Ever since I was young, I’ve wanted to build a successful life for myself through hard work. A lot of that motivation comes from my parents getting divorced when I was younger. Seeing everything change around me at a young age made me realize that nothing in life is guaranteed, and if I wanted a good future for myself one day, I would have to work for it. It also made me think a lot about the kind of father I want to be someday. I want my future kids to grow up knowing their dad worked long hours and sacrificed to give them a better life than he had. I never want them to question how much I cared or how hard I worked for them. My plan after high school is to go to Craven Community College and take the Electrical 1, 2, 3, and 4 classes to complete the electrical program and earn my certification. After that, I want to continue into HVAC because the two trades work together so often. I’ve always liked hands-on work more than sitting behind a desk, and electrical and HVAC are careers where hard work actually pays off. I want to learn as much as I can so eventually I can open my own business that combines both trades. The business I hope to start one day would focus on electrical and HVAC work for new construction homes and industrial units. I think having both services under one company would make my business more useful and dependable for customers. My goal is to build something that is known for being honest, hardworking, and reliable. I know owning a business is not easy, but I’m not afraid of long hours or hard work if it means building something better for my future. When I was 17, my mom and stepdad got divorced, and that was another hard point in my life. Around that time I was working close to 40 hours a week, and there were definitely days where I felt exhausted and drained. Even though it was stressful, I kept working because I wanted to help support my mom however I could. That period of my life taught me a lot about responsibility and pushing through even when life gets difficult. I think going through situations like that has made me more mature and motivated than a lot of people my age. Living near the beach has also shaped who I am. Some of my favorite memories are being out on the boat fishing, especially after long weeks of work. I’ve also picked up side work related to boating and fishing whenever I had the chance. It taught me how to work with people, how to earn my own money, and how important it is to take pride in what you do. I know success is not going to happen overnight, but I’m willing to put in the effort for it. This scholarship would help me continue my education and move closer to my goal of owning my own electrical and HVAC business. More than anything, I want to create a stable future for myself and my family and be able to look back one day knowing all the hard work paid off.