Spark the Change Scholarship

Growing up, I had two dreams: to become an Olympic gold medalist BMX racer and to own a massive marble mansion with a waterpark, like Celine Dion. While pursuing BMX at a professional level, I quickly realized that financial stability would not come from racing alone. That understanding pushed me to explore business early, and those experiences ultimately shaped how I give back to my community today. My first venture was a vending business that grew from a single gumball machine into full-scale vending machines across town. While profitable, it bothered me that unhealthy snacks sold best. Later, I launched an online business designing the only aerodynamic BMX number plate on the market, managing everything from prototyping and manufacturing to digital marketing. Although these ventures did not succeed financially, they taught me critical lessons in leadership, organization, and execution. As I transitioned fully into professional BMX racing, I began looking for ways to apply those skills beyond profit. A turning point came when my coach encouraged me to start coaching, explaining that teaching others strengthens your own understanding. I became CPR, first aid, and USABMX coaching certified and began running weekly clinics at my local track, working with young riders to develop skills, confidence, and sportsmanship. Coaching quickly became one of the most meaningful ways I could give back, allowing me to positively impact kids at the same age when BMX shaped my own life. While training for national and international competition, I also recognized a major barrier for Arizona riders: the lack of access to professional-level BMX tracks. To address this, I began organizing group training trips to the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, California. Through networking and community-building on social media, I helped riders gain access to one of the most exclusive training facilities in the world, eventually contributing to the reopening of its BMX facility. This effort grew into TrainChulaAZ, a professional training club that provides Arizona athletes with elite development opportunities they otherwise would not have. At the local level, I founded a Tucson-based BMX Beginner League designed to introduce kids to competitive cycling in a structured, supportive environment. Through this league, I focus on teaching discipline, confidence, teamwork, and resilience, values that extend far beyond the track. Many of the tools from my earlier business ventures found new purpose, from using old prototypes as clinic rewards to replacing vending sales with lessons on proper nutrition and mindset. Through these experiences, I learned that investing in others creates a return far greater than any financial profit. Giving back to my community through coaching, mentorship, and access to opportunity has given my work meaning and direction. For me, the true reward is not a payday, but hearing a young rider proudly say they learned something new. Purpose, not profit, is the true gold medal, and the real mansion worth building. Through entrepreneurship, I plan to scale the impact I’ve already created by building structured BMX beginner leagues and elite training programs into a nationwide organization that makes the sport accessible, developmental, and community-driven. Academically, I aim to study business to gain the tools needed to sustainably grow these programs while maintaining their mission-first values. I have already given back by founding a local BMX Beginner League, creating professional training access through TrainChulaAZ, mentoring young riders, and using sport to teach confidence, discipline, and opportunity to the next generation.