Through a Different Lens by Anna

Through a Different Lens by Anna - January 2026 Scholarship Essay

I’ve been a figure skater since I was five years old. For most of my childhood, skating was just something I did. I spent endless hours on the ice without thinking too much about how it fit into the rest of my life. But once high school started, everything changed. Balancing classes, friends, exams, and the usual high-school chaos is already a lot and adding 15–20 hours a week of skating on top of it made life feel overwhelming at times.
In hindsight, skating ended up shaping me in more ways than I expected. It pushed me physically and helped me to grow as a person. It changed the way I see challenges, strengthened my relationships, and honestly helped me figure out what I want to do with my future. But the path wasn’t always smooth.
At 12, I suffered a serious back injury that forced me to stop competing for months. For someone who had basically built their identity around skating, it felt like my whole world had been pulled away. I was depressed and unsure of who I was without the sport. I felt a lot of guilt because my family made so many sacrifices for me to reach my dreams, and I felt I was letting them down.
During that time, my grandfather shifted my perspective. He reminded me that four months of recovery is nothing compared to the long life I have ahead of me, and that sometimes stepping back is exactly what helps us move forward. Hearing that from someone who had lived so much life helped me refocus. Instead of seeing those months as a setback, I started seeing them as a chance to grow.
While I healed, I learned to participate when I couldn’t skate. I became a cheerleader, a practice partner, a helper with choreography and did anything I could do without putting on skates. Supporting others made me realize that being a good teammate isn’t about landing jumps; it’s about being there. When I finally returned to the ice four months later, I was stronger, grateful and more motivated. That season, I accomplished my dream of earning a spot on Team USA. I honestly don’t think I would’ve made it without that time to reflect.
Being on Team USA introduced me to a sports psychologist, which opened my eyes to how many athletes struggle silently. That led me to start a Morgan’s Message chapter at my high school to support mental health in student-athletes. Through running events and creating graphics and photos for our campaigns, I discovered how much I love photography.
Now, I’m studying visual communications with a focus on mental health. I want to use photography to inspire conversations, share the unseen sides of sports, and help athletes feel less alone.
Skating has taken me around the world and given me medals, but more importantly, it’s given me perspective, purpose, and a passion for helping others. I’m excited to use lessons with me on and off the ice.