Education is important because it is more than just books. Education includes experiences, and I believe that experiences help individuals grow. When I was younger, my family and I traveled to many places because of my dad's job in the military. This allowed us to see natural wonders like Mount Rushmore, multiple national parks, and the Grand Canyon. These experiences educated me and allowed me to tap into my ultimate passion for nature and biology. It was these experiences that pushed me to pursue my degree. Education is important to me because it includes priceless experiences that can teach you about yourself and allow you to discover your passion. Education is also important to me because it allows you to succeed and make an impact. I know that with higher education, I will be able to better secure a job. My degree will allow me to work in places like national parks that I am passionate about, and this is extremely beneficial. Having an education will allow me to compete in the field of science where I know I belong. Because my educational success is based on my character, not my race or gender, I know that I am able to succeed. Finally, I value education because it cannot be taken away from me. My mother would constantly tell me growing up that the best thing you can do for yourself is to make sure you have an education. Because not only will it allow you to propel yourselves forward in life, it will allow you to do so independently. Education, unlike money, or belongings, is the one thing of value that cannot be gone in an instant. I know that with a good education you can provide for yourself, grow by yourself, and sometimes build your life and story up from almost nothing. These three factors: experience, impact, and permanence all embody the word education for me. By embracing these factors, chasing after them, and holding onto them once grasped, I believe that I can create a better life for not only myself but also for the world around me.

I believe the most valuable characteristic that I posses is my willingness to try new things. Growing up, I never shied away from picking up new hobbies. Because of this, my parents found themselves at many different sports games (and I also became the most medically expensive child with multiple trips to the ER). I played sports like tennis, golf, indoor soccer, outdoor soccer, volleyball, basketball, and even archery. I also took up activities like hiking, running, painting, and music, and even participated in pageants (I never won anything but I still did it which is really what matters). I’m well rounded and I’m proud of it. I know this ability will serve me well in the future. I’ve often heard that employers don’t like the answer “I don’t know how to do that” but love the answer “I can try that”, and this is always how respond to new things. I know when I am looking for a job after graduating from college, I will not struggle because I am confident in my ability to learn any task necessary and put in optimal effort in doing so. My diverse activities growing up still show themselves in my adaptability in college life. Although I’m not a quadruple sport athlete (so surprising, I know), I still jump into any interest I come across in college. I am involved in campus ministries and concert choir, participate in a campus safety internship, work at banquet events with the dining hall, and I am part of the criminal justice club and science clubs on campus. My ability to try new things has allowed me to explore my interests but also to meet knew people and learn how to mingle with them. I’ve learned that people are different when you move from sport to sport or from activity to activity. People in golf are vastly different from people in basketball. Workers in the security office on campus are often unique to the security office and not to the banquets for campus dining. Everyone is different, and I am in no way saying I’ve met every type of person, but I’ve met so many diverse groups of personalities that I can converse with anyone I meet. Growing a social network is always a must, and I am able to do this with ease. I am proud of my adaptability and wouldn’t trade it for anything. This trait makes me unique, and it makes my life more exciting. I am excited to see how my willingness to try anything and everything will continue to show itself in my life; wether this be by meeting new people, applying for jobs, or even becoming a quadruple sport athlete.

Seeing my father's passion for his job through hard times has given me the motivation to continue through life's struggles. I grew up a military child. While some may see the constant moves and unexpectedness of year after year as a burden, I take it as an honor. My father served 28 years in the Navy where he did various jobs including flying FA-18 fighter jets, working at the Pentagon in DC, and serving as the Commanding Officer at many Naval Operation Service Centers. As a young child, seeing the planes, the Pentagon, and the various change of commands was exciting. I was able to see the fruits of my dad's labor throughout my childhood. His love for his job produced fruits joy and an ongoing passion to perform his job and perform it well. These fruits would serve me well while I experienced a side of my dad's military career that I believe most military children have experienced. The truth is, my father's job was not always fun, and it was in no way easy. He was deployed multiple times on aircraft carriers often for months at a time and was not there for the early stages of my life because of this. Throughout middle school, my parent's marriage suffered greatly because my dad lived in Washington, DC, while my mother decided to move back to my hometown and send me and my siblings to a local school. I experienced my dad being away often, but through this trial, I was able to see his dedication and love for his job. Because of the family issues, and the multiple deployments, my dad's dedication to serving his country became stronger. Upon retiring from the Navy in 2018, he receives multiple excellence awards and worked his way up to a Commanding 0-6 Officer. This showed me that with any job worth doing, there will be struggles. However, if you are passionate about your job, these struggles will make you desire to do your job stronger. I am currently a student at Southern Wesleyan University studying Biology. I plan to work with the National Park Investigative Service Branch (ISB) to protect wildlife and tourists. I have already experienced difficulties through my major in biology that would be discouraging if I was not passionate about what I want to do. Obtaining a degree in a science field is not easy, but I know my degree will allow me to protect the National Parks and the people inside of them. Like my father's job, I know that in my future career I will experience struggles and difficulties, but I will push through with perseverance as he did. My dad and his military career have inspired me to find my passion and chase after it no matter what.

As miserable as it sounds, I get up at 4:30 every morning. This was a concept I adapted from my basketball coach in high school. At the time I thought he was insane when he mentioned it, but I now understand the logic behind it. My schedule can get stressful with classes taking up a big chunk of my day, waking up early allows me to have time to myself. After I wake up I always work out for an hour. The gym in the basement of my dorm complex is rarely used so not only do I have an hour to myself, I have a time and dedicated space to take care of my body. Typically, I read after I work out and shower. It is usually 6:30 am when I reach this point in my routine. I get to watch the sunrise, in peace, quiet, and tranquility. This is how I clear my mind before the day starts. Classes take up my day till around 3 pm. I sit in our local coffee shop and work on homework. I study hard, with organization, and structure. This is how I take care of my future career and present education. Self-care is not entirely about one’s body. I end the day in my dorm room. Taking with my roommate, speaking on concepts I rarely have time to have conversations about. I read, and then fall asleep at 9 pm. Although this is not the typical college kid schedule, it is mine. It works for me, keeps me motivated, and is the best way I can practice self-care. I don't limit self-care to one singular action - I make sure that my entire day is centered around it.

Right now, I’m sitting in my dorm room, typing this essay, and watching my roommate, Lydia, paint. It’s crazy to me how someone I have only known since August of my first semester has taught me so much, helped me grow, and made me feel welcomed in a place in which we were both new. She is my friend- and although our relationship is new, and was unplanned, I know that it demonstrates true friendship. Lydia’s friendship shows me no one is truly alone. It is simply an act of Divine providence that we met. I am from South Carolina; she is from Pennsylvania. And although I’ve only known her for a short while, I know she is there for me. When we both contracted the flu over Thanksgiving, we both were unable to travel back home to be with family. We stayed in our dorm, eating door-dashed meals, and watching Christmas movies. We talked about God, life, and breakups. And even now- both being quarantined with COVID- we have each other. I know no matter what, she is there for me, and I am there for her. Even when we both cannot be there in person, we are there in spirit. Checking up over text, sending each other encouraging quotes, and praying for each other’s day. Her friendship, although random and unexpected shows the purest form of friendship I have ever seen. It has allowed me to see the good in all situations, no matter how many times we have to cringe over the taste of cold and flu medicine. True friendship is loyal through hard times, encouraging at all times, and close even through physical distance. It is something I will always value now that I have been able to see it clearly.

Two years ago I was diagnosed with depression and anxiety. Upon being diagnosed I realized that this was not just an issue from the past year or past two years, this was a struggle that would be lifelong. I wish I was helped earlier on. This has inspired me to help others now. One of my main goals is not focused on career aspirations, it is focused on making sure other's do not feel alone as I once did. I strive to form deep connective relationships with everyone I meet. Being in college has taught me that this means a great deal to people. While overwhelming at times, I always check on people, send them a text, and make sure that classes are going well for them. Becuase of my mental health issues in the past, it makes me want to do what I wish others had done for me. Even if you don't know about other's struggles, kindness will always make a lasting impact. My understanding of the world has changed throughout the course of my struggle with depression. Upon being medicated, I realized there is help, and there are people who understand and who care. I know that I am not the only one struggling, and I am not the only one reaching out to those who may also struggle. In a sense, feeling alone and helpless for so long, showed me that I am infact not alone. Different peers have come to me with issues of their own, albeit depression, anxiety, OCD, or ADD. Sharing in struggles and talking about them has shown me that the world of mental health is neither lonely nor small. Educating others, talking about your struggles, and being a support system for others is at the center of a cure. The world is not lonely, it is not all dark, it is not all helpless. There are others like me, who care, struggle, and want to help. Once I understood that truth, I was able to see the world through a better lense. I still struggle everyday, but I don't see my mental health as a disease. I know that, while it makes certain tasks and days hard, it ultimately makes me stronger. Because of my mental health, my goals are focused on others. My relationships are deeper. And my outlook on the world that I once viewed as so dark and lonely, is brighter and fuller than ever.

As someone who has been diagnosed with depression and anxiety, I believe I have a great insight into mental health and its possible solutions. I think that one thing is necessary to understand: there is no way to "cure" mental health struggles. They are not like the flu or the common cold. They will not eventually go away with antibiotics or over-the-counter medicine. Mental health is a lifelong struggle, but there is hope for those who are suffering. I believe that the best way to help those who struggle with any mental health issue is a true community. Even now, I often wish that I had a group of people who will be there to support me. The stigma around depression and other mental health issues has prohibited this. Those who struggle may often feel alone, and this loneliness may cause them to suppress their desire to reach out to others. But how do you form a community? How do you delete this negative stigma around mental health and those who struggle? You educate. True community is reached when others deeply understand the struggles of their peers, family members, or coworkers. By educating individuals of all ages and levels of life (ie. elementary school, high school, college, and those in active careers), those who struggle with mental health will feel more open to communicating their struggles. They will be more at ease with sharing what they are dealing with. Education is practical, we learn every day. There are classes for physical education, woodshop, and band that are being used in our education system today. Why not educate students early on about mental health? I believe that the ultimate solution for those who struggle with mental health issues would be to form a community of understanding individuals through education.

My father’s military career is something I have known my entire life. He was in the Navy 10 years by the time I was born and retired 18 years later. Our family moved every 2 years until his retirement. Through these relocations, I learned several life skills such as adapting to a new environment, making new friends, volunteering in my community, and accepting that, once settled, our family would have to move again. Through these transitions, I witnessed my dad’s dedication not only to our family but to his country. My father’s example during his time in the Navy, pointed directly towards a passion-driven career. He showed me what enjoying your job should look like. My dad would often ask me, “Ainsley, what would you do if you could have any job and not have to worry about money?”. I won’t lie, this question always stressed me out, because I’m often guilty of seeking a career only through the lenses of financial gain. However, my father often discouraged this and stated I should choose a career path that I enjoy. My dad did not just preach this concept, he practiced it. He has shared numerous times with me and my siblings how he desired to become an aviator. He grew up in a rural community where opportunities and education were scarce. During college, he studied extremely hard to earn a slot to fly jets. He still reflects on landing an FA-18 on the carrier in the middle of the ocean and how exciting it was. Other accomplishments followed during his career path such as flying as an adversary after completing Top Gun Training, being the Commanding Officer of various duty stations. To this present day, if he’s asked about his time in the military, he will share with excitement and detail how much he enjoyed his career path. My mother’s dedication to my father and his career has always inspired me. She decided to place her career on hold as she homeschooled my siblings and me. My mom wasn’t just our teacher, but our chef, uber driver to all our activities, and disciplinarian. Through several moves my mom had to pack and unpack our entire house without the help of our dad because he was deployed. Traveling across the country to a new duty station is generally not exciting, yet my mom always demonstrated a positive attitude and encouraged us to share in the excitement of our upcoming new home. There were many challenging situations that she endured but did this with joy. She supported my dad’s naval career because she knew that he enjoyed his job. This inspired me to find a career I am passionate about so when difficulties occur, they will not seem so bad. My dad is now retired. My mother is in nurse practitioner school. The events of being an active military family are now four years behind us but still ever-present in our lives. I am studying Biology with hopes to become a veterinary. I’ve always loved animals and knew that if I am to enjoy my career to its full extent it would have to include them. When school gets overwhelming, or I wonder if I have picked the smartest career path, I remember both my dad and my military family. I know that, like my dad, I will do my future job with joy, because I love what it entails. And like my mother, I will persevere through difficult times with joy because I love the memories and experiences that I am building for the future.

The greatest challenge that I’ve had to overcome would be moving to a new state in the middle of high school. My dad’s retirement from the Navy allowed us to move back to his hometown in South Carolina, after living in Florida during my freshman and sophomore year of high school. Transitioning into a new school is never easy, but for me, it was especially difficult because it was a completely new state and in the middle of high school. Although in the beginning I was tempted to seclude myself and just get through the next two years, I am thankful this is not the approach I would ultimately take. Being the only Latina in my small southern high school presented challenges. I often felt secluded, I struggled to even try at my new school because I feared being rejected. I overcame this challenge by throwing myself into my new environment. I started to make a conscious effort to switch my mindset from that of fear to one of positivity. I forced myself to get to know everyone, played volleyball when I had never even held a volleyball before, and signed up for every club my school offered. I created schedules, balanced my academics, athletics, clubs, and a part-time job. I had to change my mindset that my relocation was a struggle and remind myself that it opened new opportunities. After going through this experience, I learned that struggles are all about your mindset. If I would have continued the mindset that my new school was going to be overwhelming, I would not have thrived. Because I forced myself to become involved and change my mindset, it became natural. I began to realize that while I was different from my peers, each of us offered a unique sense of diversity. I was able to be thankful for the opportunity this “challenge” brought. I overcame my negative mindset and succeeded. I graduated as salutatorian of my class in 2021 after two years of being heavily involved in every opportunity I had access to. My mindset switch allowed me to turn this experience up to 11, and be thankful for the opportunity to do so.

1. I am a 19-year-old Latina living in one of the poorest counties in the state of South Carolina. Through high school, I experienced lack of funds towards my schooling, which limited some of my educational opportunities, alone with my overall high school experiences. However, I did not allow the financial position of my county nor my school to highlight my time in high school. I actively participated in as many clubs as I could. I was part of the school band, yearbook committee, and Beta Club. I enjoyed playing sports like basketball, volleyball, and softball. Although my senior season of volleyball was cut short due to insufficient funds of the school, I did not let this sway my motivation while I participated the sports that came after. If anything, the struggles that I faced in high school motivated me to succeed. I am also motivated through the knowledge that there are students who have access to less resources that I did through my academic journey. I knew that, although a lot of things were taken away from me during high school, I was also blessed with a lot of opportunities and abilities that others were not. Although my high school lacked funds, I still had school to go to, and others did not. Although my athletic seasons were cut short, I was still able to participate in sports to some degree, and some students around the world were not given this privilege. This knowledge made me appreciate what I have been given in a new sense, and further motivated me to take advantage of my opportunities and do my best – because these opportunities are a rare blessing. If I could do anything with my life, it would be to start a non-profit to raise funds for schools in low-income areas. I believe that providing better opportunities on an academic level will inspire students to pursue a career or degree in what they truly love. Better lab equipment could spark a passion for STEM, or an updated basketball court could make a student realize they have a desire to pursue sports management. I would like to be part of providing experiences to students that encourage them to discover what they are passionate about, and I would like to see these experiences motivate others like they have motivated me. 2. STEM excites me because it has so many possible career paths. I originally began with a major in Forensic Science, which is still under the STEM category. I then moved into pursuing a degree in biology. It amazes me that STEM includes students who want to work inside the police force as a forensic scientistic, but also students who want to work as future veterinarians, marine biologists, or even software developers. I have been able to meet students that are taking different career paths as I am, and this allows me to grow my network very early on. A job in information technology (IT) would allow for multiple ways to positively impact the world. This degree allows individuals to pursue careers in cybersecurity, which is one specific way to improve the world. In the world of cybersecurity, private information such as personal identity and social security information is protected. This can make the world a better place because it closes the window of opportunity for people to be taken advantage of or stolen from. It offers secure protection on the cyber level. Software development is another career that students often pursue through an information technology degree. Through software development, medical software can be created to more accurately record information like blood pressure, heart rate or blood sugar. Medical research could be both advanced and improved through these measures. On a personal level, apps could be created or updated to schedule appointments, talk with one's primary care doctor, or even view labs results quicker. I believe that this would ease the stress of patients and provide ease in medical situations that might often be overwhelming. Both of these examples through information technology would make the world a better place because it would improve patient satisfaction and provide comfort to patients and family’s dealing with medical issues. 3. The greatest challenge that I’ve had to overcome would be moving to a new state in the middle of high school. My dad’s retirement from the Navy allowed us to move back to his hometown in South Carolina, after living in Florida during my freshman and sophomore year of high school. Transitioning into a new school is never easy, but for me it was especially difficult because it was a completely new state and in the middle of high school. Although in the beginning I was tempted to seclude myself and just get through the next two years, I am thankful this is not the approach I would ultimately take. I overcame this challenge by throwing myself into my new school. I forced myself to get to know everyone, played volleyball when I had never even held a volleyball before, and signed up for every club my school offered. I created schedules, balanced my academics, athletics, clubs, and a part-time job. I had to change my mindset that my relocation was a struggle and remind myself that it opened new opportunities. After going through this experience, I really learned that struggles are all about your mindset. If I would have continued the mindset that my new school was going to be overwhelming, I would not have thrived. Because I forced myself to become involved and change my mindset, it became natural. I was able to be thankful for the opportunity this “challenge” brought. I overcame my negative mindset and succeeded. I graduated as salutatorian of my class in 2021 after two years of being heavily involved in every opportunity I had access to, all thanks to a small mindset change that made a big difference.