Growing older and experiencing life at its finest has made me realize that one of the true purposes of life is to help others. The word "help" can mean many different things. When it pertains to my college education, it means saving lives. After I graduate from high school, I plan on attending university to obtain a bachelor's degree in respiratory care. Healthcare providers already do so much to help the community by treating and educating them. Helping people keep the gift of life is one of the biggest things one could do to help others. Going out in the world and receiving an education that will help me develop my future is especially important to not only me but also to my parents. From my standpoint, I look at it as not only the opportunity to develop my skills and grow into a responsible adult with a job but also as the opportunity to experience what it is like to live and grow with others in a place that isn't the small town that I've lived in for the past ten years. I like to experience change when it isn't extremely scary. The change from small-town life to university life is a change I am willing to take. My parents, on the other hand, are the ones who watch me grow from the sidelines. I look at the two of them and recognize that they did not have the chance to experience the big things that I have had the opportunity to. My mother is an immigrant from the Philippines and my father, who is originally from the small town I am currently living in, is disabled as a result of Parkinson's disease, a condition that has impacted his life in many ways. These backgrounds have left my family in a difficult financial situation. After my father developed his Parkinson's, he ended up retiring early due to disability. My mother, working as a single caregiver, is now the only one working to support the family. Receiving this scholarship would be greatly beneficial for my college education. However, while money and financial aid do play a very large part in it, the one big thing that matters to me is making my parents proud. It would also take a big weight off of my mother's shoulders since she already works incredibly hard for the things I have. To truly help others and make an impact on today's society, I need to develop the skills I need to properly pursue the career that I desire. I want to join the collective of those already in healthcare by helping others physically and emotionally. Saving lives is a blessing to not only those suffering but also their loved ones. Providing that important care is what can make this world a better place for others. Finally, I want to show the world that I can rise beyond my background and build myself and my family up to bigger and better things. With this education, not only can I prove myself to my relatives, friends, and peers, but I can also contribute to the long-term goal of making this world a better place.