The twelve-year old boy accepts comes up with a plan to change the world: do a good deed for three people and ask them to “pay it forward” to three others who need help. The book “Pay It Forward” by Catherine Ryan Hide always comes to my mind when I am performing a good deed. It is such a pleasing book about how a teenage boy believes the best way to contribute for a better society is to give back to others. Volunteering gives a sense of purpose; the fulfilling feeling of contributing to society. This is a fantastic way to learn more about my community and those around me. I can connect with new people, develop new skills, and transform my perspective. I gain new experiences that can help me navigate through my future and use them to help others. The importance of paying it forward cannot be understated. When giving back my community, I am improving the lives of people. Inspired by Ryan Hide’s book, I have always tried to assist my community. During my freshman and sophomore year of high school, I helped my coach to teach children the basics of swimming. I love the sport of swimming; guiding and encouraging the children to develop to competitive swimming gives me a sense of accomplishment. As of now, in my senior year, I have been assisting pre-Kinder teachers with their students. I have enjoyed helping students learn the basics, the alphabet, the numbers, the geometric figures, the months of the year, etc. Doing this type of work gives me a fulfilling feeling; the fact that I have helped to educate the future generation. Volunteering has become a passion of mine and I plan to continue in the future.

The twelve-year-old boy accepts his teacher's assignment and comes up with a plan to change the world: do a good deed for three people and ask them to “pay it forward” to three others who need help. The book “Pay It Forward” by Catherine Ryan Hide always comes to my mind when I am performing a good deed. It is such a pleasing book about how a teenage boy believes the best way to contribute to a better society is to give back to others. Volunteering gives a sense of purpose; the fulfilling feeling of contributing to society. This is a fantastic way to learn more about my community and those around me. I can connect with new people, develop new skills, and transform my perspective. I gain new experiences that can help me navigate through my future and use them to help others. The importance of paying it forward cannot be understated. When giving back to my community, I am improving the lives of people. Inspired by Ryan Hide’s book, I have always tried to assist my community. During my freshman and sophomore years of high school, I helped my coach to teach children the basics of swimming. I love the sport of swimming; guiding and encouraging the children to develop competitive swimming gives me a sense of accomplishment. As of now, in my senior year, I have been assisting pre-Kinder teachers with their students. I have enjoyed helping students learn the basics, the alphabet, the numbers, the geometric figures, the months of the year, etc. Doing this type of work gives me a fulfilling feeling; the fact that I have helped to educate the future generation. Volunteering has become a passion of mine and I plan to continue in the future.

I am Chelsy Ann Rivera Santiago, and I am a senior at Guamani Private School. Starting with my hobbies, I am a competitive swimmer. I have competed in the sport for almost a decade and to date, I still enjoy it. I plan to continue my love for the sport in college; I want to compete for my university. I also am heavily involved in community service at my school. Throughout the year, I have been assisting pre-Kinder teachers with their students. I have enjoyed helping students learn the basics, the alphabet, the numbers, the geometric figures, the months of the year, etc. Doing this type of work gives me a fulfilling feeling; the fact that I have helped to educate the future generation. I am a student who is interested in the science, statistics, technology, and business fields. As I am to finish a bachelor's degree in Chemistry and apply to medical school, I still find interest in the latter subjects. If I have the chance, I will continue to have a minor in any of those fields. If I pursue my goal of becoming a doctor, I know topics such as statistics and technology will come in handy. For instance, physicians use statistics and probability for a wide range of chores including screening test results and interpreting a patient's diagnosis. Similarly, they use technology to make diagnoses more accurately and efficiently. I am aware that technology has evolved and impacted the world of medicine; thus, I believe it is critical to receive an education in such subjects. I have always found an interest in pursuing a STEM career because of the wide variety of intriguing subjects: from problem-solving to researching new knowledge; there is always something to look forward to. As I was researching STEM degrees and opportunities to participate, I was astonished to learn that, according to the National Science Foundation, only 29% of individuals in the technology field are women. Women are highly underrepresented in the industry; however, how can we change this organization? I believe one of the reasons that women are being kept from going into STEM fields is not the lack of interest, is the unsupportive culture and the undervaluing of women’s capabilities. The tech industry has always been a male-dominated area. Therefore, the industry is a bit biased; women tend to get fewer opportunities and this causes a lack of motivation to venture into the business. The best way to influence the tech world is to create a supportive culture that can encourage women to apply to STEM fields. Women in the tech industry can increase diversity, influence the tech culture, and enhance innovation. This is a way to prove that women can be as capable, efficient, educated, and skilled as men. It is high time women venture into tech careers and build a diverse future for STEM. Doing better for women is doing better for everyone in our society.