KC Royals Charities Scholarship Essay

When I was a sophomore, a freshman approached me asking for help. Our coach was very busy, so he decided to come to me with his question. Although I had been a varsity member of my school’s forensics team since I was a freshman, it never occurred to me that I would be someone others could rely on for guidance. Clai was new to the team and wanted to prepare for his first tournament. At first, I told him to ask the coach for some practice time, but when he admitted he was considering giving up, I immediately jumped into action to find a solution. Forensics is the extracurricular I am most passionate about, and I would hate for someone to miss out on experiencing it as I have. “Would you like me to stay after school to help you?” I asked hesitantly, and he quickly agreed. We planned a day to meet, and when the day arrived, I had no idea what to expect. I thought: What advice could I possibly give him that would help? I was afraid, and I wasn’t sure if I had the ability to be a leader or guide people. I thought it might be awkward, that maybe I would come across as bossy. I tried to focus and think, what would my captains do? At the time, we had 3 captains, all of which I looked up to. They inspired me to take forensics more seriously, and I wanted to be like them. I would often call them and we were all very close. They changed the trajectory of my life, and thinking that I could do that for someone, I couldn’t give up. We found a quiet corner of the building, and I pulled up a chair, and asked him to recite his piece. As I watched him perform, it reminded me of when my coach had watched me, offering advice that ignited my passion for performing. It made me happy to know that he would be able to feel the same passion I feel towards my extracurricular. I felt like it was my duty to help Clai find the courage to step into a space that seemed intimidating. I stopped him periodically to give notes and suggest improvements., even demonstrating a few times. When I talked to him, at first I was hesitant, but then I found that leading came naturally to me. I loved being a supportive person and leader. When I guided him, he improved. He listened attentively, and implemented my suggestions and elevated his performance. We discussed different movements, tones, and other elements, and it was amazing to collaborate with him. Together, we worked to make his performance both meaningful to him and engaging for the audience. Later, our coach asked to see his performance. I went with Clai into the classroom, and watched him perform with newfound confidence, following the instructions I had given him. Our coach enjoyed his performance, and I felt so proud of how much he had grown and improved in such a short time. My coach joked that I had taken after her, and I was happy to see that both me and Clais work was recognized. Although I couldn’t be there with him, Clai earned 2nd place at his first tournament. I had never felt prouder. This experience revealed to me my passion for leadership and the impact I could have on others. It inspired me to work hard to become a captain, which I succeeded in. I wanted to be just like the captains that came before me, who had guided me and brought so much joy into my life. Now, as the season begins, I’m so excited to lead my team and continue sharing the gift of passion with others. As the current captain, I help many underclassmen with their performances and I love to watch them grow every day. This encouraged me to further my education because I realized I have the ability to help people become better. Watching people improve themselves and giving them the advice they need to grow, ignited a passion in me. The enjoyment I felt watching people succeed with my help made me realize that I would love to use this skill in my future, which is also what encouraged me to join 20/20 leadership. In the beginning, I had no idea what I wanted to do, but when I found out about neuropsychology, I knew that it would be a good career path for me since it requires collaboration and being a leader. Diagnosing people and providing them with the tools they need to grow as people, seems like the perfect job for me. I would want nothing more than to lead people to growth every day. I would love to attend Kansas State University to give me the necessary skills to become a licensed neuropsychologist and follow my dream.