My name is Alessandro Panecaldo. I am a student from Virginia Beach, Virginia. I am energetic and kind-hearted, and I am fascinated with learning. I have a wonderful father who hails from the country of Italy. He was born and raised in Frosinone, attended Italian Naval Academy, and served his country. He then met my mother, who is part Italian on her mother's side. My great-great-grandparents immigrated to the United States from Italy. They met while my mother was on deployment in Italy for the United States Navy. They came back to the States and got married. Even though my Father had left his home country, he still brought back some of the traditions and food he enjoyed. At my home, something Italian is always on the dinner menu. This is something I have grown up with my entire life. We also celebrate holidays with some Italian traditions. For example, we eat lentil soup on New Year's Day because you would eat it where my dad grew up to ensure prosperous financial success for the new year. My household has always been filled with Italian traditions and celebrations. It is something that I thoroughly enjoy and take pride in because it is not something that everyone gets to experience in their lifetime. Being able to not only celebrate American tradition but also incorporate Italian traditions into the mix is something that I love doing. Even though it might not be the norm, I am proud to say I am Italian. I plan to study electrical engineering in college. I plan to make a positive impact on the field by using what I have learned not only in school but also in my personal life to work with others and impact people's lives. Having grown up in a household where we did things differently than most, I can work well with others I don't see eye to eye with because I have experienced learning and respecting different cultural beliefs and backgrounds. I also wish to innovate new technology that will improve the quality of life of the average person. Electrical engineers design electrical hardware, and as our world becomes more technology-focused, they play an essential role in innovating new technologies that continually surpass their predecessors. I wish to become one and create a positive change in the world by helping design something that makes living your life a little easier. If I can impact at least one person with the work I choose to partake in, that is a victory in my eyes.