LoginJoin Bold.org
user profile avatar

Andrea Ponce-Oliva

1x

Finalist

1x

Winner

General information

Hobbies & Interests

  • Baking
  • Cooking
  • Fiddle
  • Football
  • Mental Health
  • Food And Eating
  • YouTube
  • Weightlifting
  • Volunteering
  • Walking
  • Violin
  • True Crime
  • Studying
  • Sports
  • Spanish
  • Spending Time With Friends and Family
  • Pet Care
  • Advocacy And Activism
  • Animals
  • American Sign Language (ASL)
  • Babysitting And Childcare
  • Basketball
  • Ballet
  • Beach
  • Biology
  • Blogging
  • Bible Study
  • Board Games And Puzzles
  • Candle Making
  • Cheerleading
  • Athletic Training
  • Ceramics And Pottery
  • Calligraphy
  • Child Development
  • Cleaning
  • Coffee
  • Community Service And Volunteering
  • Church
  • Concerts
  • Communications
  • Cosmetology
  • Crafting
  • Criminal Justice
  • Crocheting
  • Culinary Arts
  • Dance
  • Drawing And Illustration
  • Electric Guitar
  • Ethics
  • Fashion
  • FBLA
  • Foreign Languages
  • French
  • Health Sciences
  • Journaling
  • Latin Dance
  • Meditation and Mindfulness
  • Korean
  • Sewing
  • Writing
  • Travel And Tourism
  • Social Media
  • Social Sciences
  • Sleeping
  • Scrapbooking
  • Stargazing
  • Embroidery And Cross Stitching
  • Hospitality
  • Exercise Science
  • Forensics

Reading

  • Adventure
  • Art
  • Biography
  • Classics
  • Crafts
  • Criticism
  • Folklore
  • Horror
  • History
  • Young Adult
  • Women's Fiction
  • True Story
  • Tragedy
  • Thriller
  • Suspense
  • Social Issues
  • Social Science
  • Short Stories
  • Self-Help
  • Romance
  • Psychology
  • Politics
  • Philosophy
  • Novels
  • Mystery
  • Speculative Fiction
  • Cookbooks
  • Drama
  • Juvenile

I read books multiple times a week.

Bio

My name is Andrea, but I go by Andy. I’m pursuing a career in diagnostic medical sonography to bring comfort and joy to mothers-to-be. As the only child of immigrant parents, I’ve witnessed their sacrifices and learned independence, diligence, and gratitude. These values guide me to build a future rooted in care and compassion, motivated by a calling to support others through life-changing moments. Continuing this spirit of support, I’ve always loved helping others—whether volunteering at animal shelters and food drives or managing my school’s sports teams. Sports have become a true passion, giving me a sense of purpose, teamwork, and belonging—qualities I deeply value. The past year brought some of the most complex challenges of my life. I was diagnosed with major depressive disorder (recurrent) and anxiety, which deeply impacted my academics. I had always been a straight-A student, but that changed after my diagnosis. On top of that, I faced a rough start to senior year—enduring judgment, social difficulties, and the loss of a pregnancy. When my longtime partner left, I had to face it all on my own. Even so, I’ve kept pushing forward. Losing my baby gave me a more profound sense of purpose: to help others experience the happiness I could not. It inspired me to dedicate my future to sonography—using the resilience and empathy born from loss to help others. This opportunity would support my education, honor my parents’ sacrifices, and allow me to pursue a career built on care, compassion, and healing.

Education

Annapolis High

High School

2022 – 2026

Miscellaneous

Desired degree level:
Associate's degree program
Majors of interest:
Health and Medical Administrative Services, Health/Medical Preparatory Programs, Medical Illustration and Informatics, Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services, Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
Desired degree modality:
In-Person
Medical school interest:
No

Career

  • Server

    Restaurants · Jongro BBQ

    Jan 2026 – Present

  • Hosting

    Restaurants · Rinconsito Mexican Restaurant

    Jan 2023 – Present

Miscellaneous

Dream career field:
Medical Practice
Dream career goals:
My long-term goal is to become a highly skilled diagnostic medical sonographer who provides compassionate, patient-centered care in both hospital and women’s health settings. I want to specialize in obstetric and gynecologic sonography, supporting expectant mothers during some of the most meaningful moments of their lives. Eventually, I hope to continue my education to become a lead sonographer or educator, mentoring future students entering the field. Most importantly, I want to use my experiences and empathy to make every patient feel seen, cared for, and comforted by turning my own challenges into a source of strength and healing for others.
Work experience:
0 years
Has nursing license:
No

Future Interests

  • Advocacy
  • Politics
  • Volunteering
  • Entrepreneurship
Brooks Martin Memorial Scholarship
Winner
I never expected to feel so alone in a crowded world. When I learned I had lost my baby as a teenager, the news struck with a piercing ache that rippled through my chest and limbs, my grief saturating every heartbeat. The sting of judgment and whispers in hallways burned like salt in a wound, each glance and hushed word weighing down my spirit. Exposed and trembling beneath others’ eyes, I battled loss, shame, and confusion, my heartbeat thrumming with fear in the silent moments. Still, every morning I forced myself up, breath by unsteady breath. At 17, innocence evaporated, replaced by a desperate, raw need to find courage and some reason to keep hoping. Structure and achievement once gave me a sense of safety, straight A’s lined up like stepping stones to my future, reassuring me I belonged. But after the pregnancy, the loss, and my partner’s quiet departure, my world spun off its axis. Each new diagnosis, major depressive disorder and anxiety, felt like a heavy hand closing around my chest. I woke up dreading the quiet, every silence thickened by the ache of becoming invisible at school, kindness replaced by sidelong glances and rumors. But in the deep ache of heartbreak, a stubborn spark grew inside me, determined, steely, and unwilling to let pain define me. Through this journey, my empathy and self-awareness evolved to a depth I had never known. Facing teen pregnancy and loss taught me responsibility, patience, and the importance of caring deeply for myself and others. I learned to navigate complex emotions, advocate for my own healing, and extend understanding to those around me, knowing that everyone carries unseen struggles. This experience also solidified my aspiration to pursue a career in diagnostic medical sonography. Having experienced both the anticipation and heartbreak of pregnancy firsthand, I saw how crucial support, empathy, and clear communication from medical professionals are during such vulnerable times. Witnessing the positive impact compassionate care had on me motivated me to enter this field, so I can offer the same reassurance and hope to others during their milestones or struggles. My goal now is to provide both technical excellence and heartfelt support, inspired by my journey and loss, to make a meaningful difference for families in challenging moments. Each day since the loss, I walk through life with more intent. Some mornings, I still feel the slap of the ache. But now, pain gives way to resolution. I reach out more, listen more closely, and treasure authentic connections. My grief, while forever part of me, has become fuel for strength and a constant reminder to live and love with purpose. Through this scholarship, I honor Brooks’s legacy, showing the raw courage it takes to rebuild after profound loss. I feel resilience in every choice I make to rise above pain, reminding myself daily that hope is possible. This lesson shapes my every action as I pursue service, compassion, and healing.
Andrea Ponce-Oliva Student Profile | Bold.org