2026 MPCA Scholarship Winner - Shira Baumann

Congratulations to our 2026 MPCA Scholarship winner - Shira Baumann! Shira graduated from Westerville North High School with a 4.7 GPA and will be attending Princeton in the fall to study comparative literature with minors in theatre and history.

She was a leader in Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA), a Co-Captain in Tennis, participated in theatre, Warrior Athlete Leadership Team (WALT), Hope Squad, Link Crew, National Honor Society (NHS), Superintendent’s Advisory, was a class officer for two years, and was the Events Coordinator and most recently the President of Student Council. Some special recognitions include being “Best Vocalist” two years in a row as well as a part of the 2026 All-Ohio production of Ragtime for theatre, being an attendee for Buckeye Girls State, being an AP scholar with distinction from College Board, and being a published author for numerous writing competitions. Read Shira's application essay below to hear what Minerva Park means to her. Thank you to all our scholarship applicants!

It was September 21st, and I was getting ready for elementary school with a skip in my step. I maneuvered through the cardboard boxes scattered across the house, grabbed whatever was left in the pantry for my snacks, and dashed out the door. This was a special day - I would be leaving the apartment for school in the morning, and coming home to my new house in Minerva Park in the afternoon. Being a resident of Minerva Park has been the best moments of my childhood for a multitude of reasons - I had new friends and neighbors to meet, spaces to explore, and a big house to make memories in. The Minerva Park community has provided my family and I an open space to feel a part of, and it’s crazy to think that in a few short months, I won’t be able to go home here every day. However, I will always carry the brotherly love and lessons that I have obtained from my time being here. Living in the Minerva Park community has taught me to dream big, be proud of who I am and have courage in diversity, and to be able to adapt to change.

Minerva Park has shown me that there are rewards for those who dream and constantly believe in their goals. This was made known to me through the experience of joining the Minerva Park community in the first place - an experience that I hold near and dear to my heart. My family and I had spent years living in a cramped apartment where I shared a tiny room with my two brothers. Even though we made the most of it, we knew it was time for us to move out once we were financially ready. We remembered learning about new housing plots in Minerva Park, and fell in love with Lot 19 - a beautiful piece of land that would be beside the walking path and was right next to the pond. There was a lottery to receive this specific plot of land, and so we decided to throw our names in, praying together and hoping that this special place would be ours to call home. I remember my dad coming home and bringing us all to the living room to tell us the news: we were the recipients of Lot 19! It was amazing to see the house being built and I was impatient to finally move in on that fateful day that September afternoon. I remember walking into my room for the first time and feeling a sense of independence and excitement - for once, I had a personal space to create for myself. The best part about my room is the view - it’s the best view out of all the neighborhood, if I do say so myself! I get to see the pond in all its glory through one window, and through the back two windows I see the sunset every night, as well as all the wildlife by the creek and the people who take their daily strolls on the path. Not only did we get a new house, but I had everything I could ever want in a house/neighborhood - a doorbell, my own room, great views, constant safety with the police department, and an amazing neighborhood with loving neighbors. Getting our house and living in Minerva Park is like many occasions in my life where I had to patiently wait and hope that my dreams would succeed, and coming to find that it was everything I could ever dream to be and more. Whether it was waiting for things like an acceptance letter for college, the test score for a class, or the cast list for theatre, I learned to believe in the seemingly impossible, just like the fateful day I got my house. This belief has gotten me through school, applying for college, and more, and I know this belief will help me achieve great things in the future.

Another thing that Minerva Park has shown to me and given me courage in is diversity. One of my favorite things to do in the neighborhood is ride my bike. Often, I use this time to look around and see if there are any neighbors my age I could interact with. Sadly, we live in an age where children are cooped up inside playing video games or on social media rather than being social outside, but that doesn’t stop me from taking a daily ride around the neighborhood. I would ride along the sidewalk, through the paths, under the overpass, across the mini dam, and often stop by the swing sets to bask in the sunlight. The best moment while riding is smelling the aroma of different kinds of food from all over the neighborhood. It’s refreshing to know that I have the privilege of living in a neighborhood that has people of all different types of cultures and backgrounds, especially as a girl of mixed-race. In my earlier years of living here, I’ve made friends of different races, belief systems, sexualities, and cultures. My previous neighborhood didn’t really give me the opportunity to learn about the world and see different people’s perspectives, but Minerva has taught me so much about understanding other cultures and ethnicities, and, most importantly for me, knowing that we can still be friends despite different ideologies. While some neighbors have moved away or we’ve lost touch, I think about them often and smile whenever I see neighborhood children of different backgrounds playing together just as I had with my friends here. I am excited to know that I will be attending a college that will have the level of diversity seen in my neighborhood, and it gives me joy to know I will have many more opportunities to connect with people from all over the world. I’ve had moments in life where I felt singled out or different because of my race or religion, but seeing neighbors in the community hosting parties, posting signs in their yards, and simply living here proudly and unapologetic, has given me the courage to know that I can do the same and be proud of who I am. I once saw a saying that said America is not a melting pot, but a beautiful mosaic, and I couldn’t help but think about Minerva Park and how this statement reigns true for our community.

Lastly, if the community of Minerva Park has taught me anything about growing up, it’s to embrace change. These changes have come in many forms, but each one has taught a valuable lesson. Minerva Park has had many renovations since we first moved in; whether it was changes in cultivating the local wildlife, adding even more houses to the area, or building two schools for the district, Minerva Park has been continuously growing throughout each year. One day I will never forget is when Minerva added water fountains to the ponds. The one I’m talking about in particular is the huge fountain that resides right next to my house. My dad loves the new edition, but to me, that fountain is the most obnoxious thing I’ve ever laid eyes on. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good fountain, but this is the most “extra” fountain I have ever encountered - I still find myself laughing about it today! As if the water shooting out of it in its spider-like form isn’t enough, you can imagine the surprise and disgust on my face when I learned it had LED lights. That was quite an evening as I watched the light show in horror for the first time from my bedroom window. However, like many occasions when I came face-to-face with unexpected innovations, I would come to tolerate this fountain and, in fact, love the pond even more because of it. Many types of change have occurred in my personal life, such as the Covid 19 pandemic, watching my brothers go off to college, or experiencing my grandmother moving in. Many of these changes (whether expected or not) have made me feel like I had no control and was helpless, like the obnoxious (and loud) fountain that would disturb my sleep the first few nights. However, just like the fountain, I took it as an opportunity to see the beauty in it, and in doing so I have become more grateful, more patient, and more willing to accommodate my life to changes. Now, as I prepare to go off to a college two states away, I am aware that there will be many changes that I will have to be ready for, but I will always remember the fountain and find the beauty and excitement in discovering and accepting the change. 

Minerva Park has blessed me with so many memories, and has given me the materials that I will need for college and beyond. When I go to college, I will be in an unfamiliar place with many new people, but I see this as another version of moving into Minerva Park. Just as it was when I moved here for the first time, we all will be in the same boat building our houses (or in this case identities) in our designated plots. We all will have our own havens that will honor our cultures and represent our ideologies. We all will learn to coincide with one another as we develop our community. And, just like Minerva Park, we will all be a beautiful mosaic of different people who come together in unified brotherhood. I cannot thank the community of Minerva enough for all that they have done to allow me to grow as a young lady and to give me and my family a place to belong. I will miss all the bike rides, my home and my neighbors, and, heck, even the fountain in the pond next to my house. I hope to return my overwhelming gratitude to Minerva Park by bringing the community’s qualities with me wherever I go to represent the brotherly love of my home.