I am a recently graduation high school student who is pursuing a career in biology. I attended high school in Long Island, New York but my school was never very science oriented. They focused their funds on buying more football equipment and fancy chairs for after-school events. I was always eager to go to science class and listen to what new topics we were learning. I was always interested in science and discovering how our world created things beyond what the eye can see. However, my teachers were primarily interested in getting through the criteria to make sure we were able to pass our exams. It wasn't enough for me to know the basics because I wanted to know more. I knew that I wanted to go into a field of science but when it comes to jobs in the field, you're never told of many opportunities besides being a doctor or performing medical tests in a lab. Oddly enough, I discovered the job I wanted by watching a television show. The show Bones was about a forensic anthropologist that worked with the FBI to convict murderers and criminals. I was in awe and I still hang on to every word that she said. Listening to the way the human body works amazed me and I knew this is what I wanted to do. This character was so passionate about what she did and she was brilliant. This made me want to be just like her. She was so powerful that she was able to give the voices back to people that had their voices taken away from them. I want to be able to get justice for people that aren't able to do it for themselves. It might sound like a dark and gruesome job, and in some ways it is, but I find it enlightening. We are always told that death is the end and we have no way to communicate our grief or worries after our life comes to an end. But the body has ways of expressing itself even after a person's heart stops beating. There are different chemicals in the body and different markings that can almost take you back in time to discover everything that happened to a person throughout their life. These are the things that interest me and I can't wait to learn all the answers I'm looking for. I'm going to give people back their voices who aren't able to get the justice they deserve.

I am a recently graduation high school student who is pursuing a career in biology. I attended high school in Long Island, New York but my school was never very science oriented. They focused their funds on buying more football equipment and fancy chairs for after-school events. I was always eager to go to science class and listen to what new topics we were learning. I was always interested in science and discovering how our world created things beyond what the eye can see. However, my teachers were primarily interested in getting through the criteria to make sure we were able to pass our exams. It wasn't enough for me to know the basics because I wanted to know more. I knew that I wanted to go into a field of science but when it comes to jobs in the field, you're never told of many opportunities besides being a doctor or performing medical tests in a lab. Oddly enough, I discovered the job I wanted by watching a television show. The show Bones was about a forensic anthropologist that worked with the FBI to convict murderers and criminals. I was in awe and I still hang on to every word that she said. Listening to the way the human body works amazed me and I knew this is what I wanted to do. This character was so passionate about what she did and she was brilliant. This made me want to be just like her. She was so powerful that she was able to give the voices back to people that had their voices taken away from them. I want to be able to get justice for people that aren't able to do it for themselves. It might sound like a dark and gruesome job, and in some ways it is, but I find it enlightening. We are always told that death is the end and we have no way to communicate our grief or worries after our life comes to an end. But the body has ways of expressing itself even after a person's heart stops beating. There are different chemicals in the body and different markings that can almost take you back in time to discover everything that happened to a person throughout their life. These are the things that interest me and I can't wait to learn all the answers I'm looking for. This scholarship will allow me to continue my education and give people back their voices who aren't able to get the justice they deserve.

I am a recently graduation high school student who is pursuing a career in biology. I attended high school in Long Island, New York but my school was never very science oriented. They focused their funds on buying more football equipment and fancy chairs for after-school events. I was always eager to go to science class and listen to what new topics we were learning. I was always interested in science and discovering how our world created things beyond what the eye can see. However, my teachers were primarily interested in getting through the criteria to make sure we were able to pass our exams. It wasn't enough for me to know the basics because I wanted to know more. I knew that I wanted to go into a field of science but when it comes to jobs in the field, you're never told of many opportunities besides being a doctor or performing medical tests in a lab. Oddly enough, I discovered the job I wanted by watching a television show. The show Bones was about a forensic anthropologist that worked with the FBI to convict murderers and criminals. I was in awe and I still hang on to every word that she said. Listening to the way the human body works amazed me and I knew this is what I wanted to do. This character was so passionate about what she did and she was brilliant. This made me want to be just like her. She was so powerful that she was able to give the voices back to people that had their voices taken away from them. I want to be able to get justice for people that aren't able to do it for themselves. It might sound like a dark and gruesome job, and in some ways it is, but I find it enlightening. We are always told that death is the end and we have no way to communicate our grief or worries after our life comes to an end. But the body has ways of expressing itself even after a person's heart stops beating. There are different chemicals in the body and different markings that can almost take you back in time to discover everything that happened to a person throughout their life. These are the things that interest me and I can't wait to learn all the answers I'm looking for. I'm going to give people back their voices who aren't able to get the justice they deserve.

I have been a lacrosse goalie since I was in fourth grade. Truthfully, I hated playing in goal at first. No one was coaching me or telling me how to improve so I felt like I was just a dummy in the net for my team. However, after a few months, I started to pick up on how a goalie was supposed to play and learned to love my position. I always put a lot of pressure on myself to improve or be up to my teammate's standards and my own. Every time a goal was scored on me, it felt like my team's effort up until that point was for nothing. My coaches always said that a goalie wasn't supposed to save most of the shots made at them if they were playing a good team but I hated the idea of that. It sounded like an excuse to make me feel better. I knew my skills and held myself responsible when I made mistakes since I knew there was only so much the defense could do. As a goalie, I have other responsibilities other than stopping the other team from scoring. I also had to set an example for the rest of my teammates. I always tried to keep a good attitude no matter the situation. I give my teammates compliments when we get a nice break up the field, or even when we get scored on. I understand how they might be frustrated that a goal went in after they have been working to win the whole game. They want someone to blame and when I let in a fairly easy goal I am willing to take the fall. I'm also always willing to hear feedback about my communication or if my positioning might be off. I ask my teammates what would make it easier for them and what I should be saying to them. I'm committed to a division 2 college to play lacrosse. It has added some pressure to improve myself as a player more than it usually would but it also has added a lot of excitement to get out onto the field every game. When I step on the field, I want the ball to come to me so I can show my skills. I am responsible for the ball once it crosses the restraining line even if the ball is not near the goal. I am willing to take responsibility for my actions, my team and my attitude while I play. I love the game and I will keep improving for as long as I am able to play lacrosse.

Mental health refers to a person's psychological, emotional, and social well-being; it influences what they feel and how they think, and behave. The state of cognitive and behavioral well-being is referred to as mental health. The term 'mental health' is also used to refer to the absence of mental disease. Mental health means keeping our minds healthy. Mankind generally is more focused on keeping their physical body healthy. People tend to ignore the state of their minds. So, it becomes very important for a man to keep both his body and mind fit and healthy. Both physical and mental health is equally important for better performance and results. An emotionally fit and stable person always feels vibrant and truly alive and can easily manage emotionally difficult situations. To be emotionally strong, one has to be physically fit too. Although mental health is a personal issue, what affects one person may or may not affect another; yet, several key elements lead to mental health issues. Many emotional factors have a significant effect on our fitness level like depression, aggression, negative thinking, frustration, fear, etc. A physically fit person is always in a good mood and can easily cope with situations of distress and depression resulting in regular training contributing to a good physical fitness standard. Mental fitness implies a state of psychological well-being. It denotes having a positive sense of how we feel, think, and act, which improves one’s ability to enjoy life. It contributes to one’s inner ability to be self-determined. It is a proactive, positive term and forsakes negative thoughts that may come to mind. The term mental fitness is increasingly being used by psychologists, mental health practitioners, schools, organizations, and the general population to denote logical thinking, clear comprehension, and reasoning ability. Regular fitness exercises like morning walks, yoga, and meditation have proved to be great medicine for curing mental health. Besides this, it is imperative to have a good diet and enough sleep. A person needs 7 to 9 hours of sleep every night on average. When someone is tired yet still can't sleep, it's a symptom that their mental health is unstable. Overworking oneself can sometimes result in not just physical tiredness but also significant mental exhaustion. As a result, people get insomnia. Anxiety is another indicator. There are many symptoms of mental health issues that differ from person to person and among the different kinds of issues as well. For instance, panic attacks and racing thoughts are common side effects. As a result of this mental strain, a person may experience chest aches and breathing difficulties. Another sign of poor mental health is a lack of focus. It occurs when you have too much going on in your life at once, and you begin to make thoughtless mistakes, resulting in a loss of capacity to focus effectively. Another element is being on edge all of the time. It's noticeable when you're quickly irritated by minor events or statements, become offended, and argue with your family, friends, or co-workers. It occurs as a result of a build-up of internal irritation. A sense of alienation from your loved ones might have a negative influence on your mental health. It makes you feel lonely and might even put you in a state of despair. You can prevent mental illness by taking care of yourself like calming your mind by listening to soft music, being more social, setting realistic goals for yourself, and taking care of your body.

I have been a lacrosse goalie since I was in fourth grade. Truthfully, I hated playing in goal at first. No one was coaching me or telling me how to improve so I felt like I was just a dummy in the net for my team. However, after a few months, I started to pick up on how a goalie was supposed to play and learned to love my position. I always put a lot of pressure on myself to improve or be up to my teammate's standards and my own. Every time a goal was scored on me, it felt like my team's effort up until that point was for nothing. My coaches always said that a goalie wasn't supposed to save most of the shots made at them if they were playing a good team but I hated the idea of that. It sounded like an excuse to make me feel better. I knew my skills and held myself responsible when I made mistakes since I knew there was only so much the defense could do. As a goalie, I have other responsibilities other than stopping the other team from scoring. I also had to set an example for the rest of my teammates. I always tried to keep a good attitude no matter the situation. I give my teammates compliments when we get a nice break up the field, or even when we get scored on. I understand how they might be frustrated that a goal went in after they have been working to win the whole game. They want someone to blame and when I let in a fairly easy goal I am willing to take the fall. I'm also always willing to hear feedback about my communication or if my positioning might be off. I ask my teammates what would make it easier for them and what I should be saying to them. I'm committed to a division 2 college to play lacrosse. It has added some pressure to improve myself as a player more than it usually would but it also has added a lot of excitement to get out onto the field every game. When I step on the field, I want the ball to come to me so I can show my skills. I am responsible for the ball once it crosses the restraining line even if the ball is not near the goal. I am willing to take responsibility for my actions, my team and my attitude while I play. I love the game and I will keep improving for as long as I am able to play lacrosse.

Although I am fully healed and agile now, I had to go through a very difficult situation to get here. I was told I had scoliosis at eleven years old which was getting worse by the day. Then in May 2020, I was scheduled for spinal surgery to correct my scoliosis. My doctor and I picked this date with careful consideration. The goal was to finish my school lacrosse season, be out of the hospital in time to take my final exams, and recover in time to start the volleyball season. My surgery was postponed twice due to the new restrictions on what were considered elective surgeries. Unfortunately at this time, scoliosis got to a point where it was difficult to perform basic tasks. When the surgery was performed in August, some complications affected my recovery. I was completely unaware of what was in store for me over the next three months. The combination of pain, anger and complete dependency on others was a nightmare I couldn’t wake up from. I hated the idea of needing medication just to get through the day. I was terrified for the future because I had no idea how this was going to affect the rest of my life. I went through with this surgery because I thought it would be the solution to the daily struggles I encountered. All it did was give me a list of new things to overcome. It seemed to only add to my list of problems. Any opportunity I had to get back to normal, I wanted to take. I was desperate to feel like myself again. As I started to gain my strength back, I immediately tried reteaching myself all the things I couldn't do after the surgery. I wanted to just be able to do what I used to but quickly realized that I needed to work to get back to where I was. It was very difficult, but I slowly started to adjust to a new routine to regain my strength. Having friends that looked after me made the process easier, but there were times when I felt defeated. As I reflect on what happened to me, I know that there was some good that came out of the situation, besides the physical aspect. In regaining my mobility, learning to live in what felt like a completely different body, and training to be at the same level in my sports as before, I have improved as a person. I now know that if I want to achieve something, I need to be motivated to put in time and effort to do so. So now when I see something I want, I make a plan and stick with it to ensure my success.

Although I am fully healed and agile now, I had to go through a very difficult situation to get here. I was told I had scoliosis at eleven years old which was getting worse by the day. It was like being in a full-body cast and it took away a lot of my confidence. Then in May 2020, I was scheduled for spinal surgery to correct my scoliosis. My doctor and I picked this date with careful consideration. The goal was to finish my school lacrosse season, be out of the hospital in time to take my final exams, and recover in time to start the volleyball season. However, our thought-out plans were dismantled when the world turned upside down because of a global pandemic. My surgery was postponed twice due to the new restrictions on what were considered elective surgeries. Unfortunately at this time, scoliosis got to a point where it was difficult to perform basic tasks. When the surgery was performed in August, some complications affected my recovery. The extended recovery time is what affected me the most. The combination of pain, anger and complete dependency on others was a nightmare I couldn’t wake up from. I hated the idea of needing medication just to get through the day. I was terrified for the future because I had no idea how this was going to affect the rest of my life. I went through with this surgery because I thought it would be the solution to the daily struggles I encountered. All it did was give me a list of new things to overcome. It seemed to only add to my list of problems. As I started to gain my strength back, I immediately tried reteaching myself all the things I couldn't do after the surgery. I wanted to just be able to do what I used to but quickly realized that I needed to work to get back to where I was. It was very difficult, but I slowly started to adjust to a new routine to regain my strength. Having friends that looked after me made the process easier, but there were times when I felt defeated. As I reflect on what happened to me, I know that some good came out of the situation, besides the physical aspect. In regaining my mobility, learning to live in what felt like a completely different body, and training to be at the same level in my sports as before, I have improved as a person. I now know that if I want to achieve something, I need to be motivated to put in time and effort to do so. So now when I see something I want, I make a plan and stick with it to ensure my success.