My name is Arissa Dorelas, and I am currently a senior at Andover High School in Massachusetts. This coming fall, I plan to pursue Biomedical Engineering at Boston University. I have been considering this part for a while, but I believe I will be heading towards the pre-med track so I can become a Pediatric doctor. I used to be considering architecture, but after a while, I realized being a doctor is the direction I want to head in. There are honestly a lot of reasons for me choosing this career. In terms of Biomedical Engineering, I chose this because I want to explore and learn more about medicine as a whole. There have been so many medicines created throughout the development of our world, all created through the process of trial and error. Despite some failures, doctors and scientists continue to try and make it easier for people to recover from illnesses, discovering new methods of medicine in the process. The relentless effort put into creating a better world has inspired me to try and do the same. I would love to be a part of a team like this, working together to try and ensure a safer, healthier world by helping create new cures for different viruses and diseases. It would put a lot less worry on the public, especially if they knew there was a cure for whatever illness they carried. Because I want to go on the pre-med track, although I could become a biomedical engineer after earning my first degree, I want to expand my knowledge in medical school as well. Then, when I come out, I hope to become a pediatric doctor. The reason for it is simple: I love kids. I work with kids from time to time at a school my mother owns -- mainly infant to kindergarten -- and they make me smile every single day. They always have stories to tell, jokes to make, and the most creative ideas when they are building legos, playing with toys, or learning during school. Kids are the future of our world, and being able to be a part of a child's life from birth until they are an adult is really special. The types of bonds pediatric doctors can create with their patients is something I value. Being there for a child when they are sick, helping them through tough moments in their lives -- even if it is as simple as distracting them during a flu shot -- is a goal and a purpose that is more important than people might realize. I hope to make kids feel happier and safer in their everyday lives by knowing there are more adults they can trust in their lives because trust is important to any relationship. I know I have said a lot, but my overall goal with my career choices is to help evolve the world into a safer place, and help the youth as they experience their lives. I am sure all of this can bring a smile to people's faces.

I envision my dream future self as a fully grown woman, whose confidence will give her a more powerful voice; whose compassion will always show love for her family and friends; and whose determination will motivate her to make a difference in society, to not give up, and to take charge of her destiny, no matter what obstacles are presented, and I know that I'll sit back one day, happy and content with my journey, and I will remember this dream, proud it became a reality.

My name is Arissa Dorelas, and currently, I am 17 years old. I'm from Massachusetts, and I enjoy playing basketball, reading, biology, architecture, and games. While I am a bit of a quiet person, I am also very motivated and determined to be the best I can be. I've been pretty independent -- referring to completing homework, keeping good grades, and more -- since before I was a teenager. I want to continue to be independent today, using the high school skills like time management, note-taking, observation, and more. I know it will help me when I have a job, so I plan to keep these skills strong. My parents always tell me that they will help me the best they can with my college tuition, no matter what school I go to. However, I have never wanted this to be the case; not from disappreciation, but from not wanting to put more weight on them. My parents have provided for me and helped me be happy throughout my life, and I hope to give back to them when I'm older. I realize I cannot give back to them right now, but I strive to try to make things easier for them so they can focus more on my little brother and themselves. With that being said, I would use this scholarship for my college tuition. Any amount of money is helpful when I apply, and I know it will make things easier for my family and me. I want to be successful in whatever field I choose in the future, and I refuse to let money get in the way of that. Anyone and everyone can make a great candidate for this scholarship, but these are just the reasons why I believe I can be considered as well.