The most significant challenge I have faced has been living with severe eczema. As a child, my condition affected nearly every part of my life. I would often scratch my skin until it bled during the night and wake up with painful wounds. Simple activities such as swimming, playing sports, or even wearing certain clothes could cause painful flare-ups. Beyond the physical discomfort, I often felt isolated and self-conscious because I looked different from my peers. Everything changed when my family took me to National Jewish Health in Colorado for specialized treatment. While there, I met children facing far more serious medical challenges than my own. Despite their circumstances, they remained positive and determined. Their resilience helped me realize that I could either let eczema define my life or learn how to manage it and keep moving forward. From that point on, I developed the discipline to follow strict treatment routines, resist scratching, and stay patient through setbacks. Managing a chronic condition taught me resilience, consistency, and perseverance. These lessons have directly influenced my academic success. The same self-discipline required to care for my skin helped me stay focused in the classroom and maintain a 4.0 GPA throughout high school. Whenever I encounter a difficult class or challenging assignment, I rely on the mindset I developed through years of managing eczema: work hard, stay consistent, and don't give up when progress is slow. What once felt like my greatest obstacle ultimately became my greatest teacher, shaping both my character and my goal of pursuing a career in medicine. My Filipino-American identity has shaped my values, goals, and sense of purpose. Much of that influence comes from my family's story. After graduating from nursing school in the Philippines, my lola immigrated to the United States alone, leaving behind her two young sons, including my father. She worked tirelessly for years to create opportunities for her family and eventually reunite them in America. Growing up, I learned that sacrifice is one of the greatest expressions of love. I see that value in my grandmother's journey and in my father's dedication to providing opportunities for my sister and me. Their examples taught me resilience, gratitude, humility, and the importance of serving others. These values guide how I approach leadership and service. As Treasurer of my school's National Honor Society, I have helped support projects that benefit my community. In soccer, I spent years working toward my goals before becoming a varsity starter and eventually earning Team MVP honors. Those experiences reinforced the belief that success comes through perseverance and hard work. My Filipino-American identity has also influenced my career aspirations. Inspired by my grandmother's work in healthcare and my own experiences managing eczema, I hope to pursue a career in medicine. I want to combine science, compassion, and service to help others facing challenges of their own. My purpose is to honor the sacrifices that made my opportunities possible by using my education and experiences to improve the lives of others. The values passed down through my family continue to guide the person I am today and the future I hope to build.

One teacher who had a lasting impact on how I approach challenges and my own potential was my chemistry and physics teacher, Mr. Moldenhauer. I first had him sophomore year for Honors Chemistry, and at the time, it was easily the hardest class I had ever taken. The workload alone was overwhelming—lab reports that stretched close to 30 pages, tests that required deep understanding rather than memorization, and constant pressure to stay on top of everything. I remember spending long hours studying just to keep up. But when I finally earned an A in that class, the sense of accomplishment was unlike anything I had felt before. It showed me what I was capable of when I truly committed myself. Despite how challenging that year was, I chose to take his AP Physics class junior year. I thought honors chemistry was bad enough and physics couldn't be any worse and boy was I wrong. AP Physics was on another level entirely. There were weekly AP-style questions, frequent pop quizzes, endless homework assignments, and detailed lab reports that demanded precision and full understanding. It wasn’t enough to just get by—you had to truly master every concept or you would fall behind quickly. At the beginning of the year, I resented how difficult he made things. It seemed like he wanted us to suffer and fail and I couldn't stop imagining all my friends in normal physics who were just gliding on through their curriculum while I was utterly exhausted and struggling to stay afloat in mine. It was very difficult learning how to succeed in such a class. But as the year went on, something started to shift. I realized that the difficulty wasn’t there to make us miserable—it was there to push us to a level we didn’t think we could reach. I kept studying, even when it was frustrating, and slowly I began to understand the material at a much deeper level. There were moments where things finally clicked, where concepts that once seemed impossible started to make sense, and those moments made all the effort worth it. By the end of the year, I had gone from struggling to feeling confident in physics, a subject I once found intimidating. Finishing the class with an A was incredibly rewarding, but more importantly, it proved to me that I can handle any challenge as long as I'm willing to put the work in. Mr. Moldenhauer didn’t just assign work and expect us to figure it out on our own. He provided resources for anyone willing to put in the effort—he would review lab reports before they were due and offered one-on-one help if you were struggling. He made himself available, but he never lowered the standard. That balance forced me to take responsibility for my own success. It taught me discipline, time management, and how to stay focused even when I felt burnt out. Because of him, I no longer see difficulty as something to fear, but as something to embrace. He showed me that limits are often self-imposed, and that with enough effort and determination, I can push far beyond what I once thought was possible. That mindset has carried over into other areas of my life, from academics to athletics, where I now approach obstacles with confidence instead of doubt. Mr. Moldenhauer didn’t just prepare me for an AP exam—he prepared me for the challenges I’ll face in the future, and gave me the belief that no matter what happens, I can overcome them.

My family’s story begins decades before I was born, with a difficult decision that shaped every opportunity I have today. After graduating from nursing school in the Philippines, my grandmother, my Lola, left for the United States alone. She had to leave behind her two young sons: my dad was still a baby, and my uncle a toddler. For several years she worked tirelessly in an unfamiliar country, saving and building enough stability to eventually petition for her children. During that time, my dad was raised in the Philippines by his grandparents until Lola finally returned to bring him and his brother to the U.S. Her courage and sacrifice created the foundation my family stands on today. Growing up, I learned that sacrifice is one of the deepest expressions of love in Filipino culture. I see it not only in Lola’s journey, but in the way my dad lives his life. He works incredibly hard so that my sister and I can pursue opportunities he didn’t have at our age. From him, I’ve learned humility, resilience, hard work and perseverance. And despite the challenges our family has faced, there is always laughter, optimism, and gratitude. That hopeful, positive spirit is something I’ve come to recognize as distinctly Filipino, an ability to stay strong while still finding joy in everyday moments. These values influence who I am as a student and leader. As the treasurer of my school’s National Honor Society, I’ve learned how to manage responsibility, support service initiatives, and contribute to a team with purpose. I take that role seriously because serving others feels like a small way to honor the sacrifices my Lola and my parents made for me. My experiences in soccer also shaped my character. I began on JV as a freshman and didn’t become a varsity starter until my senior year. My junior year, I received the Coach’s Award for dedication and attitude, and this year I was honored to be named the Overall Team MVP. My soccer journey taught me that growth often happens quietly and slowly, long before anyone notices. Those years of hard work, patience, and belief in myself deepened my understanding of perseverance, something my family has modeled for generations. All of this has strengthened my desire to pursue a career in medicine. I want to follow in my grandmother’s footsteps, not by repeating her path, but by carrying forward her heart for healing and service. Medicine will allow me to combine my interests in science, empathy, problem solving, and community care. I hope to one day serve families like mine, immigrant, hardworking, and striving for better futures. The Alexander de Guia Memorial Scholarship resonates with me because Mr. de Guia’s story reflects the same values my family lives every day: sacrifice, hope, education, and opportunity. This scholarship would ease the financial burden of college, helping me focus more deeply on academics, volunteering, and preparing for a future in healthcare. With your support, my education will help me pursue medicine so I can serve and care for others.