"The one who teaches is the giver of eyes" is a common saying in Sri Lanka. My grandmother was a teacher and an advocate for girls' education, especially those in poverty. I've spent much time in orphanages helping my grandmother's patronage. One of the ways we helped was by donating books and teaching the girls how to read and write. Even after my grandmother passed, I continued to visit her orphanages to carry on the tradition of service. Education is considered a privilege in Sri Lanka, and often, girls are not afforded that privilege. I wanted to make a difference in their lives by starting with girls with the least opportunities in Sri Lanka. This made me understand the value of education and how limited people are without it. Education is a fundamental human right, and I plan to further my education to continue my mission of providing it to others. Eventually, I want to pursue a law degree. With this, I hope to one day create an organization that helps break down legal and social barriers to education for young girls and women worldwide. While society and governments have made remarkable progress in terms of the rights of women, I believe that we still have a large amount of ground to recover. Women deserve the same rights afforded to them as their male counterparts, and their right to education is a barrier that closes many doors. While in the United States, I have no shortage of academic opportunities and have experienced challenges breaking into spaces primarily occupied by my male peers and mentors. I anticipate that I will experience many more challenges in the future as a young Asian woman in a male-dominated major such as Environmental Science. I understand that nothing worth achieving is easy, and I have no misconceptions that the path to my goals will be simple or straightforward. However, I have faith in my goals and resolve. I look forward to tackling any issues I face in the future, and I can only hope that I will have the support of my community and loved ones as I try to make a difference in my environment. My passion for knowledge, equality, and challenging myself will only help me in my college journey. The world is filled with injustice, difficulty, and challenges. To deny that would be insincere and ignorant. However, I am looking forward to making an impact on myself and those around me with my determination and goals.

Regarding my financial knowledge, I credit my creative mentality to my adeptness at figuring out how to save the most money in college. I have always been aware of the financial burden that college could create for myself and my family. To avoid causing unnecessary financial strain on my family, I began thinking of ways to decrease any costs I could incur. For starters, I applied to colleges close to home to have the option of living at home. Most universities nowadays charge more for room and board than actual classes, so to attend to one of the most significant expenditures, I decided to forgo the "dorm experience". Additionally, I have always been in AP classes and dual enrollment to earn college credit and decrease the number of courses I have to take in school. Over four years of high school, I am proud to say I will graduate with my high school diploma and AA. This will allow me to focus on classes I am passionate about when I start my journey as a full-fledged college student. It has taken a tremendous amount of effort. As I learned in AP Macroeconomics, the opportunity costs to such accomplishments has been late nights - sometimes all nights - of studying, less social activity apart from the clubs and academic extracurriculars I am a part of, and my athletic endeavors. One phrase that has always resonated with me is, "There's no such thing as free lunch," because it has made me aware that money has to come from somewhere...and it's not trees. An old Sri Lankan is saying, "Do you think your grandfather is paying for that?", a phrase which runs parallel to "There's no such thing as free lunch," because it encourages financial consciousness and conservation. As President of my Environmental Club, I monitored the intake of funds and expenditures. We aimed to contribute to our school and community. As a community service club, part of that was deciding what initiatives would yield the most benefits. In university, I plan to continue to study business and economics and apply them to my goals of increasing environmental awareness and conservation. I am going to university to listen and to learn. I want to expand my knowledge and understand how I can be the change I want to see in the world. We all understand that money makes the world go round; I hope that in opening my mind to all college has to offer, I will continue to deepen my understanding of the finer intricacies of environmental projects and how to make them more business-friendly. Finding a happier medium between these two seemingly conflicting groups means the world will become a better, healthier, wealthier place.

Role models can be found everywhere you look, but, in my case, I never had to look far. The women in my family have always been examples of generosity, wisdom, and community. Together, these women have influenced my goals and values, shaping me into who I am today. When I think of my sense of community, I think of my Nanima. Nanima is a proud woman; she takes pride in her accomplishments. Although she was never educated past fourteen, as a mother, she advocated for her daughters to complete their education. Although the community did not value a girl's education, she understood it was necessary for their success and independence. She taught me the value of family and the joy of bringing communities together through her passion, cooking. We spent time together in the kitchen as she cooked for our ever-expanding family. I watched as she always had enough food to send home with her staff to feed their own families. She taught me resilience in the face of adversity and to always fight for what I believe in. I work towards being kind to those around me even when it's difficult, and I hope my food will bring communities together like Nanima one day. Her lessons are woven into my being and have threaded into every decision I make. My Dadima has always been an inspiration to me; she instilled in me the importance of an education and what being a good person truly means. She was the only woman in her village to complete her education and work as a teacher. I spent days in her classrooms and at the orphanages for girls, where she taught the history of the world and, most importantly, the history of Sri Lanka. Her passion for education was something we had in common. Now that she has passed, I plan to carry on her legacy as an advocate for the value of a girl's education. Her generosity knew no bounds; she dedicated her life to those without anyone to advocate for them. Even in death, her foundation provides funding for girls' education in Sri Lankan orphanages. She taught me to be passionate and to follow through with my ambitions. Dadima was the most selfless and generous person I knew. I do my best to embody the lesson she taught me. Her lessons are woven into my being and have threaded into every decision I make. My Mama is the eldest daughter, born into a time and place where her education was not valued; she was strong and fought to complete it. She has been an unshakeable pillar, my most steadfast supporter. Growing up, I sat at her feet as she massaged oil into my hair, combing and braiding it. As someone raised in Western society, far removed from my culture and family, she always reminded me of my roots. It's easy to fall into the trap of self-hatred and assimilation, doing your best to become part of the crowd. Mama taught me that being different is okay. She taught me the art of compromise, but she also taught me how to be absolute. I'm unapologetic about embodying my heritage, whether in my traditions, food or how I dress. I accomplished this strong sense of self with Mama's unwavering support and wisdom. Her lessons are woven into my being and have threaded into every decision I make. The threads of their lessons make up the tapestry of my values, beliefs, and inspirations. Ambition for education and success, a strong sense of ethics, and value in community woven lovingly into the woman I'm today.

In High School, I took almost every Advanced Placement history course available. I did it to feed my fascination with history, but the more courses I took, the more I realized the repetitious nature of history and human behavior. I knew I wanted to be better; I wanted to break whatever cycles had plagued civilizations for centuries. It is easy in hindsight to see all the mistakes and shortcomings of our predecessors. Issues at a glance seemed much more surmountable when they didn't touch me. As the saying goes, hindsight is 20/20. Life is much more complicated; decisions are often complex when they appear right before you. If you can't see the whole picture for what it is, it can change how you perceive it. The Great Depression came because of a lack of foresight—a series of seemingly unrelated issues whose total came to one of the darkest times in history. How do we know the decisions we make do not cause the trials and tribulations of the future? I realized the only way we could have a different outcome is to educate ourselves in hopes that one day we can make decisions and say they were the best ones we could make. The stereotypical Gen-Z is self-absorbed and unaware of the world's challenges in the past and present. Gen-Z is painted overly critical, having a problem with everything that beholds our sight. That may be true, but from my point of view, it is because we know how the world can change for the better and are doing our best to implement that change. It can be frustrating to feel helpless in the face of such obstacles in our way. As we teeter on the edge of another economic crisis, it seems daunting that we will soon be the ones who must step up to solve problems our predecessors could not. However, I believe that we, as a generation, will rise to the occasion because that's human nature when it comes down to it. Human nature is to be thrown into adverse situations and manage to persevere and rise above them. Like roots and weeds growing beneath a sidewalk, the cement might be strong, but the roots and weeds will eventually break through that cement. We were raised by the ideals and standards of the past; our next hurdle is to break free of these shackles in our society. The most challenging thing we will learn is to think independently of these teachings and forge our way into the future. History repeats itself, and that holds even today. The most powerful person in the world is one who knows their history because in it comes the solutions to our problems. At one point, we have to stop looking at the past and realize the future can only be reached by making decisions in the present.

When I was younger, I couldn't tell the difference between wasps and bees. To me, they were all the same: aggressive, painful, horrible little creatures that served only to ruin my fun. I didn't realize how vital they were to our environment until much later. I didn't know bees were why the flowers in my mother's garden bloomed and that I could enjoy mangos in the summer. As I developed an understanding of the world around me, I began to understand how important bees are to the environment and how important the environment is to me. Now, I spend afternoons sitting in the hot sun helping my mother garden with an appreciation for the bees I had despised so much when I was younger. One of my most profound passions lies in the field of environmental sciences, and it is this deep-seated commitment that has guided me to make intentional choices for sustainable living in my daily life. In an era marked by growing concerns over global warming and the alarming environmental damage caused by excessive waste and inadequate remedial actions, I have felt a relentless need to be part of the solution rather than contributing to the problem. My grandfather worked in a factory in Sri Lanka all his life and was exposed to harmful chemicals, which resulted in his lung cancer and eventual death before I was born. I never got to meet my grandfather, but I often wonder if we had cared more about the environment and working conditions of people if I might have gotten the chance to. I have consecrated my life to protecting the environment in hopes that more children have the chance to meet their grandfathers. It is this overarching commitment that has steered my career path towards environmental sciences. To spark a change, I founded my school's environmental club and spearheaded a recycling campaign on our campus. When I began at Lake Buena Vista High, our school was new and vaguely resembled a concrete block due to the lack of greenery. There was excessive paper waste and a need for more recycling infrastructure. My club formed a budget, developed a system, and held fundraisers to provide recycling bins for each classroom. While this was a significant step forward, I realized it was just the beginning. Environmental issues are not the proverbial can to continue kicking down the road. Eventually, all of those cans culminate in a wasteland of a future. Although the effects are difficult to see, just like the merit and importance of the bees, it is there. To continue to neglect our environment is to risk the health of our loved ones, the flowers we enjoy, and the food we eat. Perhaps the only thing worse than bees is no bees at all.

My own bookshelves are overcrowded and groaning from the weight, filled with books from my childhood and impending adulthood. My passion for reading has been a long-standing one, I tend to read whatever I can get my hands on at the moment. As I grew older many of the literary critics would nag at my choices, and it was easy to feel pressured into reading more mature books. The "Greats"; are Fitzgerald, Dickinson, and Twain. For a while I no longer took joy in reading, I would read books that did not interest me and were difficult for my twelve-year-old brain to understand. I eventually got over the need to adhere to the standards set by critics who would fail to experience joy if they were forcibly dragged through it. Part of that journey was made possible by Booktok, a community of girls my age who unapologetically read young adult and romance novels. Unbothered by the condemnation of Literary snobs and elitists. With this, I discovered authors and titles that changed my perception and understanding of the world. I read the ups and downs of fame and love in The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo and rediscovered the joys of magic with Harry Potter. I read the retellings of my favourite bedtime stories by Marissa Meyer. Most importantly I learned that there is nothing wrong in reading books about life-changing romances, Magic in a world without one, and stories written for women. Women and girls are criticized so easily by our peers and our communities for our interests and passions. It is easy to feel ashamed of what we find enjoyment in when it is so easily criticized by others. Romance novels can be as profound and life-changing as the Tales of Huckleberry Finn, books about a teenage girl's struggles do not make the story any less impactful than the struggles of Dorian Grey. The literary world is riddled with misogynistic ideas and critiques that so readily dismiss Austen and Shelley as the "Greats". However, BookTok created a community where I felt safe and seen. It allowed me to share my passion for books that were about women and written for women. Books that I felt were too shallow or too feminine for me to acknowledge enjoying. My dream bookshelf is one with all the books written by authors like Marissa Meyer, Olivie Blake, Cassandra Clare, Colleen Hoover, Taherah Mafi, and all the other authors who I was told were too juvenile for me to enjoy. Those books impacted the BookTok community by letting girls be unapologetic about their interests and passions in their lives and the books they read.

As a child of two working parents with two younger siblings, time and attention were limited. I was a quiet and responsible kid and so outside of grades and athletics, it was easy to be overlooked. I started to play Minecraft because I watched a boy on YouTube play it. It captured my attention and I have been an avid player ever since. It was difficult to feel alone especially, when I had friends and a community that was waiting for me every time I logged on. I tried everything from playing mini-games, to mining, building, and fighting mobs. Oddly enough the thing I loved most about Minecraft was gardening, I planted everything from carrots and potatoes to pumpkins and cocoa. My mother was the one who taught me how to garden, in the real world we spent hours planting and tending to our plants. As my siblings joined my family we gained so much joy but, gardening was put aside. In Minecraft, I could plant whatever I wanted and spend days making elaborate gardens and farm beds. A task that my friends online often found tedious I took pride in creating. Now that I'm older, my mother and I garden together again. We spend days under the hot sun with our hands in the dirt, a time that I have come to cherish. However, when the months get too cold to garden and our days get shorter I find myself turning to Minecraft. A constant reminder that even when our lives move on, I still have a little world just for myself waiting for my return.