The most meaningful achievements are often non-academic in nature. Describe the personal accomplishment that makes you proud. Why is this important to you? 2500

Snap. Krackle. Boom. The crowd roared. Strontium carbonate and Copper chlorate littered the skies, resulting in a glitter of red, white, and blue. This beautiful concoction of chemistry was a product of hours of teamwork and elbow grease. In that moment, the ensuing half hour of showtime was well worth the hard work.

For two days, from dawn to dusk, our crew of pyrotechnics worked diligently to pull off an astounding fireworks display for the town of Hennepin, Illinois. At times, the hot sun and humidity seemed unbearable. And, setting up this show was not without its setbacks. Our shoot site was under water due to flooding from a heavy rain the week prior. It was unclear how we would remedy this at first, but the show was already paid for and had to go on. Navigating this obstacle, the five of us went on to build racks, set up mortars, pack them full with nearly forty thousand dollars worth of fireworks, and wire them all together. There were times when we wanted to rest a little longer, but our schedule did not permit that. We held each other accountable in this way and kept going. The result was an outstanding Fourth of July show by the riverfront, which made the effort worth the toil. The display was something we were all proud of.

For me, I was also proud to have achieved the childhood goal of shooting a professional fireworks show. It is not something I would have anticipated doing prior to college since I grew up often shying away from new experiences. Being there and shooting that show ultimately showed me that I am no longer that same shy kid, but rather someone who has grown as a person and is confident enough to engage in new activities.