Being diverse in the workplace is important to me for so many reasons, but most importantly I want to inspire underrepresented groups to pursue a degree in STEM. I fully understand the significance of being diverse or a minority. My grandparents were migrant workers from Mexico and neither of them were able to receive an education past middle school. Both of my parents have overcome great odds. My mom grew up in over 18 homes and lived in poverty and homeless shelters before joining the Army while my dad, the son of migrant workers, joined the Army directly out of high school. I am the product of my family's hardships and hard work. My goal is to obtain a degree in mechanical or chemical engineering so I can pursue a career where I can not only help the community that my family was a part of, but the entire world. I would like to use my knowledge of engineering to create something to make life easier for those who struggle financially. The way I intend to do that is by finding a more affordable option to manufacture simple necessities so that people can save more money to support themselves and their families. Math skills are needed to be successful in engineering. I am continuously practicing and I have also helped others sharpen their math skills. Throughout the last school year, I tutored a younger student each week to help develop her problem solving skills and her math confidence. Teaching her math vocabulary was instrumental in her problem solving abilities. An important lesson I wanted to instill in my student is what to do when you arrive at the wrong answer. I taught her how to go break down the problems to find out where she went wrong and to continue solving from where the mistake was made. I taught her how to take what you know and to build upon that knowledge to solve various problems. I enjoyed teaching her different ways to look at problems and different ways to solve them. My experiences teaching others has helped me grow and understand how other people think which will be beneficial in working with others in the engineering field. In completing an engineering degree, I will be able to attain a job in engineering where I will make a positive impact in our world. I will be a roll model for all students in overcoming the odds and working hard to succeed. My goal is to use my engineering skills to create something that will help people's quality of life, inspire other young underrepresented people interested in STEM and make significant differences.

My grandparents were migrant workers from Mexico and neither of them were able to receive an education past middle school. Both of my parents grew up poor and my father was the first person on his side of the family to receive a high school degree. My parents both joined the United States military to service our country. I am the product of my family's hardships and hard work. My goal is to obtain a degree in mechanical or chemical engineering so I can pursue a career where I can not only help the community that my family was a part of, but the entire world. I would like to use my knowledge of engineering to create something to make life easier for those who struggle financially. The way I intend to do that is by finding a more affordable option to manufacture simple necessities so that people can save more money to support themselves and their families. Math skills are needed to be successful in engineering. I am continuously practicing and I have also helped others sharpen their math skills. Throughout the last school year, I tutored a younger student each week to help develop her problem solving skills and her math confidence. Teaching her math vocabulary was instrumental in her problem solving abilities. An important lesson I wanted to instill in my student is what to do when you arrive at the wrong answer. I taught her how to go break down the problems to find out where she went wrong and to continue solving from where the mistake was made. I taught her how to take what you know and to build upon that knowledge to solve various problems. I enjoyed teaching her different ways to look at problems and different ways to solve them. My experiences teaching others has helped me grow and understand how other people think which will be beneficial in working with others in the engineering field. In completing an engineering degree, I will be able to attain a job in engineering where I will make a positive impact in our world. I will be a roll model for all students in overcoming the odds and working hard to succeed. My goal is to use my engineering skills to create something that will help people's quality of life, inspire other young people interested in STEM and make significant differences.

My grandparents were migrant workers from Mexico and neither of them were able to receive an education past middle school. Both of my parents grew up poor and my father was the first person on his side of the family to receive a high school degree. I am the product of my family's hardships and hard work. My goal is to obtain a degree in math and engineering so I can pursue a career where I can not only help the community that my family was a part of, but the entire world. I would like to use my knowledge to create something to make life easier for those who struggle financially. The way I intend to accomplish this is by finding a more affordable option to manufacture simple necessities so that people can save more money to support themselves and their families. I am very passionate about math. Math is something that helps me understand the world better, but studying science would help me apply math in more areas. I would like to continue to study math during my time in college. Throughout the last school year, I tutored a younger student each week to help develop her problem solving skills and her math confidence. Teaching her math vocabulary was instrumental in her problem solving abilities. An important lesson I wanted to instill in my student is what to do when you arrive at the wrong answer. I taught her how to go break down the problems to find out where she went wrong and to continue solving from where the mistake was made. I taught her how to take what you know and to build upon that knowledge to solve various problems. I enjoyed teaching her different ways to look at problems and different ways to solve them. My experiences teaching others has helped me grow and understand how other people think which will be beneficial in working with others in the engineering field. In completing a math and engineering degree, I will be able to attain a job in engineering where I will make a positive impact in our world. I will be a roll model for all students in overcoming the odds and working hard to succeed. My goal is to use my engineering skills to create something that will help people's quality of life, inspire other young people interested in STEM and make significant differences.

My grandparents were migrant workers from Mexico and neither of them were able to receive an education past middle school. Both of my parents grew up poor and my father was the first person on his side of the family to receive a high school degree. My parents both joined the United States military to service our country. I am the product of my family's hardships and hard work. My goal is to obtain a degree in mechanical or chemical engineering so I can pursue a career where I can not only help the community that my family was a part of, but the entire world. I would like to use my knowledge of engineering to create something to make life easier for those who struggle financially. The way I intend to do that is by finding a more affordable option to manufacture simple necessities so that people can save more money to support themselves and their families. I am very passionate about math. Math is something that helps me understand the world better, but studying science would help me apply math in more areas. I would like to continue learning more about math and science during my time in college. Throughout the last school year, I tutored a younger student each week to help develop her problem solving skills and her math confidence. Teaching her math vocabulary was instrumental in her problem solving abilities. An important lesson I wanted to instill in my student is what to do when you arrive at the wrong answer. I taught her how to go break down the problems to find out where she went wrong and to continue solving from where the mistake was made. I taught her how to take what you know and to build upon that knowledge to solve various problems. I enjoyed teaching her different ways to look at problems and different ways to solve them. My experiences teaching others has helped me grow and understand how other people think which will be beneficial in working with others in the engineering field. The obstacles I will encounter in pursuing my degree in STEM is financial. I have proven throughout my high school education that I can work hard and excel at what I set out to do, but the cost of college will be my biggest challenge thus far. In completing an engineering degree, I will be able to attain a job in engineering where I will make a positive impact in our world. I will be a roll model for all students in overcoming the odds and working hard to succeed. My goal is to use my engineering skills to create something that will help people's quality of life, inspire other young women interested in STEM and make significant differences.

My grandparents were migrant workers from Mexico and neither of them were able to receive an education past middle school. Both of my parents grew up poor and my father was the first person on his side of the family to receive a high school degree. My parents both joined the United States military to service our country. I am the product of my family's hardships and hard work. My goal is to obtain a degree in mechanical or chemical engineering so I can pursue a career where I can not only help the community that my family was a part of, but the entire world. I would like to use my knowledge of engineering to create something to make life easier for those who struggle financially. The way I intend to do that is by finding a more affordable option to manufacture simple necessities so that people can save more money to support themselves and their families. I am very passionate about math. Math is something that helps me understand the world better, but studying science would help me apply math in more areas. I would like to continue learning more about math and science during my time in college. Throughout the last school year, I tutored a younger student each week to help develop her problem solving skills and her math confidence. Teaching her math vocabulary was instrumental in her problem solving abilities. An important lesson I wanted to instill in my student is what to do when you arrive at the wrong answer. I taught her how to go break down the problems to find out where she went wrong and to continue solving from where the mistake was made. I taught her how to take what you know and to build upon that knowledge to solve various problems. I enjoyed teaching her different ways to look at problems and different ways to solve them. My experiences teaching others has helped me grow and understand how other people think which will be beneficial in working with others in the engineering field. In completing an engineering degree, I will be able to attain a job in engineering where I will make a positive impact in our world. I will be a roll model for all students in overcoming the odds and working hard to succeed. My goal is to use my engineering skills to create something that will help people's quality of life, inspire other young people interested in STEM and make significant differences.

My grandparents were migrant workers from Mexico and neither of them were able to receive an education past middle school. Both of my parents grew up poor and my father was the first person on his side of the family to receive a high school degree. My parents both joined the United States military to service our country. I am the product of my family's hardships and hard work. My goal is to obtain a degree in mechanical or chemical engineering so I can pursue a career where I can not only help the community that my family was a part of, but the entire world. I would like to use my knowledge of engineering to create something to make life easier for those who struggle financially. The way I intend to do that is by finding a more affordable option to manufacture simple necessities so that people can save more money to support themselves and their families. I am very passionate about math. Math is something that helps me understand the world better, but studying science would help me apply math in more areas. I would like to continue learning more about math and science during my time in college. Throughout the last school year, I tutored a younger student each week to help develop her problem solving skills and her math confidence. Teaching her math vocabulary was instrumental in her problem solving abilities. An important lesson I wanted to instill in my student is what to do when you arrive at the wrong answer. I taught her how to go break down the problems to find out where she went wrong and to continue solving from where the mistake was made. I taught her how to take what you know and to build upon that knowledge to solve various problems. I enjoyed teaching her different ways to look at problems and different ways to solve them. My experiences teaching others has helped me grow and understand how other people think which will be beneficial in working with others in the engineering field. In completing an engineering degree, I will be able to attain a job in engineering where I will make a positive impact in our world. I will be a roll model for all students in overcoming the odds and working hard to succeed. My goal is to use my engineering skills to create something that will help people's quality of life, inspire other young people interested in STEM and make significant differences.

My grandparents were migrant workers from Mexico and neither of them were able to receive an education past middle school. Both of my parents grew up poor and my father was the first person on his side of the family to receive a high school degree. My parents both joined the United States military to service our country. I am the product of my family's hardships and hard work. My goal is to obtain a degree in mechanical or chemical engineering so I can pursue a career where I can not only help the community that my family was a part of, but the entire world. I would like to use my knowledge of engineering to create something to make life easier for those who struggle financially. The way I intend to do that is by finding a more affordable option to manufacture simple necessities so that people can save more money to support themselves and their families. Math skills are needed to be successful in engineering. I am continuously practicing and I have also helped others sharpen their math skills. Throughout the last school year, I tutored a younger student each week to help develop her problem solving skills and her math confidence. Teaching her math vocabulary was instrumental in her problem solving abilities. An important lesson I wanted to instill in my student is what to do when you arrive at the wrong answer. I taught her how to go break down the problems to find out where she went wrong and to continue solving from where the mistake was made. I taught her how to take what you know and to build upon that knowledge to solve various problems. I enjoyed teaching her different ways to look at problems and different ways to solve them. My experiences teaching others has helped me grow and understand how other people think which will be beneficial in working with others in the engineering field. In completing an engineering degree, I will be able to attain a job in engineering where I will make a positive impact in our world. I will be a roll model for all students in overcoming the odds and working hard to succeed. My goal is to use my engineering skills to create something that will help people's quality of life, inspire other young people interested in STEM and make significant differences.

In completing an engineering degree, I will be able to attain a job in engineering where I will make a positive impact in our world. I will be a roll model for all students in overcoming the odds and working hard to succeed. My goal is to use my knowledge of engineering to create something that will improve people's quality of life, inspire others who are interested in STEM, and make significant differences in our society.

I am drawn to math because it feels like untying a knot. You have to evaluate the problem and decide on the best course of action that is most appropriate in order to efficiently solve it. I enjoy understanding the world around me and math helps me to do that. I use the mind set I have for math in the real world when I make decisions. I take time to analyze the world around so I might understand it better. It could be as simple as organizing my daily schedule and how I am going to complete my tasks in a timely manner. Some other examples of using math is when I am in the kitchen reading recipes, measuring, combining items, and cooking delicious meals or when I am navigating as I hike in the hills with a compass and a map. When I perform in musicals and chorus recitals, I am listening to the music to know when to move or when to begin singing. When I read music, I am constantly thinking about the numbers. I love working with numbers and variables because I like to problem solve. Finding multiple ways to solve a problem is something that I like to do because it helps me to choose the best way to solve that issue. Along with solving my own math problems, I enjoy working in groups and tutoring others. Throughout the last school year, I tutored a younger student each week to help develop her problem solving skills and her math confidence. Teaching her math vocabulary was instrumental in her problem solving abilities. An important lesson I wanted to instill in my student is what to do when you arrive at the wrong answer. I taught her how to go break down the problems to find out where she went wrong and to continue solving from where the mistake was made. I taught her how to take what you know and to build upon that knowledge to solve various problems. I enjoyed teaching her different ways to look at problems and different ways to solve them. My experiences teaching others has helped me grow and understand how to think mathematically in different ways. Math will continue to be the foundation of so many things in my life. After my senior year, my plans are to work towards a major in mathematics, STEM, and engineering at the college level. My goal is to make significant differences in this field in our society.

My grandparents were migrant workers from Mexico and neither of them were able to receive an education past middle school. Both of my parents grew up poor and my father was the first person on his side of the family to receive a high school degree. My parents both joined the United States military to service our country. I am the product of my family's hardships and hard work. There are several people I've met and experiences I have had while attending North Carolina schools that have inspired me to want to pursue a degree in STEM and help others along the way. For the last four years, I have volunteered at the local food bank where I prepared and served food to those in need. I have also collected items and delivered them to migrant workers and the Falcon Children's Home on numerous occasions. It is very rewarding to know that I can make a difference in the lives of people who need it the most. My goal is to obtain a degree in mechanical or chemical engineering so I can pursue a career where I can not only help the community that my family was a part of, but the entire world. I would like to use my knowledge of engineering to create something to make life easier for those who struggle financially. The way I intend to do that is by finding a more affordable option to manufacture simple necessities so that people can save more money to support themselves and their families. I am very passionate about math. Math is something that helps me understand the world better, but studying science would help me apply math in more areas. My high school teachers have helped me develop my problem solving and research skills. I would like to continue learning more about math and science during my time in college. Throughout the last school year, I tutored a younger student each week to help develop her problem solving skills and her math confidence. Teaching her math vocabulary was instrumental in her problem solving abilities. An important lesson I wanted to instill in my student is what to do when you arrive at the wrong answer. I taught her how to go break down the problems to find out where she went wrong and to continue solving from where the mistake was made. I taught her how to take what you know and to build upon that knowledge to solve various problems. I enjoyed teaching her different ways to look at problems and different ways to solve them. My experiences teaching others has helped me grow and understand how other people think which will be beneficial in working with others in the engineering field. In completing an engineering degree, I will be able to attain a job in engineering where I will make a positive impact in our world. I will be a roll model for all students in overcoming the odds and working hard to succeed. My goal is to use my knowledge of engineering to create something that will improve people's quality of life, inspire others who are interested in STEM, and make significant differences in our society.

My grandparents were migrant workers from Mexico and neither of them were able to receive an education past middle school. Both of my parents grew up poor and my father was the first person on his side of the family to receive a high school degree. My parents both joined the United States military to service our country. I am the product of my family's hardships and hard work. There are several people I've met and experiences I have had while attending North Carolina schools that have inspired me to want to pursue a degree in STEM and help others along the way. For the last four years, I have volunteered at the local food bank where I prepared and served food to those in need. I have also collected items and delivered them to migrant workers and the Falcon Children's Home on numerous occasions. It is very rewarding to know that I can make a difference in the lives of people who need it the most. My goal is to obtain a degree in mechanical or chemical engineering so I can pursue a career where I can not only help the community that my family was a part of, but the entire world. I would like to use my knowledge of engineering to create something to make life easier for those who struggle financially. The way I intend to do that is by finding a more affordable option to manufacture simple necessities so that people can save more money to support themselves and their families. I am very passionate about math. Math is something that helps me understand the world better, but studying science would help me apply math in more areas. My high school teachers have helped me develop my problem solving and research skills. I would like to continue learning more about math and science during my time in college. Throughout the last school year, I tutored a younger student each week to help develop her problem solving skills and her math confidence. Teaching her math vocabulary was instrumental in her problem solving abilities. An important lesson I wanted to instill in my student is what to do when you arrive at the wrong answer. I taught her how to go break down the problems to find out where she went wrong and to continue solving from where the mistake was made. I taught her how to take what you know and to build upon that knowledge to solve various problems. I enjoyed teaching her different ways to look at problems and different ways to solve them. My experiences teaching others has helped me grow and understand how other people think which will be beneficial in working with others in the engineering field. In completing an engineering degree, I will be able to attain a job in engineering where I will make a positive impact in our world. I will be a roll model for all students in overcoming the odds and working hard to succeed. My goal is to use my knowledge of engineering to create something that will improve people's quality of life, inspire others who are interested in STEM, and make significant differences in our society.

My grandparents were migrant workers from Mexico and neither of them were able to receive an education past middle school. Both of my parents grew up poor and my father was the first person on his side of the family to receive a high school degree. My parents both joined the United States military to service our country. I am the product of my family's hardships and hard work. There are several people I've met and experiences I have had while attending North Carolina schools that have inspired me to want to pursue a degree in STEM. My goal is to obtain a degree in mechanical or chemical engineering so I can pursue a career where I can not only help the community that my family was a part of, but the entire world. I would like to use my knowledge of engineering to create something to make life easier for those who struggle financially. The way I intend to do that is by finding a more affordable option to manufacture simple necessities so that people can save more money to support themselves and their families. I am very passionate about math. Math is something that helps me understand the world better, but studying science would help me apply math in more areas. My high school teachers have helped me develop my problem solving and research skills. I would like to continue learning more about math and science during my time in college. Throughout the last school year, I tutored a younger student each week to help develop her problem solving skills and her math confidence. Teaching her math vocabulary was instrumental in her problem solving abilities. An important lesson I wanted to instill in my student is what to do when you arrive at the wrong answer. I taught her how to go break down the problems to find out where she went wrong and to continue solving from where the mistake was made. I taught her how to take what you know and to build upon that knowledge to solve various problems. I enjoyed teaching her different ways to look at problems and different ways to solve them. My experiences teaching others has helped me grow and understand how other people think which will be beneficial in working with others in the engineering field. In completing an engineering degree, I will be able to attain a job in engineering where I will make a positive impact in our world. I will be a roll model for all students in overcoming the odds and working hard to succeed. My goal is to use my knowledge of engineering to create something that will improve people's quality of life, inspire others who are interested in STEM, and make significant differences.

My grandparents were migrant workers from Mexico and neither of them were able to receive an education past middle school. Both of my parents grew up poor and my father was the first person on his side of the family to receive a high school degree. My parents both joined the United States military to service our country. I am the product of my family's hardships and hard work. My goal is to obtain a degree in mechanical or chemical engineering so I can pursue a career where I can not only help the community that my family was a part of, but the entire world. I would like to use my knowledge of engineering to create something to make life easier for those who struggle financially. The way I intend to do that is by finding a more affordable option to manufacture simple necessities so that people can save more money to support themselves and their families. I am very passionate about math. Math is something that helps me understand the world better, but studying science would help me apply math in more areas. I would like to continue learning more about math and science during my time in college. Throughout the last school year, I tutored a younger student each week to help develop her problem solving skills and her math confidence. Teaching her math vocabulary was instrumental in her problem solving abilities. An important lesson I wanted to instill in my student is what to do when you arrive at the wrong answer. I taught her how to go break down the problems to find out where she went wrong and to continue solving from where the mistake was made. I taught her how to take what you know and to build upon that knowledge to solve various problems. I enjoyed teaching her different ways to look at problems and different ways to solve them. My experiences teaching others has helped me grow and understand how other people think which will be beneficial in working with others in the engineering field. In completing an engineering degree, I will be able to attain a job in engineering where I will make a positive impact in our world. I will be a roll model for all students in overcoming the odds and working hard to succeed. My goal is to use my engineering skills to create something that will help people's quality of life, inspire other young women interested in STEM and make significant differences.

1 Peter 4:10 NIV "Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms." The information and talents that one may possess are useless unless they are shared for the benefit of others. Throughout my life I have always loved helping others whether it be with academics or by putting a smile on their face. The quality that I value most in myself is my willingness and ability to help others. This past year I have had the pleasure of working with a fourth grader, tutoring her in math. At first she struggled, but later on in the year I started to see lightbulbs going off and I felt like a proud parent. Sometimes working with younger students can be aggravating because they don't always understand right away. Working with younger people takes an abundance of patience which I have, courtesy of my little brother. My patience and hard work all feels worth it when my student walks in with a smile on their face and a one-hundred on their math test in their hands. I have put in over fifteen hours helping to paint sets for my school's musical. By this point in the school year the majority of my time is being spent at school. I was also trusted with setting up props while preparing for my own roles in the musical. I am a very dependable person and have worked hard to help others when they have missed rehearsals. My actions did not go unnoticed and I received the Directors Award at the end of the year. I was delighted in knowing that I was recognized as a leader, but more importantly that my help made a difference in people's lives. There have been several instances where I have been to nursing homes. I have gone through my school as well as with my family while we are on vacation. My favorite thing to do when I am there is sing for the residents. During my visit to Michigan, I sang Edelweiss by Richard Rogers in a small nursing home seemingly in the middle of nowhere. Their reactions made my heart melt. Every time I sang their faces lit up and it makes me incredibly happy knowing that I made their day better. Someone may be extremely intelligent and talented but their knowledge means nothing if they keep it to themselves. Gifts are meant to be shared for the benefit of others. I intend to use my gifts to help the world around me because seeing the lives' of other people improve due to actions that I have made brings me joy. In addition, I hope to inspire others by my actions so they, too, can share their talents with others.

Applying for over forty scholarships has been a great learning experience for so many reasons. When I started applying for scholarships, I did not realize the abundance of categories or themes. My initial thought was that the scholarships would all be for academic achievements. As I've read through hundreds of scholarship applications, I have found that there is literally a scholarship for everything and for everyone. I have learned that the experiences I have had can and should be used when writing these essays. I have written about maintaining a 4.0 grade point average, my academic honors, extra curricular activities, volunteering in soup kitchens, and so many personal topics. Some of my experiences may be similar or very unique to other students. While I write all of these essays, I have learned that my life and character means something. One of my favorite essays was about belonging to a military family, dealing with uncertain transitions, and staying optimistic. My important message was to never give into the hopelessness of a situation and to always look on the bright side of life as you will get much further in reaching your goals. In a different essay, I wrote about my military veteran parents, what I have learned from their service to the people, and how I use their experiences to mentor fellow classmates when they are in need. I have written several essays on how I have grown from serving the poor food or giving clothing to those who lost everything due to a resent flood. Another exciting essay I wrote was about overcoming my anxiety to the point where I have now performed in two Disney musicals and I recently received the Directors Award for leadership qualities. Overall, I have learned how much I have to offer our society. I want to give myself the best chance to succeed, so I will persevere and continue to apply to many more scholarships. As I continue to write essays, I will continue to learn more about the scholarship process and about myself. I am hopeful that one day a scholarship reviewer will find one of my essays exciting, hopeful, and see just how determined I am to reach my goals. If I win, I know that my essay would be showcased. In showcasing my winning essay, I am hopeful that my words could help or inspire others to continue their scholarship journey.

I have been singing in front of large crowds ever since third grade. One of my childhood dreams was to preform in a musical, but I barely had the courage to raise my hand in class. Being brave looks different for different types of people. Someone may be able to give a speech with ease while another struggles just to walk to the front of the classroom. When I reached fifth grade I was still the quiet girl who never asked any questions. The only thing that changed was that I was a bit smarter and I learned how to sing. I had the opportunity to try out for a solo in my school's spring concert. I walked up to the front of the choir room shaking. Then the music started and I sang. That was an absolutely terrifying experience for me, but I ended up earning the solo. Flash-forward six years and I'm getting ready for my senior year of high school. I am still the quiet girl, but I can give presentations without the anxiety getting to me. I have lead worship for my church and have had many solos in my choir. At the end of this year's chorus concert I was given the director's award. I even had the amazing opportunity to perform in two musicals. I had achieved my childhood dream and so much more. Through my life I have learned that if you work hard and take risks you can achieve great things. You just have to be brave enough to take the first step.

The most important lesson in personal finance that I have learned is to budget properly. Learning to only spend the amount you have put aside is important because it means you will be less likely to fall into a cycle of debt. The average American debt among consumers as of September 2021 is $92,727 (Kim Porter). Saving money and budgeting is sometimes easier said than done. Learning personal finances has been a process. For me, it began when my parents gave me a dollar to spend at the store and I had to determine if I had enough money or if I wanted to save some of the money for a later time. I learned quickly if I spent my money wisely or if I wasted it on something that would not last. In addition to my parents, my teachers often posed problems that required me to find monetary totals or problem solve to see if there was enough money to purchase items. As I earned my own money, I began purchasing larger items such as school clothes or books. Once I opened my own bank account and began balancing my account, my budgeting for my future became reality. My goal is to take what I have learned and not gather unnecessary debt. I am very thankful for the finance lessons from my parents and my teachers as I understand the importance of saving in order to be successful in my endeavors.

Belonging to a military family, there have been periods of my life that have been rough for my family and myself. Hard transitions can happen from multiple military deployments and new assignments that take you away from your friends, schools, or things that have become familiar. However, I refuse to give into the despair that seems to surround those situations. I stay optimistic because I care for the people that these tough times affect. I care for their wellbeing and therefore will remain optimistic for their sake. I smile during the tough times because it helps those around me remember that there is still light in the darkness. The sun will still rise in the morning, so why dwell on those tough times? Being optimistic has taught me that no one is ever truly alone. I have become an example to my family and my friends with my positive mindset. I have learned how to comfort others and myself during dark times. Looking on the bright side of terrible situations has gotten me farther in life than dwelling on the negatives. I have learned that I absolutely love to help people and make them smile!

My favorite piece of art is Wheatfield with Crows by Vincent van Gogh. This was one of Vincent van Gogh last paintings. It is not the most impressive painting I have seen, but it is the one that evicts the most emotions from me. As you may know Vincent van Gogh killed himself. I have struggled with that thought in the past, but art has always been a way for me to express how I am feeling. Wheatfield with Crows is the piece that reminds me that if I am ever feeling down I don't have to keep everything bottled up inside. Instead, I can use that feeling to create something new. Vincent van Gogh was a great artist and I respect him greatly for what he has contributed to the world. I am also grateful to learn through his life and art work that I don't have to keep feelings bottled up. Alternately, I can creatively express those feelings of sadness or joy through my art.

Helping people is something that I've loved to do from a young age. However, only in the last couple years have I realized how I can affect people's lives by simply providing them with a warm meal or a winter coat. Seeing the smiles of those I help is worth more than any reward I may receive. This past year I went on a mission trip with my school to West Virginia. We went to a small town that had been hit by a horrible flood in years prior to our trip. I helped clean and repaint a school classroom. The day after that we help sort through hundreds of winter coats, hats, and mittens. While I was sorting through a box of hats a little girl came in with her mother and we were able to give them a set of cold weather clothing. For the past four years I have volunteered at a soup kitchen called The Hope House. I help prepare and serve meals to less fortunate people in my community. It breaks my heart to see the amount of little children who walk in, but I am glad that I am able to help them by providing a warm meal for them and their families. My favorite way to make people smile is by singing. On several different occasions I've sang for the elderly in nursing homes or in their own homes. I have done this through school and also during summer vacation. I sang the song Edelweiss by Richard Rogers when I visited a nursing home in Michigan and people started to cry and sing along. Seeing how much of a difference I make in these people's lives just by singing a song is so rewarding for me. I also volunteer at my school to help with painting sets for our musicals and spirit rock. I have helped teachers set up the stage for concerts and school events before and after school. Teachers do not get paid enough for all the work that they do during the school year so I am always happy to take a bit of weight off of their chest. The items that I have mentioned are just a small handful of what I have done to help others which embodies selflessness. Putting someone else's needs before my own comes naturally. I know that volunteer work and helping others is something that I will continue to do for the rest of my life.

In order to have a positive impact on the climate I do multiple things throughout the school year. As soon as I receive my supply list for school, I go into several closets to see what I currently have or what I can reuse. If there is something I do not have, I will also ask my classmates and we will sometimes trade items to ensure we have what we need to start school. By not buying additional reams of paper and pencils, I am allowing trees not to be cut down or plastics to be melted which is crucial for the worlds climate. Precious trees and nearby rivers or lakes are being destroyed because of landfills. The trees and water is critical in the balance of our ecosystem and our climate. There are so many great clothing items that end up in the landfill and it can easily be avoided. Throughout the school year I will go through my closet and fill a bag of clothes that I no longer enjoy wearing or I've outgrown. My friends and I will get together and trade our clothing. When I feel like I need to go shopping for clothing, my favorite stores are the local consignment shops. At school and my house, we recycle our plastics and cans in order for less resources to be taken from the earth and lessen the chance of more pollution. When I am able, I walk to different locations or take public transportation in order to lessen the use of gas and pollution. These are just a few items that I do personally to have a positive effect on our climate. My goal is to continue to learn more about our climate in order to teach others and have a healthy impact on our planet.

My biggest mentors are my mom and dad who are both Army veterans. My mom grew up in over 18 homes, lived in poverty and homeless shelters before joining the Army. My dad is a first generation Mexican American from Texas and joined the Army right out of high school. Both my mom and dad have struggled to make a better life for themselves and my family. They had some great mentors while serving at various duty stations while in the Army and they have become fantastic mentors themselves to others. I have inturn become a mentor to others because of my veteran parents. Both of my parents have exposed me to many different cultures and helped instill empathy for others. We have met so many beautiful people over the years being military connected. We have explored many cultures through personal friends, museums, foods, special festivals, libraries and cities. For the last four years we have volunteered at a local soup kitchen to help those in need. Together we have cooked, delivered, and served food at the shelter. I have learned so much about serving people who may need food when times are tough or others who may need guidance in solving a problem. This sort of help can be life changing for those that receive. Before I was born, my mom completed her military service, went to college and became an elementary teacher. My mom instilled in me the importance of doing my best in school, extracurricular activities, and in life. When my mom helped me with my schoolwork, she would not just explain how to solve a particular problem. My mom would explain why I needed to know that particular skill and the importance behind it. My mom gave me many real world lessons which helped me take things seriously. My dad instilled in me not to give up and to find resources in order to be successful. When my dad and I did not know how to solve a particular calculus problem he found out how to search for a tutorial using Khan Academy. My dad never gives up and tries to always solve problems. This sort of perseverance and mind set has helped me when I take difficult classes and when I am tutoring others. During the last school year, I tutored a younger student each week to help develop her problem solving skills and her math confidence. An important lesson I wanted to instill in my student is what to do when you arrive at the wrong answer. I taught her how to break down problems to find out where she went wrong and to continue solving from where the mistake was made. I taught her how to take what you know and to build upon that knowledge to solve various problems. In mentoring a fellow student I have learned what a positive difference I can make in ones life. I am very proud to be a daughter of two veterans. I have learned so much from my parents and will continue to serve others in our society as it is life changing.

I am drawn to math because it feels like untying a knot. You have to evaluate the problem and decide on the best course of action that is most appropriate in order to efficiently solve it. I enjoy understanding the world around me and math helps me to do that. I use the mind set I have for math in the real world when I make decisions. I take time to analyze the world around so I might understand it better. It could be as simple as organizing my daily schedule and how I am going to complete my tasks in a timely manner. Some other examples of using math is when I am in the kitchen reading recipes, measuring, combining items, and cooking delicious meals or when I am navigating as I hike in the hills with a compass and a map. When I perform in musicals and chorus recitals, I am listening to the music to know when to move or when to begin singing. When I read music, I am constantly thinking about the numbers. I love working with numbers and variables because I like to problem solve. Finding multiple ways to solve a problem is something that I like to do because it helps me to choose the best way to solve that issue. Along with solving my own math problems, I enjoy working in groups and tutoring others. Throughout the last school year, I tutored a younger student each week to help develop her problem solving skills and her math confidence. Teaching her math vocabulary was instrumental in her problem solving abilities. An important lesson I wanted to instill in my student is what to do when you arrive at the wrong answer. I taught her how to go break down the problems to find out where she went wrong and to continue solving from where the mistake was made. I taught her how to take what you know and to build upon that knowledge to solve various problems. I enjoyed teaching her different ways to look at problems and different ways to solve them. My experiences teaching others has helped me grow and understand how to think mathematically in different ways. Math will continue to be the foundation of so many things in my life. After my senior year, my plans are to work towards a major in mathematics, STEM, and engineering at the college level. My goal is to make significant differences in this field in our society.