Scholarship Essay

Scholarship Essay

Danielle Lynn Daigle~2011

Danielle Lynn Daigle~2011

     My chosen field of study is nursing.  I wish to receive this scholarship because I have been preparing for this goal since my sophomore year in high school.  I have wanted to be an emergency room nurse because I enjoy helping people.  I came to realize this when I job-shadowed at Central Maine Medical Center's emergency room for a day and when I started working as a certified lifeguard.

     In many ways, working as a lifeguard has prepared me to be in the healthcare profession.  Staying calm during stressful situations, learning the proper use of CPR and First Aid were requirements of the job.  I have had to tend to injuries and in one particular situation, I assisted in a near drowning emergency.  Needless to say, I now have a heightened 'alertness' while on the job.  This ultimately has made me a more confident person while learning to deal with the general public's emotional and physical needs.

     In my fourth year of varsity soccer I was elected team captain.  As captain, I found ways to motivate my team members during games and practices and to also be a positive role model on and off the field.  This experience has taught me how to conduct myself as a leader like a professional nurse would carry himself or herself in a hospital environment.  Ultimately, hard work and persistance has paid off for our team and taken us to the state finals for the first time in our school's history!

     Studying in the field of nursing is my number one goal because I want to help people and care for them.  I want to be able to lead by example and show people that I know what I am doing.  My goal is to be a nurse!

     My Native American Indian heritage means that I am connected with nature, learning and being part of a family with ancestral ties, and showing me a meaningful way of spiritual living.

     Ever since I was a little girl, I have always loved to be in the woods and playing outside with my friends.  When I used to go hunting and fishing with my dad, I would love to hear the sound of the birds in the morning, the sound of the squirrels playing in the bushes, and the wind blowing through the trees.  I have learned to always respect the animals that I am hunting and the life that they lived so I don't waste it when it is put down.

     Being Native American and part of the Wesget Sipu tribe makes me feel like I belong to something special because I know I will always have friends there for me when I need them most.  I like learning more about the ways of the members in my tribe.  I love the family aspect of the tribe because of the stories that have been passed down for many years and how tradition stays alive.  Stories about how they used to live and what kind of animals they hunted, and the tools they used to make the necessary things they needed to live their lives.  This makes me want to explore my creative talents like them.

     Before I knew that I was of Native American descent, I didn't know much about my ancestors and where they came from.  I now know that I am Mi'kmaq out of Nova Scotia.  Significantly, I know that I am a descendant of six Mi'kmaq women and how they all eventually traveled up many miles of the St. John River to where we live now.  Ulitmately, being of Native American descent means that I can look at myself as a diverse individual that can overcome many obstacles no matter what is presented to me.

     In the future, my plans would be to continue to pass down the importance of being a tribal member and to live and learn the ways of Native American people in today's society. 

"Wela'lioq" for the opportunity to apply for this scholarship.                                                          

Danielle Daigle