Personal Statement
I still remember being ten years old and hearing the whistle blow to start my very first jump ball. I didn’t know it then, but basketball would go on to help teach me discipline and shape who I am as a person. Many of the traits and values I possess were taught to me on the court. It’s those skills that have made me successful in my high school career and will allow me to thrive as I earn my Bachelor’s degree.
My positions as the Vice President of Future Farmers of America and Historian of National Honor Society both instilled in me the importance of leadership. Both of these organizations have done this through organizing events where I spoke in front of my peers and presented my ideas to other members. My leadership abilities also show when I am on the basketball court; my coaches look at me to make split second decisions for the team in the games and lead by example in our day to day practices. I strive to be the best version of myself and inspire others. A true leader makes the right decision even when nobody's watching.
My strong involvement in my school has taught me to be disciplined and responsible as I have many tasks through my extracular activities to fulfill. One of my responsibilities for NHS is to coordinate and execute the yearly inductions for the new members and their families. I am responsible for making sure everything is set up properly, organized, and ready to go. I also lead meetings where I go through the procedure with the rest of the members and the new inductees in order to make sure they are prepared for the induction as well. Teaching me to be responsible for my roles as if something were to be planned or organized wrong, it would be my fault. Basketball has brought upon me discipline by having to wake up early in the morning to get a workout in before school and by staying late to get another practice in. This helps me to manage my schedule to make sure that I am not only improving my basketball game, but also dedicating time to study and do my homework. It is this discipline that will allow me to balance sports and extracurriculars in college as well as academics and personal obligations.
At my school my peers have influenced me and the way I view the world. From being at a diverse school I have learned to respect and appreciate others from a different culture than mine. The new perspective of my peers taught me to work and get along with others willingly. For example, there is a town near my highschool that has a very high poverty rate and is in need of help. I recently made a trip there and helped picked up garbage and debris along their main road. This reminded me to appreciate the opportunities I have been given in my life and also further encouraged me to want to make a difference to ones that are not given these opportunities every chance that I can get.
Overall academics and extracurricular activities at St. Anne Community High School have taught me to be a leader, be disciplined, and further allowed me to appreciate the differences in the world and community around me. I plan to continue to use these skills when I attend a university in the fall of 2020.