My name is Anabella Hijuitl-Grande I live in Pennsylvania and I am a first-generation Latina and will be the first in my family to attend college. I am studying to become a primary teacher. I never expected to major in education but my experiences in school with teachers and different situations in life have influenced me to become a teacher. I was lucky enough to have teachers that were always there for me. They pushed me to do better and were always there to listen to my crazy remarks. I want the future generation to experience the same feeling I had with my teachers. I want to help shape the future generation and help better their education. My education will help me change my path in the future by helping me become more confident and successful. In my major, I hope to connect with people with similar ideas as mine. I want to become successful in my educational journey to achieve good grades and get involved in extracurricular activities. This will help me become more disciplined and become a better influence for the future generation. My education will also help build a better future for my kids/ grandkids. It is a privilege to attend college and the fact that I am the first in my family to take the big step is an honor. I will be helping students find their passion and help them in their first steps in their educational journey. Even if it is just one year of teaching I will be contributing to future doctors, electricians, artists, politicians, nurses, etc. I plan on helping students of all backgrounds and hope to use my knowledge of English and Spanish to help families have a better understanding of the curriculum. A big goal I hope to achieve is to open different organizations that help others. Whether it be a supply drive, a pet supply drive, or a clothes drive I plan on reaching out to communities to help those that need it. My parents have always helped others without wanting anything in return. Their actions towards strangers have inspired me to help others as well. I would love to include students in these organizations and teach them the good of giving back. I am not sure what these four years of school have in store for me but I hope to give it my all and make my family and ancestors proud. I thank my family and teachers for always being by my side and helping me achieve my dreams.

My name is Anabella Hijuitl-Grande. I live outside of Philadelphia and am the first in my family to attend college. I graduated high school with a 3.7 GPA and was in a total of four clubs throughout high school. Thanks to my parent's hard work I was able to dedicate my time to my education. I faced adversity when I started middle school and it ran through high school. I went through a time were I did not know who I was. I tried changing who I was to fit in. I tried different looks and at times wished I was a different ethnicity to fit in. All the negative words from myself and some of my peers caused me to hate going to school. I desperately wanted school to end and told myself many times I would never want to countine school. When the pandemic hit I started to spend more time with my family and realized that my parent's sacrifices were so that my sister and I could succeed and become educated. I think I was so caught up with my problems that I forgot that my parents were spending hours working so that I could succeed in school. After I came to a realization I started studying more. When I went back to school I started surrounding myself with people who encouraged me to work hard and I was able to get honors all four years of high school. I also learned to embrace my failures and bad times. Each moment in life is special and each moment should be lived at its fullest. The advice I would give someone facing a similar circumstance is for them to learn to dedicate time to themselves. I spent many times in life wanting things to go my way always worried about what others were doing and always wanted to be like my peers so I could achieve success. In reality, it is not necessary to be like others. Each person is special because of how they present themselves and no one should change their character to fit in. Loving yourself a should be priority, as giving yourself time to do your hobbies, taking care of yourself, or giving yourself words of encouragement can help raise your self-esteem and help better your mental health. I thank my family and teachers for being by my side and helping me in my educational journey.

My name is Anabella Hijuitl-Grande. I live just outside of Philadelphia and will be the first in my family to attend college this fall. I graduated with a 3.7 GPA and was a part of four clubs during high school. I was able to achieve greatness in school because of the guidance I had from my teachers. Their words of encouragement and help throughout the years have shaped me into the student I am today. I would like to give the same encouragement my teachers gave me to others. I plan on majoring in Early Education this fall and hope to help others throughout my carreer. My parents had to leave their education to help out their families with money. They came to the US with nothing and have not stopped working ever since they first arrived. My parents always prioritized family and have teached my sister and me to give back to those who need help. My parents helped as they could, even when they did not have anything they did all they could to help out. I would like to honor my parent's hard work by making a difference through my career. I hope to become a teacher and help students find their passions. I would also like to bring new ideas to school districts and better programs already existing like ESL classes. I have seen the struggle of families who are first coming to the US. Many times these families do not receive as many resources as other students because of the language barrier. I am lucky enough to be bilingual and hope to use my knowledge in the English and Spanish language to help these students succeed and also help improve the way ESL programs are run throughout districts. An adversity I have had to face in the past is the pressure of being the first in my family to go to college. Many times society looks down on Hispanic students and how far they can go with their education. I always wanted to prove myself better than the stereotypes Latinos have and gave myself the goal of being better. I had to go through much sweat and tears to finish off high school but knowing I will be a first-generation Latina attending college is an honor and a privilege. Receiving this scholarship would be meaningful to me because it would help me further my education. It would contribute to my goal of becoming a teacher and helping others in their educational journey. In the future, I plan on paying forward by creating my scholarship. I want to help the future generation of Latinos and help them fund their education. I thank my family and teachers for always being by my side and encouraging me to countine my education.

My name is Anabella Hijuitl-Grande. I live outside of Philadelphia and will be the first in my family to attend college. I never thought I would be interested in pursuing early education but the impact my elementary teachers left on my life is the same impact I want to give to my future students. My elementary teachers specifically my first, fourth, and fifth-grade teachers helped me become confident. There were many times I saw other students being praised for their high grades or because of their efforts in class. I in a way always felt less and felt like a failure. Now thinking about it I was young thinking about myself as a failure but my teachers helped heal those thoughts. My teachers always helped me work on subjects I needed help with and always ensured that I was important and that no matter what I had a purpose in the world. Their words of encouragement helped me through tough times. No student is perfect and every student should be treated fairly. That is one of the goals I want to include in my teachings. As a first-generation I know the struggle students and families go through. I want to use my knowledge of the English and Spanish languages and help families who need more help throughout the academic year. I want to better the programs for ESL students and give more resources to my students. A big goal I have is to include students in giving-back events. I want to plan different giving-back events each month where students help give back to the community. Making care packages for first responders, donating books to libraries, making cards for retirement homes, making food for shelters, etc. Having kids learn about the impact of giving back can teach them to be generous towards others. Having teachers and other students in these events can create a fun time and can be a teaching opportunity. Rationing ingredients can teach students math, writing cards can help better students' handwriting and vocabulary. Many learning opportunities come from helping others and it is an idea I hope to include in my class and hopefully, one day extend it to other school districts. I have many ideas and hopes for my future career. I plan on helping as many students as I can and hopefully impact them the same way my teachers impacted me. I thank my family and teachers for always being by my side during this academic journey.

My name is Anabella Hijuitl-Grande. I live just outside of Philadelphia. I am a first generation and will be the first in my family to attend college this fall. It has not been an easy journey to get to where I am today. My parents have been and will always be my inspiration. They had to start working at a young age to help support their families. They always encouraged my sister and I to continue our education no matter what. Their countless efforts and sacrifices have helped me continue my educational journey. My parents apart from being hard workers have also always helped others. The number of times I have seen both my parents prioritize helping others instead of themselves is uncountable. They have taught me that helping others is the right thing even if you do not get anything back, a simple act of kindness can impact a person's life for good. Thanks to the inspirational people in my life I want my career to reflect kindness. I plan to major in Education in college this fall. I plan on helping students get the education they deserve. I want to plan one-on-one meetings with parents and give as many resources as possible to students. People's educational journey starts at a young age and primary is the most important part of that journey. I hope to inspire my students to continue their education and to help them find their passions. I am also lucky enough to be bilingual and hope to use my knowledge in English and Spanish to help families who need help. Many times students who are put in lower classes get overlooked because of their lack of knowledge in the English language. I plan on helping better these programs and helping these students feel comfortable with learning. A big goal I have for my career is to organize events where students and staff raise money for a cause each month. I want to teach students the positive impact giving back can have on a person's life. Maybe one month giving away books to underfunded schools, food drives, toys for communities, care packages for first responders, pet supplies for shelters, etc. I hope that my organization can reach many school districts and hopefully can become a city-involved organization. According to society's standards, my career choice might not be that important but I know I will be impacting many lives and helping students become artists, doctors, lawyers, politicians, etc. I plan on giving my all in school to make my dreams come true and to make my family proud. I thank my family and teachers for always being by my side.

My name is Anabella Hijuitl-Grande. I live in the state of Pennsylvania and I am a first generation. Being the first in my family to attend college has not been easy. I had to overcome many obstacles throughout my educational career. I struggled a lot with my body and had many instances where I harshly judged the way I looked. It caused my grades to slip and I eventually told myself that I would never continue school again. It was an ongoing cycle of hatred throughout a period. I eventually found sanctuary through my family. Their support and desire for me to succeed in life are what helped me grow. My parents did not have anything when they arrived in the US. They did not finish school and had to start working to help their families. Despite not having anything they always gave back. Even if they did not have enough for themselves they always tried helping others. My parents work hard for my sister and me to succeed in school. As the first in the family to attend college this fall, I want to continue the generosity my parents gave to others and help people on my behalf. I plan on helping better my student's education. Many school districts are underfunded and have lower grades than other funded schools. I always say that a school does not define how good a person is in school it all depends on the student and how hard the student wants to achieve their dreams. I want to help as many kids as I can with their educational journey. I am also lucky to be bilingual and hope to use my knowledge of the English language and help families who are newly coming to America. It takes a lot to raise children in a new country. I have seen others struggle in school because of the language barrier. I hope to help these students be better and achieve greatness. My goal in all of my career is to hopefully make a difference in someone's life. Even if it is a fun memory they had in my class I hope to impact their lives for good and help them in the chapter of their life. I thank my family for always supporting me and I thank my teachers for their efforts to make the educational journey easier and for always being by my side.

My name is Anabella Hijuitl-Grande. I live in the state of Pennsylvania and will be the first in my family to attend college. I plan on studying Primary Education in college this fall. My 12 years in school have been life-changing not only did I meet new people but I was able to learn to love myself. During middle school, I went through a personality change. I was trying my best to fit in and lost touch with who I was. I always struggled with my weight and got judged on how I looked in school. There were many instances when I would walk home from school and cry. I let the comments of others get to me and it impacted my mental health. My grades started to decline and I would dread going to school. When Covid hit my school shut down. When the lockdown hit I started to spend more time with my family and realized that no matter what others thought about me my family would always be my side. Instead of criticizing myself every day for the way I looked, I began taking care of myself. I would find different ways to love myself and find things I was passionate about. I later found out that my parents in the past had mental health problems. My parents had to start working at a young age and had to help support their families. They both went through a phase where they lost their jobs and went through midlife crises. I saw my parents go through tough times but despite all their struggles in life they continue to work hard for my sister and me. My parent's sacrifices taught me to never let a bad phase in life get to me. As bad as life may feel it always gets better. My goal is to become a teacher and help better children’s education. I want to advocate for better resources and help families who are newly coming to the US. I would also love to help boost my student's confidence and help them learn to love themselves. I thank my family and teachers for always supporting me and helping me get this far in my educational journey.

I never thought I would be pursuing education but the lifelong impact my teachers had on my life has inspired me to become a teacher. My name is Anabella Hijuitl-Grande. I live in Pennsylvania and am a first-generation college student. I was fortunate enough to have a good relationship with my teachers. They were always encouraging and helpful when it came to my education. There were many times when my teachers looked out for me and gave me resources that helped me better my education. I have many memories with my teachers that I will cherish forever. I want the future generation to experience the same fun memories I had with my teachers. I plan on majoring in Primary education this fall. I had many people question why I would want to study education. I never thought I would be interested in that career, but my goal to make an impact on people's lives is what convinced me. When I start teaching I want to help my students as much as possible. I want to reach out to parents and ensure their child has as much support as possible. While I went to school I was lucky enough to have the support of my family. Their presence at school concerts or award nights made me feel seen and encouraged me to continue my education. I want my students to feel supported and motivated to try their best. As a first-generation student, I have seen the struggles my parents had to go through for my sister and me to succeed in life. My parents came to this country without knowing English and had to start from scratch when they first arrived. Despite the setbacks they had when they first came to America they have always helped others despite them not having enough for themselves. My parents always encouraged me to continue my education no matter what. Their work ethic and determination to continue working have given me the goal to help others in similar situations as my parents. I am bilingual and plan on using my knowledge of the English language to help families who need help with their child's education. I want to help give resources to these families and help their children learn and grow in school. I hope to help students feel confident and help them go above and beyond in their education. I plan on giving my service to communities in need and raising money to give resources to underfunded school districts. I thank my family and teachers for supporting me and for inspiring me to continue my education.

My parents always recall me having leadership skills ever since I was little. They tell me that when I was in daycare I was bossing everyone around even though I was only two years old. My name is Anabella Hijuitl-Grande I live in the state of Pennsylvania and am I first generation. I think something that started my leadership skills was the excitement of being involved. I always attended library programs when I was younger and would attend after-school nights. I always enjoyed attending different events and helping out. When I got to high school I tried finding my passion. I tried out for sports and tried singing, but I soon realized that none of these programs fit my passions. I then decided to join the horticulture club. It was such a great experience learning about plants and helping our school be more green. I helped out cleaning courtyards and planting flowers to make our courtyards look cleaner and prettier. I also joined Sending Sunshine and helped make cards for people in retirement homes. Many struggling people and communities are struggling. Being involved in clubs in school helped me realize that many people are less fortunate and need help. I would like to organize different opportunities to give back on behalf of the school district. Involving students and faculty in helping raise money or creating care packages for communities less fortunate can help people learn about the goodness that giving back can do. I think with my ideas and experience in working with other people I will be able to bring many of these programs to multiple school districts. I know the struggles immigrant families go through to give the best of the best for their kids. There are many times people get overlooked because of their skin color or nationality. I also plan on helping these families feel safe and accepted. In many cases, these families are not informed about what goes on with their children's education because of the language barrier. I am fortunate to be bilingual and hope to also organize workshops in which I would help parents have a better understanding of their children's education. I hope to use my knowledge of the English language to help these families have a better understanding of what is going on in their education journey. I am not sure what this new chapter in my life will bring but I hope it brings me knowledge and opportunities to help teach others.

My name is Anabella Hijuitl-Grande I am a first generation and live in Pennsylvania. I plan on attending Community college in the fall and majoring in Education. I specifically plan on majoring in primary education. I never thought I would be interested in the field of education but the impact my teachers had on me when I was younger convinced me to pursue education. My parents ended their education journey early because they had to help their families with money. When my parents had my sister and me they always encouraged us to continue school no matter the circumstances. I had a difficult time finding my true self while in school. I always wanted to be liked by others and have many friends. I went through a phase in my life where I questioned who I was and what my purpose was in life. As a first generation, I always pressured myself to get good grades and to make my parents proud. I would bring myself down and criticize my work ethic. I found sanctuary through my teachers. They always praised my work and ensured I had the best education possible. Their encouraging words helped me heal. I want to give the same encouraging words they gave me to younger students. My hope is to use my career to help younger children. I want to help younger kids find what they are passionate about. I also hope to contribute to their educational journey. Even if it is a small lesson they learned from my class or a fun memory, the fact that I will be contributing towards the careers of future EMTs, doctors, teachers, lawyers, artists, authors, etc is what motivates me to become a teacher. A big goal I have is to be able to branch out with my career. I want to open after-school programs or summer camps that focus on helping students find their strengths. I want my programs to make learning fun. My programs would cover different subjects that do not get covered in class because of the limited time. When my programs get started I plan on helping those in need. I want to raise money and help shelters, and most importantly I hope to give resources to struggling school districts that do not have the funds to buy school materials. I know that my career journey will not be easy but wherever it takes me I hope to use my knowledge for good. I thank my family and teachers for being an inspiration and for always encouraging me to do good.

My name is Anabella Hijuitl-Grande. I am a first generation and plan on attending college for the fall semester. I plan to major in Primary Education. Growing up my parents always made sure I knew about God. They taught me that nature and the things I had in my life were thanks to him. While growing up I knew God was with me at all times but when I got into middle school I started surrounding myself in a different environment. I did not care about my grades and let myself become a different person to appease the environment around me. When Covid-19 hit the nation, my school district shut down, it forced me to go asynchronous. During quarantine, I had a lot of time to reflect on the person I was. I slowly realized that the person I was trying to be was not the true me. While trying to fit in, I was degrading myself and was not loving myself. It took a decline in my mental health and it caused a lot of doubt on what my purpose was in life. I however found guidance through my faith. When the quarantine was lifted I gave myself the goal of studying harder and being a better person towards society. Throughout the crazy four years of high school, I ended with a 3.7 GPA and was able to get honors all four years. My parents played a big part in my achievements but the person who was there day and night was God. His support and guidance in life always brought me success. The opportunities I was able to have while in school were thanks to him. Each obstacle was a lesson and each lesson taught me to do right. The reason why I decided to pursue education is because I want to give the guidance and care God gave me to others. My journey in life has just begun but one thing I know for sure is my faith has helped me get where I am today. I want to help students find their passion and help them as much as I can. I also plan on advocating for people with fewer opportunities. I want to include my career in my goal by showing my students how to give back to the community. With my knowledge, I plan on helping those who are either new to this country or do not understand the English language. I am lucky enough to be bilingual and plan on using it to help others. Whether it be helping someone to learn to read or write I plan on doing it with good intentions and kindness. I thank my family, teachers, and God for always guiding me toward success.

My name is Anabella Hijuitl-Grande. I am a senior in the state of Pennsylvania. I am Mexican-American and a first generation. I plan on going to college this fall and majoring in Early Education. I never thought I would major in Education but seeing the impact a teacher makes on a person's life inspired me to make the same impact on a person's life. With my work ethic and strive for greatness I plan on working on giving my students the best school experience possible. As a first-generation child, I have had a unique journey in school. I had to balance speaking English at school and speaking Spanish at home. I had to adjust to the different cultures and learn how to fit in. Despite it all making my parents proud was always a motivation for me to continue my education. My parents left school to help their families with money. When they came to the United States all they did was work. When my sister and I started going to school they always encouraged us to continue studying. My motivation for getting good grades was to make them proud. With my next step being college I plan on continuing to get good grades and making my parents proud. Being authentically me is based on embracing my culture. Being Latina is something I am proud of. My skin color is something I embrace despite the criticism of others. I have slowly learned that the prejudice society has against the Latin community does not affect me but instead pushes me toward greatness. It helps me love myself more and it makes my confidence stronger. I am not afraid to be my true self. By being my authentic self I have met people who match my energy. Being authentic will not only help me but it will also impact my career. I want to build the confidence of my students. If I am my authentic self it would help my students have a confident role model. I want to advocate for my students and help them in any way possible. A goal I have for my students is that they find their passion. Knowing what their passion is at a young age can help them discover hobbies they did not know, they liked doing before. I think the younger a person finds their passion the more opportunities they have. I want my students to have as much success as possible. I want to guide them and help them reach for their dreams. As a first-generation I know the struggles of adjusting to a different environment. I want to help give resources to low-income communities and help those less fortunate. There are many ideas and plans I have for my carreer but one thing I know for sure is I will always stick up for my students and help them as much as I can. Embracing my body, skin color, and ethnicity. Has helped me shape the person I am today. I would have never been my true self without the support of my family and ancestors I would have never made it to where I am today. With their guidance and support, they have helped me shape the person I am today. I hope to continue embracing myself and to succeed in my future career. I thank my teachers and family for their endless support and for always encouraging me to do better.

My name is Anabella Hijuitl. I live in Delaware County and have lived in Pennsylvania my whole life. During high school, I have been in various clubs and have achieved honors all four years. I am ending high school with a 3.6 GPA. My high school experience might not have been as expressive as some, but for me, I achieved the goal of making my family proud. My parents never had the opportunity to further their education because they had to start working to help support their families. Their dream was for me to succeed in school and to use my knowledge for good. Growing up I always had the support of my parents they always encouraged me to give my all in whatever made me happy. Giving back and helping others is something my parents always prioritized despite coming to this country without anything they always gave back and continue to help others to this day. Being kind towards others has no price even if it is just a small gesture it can make a person's day better. I want my career to reflect kindness. I want to give back to underfunded communities and help as many people as possible. I plan on going to college this fall and majoring in Primary Education. I decided to major in education because I would be helping kids find their passion. With my career, I want to help kids learn how to read and write. I want to contribute to their future careers by teaching them. I would love to incorporate a new system of teaching in which they would learn to be kind to others but most importantly learn how to love themselves. I plan on advocating for my students and helping them as much as I can in school and outside of school. Making an impact in their lives is a priority I have for my career. I am a first generation and knowing I will be the first in my family to attend college is a big achievement. I would have never been in this position without my family and teachers. The impact of caring and support they have had on my life is something, I want everyone to feel. With my career, I hope to help others and support others in achieving their dreams. I hope to achieve greatness in the future and help as many people as I can throughout my life.

I started reading at a young age thanks to my mom. She would take me to the library in her free time and would read to me. Those trips to the library grew my love for reading. When I entered middle school I started surrounding myself with different people and started to experience new things. Without realizing I started evolving into a different person. My love for reading slowly started disappearing and before I knew it my mental health started declining. I had a hard time feeling confident in my body during school. I had a very bad experience in school and hated every aspect of school. When covid hit I started finding different ways to find myself again. I started reading again and a book that helped me along my journey was Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson. I read the graphic novel version of the novel but the illustration and words are one of the most gut-wrenching I have ever read. The story follows a girl going through loneliness while in school. She has been made fun of and bullied for things out of control. She has gone through abuse from her peers and has been isolated because of it. While reading about the character's journey in school I realized that many of the things the character was going through both mentally and physically I had gone through too. I realized that I was not the only one going through a tough time. I think before covid happened mental health among the youth was not as talked about as it is now. Reading Speak helped me realize that many people go through a mental health decline. The book Speak is a book everyone should read at least once in their life. It is a book that makes anyone who reads it realize that life is not perfect. Everyone goes through bad times but those bad times make us grow. The main idea of the book is to learn to speak up. The book is an emotional rollercoaster but it is a book that is life-revealing and it is a book that helped me learn how to love myself again.

An adversity I had to overcome was being a first generation. My parents came to the United States at a young age and faced many obstacles. They had to find work immediately to support their families and had to adjust to the English language. My parents worked countless days throughout the year, but despite their long work days, they always wanted to know about my day. They always ensured my sister and I had what we needed to succeed. My parents always told me to continue my education no matter what. As the last day of high school approaches, I realize that my parents have influenced my efforts in school. Without their support, I would have never completed high school with honors for all four years. However, my success in high school being a first generation came with many obstacles. I had to learn to balance speaking Spanish at home and English at school. There were also many times during school that I feared failure. Any little bad grade made me feel like a failure and it took a toll on my mental health. I had many nights where I wanted to give up and spent days comparing myself to my peers. When I would break down I always reminded myself of the countless support my parents gave me throughout my life. My hard nights do not compare to the late hours my parents worked for years. The pressure of making my family proud is what kept me going. Being the first in my family to go to college is a goal I hope to achieve this year. I plan on majoring in Primary education in college this fall. My situation as a first generation has motivated me to help other children and to advocate for their education. I live in the state of, Pennsylvania where the education system is at its lowest. With the shortage of teachers and a lack of resources, many students miss many opportunities when they get older. I want to help students grow and help them find their passion. I plan to advocate for my students and give my all towards my career. Facing the adversity of being the first in my family to continue my education has not been easy but it has motivated me to work hard. Without the support of my family, I would have never made it where I am today. I thank my ancestors, family, and teachers for guiding me on the right path.

I am currently a senior in the state of Pennsylvania. I will attend community college in the fall and majoring in Primary education. I never expected to pursue an education degree but knowing how big of an impact a teacher can have for students is what convinced me. Everyone has different things going on in their lives, I want my future classroom to be a safe place where anyone who steps in feels safe. I want to be a teacher who helps students find their passions and helps them continue their education. I hope to advocate for my students and give them the best education possible. There are many goals I have for my career. One of them is to give back. My parents did not have many education opportunities and had to leave school to help support their families. I am the first in my family to attend college and something my parents have always done throughout my education is remind me to be thankful for the opportunities I have. My goal is to help reach out to people in need. Many organizations need money, food, clothes, etc. I would like to incorporate giving back in my classroom or even the whole school. Raising money, food drives, and clothes donations could help teach students to give back. It is a plan that would help so many people and it is a dream of mine to achieve. A personal goal I have is to be happy. Throughout middle and high school I had a hard time making friends. I was always focused on being the best and making my family proud. There were opportunities I took while in school but also many opportunities I missed because I was too focused on myself. I want to be happy wherever I go and learn to grow. I want to be strong and focus on my career goals but I want to achieve my goals while learning to be happy no matter the situation. As this new chapter of my life begins I look back on what I have achieved during my senior year and can not help to feel proud of myself. I have volunteered, joined various clubs, and finished with a 3.7 GPA. It might not be much for some people but for me, I have worked my hardest to make my family proud. There are things I need to work on but while working on myself both mentally and physically I know I will learn and grow no matter what.

The field of interest I have chosen to major in this year is Primary education. One of the main reasons I have chosen to pursue that career is to make a change. My name is Anabella HIjuitl-Grande and I am a first generation. As a first generation, I know the value of learning. It is so important to learn how to read and write at a young age. However many young kids do not have the opportunities or resources to learn. My goal in my career is to help students receive the education they deserve. I want to contribute to society by helping teach the future generation. Teaching might not be a life-saving career but one thing I have noticed is that many people including myself all have one teacher who has impacted our lives greatly. I would like to have that same impact on one of my student's lives. My personal goal to reach my career is to be the best version of myself in college. I want to socialize more and learn to love myself more. In high school, I dedicated most of my time to my grades and getting involved in extracurriculars. I still want to continue having good grades and getting involved but I also want to learn to love myself and to love others around me more. What motivates me to become a teacher is the effort my parents have contributed to my life. The way they work every day to give me the best of the best is what keeps me motivated. I want to make them proud and make their efforts worth it. I am not sure what this new chapter of my life will have for me but one thing I know for sure is without my family and teachers I would not have made it. O thank them for their efforts and support.

My name is Anabella Hijuitl Grande and I am a senior in the state of Pennsylvania. I am Mexican American and I am first generation and plan on attending community college in the fall. I plan to major in primary education in college. During high school, I managed to receive honor roll all four years. Some extracurriculars I have been in are the National Honor Society, DECA, Sending Sunshine, Hope 4 Hearts, and Horticulture Club. I never expected to be interested in the field of education. One thing that made me want to pursue it was the idea of my career impacting someone's life. I have many teachers who have motivated me and have encouraged me to be the best version of myself. Their words and lessons have built me into the person I am today. Without my teachers, I would have probably given up but with their kind words, I have become more confident. I want to become a teacher to help others and create the same impact that my teachers have had on me. As a Latina, there have been a lot of obstacles I have had to deal with. I have been looked down on because of my skin color many times. Whether it be people thinking I do not understand what their saying or thinking of me as a minority because of my ethnicity I have overcome each situation and instead of giving up, I have made it a goal of mine to become a better version of myself. Believe it or not, each situation has helped me become stronger. It is disheartening knowing some people still think of people of color as less but it has encouraged me to continue studying, proving to others and myself that I am capable of anything no matter my background. This scholarship would help me continue my education. It would help contribute to my dream of helping others. It has not been an easy four years. I spent my first year of high school virtually because of COVID-19 and had to battle with my self-confidence when I went back to school. Despite the obstacles, my family has been with me each time. I want to make them proud and would love to become the first in my family to complete college and to continue the legacy of my ancestors. I thank my parents, sister, and teachers for always being by my side and for helping me become a better person.

My name is Anabella Hijuitl-Grande. I am currently a senior and live in the state of Pennsylvania. I am a first generation and plan on attending community college and then transferring to a four-year year. I plan on majoring in primary education. I never thought I would be interested in the field of education. The main reason why I decided to major in education was because I want to contribute towards the future. I might not be making life-saving discoveries or making millions but I know that when I become a teacher I will be teaching future scientists, athletes, doctors and so much more. Helping children find their passions is what motivated me to pick the field of education. The career path of education excites me because of the new experiences I will be learning. It could take years until I am used to teaching but learning about new cultures and learning more about a student each day is what keeps me motivated. I love learning new things no matter what the topic is. Everyone likes it when they find someone to talk to about their passions. I want to be the person students look for to talk about a topic they are passionate about. It brings me excitement to know what new things I will be learning over the years in my career. One of my goals while teaching is to make sure my students feel safe and think of me as a person they can rely on. I want my classroom to lead with respect and for my students to have confidence in themselves. I want to advocate for my students in any way I can. Many times ideas or topics get thrown out just because a person is a female. I however want to change that and want to lead as an inspiration for other women. I want to change the way women are viewed in the education system by being a voice for them. I plan on dedicating part of my career to speaking out about the injustice of women in the education field and fighting for better respect. I come from a bloodline of strong women. Each one has fought for their rights and has inspired me greatly in wanting to give back. I want to continue my education and make them proud. I want to give back to my community, family, and future students. My career might not be the best choice in many people's eyes but for me, it is a way I will be able to give back. I thank my family and teachers for always believing in me and my dreams.

My name is Anabella Hijuitl-Grande. I am a High school senior in the state of Pennsylvania. I am Mexican American and am first generation. I plan on going to college in the fall and studying early education. Many things contributed to my desire to become a teacher but one of them is to help others in similar situations as me. Since I am a first generation my parents had many difficulties when they first came to this country. They had limited options when they first arrived in the US. My mother and father wanted to continue their education but because many situations arose in their homes they decided to come to America. Despite the hard days of work they always ensured that I continued my education. I was lucky enough to learn English at a young age and quickly balanced speaking English at school and Spanish at home. There is a huge wave of people coming from other countries to America, especially in the state of Pennsylvania. Many students find it difficult to adjust to the change of countries. When I was in elementary school there were no teachers who spoke Spanish. I remember many occasions were I was called down to help a new student who did not understand English. I did not mind helping other students but now looking back it is something I want to work towards changing. I want to help students in these situations. I want to build new experiences for these students and help them build confidence. I have many ideas I want to do when I start teaching but one of those goals is to get more involved with the families of the students. So many families are not aware of the different resources available. I want to give as much help as I can to these families and help them adjust to the system. I want to encourage students to look for their passions and to follow their dreams. There are many things I want to accomplish in my teaching career. I know that with my goals I will be able to achieve whatever comes my way. My perseverance in making a difference is huge. I plan on continuing to help others in college and plan on helping as many people as I can after I receive my degree in teaching. I thank my family and teachers for always listening to me and for believing in my dreams.

My name is Anabella Hijuitl-Grande. I am a senior in Delaware County, Pennsylvania. I am planning on going to college in the fall and majoring in education. I specifically plan on majoring in primary education. I am Bilingual and plan on using my knowledge to help students from different countries. Pennsylvania has a huge population of Hispanic students. Specifically, in Philadelphia the majority of the students enrolling are new to the US. I want to help better the education of kids from other countries and help them adapt to the English language. Helping new students learn about the English language can help them and make their education journey easier. A teacher that I never forget is my first-grade teacher Mrs.Miller. She was one of the sweetest teachers. Even after I finished first grade she continued to be nice and always listened to my crazy remarks. As a senior in high school I have had many teachers but I always remember Mrs.Miller. The impact she had on my life is the same impact I want to give to students. I want to make the same impact on a student. The drive to become a teacher came from seeing the impact a teacher can have on a person's life. Primary school is where a person learns to read, write, and count. It might not sound important but those lessons will eventually contribute to the person's future career. Whether they become a doctor, firefighter, or journalist, knowing that my lessons were able to help students fulfill their dreams is what inspires me to become a teacher. It is a life-changing opportunity to become a teacher and help the future generation. I never thought I would become a teacher. It is a career path I never imagined choosing. Seeing the effort my parents gave towards my education is the same effort I want to give towards my career. I want to become a successful teacher to help students discover their dreams and encourage them to never give up. I am unsure about what will happen in the future but one thing I know for sure is I always prioritize my education. No matter where I go I plan on making the best out of my family's support and doing the best I can to achieve my dreams. I thank my teachers and my family for always listening to me and for encouraging me to continue my academic career.

My name is Anabella Hijuitl-Grande and moved to Academy Park High School last year. I am a first generation and plan on attending college in the fall. I am bilingual and plan on majoring in primary education in college. When I first moved to Academy Park for my senior year it was a mix of emotions. I was happy about finally being a senior but I also felt sad because of the change of schools. In the months I have been in Academy Park one thing I will keep with me throughout college is the amazing teachers I had this year. The determination of the teachers at Academy Park is unmatched. Despite the setbacks of the district or problems throughout the years they have managed to give their all. I have had great teachers in Academy Park. Each one has taught me things that I will cherish forever. Their attention to detail for each of their students is admirable. Their motivation has encouraged me to major in education. For the longest time, I did not know what I wanted to be when I got older but when I saw the effect a teacher can have on a person I decided to go for education. I am specifically studying primary education because I want to make an impact on the youth. Whether it be making them laugh or teaching them something new it would fulfill my dream of making a difference. I went above and beyond for my community when I helped clean up a courtyard and also helped make cards for children at CHOP and people in retirement homes in Canada. It might not be the biggest impact but I like to think that my efforts made someone's day better. I did not know Ethan but when I moved and went around the community I saw a banner that had his name and picture. I did not think much about it but when school started the more I heard his name being mentioned. I looked into the foundation and learned that Ethan was a great human being who did good acts of kindness without expecting something in return. Even if I did not know him his generosity towards people is admirable. Ethan's story has inspired me to continue helping others. I plan on opening an after-school program and help students with homework and help them go above and beyond for their education. The unity of the community I have seen and heard to keep Ethan's memory alive is the same energy I want to give back to the community. I want to reach people and help better their education. I thank my family and teachers for always listening to me and believing in me.

My name is Anabella Hijuitl-Grande I am from Delco and have lived in Pennsylvania my whole life. I am a senior in high school and plan on majoring in education. I am still deciding what college to commit to for the fall semester. I plan on going to a two year and then transferring to a four year. I have been in a total of four clubs and have managed to get honor roll all four years of high school. I plan on continuing to join clubs and doing better academically in college. I was able to succeed in high school because of the efforts of my parents. They bought my supplies for school and always encouraged me to continue my studies, My parents did not have the same opportunities many have in the US. I have seen my parents fight through racism, criticism, and many hardships in life to get me to continue my education. I would like for my success to include my parents. I want to help them open a business of their own and help them buy their dream home. My parents have emphasized that it is not an obligation for me to include them in my plans but it is the least I can do to thank them for always being there, and for always encouraging me to continue my education and use my knowledge for good. I want my future success to include bringing happiness and comfort to other people. With my degree in education, I plan on teaching and opening my own After school program. My program would help students with homework and help them discover themselves. I want to encourage the youth to look for their dream at a young age. Nowadays younger kids get criticized by society for their dreams. I would love to encourage kids to build confidence and follow their dreams. My program would also reach out to less fortunate communities by offering help to better the education of students in low-ranked schools. With my success, I plan on donating my money to organizations I feel strongly about. One of those is helping rehab centers. Many times society forgets about people with addictions. Society is quick to judge and does not care to help people with addictions. I however respect the people who are trying to better their lives by recovering. With my determination, I plan on helping those fighting the addiction by offering food and supplies so that they can get back on their feet. My plan might not be perfect but I know my stubbornness. I know that I never let one mistake define my journey. I have had a lot of things in my life go wrong but I have overcome them and have fought harder than ever to get where I am today. With this opportunity, it would help fund my future education. it would help me achieve my dream of helping younger kids and helping those less fortunate. I have big dreams and with the opportunity, it would be a big contribution toward achieving my dream. I am thankful to my family and teachers for always pushing me to do better and for always being there to listen to my crazy ideas.

Ever since I can remember watching a movie always made me feel better no matter the situation. Watching a movie is not just temporary entertainment. For me, every film whether good or bad is indulging. I love learning about the actors, the plot, and what it took to make the film. I spend hours thinking about movies going back to them and learning about the lore behind them. I have watched many movies and have many favorite movies but if I had to choose one film to watch for the rest of my life it would have to be La La Land. The effect the film La La Land had on me is unexplainable. It has been nine years since the film came out and I still think about it. The movie is about a woman trying to make it as an actress and a man trying to make it as a jazz artist. What I appreciate about the filmmakers is how they made both characters relatable. Both characters are opposites, both of them have different dreams and are on different paths. Despite their different paths they find each other and fall in love. The director did an amazing job telling their story and developing each character. With such a great plot building up, I never expected the director to make such a drastic twist for the ending. I will admit that I expected both characters to stay together at the end. The director did a great job building up the anticipation for the characters. The film made the viewer root for the characters. Even if they did not end up together the admiration the characters have for each other broke something inside of me. The film believe it or not showed me the reality of life. As much as I would love to live happily ever after, I need to go through obstacles in life and learn from my mistakes. The actors did such an amazing job in the film. Every time I watch the film their acting always indulges me. The colors and music throughout the film are what bring together the film. The mood change and the different life events are depicted by the color change and the music brings out the feelings of the characters. I will never stop talking about how well this film was made. The effort from everyone in the crew is notable and admirable. La La Land is a beautiful film and a work of art. It is such a relatable film and brings me comfort every time I watch it. It is a reminder that while life might get hard there is always a happy ending.

My name is Anabella Hijuitl-Grande and I plan on majoring in primary education in the fall. There are many reasons I decided to pursue education but one of the major reasons is I want to make a difference in a child's life. With all the expectations of the upcoming generation, I want to make my students confident and pursue their dreams without having the fear of being judged. I never expected to pursue education. What made me choose the path of education was seeing the positive impact a teacher can have on a student's life. Many people have at least one teacher that has impacted their lives. Whether it be a small gesture or a lesson they learned, it makes an impact on someone's life. I want to create the same impact on a student's life. I hope to change many lives and to change the way people think of teachers. There might be careers that pay more or have more advantages than being a teacher. For me, there is nothing richer than giving back to the future. Eventually, the students I teach will have their careers they will be successful. I will be helping teach future doctors, politicians, and engineers. It is fulfilling to know how much my career path can give back to the future. I am lucky to have more than one teacher who has changed my life. One of them is my first-grade teacher. I never met someone so kind and patient as her. She always taught me to be kind towards others and to be confident in myself. Some people might think that first grade is too young for a student to remember their teacher but for me, it has never been the case. I have never forgotten the fun times in her class and have never forgotten her kind words. I do not doubt that the career of being an educator is hard. Spending months with more the twenty students a day and making sure each one is safe at all times is honorable. As educators, the main goal is to guide and teach the future the right path. I want to be a part of that. I want to take the honor and responsibility of building the future. I am grateful every day for the teachers that were put in my path. They have all contributed to my knowledge and have created memories I will treasure forever. I hope to one day create lifelong memories with my students.

My name is Anabella HIjuitl-Grande. I am a senior in Pennslyvania and live in Delco. I will be the first in my family to attend college. I plan to major in education. My goal in the future is to be a teacher and to open an afterschool program. With my program, I want to teach the youth about helping others and make learning fun. I walk around every day knowing I am representing my family name. As a first generation going beyond high school was always my goal. Despite the struggles in high school I have managed to be on the honor roll all four years. Some extracurriculars I have been in are DECA, Environmental Horticulture Club, Sending Sunshine, and Hope 4 Hearts. I am thankful every day for the family I was given. The support my family has given me in my education has encouraged me to continue my education and to use my name for good. My idea after college is to become a teacher. While gaining experience in teaching I later plan on opening an afterschool program. I want to use new teaching methods and grow the minds of the youth. My afterschool program would focus on helping to build consistency and increase the confidence of my students. I want the youth to find learning fun and to make impacting memories for my students. With my career, I plan on giving back to my community and giving back to those in need. I would love to give back to other countries as well. Many people in other countries do not have the same opportunities as students in the US. With my ideas and determination, I could reach out to many people with fewer opportunities in small communities. I am scared to start this new chapter in my life. I have no doubt there will be days where I want to give up but knowing people are supporting me will keep me going. It might not be easy and it definitely will cost me a lot of effort but thinking about the lives I will be changing with my major makes me believe in myself. Encouragement from others and especially from myself is important. Without it, I would have never taken the opportunities I took in high school and it would have never let me grow from my mistakes. I thank my teachers for being there when I needed help and my family for always encouraging me to do my best.

My favorite K-pop group would have to be NCT. The group's sound and different style caught my eye and had me hooked. I started being a fan of NCT in 2016 and have not stopped supporting them ever since. However, I will admit that joining the fandom is confusing but refreshing. NCT as of today has twenty-six members. It is overwhelming to keep up with so many members but it is what makes NCT unique. They have helped me discover myself and helped me connect with others. Since each member NCT is different, sub-units were created to fit each member. Not only do NCT Fans get new music almost every month but it helps each member have their moment. Even if new fans are not fans of a specific genre there are other NCT units to fit their preference. Starting new trends is something NCT is known for. Many of their hits became popular on TikTok and have helped bring new fans. The different beats and dances that go with their songs are unmatched. Middle school for me was hard. It caused my mental health to deteriorate and caused me to be insecure. Coming home and watching any video by NCT instantly made me feel better. Many of the members were very vocal in expressing their feelings and made me feel comfortable opening up about my feelings with the people closest to me. The fandom holds a special spot in my life. Not only are the fans funny but it is probably one of the chillest fandoms. I have been in other K-pop fandoms before but NCT's is built differently. It is so chaotic and fun to be a part of. Even if I never meet NCT in person I can tell each comeback is special to them. The passion and effort they give towards their performances is insane. Some of the members are a part of multiple subunits or have different projects going on. Despite their agenda, the passion they have to get things done is unmatchable. A big thing I have noticed while being in the fandom is the attention the group has towards the fandom. When NCT interacts with the fans they already know inside jokes about the fandom and are always willing to listen to the fandom. I thank NCT for helping me get through life and for always encouraging the fandom to be good to the people around us.

My name is Anabella Hijuitl-Grande. I am a high school senior in Pennsylvania. I am a first-generation student and plan on attending college in the fall. One of the best memories I had when I was younger was when my parents would take me to the library. The library not only grew my love for reading but also made me appreciate the work authors and illustrators give towards publishing a book. When I entered middle school the happiness of reading went away. I had a hard time adjusting to middle school, the atmosphere and the shift in age were a contributor to my mental health decreasing. When the 2020 pandemic hit it made me find myself again. I started reading again but this time I was reading more every week. I would spend hours in my home reading every day. I found so many authors and so many fandoms that helped me rediscover myself and that have shaped my teenage years. One of the books that broke me in 2023 is Dance of Thieves by Mary E. Pearson. When I would look for new books to add to my to-be-read list I kept seeing Dance of Thieves. I am not the biggest fan of kingdom-based books, but because of the buzz it had on BookTok, I decided to give it a chance. It is such a gut-wrenching book. From the characters to the setting everything is perfect. The fan art and discussions from the book are so fun. Dumplin and Puddin are by the author Julie Murphy. Both books take place in the same town. Each book focuses on females breaking barriers. I never get bored of reading both books. All three books mentioned make an ideal bookshelf and are books every person should read at least once. BookTok has grown so much in the past year, not only has it gotten people back into reading but it has also helped independent authors get recognized. It is refreshing to see different genres of books being talked about on big platforms. I can always depend on a book to make me feel better. Since the reading community has gotten so big it has also connected me with people with similar interests. It is a judgment-free zone that helps me build confidence in my persona. I can not thank every person in the BookTok community but I do however thank the authors that have made me laugh and have connected me with amazing people.

My family has helped me reach my goals and supported me through my ups and downs. As a first-generation daughter, I have seen the difficulties my parents had to go through to give me the best. My mother is the strongest woman I have ever met. Despite the challenges she has faced, she always maintains a positive attitude. She gives me the best advice and reassures me every day to work towards my dreams and never lose faith. I have never seen anyone work as hard as my father. My dad starts his day working in construction at seven in the morning. He comes home, changes, and then goes back to work at a restaurant. My father works about fourteen hours a week nonstop. Even if he has hard days he always comes home with a smile on his face and asks me how my day was. Both my parents mean the world to me. They have taught me all I know and have reminded me to be kind to others. People have the idea that older siblings have to be role models for their younger siblings. However, my little sister has been a role model for me. I can not thank her enough for choosing me as her sister. I will probably never admit to my little sister, but she is one of the kindest people I know. She treats people with kindness and never judges others. She has taught me to be my true self and to never forget my values in life. Growing up I had a hard time being confident. My sister without knowing helped me be more confident. Her presence next to me has helped me be stronger and to believe in myself no matter what. I am glad we were put together in this lifetime and can not wait to live many more years beside my best friend. The prompt asked me to write about someone who has impacted my life and that has helped me realize my full potential. I however could not choose only one person in my family. Each one has helped in ways that I will forever be grateful for. Each achievement I have gotten is thanks to them. I plan on graduating high school and being the first in my family to attend college this year. I will be majoring in Education and with the support of my family I hope to continue growing and learning.

I'm lucky to have two hard-working parents who have raised me with love and support. I've seen the sweat and tears my parents give towards their jobs every day, 365 days a year. My parents help anyone they can. Their generosity and work ethic have inspired me to give back with my choice of career path. Giving back is one of many reasons why I choose to pursue education. Teaching the youth to give back is so important because it changes the mindset of how the youth sees the world. I want to grow the minds of the youth and break the stereotypes of the education system. Many aren't confident in the future generation. However, I plan on improving the strengths of many students and making them comfortable in being themselves. Improving the education of young children is something I strive for. I want to ensure a fun, safe environment and make a difference in the youth by teaching new ways of learning and growing. Being a teacher will allow me to change the lives of others and teach me how to become a better version of myself.

My love for films began from a young age. I would spend houses rewatching and indulging in the behind-the-scenes. Whether the film was good or bad, I would spend my free time learning about the actors and spend months obsessing. Some might find it unnecessary, but for me, it brings me comfort knowing that there are other people all over the world sharing a similar love for film. As a big film consumer, a film that has grabbed my attention and hasn't left my mind since I've seen it is Society of the Snow. Society of the Snow is a thriller and adventure film. The story focuses on a Uruguayan rugby team being stranded in the cold mountains. I've seen many films try to cast actors to look similar to the real person, but most of the time it is either similar or it doesn't look similar at all, but Society of the Snow didn't miss at all. The actors did a great job bringing these characters back to life. It was shocking to me to find out that some of the cast members had never acted in a film before. There are so many scenes in the film that had me on edge. The director of the film did such an amazing job portraying the environment of the mountains as well as picking such good actors. Something I always look forward to is a film score, and Society of the Snow did not disappoint. It's so gut-wrenching watching the characters go through so many emotions, and the background instruments added so much emotion to the scenes. It's beautiful what the people behind the scenes were like. capable of doing for the film. The effects throughout the film were phenomenal. What makes this film different from the others is the attention to detail. I'm still in disbelief about how the film crew spent months in the cold, snowy mountains filming and afterward spent hours editing so many details. Representation is so important, especially in the film industry. It is refreshing to see Latino filmmakers being acknowledged by people all around the world. The film itself is such an experience. For the two hours I spent watching the film, I felt connected to the characters and felt so many emotions while watching the film. Every little detail in the film is so well done and it is a film that everyone should watch at least once.