Full display by Taylor

Full display by Taylor - August 2025 Scholarship Essay

With school starting back after a lengthy yet swift summer break, each morning feels a little easier than the last. Getting out of bed for work, tackling small chores around the house, even filling out college applications and scholarship forms is beginning to feel as simple as making a cup of tea. It still takes effort, but the rhythm is returning.

My name is Taylor Venable, a seventeen-year-old student beginning my senior year at Clover Hill High School. As I step into this final year, I’m carrying two clear aspirations.

First, I want to earn the lead role in our spring musical, Mary Poppins. Theater has been a constant in my life, and it’s where I feel most alive. Being onstage, hearing laughter from the audience, and seeing their reactions brings me an immense joy that words can barely capture. That joy is why I do theater—it’s what drives me to rehearse late, to push my voice, and to refine every line. As ambitious as it sounds, I want to deliver a performance that fully displays my artistic palette, one that sends chills down the audience’s spine. Every time I witness another performer giving their all, I’m inspired to do the same, and I hope my own performance will inspire others in their own “stage of life.”

Second, I’m determined to grow as a performer. I’ll keep exploring new singing techniques, sharpening my memorization, and refining my monologues. I plan to pursue theater in college—whether that’s acting, directing, or teaching—so I can share the magic of the stage with the next generation.

This year, I’m ready to work harder than ever, embrace every challenge, and step into the spotlight with both ambition and purpose.