Hi! My name is Christopher Slone! I’m a seventeen-year-old aspiring lawyer from Powell County, Kentucky. As an avid lover of politics, I’m constantly striving to spread open-mindedness through the messages I preach. I’m a proud advocate and member of the LGBTQ+ community. In my free time, I enjoy watching Stanley Kubrick movies, practicing Korean, and working on my comic, which I plan to publish in the next few years. I can’t tell you how incredibly thankful I am to have received this scholarship. To know that my scholarship application was able to touch the hearts of those who have inspired millions of young lives around America will never cease to amaze me. I would like to give a special thanks to my family, friends, teachers, and my trapper hat for helping me become who I am today. And to the lovely people at SFTS, thank you. Thank you for bringing so much love into the world. Thank you for planting seeds in the garden of possibilities and growing them into a legacy.

My name is Hannah Mills and I am a Junior at Wayne State College majoring in Chemistry for Health Sciences for Pre-Medicine and minoring in Spanish and Biology. My hope is to attend the University of Nebraska Medical Center to graduate with my doctorate in Psychiatry. When I’m not attending classes, I keep myself busy being the President of Active Minds at Wayne State College, a group dedicated to destigmatizing mental health. On my days off from school, I love going to work at Behavioral Health Specialists where I serve as a Staff Technician at a short-term residential drug and alcohol rehabilitation center. In my free time, I love taking naps, organizing various things, doing arts and crafts, and spending time with my family. I am very honored and thankful to be selected as this year’s scholarship recipient and am grateful for everything the SFTS team does.

My name is Randi Meier. I’m originally from Texas but now happily reside in Mulhall, Oklahoma on the family farm. I work at the cardiology clinic at Stillwater Medical Center and absolutely love my job. I’m finishing up my second semester of nursing school at Northern Oklahoma College. I’m officially halfway through the registered nursing program and I couldn’t be more excited! Upon graduation, I plan on continuing my career in cardiology. I enjoy reading, spending time with my family, and playing with my little (rather big) best friend, my dog Kita Bear! I truly believe that we can change the world with kindness, and it is an absolute honor to be selected for the Ty Field- Smalley Memorial Scholarship! If you see someone without a smile, give them yours!

Hey there! My name is Ethan Lemke, and I attend Altamont High School in Altamont, Illinois. As of writing this, I am still undecided on my future university, but I am hoping to keep my university of choice in-state. Although I am currently undecided on where I will further my education, I am quite certain I would love to pursue a degree in journalism or, at the very least, a related field. Over the years, I have found a passion for pouring my all into my writing, and I hope to utilize this to touch the hearts of countless people around the world. I cannot put into words how thankful I am to be blessed with such a meaningful opportunity provided to me by Kirk Smalley and the entirety of the SFTS team. My thankfulness further goes out to my family, my friends, and those that have helped develop me into the person I am today.”

Hello! My name is Norah Graumenz and I am a Senior at Altamont Community High School. I plan on attending Lake Land College in the Fall of 2023 in hopes of becoming a registered dental hygienist or a nursing assistant. I constantly keep myself occupied by doing my homework, attending pep band performances, and studying. In my free time outside of school, I enjoy arranging different things, watching crime documentaries, doing cosmetics, baking/cooking, taking naps and spending time with family and friends. I just want to express my gratitude to all my teachers, family members, and friends who helped shape who I am today. It is truly an honor to be selected for this year’s recipient for the Stand for the Silent Scholarship! I want to thank the SFTS team and staff for all they do in spreading awareness. Stand up for someone who is being bullied if you ever see it. A few words might be all it takes to save someone’s life.

My name is Jacqueline Cheatwood. I am 37 and am returning to college to pursue my degree in nursing at Northern Oklahoma College. It is my goal to become an RN in the mental health field. I have a beautiful 7 year old girl, 2 dogs, and 3 cats, so my home is never quiet, but I thrive on chaos. I have been a 911 dispatcher for 13 years and still work full time on nights while I go to school and take care of my girl. In the rare free time I have, I love to fish, hunt, hike ,and just be outdoors in general. I encourage everyone to treat people with kindness and respect. You never know how much a smile and compassion can brighten someone’s day!

My name is Audrey Herman and I’m from Titusville, Pennsylvania. I’m currently a first-year student at Dickinson College majoring in Political Science with a minor in Ethics. In my free time, I like to play softball, bake, and write fiction. After graduation, I plan to attend law school at Penn State Dickinson Law. I want to right the wrongs of social injustice, mediate conflict between people, and work to prevent violence through legal means. I am very honored to be chosen as one of Stand For the Silent’s scholarship recipients, especially since this organization’s mission means so much to me. Their generous support in achieving my goals does not go unnoticed.

My name is Riley Savage, I am 18 years old with a passion for medicine and helping people. I am from a very remote town in Idaho but have strong roots based in Oklahoma where I grew up. I am going to school this fall to get a bachelors in science and nursing. I am very strong minded and independent, as well I am very outgoing and adventurous. Stand for the Silent is something some people would look at as just a small group trying to share a message. To me they are an impact that was brought into my life at a very young age. The story of Kirk and Laura’s son Ty changed my life forever. This organization brought not only a lesson to me, but changed my way of thinking. Such as you don’t know what people are going through; pushing them down in any way is not okay because you do not need to be a part of the negativity that exists in this ugly world. A lot of people are just trying to survive through hurt feelings, hard times, and different challenges. We have the opportunity to be someone’s light, why not act on that. Be the person to ask if someone is okay or needs help, be the one to sit with the kid who is eating lunch by themselves, be the one to stand up and be the voice for someone who may have not found theirs yet. These are the lessons SFTS has taught me. Stand for the Silent will forever and always be carried in my heart and mind helping me not only better myself but be someone else’s light. It is an honor for me to have the opportunity to apply for this scholarship, as well have a time to express what Stand for the Silent truly means to me. Thank you for everything that SFTS has done not only for me but everyone.

Hailey is a 17-year-old senior at The Ranney School in Tinton Falls, NJ. She lives with her mom, dad, four-year-old brother (TJ), and their family dog (Nemo). Hailey enjoys spending time with her family and friends, volunteering, surfing, traveling both domestically and internationally, and competitively playing sports. From a very young age, giving back to those in need has always been her passion. Hailey tries to lead by example and believes in the power of kindness and empathy. At 13, she started Hailey’s Haven, a non-profit that assists foster youth in NJ and has recently expanded to assist youth Afghan refugees in NJ. Hailey is currently deciding between multiple acceptances to Universities across the U.S. She is certain in following a career in medicine where she can continue her passion to help others.

Halle is currently a high school senior at Preble High School in Green Bay, WI. She plans on continuing her education and attending Northern Michigan University to study Botany. She has always had a passion for plants and the environment and would love to use her degree to research solutions to help combat the global crisis of climate change. While doing so, she wants to inspire others, especially youth, to follow their passions, and always strive for greatness, no matter what anyone else thinks. To do this, she will always try to include oth-ers, be kind, and encourage those around her to do the same. She truly believes that together we all can make a difference.