I’ve always loved math and science. I got my first telescope when I was four years old, and I’ve always hoped for a career in STEM, even before I knew what STEM was. My dream was almost crushed in sixth grade. I was enrolled in Pre-Algebra. I was not good at it. My teacher and I had no chemistry, and she made me more afraid of math than excited about it. I finished the course with a B and was full of disappointment. Then came seventh grade and a new teacher. His name was Allen Jackson, and he had come out of retirement because he missed teaching. I nervously walked into his Algebra I class, knowing that I had struggled in Pre-Algebra. However, he put me at ease immediately. His classroom looked like Hogwarts, and he wore Happy-Potter-style glasses. It didn’t feel like the atmosphere of a math class. As he talked with our class, we knew that he wanted to get to know us as individuals and that he wanted nothing more than our success. What a change from the previous year! Within a few lessons, I was not only comfortable in his class, but I actually looked more forward to his class than anything else during my school day. If I didn’t understand a concept, I’d raise my hand, and instead of making me feel stupid for not getting it after his first explanation, he answered happily. Because of that, I asked as many questions as it took to grasp the material. I not only got As in his class – I got HIGH-As! After each exchange, I grew more confident in my abilities in Algebra, which spilled over into my other classes. He showed me that being inquisitive and eager to learn was the key to success. What was even better is that I watched him do this with everyone in class! After a while, we all looked forward to his class. Mr. Jackson went on to teach me in Geometry and Algebra II. He believed in me. He encouraged me. He laughed with me. He challenged me. He taught me. In doing all of that, he gave me the confidence I needed to ask questions until I understood the material in every class, not just his. He showed me that I was good at math, and he pushed me to be even better. He celebrated my successes and encouraged me when I struggled. When I moved onto Pre-Calculus, I got a little nervous because he wasn’t going to teach me any longer. Was I good at math because he was my teacher? Would I succeed with another teacher? I shared my doubts with him, and he assured me that I was good at math because I was good at math. He was right! I breezed through Pre-Calculus, AP Calculus, and my Dual Enrollment College Algebra class, all with the same high-As as I got in Mr. Jackson’s class.. I still go by his classroom to visit. He has been my constant cheerleader since seventh grade. I will miss him terribly when I’m at Louisiana State University in the fall, but I go with a grateful heart because he believed in me. I would not have had the academic confidence to succeed in math and science without him. This confidence has permeated every other aspect of my life. I’m curious and inquisitive. I’m bold and unafraid. When I walk across the LSU stage in 2029, Mr. Jackson will be a big reason why. Mr. Jackson changed my life for the better. He gave me my dream back.

I am an artist, and as an artist, having the mindset of an engineer is as natural as breathing. Ever since I was a little girl, I have been fascinated by how things are made, how they function, and ways to improve efficiency. I first explored that in my art. By painting, I was able to create something new. I understood how and why it existed, and I tried to find ways to improve my next piece. In addition to being a visual artist, I am also a performing artist. Last year, I played the role of Belle in “Disney’s Beauty and the Beast” in our school production. Not only was I Belle, but I also took on the challenge of designing the set and supervising its build. Saying that this was a challenge is an understatement! Our stage is simply a cramped platform in the high school gym that has to be shared with athletics. While not a social or economic hardship, competing with athletics in high school is quite a hardship, especially when you walk in both worlds as a varsity cheerleader. My biggest challenge was that I had to figure out how to make the wide, colorful world of this show – from Belle’s provincial town to the Beast’s castle – fit on our small platform while not interfering with athletic practices and games. In between learning lines and music, I measured. I designed. I erased and began again until I finally came up with a design that would work. My director approved my design, and I met with the set construction crew. We built platforms of different heights to give the set dimension in its tiny space. We built pieces that could be hidden beneath other pieces and pop in and out when needed. My set design made our audiences just as interested in what would happen WITH the set as much as what we were doing ON the set. Because I was able to visualize, design, and help build a set with versatile pieces, we were able to use a good portion of the previous set in our latest production, “The Addams Family Musical,” where I am once again singing, acting, and set designing. The music theatre program at our school is a new endeavor. "Disney's Beauty and the Beast" was our very first show. It had to be successful. We had to show that we could coexist with athletics and everything other program that had already been established. As I was designing and building, the gravity of what I was doing was never far from my thoughts. If you would like to get to know me better as an artist, please watch this video. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1nJWvSVNSaJFuOQdxB0IqVg64ZtvFHQrc/view?usp=sharing It shows how being an artist has made me fearless, and this will make me a successful engineer.

Since I was a little girl, the many possibilities of space have fascinated me. I’ve always enjoyed gazing at the stars and using constellation star maps. My parents have always supported my interests by taking me to our local planetarium. We would watch documentaries about space, and I would be in awe of the physics, engineering, and seemingly endless opportunities for exploration and discovery. My fascination has never ceased, and my thirst for knowledge this knowledge has only expanded as I’ve grown older. In addition to my fascination with math and science, I am an artist. I always have an arts outlet. I’ve found it easy to express myself through art. Whether it be multimedia, visual, dance, or theatre, art has always been a piece of my heart. Art has allowed me to escape from reality and enter a state of constant flow. I love possessing the ability to create pieces of art with my own hands. This ability allows me to solve problems and think critically about what to do to get inspiration out of my head and into being. If you would like to get to know me better as an artist, please watch this video. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1nJWvSVNSaJFuOQdxB0IqVg64ZtvFHQrc/view?usp=sharing It shows how being an artist has made me fearless, and this will make me a successful engineer. My ideal career aspiration combines my love of space, math, science, and art. Marrying these interests will create something great that will change our world for the better. New technologies and techniques are always being discovered and used in space exploration. Whatever awaits us is a wonder and a mystery that we can solve. As an Aerospace Engineer, I aspire to help solve this mystery. Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam said, “You have to dream before your dreams can come true.” My parents have always inspired me to dream, and becoming an Aerospace Engineer is my dream. Whenever I think of it, I grow too excited to contain myself. Thinking of all the problems that I could help solve in the space exploration community -- helping build technology that will get to and colonize planets and moons, working to solve propulsion issues, and more – these possibilities thrill me! Engineering is a scientific art form that is perfect for the way my brain works. Science and art have always been second nature to me, a language that I understand, a combination that is as natural as breathing. Not only am I passionate about STEM, I am passionate about being a WOMAN in STEM and will use my position to not only further space exploration, but I will also use it to inspire other young girls who aspire to a career in STEM. This will be the focus of my community service. My mother raised me to believe that there is no ceiling for me. She corrected people who’d say, “That’s excellent for a girl,” to “That’s excellent.” When people would tell me I’m a beautiful girl, she would quickly tell them, “She’s also brilliant, talented, creative, and kind.” She changed the dialogue. Because of her, I have never been intimidated to ask questions and excel in my STEM classes. I am confident in my ability to succeed as an Aerospace Engineer. Changing that dialogue made all the difference, and that is something I will do as a woman in STEM. I will change the dialogue for young girls who have an affinity for the field to give them the confidence to raise their hands and ask questions, to excel in their classes, and boldly declare that they will be a woman in STEM.

Since I was a little girl, the many possibilities of space have fascinated me. I’ve always enjoyed gazing at the stars and using constellation star maps. My parents have always supported my interests by taking me to see stars and planets at our local planetarium. We would watch documentaries about space, and I would be in awe of the physics, engineering, and seemingly endless opportunities for exploration and discovery. My fascination has never ceased, and my thirst for knowledge of space has only expanded as I’ve grown older. In addition to my fascination with math and science, I am an artist. I always have a fine arts outlet. I’ve found it easy to express myself through art. Whether it be multimedia, visual, dance, or theatre, art has always been a piece of my heart. Art has allowed me to escape from reality and enter a state of constant flow. I love possessing the ability to create pieces of art with my own two hands. This ability allows me to solve problems and think critically about what to do to get inspiration out of my head and into being. If you would like to get to know me better as an artist, please watch this video. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1nJWvSVNSaJFuOQdxB0IqVg64ZtvFHQrc/view?usp=sharing It shows how being an artist has made me fearless, and this will make me a successful engineer. My ideal career aspiration combines my love of space, math, science, and art. Marrying these interests will create something great that will change our world for the better. New technologies and techniques are always being discovered and used in space exploration. Whatever awaits us is a wonder and a mystery that we can solve. As an Aerospace Engineer, I aspire to help solve this mystery. Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam said, “You have to dream before your dreams can come true.” My parents have always inspired me to dream, and becoming an Aerospace Engineer is my dream. Whenever I think of it, I grow too excited to contain myself. Thinking of all the problems that I could help solve in the space exploration community -- helping build technology that will get to and colonize planets and moons, working to solve propulsion issues, and more – these possibilities thrill me! Engineering is like a scientific art form that is perfect for the way my brain works. Science and art have always been second nature to me, a language that I understand, a combination that is as natural as breathing. Not only am I passionate about STEM, I am passionate about being a WOMAN in STEM and will use my position to not only further space exploration, but I will also use it to inspire other young girls who aspire to a career in STEM. My mother raised me to believe that there is no ceiling for me. She corrected people who’d say, “That’s excellent for a girl,” to “That’s excellent.” When people would tell me I’m a beautiful girl, she would quickly tell them, “She’s also brilliant, talented, creative, and kind.” She changed the dialogue. Because of her, I have never been intimidated to ask questions and excel in my STEM classes. I am confident in my ability to succeed as an Aerospace Engineer. Changing that dialogue made all the difference, and that’s how is something I will do as a woman in STEM. I will change the dialogue for young girls who have an affinity for the field to give them the confidence to raise their hands and ask questions, to excel in their classes, and boldly declare that they will be a woman in STEM.

Since I was a little girl, the many possibilities of space have fascinated me. I’ve always enjoyed gazing at the stars and using constellation star maps. My parents have always supported my interests by taking me to see stars and planets at our local planetarium. We would watch documentaries about space, and I would be in awe of the physics, engineering, and seemingly endless opportunities for exploration and discovery. My fascination has never ceased, and my thirst for knowledge of space has only expanded as I’ve grown older. In addition to my fascination with math and science, I am an artist. I always have a fine arts outlet. I’ve found it easy to express myself through art. Whether it be multimedia, visual, dance, or theatre, art has always been a piece of my heart. Art has allowed me to escape from reality and enter a state of constant flow. I love possessing the ability to create pieces of art with my own two hands. This ability allows me to solve problems and think critically about what to do to get inspiration out of my head and into being. My ideal career aspiration combines my love of space, math, science, and art. Marrying these interests will create something great, something that will change our world for the better. New technologies and techniques are always being discovered and used in space exploration. The possibilities are endless. Whatever awaits us is a wonder and a mystery that we can solve. I aspire to help solve this mystery. Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam said, “You have to dream before your dreams can come true.” My parents have always inspired me to dream, and becoming an Aerospace Engineer is my dream. Whenever I think of it, I grow too excited to contain myself. Thinking of all the problems that I could help solve in the space exploration community -- helping build technology that will get to and colonize planets and moons, working to solve propulsion issues, and more – these possibilities thrill me! Engineering is like a scientific art form that is perfect for the way my brain works. Science and art have always been second nature to me, a language that I understand, a combination that is as natural as breathing. My mother raised me to believe that there is no ceiling for me. She corrected people who’d say, “That’s excellent for a girl,” to “That’s excellent.” When people would tell me I’m a beautiful girl, she would quickly tell them, “She’s also brilliant, talented, creative, and kind.” She changed the dialogue. Because of her, I have never been intimidated to ask questions and excel in my STEM classes. I am confident in my ability to succeed in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering. Changing that dialogue made all the difference, and that’s how I plan to make a difference as a woman in STEM. I want to change the dialogue for young girls who have an affinity for the field to give them the confidence to raise their hands and ask questions, to excel in their classes, and boldly declare that they will be a woman in STEM. This scholarship will go a long way to helping me achieve my dreams and ambitions and support and inspire other young women. It will alleviate the stress of finding ways to finance my dream to allow me to work to make my dreams come true.

Since I was a little girl, the many possibilities of space have fascinated me. I’ve always enjoyed gazing at the stars and using constellation star maps. My parents have always supported my interests by taking me to see stars and planets at our local planetarium. We would watch documentaries about space, and I would be in awe of the physics, engineering, and seemingly endless opportunities for exploration and discovery. My fascination has never ceased, and my thirst for knowledge of space has only expanded as I’ve grown older. When each high school year started, I would always feel that buzzing energy of excitement. I would be the first to choose my classes based on my interests and career goals. I always had a core math and science class that would speak volumes to me and quickly become second nature. That drive has kept me at the top of my class all through high school. In addition to my fascination with math and science, I am an artist. I always have a fine arts outlet. I’ve found it easy to express myself through art. Whether it be multimedia, visual, dance, or theatre, art has always been a piece of my heart. Art has allowed me to escape from reality and enter a state of constant flow. I love possessing the ability to create pieces of art with my own two hands. This ability allows me to solve problems and think critically about what to do to get inspiration out of my head and into being. My ideal career aspiration combines my love of space, math, science, and art. Marrying these interests will create something great, something that will change our world for the better. New technologies and techniques are always being discovered and used in space exploration. The possibilities are endless. Whatever awaits us is a wonder and a mystery that we can solve. I aspire to help solve this mystery. Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam said, “You have to dream before your dreams can come true.” My parents have always inspired me to dream, and becoming an Aerospace Engineer is my dream. Whenever I think of it, I grow too excited to contain myself. Thinking of all the problems that I could help solve in the space exploration community -- helping build technology that will get to and colonize planets and moons, working to solve propulsion issues, and more – these possibilities thrill me! Engineering is like a scientific art form that is perfect for the way my brain works. Science and art have always been second nature to me, a language that I understand, a combination that is as natural as breathing. Many people do not understand me when I tell them I can see answers to problems without showing my work or that I can see geometric equations all around me in nature. They also do not understand my ability to create art or how it comes from my body as an extension of what I see in my mind, and that’s okay. I will surround myself with others in college and later in my professional career who do understand and can do the same. I will join them in creating and building the technologies that open new worlds. With my degree in Aerospace Engineering, I will turn my dreams and academic drive into scientific discoveries.

I’ve spent my life looking up and out. As a baby and toddler, I went on a trip every day with Disney’s Little Einsteins in their favorite rocket ship. I would fall asleep in my mom’s arms as my parents watched shows like “The Universe” and “How the Universe Works.” I got my first telescope when I was four. My dad calibrated the telescope, and they both explained to me what we were seeing and how far the objects were from me. Through that little telescope, I grew up seeing craters on the moon, faint rings of Saturn, and other planets that would appear in the sky throughout the year. As I looked through my telescope, my parents also showed me images from Hubble, Juno, Cassini and other observatories. This is the foundation of my love of space and STEM. You may be wondering how technology that looks up and out inspires me about the way it can make the world a better place. In addition to being passionate about STEM, I am also an artist. Looking at the worlds outside of our world inspires my imagination. It taught me to think big. It taught me to create. It taught me to think differently about problems and find creative ways to solve them. I know I’m not alone. I know there are scores of other people just like me who found inspiration by looking through their telescopes, and because of that, they developed new technologies, created beautiful art, and offered new ideas to combat issues like climate change, finding energy alternatives, and mitigating catastrophes from natural disasters. I waited with bated breath to see the first images from the James Webb Space Telescope. I am thrilled about the upcoming Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope that is set to be launched in 2027. Through them, we are learning more about our universe and about our place in it. We are learning that there may be more habitable planets and moons. This inspires us to find ways to reach these worlds to extend the existence of the human race. It inspires me to be part of those developments, to develop the technologies needed to understand and explore. From using knowledge we gain from looking at other worlds to enhance our lives on our planet to finding new ways to explore our universe, telescopes are vital to making our world a better place.

I am an artist, a dreamer, and a science enthusiast. I am able to be all of these things because my parents raised me to believe that there is nothing I cannot do. They have supported my exploration in hobbies and activities. In fact, they are my biggest supporters. It is through their encouragement that I have chosen a career where not even the sky is my limit. Looking back, there is no one personal experience that has influenced my decision to pursue a career in aerospace engineering. My decision is a combination of different experiences. The first of these is my experience as an artist. As an artist, I'm able to take images and concepts out of my head to create beautiful pieces of art. To me, this is the foundation of engineering -- to have an idea and make it happen. Another personal experience is my affinity for science, technology, engineering, and math. I have always loved STEM, but I didn't think I would be good at it. I was blessed to have an amazing teacher for Algebra I, Geometry, and Algebra II. He encouraged me to think and to ask questions. Because of that, I built confidence, and I thrived. Since then, I've had other great teachers in Precalculus, AP Calculus, and Physics. Each of them supported my talent and curiosity. The other experience that has inspired me is stargazing with my parents. We've done this since I was a child. They gave me my first telescope when I was four years old, and we'd spend clear evenings looking up. Other days, we would watch documentaries about space. Wanting to be a part of space exploration has been ingrained in me from the earliest of ages. A career in Aerospace Engineering combines my art, my love of STEM, and my passion for space. There are other reasons why I am going into this field, but these three experiences built the foundation of my decision.