I hear the ringing of bells as I run down the empty halls of my school. The bells are not school bells. They are from my anklets! These anklets are significant in my culture as they stand for beauty and have been distinct for every phase of my life. When I was three, my anklets had eight pairs of little bells that chimed and filled the house’s walls every time I walked or ran. Back then, I had a carefree life and enjoyed playing pretend with my dolls. Now, at the age of seventeen, I find myself facing unexpected challenges that arise daily such as thinking about my future goals. Despite these challenges, I wear my anklets with one pair of bells, symbolizing my personal growth and resilience.           From an early age, my grandparents always showered me with affection and love. Since they gave me these precious gifts, I fell in love with my culture and was engulfed in these beautiful jingling sounds. Without them, I often think of the bareness of my ankle every moment as I walk the empty streets. They are a part of me and have been there since the beginning of my journey through life. Whether it was running in the park when I was little, walking towards the school stage to receive a scholarship award, or playing badminton on the courts I fell in love with. These silver accessories take me to places that help me secure immense success and have been a source of my strength and motivation.          As a South Indian American girl, I view women who wear anklets as a representation of my heritage, beauty, and strength. Especially as a child of immigrant parents, I learned that not everything is hand-given and that one must be diligent. During my sophomore year of high school, I felt unmotivated to work hard in school as I became overwhelmed with the number of incomplete projects I had and was afraid to be confident in who I was. I had migraines day after day and did not know what the root cause of these problems was. Around December of my sophomore year, my grandparents gifted me my recent pair of anklets with a pair of bells that were simple yet extraordinary. These anklets eased my anxiety and allowed me to find ways to overcome obstacles and shine. It was the main reason for my motivation, confidence, and strength to thrive again. I was able to further lessen my migraines by finding different solutions and taking vitamins to regain my health. My anklets gave me the passion and energy to become a better version of myself, make changes, and reach for several dreams in my life.         Throughout my lifetime, I will continue walking on this path where my chiming, dazzling, silver anklets remain on my ankles. I am grateful to my grandparents for spoiling me with these beautiful gifts that I will cherish forever. These fine anklets will be a reminder of my unwavering motivation in life as they allow me to embrace my culture and identity. This scholarship will further allow me to be resilient and accomplish goals without financial stress. I could further continue my education and be able to join extra-curricular activities without worrying about getting an extra job. This scholarship will enable me to cherish my education and build a foundation for my college education. As my anklets sparkle and chime through the day and night, I wish to do my best to protect these anklets in my possession.

As I am growing into a young adult, I have many professional goals and aspirations which I continue to work hard for and have unwavering motivation. These professional aspirations include becoming financially stable/independent, supporting my family, and becoming a business/data analyst. I do not want to live my life in regret and want to continue to seek knowledge and experiences. I want to earn a master's degree and be able to travel the world to teach other individuals and children about how they can achieve their goals and aspirations too. Also, I want to build on various leadership opportunities and continue to be able to be a role model for peers, siblings, and colleagues. In addition, while learning about complex mathematical concepts and creating a career in business analytics, I want to volunteer at various organizations and charities and help create a community filled with talented individuals and families. I want to spread kindness and knowledge to others and make a difference by using my time to teach others about what I learned. Additionally, even after volunteering, I want to create an organization that truly supports students who struggle to feel motivated to pursue a higher education. Whether it is an education in mathematics, business, science, or medicine, I want to continue to support others and support a community of people who strive to make the world a better place. These professional aspirations of mine involve making the world a better place, having higher education opportunities/resources, and being a role model to others. Even as I grow older, I want to remember the skills and knowledge that make me and reach experiences daily that make me into a better human being. I want to make a difference in the world and be able to further help those around me even as I build a path towards a greater and achievable future. Volunteering throughout school and my community has allowed me to become more dedicated to my goals and tasks to serve others. As I go into college I want to continue to help others in need. Whether it is guiding my peers to success or lending a helping hand to those elderly experiencing troublesome situations, I want to make time every day to be a leader and dedicate myself to serving others. I want to learn more about the community I am surrounded by and gain a higher education to help children and families who need assistance and support while gaining a stable job.

Leadership and service are not just terms that describe volunteering. They are phrases that define one’s ability to grow as a person, serve others with great purpose, and foster trust among communities. Individuals should consider helping their community and become leaders who lead to serving others and engage in various levels of trust. Throughout the past four years of high school, I have accomplished many achievements and proven great leadership and care by conveying leadership and service throughout my community, school, and family. I am grateful for all the opportunities that helped me advance as a leader and possess great integrity as a member of the Elmont Community. Firstly, I enhanced my service and leadership experiences by joining and participating in the Key Club. Although it is a widely known international organization that serves people and charities worldwide, I found Key Club to be a place to connect to my Elmont community and the school community. For example, whether it was for small events for the middle schoolers’ educational events or helping the PTSA (Parent Teacher Student Association) set up for any upcoming events, I was able to connect and interact with those I never knew before and learn new things. With the advice I have received and the interactions I had, I was able to connect with people more effectively and learn about how to improve the school and community. As a member and leader of Key Club, I was able to spread kindness by engaging in and organizing events to spread Key Club kindness and gratitude throughout the school, to remind others about the importance of serving others and having the motivation to help the community. Additionally, through Key Club, I was able to tutor multiple peers and students for different mathematical subjects. From seventh-grade math to college-level (AP) statistics and calculus, I was and currently am tutoring students who struggle to understand certain concepts. Not all students have the same strengths and weaknesses. As a mentor and leader, I must serve students who are struggling in these subjects and be able to get the help they need. I try to make it a goal to tutor a student at least twice a week. I try to make it easier for students to understand what they are learning in class and better help them acknowledge certain aspects and learn different strategies to solve complex problems. Rather than always focusing on tutoring the students something new, I try to help the students understand what they are currently learning and take it step by step to improve their accuracy on questions and make sure they ask any questions or concerns they have. I feel proud of tutoring the students to understand a topic they did not fully follow and was able to work with them cooperatively. It made me realize the true importance of helping those of any age at any given time. Volunteering throughout school and my community has allowed me to become more dedicated to my goals and tasks to serve others. As I go into college, I want to continue to help others in need. Whether it is guiding my peers to success or lending a helping hand to those elderly experiencing troublesome situations, I want to make time every day to be a leader and dedicate myself to serving others. It is important to help anyone of any age and share service and kindness with those around you. I continue to want to learn more about the community I am surrounded by and cherish the values community service has given me.