At a young age, I deeply believed that education solely determined everything in one's life. I thought that nothing could help a person more than their educational attainment, and that success was dictated by credentials. It was an overly crude, superficial thought based on what I saw when I volunteered for the first time. My family has long been involved with community volunteering in the Philippines. To them, helping others was an act of kindness that required no justification. It's my parents' way of encouraging me and my siblings to do good for the world, even on the smallest of things, but I hardly understood why they went so far as to help strangers. Like always, my mother swoops in to address my curiosity. She didn’t give me a direct answer but instead shared stories of the life my parents had lived long before they had us. Both of my parents came from families with a long history of traditional farming in Marinduque, where education was a privilege rather than a guarantee. My mother is an anomaly to my past belief in success. Unlike my father, who had the opportunity to complete his studies, she couldn't finish secondary school and worked early at the age of 14 because of her family's financial struggles. However, she has a resolve that comes from years of perseverance. She also knows what it means to sacrifice, to put others before herself. She never allows her lack of formal education to define her, nor does she let it become an excuse to settle for less. She taught me that intelligence isn’t just measured by degrees but also by the choices we make and our strength in times of hardship. It was through her that I realized education, while valuable, is not the only determinant of a person’s success. Resilience, kindness, and wisdom, these, too, matter in our lives in ways no certificate ever could. Growing up in a mixed-income neighborhood in the Philippines, I saw firsthand how poverty trapped people in cycles. Many Filipinos have no choice but to rely on "ayuda," a Philippine government aid in the form of food, just to get by. I've seen people fall into drug addiction to escape from their struggles. Seeing this, I could have easily been indifferent, but my mother’s values wouldn’t let me. She always teaches me that hardship isn’t an excuse to give up but a reason to push forward. My mother’s values were the foundation of everything I did as a volunteer. She never looks down on anyone, no matter their past or their circumstances. She taught me that people weren’t defined by their struggles. Her beliefs guided me when I was teaching public speaking and science feature writing to Filipino school children. Many of them lacked confidence. I noticed how they were hesitant to express themselves and were afraid of making mistakes. Just as she had encouraged me to push beyond my doubts, I encouraged them to use their voices and to see knowledge as a gift. When I helped reintegrate Filipino young adults on probation into society, I didn’t see them as mere delinquents. I listened to their stories without judgment and treated them with respect. Just like anyone else, I saw them as individuals who had stumbled, but I knew that they still had the chance to rebuild their lives. As I pursue my dream of becoming a cardiac surgeon, I know that it will demand strong technical skills and the ability to make split-second decisions under pressure. The road ahead will be challenging, with long nights of studying and years of training. But through it all, my mother’s values will remain at the core of my journey. Her values have always influenced everything I have done. My acceptance into a STEM-focused school was a reflection of the work ethic she instilled in me. The numerous competitions I have won in science and math, as well as in art and photography, displayed the curiosity and creativity she nurtured in me. My research on agricultural waste in my parents' hometown was also inspired by her stories. Even beyond academics, her influence was shown from time to time in my volunteer work. I dream of one day standing in an operating room. Though I may be faced with patients who carry burdens and struggles I cannot see, in those moments, I will be guided by the lessons my mother has given me. When my patients need more than just a doctor, when they need someone who sees them beyond their illness, I will remember her values to be the kind of doctor that they truly need.