Finalist 1

Describe a moment that helped you mature or see life differently.

Ever since I was little, I knew that I wanted to be a fashion designer. Whether that was playing dress up, arguing with my mom about what to wear for school, or wearing the biggest tutu I could find for ballet class, I knew that I wanted fashion to be the center of my life. I truly feel like it is what I'm meant to do because my whole life has revolved around fashion, and I’m proud to say that I’m going to follow my dream and study fashion design at Arizona State University as a Barret Honors student. I finally have the chance to move across the country and study at one of the world's best fashion programs through FIDM.

It takes a lot of courage to leave my life behind, but I feel more confident than ever after an epiphany I had at my last dance competition. It truly was a moment that helped me mature and see life differently, and it happened when I walked off stage during my last solo. I have been dancing for 15 years, and have competitively danced for 10, and nothing prepared me for my last solo performance. Prior to that performance, I saw performing my solo as a stressful task that I had to execute perfectly. It wasn't until my last time on stage that I put the urge to be perfect behind me and not care about the awards. Dancing for myself and not for the judges made me realize that you will get more out of dance or life if you perform for yourself. It's much more enjoyable and rewarding when you take away the stress of putting yourself out there for the validation of others, and redirecting it towards pleasing yourself. I ended up dancing the best I ever have, and placing within the top 15 at our national finals. Even though I was ecstatic that I received such a high score, my mind was distracted by how proud I was of myself.

Throughout the years, dance has taught me how to collaborate with my teammates to produce the best performances, how to persevere when things get tough, and not only how to win and lose, but to do it while standing on stage with hundreds of people watching. In a way, dance has raised me to be the person who I am today, and matured me for the world outside of the studio. Walking away with countless lessons, good and bad, that I'm going to utilize in my future is a tool I'm extremely grateful to have. However, ever since that moment when I walked off the stage for my final solo, it changed the way I view everyday life. It made me see my life in a way that is going to set me up to create the future that I want for myself. Not for the validation of others. Receiving this scholarship will no doubt help me in more ways than one. My GAL Lynn Mirabella has supported my past, and it would mean a lot for MKFM Law to also support my future. I cannot expect all of my financial costs to be cared for through this scholarship, but this scholarship has the ability to help guide me on my road to success. Walking onto the stage, I was preparing to dance for myself. Walking off, I was prepared to live for myself.