I have a special interest in community-based volunteering. I was a volunteer for the state organization Project 351 for 3 years. During my time at Project 351, I participated in and ran a multitude of different community-based projects including a clothing drive and food drive. I also worked closely with Cradles to Crayons organizing bags of clothes, food, and school supplies that fit the needs of underprivileged children. I found it incredibly satisfying to give back to my surrounding community by helping those who are less privileged than myself. Project 351 also did weekly seminars that taught me leadership and community skills. These seminars were invaluable. Project 351 has inspired me to pursue a career in biology/biomedical engineering. Project 351 helped me realize my passion for helping others, and this major opens up a variety of different paths I can pursue, all of them helping disadvantaged/ill people. Biomedical engineering can help people innovatively, biomedical engineers create important medical devices that aid people in daily life, help disabled people live more easily, and save lives. Biotech is constantly growing in incredibly important ways, a recent one is the invention of CRISPR gene-editing technology. CRISPR technology is what initially had me interested in biotechnology. CRISPR gene-editing technology has the potential to cure things like cancer by removing/editing cancer-causing gene mutations. A CRISPR cure for sickle cell anemia has already been created and it is truly amazing, it has helped to save and improve the lives of many people already. The positive change in the world that can be cultivated by these careers is incredible. Currently, the biomedical engineering and biotechnology fields have the issue of affordability and access to life-saving inventions. My goal as a future worker in these fields is to create an organization that can help those in need get access to CRISPR technologies and medical devices that have the potential to greatly improve the trajectory of their lives or even save their lives. Biology is my passion and continues to inspire me each day, which is why in the future I will have a job in the field. I believe it is very important that women enter STEM and healthcare positions. Women are an infamously under-represented group in these careers centered around innovation. How can we expect to push forth more innovative creations if 50% of the population is not encouraged to try? So, in grade eleven I embarked on a year-long project centered around the question; What can be done to motivate and incentivize more women to pursue STEM or healthcare-based careers? This project helped me realize the familial and financial burdens women who wish to pursue these careers may have. As well as the early gender roles that we instill in our children that subliminally teach them they were born to do certain things, and for women that does not include science, technology, engineering, math, or working in any healthcare field as anything besides a nurse. As a woman pursuing healthcare and engineering, I hope to help break down these barriers and inspire future generations, ultimately showing young women they can be anything they put their minds to.

Since a young age, I have been involved in community-based organizations. So naturally, Over time, I have developed a special interest in community-based volunteering. I was a volunteer for the state organization Project 351 for 3 years. During my time at Project 351, I participated in and ran a multitude of different community-based projects including a clothing drive and food drive. I also worked closely with Cradles to Crayons organizing bags of clothes, food, and school supplies that fit the needs of underprivileged children. I found it incredibly satisfying to give back to my surrounding community by helping those who are less privileged than myself. Project 351 also did weekly seminars that taught me leadership and community skills. These seminars were invaluable. Project 351 has inspired me to pursue a career in biology/biomedical engineering. Project 351 helped me realize my passion for helping others, and this major opens up a variety of different paths I can pursue, all of them helping disadvantaged/ill people. Biomedical engineering can help people innovatively, biomedical engineers create important medical devices that aid people in daily life, help disabled people live more easily, and save lives. Biotech is constantly growing in incredibly important ways, a recent one is the invention of CRISPR gene-editing technology. CRISPR technology is what initially had me interested in biotechnology. CRISPR gene-editing technology has the potential to cure things like cancer by removing/editing cancer-causing gene mutations. A CRISPR cure for sickle cell anemia has already been created and it is truly amazing, it has helped to save and improve the lives of many people already. The positive change in the world that can be cultivated by these careers is incredible. Currently, the biomedical engineering and biotechnology fields have the issue of affordability and access to life-saving inventions. My goal as a future worker in these fields is to create an organization that can help those in need get access to CRISPR technologies and medical devices that have the potential to greatly improve the trajectory of their lives or even save their lives. Biology is my passion and continues to inspire me each day, which is why in the future I will have a job in the field. I believe it is very important that women enter STEM and healthcare positions. Women are an infamously under-represented group in these careers centered around innovation. How can we expect to push forth more innovative creations if 50% of the population is not encouraged to try? So, in grade eleven I embarked on a year-long project centered around the question; What can be done to motivate and incentivize more women to pursue STEM or healthcare-based careers? This project helped me realize the familial and financial burdens women who wish to pursue these careers may have. As well as the early gender roles that we instill in our children that subliminally teach them they were born to do certain things, and for women that does not include science, technology, engineering, math, or working in any healthcare field as anything besides a nurse. As a woman pursuing healthcare and engineering, I hope to help break down these barriers and inspire future generations, ultimately showing young women they can be anything they put their minds to.

In the future, I hope to pursue a career in the biomedical engineering/biotech field. I have a passion for biology, and I want to pursue a major that has the potential to be used in several different ways to help people. Biomedical engineering has the power to change the world for the better, and with that degree, I can too. Biomedical engineering can help people innovatively, biomedical engineers create important medical devices that aid people in daily life, help disabled people live more easily, and save lives. Biotech is constantly growing in incredibly important ways, a recent one is the invention of CRISPR gene-editing technology. CRISPR technology is what initially had me interested in biotechnology. CRISPR gene-editing technology has the potential to cure things like cancer by removing/editing cancer-causing gene mutations. A CRISPR cure for sickle cell anemia has already been created and it is truly amazing, it has helped to save and improve the lives of many people already. The positive change in the world that can be cultivated by these careers is incredible. Currently, the biomedical engineering and biotechnology fields have the issue of affordability of and access to life-saving inventions. My goal as a future worker in these fields is to create an organization that can help those in need get access to CRISPR technologies and medical devices that have the potential to greatly improve the trajectory of their lives or even save their lives. Biology is my passion and continues to inspire me each day, which is why in the future I will have a job in the field.

I will never forget witnessing him almost die in my kitchen, I was only in 7th grade and my brother was dying in front of me. When I was a little girl I looked up to my brother. I thought that he was smart and funny, and I knew he would protect me no matter what. When I was ten, my brother didn't die but he may as well have. Like so many living in Rural America my town and the surrounding areas were hit hard by the opioid pandemic. As a little girl, it was difficult to see my brother grow into someone completely unrecognizable. He became violent, and distant and would often speak in gibberish. What I didn't understand at the time was that he was using meth, pills, and essentially whatever he could get his hands on. He developed schizophrenia and soon he became a shell of the person he used to be. Although he never died from his addiction, there were several times he came extremely close and I or a family member had to call an ambulance for him. He was constantly in and out of rehab and mental hospitals, in-fact he was hospitalized over twenty times from the time I was ten up until I turned eighteen. I feel like I no longer know my brother and it’s difficult to watch the person he has become. I face an overwhelming sense of grief whenever I speak about him and the course of his life. Even now, there are tears in my eyes writing this. My parents always speak about how talented and smart my brother was in his youth, but that person is now unrecognizable and unreachable. My brother’s illness caused many after-effects, I rarely ever saw my parents, they were constantly away from the house, after work they would visit my brother, and on the weekends they would visit my brother, it was like they were always with him, and never with me. It felt like my entire family fell apart right before my very eyes. This feeling was intensified when my mom was diagnosed with stage three her2-positive breast cancer. All I could think about was how I had lost my brother and that I was now possibly going to lose my mother. Time had slipped by me, and my family was slowly disappearing. Luckily, my mother beat her battle with cancer and I was given a second chance to rebuild and strengthen my relationship with her. But, I still suffered with an overwhelming sense of loss and guilt that I carried for nearly five years. My point of view and outlook on life shifted a few years ago. After much self-reflection, I realized that my background and family did not define me and that I would not be stuck in the same situation forever. Though I will never give up on my family and will always be there for them, I know now that I do not have to sacrifice my well-being grieving the normal life I lost so many years ago. I am motivated by the prospect of being successful in life, and to me, that success looks like having a stable income, a meaningful job, and a happy family because I never truly had that growing up. I realized that nothing that had happened was my fault and there was nothing I could do to prevent it. I will always love my family and I am sure that my brother eight years ago would have wanted me to move on with my life and accomplish everything I wish for.

In seventh grade, I stumbled upon "Hamilton," the Broadway musical that amusingly altered my perspective. It's intriguing to consider, but this production completely reshaped my outlook. While Alexander Hamilton's upbringing was undeniably harsher than mine, we both emerged from unstable, financially and emotionally, households. It truly inspired me how he succeeded in life and achieved his dreams despite the perpetual odds against him. Listening to the play made me feel acknowledged. For me, nothing is more satisfying than being represented and seen. The opening musical number traces Hamilton's upbringing and voyage to America, drawing parallels to my own life. His upbringing, labeled as incredibly difficult due to being an "orphan" after his mother's death and a "bastard" due to his father's abandonment, resonated with me. I found solace in this because I too faced early childhood struggles: my mom battled stage 3 breast cancer, and my brother has grappled with a crippling drug addiction for eight years, causing profound family challenges. The realization that a highly successful person like Hamilton had childhood difficulties akin to mine felt reassuring. The song highlights how Hamilton overcame these hardships through hard work, deeply inspiring my younger self. He refused to let his rocky background define him, working diligently for something better. Hamilton made me realize I could do the same. I applied myself in school, reflecting in improved grades and enhanced knowledge. While some argue that middle school grades are inconsequential, I believe they are invaluable for the skills acquired through relentless effort—effective studying, life and school organization, and understanding my optimal learning methods. My aspiration was to support myself and my struggling family, and Hamilton provided the motivation to persist during my most challenging times. One might wish this marked the end of my connection to the song, but fate had other plans during the COVID-19 pandemic. The live recording of the Broadway play was released on Disney+, rekindling my interest in the midst of another challenging period. Ironically, the play resurfaced during a time of heightened difficulty as the pandemic confined me at home with my mentally ill, drug-using brother. I felt unsafe and hopeless. Upon watching the play's recording, the familiar first musical number played, once again drawing parallels to my life: "Then a hurricane came, and devastation reigned // Our man saw his future drip, dripping down the drain." Hamilton's hurricane mirrored the COVID-19 pandemic in my life, where everything I had worked for seemed to vanish. As the musical continued, describing how Hamilton didn't lose hope and persevered until he found an opportunity to escape despair, I, too, regained hope. I remembered I had the ability to shape my future with hope and hard work.

I will never forget witnessing him almost die in my kitchen, I was only in 7th grade and my brother was dying in front of me. When I was a little girl I looked up to my brother. I thought that he was smart and funny, and I knew he would protect me no matter what. When I was ten, my brother didn't die but he may as well have. Like so many living in Rural America my town and the surrounding areas were hit hard by the opioid pandemic. As a little girl, it was difficult to see my brother grow into someone completely unrecognizable. He became violent, and distant and would often speak in gibberish. What I didn't understand at the time is that he was using meth, pills, and essentially whatever he could get his hands on. He developed schizophrenia and soon he became a shell of the person he used to be. Although he never died from his addiction, there were several times he came extremely close and I or a family member had to call an ambulance for him. He was constantly in and out of rehab and mental hospitals, in-fact he was hospitalized over twenty times from the time I was ten up until I turned eighteen. I feel like I no longer know my brother and it’s difficult to watch the person he has become. I face an overwhelming sense of grief whenever I speak about him and the course of his life. Even now, there are tears in my eyes writing this. My parents always speak about how talented and smart my brother was in his youth, but that person is now unrecognizable and unreachable. My brother’s illness caused many after-effects, I rarely ever saw my parents, they were constantly away from the house, after work they would visit my brother, and on the weekends they would visit my brother, it was like they were always with him, and never with me. It felt like my entire family fell apart right before my very eyes. This feeling was intensified when my mom was diagnosed with stage three her2-positive breast cancer. All I could think about was how I had lost my brother and that I was now possibly going to lose my mother. Time had slipped by me, and my family was slowly disappearing. Luckily, my mother beat her battle with cancer and I was given a second chance to rebuild and strengthen my relationship with her. But, I still suffered with an overwhelming sense of loss and guilt that I carried for nearly five years. My point of view and outlook on life shifted a few years ago. After much self-reflection, I realized that my background and family did not define me and that I would not be stuck in the same situation forever. Though I will never give up on my family and will always be there for them, I know now that I do not have to sacrifice my well-being grieving the normal life I lost so many years ago. I am motivated by the prospect of being successful in life, and to me, that success looks like having a stable income, a meaningful job, and a happy family because I never truly had that growing up. I realized that nothing that had happened was my fault and there was nothing I could do to prevent it. I will always love my family and I am sure that my brother eight years ago would have wanted me to move on with my life and accomplish everything I wish for. Since my upbringing hasn't been particularly easy I strive to help those who are even less fortunate than I have been. I have a special interest in community-based volunteering. I was a volunteer for the state organization Project 351 for 3 years. During my time at Project 351, I participated in and ran a multitude of different community-based projects including a clothing drive and food drive. I also worked closely with Cradles to Crayons organizing bags of clothes, food, and school supplies that fit the needs of underprivileged children. I found it incredibly satisfying to give back to my surrounding community by helping those who are less privileged than myself. Project 351 also did weekly seminars that taught me leadership and community skills. These seminars were invaluable. Project 351 has inspired me to pursue a career in biology/biomedical engineering. Project 351 helped me realize my passion for helping others, and this major opens up a variety of different paths I can pursue, all of them helping disadvantaged/ill people. Biomedical engineering can help people innovatively, biomedical engineers create important medical devices that aid people in daily life, help disabled people live more easily, and save lives. Biotech is constantly growing in incredibly important ways, a recent one is the invention of CRISPR gene-editing technology. CRISPR technology is what initially had me interested in biotechnology. CRISPR gene-editing technology has the potential to cure things like cancer by removing/editing cancer-causing gene mutations. A CRISPR cure for sickle cell anemia has already been created and it is truly amazing, it has helped to save and improve the lives of many people already. The positive change in the world that can be cultivated by these careers is incredible. Currently, the biomedical engineering and biotechnology fields have the issue of affordability and access to life-saving inventions. My goal as a future worker in these fields is to create an organization that can help those in need get access to CRISPR technologies and medical devices that have the potential to greatly improve the trajectory of their lives or even save their lives. Biology is my passion and continues to inspire me each day, which is why in the future I will have a job in the field.

I was eleven years old when it all happened. My brother, only sixteen years old, had fallen into a deep-spiraling opioid addiction. My mother, a sweet woman, and a teacher, was diagnosed with stage three cancer, and my father, the man I looked up to, lost his job. All of this happened in a matter of months and two of these problems lingered for years. My brother's drug addiction and mental illness are still ongoing, while my mother finished her cancer treatments when I was 14 years old. Though I struggled with feelings of hopelessness during my formative years, I emerged a stronger person because of them. I learned early how to cope with my feelings, and I always attempted to help mend the growingly distant and twisted family dynamic that arose. But I also learned that you cannot always fix everything, especially if it is not your fault or out of your control, but you can always fix the way you think and expand your mindset. My greatest power is my positivity. Although I did struggle with being negative for a long time, that negativity and how it made me feel was the impetus for changing my way of thinking. It was like a switch had flipped for me and I realized that just because my situation was not ideal, that did not mean I could not be happy. I had friends; I had good grades, and there was hope of a better future for me in sight. Before COVID lockdowns happened, I loved being in school and learning. I always had great relationships with my teachers and was eager to learn. With the onset of Covid, I had to re-learn everything I had taught myself. Covid took me out of school and away from my community. I began to become depressed because, on top of the isolation, I had to be around my brother who had by then been diagnosed with schizophrenia. He frequently had thoughts of hurting himself and others and would run around our house, smoking and talking to himself about nonsensical things. The feeling of hopelessness had returned and my grades plummeted. For months I tried many different things to make myself happy, but none of them could fix the sense of loss I felt due to isolation from my friends and community. When the hybrid learning model was implemented, I wasn’t able to participate in it because my mother was immuno-compromised due to her cancer treatment. I was able to pick myself back up in my sophomore year, after COVID. In-person school was now every day for everyone. Although in-person learning was only for half the day, I was able to regain my sense of community and belonging. I loved learning again and I could show it. I got a job that I loved, and through it, I met many amazing people and gained great memories and skills. But the most important thing is I became a positive person again. I was able to lift myself out of the negative mindset I had fallen into once again. The most important thing I have taken from my upbringing is that you are in control of your perception; if you choose to think negatively you will always be an unhappy person. If you choose positivity your life will continue to change for the better. We may fall and cry occasionally, but that is part of the human experience. Everyone will have to face a great wall at some point in their life. It is how and if you choose to climb it that matters the most.

For some people, success may look like having a lot of money, power, or followers. For me, the definition of success is quite simple. Growing up in a non-conventional household has completely shaped my definition of success. For half my life up to this point, I have been living in a home with a drug addict. Unfortunately, this meant that often I did not feel safe at home. There was violence, there were overdoses, there was yelling, there was stealing. I had to hide anything valuable I owned out of fear it would be sold. On top of everything already going on, around when I was 11, my mother was diagnosed with stage three her2 positive breast cancer, which added even more chaos to my family's life. I was absolutely devastated. Although she and I had difficulty in our relationship she was still my mother and I loved her. Luckily, she had an amazing group of breast cancer specialists who were able to remove her cancer. Early life experiences like these made me strive for a life of stability, as well as a life where I can help others because I know all I ever wanted as a child was for someone to help me. What sparked my interest in bioengineering was how it could be used to develop cures for serious conditions like cancer. There is nothing worse in this world than human and animal suffering. Bioengineering is constantly growing in important ways, a recent one is the invention of CRISPR gene-editing technology. CRISPR gene-editing technology has the potential to cure things like cancer by removing/editing cancer-causing gene mutations. A CRISPR cure for sickle cell anemia has already been created and it is truly amazing, it has helped to save and improve the lives of many people already. The positive change in the world that can be cultivated by these careers is incredible. Currently, the bioengineering field has the issue of affordability and access to life-saving inventions. My goal as a future worker in these fields is to create an organization that can help those in need get access to CRISPR technologies and medical devices that have the potential to greatly improve the trajectory of their lives or even save their lives. If something I do helps to save or improve the life of even one person then I have succeeded. Bioengineering also would offer me a stable income, so I can hopefully one day in the future, start my own family. Earning a scholarship like this would help me greatly to attend college. I was accepted into my dream school which has an amazing bioengineering program with lots of hands-on learning and early research experience opportunities. However, I cannot afford to attend this college, even with the aid that the college provides. Attending this college would mean I would be in nearly $200k debt by the time I graduate. This scholarship would help me in the steps to achieve my dreams. I believe it is important to invest in the future, and I hope you believe that I am someone worthy of investing in.

I was eleven years old when it all happened. My brother, only sixteen years old, had fallen into a deep-spiraling opioid addiction. My mother, a sweet woman, and a teacher, was diagnosed with stage three cancer, and my father, the man I looked up to, lost his job. All of this happened in a matter of months and two of these problems lingered for years. My brother's drug addiction and mental illness are still ongoing, while my mother finished her cancer treatments when I was 14 years old. Though I struggled with feelings of hopelessness during my formative years, I emerged a stronger person because of them. I learned early how to cope with my feelings, and I always attempted to help mend the growingly distant and twisted family dynamic that arose. But I also learned that you cannot always fix everything, especially if it is not your fault or out of your control, but you can always fix the way you think and expand your mindset. My greatest power is my positivity. Although I did struggle with being negative for a long time, that negativity and how it made me feel was the impetus for changing my way of thinking. It was like a switch had flipped for me and I realized that just because my situation was not ideal, that did not mean I could not be happy. I had friends; I had good grades, and there was hope of a better future for me in sight. I loved being in school and learning. I always had great relationships with my teachers and was eager to learn and show what I had learned. The most important thing I have taken from my upbringing is that you are in control of your perception; if you choose to think negatively you will always be an unhappy person. If you choose positivity your life will continue to change for the better. We may fall and cry occasionally, but that is part of the human experience. Everyone will have to face a great wall at some point in their life. It is how and if you choose to climb it that matters the most. I discovered my passion for medicine through the state organization Project 351. I was a volunteer at Project 351 for three years. During my time at Project 351, I participated in and ran a multitude of different community-based projects including a clothing drive and food drive. I also worked closely with Cradles to Crayons organizing bags of clothes, food, and school supplies that fit the needs of underprivileged children. I found it incredibly satisfying to give back to my surrounding community by helping those who are less privileged than myself. Project 351 also did weekly seminars that taught me leadership and community skills. These seminars were invaluable. Project 351 has inspired me to pursue a career in biology/biomedical engineering. Project 351 helped me realize my passion for helping others. As for the medicine aspect of things, I have always loved biology and health sciences. I figured I could have the best of both worlds by being a biology major and either pursuing biomedical engineering further or becoming a doctor.

I hope to create a positive change in my community and surrounding areas through volunteer work and my career, both helping the physical environment and social environment. I have a special interest in community-based volunteering. I was a volunteer for the state organization Project 351 for 3 years. During my time at Project 351, I participated in and ran a multitude of different community-based projects including a clothing drive and food drive. I also worked closely with Cradles to Crayons organizing bags of clothes, food, and school supplies that fit the needs of underprivileged children. I found it incredibly satisfying to give back to my surrounding community by helping those who are less privileged than myself. Project 351 also did weekly seminars that taught me leadership and community skills. These seminars were invaluable. Project 351 has inspired me to try and create a community group at my prospective college that helps students struggling with mental health. Mental health is an issue at the college I will be attending next fall and it is a very close issue to me as well. So, using the skills Project 351 has taught me, I will create a group that supports struggling students. In the future, I hope to pursue a career in the biomedical engineering/biotech field. I have a passion for biology, and I want to pursue a major that has the potential to be used in several different ways to help people. Biomedical engineering has the power to change the world for the better, and with that degree, I can too. Biomedical engineering can help people innovatively, biomedical engineers create important medical devices that aid people in daily life, help disabled people live more easily, and save lives. Biotech is constantly growing in important ways, a recent one is the invention of CRISPR gene-editing technology. CRISPR technology is what initially had me interested in biotechnology. CRISPR gene-editing technology has the potential to cure things like cancer by removing/editing cancer-causing gene mutations. A CRISPR cure for sickle cell anemia has already been created and it is truly amazing, it has helped to save and improve the lives of many people already. The positive change in the world that can be cultivated by these careers is incredible. Currently, the biomedical engineering and biotechnology fields have the issue of affordability of and access to life-saving inventions. My goal as a future worker in these fields is to create an organization that can help those in need get access to CRISPR technologies and medical devices that have the potential to greatly improve the trajectory of their lives or even save their lives. Biology is my passion and continues to inspire me each day, which is why in the future I will have a job in the field.

In the future, I hope to pursue a career in the biomedical engineering/biotech field. I have a passion for biology, and I want to pursue a major that has the potential to be used in several different ways to help people. Biomedical engineering has the power to change the world for the better, and with that degree, I can too. Biomedical engineering can help people innovatively, biomedical engineers create important medical devices that aid people in daily life, help disabled people live more easily, and save lives. Biotech is constantly growing in important ways, a recent one is the invention of CRISPR gene-editing technology. CRISPR technology is what initially had me interested in biotechnology. CRISPR gene-editing technology has the potential to cure things like cancer by removing/editing cancer-causing gene mutations. A CRISPR cure for sickle cell anemia has already been created and it is truly amazing, it has helped to save and improve the lives of many people already. The positive change in the world that can be cultivated by these careers is incredible. Currently, the biomedical engineering and biotechnology fields have the issue of affordability and access to life-saving inventions. My goal as a future worker in these fields is to create an organization that can help those in need get access to CRISPR technologies and medical devices that have the potential to greatly improve the trajectory of their lives or even save their lives. Biology is my passion and continues to inspire me each day, which is why in the future I will have a job in the field. I have a special interest in community-based volunteering. I was a volunteer for the state organization Project 351 for 3 years. During my time at Project 351, I participated in and ran a multitude of different community-based projects including a clothing drive and food drive. I also worked closely with Cradles to Crayons organizing bags of clothes, food, and school supplies that fit the needs of underprivileged children. I found it incredibly satisfying to give back to my surrounding community by helping those who are less privileged than myself. Project 351 also did weekly seminars that taught me leadership and community skills. These seminars were invaluable. Project 351 has inspired me to try and create a community group at my prospective college that helps students struggling with mental health. Mental health is an issue at the college I will be attending next fall and it is a very close issue to me as well. So, using skills Project 351 has taught me I will create a group that supports struggling students.

I am from a rural town in Massachusetts. My upbringing was not easy. From age ten I have lived with a brother struggling with schizoaffective disorder and drug addiction, and shortly after his issues with drugs started to arise my mother was diagnosed with stage three her2 positive breast cancer. I have also lived with financially struggling parents my whole life, when I was 13, they filed for bankruptcy. They have also refinanced our house and have had to take out multiple loans. Because my upbringing hasn't been particularly easy I strive to help those who are even less fortunate than I have been. I have a special interest in community-based volunteering. I was a volunteer for the state organization Project 351 for 3 years. During my time at Project 351, I participated in and ran a multitude of different community-based projects including a clothing drive and food drive. I also worked closely with Cradles to Crayons organizing bags of clothes, food, and school supplies that fit the needs of underprivileged children. I found it incredibly satisfying to give back to my surrounding community by helping those who are less privileged than myself. Project 351 also did weekly seminars that taught me leadership and community skills. These seminars were invaluable. Project 351 has inspired me to pursue a career in biology/biomedical engineering. Project 351 helped me realize my passion for helping others, and this major opens up a variety of different paths I can pursue, all of them helping disadvantaged/ill people. Biomedical engineering has the power to change the world for the better, and with that degree, I can too. Biomedical engineering can help people innovatively, biomedical engineers create important medical devices that aid people in daily life, help disabled people live more easily, and save lives. Biotech is constantly growing in incredibly important ways, a recent one is the invention of CRISPR gene-editing technology. CRISPR technology is what initially had me interested in biotechnology. CRISPR gene-editing technology has the potential to cure things like cancer by removing/editing cancer-causing gene mutations. A CRISPR cure for sickle cell anemia has already been created and it is truly amazing, it has helped to save and improve the lives of many people already. The positive change in the world that can be cultivated by these careers is incredible. Currently, the biomedical engineering and biotechnology fields have the issue of affordability and access to life-saving inventions. My goal as a future worker in these fields is to create an organization that can help those in need get access to CRISPR technologies and medical devices that have the potential to greatly improve the trajectory of their lives or even save their lives. Biology is my passion and continues to inspire me each day, which is why in the future I will have a job in the field.

I am from a rural town in Massachusetts. My upbringing was not easy. From age ten I have lived with a brother struggling with schizoaffective disorder and drug addiction, and shortly after his issues with drugs started to arise my mother was diagnosed with stage three her2 positive breast cancer. I have also lived with financially struggling parents my whole life, when I was 13, they filed for bankruptcy. They have also refinanced our house and have had to take out multiple loans. Because my upbringing hasn't been particularly easy I strive to help those that are even less fortunate than I have been. I have a special interest in community-based volunteering. I was a volunteer for the state organization Project 351 for 3 years. During my time at Project 351, I participated in and ran a multitude of different community-based projects including a clothing drive and food drive. I also worked closely with Cradles to Crayons organizing bags of clothes, food, and school supplies that fit the needs of underprivileged children. I found it incredibly satisfying to give back to my surrounding community by helping those who are less privileged than myself. Project 351 also did weekly seminars that taught me leadership and community skills. These seminars were invaluable. Project 351 has inspired me to try and create a community group at my prospective college that helps students struggling with mental health. Mental health is an issue at the college I will be attending next fall and it is a very close issue to me as well. So, using skills Project 351 has taught me I will create a group that supports struggling students. In the future, I hope to pursue a career in the biomedical engineering/biotech field. I have a passion for biology, and I want to pursue a major that has the potential to be used in several different ways to help people. Biomedical engineering has the power to change the world for the better, and with that degree, I can too. Biomedical engineering can help people innovatively, biomedical engineers create important medical devices that aid people in daily life, help disabled people live more easily, and save lives. Biotech is constantly growing in incredibly important ways, a recent one is the invention of CRISPR gene-editing technology. CRISPR technology is what initially had me interested in biotechnology. CRISPR gene-editing technology has the potential to cure things like cancer by removing/editing cancer-causing gene mutations. A CRISPR cure for sickle cell anemia has already been created and it is truly amazing, it has helped to save and improve the lives of many people already. The positive change in the world that can be cultivated by these careers is incredible. Currently, the biomedical engineering and biotechnology fields have the issue of affordability and access to life-saving inventions. My goal as a future worker in these fields is to create an organization that can help those in need get access to CRISPR technologies and medical devices that have the potential to greatly improve the trajectory of their lives or even save their lives. Biology is my passion and continues to inspire me each day, which is why in the future I will have a job in the field.

My name is Alena Arnold and I am from a rural town in Massachusetts. My upbringing was not easy. From age ten I have lived with a brother struggling with schizoaffective disorder and drug addiction, and shortly after his issues with drugs started to arise my mother was diagnosed with stage three her2 positive breast cancer. In elementary school I was bullied, I had issues controlling my emotions because of the chaos going on in my home, so I would cry quite often in school. Since I was a target for bullies I had to move elementary schools. I have also lived with financially struggling parents my whole life, when I was 13, they filed for bankruptcy. They have also refinanced our house and have had to take out multiple loans. Because my upbringing hasn't been particularly easy I strive to help those who are even less fortunate than I have been. In the future, I hope to pursue a career in the biomedical engineering/biotech field. I have a passion for biology, and I want to pursue a major that has the potential to be used in several different ways to help people. Biomedical engineering has the power to change the world for the better, and with that degree, I can too. Biomedical engineering can help people innovatively, biomedical engineers create important medical devices that aid people in daily life, help disabled people live more easily, and save lives. I have a special interest in community-based volunteering. I was a volunteer for the state organization Project 351 for 3 years. During my time at Project 351, I participated in and ran a multitude of different community-based projects including a clothing drive and food drive. I also worked closely with Cradles to Crayons organizing bags of clothes, food, and school supplies that fit the needs of underprivileged children. I found it incredibly satisfying to give back to my surrounding community by helping those who are less privileged than myself. Project 351 also did weekly seminars that taught me leadership and community skills. These seminars were invaluable. Project 351 has inspired me to try and create a community group at my prospective college that helps students struggling with mental health. Mental health is an issue at the college I will be attending next fall and it is a very close issue to me as well. So, using skills Project 351 has taught me I will create a group that supports struggling students.

My name is Alena Arnold and I am from a rural town in Massachusetts. My upbringing was not easy. From age ten I have lived with a brother struggling with schizoaffective disorder and drug addiction, and shortly after his issues with drugs started to arise my mother was diagnosed with stage three her2 positive breast cancer. I have also lived with financially struggling parents my whole life, when I was 13, they filed for bankruptcy. They have also refinanced our house and have had to take out multiple loans. Because my upbringing hasn't been particularly easy I strive to help those who are even less fortunate than I have been. I have a special interest in community-based volunteering. I was a volunteer for the state organization Project 351 for 3 years. During my time at Project 351, I participated in and ran a multitude of different community-based projects including a clothing drive and food drive. I also worked closely with Cradles to Crayons organizing bags of clothes, food, and school supplies that fit the needs of underprivileged children. I found it incredibly satisfying to give back to my surrounding community by helping those who are less privileged than myself. Project 351 also did weekly seminars that taught me leadership and community skills. These seminars were invaluable. Project 351 has inspired me to try and create a community group at my prospective college that helps students struggling with mental health. Mental health is an issue at the college I will be attending next fall and it is a very close issue to me as well. So, using skills Project 351 has taught me I will create a group that supports struggling students. In the future, I hope to pursue a career in the biomedical engineering/biotech field. I have a passion for biology, and I want to pursue a major that has the potential to be used in several different ways to help people. Biomedical engineering has the power to change the world for the better, and with that degree, I can too. Biomedical engineering can help people innovatively, biomedical engineers create important medical devices that aid people in daily life, help disabled people live more easily, and save lives. Biotech is constantly growing in incredibly important ways, a recent one is the invention of CRISPR gene-editing technology. CRISPR technology is what initially had me interested in biotechnology. CRISPR gene-editing technology has the potential to cure things like cancer by removing/editing cancer-causing gene mutations. A CRISPR cure for sickle cell anemia has already been created and it is truly amazing, it has helped to save and improve the lives of many people already. The positive change in the world that can be cultivated by these careers is incredible. Currently, the biomedical engineering and biotechnology fields have the issue of affordability and access to life-saving inventions. My goal as a future worker in these fields is to create an organization that can help those in need get access to CRISPR technologies and medical devices that have the potential to greatly improve the trajectory of their lives or even save their lives. Biology is my passion and continues to inspire me each day, which is why in the future I will have a job in the field.

I am from a rural town in Massachusetts. My upbringing was not easy. From age ten I have lived with a brother struggling with schizoaffective disorder and drug addiction, and shortly after his issues with drugs started to arise my mother was diagnosed with stage three her2 positive breast cancer. I have also lived with financially struggling parents my whole life, when I was 13, they filed for bankruptcy. They have also refinanced our house and have had to take out multiple loans. Because my upbringing hasn't been particularly easy I strive to help those who are even less fortunate than I have been. I have a special interest in community-based volunteering. I was a volunteer for the state organization Project 351 for 3 years. During my time at Project 351, I participated in and ran a multitude of different community-based projects including a clothing drive and food drive. I also worked closely with Cradles to Crayons organizing bags of clothes, food, and school supplies that fit the needs of underprivileged children. I found it incredibly satisfying to give back to my surrounding community by helping those who are less privileged than myself. Project 351 also did weekly seminars that taught me leadership and community skills. These seminars were invaluable. Project 351 has inspired me to try and create a community group at my prospective college that helps students struggling with mental health. Mental health is an issue at the college I will be attending next fall and it is a very close issue to me as well. So, using skills Project 351 has taught me I will create a group that supports struggling students. I In the future, I hope to pursue a career in the biomedical engineering/biotech field. I have a passion for biology, and I want to pursue a major that has the potential to be used in several different ways to help people. Biomedical engineering has the power to change the world for the better, and with that degree, I can too. Biomedical engineering can help people innovatively, biomedical engineers create important medical devices that aid people in daily life, help disabled people live more easily, and save lives. Biotech is constantly growing in incredibly important ways, a recent one is the invention of CRISPR gene-editing technology. CRISPR technology is what initially had me interested in biotechnology. CRISPR gene-editing technology has the potential to cure things like cancer by removing/editing cancer-causing gene mutations. A CRISPR cure for sickle cell anemia has already been created and it is truly amazing, it has helped to save and improve the lives of many people already. The positive change in the world that can be cultivated by these careers is incredible. Currently, the biomedical engineering and biotechnology fields have the issue of affordability of and access to life-saving inventions. My goal as a future worker in these fields is to create an organization that can help those in need get access to CRISPR technologies and medical devices that have the potential to greatly improve the trajectory of their lives or even save their lives. Biology is my passion and continues to inspire me each day, which is why in the future I will have a job in the field.

I will never forget witnessing him almost die in my kitchen, I was only in 7th grade and my brother was dying in front of me. When I was a little girl I looked up to my brother. I thought that he was smart and funny, and I knew he would protect me no matter what. When I was ten, my brother didn't die but he may as well have. Like so many living in Rural America my town and the surrounding areas were hit hard by the opioid pandemic. As a little girl, it was difficult to see my brother grow into someone completely unrecognizable. He became violent, and distant and would often speak in gibberish. What I didn't understand at the time is that he was using meth, pills, and essentially whatever he could get his hands on. He developed schizophrenia and soon he became a shell of the person he used to be. Although he never died from his addiction, there were several times he came extremely close and I or a family member had to call an ambulance for him. He was constantly in and out of rehab and mental hospitals, in-fact he was hospitalized over twenty times from the time I was ten up until I turned eighteen. I feel like I no longer know my brother and it’s difficult to watch the person he has become. I face an overwhelming sense of grief whenever I speak about him and the course of his life. Even now, there are tears in my eyes writing this. My parents always speak about how talented and smart my brother was in his youth, but that person is now unrecognizable and unreachable. My brother’s illness caused many after-effects, I rarely ever saw my parents, they were constantly away from the house, after work they would visit my brother, and on the weekends they would visit my brother, it was like they were always with him, and never with me. It felt like my entire family fell apart right before my very eyes. This feeling was intensified when my mom was diagnosed with stage three her2-positive breast cancer. All I could think about was how I had lost my brother and that I was now possibly going to lose my mother. Time had slipped by me, and my family was slowly disappearing. Luckily, my mother beat her battle with cancer and I was given a second chance to rebuild and strengthen my relationship with her. But, I still suffered with an overwhelming sense of loss and guilt that I carried for nearly five years. My point of view and outlook on life shifted a few years ago. After much self-reflection, I realized that my background and family did not define me and that I would not be stuck in the same situation forever. Though I will never give up on my family and will always be there for them, I know now that I do not have to sacrifice my well-being grieving the normal life I lost so many years ago. I am motivated by the prospect of being successful in life, and to me, that success looks like having a stable income, a meaningful job, and a happy family because I never truly had that growing up. I realized that nothing that had happened was my fault and there was nothing I could do to prevent it. I will always love my family and I am sure that my brother eight years ago would have wanted me to move on with my life and accomplish everything I wish for.

My name is Alena Arnold and I am from a rural town in Massachusetts. My upbringing was not easy. From age ten I have lived with a brother struggling with schizoaffective disorder and drug addiction, and shortly after his issues with drugs started to arise my mother was diagnosed with stage three her2 positive breast cancer. I have also lived with financially struggling parents my whole life, when I was 13, they filed for bankruptcy. They have also refinanced our house and have had to take out multiple loans. Because my upbringing hasn't been particularly easy I strive to help those who are even less fortunate than I have been. I have a special interest in community-based volunteering. I was a volunteer for the state organization Project 351 for 3 years. During my time at Project 351, I participated in and ran a multitude of different community-based projects including a clothing drive and food drive. I also worked closely with Cradles to Crayons organizing bags of clothes, food, and school supplies that fit the needs of underprivileged children. I found it incredibly satisfying to give back to my surrounding community by helping those who are less privileged than myself. Project 351 also did weekly seminars that taught me leadership and community skills. These seminars were invaluable. Project 351 has inspired me to try and create a community group at my prospective college that helps students struggling with mental health. Mental health is an issue at the college I will be attending next fall and it is a very close issue to me as well. So, using skills Project 351 has taught me I will create a group that supports struggling students. In the future, I hope to pursue a career in the biomedical engineering/biotech field. I have a passion for biology, and I want to pursue a major that has the potential to be used in several different ways to help people. Biomedical engineering has the power to change the world for the better, and with that degree, I can too. Biomedical engineering can help people innovatively, biomedical engineers create important medical devices that aid people in daily life, help disabled people live more easily, and save lives. Biotech is constantly growing in incredibly important ways, a recent one is the invention of CRISPR gene-editing technology. CRISPR technology is what initially had me interested in biotechnology. CRISPR gene-editing technology has the potential to cure things like cancer by removing/editing cancer-causing gene mutations. A CRISPR cure for sickle cell anemia has already been created and it is truly amazing, it has helped to save and improve the lives of many people already. The positive change in the world that can be cultivated by these careers is incredible. Currently, the biomedical engineering and biotechnology fields have the issue of affordability and access to life-saving inventions. My goal as a future worker in these fields is to create an organization that can help those in need get access to CRISPR technologies and medical devices that have the potential to greatly improve the trajectory of their lives or even save their lives. Biology is my passion and continues to inspire me each day, which is why in the future I will have a job in the field.

My name is Alena Arnold and I am from a rural town in Massachusetts. My upbringing was not easy. From age ten I have lived with a brother struggling with schizoaffective disorder and drug addiction, and shortly after his issues with drugs started to arise my mother was diagnosed with stage three her2 positive breast cancer. I have also lived with financially struggling parents my whole life, when I was 13, they filed for bankruptcy. They have also refinanced our house and have had to take out multiple loans. Because my upbringing hasn't been particularly easy I strive to help those who are even less fortunate than I have been. I have a special interest in community-based volunteering. I was a volunteer for the state organization Project 351 for 3 years. During my time at Project 351, I participated in and ran a multitude of different community-based projects including a clothing drive and food drive. I also worked closely with Cradles to Crayons organizing bags of clothes, food, and school supplies that fit the needs of underprivileged children. I found it incredibly satisfying to give back to my surrounding community by helping those who are less privileged than myself. Project 351 also did weekly seminars that taught me leadership and community skills. These seminars were invaluable. Project 351 has inspired me to try and create a community group at my prospective college that helps students struggling with mental health. Mental health is an issue at the college I will be attending next fall and it is a very close issue to me as well. So, using skills Project 351 has taught me I will create a group that supports struggling students. In the future, I hope to pursue a career in the biomedical engineering/biotech field. I have a passion for biology, and I want to pursue a major that has the potential to be used in several different ways to help people. Biomedical engineering has the power to change the world for the better, and with that degree, I can too. Biomedical engineering can help people innovatively, biomedical engineers create important medical devices that aid people in daily life, help disabled people live more easily, and save lives. Biotech is constantly growing in incredibly important ways, a recent one is the invention of CRISPR gene-editing technology. CRISPR technology is what initially had me interested in biotechnology. CRISPR gene-editing technology has the potential to cure things like cancer by removing/editing cancer-causing gene mutations. A CRISPR cure for sickle cell anemia has already been created and it is truly amazing, it has helped to save and improve the lives of many people already. The positive change in the world that can be cultivated by these careers is incredible. Currently, the biomedical engineering and biotechnology fields have the issue of affordability of and access to life-saving inventions. My goal as a future worker in these fields is to create an organization that can help those in need get access to CRISPR technologies and medical devices that have the potential to greatly improve the trajectory of their lives or even save their lives. Biology is my passion and continues to inspire me each day, which is why in the future I will have a job in the field.

In the future, I hope to pursue a career in the biomedical engineering/biotech field. I have a passion for biology, and I want to pursue a major that has the potential to be used in several different ways to help people. Biomedical engineering has the power to change the world for the better, and with that degree, I can too. Biomedical engineering can help people innovatively, biomedical engineers create important medical devices that aid people in daily life, help disabled people live more easily, and save lives. Biotech is constantly growing in incredibly important ways, a recent one is the invention of CRISPR gene-editing technology. CRISPR technology is what initially had me interested in biotechnology. CRISPR gene-editing technology has the potential to cure things like cancer by removing/editing cancer-causing gene mutations. A CRISPR cure for sickle cell anemia has already been created and it is truly amazing, it has helped to save and improve the lives of many people already. The positive change in the world that can be cultivated by these careers is incredible. Currently, the biomedical engineering and biotechnology fields have the issue of affordability of and access to life-saving inventions. My goal as a future worker in these fields is to create an organization that can help those in need get access to CRISPR technologies and medical devices that have the potential to greatly improve the trajectory of their lives or even save their lives. Biology is my passion and continues to inspire me each day, which is why in the future I will have a job in the field. I have a special interest in community-based volunteering. I was a volunteer for the state organization Project 351 for 3 years. During my time at Project 351, I participated in and ran a multitude of different community-based projects including a clothing drive and food drive. I also worked closely with Cradles to Crayons organizing bags of clothes, food, and school supplies that fit the needs of underprivileged children. I found it incredibly satisfying to give back to my surrounding community by helping those who are less privileged than myself. Project 351 also did weekly seminars that taught me leadership and community skills. These seminars were invaluable. Project 351 has inspired me to try and create a community group at my prospective college that helps students struggling with mental health. Mental health is an issue at the college I will be attending next fall and it is a very close issue to me as well. So, using skills Project 351 has taught me I will create a group that supports struggling students.

I will never forget witnessing him almost die in my kitchen, I was only in 7th grade and my brother was dying in front of me. When I was a little girl I looked up to my brother. I thought that he was smart and funny, and I knew he would protect me no matter what I faced. When I was ten, my brother didn't die but he may as well have. Like so many living in Rural America my town and the surrounding areas were hit hard by the opioid pandemic. As a little girl, it was incredibly difficult to see my brother grow into someone completely unrecognizable. He became violent, and distant and would often speak in gibberish. What I didn't understand at the time is that he was using meth, pills, and essentially whatever he could get his hands on. He developed schizophrenia and soon he became a shell of the person he used to be. Although he never died from his addiction, there were several times he came extremely close and I or a family member had to call an ambulance for him. He was constantly in and out of rehab and mental hospitals, in-fact he was hospitalized over twenty times from the time I was ten up until I turned eighteen. I feel like I no longer know my brother and it’s difficult to watch the person he has become. I face an overwhelming sense of grief whenever I speak about him and the course of his life. Even now, there are tears in my eyes writing this. My parents always speak about how talented and smart my brother was in his youth, but that person is now unrecognizable and unreachable. My brother’s illness caused many after-effects, I rarely ever saw my parents, they were constantly away from the house, after work they would visit my brother, and on the weekends they would visit my brother, it was like they were always with him, and never with me. It felt like my entire family fell apart right before my very eyes. This feeling was intensified when my mom was diagnosed with stage three her2-positive breast cancer. All I could think about was how I had lost my brother and that I was now possibly going to lose my mother. Time had slipped by me, and my family was slowly disappearing. Luckily, my mother beat her battle with cancer and I was given a second chance to rebuild and strengthen my relationship with her. But, I still suffered with an overwhelming sense of loss and guilt that I carried for nearly five years. My point of view and outlook on life shifted a few years ago. After much self-reflection, I realized that my background and family did not define me and that I would not be stuck in the same situation forever. Though I will never give up on my family and will always be there for them, I know now that I do not have to sacrifice my well-being grieving the normal life I lost so many years ago. I am motivated by the prospect of being successful in life, and to me, that success looks like having a stable income, a meaningful job, and a happy family because I never truly had that growing up. I realized that nothing that had happened was my fault and there was nothing I could do at that age to prevent it. I will always love my family and I am sure that my brother eight years ago would have wanted me to move on with my life and accomplish everything I wish for.

I love math because it is the key to the universe. Math has helped to solve countless problems in the world and discover things about the universe. Take for example, the impact math has had when it comes to engineering. Engineers use math all the time to invent life-changing machines and technologies. Mechanical engineers use math to model the behavior of mechanical systems, and as a result we have generators, engines, turbines, and much more. Our daily way of life would be much different without math, technology would be much less advanced. We wouldn't have the luxuries currently available like electricity or running water. Math is also used for carbon dating, which helps us age fossils and learn more about the history of the world and what was on the earth millions of years before humans! Not to mention, math helps change people for the better. Studying math makes more intelligent humans who can propel technological advancements further. Math keeps people curious and innovative, despite what people say math is not for people who aren't creative, it is quite the opposite, historically the most creative people have used math to create everyday luxuries. So, I love math because without math society wouldn't be at the place it is today.