Small start-ups and passive income have interested me for as long as I can remember. When I was eleven years old, I sat three of my best friends down beside the trampoline we were all playing on. I had been washing the family cars for a few months and figured it was time to scale my operation. I proposed that we start a neighborhood car wash the following week, and all three were immediately in. I designed our logo on my mom's computer and ordered custom hats and professional business cards. In retrospect, I probably jumped the gun a bit, having no actual sales yet—but holding my own glossy business card made it all worth it. I learned more about money from that little business than I ever did from a worksheet. My car wash business wouldn't last long. One partner moved away, the others got swept up in the start of seventh grade, and soon it was just me. I used to see that business as a mistake. I had no idea what I was doing, messed up plenty of times, and eventually watched it come to an end. Now I see it differently. That little car wash taught me lessons I never could have learned in a textbook. It taught me just to start. Beginning something new is scary. I know that personally from the countless ideas I've let fade away because starting them alone felt overwhelming. I used to tell myself, "I might fail, so what's the point?" Looking back, I don't think I needed someone to guarantee success—I just needed someone a few steps ahead of me to help me along the way. That's the first change I would make. Financial literacy shouldn't begin with a lecture on entrepreneurship at the end of high school. It should begin much earlier with mentors who encourage young people to take risks and try something on their own. A mentor couldn't prevent every mistake, but they could help the next generation avoid the unnecessary ones. I propose that schools team up with local business owners and entrepreneurs to participate in a program that mentors students. To give students a real sense of responsibility, the program could provide each team with a small amount of seed money raised through community fundraisers or donated by local businesses. When students know they're working with real money instead of imaginary numbers on a spreadsheet, they wouldn’t make their decisions lightly. Instead of learning about money in textbooks alone, students could try something new for themselves, like creating a small startup or managing a simple budget. Whether their project succeeds or fails, they will walk away with experience, and above anything else, they will have simply started. That in itself is often the hardest step to take. When I was starting my first business, I didn't need someone to build my car wash for me. I just needed someone who had already been where I was. If I could change one thing about financial education, it wouldn't just be adding another class. I would want to give students a mentor to guide them and help them start before they feel ready. I think that's the type of lesson that sticks with someone long after they leave the classroom.

I used to think professional networking meant exchanging business cards or sharing your LinkedIn profile. These are both effective means of cultivating professional relationships. However, now I believe the greatest success comes from a far more valuable lesson. I am reminded of a Maya Angelou quote my public speaking professor shared with me: "People will forget what you said. People will forget what you did. But people will never forget how you made them feel." This perfectly summarizes this lesson: True professional growth is rooted in authentic relationships. Last summer, I had the opportunity to complete two separate healthcare internships in Jacksonville, Florida. The first was at Brooks Rehabilitation Hospital, where I was shadowing Josh Schute, VP of Physical Therapy. The second was with Streamline Workers' Compensation, where I shadowed Heyes Mangan, VP of Marketing. It was an entirely new experience, and a tremendous privilege to shadow these executives and gain exposure to key departments within these two companies. I struggled to know what to do with the amount of information I was receiving. Some days I would drive back to the hotel and fall onto the bed utterly exhausted. As I considered why I was overwhelmed, I realized that I needed to change my approach. I was not going to be able to understand all of what I was experiencing, but I could dial into the strengths that I was observing in the various leaders I shadowed. To get the most out of these opportunities, I focused on building great relationships with the leaders assigned to me. I compiled notes and questions throughout the day, ensuring I made the most of our one-on-one time. Over the course of the internships, I began to think of Josh and Heyes less as corporate executives and more as mentors. They demonstrated genuine interest in my success. I tried setting myself apart with firm handshakes, good eye contact, and showing real interest in what they had to teach me. My effort did not go unnoticed. One of the managers at Streamline even suggested hiring me until they found out I was just 16 at the time. I am grateful to say that I have a great relationship with both of them. At the end of the two weeks, I returned home, but not without a newfound confidence and a concrete network that bridged the gap to my long-term aspirations. My most ambitious goal, both personally and professionally, has been to graduate from college debt-free. I have seen firsthand the financial strain that can come as a result of ill-prepared graduates. College can be expensive, but for me it is worth every cent. That is why I have worked diligently for the last year to apply for as many scholarships as I could. I have been fortunate enough to earn some money, but I still have a ways to go before I meet my goal. One of the most important parts of applying for scholarships is the people you know and the letters of recommendation that you acquire. I have asked both Josh and Hayes for endorsement, and they have both been more than happy to write letters and vouch for me on multiple occasions. Had I gone into my internship environments with the mindset of simply completing a task, I never would have developed the relationships I needed to make this debt-free goal a reality. Looking back, my time in Jacksonville taught me that you can’t reach big goals entirely on your own. It takes a community of people who actually believe in you to help you get across the finish line. If I had just kept my head down and checked off tasks at Brooks and Streamline, I would have left with nothing more than a couple of bullet points on a resume. Instead, I walked away with many great lessons in leadership and two terrific mentors. As I push forward, the advice and mentorship from leaders like Josh and Hayes will continue to be the main engine driving my growth.

Why I Still Visit Her Class A new school, a new teacher, and a rigorous chemistry class had me nervous weeks before the first day. I had no friends and was too scared to make any. Looking back, those decisions didn’t set me up for success, but they were the decisions I made. I think a lot of freshmen can relate to that same quiet hesitation. What I didn’t expect was how quickly one person could change all that. Her name was Ms. Manley. She reminded me of Mrs Frizzle, the teacher from the Magic School Bus, an educational show I used to watch when I was little. Ms. Manley was exceptionally passionate about chemistry and excited to share everything she knew. She didn’t just teach chemistry; she loved it. On the first day of class, I kept to myself. I was always naturally shy, and as a homeschool student, this was my first time in a co-op classroom. I was slow to raise my hand and spoke only when necessary. Ms. Manley had other plans. She had this way of pulling people in so the room couldn't stay quiet for long. She didn’t force us. She made us feel comfortable trying. I didn’t really notice it at first, but I was beginning to care less about what other people thought of me. Getting comfortable where I normally wouldn’t was great. But that’s not why I’m writing this essay. She showed me I don’t have to walk into something new with confidence, but rather, I should become confident by choosing to engage anyway. What really stuck with me was how that confidence carried over to other parts of my life. As the semester progressed, I stopped waiting to feel ready. I started taking my coursework more seriously and began pursuing every available honors opportunity. I tried learning differently - less fear and more optimism. I wasn’t even halfway through the class before I realized she was responsible for the changes that were taking place in me. Recently, I went back to visit her. The room felt much smaller. Nothing had changed except my mindset. Ms. Manley didn’t just teach me chemistry; she taught me how to choose which feelings I allow to linger. She taught me how to cultivate growth in my own life. She taught me to show up and find my confidence in doing so, and those are lessons I’ll carry with me long after high school.

“A single dream is more powerful than a thousand realities” - J.R.R. Tolkien The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies is a visually sweeping, cinematic masterpiece. Vast forests and endless mountain ranges make the story feel almost tangible. When a twelve-year-old me first watched the movie, I was stepping into a world larger than reality itself. Orcs, elves, goblins, and towering giants ruled this world, bringing the screen to life in ways I had never experienced. I sat on the couch, awe-struck as dwarves charged into battle. I was amazed not just by the cinematography, but by the idea that someone had truly brought the book to life. That moment stayed with me. The realization that entire worlds could be built through imagination alone changed how I viewed creativity. I started paying attention to the little things—how wonder is built, how emotion is captured, what makes fiction feel so real. I had to try for myself. Early attempts at expressing my creativity were messy and unformed. I was filled with ideas, so many that I didn’t have enough notebooks to contain them. I started writing. I drew maps of my world. I was learning how to translate imagination into experience. I wanted people to feel the same sense of wonder and possibility that first inspired me. A year later, the perfect opportunity presented itself - a “Write a Novel in a Year” class was offered in my community. I joined the class and began writing the required 500 words per day. My story began to take shape, characters became more complex. I found and lost and found again the plot I had first envisioned. The challenge was exactly what I needed, but the pace and requirements were rigorous. By the end of the class, I had finished the first draft, and everyone had dropped out except one other student and me. When my final draft was complete, I was 14 years old and starting high school. Editing had to wait, and so it stayed untouched on my hard drive for years. My parents encouraged me to return to it, refine it, and share it. I never did until recently. I had always told myself I was too busy, but now I wonder if that was really true. Maybe I wasn’t just busy, but quietly afraid of finishing something that represented so much of who I was becoming. When I realized this, I was determined to finish. The Hobbit wasn’t just the first amazing movie I saw; it was the first time I realized that imagination can build entire worlds, but those worlds only become real if you choose to follow through. When I opened that old hard drive and read the first page, I remembered the countless hours I spent pouring everything I had into my story. I considered the cost of not finishing what I had started. I considered the gain if I did. Confronting that fear got me editing. My goal is to have the editing complete before I leave for college in the fall. I have The Hobbit to thank for that. This is why the film means so much to me- It represents the season in my life when I realized I could shape who I become by the challenges I say yes to and the fears I overcome. The Hobbits were not fierce by the world’s standards. Nevertheless, they start, endure, and finish what others could not. Sometimes the smallest people carry the greatest weight. Looking back now, The Hobbit was never just a film to me. It was a turning point.

My education began outside—in riverbeds, along wooded trails, and in the company of friends learning beside me. In those early years, there was little time spent seated at a desk. Curiosity and discovery were constant. Through homeschooling, I learned that education is not confined to a classroom; it grows strongest within communities where people learn from and invest in one another. Our homeschool experience was deeply rooted in community, as families collaborated in co-ops where parents taught shared classes, and in our own home, we hosted book clubs, foreign language study, and small gatherings for Bible study and service. That early foundation of collaborative learning continued as I began taking college courses through my local community college while completing my high school education. Through this experience, I will graduate with an Associate in Arts degree alongside my high school diploma, an opportunity that required balancing independence, discipline, and academic responsibility from an early age. Close interaction with professors and fellow students strengthened my appreciation for learning within a supportive academic community while introducing me to the rigor of college-level coursework. During this time, I also became involved in Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) Honor Society, whose emphasis on scholarship, leadership, and service reinforced the importance of contributing to the communities that shape our education. Through volunteer work and leadership development, I completed more than one hundred hours of community service. Participation in PTK has also encouraged me to join the student government and expand my involvement on campus. These experiences deepened my commitment to serving others and strengthened my understanding that leadership is most meaningful when it benefits the broader community. These experiences ultimately shaped my decision to commit early to Florida Southern College, where I plan to pursue a degree in business. Florida Southern’s emphasis on integrity, service, and a collaborative learning environment reflects the kinds of communities in which I have grown and thrived throughout my education. I chose to commit early in order to maximize scholarship opportunities and am actively pursuing additional scholarships with the goal of completing my college education without debt. While standardized testing has not always reflected my academic strengths due to test anxiety, my academic record, leadership experiences, and commitment to service represent the discipline I bring to my studies. Each stage of my education—from homeschooling, to community college, to leadership and service through Phi Theta Kappa—has reinforced the importance of learning and growing within strong communities. As I pursue a business degree, I hope to combine strategic thinking, creativity, and leadership in ways that strengthen the organizations and communities I serve. The communities that shaped my education have taught me that meaningful success is never achieved alone but built together through service, mentorship, and shared purpose. Note: Thank you for your consideration. This was a very meaningful prompt that required me to reflect on the blessings of homeschooling. I'm grateful for that!

Music has been a defining passion in my life for more than a decade, shaping not only how I spend my time but how I approach challenge, discipline, and growth. Raised in a household filled with music, I was surrounded early on by sound, rhythm, and creativity. Music was not something I picked up casually; it was an environment I grew up in and a discipline that has played a significant long-term role in shaping how I approach growth and responsibility. My involvement with music began with piano lessons at a young age, though my early relationship with the instrument was not an easy one. I loved music, but I disliked how beginner playing sounded. I wanted to create something beautiful before I had the patience or skill to do so. That impatience followed me through my early years of instruction, especially as I moved between teachers, relocated across states, and later adapted to online learning during the pandemic. Each disruption tested my commitment and forced me to decide whether music was something I merely enjoyed or something I was willing to persist in long-term. Over time, persistence reshaped my relationship with music. A turning point came when I began learning composition and improvisation. Writing my own music gave me confidence and a sense of ownership over my work. I discovered that progress in music required listening as much as playing—listening to teachers, to other musicians, and to the music itself. That shift changed how I practiced and how I related to others musically. Through years of study, music has developed practical skills that extend far beyond performance. It taught me discipline through consistent practice, patience through slow improvement, and adaptability through frequent change. Playing music with others, particularly in a church youth band, reinforced the importance of collaboration, preparation, and reliability. Most importantly, music has influenced my sense of purpose and leadership. I learned that leadership does not always mean being the most visible performer; often it means listening carefully, supporting others, and showing up prepared—especially in collaborative settings where others depend on your consistency. The lessons I have learned through music—humility, resilience, and attentiveness—continue to influence how I approach responsibility in other areas of my life. Music remains an integral part of who I am, not because of accolades or outcomes, but because of the way it continues to shape how I learn and contribute. Through music, I continue to practice persistence through frustration, growth through correction, and meaningful collaboration with others—lessons learned at the keyboard and applicable wherever I go.

I am a student who is still learning through experience, shaped by responsibility, creativity, and a growing commitment to use education as a practical tool for building a meaningful future. My academic path has been unconventional—beginning in homeschool and expanding through dual enrollment and early admission—alongside work, internships, volunteering, and family responsibilities. These experiences have helped me understand not only how I learn best, but how education can prepare me to contribute beyond myself. I plan to pursue a career in business to create opportunities that strengthen both individuals and communities. Through my academic experiences and early exposure to healthcare and business environments through internships and volunteering, I have seen how thoughtful leadership and ethical decision-making can influence access, stability, and trust. Whether in healthcare or another service-oriented industry, I hope to contribute to organizations that value people, collaboration, and long-term responsibility over short-term gain. For me, making a positive impact means helping build systems that allow people to thrive—not just financially, but relationally and ethically as well. I learned how important this last year while conducting research: Ethics in Healthcare. I interviewed three leaders at the company I have been volunteering at for the past three years. That experience and what I learned from these leaders I respect has shaped my goals significantly. As I continue my college education, I anticipate encountering challenges, particularly in managing stress and performance pressure. Test anxiety has been an ongoing obstacle in my academic life, and while it has not disappeared, I have learned how to move forward despite it. By seeking support early, communicating with professors, and using campus resources, I have transformed anxiety from a limitation into a motivator for preparation and resilience. I also anticipate the challenge of balancing academic rigor with financial responsibility, work commitments, and personal obligations. I plan to address this by maintaining structured routines, practicing realistic goal-setting, and remaining proactive in asking for guidance when needed. I will also continue to compete for college scholarships throughout my college career. My passions reflect both creativity and service. I am drawn to entrepreneurship because it demands ownership, adaptability, and integrity—qualities I value deeply. Running a small online business has taught me discipline, problem-solving, and the importance of follow-through. I am also passionate about music and have studied piano, composition, theory, and performance for the past ten years. Music has played a significant role in developing my self-discipline and has been a meaningful source of peace and connection through my involvement in my church’s youth band. As a dual-enrollment student, I have also become an advocate for community college through Phi Theta Kappa, an international honor society for two-year colleges. This month, I received a recommendation from the chapter president for the All-American Academic Team. Beyond academics, family responsibilities and volunteer experiences have shaped my understanding of commitment, empathy, and showing up when it matters most. I see college as the next step in my growth—an extension of how I have learned best through experience, responsibility, and reflection. During this next stage of my education, whether I stop at a bachelor’s degree or pursue a master’s, I hope to continue growing with an increasing awareness that learning often reveals how much there still is to learn. I plan to carry this posture into my career by remaining open, humble, and attentive, using education as a foundation for thoughtful work, responsible leadership, and meaningful contribution.

My academic kryptonite is test anxiety. As a high school freshman, I learned that community college is offered to high school students who score appropriately on the entrance exam. Attempting the PERT exam as a freshman sounded overwhelming. My sophomore year, when I was reminded that community college was an option, my test anxiety went into overdrive, but I decided to take the exam and try dual enrollment. I did not earn a college-level score on the math portion of the PERT on my first attempt, so I took the exam again. I didn’t stop until I achieved a perfect score. That was not my original goal, but it became the outcome. I was determined to overcome the anxiety rather than settle for a passing score, and I am grateful I pushed through the fear of attempting college early. Community college is a privilege for high school students, and I have come to understand that more clearly with each passing semester. That testing experience and my entry into dual enrollment set me on a path that included tutors, countless emails to professors, and many visits to my advisor’s office. Because of the opportunity, resources, and encouragement provided by those professors and advisors, I am not only a community college success story but also an enthusiastic advocate for the opportunity among my peers. My education has evolved from homeschool to dual enrollment and now early admission, and each stage has changed how I learn. Homeschool meant co-ops, community, and book clubs at my house, all supported by families pursuing the same path. Dual enrollment shifted responsibility to me. No one reminded me to log in or complete a module, which exposed both strengths I could rely on and habits I needed to change. I have learned that once I identify a weakness clearly, I can grow beyond it. What I did not realize at the time was that learning to manage academic pressure was also preparing me to handle personal responsibility. Navigating college coursework while still in high school required organization, communication, and resilience—skills that soon extended beyond assignments and exams. Education, for me, became less about performance and more about learning how to respond to difficulty with steadiness rather than avoidance. Those skills were tested more deeply outside the classroom. I am also shaped by being biracial, with an Asian father whose steadiness and work ethic have influenced me more than any class. This past spring and summer, my family experienced the loss of one grandparent and a serious decline in the health of another. Helping with caregiving while keeping up with school taught me that family shows up when it matters, not when it is convenient. I am learning to manage stress and grief in healthy ways. In our homeschool, my mom often used the term “executive function” for what most people call “adulting.” I once rolled my eyes at the phrase; this year, it became real, and I began to understand its necessity. Florida’s option to attend college while in high school has stretched me, and I am grateful for it. Balancing high school coursework, college classes, a small online business, and family responsibilities has taught me lessons I would not have learned otherwise. Together, these experiences have given my education a clear sense of direction. I plan to use my education to build a career that creates opportunities benefiting both my own future and the people and communities around me. Education has shown me that meaningful progress rarely comes from individual effort alone, but from collaboration, ethical decision-making, and a willingness to take responsibility for outcomes that affect others. Through my experiences in dual enrollment, business internships, and volunteering, I have seen how thoughtful leadership can shape access, stability, and trust within an organization or community. I hope to apply these lessons in my professional life by contributing to work that values people as much as results. For me, creating a better future means building systems and opportunities that are sustainable, inclusive, and grounded in integrity, allowing individuals and communities to grow alongside one another. My experiences at home, at HCC, and through business internships and volunteering have shaped my goal of working in business to serve my community. What once felt like my academic kryptonite—test anxiety—has become a measure of how far I have come, not because it disappeared, but because I learned to move forward despite it. My education combined with the challenges I have faced have enabled me to navigate complexity, uncertainty, and responsibility with purpose and direction. I am grateful.

I am grateful for the opportunity to attempt to set myself apart and give those reviewing my response confidence that I would be a good investment. As a homeschooled student, I learned early to take ownership of my education, which was the beginning of my interest in academic independence. The freedom allowed me to pursue varied interests, which I credit with the clarity I now have in my career direction while still in high school. That independence shaped not only how I learn, but why entrepreneurship feels like a natural extension of my education. My first entrepreneurship class inspired a project that turned into an online vintage clothing shop. From curating vintage clothing to product photography and creating engaging posts, to shipping, customer engagement, and managing basic accounting books, I learned a great deal about business. That experience also confirmed my desire to pursue a business career. Entrepreneurship appeals to me because it demands ownership of both outcomes and mistakes, a responsibility I have learned to value even with my limited experiences. Last summer, I had a chance to put that conviction to the test. I completed two business internships in healthcare. The first was at Brooks Rehabilitation Hospital and the second at Streamline Workers Compensation, both in Jacksonville, Florida. Shadowing with key leaders was an enormous privilege. Rather than simply observing operations, I began to understand what I had been learning - how leadership decisions affected outcomes for both patients and organizations. It took me weeks of reflection, then creating an articulation proposal for my community college to grasp the value of the opportunity I was given. What I didn’t expect was the impact of also shadowing in the Amputee Clinic. Their objective was to create a comprehensive strategy to help each patient return to their previous life or lifestyle in spite of the loss of a limb. What I have come to realize is that I am not cut out to be a surgeon or a doctor, but with the right attitudes and ambitions, as a business person, I could still make meaningful contributions towards their recovery. This month marks my third year volunteering with a healthcare company in my local Florida community. Over time, I have built relationships with several managers and leaders, which opened the door to interviewing members of leadership for an ethics in healthcare research paper. A consistent theme has emerged through these experiences: the more I learn, the more confident I become that business is the right path for me. I see how strategic, collaborative, and ethical decision-making can translate into real, meaningful impact on patients’ lives. I believe that idea applies to any industry or business model, perhaps even more in entrepreneurial ventures. This is a large part of how I define success. I also want to create a profitable business that allows employees to share in the vision and success. I believe the college I have committed to for business school will equip me with the education and internships needed to continue to learn about how to ensure my efforts are profitable. I also need to earn money for the tuition so that an entrepreneurial endeavor is not inhibited by school debt after graduation. I have intentionally selected a mid-sized college with a reputable business program where I can be both challenged and known, preparing me for the responsibilities of entrepreneurship. I ask you to consider selecting me because I am committed to becoming a strategic, ethical business leader who measures success by impact as well as achievement.