Growing up low-income and extremely independent, I had to develop goals for my future at an extremely young age. My parent never held me accountable for my grades or how I behaved at school. So I learned that I needed to work for myself to be better than my parents. Not in a negative way, but breaking generational curses to give a better life to my future children and beyond. My first way of accomplishing this was in the 5th grade. I realized from a young age that I hated my Spanish class, and that I wanted to avoid taking it in 6th grade. This is where I was encouraged to join AVID. This came with scholarships when I graduated, helping me discover good habits academically, and help with college. AVID was the best decision I could ever had made. Now being in the program for seven years now, I have been prepared when planning my high school, college, and career journey. I accomplished this through planning my schedule in my freshman year, all the way till my senior year. I prepped to take tons of science courses to be prepared to eventually major in nursing. To also be prepared for college, I involved myself in plenty of extracurricular activities. Such as, FBLA, educators rising, chess club, one love, field hockey, lacrosse, and wrestling. I even obtained leadership roles, because I knew what colleges wanted to see. Growing up low-income, I knew my parents wouldn't be able to help me with paying for college, so I knew I needed to develop my resume to help me afford college. AVID has also taught me to stay organized. I do also keep a to-do list everyday to plan how my days will go in order to stay motivated and productive. It helps me keep track of my goals and helps me accomplish them. I hold myself to two types of goals. One involving my academic and the other some type of extracurricular. This has helped me reach my goal of attending college the most because it has actually held me accountable, since I lacked the support group that would have helped me done it. I have planned for every possible outcome, such as my car, job, sports, and m tuition. I planned extremely well, what my budget in college would look like, and what I would need to do to reach it. This means finding a job either on or off of campus.

Change is scary. Everyone has experienced stepping outside of their comfort zone in order to achieve their dreams and their goals. In 2022, I was extremely insecure. Returning back to public school, feeling ashamed of my weight, my acne, and my lack of social cues; deeply impacted my mental health. I simply felt ugly. Which was a huge feeling as a teenage girl. Through sports and developing awareness through healthy eating habits and staying active I have accepted the uncomfortableness in order to reach the change I needed. As I reflect on my past habits, I used to be afraid of reaching out and trying new activities. All until my friend convinced me to wrestle. Which was extremely outside of my comfort zone. This meant that I had to talk to new people who I didn't know, and I had to be physical with them for 2 hours and 5 days a week. At first, I was terrible at it. I had a difficult time making weight for my matches, I contracted a staph infection, and almost every match without doubt I managed to get a nose bleed. Even with all of these set backs, wrestling helped me find myself. I Began to want more for myself. I developed healthy eating habits, like meal prepping and incorporating more protein into my diet, I became more consistent with the gym and managed to build muscle, and I began to focus on my mental health, and not what people though of me. I loved wrestling, even though their wasn't many girls when I first started wrestling, and I did have to wrestle boys a lot of the time. I still felt a sense of ambition inside of me. I didn't let the fact that they had a semi-advantage over me when competing. I continued to train, and even extend it to having two practices a day at my club wrestling program. From feeling ugly, to finding the beauty within health and advocating for myself, encouraged me to find my place and sense of community with my team and inside the gym. As someone who plans to major in nursing, which is very stressful while studying and even in the career itself. I plan to use the gym as a form of escape to continue to motivate myself to keep going. As women's wrestling continues to grow every year, I still encourage women to try it and find themselves through health and their own wellness, which I will still continue to do as a nurse. As much as I love my future career, and the idea of saving lives. I hope that someday I can inspire people to further take care of their bodies through encouraging physical activity and healthy eating habits. In order to prevent most of needing to even step foot in the hospital. I also hope to inspire other young women to accept change and growth within their lives. Someday women's wrestling will continue to grow and break the stereotypes of being 'too masculine'. I hope someone will find the same passion for wrestling as I did, and will use it as their escape and peace.

From my earliest memories, I can recall my grandmother buying my first stethoscope. Making her pretend to be my patient, forcing her to pretend to have all kinds of illnesses. A couple of years later, I remember being in my aunt's backseat, reading her note cards and confirming whether or no her guess was correct, preparing her for her own NCLEX. At 13 years old, she gave me all of her notes, and textbooks so when I went to nursing school I would be prepared. I always knew from an early age that I was meant to help people, and be the advocate for those who couldn’t speak up for themselves. I have spent the last 7 years preparing for my future education and finally become the nurse that I have always wanted to be. Since the beginning of my 6th grade year, I have done countless career research projects through my AVID class. I was persistent with being a nurse. I knew what I needed to achieve and do. I became the captains of my sports teams, within lacrosse and field hockey, I became the captain who advocated for my teammates. Especially within games and practices, when maybe my teammates needed a little more help and our coach hadn’t quite noticed yet. I dedicated my entire high school journey, becoming a person that someone would come and turn to for help. Within my high school journey after countless more career research projects, I discovered becoming a CRNA–certified registered nursing assistant. I fell in love with this career, and the thought of being in the operating room. Along with the challenge. I hope to become an ICU nurse and be the altruistic nurse that can understand caring for others means to understand their humanity, even when it is hidden behind anger, fear, or pain. This realization is what draws me to becoming a nurse. I want patients to come to me in their most vulnerable states. I know not all will be kind. But just as I have learned to forgive and understand my parents, I will remind myself that every patient has struggles I cannot see. My responsibility as a nurse will be not to judge, but to treat them with care, respect, and compassion. I know that my life is not just about me. By choosing nursing, I am choosing to devote myself to saving others, to being the kind of person patients feel safe. My biggest adversity derives from the lack of help and support I am receiving from my parents. My teacher, Mrs. Clark, for the last 4 years, was always the one to continue encouraging my dreams of being a registered nurse. She even influenced me to get my Doctor of Nursing to continue my education and grow within my career. Though, after applying for colleges, limiting my options, and receiving financial aid packages, I have realized there is only so much she can offer me. My parents are not really involved with my journey to college or all extracurricular activities either. So, finding out how I can afford college on my own, without having to quit my sports to focus more on my part-time job, has been a struggle of mine currently. The way I overcame this challenge, is by involving myself with many different activities. Like my part-time job and my sports. I knew by pushing myself I could strive and be someone college would pick, eventually I would be able to leave my household and choose my own peace.

I have always wanted to be a nurse, and an advocate for others who cannot advocate for themselves. I have always demonstrated this want throughout my entire high school journey. Whether it was through my AVID conferences, I advocated for AVID--Advancement Via Individual Determination. AVID's purpose in schools and what AVID has done and will continue to do, to ensure low-income students will achieve their college success. Or whether I advocated for my teammates as a captain for field hockey and lacrosse on the field and at practice. I have always wanted to be the type of person who stays committed to their goals and purposes, and mine is to be the person anyone can come to for help or advice. As I enter higher education to receive my bachelors of nursing, the biggest financial need I am dealing with currently is the lack of help and support I am receiving from my parents. Referring to AVID, my teacher, Mrs. Clark, for the last 4 years, was always the one to continue encouraging my dreams of being a registered nurse. She even influenced me to get my Doctor of Nursing to continue my education and grow within my career. Though, after applying for colleges, limiting my options, and receiving financial aid packages, I have realized there is only so much she can offer me. My parents are not really involved with my journey to college or all extracurricular activities either. So, finding out how I can afford college on my own, without having to quit my sports to focus more on my part-time job, has been a struggle of mine currently. Through this scholarship, I will continue to advocate for others in college and as a future career as a nurse. How I keep the youth safe within my community from both in-person bullying and cyber bullying is by encouraging vulnerability and open-communication. By doing this, children will feel comfortable reporting uncomfortable interaction with peers in-person or online. Also, by teaching the youth how to establish their boundaries and determine what and what they are comfortable with. This teaches the youth how to build their confidence, independence, and empower them to stand up for themselves and others, to also become an advocate against bullying. Also, building confidence encourages the youth to find where they belong. If its sports, hobbies, or community groups like AVID were to me, it allows the youth to build their self-esteem and find their supportive friend groups.

From my earliest memories, I can recall my grandmother buying my first stethoscope. Making her pretend to be my patient, forcing her to pretend to have all kinds of illnesses. A couple of years later, I remember being in my aunt's backseat, reading her note cards and confirming whether or no her guess was correct, preparing her for her own NCLEX. At 13 years old, she gave me all of her notes, and textbooks so when I went to nursing school I would be prepared. I always knew from an early age that I was meant to help people, and be the advocate for those who couldn’t speak up for themselves. I have spent the last 7 years preparing for my future education and finally become the nurse that I have always wanted to be. Since the beginning of my 6th grade year, I have done countless career research projects through my AVID class. I was persistent with being a nurse. I knew what I needed to achieve and do. I became the captains of my sports teams, within lacrosse and field hockey, I became the captain who advocated for my teammates. Especially within games and practices, when maybe my teammates needed a little more help and our coach hadn’t quite noticed yet. I dedicated my entire high school journey, becoming a person that someone would come and turn to for help. Within my high school journey after countless more career research projects, I discovered becoming a CRNA–certified registered nursing assistant. I fell in love with this career, and the thought of being in the operating room. Along with the challenge. I hope to become an ICU nurse and be the altruistic nurse that can understand caring for others means to understand their humanity, even when it is hidden behind anger, fear, or pain. This realization is what draws me to becoming a nurse. I want patients to come to me in their most vulnerable states. I know not all will be kind. But just as I have learned to forgive and understand my parents, I will remind myself that every patient has struggles I cannot see. My responsibility as a nurse will be not to judge, but to treat them with care, respect, and compassion. I know that my life is not just about me. By choosing nursing, I am choosing to devote myself to saving others, to being the kind of person patients feel safe turning to, and to living out the lesson that sonder first taught me. It taught me that every life is complex, valuable, and deserving of love.

Anger, yelling, forgiveness, repeat. This cycle has shaped my childhood, shaping me into the person I am today. I carried my anger silently. I didn’t know how to express myself, convinced I had no support and unwilling to burden others with my struggles. Surrounded by constant arguing between my mother and her husband. I closed myself off, unable to understand or forgive. As a freshman just beginning high school, I found comfort only within my room, trying to drown out the noise and responsibilities I carried. While mindlessly scrolling, I came across a short video that changed me. It explained the meaning of sonder: the realization that every person lives a life as vivid and complex as your own. That simple little video and definition instantly motivated me and inspired me. I knew right away that this word meant something to me. It gave me a name to my inner conflicts I had always felt but couldn’t explain. The awareness that everyone, even those closest to me, also fights their own invisible battles. For the first time, I saw my world and the people in it differently. Through sonder, I began to view my parents differently. Instead of focusing only on my anger and mistakes, I realized they, too, are human beings experiencing life for the first time as well. This shift in perspective helped me let go of resentment and recognize my own worth. My parents were not villains. They were simply human – deserving of the same grace, I, too, wished for myself. I knew that I had shown growth. I heard it from coaches, teachers, my friends, and other family members. A new, profound confidence and self-love erupted within me. I was no longer angry, shy, and closed off. I challenged these thoughts in other aspects of my life. By dedicating myself to helping people. People I encounter at my job. Looking at them through lenses, always keeping the idea of sonder in my mind. Picturing that every single one of us was once someone's baby. So yes, I sacrificed my job helping those in need. Though I was told no, I recognize that we are all just human and that there is no reason to treat each other with nothing but love. I sacrificed my own money to help my own friends who could relate to my situation as well, even complete strangers as well. Only a year ago, that’s something I wouldn’t have done-not simply because of money, but because I didn’t like putting myself out there; I recognize the improvement. Being altruistic isn’t always bad. It is a path I want to dedicate my life to. Sonder has taught me that caring for others means to understand their humanity, even when it is hidden behind anger, fear, or pain. This realization is what draws me to becoming a nurse. I want patients to come to me in their most vulnerable states. I know not all will be kind. But just as I have learned to forgive and understand my parents, I will remind myself that every patient has struggles I cannot see. My responsibility as a nurse will be not to judge, but to treat them with care, respect, and compassion. I know that my life is not just about me. By choosing nursing, I am choosing to devote myself to saving others, to being the kind of person patients feel safe turning to, and to living out the lesson that sonder first taught me. It taught me that every life is complex, valuable, and deserving of love.

I fell in love with wrestling my sophomore year of high school. Then, women's wrestling was still extremely small. Within my bracket I would have up to 3 girls, if not girls, then boys. Wrestling to me has been more than competition and discipline. It has shown me empowerment, representation, and growth. Especially being a women in men's fields, my passion for wrestling comes from witnessing the challenges of stereotypes, how the sport builds confidence, and allows young women like myself where determination and strength is celebrated, and not looked down on for being 'too masculine'. Wrestling is one of the most physically and mentally demanding sports, that require discipline, perseverance, and accountability. Being involved within wrestling has taught me that confidence is built through perseverance. Every match, practice, tournament, and set-back showed me the deeper meaning of wrestling, that extends far beyond the sport itself. These experience wrestling has gave me, has forever shaped my experience and character. It has strengthens my belief in pushing boundaries, even when I am facing challenges. The impact of women's wrestling reaches beyond individual athletes and into the community as a whole. It teaches young women to push against societal stereotypes of how a woman should act and behave. It allows young women to have an environment where girls can feel valued for their efforts and ability further than appearances and social expectations. Allowing girls to compete with confidence and strength, allows us to grow as leaders, problem-solvers, and young women who can make changes to their societies. regardless of the challenge. This empowerment allows us women to take control and be leaders. This allows wrestling to promote inclusivity by welcoming diversity of all types, backgrounds, body types, and experience. It allows success to be a border category and dismantle harmful stereotypes,a ND encourages belonging and purpose. Women's wrestling also fosters mentorship and unity within the community. It allows us to build relationships and take accountability. These connections promote steam work and empathy, and with these qualities that are used to positive impact schools and our communities as a whole. My passion for women's wrestling lies in the ability to create change. It empowers women to embrace their strength, and social limitations. Through my involvement, I hope to inspire others to wrestle as well, and to further grow women's wrestling to be at the same level as men. With this scholarship I hope to attend my dream college, and start my own women's wrestling team there as well.

I fell in love with wrestling my sophomore year of high school. Then, women's wrestling was still extremely small. Within my bracket I would have up to 3 girls, if not girls, then boys. Wrestling to me has been more than competition and discipline. It has shown me empowerment, representation, and growth. Especially being a women in men's fields, my passion for wrestling comes from witnessing the challenges of stereotypes, how the sport builds confidence, and allows young women like myself where determination and strength is celebrated, and not looked down on for being 'too masculine'. Wrestling is one of the most physically and mentally demanding sports, that require discipline, perseverance, and accountability. Being involved within wrestling has taught me that confidence is built through perseverance. Every match, practice, tournament, and set-back showed me the deeper meaning of wrestling, that extends far beyond the sport itself. These experience wrestling has gave me, has forever shaped my experience and character. It has strengthens my belief in pushing boundaries, even when I am facing challenges. The impact of women's wrestling reaches beyond individual athletes and into the community as a whole. It teaches young women to push against societal stereotypes of how a woman should act and behave. It allows young women to have an environment where girls can feel valued for their efforts and ability further than appearances and social expectations. Allowing girls to compete with confidence and strength, allows us to grow as leaders, problem-solvers, and young women who can make changes to their societies. regardless of the challenge. This empowerment allows us women to take control and be leaders. This allows wrestling to promote inclusivity by welcoming diversity of all types, backgrounds, body types, and experience. It allows success to be a border category and dismantle harmful stereotypes,a ND encourages belonging and purpose. Women's wrestling also fosters mentorship and unity within the community. It allows us to build relationships and take accountability. These connections promote steam work and empathy, and with these qualities that are used to positive impact schools and our communities as a whole. My passion for women's wrestling lies in the ability to create change. It empowers women to embrace their strength, and social limitations. Through my involvement, I hope to inspire others to wrestle as well, and to further grow women's wrestling to be at the same level as men. With this scholarship I hope to attend my dream college, and start my own women's wrestling team there as well.

From my earliest memories, I can recall my grandmother buying my first stethoscope. Making her pretend to be my patient, forcing her to pretend to have all kinds of illnesses. A couple of years later, I remember being in my aunt's backseat, reading her note cards and confirming whether or no her guess was correct, preparing her for her own NCLEX. At 13 years old, she gave me all of her notes, and textbooks so when I went to nursing school I would be prepared. I always knew from an early age that I was meant to help people, and be the advocate for those who couldn’t speak up for themselves. I have spent the last 7 years preparing for my future education and finally become the nurse that I have always wanted to be. Since the beginning of my 6th grade year, I have done countless career research projects through my AVID class. I was persistent with being a nurse. I knew what I needed to achieve and do. I became the captains of my sports teams, within lacrosse and field hockey, I became the captain who advocated for my teammates. Especially within games and practices, when maybe my teammates needed a little more help and our coach hadn’t quite noticed yet. I dedicated my entire high school journey, becoming a person that someone would come and turn to for help. Within my high school journey after countless more career research projects, I discovered becoming a CRNA–certified registered nursing assistant. I fell in love with this career, and the thought of being in the operating room. Along with the challenge. I hope to become an ICU nurse and be the altruistic nurse that can understand caring for others means to understand their humanity, even when it is hidden behind anger, fear, or pain. This realization is what draws me to becoming a nurse. I want patients to come to me in their most vulnerable states. I know not all will be kind. But just as I have learned to forgive and understand my parents, I will remind myself that every patient has struggles I cannot see. My responsibility as a nurse will be not to judge, but to treat them with care, respect, and compassion. I know that my life is not just about me. By choosing nursing, I am choosing to devote myself to saving others, to being the kind of person patients feel safe turning to, and to living out the lesson that sonder first taught me. It taught me that every life is complex, valuable, and deserving of love.

Anger, yelling, forgiveness, repeat. This cycle has shaped my childhood, shaping me into the person I am today. I carried my anger silently. I didn’t know how to express myself, convinced I had no support and unwilling to burden others with my struggles. Surrounded by constant arguing between my mother and her husband. I closed myself off, unable to understand or forgive. As a freshman just beginning high school, I found comfort only within my room, trying to drown out the noise and responsibilities I carried. While mindlessly scrolling, I came across a short video that changed me. It explained the meaning of sonder: the realization that every person lives a life as vivid and complex as your own. That simple little video and definition instantly motivated me and inspired me. I knew right away that this word meant something to me. It gave me a name to my inner conflicts I had always felt but couldn’t explain. The awareness that everyone, even those closest to me, also fights their own invisible battles. For the first time, I saw my world and the people in it differently. Through sonder, I began to view my parents differently. Instead of focusing only on my anger and mistakes, I realized they, too, are human beings experiencing life for the first time as well. This shift in perspective helped me let go of resentment and recognize my own worth. My parents were not villains. They were simply human – deserving of the same grace, I, too, wished for myself. I knew that I had shown growth. I heard it from coaches, teachers, my friends, and other family members. A new, profound confidence and self-love erupted within me. I was no longer angry, shy, and closed off. I challenged these thoughts in other aspects of my life. By dedicating myself to helping people. People I encounter at my job. Looking at them through lenses, always keeping the idea of sonder in my mind. Picturing that every single one of us was once someone's baby. So yes, I sacrificed my job helping those in need. Though I was told no, I recognize that we are all just human and that there is no reason to treat each other with nothing but love. I sacrificed my own money to help my own friends who could relate to my situation as well, even complete strangers as well. Only a year ago, that’s something I wouldn’t have done-not simply because of money, but because I didn’t like putting myself out there; I recognize the improvement. Being altruistic isn’t always bad. It is a path I want to dedicate my life to. Sonder has taught me that caring for others means to understand their humanity, even when it is hidden behind anger, fear, or pain. This realization is what draws me to becoming a nurse. I want patients to come to me in their most vulnerable states. I know not all will be kind. But just as I have learned to forgive and understand my parents, I will remind myself that every patient has struggles I cannot see. My responsibility as a nurse will be not to judge, but to treat them with care, respect, and compassion. I know that my life is not just about me. By choosing nursing, I am choosing to devote myself to saving others, to being the kind of person patients feel safe turning to, and to living out the lesson that sonder first taught me. It taught me that every life is complex, valuable, and deserving of love.

From my earliest memories, I can recall my grandmother buying my first stethoscope. Making her pretend to be my patient, forcing her to pretend to have all kinds of illnesses. A couple of years later, I remember being in my aunt's backseat, reading her note cards and confirming whether or no her guess was correct, preparing her for her own NCLEX. At 13 years old, she gave me all of her notes, and textbooks so when I went to nursing school I would be prepared. I always knew from an early age that I was meant to help people, and be the advocate for those who couldn’t speak up for themselves. I have spent the last 7 years preparing for my future education and finally become the nurse that I have always wanted to be. Since the beginning of my 6th grade year, I have done countless career research projects through my AVID class. I was persistent with being a nurse. I knew what I needed to achieve and do. I became the captains of my sports teams, within lacrosse and field hockey, I became the captain who advocated for my teammates. Especially within games and practices, when maybe my teammates needed a little more help and our coach hadn’t quite noticed yet. I dedicated my entire high school journey, becoming a person that someone would come and turn to for help. Within my high school journey after countless more career research projects, I discovered becoming a CRNA–certified registered nursing assistant. I fell in love with this career, and the thought of being in the operating room. Along with the challenge. I hope to become an ICU nurse and be the altruistic nurse that can understand caring for others means to understand their humanity, even when it is hidden behind anger, fear, or pain. This realization is what draws me to becoming a nurse. I want patients to come to me in their most vulnerable states. I know not all will be kind. But just as I have learned to forgive and understand my parents, I will remind myself that every patient has struggles I cannot see. My responsibility as a nurse will be not to judge, but to treat them with care, respect, and compassion. I know that my life is not just about me. By choosing nursing, I am choosing to devote myself to saving others, to being the kind of person patients feel safe turning to, and to living out the lesson that sonder first taught me. It taught me that every life is complex, valuable, and deserving of love.

Anger, yelling, forgiveness, repeat. This cycle has shaped my childhood, shaping me into the person I am today. I carried my anger silently. I didn’t know how to express myself, convinced I had no support and unwilling to burden others with my struggles. Surrounded by constant arguing between my mother and her husband. I closed myself off, unable to understand or forgive. As a freshman just beginning high school, I found comfort only within my room, trying to drown out the noise and responsibilities I carried. While mindlessly scrolling, I came across a short video that changed me. It explained the meaning of sonder: the realization that every person lives a life as vivid and complex as your own. That simple little video and definition instantly motivated me and inspired me. I knew right away that this word meant something to me. It gave me a name to my inner conflicts I had always felt but couldn’t explain. The awareness that everyone, even those closest to me, also fights their own invisible battles. For the first time, I saw my world and the people in it differently. Through sonder, I began to view my parents differently. Instead of focusing only on my anger and mistakes, I realized they, too, are human beings experiencing life for the first time as well. This shift in perspective helped me let go of resentment and recognize my own worth. My parents were not villains. They were simply human – deserving of the same grace, I, too, wished for myself. I knew that I had shown growth. I heard it from coaches, teachers, my friends, and other family members. A new, profound confidence and self-love erupted within me. I was no longer angry, shy, and closed off. I challenged these thoughts in other aspects of my life. By dedicating myself to helping people. People I encounter at my job. Looking at them through lenses, always keeping the idea of sonder in my mind. Picturing that every single one of us was once someone's baby. So yes, I sacrificed my job helping those in need. Though I was told no, I recognize that we are all just human and that there is no reason to treat each other with nothing but love. I sacrificed my own money to help my own friends who could relate to my situation as well, even complete strangers as well. Only a year ago, that’s something I wouldn’t have done-not simply because of money, but because I didn’t like putting myself out there; I recognize the improvement. Being altruistic isn’t always bad. It is a path I want to dedicate my life to. Sonder has taught me that caring for others means to understand their humanity, even when it is hidden behind anger, fear, or pain. This realization is what draws me to becoming a nurse. I want patients to come to me in their most vulnerable states. I know not all will be kind. But just as I have learned to forgive and understand my parents, I will remind myself that every patient has struggles I cannot see. My responsibility as a nurse will be not to judge, but to treat them with care, respect, and compassion. I know that my life is not just about me. By choosing nursing, I am choosing to devote myself to saving others, to being the kind of person patients feel safe turning to, and to living out the lesson that sonder first taught me. It taught me that every life is complex, valuable, and deserving of love.

Anger, yelling, forgiveness, repeat. This cycle has shaped my childhood, shaping me into the person I am today. I carried my anger silently. I didn’t know how to express myself, convinced I had no support and unwilling to burden others with my struggles. Surrounded by constant arguing between my mother and her husband. I closed myself off, unable to understand or forgive. As a freshman just beginning high school, I found comfort only within my room, trying to drown out the noise and responsibilities I carried. While mindlessly scrolling, I came across a short video that changed me. It explained the meaning of sonder: the realization that every person lives a life as vivid and complex as your own. That simple little video and definition instantly motivated me and inspired me. I knew right away that this word meant something to me. It gave me a name to my inner conflicts I had always felt but couldn’t explain. The awareness that everyone, even those closest to me, also fights their own invisible battles. For the first time, I saw my world and the people in it differently. Through sonder, I began to view my parents differently. Instead of focusing only on my anger and mistakes, I realized they, too, are human beings experiencing life for the first time as well. This shift in perspective helped me let go of resentment and recognize my own worth. My parents were not villains. They were simply human – deserving of the same grace, I, too, wished for myself. I knew that I had shown growth. I heard it from coaches, teachers, my friends, and other family members. A new, profound confidence and self-love erupted within me. I was no longer angry, shy, and closed off. I challenged these thoughts in other aspects of my life. By dedicating myself to helping people. People I encounter at my job. Looking at them through lenses, always keeping the idea of sonder in my mind. Picturing that every single one of us was once someone's baby. So yes, I sacrificed my job helping those in need. Though I was told no, I recognize that we are all just human and that there is no reason to treat each other with nothing but love. I sacrificed my own money to help my own friends who could relate to my situation as well, even complete strangers as well. Only a year ago, that’s something I wouldn’t have done-not simply because of money, but because I didn’t like putting myself out there; I recognize the improvement. Being altruistic isn’t always bad. It is a path I want to dedicate my life to. Sonder has taught me that caring for others means to understand their humanity, even when it is hidden behind anger, fear, or pain. This realization is what draws me to becoming a nurse. I want patients to come to me in their most vulnerable states. I know not all will be kind. But just as I have learned to forgive and understand my parents, I will remind myself that every patient has struggles I cannot see. My responsibility as a nurse will be not to judge, but to treat them with care, respect, and compassion. I know that my life is not just about me. By choosing nursing, I am choosing to devote myself to saving others, to being the kind of person patients feel safe turning to, and to living out the lesson that sonder first taught me. It taught me that every life is complex, valuable, and deserving of love.

From my earliest memories I have always remembered waking up to watch my mom leave for work, this was a daily routine on both weekdays and weekends. By the time she would return, I would be getting ready for bedtime. Reflecting back on my youth, I realized due to my mother’s financial hardship and being a single mother– I feel like I missed out on a ton of opportunities. I always felt like I wasn’t enough, or couldn’t achieve anything. A lot of my accomplishments, like my sports, I didn’t start for the first time until my freshmen year when my school offered it for free. This gave me ton’s of self doubt. I knew I would never be the Amir Elor of wrestling since I didn’t come out of womb wrestling. Along with the fact, I also felt like I missed out on having my mother. This also grew as I persisted through high school, preoccupying myself with my sports, and my part-time job. I began to view my mom differently. Instead of focusing only on my anger, mistakes, and insecurities. I realized they, too, are human beings experiencing life for the first time as well. This shift in perspective helped me let go of resentment and recognize my own worth. My mom wasn’t far from me. She was simply human – trying to survive and provide the best she can for her children. I knew that I had shown growth. I heard it from coaches, teachers, my friends, and other family members. A new, profound confidence and self-love erupted within me. I was no longer angry, shy, and closed off. I challenged these thoughts in other aspects of my life. By dedicating myself to helping people. People I encounter at my job. Looking at them through lenses, always helping people. People I encounter at my job. Looking at them through lenses, always keeping the idea of sonder in my mind. Picturing that every single one of us was once someone's baby. So yes, I sacrificed my job helping those in need. Though I was told no, I recognize that we are all just human and that there is no reason to treat each other with nothing but love. I sacrificed my own money to help my own friends who could relate to my situation as well, even complete strangers as well. Only a year ago, that’s something I wouldn’t have done-not simply because of money, but because I didn’t like putting myself out there; I recognize the improvement. Being altruistic isn’t always bad. It is a path I want to dedicate my life to. Sonder has taught me that caring for others means to understand their humanity, even when it is hidden behind anger, fear, or pain. This realization is what draws me to becoming a nurse. I want patients to come to me in their most vulnerable states. I know not all will be kind. But just as I have learned to forgive and understand my parents, I will remind myself that every patient has struggles I cannot see. My responsibility as a nurse will be not to judge, but to treat them with care, respect, and compassion.

Resilience, to me, means continuing to move forward even when life feels immense. Growing up in a low-income household with my mom as the sole provider, I learned to break this generational curse; I had to succeed. My mother's strength to support me and my siblings became my motivation to continue to try. I knew based off my situation, I had to continue pushing myself, I could not afford to dilly-dally and put my entire future on the line. I know I need to push myself with my extracurricular skills, so therefore, I became a 3-season athlete and pushed myself to become the captain of these teams. I only took classes that pushed me with rigor. I know I needed to push myself to look appealing to colleges so I could afford to attend them, so I did just that. One of the biggest ways I have demonstrated resilience was through balancing my school, work, sports, and personal responsibilities. I had to work to support myself and ease my mother's financial pressure at home. There were days when I felt burnt-out, exhausted, overwhelmed, and unsure if I could keep going. I reminded myself why I started to build a better future for myself and make my family proud. Instead of letting the stress hold me back, I pushed through, I began to improve my time management skills and learned how to stay disciplined even when things felt hard. I learned this skill through wrestling. My resilience has inspired others around me through using my intelligence and academic success to help my teammates. I am a strong advocate for growing women's wrestling, so when I heard that one of my teammates was failing and was on track to get kicked off the team, I immediately came to help her without doubt. We are both sharing similar situations, so I gave her advice on how to improve her time management. For example, keeping multiple planners and calendars, tackling work early and before deadlines, along with staying organized and giving yourself breaks. I began to stay after every Wednesday to help my teammates tackle her schoolwork and study. The following wrestling season, this year in 2025-2026, she showed me her report card and told me for the first time following my routine, she received straight a's. Seeing others feel motivated by my story reminds me that resilience can create a ripple effect. Resilience has shaped who I am today. It has taught me patience, strength, and self-belief. I no longer see challenges as setbacks but as opportunities to help me grow. Every obstacle has made me stronger and more prepared for my future to continue to help and service people as a nurse.

Growing up in a low-income household with my mom as me and my sibling's sole provider, has deeply shaped my understanding and opinion on money, responsibility, and my determination. From a noticeably early age, I saw how hard my mom worked to support me and my little brother. Watching my mother's juggle paying her rent, utilities, groceries, and unexpected expenses taught me that financial stability is not guaranteed, and it takes extreme willpower to be financially stable. Due to our circumstances, I learned that money is something that dictates your whole life. Some could argue that my mom was rich due to her loving family, but my mom sacrificed her health for her job to support us. Ensuring we had a roof over our heads. Once I turned 16, I applied for my first job. My mom never asked me to help her; my obligation was to become less dependent on her, so she could focus on my brothers. I never understood the value of money until I received my first three paychecks, which were gone within two days of receiving my direct deposit. I realized how quickly money can disappear if I am not budgeting correctly. I taught myself financial literacy and began to budget my paychecks. Setting aside savings, prioritizing responsibilities over wants. For example, saving for a car and saving for college. Most of my financial literacy comes from real-life experiences rather than formal learning. I watched how my mom had to sacrifice her life to simply provide for my siblings and me. Through financial education, I hope I gain the tools I need to break this generational curse and to create a life where I am not consistently worried about making ends meet. After college and pursing my career, eventually getting my masters; I hope to be able to financially support my mom and give her the life she missed. In the future, I plan to use what I know about financial literacy to educate my friends and family in similar situations. I want to be someone who can share their knowledge, resources, and encouragement. Whether it's helping spread awareness about financial skills, and the importance of fighting the temptation of wants, I want to empower others to take control of their finances. Receiving this scholarship would be more than just financial support; it would invest in my future. I am motivated, determined, and eager to learn. Where I come from has taught me resilience, compassion, and gratitude. In the future, I hope to give it back to my community and restore it back to its greatness.