Experiences by Madison

Experiences by Madison - January 2018 Scholarship Essay

If I had to pick one word to describe why I want to attend college, I would pick experiences. As I entered senior year, I knew I had to put in extra work to make the most of my last year in high school. I didn't want to look back in a few years and wish that I had put forth the effort to achieve my goals before graduation. I value the opportunities and experiences that sports and hobbies have given me.
For three years I’ve been on the varsity swim team here at Hartland. The girls on the swim team are people I’ve grown with and learned to work with over the course of my high school career. Over the summer we suffered through four hour practices that consisted of three hours swimming in the pool and one hour of conditioning outside. We bonded over the pain and exhaustion those four hours held and learned to support one another. When the school year rolled around we helped the freshman transition from the middle school to the daunting halls of high school. Along with the classwork and extra responsibilities that come with school, we had practice everyday after school and morning practices at 5:30 in the morning before school. Doing a full body workout in the weight room before a day of school seems a little easier when you have someone by your side that's in the same boat as you. By being on the swim team I’ve learned to appreciate people's strengths, weaknesses, and work ethic.
This year I was chosen to be a section leader of the drumline. I run practices along with the other section leader and shape the drumline into what it is now. Over the summer the marching band went to band camp up in Oscoda for a week. Spending twelve hours a day with the same people for that long can be taxing. This year was different because we had a freshman named Evan who has down syndrome join the drumline. He can’t really play our music but he kind of taps along while we play. A fellow line member complains when Evan plays with us because it makes us sound dirty. When he said that to me, I realized that I got satisfaction from helping Evan learn a new skill and finding a love for a new hobby. Evan being able to be apart of our little family is much more important to me than sounding clean when we play.
These experiences have shaped me into the person I am today and I am thankful for them. I can only imagine the friends I will make and new experiences I’ll have as I to enter college.