Some of the most defining moments in our lives happen long before we are fully able to understand their significance. I was just four years old when I found myself on an airplane with my mom departing from Haiti. Months later, the 2010 Haiti earthquake devastated Port-au-Prince, the city where I was born. Although I was too young to fully comprehend what had happened, I understood that I had been given an opportunity that many others never would, including friends and extended family who were among the more than 220,000 people who lost their lives that day. That realization became the foundation upon which I built my life and inspired me to make every opportunity count. Like many immigrant families, we had to start over from scratch. I entered elementary school unable to speak English and often felt like an outsider. Every evening, my mother patiently helped me practice new vocabulary and grammar until I slowly found my voice. Despite the financial hardships my parents endured while building a new life in America, they never allowed their circumstances to define my future. They reminded me that education would become my passport to a brighter future. College represents more than just a path to a career for me. It represents the realization of a dream that began generations ago and the bridge between where I come from and where I hope to go. As a first-generation college student, pursuing higher education represents both the responsibility and privilege of breaking barriers. Becoming a Licensed Practical Nurse while still in high school transformed my understanding of medicine. I learned that behind each diagnosis was a person with hopes, fears, and loved ones who depended on them. These experiences confirmed that becoming a physician is not just a career goal, but my calling. Today, I am a Biomedical Sciences student at the University of Central Florida with plans to become a physician dedicated to serving underserved communities. My journey has also taught me that the opportunities I receive should extend beyond myself. Through leadership, mentorship, and service, I help other first-generation students from low-income backgrounds navigate opportunities they may not have known existed. Through my undergraduate research, I am also exploring ways to improve healthcare access among underserved communities. Receiving the Bick First Generation Scholarship would provide meaningful support as I complete my final year of college and prepare for medical school. As a first-generation student, this scholarship would allow me to continue pursuing my education, research, and service with less financial strain while moving closer to becoming the physician I have worked so hard to become. Most importantly, it would become part of the same journey my family began when they sacrificed so much to give me opportunities they never had. I hope to honor those sacrifices by creating opportunities for those who come after me.

Some of the most defining moments in our lives happen long before we are fully able to understand their significance. I was just four years old when I found myself on an airplane for the first time with my mom departing from Haiti. Months later, the 2010 Haiti earthquake devastated Port-au-Prince, the city where I was born. Although I was too young to fully comprehend what had happened, I understood that I had been given an opportunity that many others never would. That realization became the foundation upon which I built my life and inspired me to make every opportunity count. Like many immigrant families, we had to start over from scratch. I entered elementary school unable to speak English and often felt like an outsider among my classmates. Every evening, my mother patiently sat beside me, helping me practice new vocabulary and grammar until I slowly found my voice. Despite the financial hardships my parents endured while building a new life in America, they never allowed their circumstances to define my future. They reminded me that education would become my passport to a brighter future and the pathway to creating opportunities not only for myself, but for those around me. Their sacrifices encouraged me to pursue every opportunity I was given with purpose, and that purpose led me towards medicine. Becoming a Licensed Practical Nurse while still in high school challenged me and molded me in ways I could’ve never imagined. I learned that behind each diagnosis was a person with hopes, fears, and loved ones who depended on them. These experiences showed me the humanity within medicine and confirmed that becoming a physician is not just a career goal, but my calling. Today, I am pursuing a degree in Biomedical Sciences with a minor in Health Services Administration at the University of Central Florida. I hope to establish a practice that integrates medicine, technology, and community-centered care to improve health outcomes in underserved populations. However, I do not want to wait until becoming a physician to begin giving back. As a first-generation college student, I understand how intimidating it can be to enter spaces your family has never navigated before. Through PRIME STEM and Take Stock in College, I organized a workshop helping first-generation and low-income students find experiential learning opportunities and leadership pathways on campus. I shared my journey as a Gilman Scholar and showed students how to search for scholarships, research programs, and study-abroad opportunities. My goal was simple: to make these opportunities feel accessible rather than intimidating. One of the students who attended later applied for the Gilman Scholarship and became a recipient herself. Seeing her pursue an opportunity that could change her own college experience reminded me why giving back matters so much to me. Sometimes, making an impact simply means sharing what you have learned so someone else does not have to navigate the same journey alone. My journey from a young immigrant struggling to learn English to a first-generation college student pursuing medicine has taught me that resilience and education can transform lives. I hope to use my education not only to serve patients who have historically lacked access to quality healthcare, but also to help students recognize opportunities they may not have known existed. My parents sacrificed so that I could pursue opportunities they never had. I hope to honor those sacrifices by ensuring that the opportunities I receive never end with me.

My mom and I were on a plane heading to America when my life changed forever. Once we landed, everything felt unfamiliar, from the language to the people around me. Just months later, the 2010 Haiti earthquake devastated Port-au-Prince, my birthplace. I lost family members and friends I never had the chance to say goodbye to. All my five-year-old mind could understand was that I made it out while many others did not. As I grew older, I began to understand that my family had been given an opportunity to build a new life, and I watched my parents sacrifice tremendously to make that opportunity meaningful. Growing up in America as a Haitian immigrant statrting from scratch was not always easy. There were days when our electricity was shut off and we relied on the kindness of neighbors. There were times when food was limited, and my family learned to make the most of what we had. Vacations were not a normal part of my childhood. Instead, I remember watching my father constantly work to provide for our family. His sacrifices showed me that many of the opportunities I had were possible because someone else was willing to work tirelessly to create them. My mother shaped me in a different but equally important way. When I first arrived in America, I struggled to communicate in English and often felt like a foreigner among my classmates. Each night, she sat with me and helped me review basic grammar rules. Slowly, I began to find my voice. Through persistence and hard work, I eventually became one of the top students in my elementary school class. My parents constantly reminded me that education was the key to building a better future. Their story shaped my belief that success should never end with the individual. When someone sacrifices to create an opportunity for you, you have a responsibility to make that opportunity meaningful and, when possible, open doors for someone else. Today, I am a Biomedical Sciences student at the University of Central Florida pursuing my goal of becoming a physician. Before beginning this journey, I became a licensed practical nurse, which gave me the privilege of caring for patients directly. Through those experiences, I began to understand that healthcare is about more than treating an illness. Patients enter healthcare systems carrying families, financial circumstances, fears, and life experiences that may never appear in their medical charts. My family's experiences have inspired me to become a physician who serves underserved communities and considers those circumstances when caring for patients. My interest in technology has also shown me another avenue for creating change. In high school, I developed a mental health application that won the Congressional App Challenge, and my undergraduate research now explores access to telehealth mental health resources among young people in underserved communities. Ultimately, I hope to combine medicine, innovation, and compassion to help make quality healthcare more accessible. My parents may not have been able to give me every material thing growing up, but they gave me something far more valuable: an example of perseverance, sacrifice, and service. Their story taught me to see opportunity not simply as something to receive, but as something to multiply. Becoming a physician will be one way I honor everything they sacrificed to give me a future and use that future to create a better one for others.

My mom and I were on a plane heading to America when my life changed forever. Once we landed, everything felt unfamiliar—from the language to the people around me. Just months later, the 2010 Haiti earthquake devastated Port-au-Prince, my birthplace. I lost family members and friends I never had the chance to say goodbye to. All my five-year-old mind could understand was that I made it out while many others did not. I had been given a second chance to make something meaningful of my life, and that realization became the driving force behind everything I do. Growing up in America as a Haitian immigrant was not easy. I often felt like a foreigner among my classmates because I could not communicate in English. But I did not let that stop me from learning. Each night, my mom helped me review basic grammar rules, and slowly I began to find my voice. Through persistence and hard work, I eventually became one of the top students in my elementary school class. My parents constantly reminded me that education was the key to building a better future. As a first-generation college student, pursuing higher education means entering spaces that my family has never navigated before. There are many moments of uncertainty such as figuring out financial aid, finding mentors, and learning the unwritten rules of higher education. Yet those challenges have strengthened my determination. Today, I am a Biomedical Sciences student at the University of Central Florida with plans to attend medical school and become a physician dedicated to serving underserved communities. I plan to inspire and motivate other first-generation students by showing them that their background does not limit their potential. Through my leadership roles, mentorship, and service, I want to help students who may feel out of place realize that they belong in higher education. As a Take Stock in College Student Ambassador and campus leader, I share resources, encouragement, and guidance with students who are navigating the same uncertainties I once faced. One of the most rewarding experiences I’ve had was organizing and presenting a workshop through PRIME STEM and Take Stock in College focused on helping first-generation and low-income students find experiential learning opportunities and leadership pathways on campus. During the session, I shared my journey as a Gilman Scholar and walked students through how to search for scholarships, research programs, and study abroad opportunities that many of them had never heard about before. I also spoke about my experiences serving on the President’s Leadership Council and the Dean’s Leadership Council, encouraging students to pursue opportunities that would allow them to grow as leaders and advocates on campus. My goal was simple: to make these opportunities feel accessible rather than intimidating. After the workshop, one of the students who attended went on to apply for the Gilman Scholarship and was awarded it. Seeing a student from a similar background achieve something that once felt impossible reinforced my belief that mentorship and access to information can open doors for first-generation students. My journey, from a young immigrant struggling to learn English to a first-generation college student pursuing medicine, has taught me that resilience and education can transform lives. I hope that by continuing to share my story, mentor others, and help students access opportunities they may not have known existed, I can inspire more first-generation students to believe in themselves and pursue higher education boldly. If my journey can help even one student see that their dreams are possible, then every challenge I have faced will have served a greater purpose.

My mom and I were on a plane heading to America, a land that, at five years old, felt unfamiliar and overwhelming. Just months later, the 2010 Haiti earthquake devastated Port-au-Prince, my birthplace. I lost loved ones I never got to say goodbye to, and I also lost a piece of myself. All I could grasp was that I survived while many others did not. That realization has shaped my entire educational journey. I was given a second chance, and I made a promise to use it for something greater than myself. As a first-generation immigrant from a low-income family, entering higher education means crossing a threshold that my parents never had the opportunity to approach. College has always felt both hopeful and intimidating. I am pursuing a path no one in my family has walked, yet I carry their sacrifices behind every step I take. There is excitement in being the first, but also pressure. There are no mentors at home to guide me through financial aid forms, degree audits, networking, or navigating academic systems that were not built with students like me in mind. Higher education is filled with unspoken rules, and first-generation students often have to figure them out without a roadmap. The fear of not belonging has followed me into classrooms where very few students look like me, and into STEM spaces where diversity is still limited. I come from neighborhoods where dreams often get dismissed before they have the chance to grow. Pursuing medicine as a Haitian-American woman means choosing to defy those expectations. It also means carrying a responsibility bigger than my own success. My education is not just a personal accomplishment. It represents my family’s resilience and the possibility of expanding access for others who are underrepresented, underserved, or overlooked. Financial obstacles continue to be one of the largest barriers. Tuition, housing, textbooks, and transportation compete with the need to help support my family. There are months when unexpected expenses arise, and I must choose between investing in opportunities that prepare me for medical school or ensuring stability at home. I have learned discipline out of necessity and perseverance out of faith. Scholarships are not simply money to me; they are time, opportunity, and a pathway forward. They make the difference between surviving college and being able to thrive within it. My passion for healthcare took shape when I became a licensed practical nurse. Working directly with patients taught me that medicine is not just science; it is humanity. I witnessed how poverty, lack of insurance, language barriers, and limited resources prevent patients from receiving equitable care. Those experiences affirmed that I am not just joining the medical field. I am entering to confront the inequities that have affected my own community. At UCF, majoring in Biomedical Sciences and minoring in Health Services Administration has strengthened this mission. Through the Inspire Scholar Program and leadership roles such as the President’s Leadership Council, the Dean’s Leadership Council, and serving as President of Every Nation Campus, I have learned how advocacy, policy, mentorship, and education can work together to create change. Looking ahead, I hope to attend medical school and open a private practice that serves underrepresented and low-income communities. I want to bridge healthcare and technology to make care affordable and accessible. By investing in me, this scholarship would also invest in the families and communities I am determined to serve. My journey began with survival. My purpose is to transform that survival into service.

In ninth grade, before mental health conversations became common, I tried to address the growing crisis among teens by creating a mental health app called Mental Health Coach. I had no coding experience, but I saw the lack of support around me and wanted to provide something safe, anonymous, and accessible. I spent nights debugging code, reached out to mentors, and rebuilt sections from scratch when they failed. After months of persistence, I submitted my app to the Congressional App Challenge. It won for my district, and I presented it on Capitol Hill. That experience showed me that real change requires both creativity and determination. Today, as a Biomedical Sciences major with a minor in Health Services Administration, my mission has grown. I am learning how insurance barriers, treatment costs, and limited resources make mental health care difficult to access. I do not want to build only a tool. I want to improve the system so that care is affordable before people reach a crisis. My goal is to combine medicine, technology, and policy to create community based mental health models that use preventative care, peer support, telehealth, and AI assisted screening to reduce cost and increase access. I hope to become a physician who uses innovation not just to treat mental illness, but to remove the barriers that prevent people from getting help. My vision is a future where mental health care is affordable, proactive, and available to anyone who needs support.

Being a first-generation college student has shaped the way I view success, service, and purpose. It has taught me that education is not just a personal achievement, it’s a responsibility to those who paved the way before me and to those who will come after. My journey began when my mom and I left Port-au-Prince, Haiti, for the United States. Just months after our arrival, the 2010 earthquake devastated my hometown, taking the lives of family members and friends I never got to say goodbye to. I was only five, but I understood enough to realize that I had been given a second chance. That awareness became the driving force behind my life. Growing up in a low-income household with limited guidance, I learned early on to rely on perseverance, discipline, and faith in myself to move forward. Being a first-generation student has made me deeply aware of the barriers that exist not just in education, but in healthcare, opportunity, and access. Watching my mom navigate systems she didn’t fully understand taught me the importance of advocacy, compassion, and patience. Those lessons are at the heart of why I want to become a physician. I want to bridge the gap between healthcare and the communities that need it most, ensuring that no one feels as lost or unseen as my family once did. At the University of Central Florida, I’m majoring in Biomedical Sciences with a minor in Health Services Administration, preparing to combine clinical knowledge with leadership and service. My experiences as a licensed practical nurse have confirmed that healing requires empathy as much as expertise. My goal is to one day open a private practice that provides accessible and affordable care to underrepresented populations, using medicine as both a science and a service. Being a first-generation student has influenced not only what I want to do, but how I want to do it, with gratitude, resilience, and purpose. Every challenge I’ve faced has reminded me that success means little if it doesn’t lift others, too.

To me, college represents more than just a path to a career; it’s the realization of a dream that began generations ago and the bridge between where I come from and where I hope to go. As a first-generation college student, going to college means carrying both the responsibility and the privilege of breaking barriers. It means turning the sacrifices of my family into purpose and possibility. My mom and I were on a plane getting ready to head to America. Once we landed, it felt like a completely different atmosphere. I desperately wanted to return home; this new land was foreign to me, and the people spoke a language I had never heard before. Just months later, the 2010 Haiti earthquake devastated Port-au-Prince, my birthplace. I lost family members and friends I never got the chance to say goodbye to, and I also lost a piece of myself. All my five-year-old mind could understand was that I made it out while many others did not. I had been given a second chance to make something of my life, and that realization became the driving force behind everything I do. Whenever I feel defeated, I remind myself that I could have been one of the 220,000 who lost their lives that day. Growing up in America as a Haitian immigrant wasn’t easy. My mom and I faced language barriers, financial hardship, and the quiet pressure of having to figure out everything on our own. I often helped her fill out forms, interpret letters, and navigate systems that neither of us fully understood. There were moments when the path to college seemed distant, but those challenges taught me resilience, discipline, and perseverance. I learned that education was my way forward, not just for myself, but for the people I hoped to serve one day. At the University of Central Florida, I’m majoring in Biomedical Sciences with a minor in Health Services Administration. Every class and lab reminds me why I’m here. I’m not just chasing a degree, I’m preparing to fulfill a calling. Working as a licensed practical nurse has shown me that medicine is more than science; it’s compassion in action. Each patient I meet reinforces my belief that healing involves empathy, understanding, and advocacy. That’s the kind of physician I aspire to be a physician who treats both the illness and the person behind it. College has also taught me that leadership is another form of service. As president of Every Nation Campus, I help students find belonging, purpose, and community. Through the President’s Leadership Council, the Dean’s Leadership Council, and my work as a Take Stock in College Ambassador, I’ve learned to lead with humility, empathy, and accountability. These experiences have shaped how I view success not as personal achievement, but as the ability to empower others. Ultimately, what I hope to accomplish through college extends far beyond personal success. I want to use my education to make healthcare more compassionate and accessible, especially in underserved communities. One day, I hope to open a private practice that combines medicine and technology to reach those who need care the most. Going to college has given me the chance to transform my experiences—loss, resilience, and perseverance—into purpose. It has taught me that every obstacle is an opportunity to rise, and every challenge can become a story of hope. For me, college isn’t just about achieving success; it’s about creating impact. It’s about honoring where I come from while building a future that helps others rise, too.

My mom and I were on a plane getting ready to head to America. Once we landed, it felt like a different atmosphere. I desperately wanted to return home; this new land was foreign to me, and the people spoke a language I had never heard before. Just months later, the 2010 Haiti earthquake devastated Port-au-Prince, my birthplace. I lost family members and friends I never got a chance to say goodbye to, and I also lost a piece of myself. All my five-year-old mind could understand was that I made it out while most of the people back home did not. I had been given a second chance to make something of my life. That became the driving force every time I felt defeated because I could have been one of the 220,000 who lost their lives on that horrific day. America is known as the land of opportunity, but no one ever tells you that sometimes you have to start from nothing to build your way up; that was the case for me. I felt like a foreigner among my classmates because I could not communicate in English. However, I did not let that stop me from learning. Each night, my mom reviewed the fundamental grammar rules, and slowly, I became more comfortable speaking English. As a result of my persistence, I became one of the top students in my 2nd grade ELA class. My mom taught me that I can achieve anything with hard work, which became a huge stepping stone. Hard work plus persistence equals success. This was the formula my parents encouraged in me. Despite the financial hardships I witnessed my parents endure, they always encouraged me to focus on my education because it would become my passport to a brighter future. In middle school, this formula encouraged me to earn several high school credits and take technical certification exams like the Microsoft Bundle certifications. In high school, this formula allowed me to excel academically, participate in twelve clubs, and volunteer in community-led activities. Particularly, it was what encouraged me to begin coding. Coding opened a world of endless possibilities to create solutions to real-world problems, like the mental health crisis among teens. I spent months creating a mental health app that would bring awareness about mental health to prevent drastically high suicide numbers. The process of creating an app with no prior knowledge was grueling. Many times, I stumbled upon a code that not only crashed the system but shattered my inner faith. Oftentimes, I wanted to give up. Again, with hard work and persistence, I created an app that helped teens and won the Congressional App Challenge, which granted me the opportunity to present my app in Congress. In college, I often find myself as the only Black student in many of my advanced courses. As isolating as this may feel, I embrace the challenge as an honor. I hope my presence in these spaces inspires other minorities to pursue their wildest dreams, no matter the obstacles they face as immigrants, first-generation students, or members of low-income communities. My parents’ sacrifices taught me that success is about more than personal achievement. It’s about breaking barriers and creating opportunities for others. My journey as an immigrant and first-generation college student is proof that hard work and persistence can turn even the most challenging circumstances into triumphs. I aspire to use my education to make a significant impact on the world, from innovating solutions for mental health crises to mentoring students in my shoes, who, like me, once felt out of place in unfamiliar environments.

My mom and I were on a plane getting ready to head to America. Once we landed, it felt like a different atmosphere. I desperately wanted to go back home; this new land was foreign to me, and the people spoke a language I had never heard before. A few months later, I learned that I lost many relatives and my best friend, whom I never got a chance to say goodbye to, in the Haiti earthquake in 2010. It devastated the capital, Port-au-Prince, where I was born and resided before moving to the U.S. All my five-year-old mind could understand was that I made it out while most people back home did not. That became the driving force every time I felt defeated because I could have been one of the 220,000 who lost their lives on that horrific day. America is known as the land of opportunity, but no one ever tells you that sometimes you have to start from nothing to build your way up; that was the case for me. I hated my first couple of months in school. I felt like a foreigner among my classmates because I could not communicate in English. However, I did not let that stop me from learning. Each night, my mom reviewed the fundamental grammar rules, and slowly, I became more comfortable speaking English. As a result of my persistence, I became one of the top students in my 2nd grade ELA class. My mom taught me I can achieve anything with hard work, which became a huge stepping stone. Hard work plus persistence equals success. This was the formula my parents encouraged in me from an early age. Despite the financial hardships I witnessed my parents endure, they always encouraged me to focus on my education because it would become my passport to a brighter future. In middle school, this formula encouraged me to earn eight high school credits and take technical certification exams like the Microsoft Bundle certifications. In high school, this formula allowed me to excel academically, participate in twelve clubs, and volunteer in community-led activities. Particularly, it was what encouraged me to begin coding. Coding opened a world of endless possibilities to create solutions to everyday problems. I wanted to address the mental health crisis in my age group, so I decided to take part in the Congressional App Challenge. I spent two months creating an app that would bring awareness about mental health, especially among teens, to prevent drastically high suicide numbers. The process of creating an app with no prior knowledge was grueling. Many times, I stumbled upon a code that not only crashed the system but shattered my inner faith. Oftentimes, I wanted to give up. Again, with hard work and persistence, I could create an app that would help teens and win the Congressional App Challenge, which granted me the opportunity to present my app in Congress. As a first-generation college student, I often find myself as the only black student in a couple of my higher-division classes required for computer science, which I see as an honor. Being the first in my family to obtain a college degree is a huge milestone for me, my family, and my community. I want my success story to inspire other minorities to chase after their wildest dreams despite being immigrants, first-generation, and low-income. I want to break the barriers that society places based on my labels. I want to pursue a career in biotechnology with hopes of becoming a physician or software developer.

My mom and I were on a plane getting ready to head to America. Once we landed, it felt like a different atmosphere. I desperately wanted to go back home; this new land was foreign to me, and the people spoke a language I had never heard before. A few months later, I learned that I lost many relatives and my best friend, whom I never got a chance to say goodbye to, in the Haiti earthquake in 2010. It devastated the capital, Port-au-Prince, where I was born and resided before moving to the U.S. All my five-year-old mind could understand was that I made it out while most of the people back home did not. That became the driving force every time I felt defeated because I could have been one of the 220,000 who lost their lives on that horrific day. America is known as the land of opportunity, but no one ever tells you that sometimes you have to start from nothing to build your way up; that was the case for me. I hated my first couple of months in school. I felt like a foreigner among my classmates because I was unable to communicate in English. However, I did not let that stop me from learning. Each night, my mom reviewed the fundamental grammar rules, and slowly, I became more comfortable speaking English. As a result of my persistence, I became one of the top students in my 2nd grade ELA class. My mom taught me that I can achieve anything with hard work, which became a huge stepping stone. Hard work plus persistence equals success. This was the formula my parents encouraged in me from an early age. Despite the financial hardships I witnessed my parents endure, they always encouraged me to focus on my education because it would become my passport to a brighter future. In middle school, this formula encouraged me to earn eight high school credits and take technical certification exams like the Microsoft Bundle certifications. In high school, this formula allowed me to excel academically, participate in twelve clubs, and volunteer in community-led activities. Particularly, it was what encouraged me to begin coding. Coding opened a world of endless possibilities to create solutions to everyday problems. I wanted to address the mental health crisis in my age group, so I decided to take part in the Congressional App Challenge. I spent two months creating an app that would bring awareness about mental health, especially among teens, to prevent drastically high suicide numbers. The process of creating an app with no prior knowledge was grueling. Many times, I stumbled upon a code that not only crashed the system but shattered my inner faith. Often times, I wanted to give up. Again, with hard work and persistence, I could create an app that would help teens and win the Congressional App Challenge, which granted me the opportunity to present my app in Congress. In college, I often find myself as the only black student in a couple of my higher-division classes required for my computer science major, which I see as an honor. I want my success story to inspire other minorities to chase after their wildest dreams despite being immigrant, first-generation, and low-income. Getting this scholarship would help me do just that. It would tremendously help me in my academic and professional endeavors while encouraging other students in my shoes.

My mom and I were on a plane getting ready to head to America. Once we landed, it felt like a different atmosphere. I desperately wanted to go back home; this new land was foreign to me, and the people spoke a language I had never heard before. A few months later, I learned that I lost many relatives and my best friend, whom I never got a chance to say goodbye to, in the Haiti earthquake in 2010. It devastated the capital, Port-au-Prince, where I was born and resided before moving to the U.S. All my five-year-old mind could understand was that I made it out while most of the people back home did not. That became the driving force every time I felt defeated because I could have been one of the 220,000 who lost their lives on that horrific day. America is known as the land of opportunity, but no one ever tells you that sometimes you have to start from nothing to build your way up; that was the case for me. I hated my first couple of months in school. I felt like a foreigner among my classmates because I was unable to communicate in English. However, I did not let that stop me from learning. Each night, my mom reviewed the fundamental grammar rules, and slowly, I became more comfortable speaking English. As a result of my persistence, I became one of the top students in my 2nd grade ELA class. My mom taught me that I can achieve anything with hard work, which became a huge stepping stone. Hard work plus persistence equals success. This was the formula my parents encouraged in me from an early age. Despite the financial hardships I witnessed my parents endure, they always encouraged me to focus on my education because it would become my passport to a brighter future. In middle school, this formula encouraged me to earn eight high school credits and take technical certification exams like the Microsoft Bundle certifications. In high school, this formula allowed me to excel academically, participate in twelve clubs, and volunteer in community-led activities. Particularly, it was what encouraged me to begin coding. Coding opened a world of endless possibilities to create solutions to everyday problems. I wanted to address the mental health crisis in my age group, so I decided to take part in the Congressional App Challenge. I spent two months creating an app that would bring awareness about mental health, especially among teens, to prevent drastically high suicide numbers. The process of creating an app with no prior knowledge was grueling. Many times, I stumbled upon a code that not only crashed the system but shattered my inner faith. Oftentimes, I wanted to give up. Again, with hard work and persistence, I could create an app that would help teens and win the Congressional App Challenge, which granted me the opportunity to present my app in Congress. In college, I often find myself as the only black student in a couple of my higher-division classes required for my computer science major, which I see as an honor. Success is an everlasting process that requires resilience and commitment. My parents are committed to giving me a brighter future where I can be free to study and become whatever I put my mind to. My drive to be significant in my community and break the barriers as a minority is my biggest success so far. I want my success story to inspire other minorities to chase after their wildest dreams despite being immigrant, first-generation, and low-income.

My mom and I were on a plane getting ready to head to America. Once we landed, it felt like a different atmosphere. I desperately wanted to go back home; this new land was foreign to me, and the people spoke a language I had never heard before. A few months later, I learned that I lost many relatives and my best friend, whom I never got a chance to say goodbye to, in the Haiti earthquake in 2010. It devastated the capital, Port-au-Prince, where I was born and resided before moving to the U.S. All my five-year-old mind could understand was that I made it out while most of the people back home did not. That became the driving force every time I felt defeated because I could have been one of the 220,000 who lost their lives on that horrific day. America is known as the land of opportunity, but no one ever tells you that sometimes you have to start from nothing to build your way up; that was the case for me. I hated my first couple of months in school. I felt like a foreigner among my classmates because I was unable to communicate in English. However, I did not let that stop me from learning. Each night, my mom reviewed the fundamental grammar rules, and slowly, I became more comfortable speaking English. As a result of my persistence, I became one of the top students in my 2nd grade ELA class. My mom taught me that I can achieve anything with hard work, which became a huge stepping stone. Hard work plus persistence equals success. This was the formula my parents encouraged in me from an early age. Despite the financial hardships I witnessed my parents endure, they always encouraged me to focus on my education because it would become my passport to a brighter future. In middle school, this formula encouraged me to earn eight high school credits and take technical certification exams like the Microsoft Bundle certifications. In high school, this formula allowed me to excel academically, participate in twelve clubs, and volunteer in community-led activities. Particularly, it was what encouraged me to begin coding. Coding opened a world of endless possibilities to create solutions to everyday problems. I wanted to address the mental health crisis in my age group, so I decided to take part in the Congressional App Challenge. I spent two months creating an app that would bring awareness about mental health, especially among teens, to prevent drastically high suicide numbers. The process of creating an app with no prior knowledge was grueling. Many times, I stumbled upon a code that not only crashed the system but shattered my inner faith. Often times, I wanted to give up. Again, with hard work and persistence, I could create an app that would help teens and win the Congressional App Challenge, which granted me the opportunity to present my app in Congress. In college, I often find myself as the only black student in a couple of my higher-division classes required for my computer science major, which I see as an honor. Success is an everlasting process that requires resilience and commitment. My parents are committed to giving me a brighter future where I can be free to study and become whatever I put my mind to. My drive to be significant in my community and break the barriers as a minority is my biggest success so far. I want my success story to inspire other minorities to chase after their wildest dreams despite being immigrant, first-generation, and low-income.

My mom and I were on a plane getting ready to head to America. Once we landed, it felt like a different atmosphere. I desperately wanted to go back home; this new land was foreign to me, and the people spoke a language I had never heard before. A few months later, I learned that I lost many relatives and my best friend, whom I never got a chance to say goodbye to, in the Haiti earthquake in 2010. It devastated the capital, Port-au-Prince, where I was born and resided before moving to the U.S. All my five-year-old mind could understand was that I made it out while most of the people back home did not. That became the driving force every time I felt defeated because I could have been one of the 220,000 who lost their lives on that horrific day. America is known as the land of opportunity, but no one ever tells you that sometimes you have to start from nothing to build your way up; that was the case for me. I hated my first couple of months in school. I felt like a foreigner among my classmates because I was unable to communicate in English. However, I did not let that stop me from learning. Each night, my mom reviewed the fundamental grammar rules, and slowly, I became more comfortable speaking English. As a result of my persistence, I became one of the top students in my 2nd grade ELA class. My mom taught me that I can achieve anything with hard work, which became a huge stepping stone. Hard work plus persistence equals success. This was the formula my parents encouraged in me from an early age. Despite the financial hardships I witnessed my parents endure, they always encouraged me to focus on my education because it would become my passport to a brighter future. In middle school, this formula encouraged me to earn eight high school credits and take technical certification exams like the Microsoft Bundle certifications. In high school, this formula allowed me to excel academically, participate in twelve clubs, and volunteer in community-led activities. Particularly, it was what encouraged me to begin coding. Coding opened a world of endless possibilities to create solutions to everyday problems. I wanted to address the mental health crisis in my age group, so I decided to take part in the Congressional App Challenge. I spent two months creating an app that would bring awareness about mental health, especially among teens, to prevent drastically high suicide numbers. The process of creating an app with no prior knowledge was grueling. Many times, I stumbled upon a code that not only crashed the system but shattered my inner faith. Oftentimes, I wanted to give up. Again, with hard work and persistence, I could create an app that would help teens and win the Congressional App Challenge, which granted me the opportunity to present my app in Congress. In college, I often find myself as the only black student in a couple of my higher-division classes required for my computer science major, which I see as an honor. Success is an everlasting process that requires resilience and commitment. I want my success story to inspire others to chase after their wildest dreams. Many times, it's hard to take advantage of certain opportunities simply because I don't have the funding, which has served as the biggest barrier to my success. This opportunity will help me reach my next level of success as a first-generation, low-income student by helping me find the financial means to reach my goals.

My mom and I were on a plane getting ready to head to America. Once we landed, it felt like a different atmosphere. I desperately wanted to go back home. A few months later, I learned that I lost many relatives and my best friend, whom I never got a chance to say goodbye to, in the Haiti earthquake in 2010. It devastated the capital, Port-au-Prince, where I was born and resided before moving to the U.S. All my five-year-old mind could understand was that I made it out while most of the people back home did not. That became the driving force every time I felt defeated because I could have been one of the 220,000 who lost their lives on that horrific day. America is known as the land of opportunity, but no one ever tells you that sometimes you have to start from nothing to build your way up; that was the case for me. I hated my first couple of months in school. I felt like a foreigner among my classmates because I was unable to communicate in English. However, I did not let that stop me from learning. Each night, my mom reviewed the fundamental grammar rules, and slowly, I became more comfortable speaking English. As a result of my persistence, I became one of the top students in my 2nd grade ELA class. My mom taught me that I can achieve anything with hard work, which became a huge stepping stone. Hard work plus persistence equals success. This was the formula my parents encouraged in me from an early age. Despite the financial hardships I witnessed my parents endure, they always encouraged me to focus on my education because it would become my passport to a brighter future. In middle school, this formula encouraged me to earn eight high school credits and take technical certification exams like the Microsoft Bundle certifications. In high school, this formula allowed me to excel academically, participate in twelve clubs, and volunteer in community-led activities. Particularly, it was what encouraged me to begin coding. Coding opened a world of endless possibilities to create solutions to everyday problems. I wanted to address the mental health crisis in my age group, so I decided to take part in the Congressional App Challenge. I spent months creating an app that would bring awareness about mental health, especially among teens, to prevent drastically high suicide numbers. The process of creating an app with no prior knowledge was grueling. Many times, I stumbled upon a code that not only crashed the system but shattered my inner faith. Often times, I wanted to give up. Again, with hard work and persistence, I could create an app that would help teens and win the Congressional App Challenge, which granted me the opportunity to present my app in Congress. I want my success story to inspire other minorities to chase after their wildest dreams despite being immigrant, first-generation, and low-income.

My mom and I were on a plane getting ready to head to America. Once we landed, it felt like a different atmosphere. I desperately wanted to go back home; this new land was foreign to me, and the people spoke a language I had never heard before. A few months later, I learned that I lost many relatives and my best friend, whom I never got a chance to say goodbye to, in the Haiti earthquake in 2010. It devastated the capital, Port-au-Prince, where I was born and resided before moving to the U.S. All my five-year-old mind could understand was that I made it out while most of the people back home did not. That became the driving force every time I felt defeated because I could have been one of the 220,000 who lost their lives on that horrific day. America is known as the land of opportunity, but no one ever tells you that sometimes you have to start from nothing to build your way up; that was the case for me. I hated my first couple of months in school. I felt like a foreigner among my classmates because I was unable to communicate in English. However, I did not let that stop me from learning. Each night, my mom reviewed the fundamental grammar rules, and slowly, I became more comfortable speaking English. As a result of my persistence, I became one of the top students in my 2nd grade ELA class. My mom taught me that I can achieve anything with hard work, which became a huge stepping stone. Hard work plus persistence equals success. This was the formula my parents encouraged in me from an early age. Despite the financial hardships I witnessed my parents endure, they always encouraged me to focus on my education because it would become my passport to a brighter future. In middle school, this formula encouraged me to earn eight high school credits and take technical certification exams like the Microsoft Bundle certifications. In high school, this formula allowed me to excel academically, participate in twelve clubs, and volunteer in community-led activities. Particularly, it was what encouraged me to begin coding. Coding opened a world of endless possibilities to create solutions to everyday problems. I wanted to address the mental health crisis in my age group, so I decided to take part in the Congressional App Challenge. I spent two months creating an app that would bring awareness about mental health, especially among teens, to prevent drastically high suicide numbers. The process of creating an app with no prior knowledge was grueling. Many times, I stumbled upon a code that not only crashed the system but shattered my inner faith. Often times, I wanted to give up. Again, with hard work and persistence, I could create an app that would help teens and win the Congressional App Challenge, which granted me the opportunity to present my app in Congress. In college, I often find myself as the only black student in a couple of my higher-division classes required for my computer science major, which I see as an honor. I want my success story to inspire other minorities to chase after their wildest dreams despite being immigrant, first-generation, and low-income.

My mom and I were on a plane getting ready to head to America. Once we landed, it felt like a different atmosphere. I desperately wanted to go back home; this new land was foreign to me, and the people spoke a language I had never heard before. A few months later, I learned that I lost many relatives and my best friend, whom I never got a chance to say goodbye to, in the Haiti earthquake in 2010. It devastated the capital, Port-au-Prince, where I was born and resided before moving to the U.S. All my five-year-old mind could understand was that I made it out while most of the people back home did not. That became the driving force every time I felt defeated because I could have been one of the 220,000 who lost their lives on that horrific day. America is known as the land of opportunity, but no one ever tells you that sometimes you have to start from nothing to build your way up; that was the case for me. I hated my first couple of months in school. I felt like a foreigner among my classmates because I was unable to communicate in English. However, I did not let that stop me from learning. Each night, my mom reviewed the fundamental grammar rules, and slowly, I became more comfortable speaking English. As a result of my persistence, I became one of the top students in my 2nd grade ELA class. My mom taught me that I can achieve anything with hard work, which became a huge stepping stone. Hard work plus persistence equals success. This was the formula my parents encouraged in me from an early age. Despite the financial hardships I witnessed my parents endure, they always encouraged me to focus on my education because it would become my passport to a brighter future. In middle school, this formula encouraged me to earn eight high school credits and take technical certification exams like the Microsoft Bundle certifications. In high school, this formula allowed me to excel academically, participate in twelve clubs, and volunteer in community-led activities. Particularly, it was what encouraged me to begin coding. Coding opened a world of endless possibilities to create solutions to everyday problems. I wanted to address the mental health crisis in my age group, so I decided to take part in the Congressional App Challenge. I spent two months creating an app that would bring awareness about mental health, especially among teens, to prevent drastically high suicide numbers. The process of creating an app with no prior knowledge was grueling. Many times, I stumbled upon a code that not only crashed the system but shattered my inner faith. Often times, I wanted to give up. Again, with hard work and persistence, I could create an app that would help teens and win the Congressional App Challenge, which granted me the opportunity to present my app in Congress. In college, I often find myself as the only black student in a couple of my higher-division classes required for my computer science major, which I see as an honor. I want my success story to inspire other minorities to chase after their wildest dreams despite being immigrant, first-generation, and low-income. This helps me stay accountable.

My passion comes from wanting to make a lasting impact on the world and improve the lives of others around me. I've found a strong interest in both computer science and medicine. I decided to explore both fields to determine which was the best fit for me. Being exposed to the medical and technology field early on gave me an idea of what I wanted to be. I spent the past few years working with Oracle professionals to strengthen my front-end and back-end development skills. Over the past few years, I've built several websites for clients that they found astonishing. I also created several apps. The very first app I created was directed to help teens who were suffering from anxiety and depression. The goal of my app was to decrease the drastically increasing number of teens who committed suicide. This award-winning app was the winner for my congressional district in 2020. In addition, I created another app called MavenSearch, which aimed to help teens connect with local business sponsors to find service hours. This app was designed to help teens struggling to find service hours when the pandemic started. In addition, I regularly compete in community hackathons to solve everyday problems. I decided to switch gears by enrolling in the nursing program at my school, hesitant to leave behind my world of computer science. I had no idea how challenging nursing would be; nothing could have prepared me for the rigor. Failing after hours of studying felt like an unending cycle. My clinical experience showed a need for healthcare workers and allowed me to connect with patients from all walks of life. This was the key factor that kept me going. My clinical experience has encouraged me to pursue Biology as one of my majors. However, I did not feel complete. After an entire year of pursuing solely nursing, I realized how much I missed being involved in computer science. My coaches, professors, mentors, friends, and parents encouraged me to pursue Computer Science. I had to make a tough decision: pursue biology and go on to medical school or computer science. I realized that I could have the best of both worlds by starting a business suited to make profound innovations within the medical field using my computer knowledge. I want to use my computer science and medical science knowledge to create innovative technology that can assist healthcare workers with everyday tasks. As a result, I have decided to pursue a double major in Biology and Computer Science. My main goal for choosing these majors and minors is to earn a sustainable living doing what I love and to encourage other minorities to chase after their dreams. I plan to utilize my college education to further my skills and knowledge to propel myself into my career as a doctor, biomedical engineer, computer programmer, or entrepreneur. I plan to use my education to assist me in becoming a well-rounded individual who is well-adapted to the demands of the future generation. Many times, it's hard to take advantage of certain opportunities simply because I don't have the funding, which has served as the biggest barrier to my success. This opportunity will help me reach my next level of success as a first-generation, low-income student by helping me find the financial means to reach my goals.

My mom and I were on a plane getting ready to head to America. Once we landed, it felt like a different atmosphere. I desperately wanted to go back home; this new land was foreign to me, and the people spoke a language I had never heard before. A few months later, I learned that I lost many relatives and my best friend, whom I never got a chance to say goodbye to, in the Haiti earthquake in 2010. It devastated the capital, Port-au-Prince, where I was born and resided before moving to the U.S. All my five-year-old mind could understand was that I made it out while most of the people back home did not. That became the driving force every time I felt defeated because I could have been one of the 220,000 who lost their lives on that horrific day. America is known as the land of opportunity, but no one ever tells you that sometimes you have to start from nothing to build your way up; that was the case for me. I hated my first couple of months in school. I felt like a foreigner among my classmates because I was unable to communicate in English. However, I did not let that stop me from learning. Each night, my mom reviewed the fundamental grammar rules, and slowly, I became more comfortable speaking English. As a result of my persistence, I became one of the top students in my 2nd grade ELA class. My mom taught me that I can achieve anything with hard work, which became a huge stepping stone. Hard work plus persistence equals success. This was the formula my parents encouraged in me from an early age. Despite the financial hardships I witnessed my parents endure, they always encouraged me to focus on my education because it would become my passport to a brighter future. In middle school, this formula encouraged me to earn eight high school credits and take technical certification exams like the Microsoft Bundle certifications. In high school, this formula allowed me to excel academically, participate in twelve clubs, and volunteer in community-led activities. Particularly, it was what encouraged me to begin coding. Coding opened a world of endless possibilities to create solutions to everyday problems. I wanted to address the mental health crisis in my age group, so I decided to take part in the Congressional App Challenge. I spent two months creating an app that would bring awareness about mental health, especially among teens, to prevent drastically high suicide numbers. The process of creating an app with no prior knowledge was grueling. Many times, I stumbled upon a code that not only crashed the system but shattered my inner faith. Oftentimes, I wanted to give up. Again, with hard work and persistence, I could create an app that would help teens and win the Congressional App Challenge, which granted me the opportunity to present my app in Congress. In college, I often find myself as the only black student in a couple of my higher-division classes required for my computer science major, which I see as an honor. I want my success story to inspire other minorities to chase after their wildest dreams despite being immigrants, first-generation, and low-income.

My mom and I were on a plane getting ready to head to America. Once we landed, it felt like a different atmosphere. I desperately wanted to go back home; this new land was foreign to me, and the people spoke a language I had never heard before. A few months later, I learned that I lost many relatives and my best friend, whom I never got a chance to say goodbye to, in the Haiti earthquake in 2010. It devastated the capital, Port-au-Prince, where I was born and resided before moving to the U.S. All my five-year-old mind could understand was that I made it out while most of the people back home did not. That became the driving force every time I felt defeated because I could have been one of the 220,000 who lost their lives on that horrific day. America is known as the land of opportunity, but no one ever tells you that sometimes you have to start from nothing to build your way up; that was the case for me. I hated my first couple of months in school. I felt like a foreigner among my classmates because I was unable to communicate in English. However, I did not let that stop me from learning. Each night, my mom reviewed the fundamental grammar rules, and slowly, I became more comfortable speaking English. As a result of my persistence, I became one of the top students in my 2nd grade ELA class. My mom taught me that I can achieve anything with hard work, which became a huge stepping stone. Hard work plus persistence equals success. This was the formula my parents encouraged in me from an early age. Despite the financial hardships I witnessed my parents endure, they always encouraged me to focus on my education because it would become my passport to a brighter future. In middle school, this formula encouraged me to earn eight high school credits and take technical certification exams like the Microsoft Bundle certifications. In high school, this formula allowed me to excel academically, participate in twelve clubs, and volunteer in community-led activities. Particularly, it was what encouraged me to begin coding. Coding opened a world of endless possibilities to create solutions to everyday problems. I wanted to address the mental health crisis in my age group, so I decided to take part in the Congressional App Challenge. I spent two months creating an app that would bring awareness about mental health, especially among teens, to prevent drastically high suicide numbers. The process of creating an app with no prior knowledge was grueling. Many times, I stumbled upon a code that not only crashed the system but shattered my inner faith. Oftentimes, I wanted to give up. Again, with hard work and persistence, I could create an app that would help teens and win the Congressional App Challenge, which granted me the opportunity to present my app in Congress. In college, I often find myself as the only black student in a couple of my higher-division classes required for my computer science major, which I see as an honor. I want my success story to inspire other minorities to chase after their wildest dreams despite being immigrants, first-generation, and low-income.

My passion comes from wanting to make a lasting impact on the world and improve the lives of others around me. I've found a strong interest in both computer science and medicine. I decided to explore both fields to figure out which one was the best fit for me. Being exposed to the medical and technology field early on gave me an idea of what I wanted to be. I spent the past few years working with Oracle professionals to strengthen my front-end and back-end development skills. Over the past few years, I've built several websites for clients that they found astonishing. I also created several apps. The very first app I created was directed to help teens who were suffering from anxiety and depression. The goal of my app was to decrease the drastically increasing number of teens who committed suicide. This award-winning app was the winner for my congressional district in 2020. In addition, I went on to create another app called MavenSearch, which aimed to help teens connect with local business sponsors to find service hours. This app was designed to help teens who were struggling to find service hours when the pandemic first started. In addition, I regularly compete in community hackathons to solve everyday problems. I decided to switch gears by enrolling in the nursing program at my school, hesitant to leave behind my world of computer science. I had no idea just how challenging nursing would be; nothing could have ever prepared me for the rigor. Failing after hours of studying felt like an unending cycle. My clinical experience showed that there was a need for healthcare workers and gave me the opportunity to connect with patients from all walks of life. This was the key factor that kept me going. My clinical experience has encouraged me to pursue Biology as one of my majors. However, I did not feel complete. After spending an entire year pursuing solely nursing, I realized how much I missed being involved in Computer Science. My coaches, professors, mentors, friends, and parents encouraged me to pursue Computer Science. I had to make a tough choice of deciding whether to pursue Biology and go on to medical school or pursue Computer Science. I realized that I could have the best of both worlds by starting a business that is suited to make profound innovations within the medical field by using my computer knowledge. I want to use my knowledge in the computer science field along with my medical science to create innovative technology that can assist healthcare workers with everyday tasks. As a result, I have decided to pursue a double major in Biology and Computer Science. My main goal for choosing these majors and minors is to earn a sustainable living doing what I love and to encourage other minorities to chase after their dreams. I plan to utilize my college education to further my skills and knowledge to propel myself into my career as a doctor, biomedical engineer, computer programmer, or entrepreneur. I plan to use my education to assist me in becoming a well-rounded individual who is well-adapted to the demands of the future generation.

My mom and I were on a plane getting ready to head to America. Once we landed, it felt like a different atmosphere. I desperately wanted to go back home; this new land was foreign to me, and the people spoke a language I had never heard before. A few months later, I learned that I lost many relatives and my best friend, whom I never got a chance to say goodbye to, in the Haiti earthquake in 2010. It devastated the capital, Port-au-Prince, where I was born and resided before moving to the U.S. All my five-year-old mind could understand was that I made it out while most of the people back home did not. That became the driving force every time I felt defeated because I could have been one of the 220,000 who lost their lives on that horrific day. America is known as the land of opportunity, but no one ever tells you that sometimes you have to start from nothing to build your way up; that was the case for me. I hated my first couple of months in school. I felt like a foreigner among my classmates because I was unable to communicate in English. However, I did not let that stop me from learning. Each night, my mom reviewed the fundamental grammar rules, and slowly, I became more comfortable speaking English. As a result of my persistence, I became one of the top students in my 2nd grade ELA class. My mom taught me that I can achieve anything with hard work, which became a huge stepping stone. Hard work plus persistence equals success. This was the formula my parents encouraged in me from an early age. Despite the financial hardships I witnessed my parents endure, they always encouraged me to focus on my education because it would become my passport to a brighter future. In middle school, this formula encouraged me to earn eight high school credits and take technical certification exams like the Microsoft Bundle certifications. In high school, this formula allowed me to excel academically, participate in twelve clubs, and volunteer in community-led activities. Particularly, it was what encouraged me to begin coding. Coding opened a world of endless possibilities to create solutions to everyday problems. I wanted to address the mental health crisis in my age group, so I decided to take part in the Congressional App Challenge. I spent two months creating an app that would bring awareness about mental health, especially among teens, to prevent drastically high suicide numbers. The process of creating an app with no prior knowledge was grueling. Many times, I stumbled upon a code that not only crashed the system but shattered my inner faith. Often times, I wanted to give up. Again, with hard work and persistence, I could create an app that would help teens and win the Congressional App Challenge, which granted me the opportunity to present my app in Congress. In college, I often find myself as the only black student in a couple of my higher-division classes required for my computer science major, which I see as an honor. I want my success story to inspire other minorities to chase after their wildest dreams despite being immigrant, first-generation, and low-income.

My mom and I were on a plane getting ready to head to America. Once we landed, it felt like a different atmosphere. I desperately wanted to go back home; this new land was foreign to me, and the people spoke a language I had never heard before. A few months later, I learned that I lost many relatives and my best friend, whom I never got a chance to say goodbye to, in the Haiti earthquake in 2010. It devastated the capital, Port-au-Prince, where I was born and resided before moving to the U.S. All my five-year-old mind could understand was that I made it out while most of the people back home did not. That became the driving force every time I felt defeated because I could have been one of the 220,000 who lost their lives on that horrific day. America is known as the land of opportunity, but no one ever tells you that sometimes you have to start from nothing to build your way up; that was the case for me. I hated my first couple of months in school. I felt like a foreigner among my classmates because I was unable to communicate in English. However, I did not let that stop me from learning. Each night, my mom reviewed the fundamental grammar rules, and slowly, I became more comfortable speaking English. As a result of my persistence, I became one of the top students in my 2nd grade ELA class. My mom taught me that I can achieve anything with hard work, which became a huge stepping stone. Hard work plus persistence equals success. This was the formula my parents encouraged in me from an early age. Despite the financial hardships I witnessed my parents endure, they always encouraged me to focus on my education because it would become my passport to a brighter future. In middle school, this formula encouraged me to earn eight high school credits and take technical certification exams like the Microsoft Bundle certifications. In high school, this formula allowed me to excel academically, participate in twelve clubs, and volunteer in community-led activities. Particularly, it was what encouraged me to begin coding. Coding opened a world of endless possibilities to create solutions to everyday problems. I wanted to address the mental health crisis in my age group, so I decided to take part in the Congressional App Challenge. I spent two months creating an app that would bring awareness about mental health, especially among teens, to prevent drastically high suicide numbers. The process of creating an app with no prior knowledge was grueling. Many times, I stumbled upon a code that not only crashed the system but shattered my inner faith. Often times, I wanted to give up. Again, with hard work and persistence, I could create an app that would help teens and win the Congressional App Challenge, which granted me the opportunity to present my app in Congress. In college, I often find myself as the only black student in a couple of my higher-division classes required for my computer science major, which I see as an honor. I want my success story to inspire other minorities to chase after their wildest dreams despite being immigrant, first-generation, and low-income. Success is an everlasting process that requires resilience and commitment. My parent's commitment to giving me a brighter future where I can be free to study and become whatever I want without fear of starving, living in poverty, or being caught up in gang violence is success to them. The steady persistence of building our way from zero is a success. My drive to be significant in my community and break the barriers as a minority is my biggest success so far. It is frightening going places my family has never been able to in their lifetime. It is frightening going down avenues where I find myself to be the "only". Yet it is such an amazing yet humbling experience. Many times, it's hard to take advantage of certain opportunities simply because I don't have the funding, which has served as the biggest barrier to my success. This opportunity will help me reach my next level of success as a first-generation, low-income student by helping me find the financial means to reach my goals.

My mom and I were on a plane getting ready to head to America. Once we landed, it felt like a different atmosphere. I desperately wanted to go back home; this new land was foreign to me, and the people spoke a language I had never heard before. A few months later, I learned that I lost many relatives and my best friend, whom I never got a chance to say goodbye to, in the Haiti earthquake in 2010. It devastated the capital, Port-au-Prince, where I was born and resided before moving to the U.S. All my five-year-old mind could understand was that I made it out while most of the people back home did not. That became the driving force every time I felt defeated because I could have been one of the 220,000 who lost their lives on that horrific day. America is known as the land of opportunity, but no one ever tells you that sometimes you have to start from nothing to build your way up; that was the case for me. I hated my first couple of months in school. I felt like a foreigner among my classmates because I was unable to communicate in English. However, I did not let that stop me from learning. Each night, my mom reviewed the fundamental grammar rules, and slowly, I became more comfortable speaking English. As a result of my persistence, I became one of the top students in my 2nd grade ELA class. My mom taught me that I can achieve anything with hard work, which became a huge stepping stone. Hard work plus persistence equals success. This was the formula my parents encouraged in me from an early age. Despite the financial hardships I witnessed my parents endure, they always encouraged me to focus on my education because it would become my passport to a brighter future. In middle school, this formula encouraged me to earn eight high school credits and take technical certification exams like the Microsoft Bundle certifications. In high school, this formula allowed me to excel academically, participate in twelve clubs, and volunteer in community-led activities. Particularly, it was what encouraged me to begin coding. Coding opened a world of endless possibilities to create solutions to everyday problems. I wanted to address the mental health crisis in my age group, so I decided to take part in the Congressional App Challenge. I spent two months creating an app that would bring awareness about mental health, especially among teens, to prevent drastically high suicide numbers. The process of creating an app with no prior knowledge was grueling. Many times, I stumbled upon a code that not only crashed the system but shattered my inner faith. Often times, I wanted to give up. Again, with hard work and persistence, I could create an app that would help teens and win the Congressional App Challenge, which granted me the opportunity to present my app in Congress. In college, I often find myself as the only black student in a couple of my higher-division classes required for my computer science major, which I see as an honor. I want my success story to inspire other minorities to chase after their wildest dreams despite being immigrant, first-generation, and low-income.

My mom and I were on a plane getting ready to head to America. Once we landed, it felt like a different atmosphere. I desperately wanted to go back home; this new land was foreign to me, and the people spoke a language I had never heard before. A few months later, I learned that I lost many relatives and my best friend, whom I never got a chance to say goodbye to, in the Haiti earthquake in 2010. It devastated the capital, Port-au-Prince, where I was born and resided before moving to the U.S. All my five-year-old mind could understand was that I made it out while most of the people back home did not. That became the driving force every time I felt defeated because I could have been one of the 220,000 who lost their lives on that horrific day. America is known as the land of opportunity, but no one ever tells you that sometimes you have to start from nothing to build your way up; that was the case for me. I hated my first couple of months in school. I felt like a foreigner among my classmates because I was unable to communicate in English. However, I did not let that stop me from learning. Each night, my mom reviewed the fundamental grammar rules, and slowly, I became more comfortable speaking English. As a result of my persistence, I became one of the top students in my 2nd grade ELA class. My mom taught me that I can achieve anything with hard work, which became a huge stepping stone. Hard work plus persistence equals success. This was the formula my parents encouraged in me from an early age. Despite the financial hardships I witnessed my parents endure, they always encouraged me to focus on my education because it would become my passport to a brighter future. In middle school, this formula encouraged me to earn eight high school credits and take technical certification exams like the Microsoft Bundle certifications. In high school, this formula allowed me to excel academically, participate in twelve clubs, and volunteer in community-led activities. Particularly, it was what encouraged me to begin coding. Coding opened a world of endless possibilities to create solutions to everyday problems. I wanted to address the mental health crisis in my age group, so I decided to take part in the Congressional App Challenge. I spent two months creating an app that would bring awareness about mental health, especially among teens, to prevent drastically high suicide numbers. The process of creating an app with no prior knowledge was grueling. Many times, I stumbled upon a code that not only crashed the system but shattered my inner faith. Often times, I wanted to give up. Again, with hard work and persistence, I could create an app that would help teens and win the Congressional App Challenge, which granted me the opportunity to present my app in Congress. In college, I often find myself as the only black student in a couple of my higher-division classes required for my computer science major, which I see as an honor. I want my success story to inspire other minorities to chase after their wildest dreams despite being immigrant, first-generation, and low-income.

My mom and I were on a plane getting ready to head to America. Once we landed, it felt like a different atmosphere. I desperately wanted to go back home; this new land was foreign to me, and the people spoke a language I had never heard before. A few months later, I learned that I lost many relatives and my best friend, whom I never got a chance to say goodbye to, in the Haiti earthquake in 2010. It devastated the capital, Port-au-Prince, where I was born and resided before moving to the U.S. All my five-year-old mind could understand was that I made it out while most of the people back home did not. That became the driving force every time I felt defeated because I could have been one of the 220,000 who lost their lives on that horrific day. America is known as the land of opportunity, but no one ever tells you that sometimes you have to start from nothing to build your way up; that was the case for me. I hated my first couple of months in school. I felt like a foreigner among my classmates because I was unable to communicate in English. However, I did not let that stop me from learning. Each night, my mom reviewed the fundamental grammar rules, and slowly, I became more comfortable speaking English. As a result of my persistence, I became one of the top students in my 2nd grade ELA class. My mom taught me that I can achieve anything with hard work, which became a huge stepping stone. Hard work plus persistence equals success. This was the formula my parents encouraged in me from an early age. Despite the financial hardships I witnessed my parents endure, they always encouraged me to focus on my education because it would become my passport to a brighter future. In middle school, this formula encouraged me to earn eight high school credits and take technical certification exams like the Microsoft Bundle certifications. In high school, this formula allowed me to excel academically, participate in twelve clubs, and volunteer in community-led activities. Particularly, it was what encouraged me to begin coding. Coding opened a world of endless possibilities to create solutions to everyday problems. I wanted to address the mental health crisis in my age group, so I decided to take part in the Congressional App Challenge. I spent two months creating an app that would bring awareness about mental health, especially among teens, to prevent drastically high suicide numbers. The process of creating an app with no prior knowledge was grueling. Many times, I stumbled upon a code that not only crashed the system but shattered my inner faith. Often times, I wanted to give up. Again, with hard work and persistence, I could create an app that would help teens and win the Congressional App Challenge, which granted me the opportunity to present my app in Congress. In college, I often find myself as the only black student in a couple of my higher-division classes required for my computer science major, which I see as an honor. I want my success story to inspire other minorities to chase after their wildest dreams despite being immigrant, first-generation, and low-income.

My mom and I were on a plane getting ready to head to America. Once we landed, it felt like a different atmosphere. I desperately wanted to go back home; this new land was foreign to me, and the people spoke a language I had never heard before. A few months later, I learned that I lost many relatives and my best friend, whom I never got a chance to say goodbye to, in the Haiti earthquake in 2010. It devastated the capital, Port-au-Prince, where I was born and resided before moving to the U.S. All my five-year-old mind could understand was that I made it out while most of the people back home did not. That became the driving force every time I felt defeated because I could have been one of the 220,000 who lost their lives on that horrific day. America is known as the land of opportunity, but no one ever tells you that sometimes you have to start from nothing to build your way up; that was the case for me. I hated my first couple of months in school. I felt like a foreigner among my classmates because I was unable to communicate in English. However, I did not let that stop me from learning. Each night, my mom reviewed the fundamental grammar rules, and slowly, I became more comfortable speaking English. As a result of my persistence, I became one of the top students in my 2nd grade ELA class. My mom taught me that I can achieve anything with hard work, which became a huge stepping stone. Hard work plus persistence equals success. This was the formula my parents encouraged in me from an early age. Despite the financial hardships I witnessed my parents endure, they always encouraged me to focus on my education because it would become my passport to a brighter future. In middle school, this formula encouraged me to earn eight high school credits and take technical certification exams like the Microsoft Bundle certifications. In high school, this formula allowed me to excel academically, participate in twelve clubs, and volunteer in community-led activities. Particularly, it was what encouraged me to begin coding. Coding opened a world of endless possibilities to create solutions to everyday problems. I wanted to address the mental health crisis in my age group, so I decided to take part in the Congressional App Challenge. I spent two months creating an app that would bring awareness about mental health, especially among teens, to prevent drastically high suicide numbers. The process of creating an app with no prior knowledge was grueling. Many times, I stumbled upon a code that not only crashed the system but shattered my inner faith. Often times, I wanted to give up. Again, with hard work and persistence, I could create an app that would help teens and win the Congressional App Challenge, which granted me the opportunity to present my app in Congress. In college, I often find myself as the only black student in a couple of my higher-division classes required for my computer science major, which I see as an honor. I want my success story to inspire other minorities to chase after their wildest dreams despite being immigrant, first-generation, and low-income.

My passion comes from wanting to make a lasting impact on the world and improve the lives of others around me. I've found a strong interest in both computer science and medicine. I decided to explore both fields to determine the best fit for me. Being exposed to the medical and technology field early on gave me an idea of what I wanted to be. I spent the past few years working with Oracle professionals to strengthen my front-end and back-end development skills. Over the past few years, I've built several websites for clients that they found astonishing. I also created several apps. The very first app I created was directed to help teens who were suffering from anxiety and depression. The goal of my app was to decrease the drastically increasing number of teens who committed suicide. This award-winning app was the winner for my congressional district in 2020. In addition, I created another app called MavenSearch, which aimed to help teens connect with local business sponsors to find service hours. This app was designed to help teens who were struggling to find service hours when the pandemic first started. In addition, I regularly compete in community hackathons to solve everyday problems. I enrolled in the nursing program at my school, hesitant to leave behind my world of computer science. My clinical rotations demonstrated the need for healthcare workers and a better system to allow for the efficiency of both the healthcare workers and the patients receiving care. I realized that I could have the best of both worlds by starting a business that is suited to make profound innovations within the medical field by using my computer knowledge. I want to use my knowledge in the computer science field along with my medical science to create innovative technology that can assist healthcare workers with everyday tasks. I want to minor in Computer Science as a programmer as my backup plan if I no longer find interest in the medical field. I want to minor in business so I can one day launch my own business with the products I create. My main goal for choosing these majors and minors is to earn a sustainable living doing what I love and to encourage other minorities to chase after their dreams. I plan to utilize my college education to further my skills and knowledge to propel myself into my career as a doctor, biomedical engineer, computer programmer, or entrepreneur. I plan to use my education to assist me in becoming a well-rounded individual who is well-adapted to the demands of the future generation.

My mom and I were on a plane getting ready to head to America. Once we landed, it felt like a different atmosphere. I desperately wanted to go back home; this new land was foreign to me, and the people spoke a language I had never heard before. A few months later, I learned that I lost many relatives and my best friend, whom I never got a chance to say goodbye to, in the Haiti earthquake in 2010. It devastated the capital, Port-au-Prince, where I was born and resided before moving to the U.S. All my five-year-old mind could understand was that I made it out while most of the people back home did not. That became the driving force every time I felt defeated because I could have been one of the 220,000 who lost their lives on that horrific day. America is known as the land of opportunity, but no one ever tells you that sometimes you have to start from nothing to build your way up; that was the case for me. I hated my first couple of months in school. I felt like a foreigner among my classmates because I was unable to communicate in English. However, I did not let that stop me from learning. Each night, my mom reviewed the fundamental grammar rules, and slowly, I became more comfortable speaking English. As a result of my persistence, I became one of the top students in my 2nd grade ELA class. My mom taught me that I can achieve anything with hard work, which became a huge stepping stone. Hard work plus persistence equals success. This was the formula my parents encouraged in me from an early age. Despite the financial hardships I witnessed my parents endure, they always encouraged me to focus on my education because it would become my passport to a brighter future. In middle school, this formula encouraged me to earn eight high school credits and take technical certification exams like the Microsoft Bundle certifications. In high school, this formula allowed me to excel academically, participate in twelve clubs, and volunteer in community-led activities. Particularly, it was what encouraged me to begin coding. Coding opened a world of endless possibilities to create solutions to everyday problems. I wanted to address the mental health crisis in my age group, so I decided to take part in the Congressional App Challenge. I spent two months creating an app that would bring awareness about mental health, especially among teens, to prevent drastically high suicide numbers. The process of creating an app with no prior knowledge was grueling. Many times, I stumbled upon a code that not only crashed the system but shattered my inner faith. Often times, I wanted to give up. Again, with hard work and persistence, I could create an app that would help teens and win the Congressional App Challenge, which granted me the opportunity to present my app in Congress. In college, I often find myself as the only black student in a couple of my higher-division classes required for my computer science major, which I see as an honor. I want my success story to inspire other minorities to chase after their wildest dreams despite being immigrant, first-generation, and low-income.

My mom and I were on a plane getting ready to head to America. Once we landed, it felt like a different atmosphere. I desperately wanted to go back home; this new land was foreign to me, and the people spoke a language I had never heard before. A few months later, I learned that I lost many relatives and my best friend, whom I never got a chance to say goodbye to, in the Haiti earthquake in 2010. It devastated the capital, Port-au-Prince, where I was born and resided before moving to the U.S. All my five-year-old mind could understand was that I made it out while most of the people back home did not. That became the driving force every time I felt defeated because I could have been one of the 220,000 who lost their lives on that horrific day. America is known as the land of opportunity, but no one ever tells you that sometimes you have to start from nothing to build your way up; that was the case for me. I hated my first couple of months in school. I felt like a foreigner among my classmates because I was unable to communicate in English. However, I did not let that stop me from learning. Each night, my mom reviewed the fundamental grammar rules, and slowly, I became more comfortable speaking English. As a result of my persistence, I became one of the top students in my 2nd grade ELA class. My mom taught me that I can achieve anything with hard work, which became a huge stepping stone. Hard work plus persistence equals success. This was the formula my parents encouraged in me from an early age. Despite the financial hardships I witnessed my parents endure, they always encouraged me to focus on my education because it would become my passport to a brighter future. In middle school, this formula encouraged me to earn eight high school credits and take technical certification exams like the Microsoft Bundle certifications. In high school, this formula allowed me to excel academically, participate in twelve clubs, and volunteer in community-led activities. Particularly, it was what encouraged me to begin coding. Coding opened a world of endless possibilities to create solutions to everyday problems. I wanted to address the mental health crisis in my age group, so I decided to take part in the Congressional App Challenge. I spent two months creating an app that would bring awareness about mental health, especially among teens, to prevent drastically high suicide numbers. The process of creating an app with no prior knowledge was grueling. Many times, I stumbled upon a code that not only crashed the system but shattered my inner faith. Often times, I wanted to give up. Again, with hard work and persistence, I could create an app that would help teens and win the Congressional App Challenge, which granted me the opportunity to present my app in Congress. In college, I often find myself as the only black student in a couple of my higher-division classes required for my computer science major, which I see as an honor. I want my success story to inspire other minorities to chase after their wildest dreams despite being immigrant, first-generation, and low-income.

My mom and I were on a plane getting ready to head to America. Once we landed, it felt like a different atmosphere. I desperately wanted to go back home; this new land was foreign to me, and the people spoke a language I had never heard before. A few months later, I learned that I lost many relatives and my best friend, whom I never got a chance to say goodbye to, in the Haiti earthquake in 2010. It devastated the capital, Port-au-Prince, where I was born and resided before moving to the U.S. All my five-year-old mind could understand was that I made it out while most of the people back home did not. That became the driving force every time I felt defeated because I could have been one of the 220,000 who lost their lives on that horrific day. America is known as the land of opportunity, but no one ever tells you that sometimes you have to start from nothing to build your way up; that was the case for me. I hated my first couple of months in school. I felt like a foreigner among my classmates because I was unable to communicate in English. However, I did not let that stop me from learning. Each night, my mom reviewed the fundamental grammar rules, and slowly, I became more comfortable speaking English. As a result of my persistence, I became one of the top students in my 2nd grade ELA class. My mom taught me that I can achieve anything with hard work, which became a huge stepping stone. Hard work plus persistence equals success. This was the formula my parents encouraged in me from an early age. Despite the financial hardships I witnessed my parents endure, they always encouraged me to focus on my education because it would become my passport to a brighter future. In middle school, this formula encouraged me to earn eight high school credits and take technical certification exams like the Microsoft Bundle certifications. In high school, this formula allowed me to excel academically, participate in twelve clubs, and volunteer in community-led activities. Particularly, it was what encouraged me to begin coding. Coding opened a world of endless possibilities to create solutions to everyday problems. I wanted to address the mental health crisis in my age group, so I decided to take part in the Congressional App Challenge. I spent two months creating an app that would bring awareness about mental health, especially among teens, to prevent drastically high suicide numbers. The process of creating an app with no prior knowledge was grueling. Many times, I stumbled upon a code that not only crashed the system but shattered my inner faith. Often times, I wanted to give up. Again, with hard work and persistence, I was able to not only create an app that would help teens but also win the Congressional App Challenge. I want my success story to inspire other minorities to chase after their wildest dreams.

In 11th and 12th grade, I became a Brace Cadet because I wanted to help my fellow peers become ready for college. Many students in my school were unknowledge of the opportunities they had after high school since many of them were first-generation students, like me. I made it my mission to provide them with the necessary resources so that they were aware of their options and had a way to navigate the transition to college. I worked closely with my Brace Advisor and guidance counselor to ensure I could address any issues in the student body because students are more likely to listen to a fellow peer compared to an adult on campus. I took notes of important deadlines, college events on campus, and resources to share with the students. I created informative PowerPoints and interactive tasks to get the scholars engaged in planning for their future. In addition, I met with the scholars weekly to encourage them and keep them on track. As a result of this program I started on campus, many students took action by researching the colleges of their dream despite their financial circumstances, applying for scholarships, signing up to take AP and Dual Enrollment classes, creating an FSA ID to apply for FAFSA, and applying for colleges through Common App or QuestBridge. The students left feedback letting me know how much they truly benefitted from my program. This position significantly transformed me out of my shell into a bold, compassionate leader. I was now able to make eye contact, confidently speak in front of an audience, and lead several organizations and clubs successfully such as First Priority, Women of Tomorrow (WOT), and the National Achievers Society (NAS). As president of WOT, I work with my guidance counselor to organize meetings with the mentors and mentees, connect students at my school with female guest speakers who encourage them to pursue their dreams, keep the mentees in the program updated with important events, and send a daily inspirational post each morning to help them start off their day. As president of First Priority, I make sure to keep the environment inclusive for everyone and ensure that we have the supplies we needed such as Bibles, invite and prayer cards, posters, snacks, and bracelets. I also incorporated a hybrid model so more people could attend and lead the group discussions, prayers, and icebreakers with the assistance of other members. Finally, as secretary of NAS, I go beyond taking notes at each meeting. I participate in and help set up community-led events such as car washes, potlucks, period kits for the homeless, and more. In my free time when I am not actively engaged with my academics or extracurriculars, I like to volunteer in my community. I currently have over 1,100 service hours as a result of my dedication to giving back to my community. I've volunteered at different schools, at pantries, online after school to tutor students in math and Spanish during the pandemic, and many more. Overall, my leadership and service have allowed me to invest in others what was invested in me by granting me the opportunity to help others. This gave my life a whole new meaning outside of my academics. It showed me that stepping out of my comfort zone and introverted nature has the capability to make an impact on humanity. My service and leadership will continue to make a difference in college and beyond by giving me the flexibility to reach countless more lives and use the resources and experiences I have learned to make a positive impact.

I dream of a bold woman who is not only successful in her career of choice, but significant in the lives of others.

I was on a plane getting ready to head to America. Little did I know my life was about to transform completely. Once we landed, it felt like a different atmosphere. I desperately wanted to go back home; this new land was foreign to me, and the people spoke a language I had never heard before. A few months later, I learned that I lost many relatives and my best friend, whom I never got a chance to say goodbye to, in the Haiti earthquake in 2010. It devastated the capital, Port-au-Prince, which was where I was born and resided before moving to the U.S. All that my five-year-old mind could understand was that I made it out while most of the people back home did not. That became the driving force every time I felt defeated because I could have been one of the 220,000 who lost their lives on that horrific day. America is known as the land of opportunity but what no one ever tells you is that sometimes you have to start from scratch to build your way up. I felt like a foreigner among my classmates because I was unable to communicate in English. However, I did not let that stop me from learning. My mom encouraged me to read for at least two hours daily and use the dictionary for any words I was unfamiliar with. Slowly, I found myself more comfortable speaking English. As a result of my steady persistence, I became one of the top students in my second-grade ELA class. My mom taught me that with hard work, I can achieve anything. This became a huge steppingstone in my later years of education. Hard work plus persistence equals success. This was the formula my parents encouraged in me from an early age. Despite the financial hardships I witnessed my parents endure, they always encouraged me to focus on my education because it would become my passport to a brighter future. In elementary school, this formula encouraged me to learn English. In middle school, this formula encouraged me to take technical certification exams and earn eight high school credits in middle school. In high school, this formula allowed me to excel academically, participate in twelve clubs, and volunteer in community-led activities. Particularly, it was what encouraged me to begin coding. Coding allowed me to express myself in a new way. It opened a world of endless possibilities to create solutions. I noticed a mental health crisis in my age group. I knew friends who suffered from their mental health in silence. I wanted to address this issue, so I decided to take part in the Congressional App Challenge. I spent two months creating an app that would bring awareness about mental health, especially among teens because I wanted to prevent the drastically high numbers of teens from committing suicide. The process of creating an app with no prior coding knowledge was grueling. Many times, I stumbled upon a code that not only crashed the system but shattered my inner faith: often, I wanted to give up. With the help of my coach and my computer science teacher, I was able to submit a functional app called Mental Health Coach. Again, with hard work and persistence, I was able to not only create an app that would help teens but also won the Congressional App Challenge, which grants recipients the opportunity to present their app in Congress. This experience inspired me to pursue a field in the medical and computer science field so I can be an example for minorities and immigrants.

Difficult is an understatement to describe my nursing journey. Nursing transformed me from the high schooler who valued her 4.0-grade average above all else into an adult who wants to make a difference in the world through medicine. Failing endlessly for months upon months was frustrating, especially after all the hard work I put into studying. This significantly tested my patience because there were many times I wanted to step foot out the door and quit but I constantly reminded myself of the end goal. I realized that although things did not turn out how I wanted them to initially, I still had to fight with all my might. One of the traits that I adopted from nursing was patience. In addition, nursing tested my capacity to work hard. It is referred to as the hardest technical program on campus for several reasons. For one, a typical night consisted of reading anywhere from sixty to eighty pages, doing case studies, studying drug cards, completing study guides for each chapter assigned, and so much more. On average, my classmates and I received two or three hours of sleep daily. We were separated from our friends and family, especially during the summer when everyone was out traveling while we were studying. Nursing drastically impacted my sleep schedule and forced me to work harder than I ever have, even when I did not get the results I wanted. I lost my 4.0 GPA, my ranking in my high school class drastically continued to drop, and I was rejected by the National Technical Honor Society. These were not the outcomes that I wanted but I could not give up in nursing. I experienced many torturous nights when I was unable to sleep or eat. Depression filled my thoughts constantly; I withdrew from activities and people I loved. My life felt like it had no purpose and I desperately wanted to fade away. Nonetheless, I had a strong support system that encouraged me to continue going despite what I was feeling. My mentors and teachers believed in me, even when I could not. They listened to my cries of frustration and disappointment. They reminded me that I am worthy, despite what my grades in nursing were. Another trait that I now have as a result is resilience. Resilience is defined as the ability to withstand difficult obstacles. It forces you to push through, even when your situation is not favorable. Resilience helps build character by allowing you to stand strong until you reach your final goal. Resilience allowed me to successfully finish nursing despite the blood, sweat, and tears that were shed. My clinical experience showed me that there was a need for healthcare workers and gave me the opportunity to connect with patients from all walks of life. This was another key factor that kept me going. Although my journey in nursing was rough and my dreams of excelling academically were crushed due to the rigor of the course, my journey has strengthened me by sharpening my mind and making me more resilient in the face of adversity.

I was on a plane heading to America. Once we landed, it felt like a different atmosphere. I desperately wanted to go back home. A few months later, I learned that I lost many relatives and my best friend, whom I never got a chance to say goodbye to, in the Haiti earthquake in 2010. It devastated the capital, Port-au-Prince, which was where I was born and resided before moving to the U.S. All that my five-year-old mind could understand was that I made it out while most of the people back home did not. That became the driving force every time I felt defeated because I could have been one of the 220,000 who lost their lives on that horrific day. What my mom later revealed to me is that she had a prophetic dream. In this dream, the Lord appeared to her and showed her that He would spare us from the earthquake. Tears came down my face when I heard that because I was chosen. This was a hard concept to grasp in the early years of my life. America is known as the land of opportunity but what no one ever tells you is that sometimes you have to start from scratch to build your way up. I felt like a foreigner among my classmates because I was unable to communicate in English. However, I did not let that stop me from learning. As a result of my steady persistence, I became one of the top students in my second-grade ELA class. My mom taught me that with hard work along with faith, I can achieve anything. This became a huge steppingstone in my later years of education. Hard work plus persistence equals success. This was the formula my parents encouraged in me from an early age. Despite the financial hardships I witnessed my parents endure, they always encouraged me to focus on my education because it would become my passport to a brighter future. In elementary school, this formula encouraged me to learn English. In middle school, this formula encouraged me to take technical certification exams and earn eight high school credits in middle school. In high school, this formula allowed me to excel academically, participate in twelve clubs, and volunteer in community-led activities. Particularly, it was what encouraged me to begin coding. Coding allowed me to express myself in a new way. It opened a world of endless possibilities to create solutions. I wanted to address the mental health issue amongst teens, so I decided to take part in the Congressional App Challenge. I spent two months creating an app that would bring awareness about mental health to prevent the drastically high numbers of teens from committing suicide. The process of creating an app with no prior coding knowledge was grueling. Many times, I stumbled upon a code that not only crashed the system but shattered my inner faith: often, I wanted to give up. I had a personal encounter with God that forever changed me. In this dream, I was taken to the beginning of time. I heard God's voice tell me "I am the Lord your God and I fulfill all my promises." This not only propelled my relationship with God, but it reminded me that He was with me every step of the way. Again, with hard work and persistence, I was able to not only create an app that would help teens but also won the Congressional App Challenge, which grants recipients the opportunity to present their app in Congress, a reminder of God's presence in my life.

“It is every man’s obligation to put back into the world at least the equivalent of what he takes out of it.” This quote by Albert Einstein is what I live by. I entered high school understanding that I would need 40 service hours to graduate and at least 100 service hours to receive Bright Futures. I had no idea how I would be able to accumulate all those hours, especially since I had little involvement in my community from my introverted nature. My coach - who assisted me throughout my transition to high school - challenged me to complete my first 40 service hours the summer before entering 9th grade and I accepted the challenge. I wanted to first start giving back to my middle school teachers who invested their time into helping me further my education. The very first day I went to volunteer, it felt like time went by slowly. My mindset was so focused on obtaining the volunteer hours that I forgot the true purpose of why I was volunteering: to give back to my community. The next morning, I went back with a different attitude: to leave a smile on someone’s face. I assisted the teachers by arranging the desks, organizing closets, and much more. Although it was very exhausting physically, I was relieved to know that I made someone’s day. I continued to volunteer at my former middle school for the next couple of days and was able to obtain the 40 service hours I needed to graduate high school! I was beginning to feel fulfilled helping others and leaving a smile on their face. I began volunteering in several club-sponsored activities such as food drives, car washes, and summer camps to name a few. Throughout my volunteering experiences, I made new friends from different walks of life and learned new life skills. My memorable volunteering experience was volunteering at my former elementary school. I was chosen to assist the robotics team with coming up with a solution to help with the drastic number of pedestrians who lose their life due to railroad accidents. Although we did not get far with that project as a result of the start of Covid, I was happy to see how inspired the elementary students were with my projects. This made me realize that I had people who looked up to me and encouraged me to continue making a positive impact on the lives of others. In addition, I volunteered to give a speech at a pep rally hosted for the elementary students who were getting ready to take their FSA. One of my biggest fears is public speaking but I did not let that stop me from volunteering. Talking to the students helped them with the stress and anxiety they were feeling and helped me become a better public speaker. I used my strength in math, Spanish, and Computer Science to tutor other students who struggled in those areas. All in all, I have accumulated 1,000+ service hours and I am looking to continue volunteering in my community. My mission is to help minorities and low-income students prepare for life after high school because I would not be here if it were not for the help of my parents, teachers, and mentors who invested much time in me. They saw potential in me when I couldn’t and now, it’s my responsibility to give back and help others. As Albert Einstein said, “It is every man’s obligation to put back into the world at least the equivalent of what he takes out of it.”

In 9th grade, I decided to create an app. I wanted my app to focus on addressing mental health issues amongst teens to help lower the drastically increasing suicide rates. My transition into high school proved to be a challenging one. I was inspired to be the voice for teens who experienced mental health problems like depression and anxiety. I wanted them to know that they had a supportive group of people they could reach, and I wanted my app to be a safe community for teens who desperately need someone. Coding an app when I had no prior knowledge of coding was even more challenging. I saw that as an obstacle to overcome. I reached out for help from my computer science teacher and a Solution Engineer from Oracle who provided me with the resources to successfully code a running app. I worked countless hours on this app and stayed up late at night. Trying to create a functional code was much harder than expected and trying to debug the code took a lot of time and dedication. There were many times when I just wanted to give up on my app and my idea to address mental health because I hit numerous obstacles. There were moments when I had to go back and rewrite a separate set of code completely from scratch. Trying to juggle school, clubs, and creating an app felt impossible at times. I decided to keep going because my end goal was to have a functional app that could help a teen and prevent them from committing suicide. I submitted my app for the Congressional App Challenge knowing that I tried my best and that my best was good enough. I waited several months for the results and one day, I got an email announcing the winners. My app, Mental Health Coach, ended up winning for my district. This gave me a chance to fly to Congress to present my app. This thrilled me because I never traveled out of town, let alone to Congress. My debate teacher worked with me to help me prepare a speech and I worked with my computer science teacher on the technical aspects of my presentation. Unfortunately, my trip was canceled 10 days before because of the pandemic. That shattered me inside because I was excited about going to Congress to present my app. I felt like I was robbed. However, this experience taught me that with hard work and a little patience, I could overcome any obstacle that comes my way. I used my time over the pandemic to strengthen my coding skills. This allowed me to build websites for several clients. In addition, I won first place in many hackathons I competed in. Coding opened up many doors that I would never have imagined. Although I doubted myself when I first began coding, it later became a strong passion of mine. My mission is to empower women to start coding and become innovative!

College is a great option for those who desire to enhance their education. In school, we are taught to strive to go to college. It is not until high school that most realize why college is important. Benjamin Franklin, one of the Founding Fathers of the U.S. once stated, “An investment in knowledge always pays the best interest.” One of the main reasons why college is important to me is because it’s an investment in my future. Doing dual enrollment and AP classes puts me on track for college. College helps equip me to make a difference in this world. Taking the initiative in this opportunity would help transform me into a well-rounded adult. In addition, college would help me gain new skills that would launch and enhance my career as a neurosurgeon. Another reason why college is important to me is that it provides a wealth of knowledge in many different areas of study. More knowledge leads to more innovation. I am willing to gain this knowledge because it would allow me to positively impact the world. Nelson Mandela stated, “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” Many world leaders, entrepreneurs, and doctors today have made a substantial impact on society. They were able to do this by first acquiring an education from a post-secondary institution. A great example is Oprah Winfrey; although she had a rough childhood growing up, she was determined and set her mind on going to college. Oprah Winfrey was a talk show host, television producer, philanthropist, author, and the first African American self-made billionaire. She has published numerous books and advocated for change in many parts of the world. Oprah is a testament to the fact that you do not have to be rich to be successful. Her story shows that going to college provides you with numerous opportunities to grow and impact the world. Another factor that makes college very important to me is that it would transform me into a better person. College provides valuable memories that last a lifetime. There are many opportunities to take advantage of like study-abroad programs or clubs of interest which would allow me to see the world from a different perspective. These experiences help me have a better transition into adulthood, allowing me to be aware of different nationalities, ideologies, and cultures. The vast classes and options offered at many colleges help one find a path that best suits them. The hands-on training that I’d receive in these institutions would bring a sense of purpose to my career and life. There has been extensive research conducted to prove that college graduates are more likely to be happy in their job experience. College is expensive and coming from a low-income family as an immigrant and first-generation student, I understand that I must work extra hard to get the resources I need to succeed. I am willing to put in the extra effort because I see it as a bright investment in my future. Finally, college is important to me because it would allow me to meet up with the challenging demands of the newer generation. Going to college has always been one of my dream aspirations. I want to make my parents, coaches, and myself proud by pursuing a Ph.D. in Neuroscience. The knowledge and training provided by my college education would allow me to make a substantial impact one day in this world.

“It is every man’s obligation to put back into the world at least the equivalent of what he takes out of it.” This quote by Albert Einstein is what I live by. I entered high school understanding that I would need 40 service hours to graduate and at least 100 service hours to receive Bright Futures. I had no idea how I would be able to accumulate all those hours, especially since I had little involvement in my community from my introverted nature. My coach - who assisted me throughout my transition to high school - challenged me to complete my first 40 service hours the summer before entering 9th grade and I accepted the challenge. I wanted to first start giving back to my middle school teachers who invested their time into helping me further my education. The very first day I went to volunteer, it felt like time went by slowly. My mindset was so focused on obtaining the volunteer hours that I forgot the true purpose of why I was volunteering: to give back to my community. The next morning, I went back with a different attitude: to leave a smile on someone’s face. I assisted the teachers by arranging the desks, organizing closets, and much more. Although it was very exhausting physically, I was relieved to know that I made someone’s day. I continued to volunteer at my former middle school for the next couple of days and was able to obtain the 40 service hours I needed to graduate high school! I was beginning to feel fulfilled helping others and leaving a smile on their face. I began volunteering in several club-sponsored activities such as food drives, car washes, and summer camps to name a few. Throughout my volunteering experiences, I made new friends from different walks of life and learned new life skills. My memorable volunteering experience was volunteering at my former elementary school. I was chosen to assist the robotics team with coming up with a solution to help with the drastic number of pedestrians who lose their life due to railroad accidents. Although we did not get far with that project as a result of the start of Covid, I was happy to see how inspired the elementary students were with my projects. This made me realize that I had people who looked up to me and encouraged me to continue making a positive impact on the lives of others. In addition, I volunteered to give a speech at a pep rally hosted for the elementary students who were getting ready to take their FSA. One of my biggest fears is public speaking but I did not let that stop me from volunteering. Talking to the students helped them with the stress and anxiety they were feeling and helped me become a better public speaker. I used my strength in math, Spanish, and Computer Science to tutor other students who struggled in those areas. All in all, I have accumulated 1,000+ service hours and I am looking to continue volunteering in my community. My mission is to help minorities and low-income students prepare for life after high school because I would not be here if it was not for the help of my parents, teachers, and mentors who invested much time in me. They saw potential in me when I couldn’t and now, it’s my responsibility to give back and help others. Because like Albert Einstein said, “It is every man’s obligation to put back into the world at least the equivalent of what he takes out of it.”

My dream is to live up to my fullest potential by pursuing a field in either the medical, business, or computer science industry. In addition, I want to inspire low-income minorities like me that they can become anything they want to be if they set their mind to it and invest in their education.

Benjamin Franklin, one of the Founding Fathers of the U.S. once stated, “An investment in knowledge always pays the best interest.” One of the main reasons why college is important to me is because it’s an investment in my future. Taking initiative of this opportunity would help transform me into a well-rounded adult. In addition, college would help me gain new skills that would launch and enhance my career as a neurosurgeon. Many world leaders, entrepreneurs, and doctors today have made a substantial impact on society. They were able to do this by first acquiring education from a post-secondary institution. A great example is Oprah Winfrey; although she had a rough childhood growing up, she was determined and set her mind on going to college. Oprah Winfrey was a talk show host, television producer, philanthropist, author, and the first African American self-made billionaire. She has published numerous books and advocated for change in many parts of the world. Oprah is a testament to the fact that you do not have to be rich to be successful. Her story shows that going to college provides you with numerous opportunities to grow and impact the world. College is important to me because it would allow me to meet up with the challenging demands of the newer generation. Going to college has always been one of my dream aspirations. I want to make my parents, coaches, and myself proud by pursuing a Ph.D. in Neuroscience. The knowledge and training provided by my college education would allow me to make a substantial impact one day in this world.

Getting straight A's is one but maintaining straight A's is even harder. I've spent countless hours exploring different study techniques to help me achieve my academic success over the years. These study techniques vary depending on the subject and the rigor. For example, in all my math classes, I tried to first memorize the formulas and then understand why and how we apply them to different scenarios. I studied most efficiently by testing and applying the knowledge through various math exercises. In my history classes, watching documentaries on a certain period after reading the chapters helps me connect the ideas. I struggled when it came to my science classes. I realize that reading and taking notes wasn't enough for me to grasp the material. I took it a step further and taught the material to my classmates. This allowed me to explore the topics deeper, which in turn made me feel more confident. Now as a nursing student in the college section of my high school, the techniques that once helped me throughout middle and high school require me to get out of my comfort zone. I go to bed at 11 or 12 and wake up at 3. I find that I'm able to study better with a fresh mind. Writing rationales about the questions I got wrong helps me identify where I made the mistake and what I can do differently next time. In addition, applying the Pomodoro method helps me break down my study sessions into smaller portions without being burnt out because they say the best way to eat an elephant is to eat it piece by piece.

One time I used persistence to overcome an obstacle was when I was creating an app in 9th grade. I wanted my app to be focused on addressing mental health issues amongst teens to help lower the drastically increasing suicide rates. My transition into high school proved to be a challenging one. Coding an app when I had no prior knowledge of coding was even more challenging. I saw that as an obstacle to overcome. I reached out for help from my computer science teacher and a Solution Engineer who provided me with the resources to successfully code a running app. I worked countless hours on this app and stayed up late at night. Ultimately, I submitted my app for the Congressional App Challenge and ended up winning for my district. This gave me a chance to fly to Congress to present my app. I learned that with hard work and a little patience, I could overcome any obstacle that comes my way.