When I was first told in my biology class that entering the science fair would give extra credit points I almost jumped in my seat. Biology was never my strong suit so I took advantage of this chance and met the science club's teacher, Ms.Graham. Ms.Graham wasn't liked by many, though I never understood why; Ms.Graham was so kind, understanding and it was a plus that we both had the same type of humor. We clicked almost instantly and my work in the science fair began. To be honest, I've never done science fair before freshman year so I was a bit nervous but Ms.Graham helped me through it all. She was always there as a supporter and would always check in on me to make sure I wasn't stressing out too much. I had almost quit before the fair due to anxiety but she convinced me to join and it was the best experience of my highschool career. I made it all the way to state science fair and rejoined in sophmore year, making it to city before the pandemic hit. If it wasn't for Ms.Graham being there for me, I'm not sure if my love for STEM would have grown to this point. Even now, as I apply for college, I remember how fun Ms.Graham made science and I applied to become an Agricultural Engineer. With an agricultural engineer degree,I want to help improve low income communities by making water/light/heat more affordable. Growing up in a minority community, I see how many of us struggle and I want to be able to give back. It's a common answer to say that you want to help the world and I don't plan on doing that all at once as I'm only one person. But instead I plan to take things one step at a time to help lessen pollution and allow for our world to grow as it once had. It's always been my dream to live in a beautiful country covered in green grass and large beautiful trees, but why should I have to travel to make that possible when I can do it right here? If it wasn't for Ms.Graham, I don't think I would have ever grow to love STEM as much as I do now. She guided me and helped motivate me to step outside my comfort zone and participate in the science fair. If it also wasn't for her, I doubt I would've ever chosen to become an agricultural engineer as I didn't know the major existed before she first told me. With this new love for STEM, I want to become one of the scientist who make a difference and overall give back to my beautiful community.

Maintaining good mental health can often be a struggle especially in teenagers who feel like trapped and struggle express their emotions. One of the easiest ways to help people who struggle with mental health is to simply be there for them and lend them an ear. Most people, when they hear this, assume that this means helping fix their problems as well but in many cases this isn't the most effective method. Simply being there for someone and showing them that you care can help significantly as it shows that they aren't alone and can rely on somebody when things go south. Another way to help people who struggle with mental health is to be considerate of what they're going through. If someone struggles with an eating disorder, don't bring up weight around them as it will make them uncomfortable. If someone struggles with self harm, don't point out their scars as it will only remind them of the pain they felt while creating those scars. If someone is struggling, don't pressure them into doing things they don't want to do as this can lead to more stress and anxiety. This doesn't necessarily mean treating them as a fragile human being but simply showing them that you're on their side and will make them feel safe. People who struggle with mental health don't always need others to fix their problems, but to listen to them and help them in the best way possible to overcome whatever hardships they may be going through.