Before this year, I didn’t think much about what happens to products after people stop using them. Like most consumers, I saw replacement as normal. That perspective changed during my senior project, when I shadowed the CEO of AVE Electronics and worked inside a facility focused on repair and refurbishment. In an R2v3 and ISO-certified environment, I saw how devices that are often considered “finished” are carefully diagnosed, tested, and restored. Phones, laptops, and other electronics that might have ended up in landfills were instead processed, repaired, and prepared for reuse. What stood out to me was how structured and intentional the process was. Nothing was wasted without being evaluated first. Even data sanitization and inventory handling were done with precision, ensuring that reuse was both secure and efficient. That experience shifted how I understand sustainability. It stopped feeling like a broad or distant issue and became something practical. I began to see that environmental impact is often the result of everyday decisions, whether something is repaired or replaced, reused or discarded. In industries like consumer electronics, where products are frequently upgraded, extending the life of even a small percentage of devices can significantly reduce waste and lower demand for new production. My background in business and entrepreneurship has shaped how I think about this problem. Running a small business and working in retail showed me how strongly consumer behavior is influenced by convenience and perception. Many people replace products not because they are unusable, but because repair or refurbished options are not clearly presented or trusted. Sustainability, in this sense, is not just a technical issue. it is also a communication and accessibility issue. In the future, I plan to pursue business and entrepreneurship with a focus on making sustainable options more practical and visible. I am interested in building systems or platforms that make refurbished and repaired products easier to access, understand, and trust. That could mean improving how these products are presented, creating more transparency in the process, or making repair a more standard part of the product lifecycle rather than an exception. I also want to apply this mindset to creative communities. Many artists rely on materials and tools that are often expensive and frequently replaced. By creating systems that support reuse, shared resources, or repurposed materials, I want to help make creative work more accessible while reducing unnecessary waste. Sustainability, in this context, is not just about limiting impact, but about creating smarter ways for people to continue doing meaningful work. My experience at AVE Electronics showed me that sustainability is not just an idea, it is something built through consistent, practical decisions. It made me realize that businesses have the ability to shape those decisions at scale. As I continue my education, I want to focus on building solutions that make sustainability a natural and accessible choice, rather than something people have to go out of their way to consider.

A very close family friend in my life was recently incarcerated. While I have not experienced incarceration directly in my immediate family, he has played a meaningful role in my upbringing. He was the person who first introduced me to working at a young age, bringing me to construction sites and teaching me how to work with my hands. Through those experiences, I learned practical skills that I still use today, but more importantly, I learned what responsibility, discipline, and consistency look like in real life. He has always been a strong influence in my life. Over the years, I saw how hardworking he was and how much he cared about others. Whether it was helping family friends, supporting his own family, or stepping in when someone needed help, he consistently showed up for people. He was respectful, calm, and reliable in a way that left a lasting impression on me during my early development. When he became incarcerated, it created a noticeable shift in my life. It was not only about his absence, but also about realizing how quickly circumstances can change, even for people who are hardworking and well-intentioned. It made me reflect on the fragility of stability and how important it is to build a future with awareness and direction. At the same time, this experience made me more aware of the importance of role models and support systems. He was one of the first adults outside my immediate family who showed me what it meant to work hard and take pride in your effort. Losing consistent access to that guidance made me more independent, but it also made me realize how much positive influence can shape a young person’s path. This experience has shaped my academic and career ambitions in a meaningful way. It has motivated me to pursue business and entrepreneurship, not just for personal success, but to create opportunities for others through art. I want to build spaces where people can get involved in creative work, develop their skills, and stay engaged in positive environments that help them grow, build confidence, and create better opportunities for themselves. The time I spent learning from him through construction and hands-on work also influenced my direction. It showed me the value of practical skills and real-world experience, and how those lessons build independence and confidence over time. Overall, his impact on my life has been significant, even through difficult circumstances. It taught me to value mentorship, to think carefully about the paths people take, and to use my own experiences to create something more stable, positive, and meaningful for others.

My parents immigrated from Ukraine, and I grew up in a household shaped by both adaptation and resilience. Being part of an immigrant family meant learning early on how to adjust to a new country while still staying connected to our culture and language at home. I have always understood that building a life in a new place takes persistence, patience, and the ability to adapt to unfamiliar environments. One of the most defining parts of my immigrant experience is language. Russian is my first language, and it is the language I used at home growing up. As I started school in the United States, English became my primary language for education and daily life. Moving between the two languages shaped how I communicate and how I understand people from different backgrounds. It also taught me that communication is not just about words, but about understanding context, emotion, and perspective. As I got older, I also realized the responsibility that came with being bilingual in my family. My grandparents do not speak English, so Russian is the only way I am able to fully communicate with them. My older brother is less fluent in Russian, so I often serve as the connection between them and the rest of the family. Over time, I have come to see this role as more than just translation; it is about maintaining relationships and making sure our family stays connected across generations. Being an immigrant and growing up between two languages has also shaped how I interact with others outside my family. At Camp Wise, I worked with younger campers, including Russian-speaking children who were adjusting to being away from home for the first time. Being able to speak their language helped them feel more comfortable and less isolated. I saw how meaningful it is when someone can understand not just what you are saying, but what you are feeling in a new environment. I have also seen this in professional settings. While working at Dick’s Sporting Goods, I assisted Russian-speaking customers who felt more comfortable communicating in their first language. I experienced something similar while running my small business through the Young Entrepreneur Institute, where I worked with customers from different backgrounds. These experiences showed me how language can either create barriers or build trust, depending on how it is used. My immigrant background has also taught me resilience and adaptability. My parents worked hard to build stability after moving to a new country, and that mindset has influenced how I approach challenges and opportunities. I have learned to stay flexible, take responsibility, and keep moving forward even when situations are unfamiliar. After graduation, I plan to pursue business and entrepreneurship. My goal is to use my skills and experiences to support local artists, especially those from diverse and immigrant backgrounds, by helping them share their work and connect with wider audiences. I want to help create opportunities where creativity is not limited by language or access to resources. Being an immigrant has shaped my identity and my goals. It has taught me that success is not only about where you come from, but how you adapt, connect with others, and use your experiences to create opportunities for yourself and your community.

My parents immigrated from Ukraine, and I grew up speaking both Russian and English. Russian is my first language, and I spoke it exclusively until I was about four years old. As I grew up, English became my primary language in school and daily life, but Russian has remained an important part of how I communicate with my family and connect with my background. Because I grew up between two languages, I’ve always seen communication as something more than just words. It is about understanding people, their comfort, and their ability to express themselves. Even though I didn’t always think of it as a “skill” when I was younger, being bilingual has shaped many of my experiences in meaningful ways. One of the most important parts of speaking Russian is my ability to communicate with my grandparents, who do not speak English at all. For them, Russian is the only way they are able to connect with me. My older brother is not as fluent in Russian, so I often act as the main bridge between my grandparents and him. Over time, I’ve realized that this role carries real responsibility, because it helps maintain our connection across generations. Without Russian, that communication would be much more limited, and I value that connection deeply. One of the biggest benefits of speaking both Russian and English has been helping others feel more comfortable in unfamiliar environments. At Camp Wise, I worked with younger campers, including Russian-speaking children away from home for the first time. Being able to speak their language helped them adjust, feel calmer, and feel understood. I wasn’t just translating words; I was helping them feel safe and included. I’ve also seen the practical value of being bilingual in work settings. While working at Dick’s Sporting Goods, I assisted Russian-speaking customers who felt more comfortable in their first language. In those moments, language wasn’t just convenience, it built trust and improved the experience for both the customer and the business. I had a similar experience running my small business through the Young Entrepreneur Institute, where I helped Russian-speaking customers better understand products and pricing. At the same time, being bilingual has come with challenges. I often switch between languages depending on the situation, which requires mental flexibility. English became the language of school and academics, while Russian stayed more connected to home. At times, I had to work harder to fully express complex ideas in both languages, especially in formal settings. I also learned that translation is not always direct. Some ideas and expressions don’t carry the same meaning across languages, which taught me that communication depends on context, tone, and culture, not just words. Over time, I’ve come to see bilingualism as a strength beyond language itself. It has taught me adaptability, communication, and awareness of different perspectives. These skills have helped me not only in work and volunteering, but also in how I approach learning and problem-solving. After graduation, I plan to pursue entrepreneurship and use my language skills to help local artists better share their work with different communities. I’m especially interested in making creative opportunities more accessible by breaking down communication barriers and helping artists share their work with a wider audience. Being bilingual has shaped the way I see the world. It has given me the ability to connect with people in different ways and understand that communication is one of the most important tools in any setting. As I continue my education, I want to build on that foundation and use it to create meaningful impact in both business and my local community.

Education, for me, has never been limited to a classroom. It has come from real experiences where I had to figure things out without having everything clearly laid out. Whether it was working in retail, participating in construction projects, running a small business, or volunteering in community settings, I learned by doing, adjusting, and sometimes failing and trying again. Over time, I began to understand that education is not just about what is taught, but about how you respond when you are placed in unfamiliar situations and expected to figure things out. One of the biggest challenges I’ve faced has been not having a clear direction early on. I was involved in art, music, business, and hands-on work, and for a long time I felt pressure to choose just one path. It often felt like everyone else had a straightforward identity, while I was balancing multiple interests that didn’t seem to fit together. I sometimes questioned whether I was unfocused or avoiding commitment when I couldn’t clearly explain my direction. That uncertainty was frustrating, especially when I felt like I was supposed to already know exactly what I wanted to do. Even with that uncertainty, I kept going. I continued working, creating, and taking opportunities even when I didn’t have clarity about where everything would lead. I didn’t have a perfect plan, but I stayed active in different environments and kept learning from each one. Over time, I started to realize that not having a clear direction early on was not a weakness, but part of the process of figuring things out through experience. What changed my perspective was realizing that these experiences were not separate, but different forms of learning that were connected and continued to build on each other over time in ways I didn’t initially see. Art taught me creativity and how to think visually, but also how to accept feedback and improve over time. Music taught me discipline and how to perform under pressure, especially in situations where preparation had to be consistent even when results were uncertain. Through visual arts and piano, I participated in both local and national competitions and performances, where I placed and received recognition. Those experiences taught me that growth often happens long before recognition, and that consistency matters more than momentary outcomes. Construction work taught me patience and problem-solving in unpredictable situations, especially when things did not go as planned and required quick thinking. Running a small business showed me a completely different type of learning, how real decisions directly affect outcomes. Pricing, customer response, and responsibility were no longer theoretical ideas but real consequences I had to manage in real time. Programs outside of school also helped shape this direction. In the Miami University Summer Scholars Program, I worked on entrepreneurial projects that showed me how ideas develop into structured plans and how important decision-making is in that process. It helped me understand that ideas alone are not enough, they need structure, planning, and execution. Through volunteering with the American Red Cross and working at Camp Wise, I also learned responsibility in a different way. At Camp Wise, I started as a volunteer helping counselors with younger campers and later took on more responsibility working directly with groups of kids. That experience taught me how small actions, how you speak to someone, how you respond in conflict, how you stay patient, can completely shape someone’s experience. My work with the Red Cross reinforced the importance of being calm, reliable, and supportive in moments where people need guidance. These experiences helped me understand that education is not just about learning information, but about learning how to apply it in real situations and with real responsibility. It is about learning how to adapt when things do not go as expected and still finding a way to move forward. I also realized that one of the biggest gaps I see is in how people turn their skills into something sustainable. Many people, especially young artists, have talent but lack guidance on things like presentation, pricing, or how to share their work with others. I’ve experienced this myself through art and entrepreneurship. Selling products through the Young Entrepreneur Institute showed me that creativity alone is not enough. Even small decisions like how something is packaged or priced can completely change how people respond. That experience made the gap between creativity and structure very real for me. Because of that, my goal is to use my education to connect those two things. I want to help people, especially local artists, learn how to take what they already have and turn it into something they can build on. That could mean helping them present their work more effectively, understand basic financial decisions, or feel more confident sharing their ideas in public or professional spaces. I want to focus on making those skills accessible and practical, not overwhelming or distant. In the future, I want to continue combining business and creativity to create real opportunities for others. I don’t just want to encourage people to follow their passions, I want to help make those passions sustainable so they can support real lives and futures. Looking back, education hasn’t given me one clear path. Instead, it has helped me understand how different experiences connect over time and shape direction gradually. I’ve learned that direction doesn’t always come first, it develops through doing, reflecting, and staying committed even when things are unclear. That is the mindset I want to carry forward as I continue learning and building my future.

Making a positive impact on the world, to me, starts with helping people turn what they already have into something meaningful and sustainable. I don’t think impact always comes from something large or abstract. Often, it begins in smaller communities, where talent exists but opportunity and structure do not. Throughout high school, I have seen this in many different situations. I’ve worked in retail, worked in construction, run a small business, and been involved in art, music, and leadership programs. I’ve also been involved in service and professional environments. I worked at Camp Wise, volunteering with the American Red Cross as a donor ambassador, and assisting with office and administrative work at MIM Software Inc. Across all of these experiences, one thing has stood out to me: people often have potential, but not always the support, guidance, or tools to fully use it. Working at Camp Wise taught me what it means to be responsible for others in real time. I started as a volunteer helping counselors with younger campers, and later took on more responsibility working directly with groups of kids. It is not just about leading activities, but about making sure people feel safe, included, and understood. I learned that small actions: how you speak to someone, how you handle conflict, how you stay patient, can completely shape someone’s experience in a group. My volunteer work with the American Red Cross reinforced this in a different way. As a donor ambassador, I helped guide people through the donation process and made sure they felt comfortable and supported. It showed me that service is not always about leadership in the traditional sense; sometimes it is about being present, attentive, and reliable in moments that matter to others. My long-term involvement at MIM Software, where I have volunteered since I was 9 years old, taught me the value of consistency and responsibility over time. Even in small tasks like organizing, preparing spaces, and supporting office needs, I learned that behind-the-scenes work is what keeps systems running. It also showed me that commitment is not about doing something once, but about showing up over years and continuing to contribute in any way you can. One area I feel strongly about is supporting local artists and creative individuals. Many people have artistic ability, but struggle with things like marketing, financial planning, or simply knowing how to present their work. I’ve experienced this gap myself through my involvement in visual arts and entrepreneurship. Selling products through the Young Entrepreneur Institute showed me that creativity alone is not enough, there has to be structure behind it for something to grow. Because of that, my goal is to combine business and creativity to create more accessible pathways for people to share and sustain their work. I want to help artists and small creators not only develop their craft, but also understand how to present, sell, and manage what they create in a practical way. That could include workshops, mentorship, or simple resources that make business and financial concepts easier to understand and apply. In the future, I want to expand on this by building initiatives that connect creativity with practical skills and real opportunity. My goal is to help make those passions sustainable through structured programs and community-based support. I want to help people build on what they already have. To me, making a positive impact on the world means helping people turn potential into possibility. It starts with showing up, paying attention to others, and using what you’ve learned to make things a little more possible for someone else than they were before.

I could spend part of my day sanding walls at a construction site, and later that same day practicing piano. That contrast followed me throughout high school. I was involved in art, music, business, and hands-on work, and instead of feeling well-rounded, I often felt scattered. The movie that helped me understand that was Ratatouille. What stood out to me wasn’t just the story, but the idea that ability doesn’t always look the way people expect it. For a long time, I felt like I was supposed to choose one path and commit to it completely. People would ask what I was “focused on,” and I never had a simple answer. Being interested in too many things made me question whether I lacked direction or discipline. Even so, I kept pushing forward in all of them, because I didn’t want to give up parts of myself just to fit into one category. That’s why Remy’s story stuck with me. He had the ability to be a chef, but he wasn’t taken seriously because he didn’t belong in that environment. That disconnect between ability and expectation felt familiar. It reflected what it’s like to know you’re capable of something, but not fit into the way people think it should look. The line “Anyone can cook” changed how I understood potential. It doesn’t mean everyone will succeed in the same way, it means that ability can come from places people don’t expect. That idea made me rethink how I saw myself. Instead of trying to narrow my interests into one identity, I started paying attention to how they connected. I began to see that what felt like a lack of focus was actually a combination of skills. Art helped me think creatively. Music taught me discipline and consistency. Running a small business baking cookies showed me how to apply those skills in real situations, where decisions had immediate results. Even construction work taught me how to solve problems and stay patient when things didn’t go as planned. Each of these experiences became a different form of education, teaching me how to think, adapt, and apply knowledge in real situations. That growth was also shaped by structured learning experiences outside of school. In the Miami University Summer Scholars Program, I worked on entrepreneurial projects that showed me how ideas turn into real businesses and how important planning and decision-making are in that process. Through leadership programs like BBYO and JCC Europe, I learned how to communicate with people from different backgrounds, take responsibility in group settings, and adapt to unfamiliar environments. These experiences helped me understand that education is not just academic; it is also practical, social, and experiential. That shift changed how I approach my future. I plan to pursue business and entrepreneurship, not just to build something for myself, but to create opportunities for others, especially local artists. I want to help artists not only create, but also present, market, and sustain their work by giving them the structure and practical tools that many people never learn. Ratatouille didn’t just change how I think about talent. It changed how I think about identity and growth. What once felt like being scattered is now what drives me to keep learning, take on new challenges, and connect ideas across different areas. It’s not something I try to fix anymore; it’s what I use to build something that can have a real impact.

One day I was sanding walls at a construction site, and a few hours later I was sitting at a piano, practicing for a performance. That contrast followed me throughout high school. I painted, played music, ran a small business, and worked regular jobs. Instead of feeling well-rounded, I often felt scattered. People would ask what I was “focused on,” and I never had a simple answer. It felt like I was supposed to choose one path and commit to it completely. Being interested in too many things made me question whether I lacked direction or discipline. For a while, that became my “awkward” thing. I felt that I didn’t fit into a clear identity the way others seemed to. I noticed it in small moments. Conversations where people could easily describe what they were “about,” while I hesitated. Most of the times I felt like I had to explain why I was doing so many different things instead of just one. It made me second-guess whether I was spreading myself too thin or missing something that everyone else seemed to understand. Over time, that perspective started to change through experience. In construction, I had to solve problems quickly and work through imperfect conditions where nothing went exactly as planned. In music, I learned discipline and how to perform under pressure, where preparation shows in real time. Running a small business pushed me to think about pricing, presentation, and customer response in a very direct way. I remember adjusting how I presented my product at a market and immediately seeing how it changed the way people reacted. Each environment was different, but they all required the same core skills: awareness, adaptability, and follow-through. The turning point for me was realizing that the issue wasn’t having too many interests; it was how I viewed them. I had been treating them as separate, when in reality they were connected. Creativity showed up in construction when solving problems. Communication showed up in business when working with customers. Discipline from music carried into everything else. What I thought was inconsistency was actually an overlap. Once I understood that, my mindset shifted. I stopped trying to narrow myself down into one category and started paying attention to how these experiences built on each other. Instead of seeing myself as unfocused, I started to see myself as adaptable. I became more comfortable taking on things that didn’t obviously connect, trusting that they would add value in ways I couldn’t always predict right away. Now, I approach opportunities differently. Instead of asking whether something fits into one path, I think about how it expands what I can do and how I think. That mindset has made me more willing to take on challenges that don’t look traditional at first and more confident in situations where there isn’t a clear structure to follow. Being “awkward” in that way taught me something important. What I once saw as being scattered is actually what allows me to connect ideas, adapt quickly, and move between different environments without losing direction. It’s not something I need to fix anymore, it’s something I’ve learned how to use.

Most people don’t think about financial literacy until it affects them. I noticed this when I began working and running a small business. Every decision like pricing, costs, and customer response mattered. At that point, it was no longer a lesson. It became something that could affect my money and my future. I think the biggest problem with financial education is not just that it’s taught too late, but that when it is taught, it isn’t connected to real life. I was lucky to be introduced to these ideas early. Growing up, my parents gave me a weekly budget, and I had to learn how to manage it without overspending. That experience made me more aware of money and showed me that not everyone gets that kind of foundation. As a vendor with the Young Entrepreneur Institute, I had to manage pricing, costs, and customer expectations. I also expanded on these ideas at the Miami University Summer Entrepreneur Scholars program, where I worked on business projects and saw outcomes of financial decisions. At the same time, I worked in retail and handled transactions with customers. I started to see how small decisions, like pricing something too high or not accounting for costs, directly affected outcomes. That showed me financial literacy isn’t just about understanding terms like “budget” or “interest rate.” It’s about making decisions in real time and understanding what those decisions lead to. Because of this, one of the biggest changes I would like to see is financial education introduced earlier and taught in a more practical way. Instead of waiting until late high school, students should start learning basic concepts in middle school to form better habits. Also, those lessons should be connected to real situations. Students should practice managing a budget, running a small project, or simulating real financial decisions. Without that connection, the information is easy to forget and hard to apply. Financial literacy should also be built into experiences students are already involved in. For example, students in clubs, sports, or creative activities could learn how to manage funds, plan events, or track expenses. When financial concepts are tied to something meaningful, they are easier to understand and more relevant. I learned the most when I had real responsibility and could see the results. In the future, I plan to be part of this change by combining my interest in business, communication, and leadership. I want to help make financial literacy more accessible and less intimidating, especially for students who may not see it as relevant to them. One way I plan to do this is by creating simple social media content or community programs that explain financial concepts, everyday language. I want to share information in a way that feels useful rather than overwhelming. I also want to lead by example. Through my own experiences in entrepreneurship and work, I have seen how financial awareness directly affects decisions and outcomes. By continuing to build those skills and share what I learn, I hope to help others feel more confident managing their own finances. Financial literacy should not be something people discover only after making mistakes. It should be introduced early, reinforced through real experiences, and taught in a way that feels relevant. I saw the difference it made in my own life through something as simple as managing a weekly budget. Not everyone has that starting point, and that is exactly why financial education needs to change. I want to be part of making that change, not just by understanding financial literacy myself, but by helping others see how it applies to their lives.

One morning, I was sanding and painting walls at a construction site, and my hands were covered in white house paint. By evening, those same hands were carefully layering oil paint for a study of Van Gogh. For a while, I struggled to make sense of these two parts of my life. I wondered if I was an artist, an entrepreneur, or just someone incapable of focusing on one path. I worried that to be successful, I had to choose one and let the rest die. However, I eventually realized that being interested in so many different things isn’t a weakness; it’s actually my biggest advantage. Construction taught me that real work is messy and hard, but you have to be patient if you want the final result to look good. Fine art taught me observation and storytelling. Entrepreneurship gave me the tools to turn those stories into action. Today, I don’t see these paths as separate. I see them as an innovative way to make a difference in the world. Visual art is my primary form of expression. Whether working in oil, ink, or acrylic, I use my work to explore the world around me. This passion has pushed me to compete at the highest levels, placing in the Battle of the Teal, earning a Silver Key from the Scholastic Art Awards and participating in national programs like YoungArts and Sony World Photography. Exhibiting at venues like the Pivot Center for Arts and Lorain County Community College taught me that art is a powerful bridge; it can start conversations and connect strangers. But I also saw a problem: many talented artists around me lacked the social support and business knowledge to make their passion a sustainable career. This realization led me to the Youth Entrepreneur Market. There, I didn't just sell products; I learned how creativity functions in the real world. I handled everything from product development and packaging to customer feedback and deadlines. It taught me that entrepreneurship is just another form of creativity. It requires the same “blank canvas" thinking to solve a problem or build a brand. My drive to lead was further shaped by my community. As a Red Cross Blood Donor Ambassador and a mentor at Camp Wise, I learned that leadership isn't about authority; it’s about empathy and accountability. Whether I am comforting a nervous donor or helping a shy camper find their confidence, I am practicing the same skills needed to run a business: listening, earning trust, and showing up for others. Everything clicked during the Miami University entrepreneurship program. I saw how my artistic mindset allowed me to think outside the box, while business strategy gave me the framework to execute those ideas. I realized that my goal isn't just to be an artist, but to be an innovator who changes how we value the arts. I don’t think you should have to choose between being an artist and being able to pay your bills. I want to use my business degree to market my own work, but I also want to help other young artists in Ohio who have the talent but don’t know anything about the business side of art. By combining creativity with the hard work I’ve put in at construction sites and the entrepreneurship market, I hope to help Ohio artists really thrive. I want to create spaces where artists can actually get their work seen and flourish. I want to prove that if you have the right tools and a little bit of drive, you can turn your imagination into a real career.