From the time that I was big enough to get my boots on and stomp out the front door on my Pop’s heels, I have been fascinated with tractors, trucks, and just about any kind of heavy equipment. I couldn’t wait for the day when I was finally big enough to move things with the tractor or pull a trailer with a truck by myself. While the tradional classroom sometimes felt like a struggle, I always felt confident when I was working beside my Pop, figuring out what the tractor or bush hog or even the truck needed to run again. My mom used to joke when I was in elementary school that I believed everything worth knowing in life could be learned from my Pop and a John Deere tractor. That thought probably still holds some truth today. Over the years, I have realized that there is much more to learn, but my passion for learning machinery has just grown stronger. For me, there is nothing alot more rewarding than taking apart broken pieces and working through a process, step by step, until it is running smooth again. That sense of accomplishment is what drives my interest in the automotive industry, specifically diesel technology. I have always enjoyed problem-solving, and I have learned to bring patience and determination to every project I work on. When diagnosing the issue with an engine or piece of equipment, I take pride in thinking through each possibility carefully before determining what is needed for repairs. I know that in the automotive and diesel fields, attention to detail and persistence are just as important as technical knowledge, and I believe those are some of the strongest qualities I can contribute. As a student with dyslexia, I have learned that a traditional classroom is not always where I shine. Reading and writing sometimes present challenges, but give me a wrench and a real-world problem to solve, and I am in my element. Working on vehicles and equipment allows me to build on my strengths which are hands on learning, critical thinking, and perseverance rather than being limited by my challenges. I look forward to pursuing a career in the automotive industry because it is and industry where my skills, my interests, and my future can all come together. With training, I hope to turn my love of fixing things into a reliable career that not only supports me and my future family but also contributes to keeping communities and industries moving.

I have always known that the traditional classroom setting was not my thing. My mom sometimes jokes that when I was little, I believed that everything worth knowing in life could be learned from my Pop (grandpa) and a John Deere tractor. That idea probably still holds truth today. The things I learned from watching and helping my Pop sparked my love for heavy equipment and problem-solving, and now I am preparing to take that interest further by enrolling in a trade school. My hope is to not only follow in his footsteps, but also to build a successful career working on equipment—maybe even a few John Deere tractors along the way. In sixth grade, I was diagnosed with dyslexia and dysgraphia. Before that, school felt like one long obstacle course. Reading and writing came with extra challenges, and I always felt like I had to work twice as hard just to keep up. Thankfully, through specialized courses offered by my school district, I was able to learn strategies that helped me manage my learning differences. Those strategies gave me the tools to succeed alongside my classmates, and I proved to myself that I could overcome challenges when I put in the effort. Even though I became more confident in a traditional classroom, I still believe that I thrive best when I can learn by doing. Hands-on learning has always been where I shine, which makes trade school the perfect path for me. This fall, I will begin the Diesel Technology program at Texas State Technical College. I am excited to finally focus on a field that I am passionate about, one that not only allows me to practice hands-on skills but also offers endless opportunities for growth in a thriving trade. Diesel technology is a field that keeps industries, transportation, and communities running, and I am excited to play a part in that. My goal is to use the knowledge I gain to build a reliable career, provide for my future family, and carry on the legacy of hard work and determination that I see in my Pop. With drive, commitment, and the right training, I believe I can be successful in this career.

I have always done well working with my hands and am a pretty good problem solver. I believe that a career working on diesel engines will give me the opportunity to utilize both of those skills. Diagnosing problems with engines is like working a puzzle; thinking through the process until each piece falls precisely into place. It's satisfying to start with something that is perfectly capable of but not working and replacing parts or tweaking features until it is running like a top again. I think that a career in automotive repair, specifically working with diesel engines, is practical and something that I can be proud of. Cars and trucks are constantly changing and evolving with each new technology that becomes available. This is not a career that will be stagnant and go away, the automotive industry is ever changing! Working in the automotive repair industry will require constant learning throughout my career as new technology is revealed. I find this very exciting and challenging. I look forward to being able to keep my fellow Americans safely on the road in the future. I believe that I will thrive while working in this field because I have never truly enjoyed a traditional classroom setting but have always been ready to put my hands to work. When I am working to piece together something that is broken, I am completely within my element. I like being able to think through a problem step by step and applying the information that I know to solve the problem. This allows me the opportunity to learn by doing and build both my confidence and skillset as I go. I think that it is important for someone who works in the automotive repair industry to have a great attention to detail. With thousands of tiny pieces, one loose bolt or missing connection can cause a whole engine to run poorly or not at all. Working in automotive repair requires thorough and precise work to get the job done. This is not the place for skipping steps! Sometimes when working on an engine the cause of a problem is not straight forward. Diagnosing a vehicle is where strong problem solving skills come into play. I believe that you have to be patient and persistent in order to correctly diagnose these complex issues. Critical thinking and the ability to methodically work through each problem as you come to it is what separates a good diesel mechanic from a great one. Most people don't have extra vehicles sitting around that they can drive while you work on one; they're trusting you with machinery that they rely on every single day to support themselves and their family. Clear concise communication, timely repairs and quality work are essential for earning and keeping the trust of your customers. A diesel mechanic must be someone that others can depend on to do a job well and to do it timely. A diesel mechanic should be willing to learn new information. A successful technician is capable of embracing change with new technology emerging continuously. Today's diesel engines require much more than just nuts and bolts to keep a vehicle on the road. If you cannot adapt in this industry, you will be left behind. I am pursuing a career as a diesel mechanic in the automotive industry because I believe it is a field where I can be challenged and apply my strengths to grow professionally and be proud of my work. I will be able to work with my hands and make a meaningful impact every day that I go to work.

Jessica Clark is someone that has been important to my school career. I struggled really hard in school for the first six grades. Well, truthfully, I still struggle because who is good at physics anyway; I’m just better equipped to handle my work than I was back at the beginning of my school career. My teachers used to get frustrated with me because they felt like I was just scraping by and not really putting in the effort for my grades. They did not see how hard I was struggling just to remember or understand what they were showing me. When I was in the sixth grade, I was introduced to Mrs. Clark. She is the dyslexia therapist for Jefferson ISD. Dyslexia is basically the unexplained inability to read, all of the pieces are there but it’s harder to put them together. Immediately, Mrs. Clark understood where I was and what I was struggling with. Mrs. Clark became an advocate for me and my education and has helped me to become a better student. She showed me how to implement techniques that would help me to break down my work and better understand the material that was being given to me in my regular classes. More importantly, with my dyslexia diagnosis, she taught me that I wasn’t dumb or unreachable, but that I just have a different learning style than a lot of my classmates. Every year, Mrs. Clark has sat down with me to make sure that I have all of the tools that I need to be successful with the new grade level that I’m in. If I ever feel that I am struggling with my school work or if I need extra support she is right there to point me in the right direction. She has taught me that even though things are tough, they are still worth doing. I am looking forward to the next step in my education after I graduate high school this spring, where I hope to venture into a career that allows me to use my hands and not be cooped up inside all day. I plan to attend Texas State Technical College in Marshall, Texas where I want to study Diesel Mechanics and heavy equipment. I believe that this is a career that will allow me to continue learning and work with my hands. Thank you for considering me for this scholarship!