Leadership by Oscar

Leadership by Oscar - January 2026 Scholarship Essay

One moment in my life that I discovered a new personal strength was on the first night that I led a small group at Eagle Brook Church. I was a sophomore in high school, and I had never really considered myself a leader, but when the pastor of student ministries, Jon Zaldenrust, asked me to lead a group of middle school boys, I couldn't say no. In that moment, I realized that he saw something in me that I had never really seen in myself; he saw a potential to be a leader in the most important aspect of my life - my faith.
Ever since that night that I actually started leading, I knew it was something I wanted to do for the rest of my life, so I started making decisions that have allowed me to grow in my faith and start pursuing a career in youth ministries. I started doing the Post Secondary Education Option (PSEO) through The University of Northwestern St. Paul, allowing me to grow spiritually and in a community of other believers. I still lead with that same group of middle school boys, seeing how they've grown and matured through the years has really made me double down on the decisions I've made to keep leading and going into the ministry field.