It was quite a while ago, June 1st, 2022, but it feels like just yesterday. I had just picked up my Great aunt and was driving my family to my older brother's graduation ceremony. I was continuing straight through a green light, when a white Chevrolet truck swerved from oncoming traffic, turning left through what was, for him, a red light. Thankfully I was young and alert and was able to correct my vehicle in a manner that resulted in more of a T-Bone as opposed to the head-to-head that it was going to be. Our vehicle nearly flipped as we were driving 55 and hit from the front left side. We spun around several times, so much so that the rim on two of the wheels snapped, and the rear right knuckle snapped from the upper half. I don't remember exactly what it felt like to be hit. But I remember my mother and great-aunt crying for help from the back seat. Since the left side of the car was damaged, I had to crawl over the center console and out the front right side. My father and I rushed to the rear and had to manually pry open the door for my great-aunt. People who had seen the crash began rushing to my car, and I remember hearing one of the bystanders telling my father, “He is totally wasted, blacked out.” At this point, my head is beginning to notice all the aches and pains from experiencing the crash. As well as that I noticed the driver of the other vehicle, sitting with his legs wrapped around a street light pole, banging his hands and head on it, yelling at the top of his lungs. An ambulance was called for my mother and great aunt as they received the worst of the crash, with possible broken ribs and my aunt's legs already purple from the ankle to the knee. When the police arrived they took my statement and wheeled part of my family away in an ambulance. Several months later the police report becomes open to the public, and I look at it with my family. The man was charged with several things, including DUI, Driving under a suspended license, and carrying a loaded firearm within the vehicle. My great-aunt is still recovering from the crash, as she had to get her legs drained of fluids several times. And while my mother came out of it with no broken bones, the most harm done was that her eldest son's graduation was robbed of her. The moment she should've been most proud of, after 18 years of raising this child, was stolen from her and she will never get it back. She would've been able to experience this had this random man stayed off the road while drinking. I was lucky enough to walk away from this with all of my family alive, but some people aren't as lucky as I am. Many people have lost and will continue to lose people close to them because of the effects of driving under the influence. Unfortunately, there are not many ways to fully prevent people from driving under the influence. However, this does not mean we should simply let it happen. Some things we could put in place to save upwards of 10,000 people per year could be restricting people's licenses, or increasing punishments for driving under the influence. If we induce laws that restrict people's access to substances after their first offense, it will be significantly harder for those people to become repeat offenders of DUI.

Since as far back as I can remember, my father owned a backpack filled to the brim with Hot Wheels cars that my brother and I would play with all day long. While it may not be the sole reason, I've often thought that this backpack is what ignited my lifelong fascination with the automotive industry. It seems that this backpack may have set the course for the industry in which I find the most fulfillment. Moving forward several years in my life, I remember racing my brother in video games and watching shows like West Coast Customs. I could only imagine what it must have been like to be there. What it must have been like to install performance parts instead of just pressing a button to upgrade my Forza Motorsports cars. And once I discovered that that imagination, those dreams, could be possible, I began to develop my aspirations surrounding them. My dedication to becoming an automotive technician knows no bounds. I've taken two automotive-related dual-enrollment courses through my high school, and I'm currently pursuing a third. At the age of 15, I even enrolled directly at my local community college to gain insights into the electrical systems of modern vehicles. My goal is to complete the curriculum at this community college and graduate from high school with a college certificate in the automotive field. Alongside being a technician, I hope to innovate the car industry. I find the past innovations of the automotive industry astonishing. I remember learning about some of the things people created to improve their field and being stunned, such as the Subaru anti-lag system, or even something as simple as wheels turning at different angles to prevent tire wear. I want to be capable of making my innovations, such as recreating systems that are used today in a fashion that nobody has ever seen before. I want to be the person who is credited with the creation of the greatest innovation since the combustion engine first saw fuel injection. I know that this won't be possible without my success first, and that is another reason that I am so determined to become an incredible technician. One day, I hope to be in the same place as the donor of this very scholarship. I wish to be looking toward the future generations of those who share the same goals as I, and assist them with reaching that goal because I will always remember where I came from. I will always remember that without the assistance that I'm trying to receive, I would not be able to reach my destination. When I find myself working beneath a vehicle, a profound sense of tranquility washes over me. There's nothing quite like the sensation I experience when I'm immersed in the intricacies of these machines. In my pursuit of this deep connection, I'm preparing to journey to WyoTech to further my studies in the field. This institution is located just over 1,000 miles away from my hometown, but I'm eager to embark on this new adventure. I aspire to continue traveling across the country, even after completing my college education, in a quest to expand my knowledge.

Since as far back as I can remember, my father owned a backpack filled to the brim with Hot Wheels cars that my brother and I would play with all day long. While it may not be the sole reason, I've often thought that this backpack is what ignited my lifelong fascination with the automotive industry. It seems that this backpack may have set the course for the industry in which I find the most fulfillment. My dedication to becoming an automotive technician knows no bounds. I've taken two automotive-related dual-enrollment courses through my high school, and I'm currently pursuing a third. At the age of 15, I even enrolled directly at my local community college to gain insights into the electrical systems of modern vehicles. My goal is to complete the curriculum at this community college and graduate from high school with a college certificate in the automotive field. When I find myself working beneath a vehicle, a profound sense of tranquility washes over me. There's nothing quite like the sensation I experience when I'm immersed in the intricacies of these machines. In my pursuit of this deep connection, I'm preparing to journey to WyoTech to further my studies in the field. This institution is located just over 1,000 miles away from my hometown, but I'm eager to embark on this new adventure. I aspire to continue traveling across the country, even after completing my college education, in a quest to expand my knowledge.