I am a highly sensitive person and take everything to heart. Although I know without a doubt that most of the time people are joking, I feel attacked. I wish I didn’t feel the way I do during those times, because it often leaves me feeling saddened and unappreciated. My friends have good intentions in telling me about their opinions and how it is different from mine. This makes me think in the wrong daily, and I feel attacked. 

Another trait that leads me in my life is meticulousness. My friends often criticize me for how I take work too seriously and need to tone it down a bit. I can’t help it, for it needs to be perfect or I'll never get over it. I go above and beyond with my work and often find myself overworked and burnt out. I stress about everyday assignments and imagine myself failing. In this case, I worked myself to the point of exhaustion on some painting that was due in two weeks. I had all the time in the world, but I felt like I needed to get it done right away and perfectly. After two long days of painting, I finally finished it. Most people praised my artistic skills, but I felt like something was off. The painting still bugs me to this day. 

Lastly, hard-working is what I’m most known for in my opinion. I put my life into my work, which can cause concern for others. This is also one of the reasons why I am usually overworked and burnt out. For example, I went above and beyond on an extra credit assignment. It was completely out of my free will and I didn’t have to do it. I had to write a 5-page essay on the topic we were working on. I finished it all in one day. The very next day I found out that not only did no one do it, but that the teacher had completely forgotten about it. I got nothing in return for my hard work. 

In brief, my personality may sometimes weigh me down, but I don’t mind. As long as I try my best and people remember me for it I know that I did the right thing. These traits influence me to the right path and often show me good results. Whether I work hard, strive for perfection, or I'm overly sensitive, I know that these traits have gotten me through hard times. My friends and family guide me whenever I take it too far. They will give me advice for my troubles. I’ll always take pride in my personality. 

This led to roughly 50 million Native Americans dead in over 100 years. Presently, we now reflect on the many Native children and adults on Orange Shirt Day, observed on September 30th. Thanks to Phyllis Jack Webstad and her story about the orange shirt that was given to her by her grandma, we can now create a discussion about what happened to the Native Children in those boarding schools. But how did this harsh treatment against Native Americans begin? 

It all started when Richard Henry Pratt discovered that Native Americans could read, write, speak English, and do labor. He deemed them as capable of being civilized. In 1879, Pratt began his project to start the first Native American children's boarding schools. In his words, his motto was to “Kill the Indian and save the man.” Native children were now forcibly taken from their reservations and placed into the school away from their families. They were forced to forget any traditions, stripped of their traditional clothes, and had their hair cut short. They had to forget their languages and were taught to learn English instead. In the 1960s, protests about the Native children boarding schools started to rise, which forced more schools to shut down by the 1970s. But just as boarding schools began to close down, another assimilation took place.

Adoption began to rise for Native children around 1958. The purpose of this project was to “stimulate the adoption of American Indian children to primary non-Indian adoptive homes. This was just a continuation of the boarding school assimilation process but in a different way. This came as a strong advantage financially for the government, since adoption was cheaper than running boarding schools. Most Native children were marketed to white people as “unwanted children” and “in need of families, which was hardly the truth. In reality, these children were not orphans and unwanted, but instead taken from their homes by the families that wanted to keep them.

According to Terri Yellowha, “People my age remember as a child being told that the social worker was coming and people would hide their children. Social workers would often use phrases such as “child neglect” and “unfit parenting” as evidence to get their children removed. In other instances, children were taken away for living with too many family members in one household, which was common with Native families. By the 1960s, about one in four Native children were taken from their families and placed into white households. The Indian Adoption Project was considered a success by the people who proposed it. Public officials state that “generally speaking, we believe the Indian people have accepted the adoption of their children by Caucasian families and have been pleased to learn the protection afforded the children. In reality, this caused major trauma to those Native children who were put through not only adoption but boarding schools as well.

There are many accounts of mental, physical, and sexual abuse in boarding schools. Adding that up with the 973 native children that were buried, these boarding schools were nothing but a genocidal place for Native children. During the adoption era, many children faced verbal, physical, and sexual abuse from their foster families as well. Sandy White explains “My adoptive mother was not well. Verbally, physically, sexually, and spiritually abusive. By the time I was 14, I started drinking. 15, drugs were added and I became an addict to numb what I was feeling. I didn’t realize I was numbing the pain.” 

Four years after Native people organized a Senate hearing, Congress passed the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA). States were now required to provide service to families to prevent the removal of an Indian child. If the child needed to get removed, they would try to keep the child in a Native household. Even with ICWA's help, they still faced problems. The foster parents of the Native children did not want to give back the children to their biological parents. This caused conflict for many years and continues to be an issue today.

Boarding schools and the foster care system were nothing more than ways to lower the Native population and force them to forget their heritage. In 2021, the Canadian government declared the date September 30 as a statutory holiday. This day would now be known as “Orange Shirt Day” to honor survivors, families, and communities. Orange Shirt Day has helped people over time to reflect on the effects of boarding schools and the issues behind the adoptive era. By honoring the stories of survivors like Phyllis Webstad, we pave the way toward a Canada that embraces all cultures and histories.

Sources : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UGqWRyBCHhw

Barnstable County. (2023 September, 20). (Orange Shirt Day to take place September 30th at the Mashpee Rotary). Barnstable County. https://www.capecod.gov/2023/09/20/orange-shirt-day-to-take-place-september-30th-at-the-mashpee-rotary/

National Calendar Day. (2024). (ORANGE SHIRT DAY | SEPTEMBER 30). National Calendar Day. https://www.nationaldaycalendar.com/national-day/orange-shirt-day-september-30

Save the Children. (2021 June, 1). (Save the Children Statement on Residential Schools, Truth, and Reconciliation). Save the Children. https://www.savethechildren.ca/article/save-the-children-statement-on-residential-schools-truth-and-reconciliation/

Firstly, peer pressure can influence risky behavior from peer validation. Teens' motivations are to be socially accepted and the desire to avoid rejection, which can cause a great change in social behavior. This will make teens do things that they aren’t comfortable with for the sake of acceptance. A group could also normalize risky behavior, which can diminish the teen's thoughts on the consequences. The thought of being socially rewarded also affects your peer pressure. Being rewarded with increased popularity and acceptance can put pressure on the teen to continue a cycle of risk-taking. 

Secondly, peer pressure can also influence a personś choice. A person may prioritize their peers' opinions and thoughts instead of their own. This leads to decisions that the person wouldn't make themselves. It can not only influence a person's choice negatively but also positively. Peers can encourage positive choices such as pursuing academic success, sports, clubs, healthy lifestyles, and a supportive environment for the person's well-being. 

Lastly, peer pressure can lead to social comparison. People can compare themselves to their peers, which can alter not only their thoughts and opinions but also their lifestyles and choices. This goes back to trying to fit in and being socially accepted. When one peer compliments another about a certain choice, it encourages them to do the same to gain validation. Social comparison can also give the urgency to participate in other peers' activities due to their pure enjoyment and social life. 

In summary, peer pressure can affect decision-making in many different ways. Whether it be changing your point of view on risk-taking, changing your opinions for the sake of fitting in or changing your whole lifestyle for your peers. Peer pressure isn't all negative. Peers can encourage healthy lifestyles, growth, and motivation for your well-being. Peer pressure can shape your mind, body, and lifestyle negatively and positively.

My educational journey has turned towards Dermatology, and I am committed to obtaining a degree in this field. Since childhood, I have been fascinated by skin health. My experiences navigating my skin challenges during puberty fueled my interest in dermatology. With this scholarship, I aim to deepen my knowledge, gain specialized expertise, and ultimately contribute to advancements in this vital field. 

Growing up in a small town, I have always strived to excel in both my academics and my community involvement, inspired by my family's values. In high school, I excelled academically and participated in extracurricular activities such as Dunseith Dragons: Newspaper Committee as an editor. Notably, my commitment to community service is a defining aspect of my character. I have over 100 hours of community service from the Dunseith Public School and Family by helping the elderly, and family members, at community events, and caring for animals. My experiences have molded me into a resilient and empathetic individual. I believe in the power of education to break barriers, and I am motivated to be a positive force for change. These experiences have fostered resilience and empathy in me, reinforcing my belief in the transformative power of education.

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In conclusion, my journey thus far has been marked by a dedication to education, a commitment to community service, and a passion for making a difference. The Ortho Dermatologics ASPIRE HIGHER Scholarship represents an invaluable opportunity for me to continue this journey and fulfill my aspirations.

Thank you for considering my application. I am deeply appreciative of the chance to be considered for this scholarship, and I am confident that with your support, I can achieve my educational goals and contribute meaningfully to society.

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Elizabeth G. Davis