The dream version of myself is someone who is making a positive impact on the environment, someone kind, and someone who is finally happy with themselves.

With my mother being active duty military, I’ve had the oppurtunity to live in a variety of places. I’ve lived in five different states and two overseas locations. This experience not only has helped me become more well rounded, but it also fueled my love for nature. The differences between each environment I had the chance to be in was incredible and I loved them all. From the vast plains of the midwest, to the clear waters of small islands - I found a home in them all. My mom and I recently had the opportunity to revisit a town we had lived in about ten years ago. When we lived there there was a road that went through a patch of woods. I remember how beautiful the leaves had looked in the fall, with all of the oranges and reds and yellows. It was something straight out of a picture book. During our recent trip though, the majority of those trees were gone - replaced instead with various store buildings and restaurants. Honestly, the sight was devastating. As great as it was that the town was growing and developing, it being at the cost of such a beautfiul green area made it sad. I remember the families of deer that would run through those woods, and the birds that would chirp through the trees. There weren’t even any small green patches in that new shopping area - just plain, gray, cold concrete. Situations like this are what make me so passionate about protecting the environment. The thoughtless displacement of animals and the destruction of natural beauty is one of our greatest present tragedies. We’re supposed to be sharing this planet with other creatures - not killing it and them with it. My current plan for my higher education is to major in Environmental Science. Considering there are many aspects of the field, I’m going in with a general focus and planning to narrow down the area where I could make the most impact. At the moment, I’m leaning towards focusing more on either sustainability or on wildlife conservation. Either way, I’m aiming to reduce the negative human impact and instead establish a greener world. The first step to improving the health of our environment is to reduce our carbon footprint. I believe the best advice I could give to my loved ones is to start small. Instead of completely changing their lifestyles and stressing themselves out, they should start by incorporating smaller choices into their day. These changes can be as simple as just turning off unused lights or unplugging their unused devices. They could start using reusable bags on their shopping trips, in order to reduce their plastic usage. If they’re up for it, I also encourage switching out some of their meals through the day with ones that are plant based instead. By just learning about how their choices affect the environment, and making these type of eco-conscious decisions is the best they can do. The Earth is our home, and at the rate the health of it is declining - it might not be for long. As I get older, and work hard to save our planet, I hope to see a happy, healthy and educated population. As we work towards greener lives, together we can save our world.

When I was in fifth grade, my family and I took a trip to Guam. My mother was born and raised there, so growing up I had heard a lot about it. I remember being so excited to finally be in the place my mother had told stories to us about for years and to explore the small island. It’s beautiful there, with its year-round tropical weather and lush green jungles. What captivated me the most were the beaches. The sand was so soft, and the waters so clear and blue. Swimming in the sea became such a comfort to me, and I felt at home. On one of our days there, I had gone snorkeling with my cousins and my older siblings. We swam out past the shallows and we were met by the beautiful reef. The corals were these bright vibrant colors, and there were so many fish swimming around. It was truly a magical sight, and I still vividly remember how in awe I was. We ended up moving to Guam during my junior year of high school, a result of my mother’s new military station. We ended up going back to that beach again, and I was so excited to experience the beauty of the reef again. I swam out, ready to be surrounded by the colors and the fish again, but unfortunately, that wasn’t what I was met with. While there were some corals still alive, many of them were bleached. There weren’t as many fish around, and overall it all seemed horribly dreary. The disappointment and the sadness I felt were overwhelming. I didn’t understand why everything had changed so drastically, and I wanted it all to go back to the way I had remembered it. This was when I decided I wanted to pursue a degree in environmental science and learn more about what I can do to save our oceans and our planet. Watching such a beautiful ecosystem die out that way had such a deep effect on me. I also have a taste for adventure, so one day I hope to explore deeper parts of our oceans. Only about five percent of the ocean has been explored - yet we’re already killing what we have discovered. Imagine all of the things left unseen, and potentially will never be seen because of our constant destructive action. With my passion for the ocean, and for studying its health, I think I’m the perfect candidate for this scholarship. I am very dedicated to my studies and to my passions, and I work very hard in order to achieve my goals. I hope not only to bring my hard work to this field but to also bring diversity and representation to future young scientists. Winning this scholarship would greatly aid me in pursuing higher education. I’ve had to put off going to school for the past couple of years because of concerns over finances and because I was overseas in Guam. Even though I’ve been able to save up some money, I’m still not confident that it’s enough. I love my planet, and I love the ocean. I want to get my degree and join a team where I can help reverse the negative effects of human activity. To see those beautiful colorful reefs again, and to bring back a population of healthy aquatic creatures, is my dream. I truly believe that one day I can achieve it.

Everyone has plans for the future. Whether it be a new relationship status, a higher position in our career, or starting a family - we all have something we’re looking forward to. What most don’t think of is that they won’t have a future if the climate continues to change for the worst. Climate change is one of the most pressing matters we’re facing today. As the Earth’s temperature rises, we face countless environmental disasters. We’re facing more frequent severe weather - such as droughts, storms, and floods - and entire ecosystems are collapsing. If the situation worsens, we’re facing entire species’ extinction, our numbers dwindling, and eventually our entire planet becoming uninhabitable. Before we start planning to relocate to a different planet, we can still make positive changes to save this one. Something to remember about making a big impact is that little things add up. You can focus on a single aspect of your life at a time. For example, a commonly known factor of climate change is the amount of electricity we use and where the electricity comes from. So, small easy changes we can make are unplugging unused devices and cords, changing to more energy-efficient light bulbs, or even just turning off unused lights! Of course, going the extra mile would be switching completely to solar-powered electricity in your home. Another thing we can change is our method of getting around places. Transportation is one of the greatest sources of greenhouse gas emissions, so changing how we get around it can make a huge difference. Try opting for walking or biking to places instead of driving. You won’t only be helping the environment, but you’ll also help yourself keep in shape! If where you want to go is too far for that, then try using public transportation or carpooling with a friend. The fewer cars on the road - the better. In my own life, I do my best to practice sustainable and eco-friendly habits. I ensure unnecessary lights are off and unplug my unused chargers and cords. Since I’ve learned how fast fashion production contributes a lot of greenhouse gas emissions, I began only clothes shopping at thrift stores. Also, growing up, I primarily wore hand-me-down clothes, so I do try to get those still when I can. My mother taught me how versatile a pickle jar could be when I was young, so I typically save mine. So far I’ve used them as cups, leftover containers, and even as a pot for a plant. I’m switching to a more plant-based diet, and when I get the chance I’m planning to have a garden with a worm compost bin for my food waste. These have all been small changes in my life, but I still believe that they’re going to prove positive in the future. While making small changes in our lives does help, the greatest thing we can do is encourage others to do the same. If everyone starts making these small changes in their everyday lives the positive impact could be immense. Moving towards an eco-friendly society will not only save us, but it can also save the entire world.

According to the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine, there have been numerous studies showing the positive effects art has on the brain. Art can reduce stress, improve one's focus, help someone process their emotions, and so much more. These effects have been shown not only in the act of creating art but also in viewing it. In a study done by Professor Semir Zeki, the chair of neuroesthetics at University College London, it was found that when the participants viewed art they thought was the most beautiful their brains had an increased blood flow to the part of the brain that was associated with the experience of pleasure. It was the same effect one gets when one sees a loved one. With my pieces, I believe I can help others by giving them some of these positive effects. With the art I make, I try to give people something beautiful, that's filled with emotion, and with a story to unwrap in each piece. In every piece I create, I tend to pay attention to every detail. I love working to create true depths in my shadings, and bright highlights, and still have colors that are not only balanced - but colors that pop. I love making small details in areas that no one may even notice because I do firmly believe it adds to the piece in a way I cannot describe. It's important to me that every part of my art is pleasing to the eye. I want to draw things that people can get lost in, and cherish in their memories forever. As a part of the details I put into each piece, I pour in my deepest emotions. I've always struggled to put my feelings into words, but as I've gotten older and gotten more into drawing, I found I can put my feelings into my art. I can share my joy, sadness, anger, and feelings of wonder in the world - anything. They say a picture speaks a thousand words and that is something I've truly taken to heart. Something very important that my art depicts is a story. I emphasize different parts of each piece, whether it be emotion, motions, or even just the backgrounds. That underlying message in my pieces is what I believe makes them good, and it also encourages me to strive toward a masterpiece. I am helping my community with art by giving them art that is not only visually appealing but filled with emotion and paired with a message. I have always had high hopes that my art would touch the world, and I believe if I keep pushing on and if I keep doing what I love then I can do just that.

Growing up, I've always wanted to be nice to others and help them with anything they needed. So when I started looking for a job, customer service seemed to be the way to go! I currently work at an Italian restaurant where I am a cashier. My job is more than just handling payments though, I also am the one to take care of most of our take-out orders. I take the calls, prepare the meals to be taken, and give them to our customers with a smile on my face. There's something very rewarding about my job, and I have found myself enjoying being at work. I work as much as I can so I can save up money for college. Around the time I'm set to go, my mother - who is currently in the Navy - will be preparing to move to her next duty station. I'm expecting her to be extremely busy with the move, and I don't want her to worry too much about me during this period. I'm planning to go to school for a degree in illustration. Art has always been a huge passion of mine, and it's something I want to do for the rest of my life. My current dream is to illustrate images for either children's books or graphic novels, as those books had always brought me happiness. I want to share that happiness I feel whenever I see the stunning images on those pages with the world, so I'm doing my best to achieve that goal. I believe that I would be a great candidate for this scholarship because I am a hard worker, and I am very devoted to my job. While I may face issues with various customers, I still greatly enjoy it and I believe it will help me achieve my dream of getting my degree and pursuing my passions. While I am just making a few people happy by handing them a bowl of pasta, I hope that one day I will make the world happy with my art.

There is nothing in this world quite like the sound of sharpened pencil gliding across a pristine sheet of paper in brand new sketchbook. No experience, quite like watching lines and curves be turned into beautiful images, and no feeling quite like the pride knowing that these gorgeous drawings are done by your own hand. It's an amazing feeling to create something. The time consumed, the struggling for perfection, the frustrations when that one line just looks a bit off, all end up being worth it in the end when you've created a piece that looks good enough to be in a museum. It's an incredible roller coaster of emotions, that feels thrilling every single time I go through it. Creating art, is my greatest passion. When I'm drawing, my emotions surge through my body, and I am able to capture what ever it is I am feeling in a timeless creation, for all to see if I so choose. My joy, my feelings of heartache, the intensity of my anger and frustrations, all captured in works for as long as I live. As Christo once said, "The work of art is a scream of freedom." I love drawing, and it's something that will be an integral part of me for the rest of my life.

"Believe you can, and you're halfway there." - Theodore Roosevelt. I remember reading this quote in the waiting lobby of my life counselor, and scoffing because I believed it was absolute baloney. I didn't think believing would make me feel any better about myself, nor that it would make me think my life was actually worth something. I told my counselor that I thought that that poster was garbage, and that one shouldn't plant such silly ideas in others' heads. She had smiled at me, and told me that I'd be surprised how much having the right mindset could change things. She was absolutely right. A couple years ago, I had hit rock bottom with my mental health. The idea of ending my life was constantly on my mind, I struggled to get out of bed and to go to school, I hated who I was and how I looked, and I was convinced that if I were to disappear no one would even bat an eye. This mindset had landed me in the behavioral center where I lived, and I had stayed there for a few days and they had me start going to counseling. In counseling, I learned that the first step to recover was to change my mindset. It took a while, but my counselor taught me that having a better outlook on life can make all the difference. I started being more optimistic and has my view on my existence has gotten a lot more positive. I no longer wish to end my life, and I am proud of who I've become. Back then, whenever someone told me that things would get better, I thought they were messing with me. I can see now, that they were right. All I had to do was believe.

Throughout my school years, I've had a lot of trouble loving myself. In my eyes, I never looked good enough, never did good enough in school or in my activities, wasn't a good enough person, friend, sibling, or daughter. I thought that in the future, I was going to end up alone in a small apartment with maybe a chinchilla or two, and I'd just fade away from existence. It took me a long time to realize that none of these things were true, and I had completely thought them up myself. So, one day I sought out to change this. Every day, I started telling myself compliments. I started off small, saying maybe that I liked my eye lashes or that it was cool that I can doodle anything at the drop of a hat. When I started really believing these smaller compliments, I gradually made myself greater compliments and reassured myself about things I felt insecure about. So, now I'm more confident and I truly believe I am trying my best in life. This ability to persevere through my own mental barriers is definitely the characteristic I value the most in myself. I've had such great problems internally just because I would overthink, and building the strength to push against those intrusive thoughts is one of my greatest feats. It makes me feel like I can get through anything, and it reminds me in my dark times that I am stronger than I may believe. I am my own greatest enemy, and it's not like I can ignore myself or simply cut myself out. So, being able to confront my internal problems and get through to myself makes me feel that my future isn't dim, and I don't feel hopeless about it anymore. In the future, I'm bound to face even more problems where I may feel that I am not enough. When these problems arise though, I have the confidence that I'll be able to face them as I have now. It will help me take care of myself, and continue to push towards the successful life I want to build for myself. I will not hinder myself from getting what I want, because I feel like I've already done that enough. I know that it won't be easy, and I may struggle as I used to, but I also know that I will not allow myself to break down again. I know that I am worth a lot, and I won't let the troublesome thoughts in my head tell me otherwise. I have come to like myself quite a lot, and while I still have my problems I am still confident in knowing that I will be able to take care of myself and be alright. As long as I can keep myself from ruining how I see myself now, I will be and do great.

Lately, I've been extra motivated. I'm getting my work done efficiently, cleaning, drawing new pieces, and so much more. It's been wonderful for me, and I feel a lot happier. This motivation stems from one thing - my goals. There was a time when I didn't really have goals, and I just floated through my days in a depressed haze. I didn't know what I wanted to do with my life, but one day I started drawing again and I re-found my passion. I decided, I wanted to go to college and become a great artist. This goal, to further my education and plan out my future, has been keeping me going. I love the idea of starting this new chapter of my life, and preparing for it has been a bit tough but still enjoyable. I'm able to see myself in the future, thriving in a great environment doing what I love the most. My future seems so bright, and I'm so prepared to see what is in store.

People around me say I am a lot of things. They say I'm kind, quiet, jumpy, or even a bit annoying. Something that is said about me often though, is that I'm creative. Throughout my years of school, I was always doodling in class, or drawing something grandiose in a sketchbook. Some would admire my work and say I'm quite talented, others would sneer and say I'm doing it to just show off. Overall though, I never did it for them. I did it for me. Drawing is what makes me happy, and what makes me, me. I apply drawing to nearly everything in my life. I will draw out plans for my room, doodle out parts of notes I take, and create paintings or sketches for my loved ones when it was their birthday or just to cheer them up. I draw the most though, when I'm trying to manage my own emotions. Whenever I'm feeling down, or maybe hot headed, I draw out something until I feel better. I love to draw, it's my passion, and it's something I plan to do for the rest of my life.

Through my high school years, I became severely depressed. I felt very hopeless, alone, and horribly unmotivated. I didn't want to do anything with my days, and it felt like I was just withering away. During this time though, I kept telling myself that I wanted to feel better. I wanted to get out of bed and do something nice with my day. I wanted to get help for myself. So each day, I told myself that I needed to get up and tell someone that I was doing horribly. I told myself, that I needed to do something with my day and not allow myself to fade away. One day, I finally was able to do it and ever since I've gotten a lot better. Something valuable about myself, is that I am able to persevere through my dark times and that I'm not afraid to ask for help. I know a lot of people have trouble doing so, so it's a quality I'm extremely proud of. I don't want to give up on myself, and I know I can gain strength in not doing so if I lean on those close to me. It's what has kept me alive today, and I'm very glad for it.

In my life, I've always been a huge dreamer. When I was young, I'd day dream about a famous actress or model, even though I knew I couldn't act to save my life and I wasn't nearly enough of a looker to be a model. As I've gotten older, I still dream as big as I used to - except with things I actually have a shot at obtaining. So now, my big dream is to leave behind the legacy of me being the greatest illustrator of my time. I've always wanted to make people happy, especially with my art. I want people to look at the pieces I create and become lost in them, and maybe say "Wow. This is stunning!". I want my art to leave such a great impression that people look me up, and my name becomes one that people actually know. I want them to remember that something I had created made them happy, and so they continue supporting my art work and sharing it even after my death. I know this is a very large dream, but it's still something I want in life. For people to remember who I am and what I've created would be the greatest.

"People come into your life for a reason, a season, or to be with you forever." This sentence was something said to me by my mother after I had gotten my heartbroken for the first time. Hearing this helped me put my relationships into perspective, and has made me more accepting of people who come and go. As a young person who is also a student, I've often been stressed out by the things on my plate. I've had to plan for my future, ensure my grades were well, and make sure that I was taking good enough care of myself. Something that weighed on me though, were the relationships in my life. I've had this problem where I'd become too attached, and feel destroyed whenever someone either made me upset or exited my life. It was always something out of my control, and it made me horribly sad to lose people I had been extremely fond of. I'm sure many others have experienced this as well. I share this sentence because it's something that has helped me a lot. I've lost more friends since then, and gone through another heartbreak, but I've kept myself from falling into a dark place because of this sentence. I reasoned with myself, that some people were temporary - but I enjoyed my time with them. I looked back on the good times, and remembered what I learned by them coming into my life. I believe it's important to do this, instead of dwelling on the loss of people in our lives. It relieves stress not only on the mind, but also on the heart.

There was a point of time in my life when I became severely depressed. I had no motivation to do anything, nor to talk to anyone. I felt very lost and hopeless, and I didn't know what I could do. Then, one day I felt good enough to get out of bed, and I began to draw. I remember how great I'd felt in the past doing it, so I drew what I was feeling inside, and it ended up making me feel a bit better. I found that drawing was what made me the happiest. When times get rough now, I find comfort in drawing something. Rarely anything too extravagant, in fact most times it's just a doodle. But, even these doodles spark joy in me. The fact that I can create things like this that I can pour my soul into and still make look amazing, feels so freeing. I love drawing, and nothing has quite made me feel the way I feel when I finish a piece. That feeling of happiness, that feeling of being proud of what I've made - there's nothing quite like it. I'm the happiest when I'm drawing, and happiest when I get to talk about it too. It's my passion, and the source of my joy.

Back in elementary school art class, we would stare at various famous paintings. We looked at many different ones, but one that really caught my eye was The Swing painted by Jean-Honoré Fragonard. This painting depicted a woman in a big, fluffy pink dress swinging in a beautiful version of the woods. The painting to me looked so soft, and so bright and at one point I believed it was the most beautiful piece of art to be created. This piece inspired me greatly, and it was a stepping stone to me finding my own unique style, and I still believe it is stunning. There were so many elements to the painting, and because of that I am trying to add numerous elements in my own drawings. It also made me start drawing various happy scenes with colors that popped, but weren't too harsh on the eyes. Whenever I feel a block in my art, I look at this painting to inspire myself to draw something once more. It is a piece that is important to me, and helped me shape myself as an artist.

Throughout my years, I've read a lot of different books. I've read various genres, and have been big on action and fantasy type books. One book that has really stuck with me through the years though, is Fablehaven by Brandon Mull. This story is about a place where mystical creatures live in order to avoid extinction. The way the creatures and the area are described within the story has stuck with me for years, to where I can still visualize scenes from the story. My current dream career is to be an illustrator, so to have a story with such beautiful descriptions of characters and landscapes was really up my alley. This book is the reason I still really enjoy drawing supernatural characters today! While the visualizing part of the whole book was wonderful, I really enjoyed the story itself. I was able to connect with the characters, and avidly followed the storyline of the haven being in danger. I remember when I read the books - I rarely put them down. This book series still has a very special place in my heart. It's still on of my favorite books to this day, and whenever someone asks me about something they should read it is the first thing I recommend.

This is my dog, Beef! He's a very playful yorkie who loves cuddles. During this picture, we were playing together and I was able to capture this moment before he pounced on me.

I've been drawing for as long as I can remember. It's allowed me to express my creativity and my feelings, and has aided me when I wanted to feel happier. I've been able to show what I like, and who I am in my art, and going down the road to become an artist has been one of the greatest developments in my life. I believe that art is really important to society because people are able to find joy within it. They entertain themselves with it, express themselves through it, and are able to connect with others using it. The great thing about art is that it comes in many different things. Many may only think about maybe paintings and sculptures when they think about art, and often forget that there are other forms. Art can also be songs, dance, stories told either by mouth or through something written down, and even in the form of designing our everyday objects. Art comes in any form that expresses ones creativity, and there are many different types of artists. These varieties of art are often created by those who express the way they feel, and is often an outlet for those people. They're able to express things that they can't normally, and even show the rawest forms of themselves. The emotion behind a piece is often what makes it unique, and those who created them can often feel a weight off their shoulders when they do so - and I say this from experience. Creating art though, isn't just the only great thing about it. Being able to view pieces is a whole other thing. Art can be quite captivating, and viewers can get absolutely lost in a piece. They may feel connected to it, or simply be in awe of how wonderful it is. I believe the best way to compare this is to when you're listening to the lyrics of a song. You may relate to the story told within it, or maybe just enjoy the way it sounds. It's really a wonder how art can work that way. The important part here though, it that forms of art allow others to connect with their inner feelings, and maybe help them feel at peace. The way art is created though, varies around the world. With these different ways to create, we have been able to share these methods and traditions with each other. Using the art created in our culture's traditional ways and sharing it with each other, we've been able to share our cultures with each other. This has allowed us to experience each other's lives in a variety of ways, and allowed us to connect in such a beautiful way. Art is important to society because it allows us to express who we truly are in so many different ways. With the different forms someone can use, and the ways we can share them with each other, has been such a great influence on our world today. The usage of art has been a wonderful way for people - myself included - to share their visions with the world.

My vision is to spread beauty and wonder through the world. I believe art is the best window to new worlds and experiences, as anyone can enjoy it despite age, gender, ethnicity, or education. Art is universal, and everyone should be able to enjoy it. When I was younger, my older brother introduced me to drawing. He showed me that I could create anything, and ever since I've been doing just that. I do my best to express my visions and my feelings through my pieces, and I truly want to pursue a career in this. I want to illustrate stories, and create pieces everyone can enjoy and possibly get lost in. Viewing and creating art has been such a great outlet for me, and I want to create things that others can enjoy too. I want them to feel the beauty and wonder in the world when they are down, and enjoy my pieces as much as I do whenever I create them. Art is a very large part of me, and to be able to share this with the world is my ultimate goal.