Greetings from Ringgold.. by Megan

Greetings from Ringgold.. by Megan - January 2026 Scholarship Essay

I am known as, or rather used to be thought of as, the “shy” girl at my school. While this is partially true, my friends and family would say that my quiet nature is a complete fallacy. I took a walk on the wild side last spring semester when I signed up for my school’s audiovisual first-level class. I needed an extracurricular class to fill up an empty class block and thought that I would just wing it and hope for the best. My first foray into media in class was as one of many student video editors, tasked with catching vocal and written errors so our news program would flow harmoniously. As a quiet student, I could work independently without needing to be the center of attention.

However, as I entered the first semester of senior year this past fall, I decided to challenge myself once more and take my second audiovisual class. I kept telling myself I just wanted to edit and stay behind the scenes, but something was louder. What was loud you may be asking yourself? My need to step out of my comfort zone, and what better time to do that than in my last year of high school. I volunteered to host an entertainment segment for the school news, which required me to speak with students from all walks of life. I absolutely loved being able to joke around and get to know new people whom I would never have had the opportunity to know beforehand. I am not one to gloat or promote myself, but my segment was ranked among the best this past semester!

My need to get out of my self-imposed introvertedness only propelled me further this past week. I am now in my third and final audiovisual class and am the overall host of the program. I edit, write all the lead-ins, and produce 75% of the content our students, faculty, and parents watch each week. Funny thing is, I am not pursuing a career even close to being a content creator, editor for a news program, or anything related to media. I want to be a trauma nurse. The fast-paced working environment, combined with helping patients in their time of need, is my passion. Yet, I know that my sudden burst of confidence, that one random day in August of 2026, will help me talk to my fellow community members, because I have to be confident in what I am doing and never second-guess my knowledge and experience.