It’s Friday night. I’m in the student section at a football game wearing gold head to toe. There is one problem: the rest of the 200-person student section is wearing bright pink. And so there I stand having missed another last-minute Instagram post, confirming what everyone already knows, “I’m the guy at Lafayette who doesn’t have social media.” When my parents didn’t allow me to have social media in middle school I was frustrated. I felt out of the loop with friends, not up to date with what was happening around my school, I had no “followers,” no “likes”. I wondered “What was I supposed to do while everyone else was scrolling on their phones?” My friends were obsessed with who wasn’t snapping them back or commenting on their posts and they were constantly scrolling for something they couldn’t find. Because I wasn’t connected online I had to work harder and show up consistently in order to build the community we all need. When Covid virtual learning restrictions were lifted I became determined to create shared experiences through personal and selfless interactions. Sophomore year the number of international students attending my school increased significantly. In response, I partnered with our ESL teacher and others to create an International Club to integrate our new classmates into our high school community. While mentoring a club member, I learned he had recently arrived in the United States from Nicaragua. Since he spoke a little English and I spoke a little Spanish, we communicated by using a creative combination of both languages. Last year I recruited 70 students to our indoor track team, growing the team to 120 (10% of our school!) Single sport athletes are common, but I enjoyed meeting different people across a variety of sports while helping the teams succeed. My coach was more than a little shocked when so many new athletes came to tryouts. Our quarterback even tried pole vaulting! This larger team reflects the social, racial and economic diversity of our school which helped bring my school together while creating a welcoming environment for everyone. We often can’t access our phones in community service and athletic settings which frees us up to connect with the people who are there serving, working, and playing together. I’ve discovered again and again that real community is built through late night conversations after collaborating on a school project, wrapping 1,600 burritos when the smell of the sauce makes you sick, hammering nails to build a house in Guatemala with sawdust is in your eyes, early morning practices on cold mornings, and long bus rides home after a heartbreaking loss. Creating healthy authentic community is the main way I have and will continue to pour into the lives of others to help them succeed. After completing college, my goal is to become a financial advisor. I enjoy math and serving others, two essential elements of my career choice. By managing their assets well, financial advisors can help many people achieve financial stability and security. Proper financial goal setting and devising an effective financial plan can also provide opportunities for generational impact. I decided to remain social media-free long after my parents gave me the choice. I like that I don’t see people’s social media posts and get to ask them about what’s going on in their lives. I can connect with more of my peers because I’m never involved in online conflicts and controversies. Most of all, I enjoy being present in the moment with those around me; even if it means I occasionally wear the wrong color to a football game.

It’s Friday night. I’m in the student section at a football game wearing gold head to toe. There is one problem: the rest of the 200-person student section is wearing bright pink. And so there I stand having missed another last-minute Instagram post, confirming what everyone already knows, “I’m the guy at Lafayette who doesn’t have social media.” When my parents didn’t allow me to have social media in middle school I was frustrated. I felt out of the loop with friends, not up to date with what was happening around my school, I had no “followers,” no “likes”. I wondered “What was I supposed to do while everyone else was scrolling on their phones?” My friends were obsessed with who wasn’t snapping them back or commenting on their posts and they were constantly scrolling for something they couldn’t find. Because I wasn’t connected online I had to work harder and show up consistently in order to build the community we all need. When Covid virtual learning restrictions were lifted I became determined to create shared experiences through personal and selfless interactions. Sophomore year the number of international students attending my school increased significantly. In response, I partnered with our ESL teacher and others to create an International Club to integrate our new classmates into our high school community. While mentoring a club member, I learned he had recently arrived in the United States from Nicaragua. Since he spoke a little English and I spoke a little Spanish, we communicated by using a creative combination of both languages. Last year I recruited 70 students to our indoor track team, growing the team to 120 (10% of our school!) Single sport athletes are common, but I enjoyed meeting different people across a variety of sports while helping the teams succeed. My coach was more than a little shocked when so many new athletes came to tryouts. Our quarterback even tried pole vaulting! This larger team reflects the social, racial and economic diversity of our school which helped bring my school together while creating a welcoming environment for everyone. We often can’t access our phones in community service and athletic settings which frees us up to connect with the people who are there serving, working, and playing together. I’ve discovered again and again that real community is built through late night conversations after collaborating on a school project, wrapping 1,600 burritos when the smell of the sauce makes you sick, hammering nails to build a house in Guatemala with sawdust is in your eyes, early morning practices on cold mornings, and long bus rides home after a heartbreaking loss. Creating healthy authentic community is the main way I have and will continue to pour into the lives of others to help them succeed. After completing college, my goal is to become a financial advisor. I enjoy math and serving others, two essential elements of my career choice. By managing their assets well, financial advisors can help many people achieve financial stability and security. Proper financial goal setting and devising an effective financial plan can also provide opportunities for generational impact. I decided to remain social media-free long after my parents gave me the choice. I like that I don’t see people’s social media posts and get to ask them about what’s going on in their lives. I can connect with more of my peers because I’m never involved in online conflicts and controversies. Most of all, I enjoy being present in the moment with those around me; even if it means I occasionally wear the wrong color to a football game.