheeler trail. Instead of cash admission, we asked for toys. We had great success, with a total cash value of nearly $2000 in toys. The second was held at A Kneaded Touch in Huntingburg, a massage business where my dad works. For their donation, we gave them a free picture with Santa, me being the photographer. Seeing the children's eyes light up in joy allowed me to imagine the faces of the children receiving the toys. The holidays are my favorite time to volunteer my time.


Reflecting back, I honestly didn't realize how many things I was involved in throughout my life. Considering how I grew up, I suppose it is just second nature to me. The most important lesson I have learned from this is that giving oneself for the sole benefit of another is quite impossible. You always get something in return, an emotion that can't quite be explained. I feel as if volunteer work is the best therapy out there.



4. Statement (not to exceed one typed page) describing your familial or relational connection to the Winslow, Indiana community (either past or present), if any.


My name is Kayla Mason and I am a resident of Petersburg, Indiana. Although I have never actually lived in Winslow, I attended the Winslow Elementary school from pre-K to 5th grade. Up until I was four, my family lived in Spurgeon, Indiana.

The year I was starting kindergarten, we moved to Petersburg, merely a 2 minute drive to the elementary school there. Even so, my father decided that he would rather have me attend the Winslow school rather in Petersburg. Even now, I know the 15 minute ride every day was worth it. The childhood memories I have from that place are irreplaceable. Some of my favorite memories from that time would be music class with Mr. Clark, the anual "rainbow colored parachute" day in gym class, Little Debbie Day (don't forget your quarters!), kickball at recess, star lab with Mrs. Stewart, fall festival, splinters from the "wooden equipment", and of course my 5th grade class field trip to Lincoln Boyhood Memorial.

In short, I would just like to say that my connection to the Winslow community is a memorable one. I am proud to say that the Winslow Elementary school has helped shape and mold me into the student I am today. After all, the passion I have for learning began in that very building.

Local Scholarship Essays:


2. Brief description of an experience or event in the past four years that has been significant to you and your decision to attend college, describe post-secondary plans, explain need for scholarship


Hoping desperately, I stare out at our vacant driveway. Surely he will come back. Surely he can't be serious. I observed the space where his bright blue Saturn should be parked. Autumn leaves had fallen all around it, creating an empty concrete rectangle. The space will be filled again soon enough, I'm sure. However, in the back of my mind, I knew the inevitable truth.

The night that my father left our family is one of the most significant events that has occurred in my life the past four years. The event left my mother and I with a temporarily unstable atmosphere. My mother, unable to work or drive for several weeks after, was not able to support us under her condition. While she recovered, I worked as much as a 15 year old can and strived to get her feeling better.

Living through that painful time, I realize that it is undoubtedly important to be an independent person. No matter what, you can only really rely on yourself to be sucessful. For these reasons, I cannot imagine my life without a college experience. Honestly, I would feel lost if I did not attend a university. I am very grateful for the opportunity of higher learning and I will never take it for granted.


3. 300 word essay "Why I'm going to College"
Why would someone want to go to college, anyway? It’s just an overpriced version of High School, right? Wrong. Many students today do not realize the importance of a quality education. However, the majority of students do not realize how deeply education affects our lives. Education is not all about teaching us facts and dates. It is about leading us on our chosen paths and helping us to find our true passions in life.


In this age of technology, it is extremely important to continue learning after High School because of the way our society is rapidly changing. Before, many jobs were centered on manufacturing. However, the introduction of robotics into factories has eliminated many of the manufacturing jobs. Since the job openings for unskilled labor are beginning to decline, it is necessary to further education to specialize in a certain field.


I plan to attend the University of Southern Indiana in the fall semester of 2011. There, I am going to graduate from their nursing program and hopefully start out my career at an Evansville hospital right away specializing in neonatal care. I have always had a passion for helping others, even since I was a child. Therefore, any career in the medical field is a dream job for me.
Also, I have a passion for photography and would especially enjoy having a side-job as a photographer. It is my hope that I will have enough time to take photography classes in college in addition to my nursing major.For these reasons, I cannot imagine my life without a college experience. I am very grateful for the opportunity of higher learning and I will never take it for granted.

4. Brief letter stating desire for scholarship, name of university, and career choice



To whom it may concern,

Hello. My name is Kayla Mason and I am in the senior class of 2011. I plan to attend the University of Southern Indiana to major in nursing. After college, I hope to specialize in neonatal care.

However, in this day and age, coming up with money for college seems quite impossible. The large numbers could make a person faint. It may not be fair to put a price on education, but fretting about the prices will not make the debt go away.
For this reason, I strongly ask for your consideration of awarding me the scholarship. I would like to thank you for your time and commemorate you on making this opportunity possible.

Sincerely,
Kayla Mason

5. 500 word essay explaining goals, why you deserve it, achievements, financial need
In this age of technology, it is extremely important to continue learning after High School because of the way our society is rapidly changing. Before, many jobs were centered on manufacturing. However, the introduction of robotics into factories has eliminated many of the manufacturing jobs. Since the job openings for unskilled labor are beginning to decline, it is necessary to further education to specialize in a certain field. In my situation, my single mother is striving as hard as she can to support she and i. Although she is employed, she is finding it hard to save any money for my college funding because she is barely making ends meet.


Nevertheless, I plan to attend the University of Southern Indiana in the fall semester of 2011. There, I am going to graduate from their nursing program and hopefully start out my career at an Evansville hospital right away specializing in neonatal care. I have always had a passion for helping others, even since I was a child. Therefore, any career in the medical field is a dream job for me.

Also, I have a passion for photography and would especially enjoy having a side-job as a photographer. I photographed four seniors in the fall of 2010 for their senior pictures, and 2 of them even offered to pay. It is my hope that I will have enough time to take photography classes in college in addition to my nursing major. Along with photography, I have a particular interest in writing, specifically short stories and novels. It is my dream to one day get one of my works published.

I possess many diverse skills that are necessary for success. From taking dual-credit speech, I have obtained excellent communication skills including expressing my ideas clearly, reading nonverbal clues, and positive self-talk. By starting good study habits early, I have refined my work habits. These include strategic planning, time management, and leadership. I am aware of my strengths, but I am also aware of my weaknesses that I need to improve on, such as finding a balance between work and my personal life and being more outgoing and friendly towards people I am not familiar with. I have participated in many extracurricular activities so as to pursue my true passions. I have achieved many accomplishments, seen and unseen. In my junior year, I was the co-captain of the math academic team. We placed 3rd in the mathematics portion and 1st in the interdisciplinary portion. Also in my junior year, I was inducted into the National Honor Society and accepted into the Swing Choir. Along with these accomplishments, I have achieved finding some of my greatest passions thus far, expressing myself through music and lending a helping hand for the sole benefit of others.

For these reasons, I cannot imagine my life without a college experience. I am very grateful for the opportunity of higher learning and I will never take it for granted.





6. 300 word essay describing vocational choice, choice of college, and skills

My name is Kayla Michelle Mason and I am a native of the small town of Petersburg. Growing up in a country setting makes it even scarier when the inevitable “moving out” stage of a person's life comes around. Even so, I am ready to conquer my fears of living in a big city.

I plan to attend the University of Southern Indiana in the fall semester of 2011. There, I am going to graduate from their nursing program and hopefully start out my career at an Evansville hospital right away specializing in neonatal care. I have always had a passion for helping others, even since I was a child. Therefore, any career in the medical field is a dream job for me.

Also, I have a passion for photography and would especially enjoy having a side-job as a photographer. I photographed four seniors in the fall of 2010 for their senior pictures, and 2 of them even offered to pay. It is my hope that I will have enough time to take photography classes in college in addition to my nursing major. Along with photography, I have a particular interest in writing, specifically short stories and novels. It is my dream to one day get one of my works published.

I possess many diverse skills that are necessary for success. From taking dual-credit speech, I have obtained excellent communication skills including expressing my ideas clearly, reading nonverbal clues, and positive self-talk. By starting good study habits early, I have refined my work habits. These include strategic planning, time management, and leadership. I am aware of my strengths, but I am also aware of my weaknesses that I need to improve on, such as finding a balance between work and my personal life and being more outgoing and friendly towards people I am not familiar with.

For these reasons, I cannot imagine my life without a college experience. I am very grateful for the opportunity of higher learning and I will never take it for granted.

7.Brief statement of financial or family need of scholarship

Hoping desperately, I stare out at our vacant driveway. Surely he will come back. Surely he can't be serious. I observed the space where his bright blue Saturn should be parked. Autumn leaves had fallen all around it, creating an empty concrete rectangle. The space will be filled again soon enough, I'm sure. However, in the back of my mind, I knew the inevitable truth.

The night that my father left our family is one of the most significant events that has occurred in my life the past four years. The event left my mother and I with a temporarily unstable atmosphere. My mother, unable to work or drive for several weeks after, was not able to support us under her condition. While she recovered, I worked as much as a 15 year old can and strived to get her feeling better.

Living through that painful time, I realize that it is undoubtedly important to be an independent person. No matter what, you can only really rely on yourself to be sucessful. For these reasons, I cannot imagine my life without a college experience. Honestly, I would feel lost if I did not attend a university. I am very grateful for the opportunity of higher learning and I will never take it for granted.




8.500 word essay describing goals, benefits from scholarship, achievements, favorite memory at Winslow

My name is Kayla Mason and I am a resident of Petersburg, Indiana. Although I have never actually lived in Winslow, I attended the Winslow Elementary school from pre-K to 5th grade. Up until I was four, my family lived in Spurgeon, Indiana.The year I was starting kindergarten, we moved to Petersburg, merely a 2 minute drive to the elementary school there. The childhood memories I have from that place are irreplaceable. Some of my favorite memories from that time would be music class with Mr. Clark, the annual "rainbow colored parachute" day in gym class, Little Debbie Day (don't forget your quarters!), kickball at recess, star lab with Mrs. Stewart, fall festival, splinters from the "wooden equipment", and of course my 5th grade class field trip to Lincoln Boyhood Memorial. Because of my memories at the school, my connection to the Winslow community is a memorable one. I am proud to say that the Winslow Elementary school has helped shape and mold me into the student I am today. After all, the passion I have for learning began in that very building.

Since my elementary days, I have participated in many extracurricular activities so as to pursue my true passions. I have achieved many accomplishments, seen and unseen. In my junior year, I was the co-captain of the math academic team. We placed 3rd in the mathematics portion and 1st in the interdisciplinary portion. Also in my junior year, I was inducted into the National Honor Society and accepted into the Swing Choir. Along with these accomplishments, I have achieved finding some of my greatest passions thus far, expressing myself through music and lending a helping hand for the sole benefit of others.

In this age of technology, it is extremely important to continue learning after High School because of the way our society is rapidly changing. Before, many jobs were centered on manufacturing. However, the introduction of robotics into factories has eliminated many of the manufacturing jobs. Since the job openings for unskilled labor are beginning to decline, it is necessary to further education to specialize in a certain field.

I plan to attend the University of Southern Indiana in the fall semester of 2011. There, I am going to graduate from their nursing program and hopefully start out my career at an Evansville hospital right away specializing in neonatal care. I have always had a passion for helping others, even since I was a child. Therefore, any career in the medical field is a dream job for me.For these reasons, I cannot imagine my life without a college experience. I am very grateful for the opportunity of higher learning and I will never take it for granted.

For these reasons, I cannot imagine my life without a college experience. I am very grateful for the opportunity of higher learning and I will never take it for granted.

ELI LILLY ESSAY

Submit an essay (maximum 250 words) describing your goals for the future and how education will play a role.

Why would someone want to go to college, anyway? It’s just an overpriced version of High School, right? Wrong. Many students today do not realize the importance of a quality education. However, the majority of students do not realize how deeply education affects our lives. Education is about leading us on our chosen paths and helping us to find our true passions in life. Growing up in a country setting makes it even scarier when the inevitable “moving out” stage of a person's life comes around. Even so, I am ready to conquer my fears of living in a big city.
I plan to attend the University of Southern Indiana in the fall semester of 2011. There, I am going to graduate from their nursing program and hopefully start out my career at an Evansville hospital right away specializing in neonatal care. I have always had a passion for helping others, even since I was a child. Therefore, any career in the medical field is a dream job for me. Also, I have a passion for photography and would especially enjoy having a side-job as a photographer. Along with photography, I have a particular interest in writing, specifically short stories and novels. It is my dream to one day get one of my works published.
For these reasons, I cannot imagine my life without a college experience. I am very grateful for the opportunity of higher learning and I will never take it for granted.