When I look around and observe my surroundings, the first thing I see is the lack of healthcare in my community. Minority communities tend to have a higher chance of getting diseases like diabetes, obesity, heart disease, and poor oral health. It saddens me deeply to see others in my community be more prone to these illnesses and I want to create a change in the system that has failed us. I want to create a clinic where these disparities are handled. To help the overlooked people have better healthcare access, oral health service quality, and more inexpensive service to encourage them to receive treatment. I also want to inspire others in my community by joining the 5.9% Hispanic dentists and show them that with enough dedication and time, we can achieve goals we thought we never could. I plan to major in Biology and enter the Pre-Dental Program and/or get into the Dental Early Admission Program at my elected university. Helping me to earn both a bachelor of science and a doctor of dental surgery degree in 7 years. Once I have received my bachelor's degree in science and completed the dental prerequisites, I will attend a dental school, where I will learn in more detail about oral health care and how to interact with patients. I will then specialize in orthodontics. I will pursue becoming an orthodontist because I want to help minority communities have easier access to oral healthcare. I come from a community where being able to go to the dentist and doctors for checkups is a privilege not everyone has. I believe everyone should have access to health and not be excluded for not being able to afford it. To achieve this dream, I plan first to become an orthodontist, gain stability in my environment and personal life, and finally create a dental clinic where the mission will be to help Texan communities and create a space where everyone has access to oral healthcare. The Brighter Lights Scholarship will help me not only achieve this dream of mine but also help me with motivation. If I receive this scholarship, some weight of the tuition, fees, and housing will be lifted off my shoulders. This will allow me to focus more on my studies than being burdened by financial troubles. Receiving the Bright Lights Scholarship will uplift me in difficult times during school because it will be a constant reminder that others have faith in me to continue my plan and believe I can make a change in my community.

At the age of twelve, I noticed that I had crooked teeth, and an overbite, and one of my canines was coming out on top of my other tooth. I felt discomfort whenever I would eat, talk, or even open my mouth. I knew an easy fix would be to get braces, but I had a slight problem. I had no insurance or Medicare. So, the cost would have to come out of my parent's pocket, which my family couldn't handle then. Unable to get braces, I began to feel insecure about my teeth. I would always ask myself, "Why do they have to be crooked? Why did God give me these teeth? Why can't we afford it?" After a couple of months of pleading for braces, my mom took me to an Orthodontist. I recall being excited about finally being able to go to the dentist after years of not going. There, the Orthodontist created a plan for my teeth and the cost was around five thousand dollars. My parents luckily agreed and that marked the beginning of my passion to be an orthodontist. I still remember the joy I would feel when going to each appointment. The happiness I would get from seeing my teeth align slowly each month. Getting braces ignited a fire in me that won't go out. I'm passionate about becoming an Orthodontist because I want to help people begin to love their teeth, just like my orthodontist did for me. To become an Orthodontist, I have dedicated myself in high school to my studies and plan to do so as well in college. I have taken 11 AP classes, dual credit at Arizona State University, actively participated in multiple clubs, and have maintained a high GPA. These actions have led me to be a part of the top five students in my class. I would use this scholarship to attend an undergraduate university to major in Biology and to enter the Pre-Dental Program, eventually allowing me to become an Orthodontist. This scholarship will help me financially to be able to pursue my passion for science and oral health care. It will relieve some pressure I will go through with student debt and will encourage me to work hard in college. Once I have received my bachelor's degree in Biology, I will attend dental school, where I will learn in more detail about oral health care, how to interact with patients, and the common procedures orthodontists do.

French writer Antoine de Saint-Exupéry once said " A goal without a plan is just a wish." A saying I believe with my whole heart. Many people have "goals" but do not plan or do much to achieve them, leading them to think it is "impossible" and give up. However, I know exactly what to do to achieve my goal of becoming a successful orthodontist. Hopefully, along the way, I inspire others from my community not to give up on their dreams just because they seem unachievable. My family believes they shouldn't dream too high because the higher your dream, the harder the fall. All of my siblings have either gone straight to labor after high school or have gone to a local community college. I believe they have chosen this path because they are afraid of trying something new or of failure. They would rather take the secure route of a career to make sure they have a sense of stability, or in other words, control. But I want to take that risk. I want to pursue a post-secondary plan where the success rate is not one hundred percent. My hard work will be shown through my achievements and when I walk across the stage, accepting my degree. Ultimately, I will enter the dental field as an orthodontist, becoming the first Dr. in my family. Luckily, I decided to prioritize my studies since I was in the sixth grade. This caused me to set standards for myself each school year. I took countless AP classes and became a part of three clubs. I make sure my attendance rate is at least 96% or higher so I won't miss valuable learning time. This rule I have set up for myself has held me accountable for attending school daily. Another standard I have for myself is to have a minimum grade of eighty percent and to always aim for one hundred percent. If I didn't do well on an assignment, I would redo it until the grade was satisfactory. I learned that it is best to complete classwork on time and to the best of your ability on the first try so you won't have to spend more time fixing your mistakes. I also learned soft skills from the three jobs and the clubs I participated in throughout my high school career. I learned different skills from each job/club. I learned how to communicate, socialize, manage my time, adapt, plan for situations, listen to others, work with others, and lead. These skills help a handful when participating in my clubs because my peers and I get things done efficiently. For example, one of my clubs was having a fundraiser where students would sell different foods. Three classmates and I decided to sell churros, a Mexican dessert. With our skills combined, we were efficient when selling our dessert, causing customers to come in and go easily in a short amount of time until we sold out. The hardships I will experience in college will probably be studying. If I am honest, I have never really sat down to study. I learn the subject and it just stays embedded in my brain. However, in college learning will probably be faster while taking multiple classes, not giving me enough time to soak in the information. So I know I have to learn how to study now to be prepared when the time comes. Overall, I believe I have planned my success out to the point I will push myself until I get there. I will aim for the stars and not miss them.