All my life, I have always wanted to be a problem solver. I wanted to pursue goals that would serve as a rewarding challenge for me and allow me to solve the daily problems that affect us all in a meaningful way. I chose to major in computer science because this field has so many different avenues I can take to accomplish just that. I can be a developer working on meaningful features and updates on applications millions use, constantly improving the user experience. Or I can even be a researcher; discovering the solving the complex questions that can further enhance strides toward curing infectious diseases, combating climate change, and overall improving humanity. My journey into computer science started in middle school. I joined my school's First Lego League (FLL) team, and I was one of the team's programmers. Each year we were given a different obstacle course and the goal was to build and program a robot that could complete as many challenges as possible. And although the programming we did was basic; dragging and dropping the desired motor block functions and changing the gear values as desired; the idea of being able to direct a machine effectively stuck with me. In high school, I would take AP computer science my sophomore year and that class helped solidify just what computer science is and showed me that this is what I want to study in college. While in my undergraduate years, I have had the privilege to learn and do so much in just my first two years. I have gone from a very basic understanding of computer science to having passed my cs1 course, one of the hardest classes I will ever take in my bachelor's degree. I have taken many technical electives and learned languages such as C, Java, and Python during that time as well. My ultimate goal is to be a computer science researcher who uses artificial intelligence to work toward solving climate change. As a native of Florida my entire life, I have seen how the power of hurricanes has only increased over time and will continue to if nothing is done about the overarching problems causing such effects. I believe I can use the skills I learn in computer science to develop a systemic way, like the FLL robot, I can predict future storms and help shelters evacuate more people so there are fewer casualties, and predict what lifestyle changes will have the most direct impact on reducing warming oceans. However, the main obstacle to this goal is financial hardship. Growing up, we did not have much, and no matter how many college tours I did, attending college often felt like a lofty goal rather than a plausible reality. However, I was fortunate and blessed in being able to obtain various scholarships that allowed me to attend the University of Central Florida. But as my mom would say "do not put all your eggs in one basket", and while I am grateful for those opportunities, I recognize I will need to continuously apply to every opportunity that comes my way. Receiving this scholarship will allow me to focus less on finances and more on my studies so I can climb evermore toward my life pursuit.

The American Dream, for me, proves that with hard work and dedication anyone can make something of themselves regardless of where they start from. I have read countless stories of immigrants coming here with practically nothing but the clothes on their backs and a raw dedication to their life's pursuit, and watching them climb towards that summit is just awe-inspiring. I chose to major in computer science because of just that; this field has so many different avenues I can take to accomplish anything I desire. I can be a developer working on meaningful features and updates on applications millions use, constantly improving the user experience. Or I can even be a researcher; discovering the solving the complex questions that can further enhance strides toward curing infectious diseases, combating climate change, and overall improving humanity. While in my undergraduate years, I have had the privilege to grow so much in just my first two years. I have gone from a very basic understanding of computer science to having passed my cs1 course, one of the hardest classes I will ever take in my bachelor's degree. I have taken many technical electives and learned languages such as C, Java, and Python during that time as well. My ultimate goal is to be a computer science researcher who uses artificial intelligence to work toward solving climate change. As a native of Florida my entire life, I have seen how the power of hurricanes has only increased over time and will continue to if nothing is done about the overarching problems causing such effects. I believe I can use the skills I learn in computer science to develop a systemic way, I can predict future storms and help shelters evacuate more people so there are fewer casualties, and predict what lifestyle changes will have the most direct impact on reducing warming oceans. However, the main obstacle to this goal is financial hardship. Growing up, we did not have much, and no matter how many college tours I did, attending college often felt like a lofty goal rather than a plausible reality. However, I was fortunate and blessed in being able to obtain various scholarships that allowed me to attend the University of Central Florida. However I am always aware of my mother's advice, and while I am grateful for those opportunities, I recognize I will need to continuously apply to every opportunity that comes my way. Receiving this scholarship will allow me to focus less on finances and more on my studies so I can climb evermore toward my life pursuit.

One of the most important life lessons I have learned from my mother is "do not put all your eggs in one basket." This has rung true many times in my life as I have learned I should not rely on any one idea I may have working out long-term or pigeonholing myself into one area and instead explore all my options and really get a good feel for each how they all stack up against each other. I chose to major in computer science because of just that; this field has so many different avenues I can take to accomplish anything I desire. I can be a developer working on meaningful features and updates on applications millions use, constantly improving the user experience. Or I can even be a researcher; discovering the solving the complex questions that can further enhance strides toward curing infectious diseases, combating climate change, and overall improving humanity. While in my undergraduate years, I have had the privilege to grow so much in just my first two years. I have gone from a very basic understanding of computer science to having passed my cs1 course, one of the hardest classes I will ever take in my bachelor's degree. I have taken many technical electives and learned languages such as C, Java, and Python during that time as well. My ultimate goal is to be a computer science researcher who uses artificial intelligence to work toward solving climate change. As a native of Florida my entire life, I have seen how the power of hurricanes has only increased over time and will continue to if nothing is done about the overarching problems causing such effects. I believe I can use the skills I learn in computer science to develop a systemic way, I can predict future storms and help shelters evacuate more people so there are fewer casualties, and predict what lifestyle changes will have the most direct impact on reducing warming oceans. However, the main obstacle to this goal is financial hardship. Growing up, we did not have much, and no matter how many college tours I did, attending college often felt like a lofty goal rather than a plausible reality. However, I was fortunate and blessed in being able to obtain various scholarships that allowed me to attend the University of Central Florida. However I am always aware of my mother's advice, and while I am grateful for those opportunities, I recognize I will need to continuously apply to every opportunity that comes my way. Receiving this scholarship will allow me to focus less on finances and more on my studies so I can climb evermore toward my life pursuit.

All my life, I have always wanted to be a problem solver. I wanted to pursue goals that would serve as a rewarding challenge for me and allow me to solve the daily issues that affect us all in a meaningful way. I chose to major in computer science because this field has so many different avenues I can take to accomplish just that. I can be a developer working on meaningful features and updates on applications millions use, constantly improving the user experience. Or I can even be a researcher; discovering the solving the complex questions that can further enhance strides toward curing infectious diseases, combating climate change, and overall improving humanity. My journey into computer science started in middle school. I joined my school's First Lego League (FLL) team, and I was one of the team's programmers. Each year we were given a different obstacle course and the goal was to build and program a robot that could complete as many challenges as possible. And although the programming we did was basic; dragging and dropping the desired motor block functions and changing the gear values as expected; the idea of being able to direct a machine effectively stuck with me. In high school, I would take AP computer science my sophomore year and that class helped solidify just what computer science is and showed me that this is what I want to study in college. While in my undergraduate years, I have had the privilege to learn and do so much in just my first two years. I have gone from a very basic understanding of computer science to having passed my cs1 course which is one of the most challenging classes I will ever take in my bachelor's degree. I have taken many technical electives and learned languages such as C, Java, and Python during that time as well. My ultimate goal is to be a computer science researcher who uses artificial intelligence to work toward solving climate change. As a native of Florida my entire life, I have seen how the power of hurricanes has only increased over time and will continue to if nothing is done about the overarching problems causing such effects. I believe I can use the skills I learn in computer science to develop a systemic way, like the FLL robot, I can predict future storms and help shelters evacuate more people so there are fewer casualties, and predict what lifestyle changes will have the most direct impact on reducing warming oceans. However, the main obstacle to this goal is financial hardship. Growing up, we did not have much, and no matter how many college tours I did, attending college often felt like a lofty goal rather than a plausible reality. However, I was fortunate and blessed in being able to obtain various scholarships that allowed me to attend the University of Central Florida. But as my mom would say "do not put all your eggs in one basket", and while I am grateful for those opportunities, I recognize I will need to continuously apply to every opportunity that comes my way. Receiving this scholarship will allow me to focus less on finances and more on my studies so I can climb evermore toward my life pursuit.

I chose to major in computer science because this field has so many different avenues I can take to accomplish just that. I can be a developer working on meaningful features and updates on applications millions use, constantly improving the user experience. Or I can even be a researcher; discovering the solving the complex questions that can further enhance strides toward curing infectious diseases, combating climate change, and overall improving humanity. My journey into computer science started in middle school. I joined my school's First Lego League (FLL) team, and I was one of the team's programmers. Each year we were given a different obstacle course and the goal was to build and program a robot that could complete as many challenges as possible. And although the programming was simple, the idea of being able to direct a machine effectively stuck with me. In high school, I would take AP computer science my sophomore year and that class helped solidify just what computer science is and showed me that this is what I want to study in college. While in my undergraduate years, I have had the privilege to learn and do so much in just my first two years. I have gone from a very basic understanding of computer science to having passed my cs1 course which is one of the most challenging classes I will ever take in my bachelor's degree. I have taken many technical electives and learned languages such as C, Java, and Python during that time as well. My ultimate goal is to be a computer science researcher who uses artificial intelligence to work toward solving climate change. As a native of Florida my entire life, I have seen how the power of hurricanes has only increased over time. I believe I can use the skills I learn in computer science to develop a systemic way to predict future storms and their trajectories to help shelters evacuate more people so there are fewer casualties, and predict what lifestyle changes will have the most direct impact on reducing warming oceans. I believe I deserve this scholarship because it will help me achieve my future plans. By furthering my education, I can work towards my career goals in the computer science field. I aim to make a difference in my community, and this scholarship will absolutely be the difference-maker when it comes to affording the education I need to do that and give back in the future.

All my life, I have always wanted to be a problem solver. I wanted to pursue goals that would serve as a rewarding challenge for me and allow me to solve the daily issues that affect us all in a meaningful way. I chose to major in computer science because this field has so many different avenues I can take to accomplish just that. I can be a developer working on meaningful features and updates on applications millions use, constantly improving the user experience. Or I can even be a researcher; discovering the solving the complex questions that can further enhance strides toward curing infectious diseases, combating climate change, and overall improving humanity. My journey into computer science started in middle school. I joined my school's First Lego League (FLL) team, and I was one of the team's programmers. Each year we were given a different obstacle course and the goal was to build and program a robot that could complete as many challenges as possible. And although the programming we did was basic; dragging and dropping the desired motor block functions and changing the gear values as expected; the idea of being able to direct a machine effectively stuck with me. In high school, I would take AP computer science my sophomore year and that class helped solidify just what computer science is and showed me that this is what I want to study in college. While in my undergraduate years, I have had the privilege to learn and do so much in just my first two years. I have gone from a very basic understanding of computer science to having passed my cs1 course which is one of the most challenging classes I will ever take in my bachelor's degree. I have taken many technical electives and learned languages such as C, Java, and Python during that time as well. My ultimate goal is to be a computer science researcher who uses artificial intelligence to work toward solving climate change. As a native of Florida my entire life, I have seen how the power of hurricanes has only increased over time and will continue to if nothing is done about the overarching problems causing such effects. I believe I can use the skills I learn in computer science to develop a systemic way, like the FLL robot, I can predict future storms and help shelters evacuate more people so there are fewer casualties, and predict what lifestyle changes will have the most direct impact on reducing warming oceans. However, the main obstacle to this goal is financial hardship. Growing up, we did not have much, and no matter how many college tours I did, attending college often felt like a lofty goal rather than a plausible reality. However, I was fortunate and blessed in being able to obtain various scholarships that allowed me to attend the University of Central Florida. But as my mom would say "do not put all your eggs in one basket", and while I am grateful for those opportunities, I recognize I will need to continuously apply to every opportunity that comes my way. Receiving this scholarship will allow me to focus less on finances and more on my studies so I can climb evermore toward my life pursuit.

All my life, I have always wanted to be a problem solver. I wanted to pursue goals that would serve as a rewarding challenge for me and allow me to solve the daily issues that affect us all in a meaningful way. I chose to major in computer science because this field has so many different avenues I can take to accomplish just that. I can be a developer working on meaningful features and updates on applications millions use, constantly improving the user experience. Or I can even be a researcher; discovering the solving the complex questions that can further enhance strides toward curing infectious diseases, combating climate change, and overall improving humanity. My journey into computer science started in middle school. I joined my school's First Lego League (FLL) team, and I was one of the team's programmers. Each year we were given a different obstacle course and the goal was to build and program a robot that could complete as many challenges as possible. And although the programming we did was basic; dragging and dropping the desired motor block functions and changing the gear values as expected; the idea of being able to direct a machine effectively stuck with me. In high school, I would take AP computer science my sophomore year and that class helped solidify just what computer science is and showed me that this is what I want to study in college. While in my undergraduate years, I have had the privilege to learn and do so much in just my first two years. I have gone from a very basic understanding of computer science to having passed my cs1 course which is one of the most challenging classes I will ever take in my bachelor's degree. I have taken many technical electives and learned languages such as C, Java, and Python during that time as well. My ultimate goal is to be a computer science researcher who uses artificial intelligence to work toward solving climate change. As a native of Florida my entire life, I have seen how the power of hurricanes has only increased over time and will continue to if nothing is done about the overarching problems causing such effects. I believe I can use the skills I learn in computer science to develop a systemic way, like the FLL robot, I can predict future storms and help shelters evacuate more people so there are fewer casualties, and predict what lifestyle changes will have the most direct impact on reducing warming oceans. However, the main obstacle to this goal is financial hardship. Growing up, we did not have much, and no matter how many college tours I did, attending college often felt like a lofty goal rather than a plausible reality. However, I was fortunate and blessed in being able to obtain various scholarships that allowed me to attend the University of Central Florida. But as my mom would say "do not put all your eggs in one basket", and while I am grateful for those opportunities, I recognize I will need to continuously apply to every opportunity that comes my way. Receiving this scholarship will allow me to focus less on finances and more on my studies so I can climb evermore toward my life pursuit.

All my life, I have always wanted to be a problem solver. I wanted to pursue goals that would serve as a rewarding challenge for me and allow me to solve the daily issues that affect us all in a meaningful way. I chose to major in computer science because this field has so many different avenues I can take to accomplish just that. I can be a developer working on meaningful features and updates on applications millions use, constantly improving the user experience. Or I can even be a researcher; discovering the solving the complex questions that can further enhance strides toward curing infectious diseases, combating climate change, and overall improving humanity. My journey into computer science started in middle school. I joined my school's First Lego League (FLL) team, and I was one of the team's programmers. Each year we were given a different obstacle course and the goal was to build and program a robot that could complete as many challenges as possible. And although the programming we did was basic; dragging and dropping the desired motor block functions and changing the gear values as expected; the idea of being able to direct a machine effectively stuck with me. In high school, I would take AP computer science my sophomore year and that class helped solidify just what computer science is and showed me that this is what I want to study in college. While in my undergraduate years, I have had the privilege to learn and do so much in just my first two years. I have gone from a very basic understanding of computer science to having passed my cs1 course which is one of the most challenging classes I will ever take in my bachelor's degree. I have taken many technical electives and learned languages such as C, Java, and Python during that time as well. My ultimate goal is to be a computer science researcher who uses artificial intelligence to work toward solving climate change. As a native of Florida my entire life, I have seen how the power of hurricanes has only increased over time and will continue to if nothing is done about the overarching problems causing such effects. I believe I can use the skills I learn in computer science to develop a systemic way, like the FLL robot, I can predict future storms and help shelters evacuate more people so there are fewer casualties, and predict what lifestyle changes will have the most direct impact on reducing warming oceans. However, the main obstacle to this goal is financial hardship. Growing up, we did not have much, and no matter how many college tours I did, attending college often felt like a lofty goal rather than a plausible reality. However, I was fortunate and blessed in being able to obtain various scholarships that allowed me to attend the University of Central Florida. But as my mom would say "do not put all your eggs in one basket", and while I am grateful for those opportunities, I recognize I will need to continuously apply to every opportunity that comes my way. Receiving this scholarship will allow me to focus less on finances and more on my studies so I can climb evermore toward my life pursuit.

All my life, I have always wanted to be a problem solver. I wanted to pursue goals that would serve as a rewarding challenge for me and allow me to solve the daily problems that affect us all in a meaningful way. I chose to major in computer science because this field has so many different avenues I can take to accomplish just that. I can be a developer working on meaningful features and updates on applications millions use, constantly improving the user experience. Or I can even be a researcher; discovering the solving the complex questions that can further enhance strides toward curing infectious diseases, combating climate change, and overall improving humanity. My journey into computer science started in middle school. I joined my school's First Lego League (FLL) team, and I was one of the team's programmers. Each year we were given a different obstacle course and the goal was to build and program a robot that could successfully complete as many challenges as possible. And although the programming we did was basic; dragging and dropping the desired motor block functions and changing the gear values as desired; the idea of being able to direct a machine in an effective manner stuck with me. In high school, I would take AP computer science my sophomore year and that class really helped solidify just what computer science is and showed me that this is what I want to study in college. While in my undergraduate years, I have had the privilege to learn and do so much in just my first two years. I have gone from a very basic understanding of computer science to having passed my cs1 course which is one of the hardest classes I will ever take in my bachelor's degree. I have taken many technical electives and learned languages such as C, Java, and Python during that time as well. My ultimate goal is to be a computer science researcher who uses artificial intelligence to work toward solving climate change. As a native of Florida my entire life, I have seen how the power of hurricanes has only increased over time and will continue to if nothing is done about the overarching problems causing such effects. I believe I can use the skills I learn in computer science to develop a systemic way, like the FLL robot, I can predict future storms and help shelters evacuate more people so there are fewer casualties, and predict what lifestyle changes will have the most direct impact on reducing warming oceans. However, the main obstacle to this goal is financial hardship. Growing up, we did not have much, and no matter how many college tours I did, attending college often felt like a lofty goal rather than a plausible reality. However, I was fortunate and blessed in being able to obtain various scholarships that allowed me to attend the University of Central Florida. But as my mom would say "do not put all your eggs in one basket", and while I am grateful for those opportunities, I recognize I will need to continuously apply to every opportunity that comes my way. Receiving this scholarship will allow me to focus less on finances and more on my studies so I can climb evermore toward my life pursuit.

All my life, I have always wanted to be a problem solver. I wanted to pursue goals that would serve as a rewarding challenge for me and allow me to solve the daily problems that affect us all in a meaningful way. I chose to major in computer science because this field has so many different avenues I can take to accomplish just that. I can be a developer working on meaningful features and updates on applications millions use, constantly improving the user experience. Or I can even be a researcher; discovering the solving the complex questions that can further enhance strides toward curing infectious diseases, combating climate change, and overall improving humanity. My journey into computer science started in middle school. I joined my school's First Lego League (FLL) team, and I was one of the team's programmers. Each year we were given a different obstacle course and the goal was to build and program a robot that could successfully complete as many challenges as possible. And although the programming we did was basic; dragging and dropping the desired motor block functions and changing the gear values as desired; the idea of being able to direct a machine in an effective manner stuck with me. In high school, I would take AP computer science my sophomore year and that class really helped solidify just what computer science is and showed me that this is what I want to study in college. While in my undergraduate years, I have had the privilege to learn and do so much in just my first two years. I have gone from a very basic understanding of computer science to having passed my cs1 course which is one of the hardest classes I will ever take in my bachelor's degree. I have taken many technical electives and learned languages such as C, Java, and Python during that time as well. My ultimate goal is to be a computer science researcher who uses artificial intelligence to work toward solving climate change. As a native of Florida my entire life, I have seen how the power of hurricanes has only increased over time and will continue to if nothing is done about the overarching problems causing such effects. I believe I can use the skills I learn in computer science to develop a systemic way, like the FLL robot, I can predict future storms and help shelters evacuate more people so there are fewer casualties, and predict what lifestyle changes will have the most direct impact on reducing warming oceans. However, the main obstacle to this goal is financial hardship. Growing up, we did not have much, and no matter how many college tours I did, attending college often felt like a lofty goal rather than a plausible reality. However, I was fortunate and blessed in being able to obtain various scholarships that allowed me to attend the University of Central Florida. But as my mom would say "do not put all your eggs in one basket", and while I am grateful for those opportunities, I recognize I will need to continuously apply to every opportunity that comes my way. Receiving this scholarship will allow me to focus less on finances and more on my studies so I can climb evermore toward my life pursuit.

The most inspiring book I have read is Great Expectations by Charles Dickens. In it, we see a young orphan Pip go from a nobody to a great man in London. What I love about it is it shows how regardless of anyone's situation and starting point, you can accomplish your dreams with the right people to support and guide you along the journey. I myself can attest to the life of Pip and the desire to be more than your current environment. Growing up, we did not have much, and no matter how many college tours I did, attending college often felt like a lofty goal rather than a plausible reality. However, I was fortunate and blessed in being able to apply for and obtain various scholarships that allowed me to attend the University of Central Florida. But as my mom would say "do not put all your eggs in one basket", and while I am grateful for those opportunities, I do recognize I will need to continuously apply and any and every opportunity that comes my way. Receiving this scholarship will allow me to focus less on finances and focus more on my studies so I can climb evermore toward my life pursuit.

All my life, I have always wanted to be a problem solver. I wanted to pursue goals that would serve as a rewarding challenge to me and solve problems for others in a meaningful way. I chose to major in computer science because this field has so many different avenues I can take to accomplish just that. I can be a developer working on meaningful features and updates on applications millions use, constantly improving the user experience. Or I can even be a researcher; discovering the solving the complex questions that can further enhance strides toward curing infectious diseases, combating climate change, and overall improving humanity. However, the main obstacle to this goal is financial hardship. Growing up, we did not have much, and no matter how many college tours I did, it often felt like a lofty goal rather than a plausible reality. However, I was fortunate and blessed in being able to apply and obtain various scholarships that allowed me to confidently attend the University of Central Florida. But as my mom would say "do not put all your eggs in one basket", and while I am grateful for those opportunities, I do recognize I will need to continuously apply and any and every opportunity that comes my way. Receiving this scholarship will allow me to focus less on finances and focus more on my studies so I can climb evermore toward my life pursuit.

All my life, I have always wanted to be a problem solver. I wanted to pursue goals that would serve as a rewarding challenge to me and solve problems for others in a meaningful way. I chose to major in computer science because this field has so many different avenues I can take to accomplish just that. I can be a developer working on meaningful features and updates on applications millions use, constantly improving the user experience. Or I can even be a researcher; discovering the solving the complex questions that can further enhance strides toward curing infectious diseases, combating climate change, and overall improving humanity. However, the main obstacle to this goal is financial hardship. Growing up, we did not have much, and no matter how many college tours I did, it often felt like a lofty goal rather than a plausible reality. However, I was fortunate and blessed in being able to apply and obtain various scholarships that allowed me to confidently attend the University of Central Florida. But as my mom would say "do not put all your eggs in one basket", and while I am grateful for those opportunities, I do recognize I will need to continuously apply and any and every opportunity that comes my way. Receiving this scholarship will allow me to focus less on finances and focus more on my studies so I can climb evermore toward my life pursuit.

All my life, I have always wanted to be a problem solver. I wanted to pursue goals that would not only serve as a rewarding challenge to me but also solve problems for others in a meaningful way. I chose to major in computer science because this field has so many different avenues I can take to accomplish just that. I can be a developer working on meaningful features and updates on applications millions use, constantly improving the user experience. Or I can even be a researcher; discovering the solving the complex questions that can further improve strides toward curing infectious diseases, combating climate change, and overall improving humanity. Receiving this scholarship will allow me to focus less on finances and focus more on my studies so I can climb evermore toward my life pursuit.