My dream is to go into industrial engineering. My parents are in full support, as long as I make the right choices once I achieve my dream. I know how important an education is, and I know that I have faced hurdles like my parent's experiences or facing adversity in my field. Engineering really is seen as a career for men. Whenever I would be active in a club or STEM-related activity, I was treated differently as the boys around me were treated inferior, even if I was the head of the group. Even when it came down to just skin color there was a difference. If I were in a situation where it was only girls, I would be treated inferior because of the color of my skin and how I look. I dream that one day I’ll be able to help girls who are in this exact situation. Little girls of any ethnicity should be able to follow their dreams. I want to encourage more girls to go into engineering because that’s what my parents did for me. My dream is to help girls like me who struggle with what people assume they should be something else based on just how they look. My parents have always valued education, despite what it might cost. My oldest sister, 11 years my senior, was the first person on my dad’s side of the family to ever go and graduate from a university. My parents were there for full support, despite the toll it took on our family. My sister got the scholarships that she could, and they wanted to avoid taking out loans so it wouldn’t affect her too much in the future, but you could tell that we were tight on money. I was only 7, but even I was able to see the stress it was taking on my family. She graduated and my parents could not be happier. My 2nd sister is currently in university, and though not as expensive as my other sister’s school, it is still costly. Once I start university I know the toll it will take on my family. My parents don’t want us to think about the money, just focus on our schooling, but how can we when we see how much stress it puts our parents under? They see it as an investment in our future, but I just don’t want to see them suffer.

Writing allows some to express their inner thoughts. It is similar to any of the arts in that way, but with writing you can get the exact intent of the artist, in this case, the author. Writing is a beautiful thing, the key to keeping our history intact for future generations. For me, writing is a way I can express my thoughts, no matter whether it’s something deep and sincere, or just something random that has been banging in the back of my mind. Writing is just another art form, where people can express themselves and leave a mark on the world to always be remembered. Writing is just another art. People often forget this, instead of just remembering it as journalism, but it still remains one of the concrete versions of an art. There are so many forms of writing that can lead to the interpretation of the author’s intent, such as; poetry, songs, and play/musical writings. There are also forms in which the author’s intent becomes blazingly more obvious. For example, diaries. Diaries are a form of writing where one is just noting what their own feelings are and how certain things affected them in their own life. This is still considered an art because they are creating a story, it’s just way more on the nose. Although I consider it an art, that doesn’t mean I take away from writing and working in terms of journalism. Writing has been a key to keeping our history intact. No matter what language, writing is what has allowed us to keep tabs on what we used to do in the past. You can see its significance when you look at societies that did not have any form of writing, their stories lost to time. Even in our day and age, writing that comes in terms of journalism is what informs everyone in the world about everything that is happening. Without this form of writing, we would not be able to care about important issues or even just help those in need. This is one of the more serious things that come out of writing, but not everything has to be serious when writing. For me, writing is just a way to get stuff out of my brain. If there is a certain serious topic, like how women are devalued in the music industry, I write it down to get my ideas and thoughts on paper. I enjoy doing this because it helps me make sense of my thoughts on these issues and create conclusions. Although these are serious topics that I care about a lot, I don’t always have to focus on matters so seriously. I like to write about anything on my mind, and I mean anything. Stuff like “How do CDs work” or “How do street sweepers work,” but these kinds of sillier topics do not devalue my writing because all writing is important. No matter what kind of writing it is, no kind of writing is stupid. Writing has become an important part of my life. I can express myself in an artistic sense, at least if I really want to. Or I can read other writings of people of the past to learn their history, or I can always write in a diary. I choose to write whatever is in my mind because I know that every kind of writing is important. Writing is what gives importance to people, a story, and what they will be remembered by generations to come.

Math just makes sense. No other subject can compare to math because none of them are as logical or as comprehensible as math. Math does not joke around. There is only one right answer, and if there are more, there’s a rule for that. It's all a pattern that comes full circle once there is an understanding of the process that it is taking. Math is the best because it follows a logic that no one can dispute. When it comes to subjects like English, there is so much room for misinterpretation. Anything can be interpreted differently depending on the person who is tasked with whatever it is. There is no one solid answer for someone to look at. Math, on the other hand, only has one answer. Sometimes there is more than one answer in math, but that comes with its own process and really is only one answer in the end. Math follows a logical set of rules that can not be fought against. Math is pure logic. There are set rules in math that you follow. Whether it be properties or equations, math is set in stone. It does not take much for someone to find the answer in math. There is no need for contemplation on whether someone else is right because math is math. There is nothing else like it.

My dream is to become an industrial engineer. I know that industrial engineers are not usually the ones that are known for helping create things to help those who are disabled, that being biomedical engineers, but I sincerely think that I can help them as well. The specialty of industrial engineers is that they specialize in creating ways that systems in the industrial kind of work can all run smoothly. Our job is to find easier and smoother ways for things to work. This is where I think I can have a hand in helping make the lives of those who are disabled a bit more manageable. There is this belief in our society that if you are disabled you are not able to do anything. Anyone can do anything, some people just need a little more help. So, with this job as an industrial engineer, I can help create those tools so that those who are disabled can work and earn a living just like everyone else. I will be able to create easier systems and tools so that they can be just as fulfilled with their own work as anyone else.

My mom was always good in school. Her parents were immigrants from Mexico and they would rely on her often for translations. Despite this, my mom graduated 10th in her high school. Though she had planned an academic life for herself, there was a hurtle she had to get over. My dad stopped going to school when he was eight, by that time everyone his age was already working, so that is what he did. He spent most of his childhood picking fruit and vegetables in Mexico. When he turned 17, he finally made his way over to the U.S. where he only planned to work. My parents met at a dance they were both at, my mom was 17 and my dad was 19, and they began to date. 2 years later, right before my mom would start college, my oldest sister was born. My mom took one year off when she had my sister, but she continued to go to college, paying for herself. My dad wanted my mom to finish school so he worked hard, working to provide for my sister so my mom could focus on paying off her school. My mom graduated after 6 years of college, while my dad continued to support her and us. My dream is to go into industrial engineering. My parents are in full support, as long as I make the right choices once I achieve my dream. I know how important an education is, and I know that I have faced hurdles like my parents' experiences or facing adversity in my field. Engineering is seen as a career for men. Whenever I would be active in a club or STEM-related activity STEM related, I was treated differently as the boys around me were treated inferior, even if I was the head of the group. Even when it came down to just skin color there was a difference. If I were in a situation where it was only girls, I would be treated inferior because of the color of my skin and how I look. I dream that one day I’ll be able to help girls who are in this exact situation. Little girls of any ethnicity should be able to follow their dreams. I want to encourage more girls to go into engineering because that’s what my parents did for me. My dream is to help girls like me who struggle with what people assume they should be something else based on just how they look. My dream is to one day make life easier for people. I don’t mean in the sense of easing day-to-day activities, but to create things so people can be allowed to be happy and feel relief in their lives. I want to be part of the reason that people don’t have to be stressed all the time. The kind of stress that hinders one from actually being able to appreciate the things in life. I want to work in a job that helps make things more efficient systematically so that it can just be one less thing people have to worry about. I’ve seen the way menial things can cause a disturbance in someone’s life, how the smallest thing became their breaking point. I hope that after I receive my 4-year education and my degree, I can help make life at least a little bit easier for people. Let the focus on other aspects of life, the things that matter most. I want to help people live their best lives using efficiency in systems of industry.

My mom was always good in school. Her parents were immigrants from Mexico and they would rely on her often for translations. Despite this, my mom graduated 10th in her high school. Though she had planned an academic life for herself, there was a hurtle she had to get over. My dad stopped going to school when he was eight, by that time everyone his age was already working, so that is what he did. He spent most of his childhood picking fruit and vegetables in Mexico. When he turned 17, he finally made his way over to the U.S. where he only planned to work. My parents met at a dance they were both at, my mom was 17 and my dad was 19, and they began to date. 2 years later, right before my mom would start college, my oldest sister was born. My mom took one year off when she had my sister, but she continued to go to college, paying for herself. My dad wanted my mom to finish school so he worked hard, working to provide for my sister so my mom could focus on paying off her school. My mom graduated after 6 years of college, while my dad continued to support her and us. My dream is to go into industrial engineering. My parents are in full support, as long as I make the right choices once I achieve my dream. I know how important an education is, and I know that I have faced hurdles like my parent's experiences or facing adversity in my field. Engineering is seen as a career for men. Whenever I would be active in a club or STEM-related activity, I was treated differently as the boys around me were treated inferior, even if I was the head of the group. When it came down to just skin color there was a difference. If I were in a situation where it was only girls, I would be treated inferior because of the color of my skin and my appearance. I dream that one day I’ll be able to help girls who are in this exact situation. Little girls of any ethnicity should be able to follow their dreams. I want to encourage more girls to go into engineering, that’s what my parents did for me. My dream is to help girls like me who struggle with people assuming they should be something else based on how they look. My dream is to one day make life easier for people. I don’t mean in the sense of easing day-to-day activities, but to create things so people can be allowed to be happy and feel relief in their lives. I want to be part of the reason that people don’t have to be stressed all the time. The kind of stress that hinders one from actually being able to appreciate the things in life. I want to work in a job that helps make things more efficient systematically so that it can just be one less thing people have to worry about. Industrial engineering is what I think the universe has planned for me. Ever since I was little, I have always been interested in working systems and all the gears that go into them. From Legos to all of the different engineering class I’ve taken, things that have plans and systems working smoothly has just been my #1 interest. I know this path will be difficult, because of how much of a minority I am compared to the stereotypical engineer, but it is one of my biggest dreams.

The most impactful movie I have ever watched is surprisingly The Handmaiden. A movie about betrayal, love, and the powers of women, The Handmaiden, directed by Park Chan-wook, has become one of the most acclaimed movies from South Korea. Though the risqué themes might be off-putting for some viewers, it is the best movie I have ever seen. The movie intrigues me because of the eerie atmosphere that is formed in the first half of the movie. There’s an unexplained sense of mystery as we follow the main character throughout her part of the story. We see her perspective on what is unfolding, seeing her relationship with the other lead develop away from what the initial plan of the movie was. The main character, Sookee, goes along with this plan that was made by a con man, Count Fujiwara, to take the money from a rich Japanese woman, Lady Hideko. Sookee was to play the handmaiden of the Lady while the Count was to trick her into marrying him. Sookee’s job was to build trust so that when it was time to trick Hideko, she wouldn’t see it coming. The story in the first half of the movie is laid out straightforwardly, but the movie isn’t about how Sookee succeeded in her con plan, it’s about Sookee and Lady Hideko. The first half of the movie builds up the premise, world, and characters in the movie. We get to see how all the characters interact with each other and their surroundings, but we are left with a strange feeling of questioning. There is still so much we don’t know, and we begin to question why some characters are taking certain actions. At the end of the first half of the movie, we are met with our first plot twist. The movie doesn’t show its iconic status until the second half of the movie. After the twist, the movie goes back to before the start of the movie where we start to see everything through Lady Hideko’s perspective. We see the secrets of her life unravel and see why she did. The movie presents this half of the movie as the actual story that is taking place. Throughout the entirety of the film, the relationship between Sookee and Lady Hideko is the central point of the storytelling, ultimately becoming the reason why the movie is my favorite. The love that is shown between the two women is never shown as false or lacking on one side. Both individuals show that they truly love the other and are willing to sacrifice a part of themselves just to be with the other. The themes of betrayal throughout the film don’t even hinder their love, instead, it is utilized as a path to their happiness. Their relationship was the wrench in the system for the Count's plan to work, they were the aspect no one considered to ever be part of the equation. Their love story was so genuine and one of the reasons the movie remains my favorite to this day. The Handmaiden stands out on my list of favorite movies, most being children's shows in English or Spanish. The mystery and suspense of the movie always keep me wanting more. The formatting of the movie keeps your attention so the twists and turns it takes come to you unexpectedly. Finally, the love story atlas is the central heart of the story, with it being the catalyst behind the actions of the girls. The Handmaiden remains my favorite movie of all time, and I dream of one day finding my own undying love.

My family has always liked television, from educational television to reality TV, my family has watched it all. I am very picky when it comes to different TV shows. Oftentimes I watch shows with my family to spend time with them, but they aren’t shows that I enjoy. A show that did pique my interest and came out on Netflix was the show X.O. Kitty. When I watch trailers or videos from different TV shows I have this sort of talent when picking up on something. In a sense, it’s sort of like a “gay dar,” a radar in which someone can sense if someone is gay or not, but it’s towards TV series and movies. If I watch a clip or trailer from a show that has nothing of any LGBTQ+ themes explicitly shown, I can just tell whether there is something in the story about those themes. Call it sixth sense, but it is one of my talents. So this is exactly what happened with X.O. Kitty. I decided to watch the trailer because I recognized the main actress as the girl who played the character Olympia from the PBS Kids show Odd Squad. While watching the trailer, it was shown as your typical teen show; the girl, Kitty, likes the nice boy she’s known longer, but the real love interest is the boy who’s been rude to her since the beginning. Enemies to lovers in a sense. They showed all the tropes, even having another girl as the rival for one of the boys. Even with such a straightforward plot, I could sense that something was different about it, so I decided to watch it. My sixth sense has only ever been 100% accurate. The show destroys parts of the common tropes of teen shows pretty quickly. Though the first episode shows that the second girl, Yuri, is dating Kitty’s long-distance boyfriend, there’s more to it than just that. We find out that the only reason Yuri is even doing this is because she was caught kissing her girlfriend beforehand. This completely flips the idea that we previously had of her from just the trailer. Yuri’s character and intentions start to make more sense now that we see what she’s going through. This would have been enough of an explanation for why my senses were tingling, but the show decides this is not the end of it. Turns out the attention should not only be brought to Yuri, but Kitty, the main character herself, had something to share. At first glance, Kitty looks like the average teen protagonist; a girl involved in a love triangle with a gay best friend and a love rival, even if she’s not really a love rival. The biggest twist comes in the form of Kitty’s feelings. She develops feelings for Yuri while she gets back with her ex. The love triangle thickens now that the other boy likes her, her ex likes her, and she now likes neither, instead having feelings for Yuri. This was not something shown in the trailer, there were no hints of this happening. These unexpected twists were what made Kitty’s journey in Korea interesting. Many fans of To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, what X.O. Kitty is a spin-off from, did not expect this to become of the character Kitty. This is just the tip of the iceberg that is X.O. Kitty though. Watch the show on Netflix so that you can figure out who Kitty will end up with. Her Ex, the rude boy, or Yuri, the love rival.

I fell in love with TWICE when I was just 10 years old. This was back in 2016, around the time when TWICE released CHEER UP and TT. At the time, my sister had just gotten into K-Pop, though she preferred boy groups such as BTS and SEVENTEEN, but she did listen to a few girl groups as well. As any younger sibling would, I did whatever my sister did, and her interest at the time happened to be K-Pop, so that became my interest. I had no care for the boy groups at the time, having no clue as to why people even liked them, but I would still sit and listen to everything with her. Two things stood out to me, RED VELVET's iconic Russian Roulette, and the entirety of TWICE. I didn’t get farther into it besides watching their videos on repeat every day. I didn’t learn their names, and didn't care for it at the time. I ended up just growing out of it in a sense, leaving it behind as a 4th-5th grade infatuation that I would take to middle school. When I tell people that I was a K-Pop fan when I was younger and got back to it, they often think I got back to it because of the pandemic, which is only partially true. During the actual time of quarantine, in 2020, I was not back into K-Pop, that was my Chloe x Halle era instead (still obsessed with them). 2021 was when I truly fell back in love with them. It started after one of the hardest Track meets of my freshman career. I was watching one of my favorite YouTubers instead of doing homework at midnight, and he happened to post a reaction video of some sort to K-Pop. I decided to see how many songs I knew, it was not a whole lot, but they did play one of my favorite songs from when I was 10. TT was one of the featured songs, so after the video ended I went to watch TWICE’s music video. After watching TT, I went into a deep dive into TWICE that night, watching every single one of their music videos. I truly fell in love with TWICE that night. As time went on, it only grew more. TWICE has been there for me in some of my most difficult times as a teenage girl. They have been there when I have been at my lowest. One of my most memorable examples is the period around my quinceñera. One of my best friends decided that if it came to it they’d miss my quinceñera if we played at sectionals for soccer. She was my oldest friend and this completely broke me, but TWICE was there to save the day. I’m not saying that TWICE fixed the situation, but they were a great distraction. That Friday of that awful week, TWICE released their first English single THE FEELS. Amazing song. TWICE has become a sort of light whenever I’m down. This past year I had an accident during one of my soccer practices that caused me to tear my ACL, putting my sports career in jeopardy. In that storm of emotion, there was only one thing I decided to focus on, and that was TWICE. That week of my accident I had the TWICE concert I had to attend. I went and it was the most wonderful experience. TWICE gave me something to focus on instead of the bad. TWICE gave me hope as to what is to come.

My dream is to one day make life easier for people. I don’t mean in the sense of easing day-to-day activities, but to actually create things so people can be allowed to be happy and feel relief in their lives. I want to be part of the reason that people don’t have to be stressed all the time. The kind of stress that hinders one from actually being able to appreciate the things in life. I want to work in a job that helps make things more efficient systematically so that it can just be one less thing people have to worry about. I’ve seen the way menial things can cause a disturbance in someone’s life, how the smallest thing became their breaking point. I hope that after I receive my 4-education and my degree, I can help make life at least a little bit easier for people. Let the focus on other aspects of life, the things that matter most. I want to help people live their best lives by means of efficiency in systems of industry. Industrial engineering is honestly what I think the universe has planned for me. Ever since I was little, I have always been interested in working systems and all the gears that go into them. From Legos to all of the different engineering class I’ve taken, things that have plans and systems working smoothly has just been my #1 interest. I know this path will be hard for me, because of how much of a minority I am compared to the stereotypical engineer, but it is one of my biggest dreams. My dream is to go into industrial engineering. My parents are in full support, as long as I make the right choices once I achieve my dream. I know how important an education is, and I know that I have faced hurdles like my parent's experiences or facing adversity in my field. Engineering really is seen as a career for men. Whenever I would be active in a club or STEM-related activity, I was treated differently as the boys around me were treated inferior, even if I was the head of the group. Even when it came down to just skin color there was a difference. If I were in a situation where it was only girls, I would be treated inferior because of the color of my skin and how I look. I dream that one day I’ll be able to help girls who are in this exact situation. Little girls of any ethnicity should be able to follow their dreams. I want to encourage more girls to go into engineering because that’s what my parents did for me. My dream is to help girls like me who struggle with what people assume they should be something else based on just how they look.

My dream is to one day make life easier for people. I don’t mean in the sense of easing day-to-day activities, but to actually create things so people can be allowed to be happy and feel relief in their lives. I want to be part of the reason that people don’t have to be stressed all the time. The kind of stress that hinders one from actually being able to appreciate the things in life. I want to work in a job that helps make things more efficient systematically so that it can just be one less thing people have to worry about. I’ve seen the way menial things can cause a disturbance in someone’s life, how the smallest thing became their breaking point. I hope that after I receive my 4-education and my degree, I can help make life at least a little bit easier for people. Let the focus on other aspects of life, the things that matter most. I want to help people live their best lives by means of efficiency in systems of industry. Industrial engineering is honestly what I think the universe has planned for me. Ever since I was little, I have always been interested in working systems and all the gears that go into them. From Legos to all of the different engineering class I’ve taken, things that have plans and systems working smoothly has just been my #1 interest. I know this path will be hard for me, because of how much of a minority I am compared to the stereotypical engineer, but it is one of my biggest dreams. My dream is to go into industrial engineering. My parents are in full support, as long as I make the right choices once I achieve my dream. I know how important an education is, and I know that I have faced hurdles like my parent's experiences or facing adversity in my field. Engineering really is seen as a career for men. Whenever I would be active in a club or STEM-related activity, I was treated differently as the boys around me were treated inferior, even if I was the head of the group. Even when it came down to just skin color there was a difference. If I were in a situation where it was only girls, I would be treated inferior because of the color of my skin and how I look. I dream that one day I’ll be able to help girls who are in this exact situation. Little girls of any ethnicity should be able to follow their dreams. I want to encourage more girls to go into engineering because that’s what my parents did for me. My dream is to help girls like me who struggle with what people assume they should be something else based on just how they look.

My dream is to one day make life easier for people. I don’t mean in the sense of easing day-to-day activities, but to actually create things so people can be allowed to be happy and feel relief in their lives. I want to be part of the reason that people don’t have to be stressed all the time. The kind of stress that hinders one from actually being able to appreciate the things in life. I want to work in a job that helps make things more efficient systematically so that it can just be one less thing people have to worry about. I’ve seen the way menial things can cause a disturbance in someone’s life, how the smallest thing became their breaking point. I hope that after I receive my 4-education and my degree, I can help make life at least a little bit easier for people. Let the focus on other aspects of life, the things that matter most. I want to help people live their best lives using efficiency in systems of industry. Industrial engineering is honestly what I think the universe has planned for me. Ever since I was little, I have always been interested in working systems and all the gears that go into them. From Legos to all of the different engineering class I’ve taken, things that have plans and systems working smoothly has just been my #1 interest. I know this path will be hard for me, because of how much of a minority I am compared to the stereotypical engineer, but it is one of my biggest dreams. My dream is to go into industrial engineering. My parents are in full support, as long as I make the right choices once I achieve my dream. I know how important an education is, and I know that I have faced hurdles like my parent's experiences or facing adversity in my field. Engineering is seen as a career for men. Whenever I would be active in a club or STEM-related activity, I was treated differently as the boys around me were treated inferior, even if I was the head of the group. Even when it came down to just skin color there was a difference. If I were in a situation where it was only girls, I would be treated inferior because of the color of my skin and how I look. I dream that one day I’ll be able to help girls that are in this exact situation. Little girls of any ethnicity should be able to follow their dreams. I want to encourage more girls to go into engineering because that’s what my parents did for me. My dream is to help girls like me who struggle with what people assume they should be something else based on just how they look.

Coming from a Catholic school my whole life, volunteering was mandated, but I really didn’t like the idea of that. I never believed that we should only volunteer because someone or something, my school, in this case, was forcing us to. I Never shared this idea with anyone else but it still bothered me. In my mind, volunteering should be done because it's just the right thing you do. So you can help those in need, and assist the less fortunate with things that you take for granted in your own life. This has been something I have lived by all my life and hope to continue with this kind of mindset. This mindset didn’t just come out of nowhere, not since my mom has always been around. My mom did graduate from college, getting a degree in Computer Information, and she did utilize it when she entered that degree’s workforce, but something was bugging her during that time. You see, my parents had my oldest sister when they were both 19 and 21, they were very inexperienced. They struggled quite a lot. My mom had barely graduated college, and my dad had almost no education whatsoever, coming to the U.S. for work when he was only 17. There was little money for them to use, my grandpa wasn’t helping and my grandma did the best she could. My parents knew what it felt like to struggle like this, and they’ve held a sense of compassion for whoever has gone through cases like this. That’s why my mom changed her line of work. She began working at different nonprofits, ones that helped with new mothers, charity foundations, and even ones that helped people find work. Finally, she settled on the Goodwill Excel Center, which was a high school for adults who never received their high school diplomas. My mom has loved her job ever since. She sees the stories of the different kinds of people struggling to make the right decisions. Due to this job, my mom has taken the values that she has learned from jobs like this home to teach my sisters and me. It’s not about the money you make, but it is about what you can put into this world. My mom has taken me a few times to volunteer at her different jobs throughout the years, but volunteering at the Excel Center’s graduations has been one of my favorite things to ever experience. Seeing those people achieve something they had never thought would be possible for them is something that is just like no other. The different stories and backgrounds that come from all of them, the struggles they had to face just to get to where they are standing. I’ve seen people who had no experience in school, people who didn’t even know how to read and write, graduate with a proper high school diploma. People from different countries coming to get a better life. People who faced hardships while in school causing them to drop out, finally graduating. These people have taught me that anything is possible. If you put in the work and dedication into something, you will meet your goals. They taught me the value of perseverance and ambition. This is the drive I hope I can take into my future. That I am grateful for what I have and no matter what goes in my way, I can persevere. I can do anything I set my mind to.

Most societal problems stem from the way housing is implemented. An example of this is in the way racism is still highly prevalent because of the redlines that kept white and colored people separated in-placed decades ago. The problems still stem from stuff like the redline issues. Mental illness is a thing people still don’t have a grasp on, and not having housing is something that helps. A lot of times, mental illnesses can stem from bad environments or are made worse because of it. When people don’t have stable homes, it becomes harder for there to even be some sense of a stable home to be developed. The kind of housing that is in America still reflects the decisions made during the redline era. Neighborhoods are still separated by race or ethnicity, causing there to be a systemic separation. This will cause there to be a lack of healthcare or education for many more minority groups, leading to worse cases of mental illnesses left untreated. So, if there was one thing I could do, it would be to get rid of any trace of the redlines so that more people could access better help and more affordable help.

My dream is to go into industrial engineering. My parents are in full support, as long as I make the right choices once I achieve my dream. I know how important an education is, and I know that I have faced hurdles like my parent's experiences or facing adversity in my field. Engineering really is seen as a career for men. Whenever I would be active in a club or STEM-related activity STEM related, I was treated differently as the boys around me were treated inferior, even if I was the head of the group. Even when it came down to just skin color there was a difference. If I were in a situation where it was only girls, I would be treated inferior because of the color of my skin and how I look. My dream is that one day I’ll be able to help girls that are in this exact situation. Little girls of any ethnicity should be able to follow their dreams. I want to encourage more girls to go into engineering because that’s what my parents did for me. My dream is to help girls like me who struggle with what people assume they should be something else based on just how they look. My parents have always valued education, despite what it might cost. My oldest sister, 11 years my senior, was the first person on my dad’s side of the family to ever go and graduate from a university. My parents were there for full support, despite the toll it took on our family. My sister got the scholarships that she could, and they wanted to avoid taking out loans so it wouldn’t affect her too much in the future, but you could tell that we were tight on money. I was only 7, but even I was able to see the stress it was taking on my family. She graduated and my parents could not be happier. My 2nd sister is currently in university, and though not as expensive as my other sister’s school, it is still costly. Once I start university I know the toll it will take on my family. My parents don’t want us to think about the money, just focus on our schooling, but how can we when we see how much stress it puts our parents under? They see it as an investment in our future, but I just don’t want to see them suffer.

My dream is to go into industrial engineering. My parents are in full support, as long as I make the right choices once I achieve my dream. I know how important an education is, and I know that I have faced hurdles like my parent's experience or adversity in my field. Engineering really is seen as a career for men. Whenever I would be active in a club or STEM-related activity STEM related, I was treated differently as the boys around me were treated inferior, even if I was the head of the group. Even when it came down to just skin color there was a difference. If I were in a situation where it was only girls, I would be treated inferior because of the color of my skin and how I look. I dream that one day I’ll be able to help girls who are in this exact situation. Little girls of any ethnicity should be able to follow their dreams. I want to encourage more girls to go into engineering because that’s what my parents did for me. My dream is to help girls like me who struggle with what people assume they should be something else based on just how they look. One of the main examples of when I have faced adversity is with my school extracurricular activities. For starters, when doing cross-country, there is only one image that pops into people’s heads when they think of what a cross-country girl should look like; white and blonde. I have neither of those attributes and I can tell people don’t like that. I’ve had countless encounters with other runners being surprised that I am even in the sport, even being more shocked to find out I’m actually good at it as well. Even parents and coaches have vocalized their thoughts, telling me how I should be proud of myself because people like me never make it this far. Another example is when I play the drums. Being a female drummer isn’t easy. Everyone wants you to act like a girl all the time, all pretty, smiley, and nice while you’re just trying to play the music. They never say this to a male drummer, only a female drummer. Then when there’s an ensemble of percussion, they can never believe that the girl is the lead drummer. There’s this insistence that if you are not a boy you shouldn’t be playing such an aggressive instrument like the drums. I have learned how to look past this and even use it to my advantage. For cross-country, I have started to use these comments as motivation, because if I continue to do well, I can destroy whatever assumptions they have already made about me. As for my whole drumming situation, I have learned that they can be shocked all they want because they can’t be who I am. They want a boy to be in charge, but they can’t get what they want as long as I’m there. I use their words to encourage myself that I’m making a path for more girls to play. To inspire them to not be afraid of what others may say, and just follow their heart. This is a struggle I will have to get used to. With my career in S.T.E.M. being majority male, I will have to toughen up against any push I may face. Be strong and head in with confidence, or else what they may say might get to me.

During my time in high school, I have been more forced into leadership positions than chosen to be in them. Starting high school, I joined a bunch of different extracurricular activities. I wanted to round myself out as a person by trying different things. During freshman year, I was part of band, soccer, cross country, Science Olympiad, environmental club, biology club, and track. By my sophomore year, I added Art Club, women’s empowerment, the National Honors Society, jazz band, pep band, and the Hispanic Student Union. Then in my Junior year, I joined the Speech team, rock band National Spanish Honors Society, athletic student council, volunteer club, and Academic Super Bowl. Finally, in my Senior year, I joined no new clubs and kept it easy. All these clubs were in an attempt to round me out, but instead, I ended up with more leadership experience than I expected. For starters, my sophomore year was the year I had to learn how to be a leader in sports. My sister graduated the previous year, leaving an open spot for captain of the cross-country team. At the time, I wasn’t the fastest or oldest on the team, but I was the fastest on the team that had experience with cross country. With a new coach that year, I became co-captain with a girl a year older than me just in my sophomore year. This was something I chose for myself, but track was not. Track that year should’ve been a normal one, but the senior that was supposed to take up the captain position quit. This left me with the burden since I was the fastest on the team at the time. I ended up taking it in stride, and with the help of the sprinting captain, I was successful in leading the distance team in a successful season. For band, I was not supposed to have a leadership position just yet. The senior that was there was the best drummer I had ever met and he was all that. He was the president and our percussion section leader at the time, but because of a knee injury, he was out for the majority of the second semester. Luckily, we had a Vice President that was responsible, but this left an opening in the percussion section. I ended up taking control even though there were other seniors there. I started playing the drum set for the musical and all the smaller bands we had in the school. This led to me becoming section leader the following year, and finally, I was elected president my senior year. I chose to become president and was not forced into it. As the current president, I hope I will be able to lead my band to becoming the best it can. There is so much I want to achieve in my current position, but I’m ready to take the next step in my life. Due to all my experience in choosing or being forced into leadership positions, I will be able for anything that I may face in the future. I want to be in a leadership position when I’m older so that I can inspire more people just like me to not be afraid of taking charge of things. I want to inspire people just like me to not be frightened of leadership positions.

My mom was always good in school. Her parents were immigrants from Mexico and they would rely on her often for translations. Despite this, my mom graduated 10th in her high school. Though she had planned an academic life for herself, there was a hurtle she had to get over. My dad stopped going to school when he was eight, by that time everyone his age was already working, so that is what he did. He spent most of his childhood picking fruit and vegetables in Mexico. When he turned 17, he finally made his way over to the U.S. where he only planned to work. My parents met at a dance they were both at, my mom was 17 and my dad 19, and they began to date. 2 years later, right before my mom would start college, my oldest sister was born. My mom took one year off when she had my sister, but she continued to go to college, paying for herself. My dad wanted my mom to finish school so he worked hard, working to provide for my sister so my mom could focus on paying off her school. My mom graduated after 6 years of college, while my dad continued to support her and us. My dream is to go into industrial engineering. My parents are in full support, as long as I make the right choices once I achieve my dream. I know how important an education is, and I know that I have faced hurdles like my parent's experience or adversity in my field. Engineering is seen as a career for men. Whenever I would be active in a club or STEM-related activity STEM related, I was treated differently as the boys around me were treated inferior, even if I was the head of the group. Even when it came down to just skin color there was a difference. If I were in a situation where it was only girls, I would be treated inferior because of the color of my skin and how I look. I dream that one day I’ll be able to help girls who are in this exact situation. Little girls of any ethnicity should be able to follow their dreams. I want to encourage more girls to go into engineering because that’s what my parents did for me. My dream is to help girls like me who struggle with what people assume they should be something else based on just how they look. My dream is to one day make life easier for people. I don’t mean in the sense of easing day-to-day activities, but to create things so people can be allowed to be happy and feel relief in their lives. I want to be part of the reason that people don’t have to be stressed all the time. The kind of stress that hinders one from actually being able to appreciate the things in life. I want to work in a job that helps make things more efficient systematically so that it can just be one less thing people have to worry about. I’ve seen the way menial things can cause a disturbance in someone’s life, how the smallest thing became their breaking point. I hope that after I receive my 4-education and my degree, I can help make life at least a little bit easier for people. Let the focus on other aspects of life, the things that matter most. I want to help people live their best lives using efficiency in systems of industry.

Industrial engineering is honestly what I think the universe has planned for me. Ever since I was little, I have always been interested in working systems and all the gears that go into them. From Legos to all of the different engineering class I’ve taken, things that have plans and systems working smoothly has just been my #1 interest. I know this path will be hard for me, because of how much of a minority I am compared to the stereotypical engineer, but it is one of my biggest dreams. Ever since I was little I have always been interested in the street cleaning cars called street sweepers. For some reason, street sweepers have always gotten my attention no matter where I might be at that time. I don’t know what it was, but it intrigued me. Street sweepers were created to keep environments and societies clean. As anyone knows, sanitation is what keeps the world spinning. Street sweepers were always cool to me because it was a sort of enigma. When I was young, I always tried to figure out how stuff works. Some stuff was easy to figure out, like how toy cars work, but some stuff remained incomprehensible for the mind of a child, like TVs or CDs. One of the biggest mysteries to me remained to street sweepers. I understood the basics of how cars worked, my dad giving very simplified explanations, but I just could not understand how the little extra appliances on street sweepers did. My brain, when it came to coming up with explanations, worked in systems. I could only understand things if there was a sort of system that was placed that caused everything to work. Everything had to be connected to each other in my mind. So, when it came to street sweepers, I theorized that the way their cleaners worked was by a pulley system that was somehow connected to the wheels which we connected to the engine. That was my solution to it. Though I am almost 100% sure that is definitely not the exact way they work, it was the explanation that put my brain at ease. I know street sweepers are a weird example of technology to have been obsessed with, but it was the thing that kept my attention. Even now, when I see one on the street, my brain goes straight back to figuring out how they quite work. I want to know the process in which it was designed, where the idea came from, how they decided on the final design, how they knew it was the best one, and how were they able to be so sure of this being the proper working solution. Street sweepers have always intrigued me and I hope I can one day understand how they fully work.

I never wanted to be seen as a lesbian. Well, I never wanted to be seen as just a lesbian. Looking at the media all around us, you can see that a lot of LGBTQ+ characters are shown to only have that as a personality. I never wanted that for myself. I wanted to be someone seen outside of just my sexuality. I started to do other stuff so I could build my character more. I joined 3 different sports, joined a band, and academic clubs, and even went to parties just to be seen as someone who just happens to be gay. In the end, it doesn’t matter what other people think of me, just what I think of myself. I discovered that I was a lesbian through a Mexican telenovela series. Strange, I know. I had an idea of what my sexuality was beforehand, having a slight crush on a girl in my class, but the telenovela was what truly helped me figure out that I was lesbian. My parents used to love watching telenovelas, and I did too, as long as the man wasn’t the worst person ever. I had a few that I enjoyed, like Betty La Fea or Mi Corazón es Tuyo, but none of them matched up to what this new one brought to the table. Amar a Muerte was a telenovela that I initially had no interest in. Sure, it starred Angelique Boyer, from the iconic Teresa, and I was intrigued by the casting of Raquel Garza, from the famous No Manches Frida, but none of them sealed the deal for me. What sealed the deal for me was the introduction of the 2 girls, Juliana and Valentina. This was even before anything romantic happened between them, but I sensed it and started watching it because of them. I was amazed by the romance that began to unfold. What was so special about them was the fact that they were the first lesbian couple to be shown on any of Televisa’s shows. What even put it over the edge was that they were even in the time slot that allowed people from across the country to watch it. Their romance shown on screen was only possible because of the push the LGBTQ+ had on the production company to become more inclusive. The relationship between Juliana and Valentine, played by Barbara Lopez and Macarena Achaga, was one of the most impactful things from my journey of accepting myself. Their love was something that was destiny, pushed by the universe. It showed me that it’s okay to like a girl because maybe that’s what God, the universe, or whatever had planned for me. Amar a Muerte and the relationship of Juliana and Valentina showed me that it’ll be alright in the end. Even if my dad died and his soul went into the body of my future girlfriend’s dead dad’s body (the plot of Amar a Muerte), everything will be good in the end. I’ll get my happy ending even if there are hurdles to get over. Industrial engineering is honestly what I think the universe has planned for me. Ever since I was little, I have always been interested in working systems and all the gears that go into them. From Legos to all of the different engineering class I’ve taken, things that have plans and systems working smoothly has just been my #1 interest. I know this path will be hard for me, because of how much of a minority I am compared to the stereotypical engineer, but it is my biggest dream.

Finding happiness is something I have always strived for, and for a while, I thought I could find this in the opinions that other people had of me. When I was 10, I joined my school’s soccer team. This was my first time playing and I was the most nervous I had ever been. Everyone else had been playing since they were in diapers, and I wanted to fit in with them so badly. I remember the night before, I was praying to God that He would bless me by making me a prodigy at soccer so that I wouldn’t embarrass myself in front of all of my peers who I so desperately wanted to impress. As expected, I was not very good, probably the worst on the team. Being on the soccer team didn’t even bring the sense of inclusion I so yearned for, everyone still acted the same, had the same friends, and didn’t see me as anything else than how they saw me before. I ended up sticking through it for the rest of my grade school and middle school career. Going into high school, I still stuck with it, though by then I knew that I hated it. I continued because I really didn’t want to disappoint my dad. My dad was the most excited when I joined. Once I started playing, he could not stop telling me all the stories of when he was young and how when he was in Mexico they would play on a field made of rocks. He would tell me all the tales of what he did and all of the kids he played with. If I were to quit, I would break his heart, I would disappoint him. In the end, I stuck with it until the end, playing all four years of high school. I don’t suck at soccer as much now, being on varsity since sophomore year, and I have finally become closer to the girls I yearned so much to be a part of when I was little. I appreciate the sport now, actually enjoy it even. The atmosphere is something I appreciate from the team and I now know that I didn’t need to be anything I wasn’t to feel welcomed. Soccer was something I did to try to be happy by fulfilling what I thought others would like of me, but in reality it was just something that filled me with dread, at least until I made my amends with the sport to appreciate it for what it is. Going into high school, I became more comfortable with myself and in soccer. I’ve learned to love the sport for what it is and appreciate it for what it has given me. Soccer has allowed me to create my most meaningful bonds with people and experience greatness with them. Without soccer or the people that I met through the sport, I would not have ended up as the person I am today.

Coming from a Catholic school my whole life, volunteering was mandated, but I didn’t like the idea of that. I never believed that we should only volunteer because someone or something, my school, in this case, was forcing us to. I Never shared this idea with anyone else but it still bothered me. In my mind, volunteering should be done because it's just the right thing you do. So you can help those in need, and assist the less fortunate with things that you take for granted in your own life. This has been something I have lived by all my life and hope to continue with this kind of mindset. This mindset didn’t just come out of nowhere, not since my mom has always been around. My mom did graduate from college, getting a degree in Computer Information, and she did utilize it when she entered that degree’s workforce, but something was bugging her during that time. You see, my parents had my oldest sister when they were both 19 and 21, they were very inexperienced. They struggled quite a lot. My mom had barely graduated college, and my dad had almost no education whatsoever, coming to the U.S. for work when he was only 17. There was little money for them to use, my grandpa wasn’t helping and my grandma did the best she could. My parents knew what it felt like to struggle like this, and they’ve held a sense of compassion for whoever has gone through cases like this. That’s why my mom changed her line of work. She began working at different nonprofits, ones that helped with new mothers, charity foundations, and even ones that helped people find work. Finally, she settled on the Goodwill Excel Center, which was a high school for adults who never received their high school diplomas. My mom has loved her job ever since. She sees the stories of the different kinds of people struggling to make the right decisions. Due to this job, my mom has taken the values that she has learned from jobs like this home to teach my sisters and me. It’s not about the money you make, but it is about what you can put into this world. My mom has taken me a few times to volunteer at her different jobs throughout the years, but volunteering at the Excel Center’s graduations has been one of my favorite things to ever experience. Seeing those people achieve something they had never thought would be possible for them is something that is just like no other. The different stories and backgrounds that come from all of them, the struggles they had to face just to get to where they are standing. I’ve seen people who had no experience in school, people who didn’t even know how to read and write, graduate with a proper high school diploma. People from different countries coming to get a better life. People who faced hardships while in school causing them to drop out, finally graduating. These people have taught me that anything is possible. If you put in the work and dedication into something, you will meet your goals. They taught me the value of perseverance and ambition. This is the drive I hope I can take into my future. That I am grateful for what I have and no matter what goes in my way, I can persevere. I can do anything I set my mind to.

Ever since I was little I have always been interested in the street cleaning cars called street sweepers. For some reason street sweepers have always gotten my attention no matter where I might be at that time. I don’t know what it was, but it intrigued me. Street sweepers were created to keep environments and societies clean. As anyone knows, sanitation is what keeps the world spinning. Street sweepers were always cool to me because it was a sort of enigma. When I was young, I always tried to figure out how stuff works. Some stuff was easy to figure out, like how toy cars work, but some stuff remained incomprehensible for the mind of a child, like TVs or CDs. One of the biggest mysteries to me remained to street sweepers. I understood the basics of how cars worked, my dad giving very simplified explanations, but I just could not understand how the little extra appliances on street sweepers did. My brain, when it came to coming up with explanations, worked in systems. I could only understand things if there was a sort of system that was placed that caused everything to work. Everything had to be connected in my mind. So, when it came to street sweepers, I theorized that the way their cleaners worked was by a pulley system that was somehow connected to the wheels which we connected to the engine. That was my solution to it. Though I am almost 100% sure that is not the exact way they work, it was the explanation that put my brain at ease. I know street sweepers are a weird example of technology to have been obsessed with, but it was the thing that kept my attention. Even now, when I see one on the street, my brain goes straight back to figuring out how they quite work. I want to know the process in which it was designed, where the idea came from, how they decided on the final design, how they knew it was the best one, and how were they able to be so sure of this being the proper working solution. Street sweepers have always intrigued me and I hope I can one day understand how they fully work.

My parents have always valued a good education. Ever since I was little it was the one thing that they drilled into our heads. They believe that having a degree and a good education will be the promise for us to have a happier life. My mom was always good in school. Her parents were immigrants from Mexico and they would rely on her often to translate for them. Despite this, my mom graduated 10th in her high school. Though she had planned an academic life for herself, there was a hurtle she had to get over. My dad stopped going to school when he was eight, by that time everyone his age was already working, so that is exactly what he did. He spent most of his childhood picking fruit and vegetables in Mexico. When he turned 17, he finally made his way over to the U.S. where he only planned to work. My parents met at a dance they were both at, my mom was 17 and my dad was 19, and they began to date. 2 years later, right before my mom would start college, my oldest sister was born. My mom took one year off when she had my sister, but she continued to go to college, paying for herself. My dad wanted my mom to finish school so he worked hard, working to provide for my sister so my mom could focus on paying off her school. My mom graduated after 6 years of college, while my dad continued to support her and us. My dream is to go into industrial engineering. My parents are in full support, as long as I make the right choices once I achieve my dream. I know how important an education is, and I know that I have faced hurdles like my parent's experience or adversity in my field. Engineering is seen as a career for men. Whenever I would be active in a club or activity STEM related, I was treated differently than the boys around me, being treated inferior, even if I was the head of the group. Even when it came down to just skin color there was a difference. If I were in a situation where it was only girls, I would be treated inferior because of the color of my skin and how I look. I dream that one day I’ll be able to help girls who are in this exact situation. Little girls of any ethnicity should be able to follow their dreams. I want to encourage more girls to go into engineering because that’s what my parents did for me. My dream is to help girls like me who struggle with what people assume they should be something else based on just how they look.

When I was 10, I joined my school’s soccer team. This was my first time playing and I was the most nervous I had ever been. Everyone else had been playing since they were in diapers, and I wanted to fit in with them so badly. I remember the night before, I was praying to God that He would bless me by making me a prodigy at soccer so that I wouldn’t embarrass myself in front of all of my peers who I so desperately wanted to impress. As expected, I was not very good, probably the worst on the team. Being on the soccer team didn’t even bring the sense of inclusion I so yearned for, everyone still acted the same, had the same friends, and didn’t see me as anything else than how they saw me before. I ended up sticking through it for the rest of my grade school and middle school career. Going into high school, I still stuck with it, though by then I knew that I hated it. I continued because I really didn’t want to disappoint my dad. My dad was the most excited when I joined. Once I started playing, he could not stop telling me all the stories of when he was young and how when he was in Mexico they would play on a field made of rocks. He would tell me all the tales of what he did and all of the kids he played with. If I were to quit, I would break his heart, I would disappoint him. In the end, I stuck with it until the end, playing all four years of high school. I don’t suck at soccer as much now, being on varsity since sophomore year, and I have finally become closer to the girls I yearned so much to be a part of when I was little. I appreciate the sport now, actually enjoy it even. The atmosphere is something I appreciate from the team and I now know that I didn’t need to be anything I wasn’t to feel welcomed. Soccer was something I did to try to be happy by fulfilling what I thought others would like of me, but in reality, it was just something that filled me with dread, at least until I made my amends with the sport to appreciate it for what it is. My search originated because I had the belief that happiness can come from other people’s opinions of me, and I figured I could get this by building a character for myself. My first step was to join cross country. My sister was the original reason I did this, but I also did this because no one else did. It differentiated me from everybody; and made me special. In union with this, I did track too. I didn’t expect too much out of it, I was just doing it to add something to myself, but as time moved I continued to improve. I improved so much that I was named co-captain of cross country and track by my sophomore year. This was something that brought so much joy into my life. The rush I felt from the competition was incomparable and I felt like I was on top of the world. Everything came crashing down one day at conditioning for soccer, where I tore my ACL. It was something that ended up ruining my entire summer and fall sports season. Sometimes, things that I think and feel like bring me the most amount of happiness just won’t last forever.

My parents have always valued a good education. Ever since I was little it was the one thing that they drilled into our heads. They believe that having a degree and a good education will be the promise for us to have a happier life. My parents both have different reasons for their belief, but they both agree that my sisters and I need to get a degree. My mom was always someone who was good in school. Her parents were immigrants from Mexico and they would rely on her often to translate for them. Despite this, my mom graduated 10th in her high school. She was ready for a greater life than the one she was born with and she wanted to find it through college. Though she had planned this life for herself, there was a hurtle she had to get over. My dad stopped going to school when he was eight, by that time everyone his age was already working, so that is exactly what he did. He spent most of his childhood picking fruit and vegetables in Mexico. When he turned 17, he finally made his way over to the U.S. where he only planned to work at. My dad traveled across the country before he ended up in East Chicago, Indiana, he worked a bunch of different jobs. My parents met at a dance they were both at, my mom 17 and my dad 19, they began to date. 2 years later, right before my mom would start college, my oldest sister was born. Now, most people would think this is where the story would end, the parents not making it anywhere else now that they were young parents, but this wasn’t the end for them. My mom took one year off when she had my sister, but she continued to go to college, paying for herself since my grandfather refused to help her. My dad really wanted my mom to finish school so he worked his butt off, working to provide for my sister so my mom could focus on paying off her school. My mom graduated after 6 years of college, and even though my dad never got any degrees, he did study and take classes so that when I was 2 years old, 17 years after he came to the country, he earned his citizenship. My parents have always valued education, despite what it might cost. My oldest sister, 11 years my senior, was the first person on my dad’s side of the family to ever go and graduate from a university. My parents were there for full support, despite the toll it took on our family. My sister got the scholarships that she could, and they wanted to avoid taking out loans so it wouldn’t affect her too much in the future, but you could tell that we were tight on money. I was only 7, but even I was able to see the stress it was taking on my family. She graduated and my parents could not be happier. My 2nd sister is currently in university, and though not as expensive as my other sister’s school, it is still costly. Once I start university I know the toll it will take on my family. My parents don’t want us to think about the money, just focus on our schooling, but how can we when we see how much stress it puts our parents under. They see it as an investment in our future, but I just don’t want to see them suffer.

Coming from a Catholic school my whole life, volunteering was mandated, but I really didn’t like the idea of that. I never believed that we should only volunteer because someone or something, my school in this case, was forcing us to. I Never shared this idea with anyone else but it still bothered me. In my mind, volunteering should be done because it's just the right thing you do. So you can help those in need, and assist the less fortunate with things that you take for granted in your own life. This has been something I have lived by all my life and hope to continue with this kind of mindset. This mindset didn’t just come out of nowhere, not since my mom has always been around. My mom did graduate from college, getting a degree in Computer Information, and she did utilize it when she entered that degree workforce, but something was bugging her during that time. You see, my parents had my oldest sister when they were both 19 and 21, they were very inexperienced. They struggled quite a lot. My mom had barely graduated college, and my dad had almost no education whatsoever, coming to the U.S. for work when he was only 17. There was little money for them to use, my grandpa wasn’t helping and my grandma did the best she could. My parents knew what it felt like to struggle like this, and they’ve held a sense of compassion for whoever has gone through cases like this. That’s why my mom changed her line of work. She began working at different nonprofits, ones that helped with new mothers, charity foundations, and even ones that helped people find work. Finally, she settled on the Goodwill Excel Center, which was a high school for adults who never received their high school diplomas. My mom has loved her job ever since. She sees the stories of the different kinds of people struggling to make the right decisions. Due to this job, my mom has taken the values that she has learned from jobs like this home to teach my sisters and me. It’s not about the money you make, but it is about what you can put into this world. My mom has taken me a few times to volunteer at her different jobs throughout the years, but volunteering at the Excel Center’s graduations has been one of my favorite things to ever experience. Seeing those people achieve something they had never thought would be possible for them is something that is just like no other. The different stories and backgrounds that come from all of them, the struggles they had to face just to get to where they are standing. I’ve seen people who had no experience in school, people who didn’t even know how to read and write, graduate with a proper high school diploma. People from different countries coming to get a better life. People who faced hardships while in school causing them to drop out, finally graduating. These people have taught me that anything is possible. If you put in the work and dedication into something, you will meet your goals. They taught the value of perseverance and ambition. This is the drive I hope I can take into my future. That I am grateful for what I have and no matter what goes in my way, I can persevere. I can do anything I set my mind to.

The "Ode To Millennials-GenZ" explains the way that Millennial-GenZ kids are going into the world with a positive perspective while accepting how the world is crashing down. We, as the younger generation, can see the effects of what the older generations cause, and though we despise it, we are willing to accept it. We hope that we just want to live life happily, and even if we can’t change how the future of the world will be, we can take control of our own lives to create our own happiness. We look around the world and see disasters every day. Ever since we were little, we’ve been told that the world was going to be garbage. Being told to do certain things to help save the world, when in reality the world was already long gone before we even got to it. Most environmental problems come from industrial companies that pour oil and release gasses into the world, or the agriculture industry cutting down forests. This is the life that we are used to, the only life we know of. There is really not much an individual can do when everything is being controlled by the wealthy and rich. This is our life, and we are willing to accept it. We hate our predecessors for making us accept this. We hate them for giving us the responsibility of fixing a broken world that we had no hand in the destruction of. They are the reason we have to comply with the environment that we live in, they are the reason that we have to make do with what was given to us. Our goal is to one day be happy despite the world we live in. Ever since we were little, we have been told and shown stories that always end in happy endings. Stories about sticking it to the power and getting what is right. We were taught that in the end, if we do everything right, we will be happy in the end. That’s all we want. We want our happy ending. We know what we can do to help fix the world, but no matter what it’s too far gone. We accepted that our journey to making the world a better place is basically nonexistent. We do not care anymore, we just want to be happy in the end. We don’t want to live our lives in fear of what is to come, or even just ignorance. We are willing to know our future but we don’t want to dwell on it. We don’t want to live our lives in despair, we just want to enjoy what we have left of our happy worlds. At the end of the day, my generation just wants to live our lives how we want to. We know about everything that our predecessors did to the world to cause us to live this way, but we are willing to accept it all as the new reality we have to live in. In the end, we just want to live our lives to the fullest because we don’t have a long one. We live by our motto: You Only Live Once!