Macy Whipple…below you’ll find excerpts from her winning essay for the Independent Travel portion of the 2020 Building A Better World Scholarship. Please say hello to Macy Whipple.
Sports to me… “Being a female athlete since the age of five has created such a strong foundation for who I am and my character. Sports to me means everything. They’ve brought me joy, instilled sportsmanship, and have given me friendships strong enough to last a lifetime. It’s inspired me to dive into nutrition and to push myself to have a healthier lifestyle. I’ve even decided to pursue health sciences and fitness in college.”
Capetown South Africa…“With sports and travel being a significant part of my life, I wanted to be able to experience both at the same time. A volunteer program in South Africa lets me do just that while experiencing Africa in a safe way. I would be working with the staff and other volunteers from around the world to support healthy lifestyles in the many communities of Gordon’s Bay. This is a two-week program where I would be spending most of my time teaching the children how to live a healthy lifestyle and the importance of physical activity.”
Girls…“Another aspect of this program is that I would be working with the interns who run the girls empowerment classes at the local primary school. This would be a moment of getting the young girls engaged and involved in the importance of women’s health and well-being. During his process, I would also be supporting the girls and making sure they know the importance of gender equality. This would help the young girls understand that they aren’t any less than the boys when it comes to sports.”
Empowered, Strong, and Worthy.…”What I ultimately want to do is help those girls in South Africa feel the same way I do; empowered, strong, and worthy….I’ve seen first-hand what being discouraged as a female athlete does to someone and helping other girls to fight back against that is something that I feel strongly about. The Sports In South Africa program lets me do just this; this program gives me an opportunity to explore another country and culture that I don’t know about. By going to Cape Town not only will I be able to bring my knowledge to these girls and boys but they’ll be able to help me by teaching me about their lives and what living in Africa is like. This opportunity is one that I’m positive will change my perspective on life.”
Macy’s Plans...”I will be attending Muskegon Community College in the fall with the Muskegon Promise. Along with taking classes I’ll be running cross country and track. I’m excited for this step because it gives me the opportunity to stay at home while continuing my passion of running. After I earn my bachelors degree at MCC I want to transfer to a four year university where I’m still able to run cross country. I will be pursuing a degree in exercise science and nutrition. I’m not 100% sure on what career I want to pursue but I ultimately know that I want to work with people to teach them the importance of exercising and having a healthy mindset. I want to help others feel and look their best! My hobbies include running, traveling, working out, reading, and just being with my family.”
