If I could only watch one movie, I would choose ‘Matilda the Musical’. While it may appear as a movie for children, I see a deeper meaning. The story revolves around a girl named Matilda who is raised by two parents who prioritize money over caring for their daughter. Matilda never feels accepted by her parents and is often isolated at home. She feels the absence of loved ones and constantly yearns to have the company of a friend. However, when her parents leave home, she delights herself in the greatest pleasure of all: reading. She forgets all her life’s worries by simply picking up a book. She is enrolled in a school where children are looked upon with contempt by the headmistress. The headmistress enforces strict regulations and finds delight in punishing children brutally, without proper evidence. The children were taught to get used to the harsh treatment by their headmistress. But Matilda does not accept defeat. She is the first person to openly question the headmistress. Throughout this process, she wins the hearts of her classmates and above all, her classroom teacher. She inspires others around her to never give up on their life’s happiness and to never let someone control their life. Matilda demonstrates a determination not to let the headmistress dominate the lives of others. As the headmistress prepares harsher punishments, gives baseless accusations, and prohibits fun in school, Matilda dares to stand up for what is right, despite her inferior position of power. As Matilda develops a special relationship with her teacher, Miss Honey, Miss Honey confides in her regarding her dark past. Matilda realizes that Miss Honey’s aunt is the cruel headmistress of the school. Additionally, Matilda understands what Miss Honey has gone through with her house being seized from her by her aunt after her father’s death. Miss Honey never has the strength or the power to fight back because she has no proof that this is her aunt’s plot. Due to this, Miss Honey accepts her modest life. However, when Miss Honey least expects it, Matilda threatens the headmistress through the illusion of Miss Honey’s father’s ghost. This causes the headmistress to flee from the school in fear and Miss Honey to obtain her possessions once again. When all seems lost, when Matilda’s parents announce they are moving away permanently, Matilda’s classroom teacher adopts Matilda. Matilda had never imagined having a life with a loving family. This is a demonstration of how all the good deeds you do are reciprocated. A single act of kindness can go a long way in changing someone’s life and even changing yours. The fleeing of the headmistress and Matilda’s adoption are indications of how one should never lose hope because they never know what may be coming their way. What messages does Matilda leave us with? Matilda serves as a reminder that sticking to your values even when people don’t accept you is critical. No matter what your circumstances are, you should always be grateful for what you have and learn to enjoy the little things in life. Never lose hope regarding your situation because you never know what miracle may be awaiting to turn it around. A single act of kindness can be life-changing. You cannot let anyone take complete control of your life and happiness, no matter their position of power. Never give up on your dreams and keep pushing forward to pursue them. Challenges and setbacks are learning opportunities through which one can realize the true potential of determination, commitment, and dedication.

When I was 9, I started programming with Scratch. Unlike my peers who were interested in the gaming aspect, I was drawn by the coding. To me, the feeling of joy when a program ran without errors was irreplaceable. I was 11 when I learned to code in a purely text-based language (HTML). From there, my love for coding grew as I learned CSS, JavaScript, Arduino, Python, SQL, and Java. I achieved perfect scores in Grok Learning’s WebComp Competition (HTML, CSS, and JavaScript) and the NCSS Challenge (Python). I also won the Western BACE STEM Heroes Coding Challenge (Python). I pursued every opportunity to enhance my knowledge in not only coding but other aspects of technology too. In 9th Grade, I enrolled in a Robotics elective at my school, where I learned new skills, including the technique of soldiering. I was awarded a Robotics Excellence Award. In 10th Grade, I became interested in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and its applications. Due to this interest, I collaborated with 2 students to ideate a solution to using AI to increase warning time before earthquakes. This experience allowed me to learn more about AI while practicing presenting to a panel of judges. In 11th Grade, I noticed that my Computing class of 50 students only had 5 girls, including me. I realized that Engineering was a male-dominated field, encouraging me to strive to balance the gender distribution in Engineering. Technology is quickly being integrated into our lives and its importance was highlighted especially with the COVID-19 pandemic where the transition to remote learning and working from home revealed how impactful technology can be. I became fascinated by the growing number of applications in this field. During that year, I created a website intending to globalize education access. I presented this website to a panel of judges for the Young ICT Explorers Competition. I was selected to participate in a program called GoIT Girls by TATA Consultancy Services. Here I learned about Augmented Reality. I ideated a tool that could be used by shoppers to locate items with ease, through Augmented Reality. I later presented this to a panel of Judges from Woolworths (an Australian grocery store that annually earns $45 Billion). I recently finished studying AP Computer Science A and completed several internships with Cognizant (Agile Methodology), KPMG (Data Analytics Consulting), SAP (Technical Consulting), pwc (Power BI ), and Goldman Sachs (Software Engineering). Whether it be through coding, robotics, AI, or Augmented reality Engineering continues to fascinate me. I am currently working on publishing a book teaching HTML, CSS, and Python to inspire others, especially females, to join CS. Not only that, but I am also working on coding and self-publishing an app that helps students build time management and organizational skills that can not only help with their education but also productivity in the workforce. STEM, especially the fields of engineering and computer science have always been underrepresented by females. I aspire to push towards balancing the gender gap in this field. I have a passion for Engineering and the motivation to find every opportunity to pursue this field. I also have experience with robotics, coding, AI, Augmented reality, software engineering, Power BI, and various other areas. I look forward to seeing where a degree in Engineering takes me next.