![user profile avatar](https://static.bold.org/profilePictures/img2699126201e111cb41c88713c5b72e10f410.webp)
Age
18
Gender
Male
Ethnicity
Hispanic/Latino, Black/African
Hobbies and interests
Coaching
Soccer
National Honor Society (NHS)
FBLA
Travel And Tourism
Athletic Training
African American Studies
Latin Dance
Latin
International Relations
History
Artificial Intelligence
Comics
Driving
Cars and Automotive Engineering
Reading
History
Economics
Action
Science Fiction
I read books multiple times per month
US CITIZENSHIP
US Citizen
FIRST GENERATION STUDENT
Yes
Cristian Tarin
1,195
Bold Points3x
Finalist![user profile avatar](https://static.bold.org/profilePictures/img2699126201e111cb41c88713c5b72e10f410.webp)
Cristian Tarin
1,195
Bold Points3x
FinalistBio
As a military dependent, I've had countless endeavors throughout different schools so far, however I've grown accustomed to rigorous courses along with maintaining my job and making my presence known in my community, as a National Honor Society Treasurer, Travel Club Treasurer, and 3 Year Varsity Soccer Captain I'm motivated by leaving a lasting legacy on my peers and in the countless connections I've made and continue to make. I want to be remembered as a hard worker who never backed down from any challenge and performed with a high standard. As a first-generation Hispanic college student, while in college, I only want to continue this legacy I'm trying to build, and improve my overall aura, by maintaining good energy and blocking out the bad energy that can discredit me. I want to continue building those long-lasting relationships and build memories with those people, I know college can be scary, but if I stay on the course and stay to my principles, I know that I'll have memorable experiences and countless new bonds.
Education
Pemberton Township High School
High SchoolGPA:
4
Miscellaneous
Desired degree level:
Bachelor's degree program
Majors of interest:
- Civil Engineering
Career
Dream career field:
Civil Engineering
Dream career goals:
My long-term goal is to go into the workforce and gain experience working under a successful company that values its workers and gives me good insight into the field, I want to have hands-on experience on mainly the construction aspect of civil engineering and work my way up to eventually owning my own construction company, whether I go back to earn my construction management degree, or I get a great opportunity from a company I will be satisfied to gain entrepreneurship.
Crew Leader
Mcdonald's2022 – 20231 yearCrew Member
Jersey Mikes2023 – Present1 year
Sports
Basketball
Intramural2020 – 20211 year
Bowling
Junior Varsity2022 – 2022
Weightlifting
Intramural2022 – 20231 year
Soccer
Varsity2021 – Present3 years
Awards
- 3 YEAR VARSITY
Research
Ethnic Studies
AVID — Reaseracher2023 – Present
Public services
Volunteering
Dad's Miltary Group — Helper2020 – 2021Volunteering
Hispanic Youth Group — Helper2021 – 2023Volunteering
Saint Joesph Church — Leader2020 – PresentVolunteering
BCLS Library — Volunteer2020 – 2021
Future Interests
Advocacy
Volunteering
Philanthropy
Entrepreneurship
Linda McCoy-Aitkens Memorial Scholarship
In our modern society, why is men’s mental health unnoticed or overlooked? I've grown up seeing daily misconceptions on how a man should withhold himself, Cristian don’t be soft, Cristian man up, stop being sensitive and Cristian don’t cry, stop being a punk. These are common phrases that are taught to our youth which then translates to later in life and the mental and emotional disconnect they have from society, problems like not opening up are based upon principles that were established during childhood . It’s a full-circle moment , and it holds my attention for hours. My adolescence consisted of failed notions of how a man holds himself and I saw the struggle first hand through my family , there are a lot of men i look up to such as my dad, uncles, older cousins etc. and they all carried themselves high and with a lot of pride ,Often they would resort to using certain sayings and quotes that hid their true feelings towards the subject of their mental and emotional health. I was too young to understand what anything means but now reflecting, I started to put the pieces together of the struggles they felt internally. A saying that stuck with me is “you can get sad or overwhelmed and still handle your business done it’s called being a man”, which gave me perspective of not only their lives but my future and the struggles that await me. I felt like nobody could defeat those men in anything, they were the strongest men in the world , but in hindsight the only people they couldn’t defeat was themselves. I sought to be just like them, often we reflect on life and they give me meaningful insight of abuse they faced through previous relationships and particularly how to learn from it and better myself. Understanding the complexities of men’s mental health is imperative . It involves a range of issues such as depression, anxiety, and the impact of societal expectations. Men may face indifferent challenges such as the pressure to conform to traditional notions of masculinity, which can make it difficult for them to express vulnerability or seek help. Most men live lives of quiet desperation , and society is the start to the betterment of this, countless lives are lost every year , and still the continuation and implementation of bashful phrases and words are set on our upcoming generation , we are the future and as a whole we can make a difference. We are progressing in the right direction as our generation speaks out on topics like this , and other topics such as gender equality, climate change, including the steady rise in unemployment rates . As the great Pierce Brosnan , states “Together we are stronger, our voices louder, and the synergy of our actions more powerful”. In hindsight, a man isn’t defined by the amount of money he made but the meaningful connections he cultivated throughout his journey. A beautiful legacy is the stamp I want to leave on this world before departing this life and entering my next one.
Mikey Taylor Memorial Scholarship
In our modern society, why is men’s mental health unnoticed or overlooked? I've grown up seeing daily misconceptions on how a man should withhold himself, Cristian don’t be soft, Cristian man up, stop being sensitive and Cristian don’t cry, stop being a punk. These are common phrases that are taught to our youth which then translates to later in life and the mental and emotional disconnect they have from society, problems like not opening up are based upon principles that were established during childhood . It’s a full-circle moment , and it holds my attention for hours. My adolescence consisted of failed notions of how a man holds himself and I saw the struggle first hand through my family , there are a lot of men i look up to such as my dad, uncles, older cousins etc. and they all carried themselves high and with a lot of pride ,Often they would resort to using certain sayings and quotes that hid their true feelings towards the subject of their mental and emotional health. I was too young to understand what anything means but now reflecting, I started to put the pieces together of the struggles they felt internally. A saying that stuck with me is “you can get sad or overwhelmed and still handle your business done it’s called being a man”, which gave me perspective of not only their lives but my future and the struggles that await me. I felt like nobody could defeat those men in anything, they were the strongest men in the world , but in hindsight the only people they couldn’t defeat was themselves. I sought to be just like them, often we reflect on life and they give me meaningful insight of abuse they faced through previous relationships and particularly how to learn from it and better myself. Understanding the complexities of men’s mental health is imperative . It involves a range of issues such as depression, anxiety, and the impact of societal expectations. Men may face indifferent challenges such as the pressure to conform to traditional notions of masculinity, which can make it difficult for them to express vulnerability or seek help. Most men live lives of quiet desperation , and society is the start to the betterment of this, countless lives are lost every year , and still the continuation and implementation of bashful phrases and words are set on our upcoming generation , we are the future and as a whole we can make a difference. We are progressing in the right direction as our generation speaks out on topics like this , and other topics such as gender equality, climate change, including the steady rise in unemployment rates . As the great Pierce Brosnan , states “Together we are stronger, our voices louder, and the synergy of our actions more powerful”. In hindsight, a man isn’t defined by the amount of money he made but the meaningful connections he cultivated throughout his journey. A beautiful legacy is the stamp I want to leave on this world before departing this life and entering my next one.
Curtis Holloway Memorial Scholarship
In our modern society, why is men’s mental health unnoticed or overlooked? I've grown up seeing daily misconceptions on how a man should withhold himself, Cristian don’t be soft, Cristian man up, stop being sensitive and Cristian don’t cry, stop being a punk. These are common phrases that are taught to our youth which then translates to later in life and the mental and emotional disconnect they have from society, problems like not opening up are based upon principles that were established during childhood . It’s a full-circle moment , and it holds my attention for hours. My adolescence consisted of failed notions of how a man holds himself and I saw the struggle first hand through my family , there are a lot of men i look up to such as my dad, uncles, older cousins etc. and they all carried themselves high and with a lot of pride ,Often they would resort to using certain sayings and quotes that hid their true feelings towards the subject of their mental and emotional health. I was too young to understand what anything means but now reflecting, I started to put the pieces together of the struggles they felt internally. A saying that stuck with me is “you can get sad or overwhelmed and still handle your business done it’s called being a man”, which gave me perspective of not only their lives but my future and the struggles that await me. I felt like nobody could defeat those men in anything, they were the strongest men in the world , but in hindsight the only people they couldn’t defeat was themselves. I sought to be just like them, often we reflect on life and they give me meaningful insight of abuse they faced through previous relationships and particularly how to learn from it and better myself. Understanding the complexities of men’s mental health is imperative . It involves a range of issues such as depression, anxiety, and the impact of societal expectations. Men may face indifferent challenges such as the pressure to conform to traditional notions of masculinity, which can make it difficult for them to express vulnerability or seek help. Most men live lives of quiet desperation , and society is the start to the betterment of this, countless lives are lost every year , and still the continuation and implementation of bashful phrases and words are set on our upcoming generation , we are the future and as a whole we can make a difference. We are progressing in the right direction as our generation speaks out on topics like this , and other topics such as gender equality, climate change, including the steady rise in unemployment rates . As the great Pierce Brosnan , states “Together we are stronger, our voices louder, and the synergy of our actions more powerful”. In hindsight, a man isn’t defined by the amount of money he made but the meaningful connections he cultivated throughout his journey. A beautiful legacy is the stamp I want to leave on this world before departing this life and entering my next one.
Grandmaster Nam K Hyong Scholarship
To be a civil engineer is to make the world a better place. Some may question your contributions to the world, but the process of creation is beautiful; it is what makes our country run. As we live day to day, we see the very bridges, roads, and canals, along with water and sewage, that fuel our nation. As a civil engineer, I’m the brace for the country as we evolve with AI intelligence and new technology. I feel like we are behind in those fundamental positions here in the States. Making an experimental design and creating the proper materials list to put it together and see that creation come to fruition is the unique creative aspect of civil engineering. How we can analyze different soil systems to make a proper structure for that terrain is so interesting. In the specific geotech aspect of engineering, where we tweak our creation to make it successful in said terrain, it's fascinating, and I can talk about it for days on end. I can't wait to enter this field. I am open-minded and ready to retain all the knowledge I can and apply it. As we evolve in our country, we are creating ways to preserve the earth, and old ways of thinking are changing to make society a more eco-friendly world. I can get behind that; we only have one Earth, and as a world, we contribute to how the Earth is maintained. We need to evolve everything continuously to create a strong base for our country. My job and career make this idea possible.
Engineering is about breaking down the components and building those individual aspects to make the finest creation possible. The idea is to divide and conquer certain problems and refine them to the most advanced individual aspect, which is one of my main motives. What inspired me to really pursue this field was my heritage. As a second-generation Hispanic, I greatly appreciate the foundations that I was built upon. My dad taught me hard work and determination for whatever task was at hand, while my mom taught me how to talk to people using eye contact and a firm handshake, which factors molded me into a great civil engineer. I have family that work in construction, and yet, civil engineering is a broad field, and there are many things you can do with it. I want to pursue the construction engineering subdiscipline of this field; however, I want the broad knowledge that civil engineering offers. Eventually, my long-term goal is to become a project manager and then invest in myself to gain business. I want to own a construction business while having great people around me who cherish and value the company they represent. I have a long way to go, but if I stay true to my ethics and principles that were built upon me while I was young, the sky is the limit. I'm excited about this new part of my life, and I want my company, “Tarin and Family,” to be heard around the world. Not saying it as a naive young 18-year-old, but as a developed leader, friend, and someone who cherishes relationships with peers and family. My aspirations remain high, and there are going to be ups and downs continuously, but I'm building myself up day by day and doing whatever I can to get a headstart on where I'm headed, whether it's on YouTube, analyzing different structures like the Golden State Bridge, or going through a course in anticipation of the classes I'll be taking. I'm preparing myself constantly.
In high school, I was a late bloomer to what I wanted to be; I knew I could stay in an office for my career, so going down the business route as for me, I knew I wanted to help people, but not necessarily as a nurse or a doctor. I always had a creative mindset; however, I was undecided about what I could do with this, and as I went from freshman to junior year, I only improved my understanding of myself. I knew I wanted to be hands-on; however, as a legacy my family had for me, we always worked with our hands. Whether it was my mom teaching choreography for young kids or my dad, a 20-year-old Air Force vet, we as a family fought hard to get where we were at; we clawed our way to this nation. I am that through thick and thin, I feel I was built to work hard, and civil engineering is hard work; it fits me entirely, where I want to go, what I want to do, and how I want to help people, not just in my community but around the country. As a minority, I feel I'm already behind in the race to success, but this will make me stronger. A quote that I live by is” Hard times create strong men, strong men create good times, good times create weak men, and weak men create hard times.” With my goals and my driven passion, no matter what the journey is, I will not get comfortable and will remain humble through my trials and tribulations. I will leave a beautiful, lasting legacy for my peers, friends, family, and whoever I encounter throughout my journey.
Schmid Memorial Scholarship
Many of my goals that I currently have influenced some of my friendships today, My close-knit friends grew up together throughout middle school and eventually in high school, and as we got older, our personalities started to change, and we formed into young men. We talked about our future goals and aspirations when we were younger; we dreamt of living a better life, providing for our family, and giving back to our town, but something changed throughout some of my companions; they let outside influences control them and started participating in activities that derailed their dreams and aspirations. This is something that became hard for me to accept but also motivated me. I maintained the course, however, because I know I have a beautiful purpose and want to find out what that is. I learned that you can't take everybody to the top with you. I've accepted that I can't steer some of my friends from right or wrong; they decide their future. My religion and diversity also will play a part in my future and I believe heavily in my cultural values and beliefs, I admire learning about different cultures and comparing certain aspects of some of theirs to mine within my heritage and culture which are a part of me, I've derived from catholic beliefs, my Mom is Mexican American and my Dad is Guatemalan American and was a military veteran for 20 years, carried himself high and gave me a sense of grit and empathy towards others, as he was stationed overseas for numeral missions and explains realities of kids my age in very different postions, I remain humble because of it and, without this, it completely reshapes me, this upbringing made me work so hard because they made major sacrifices as 2nd Generation Americans, and as a first-generation student, I have to prove their struggles were worth it. During my countless endeavors throughout school so far, I've grown accustomed to rigorous courses along with maintaining my personal life and making my presence known in my community. I'm motivated by leaving a lasting legacy for my peers and by the countless connections I've made and will continue to make. I want to be remembered as a hard worker who never backed down from any challenge and performed with a high standard at all times. I understand that the prospect of attending college can be intimidating, but if I stay on the course and stay true to my principles, I know that I'll have memorable experiences and countless new bonds. Within my new community, my voice will be heard in local churches, charitable organizations, and shelters, as I've grown so accustomed to it and am thrilled to learn more about how this foundation supports their local community and what my possible role can be in aid or how I can pay that forward in the future to young scholars like me some day.
Morgan Levine Dolan Community Service Scholarship
Many of my goals that I currently have influenced some of my friendships today, My close-knit friends grew up together throughout middle school and eventually in high school, and as we got older, our personalities started to change, and we formed into young men. We talked about our future goals and aspirations when we were younger; we dreamt of living a better life, providing for our family, and giving back to our town, but something changed throughout some of my companions; they let outside influences control them and started participating in activities that derailed their dreams and aspirations. This is something that became hard for me to accept but also motivated me. I maintained the course, however, because I know I have a beautiful purpose and my goal is to reveal whatever that is . I learned that you can't take everybody to the top with you. I've accepted that I can't steer some of my friends from right or wrong; they decide their future. My religion and diversity also will play a part in my future and I believe heavily in my cultural values and beliefs, I admire learning about different cultures and comparing certain aspects of some of theirs to mine within my heritage and culture which are a part of me, I've derived from catholic beliefs, my Mom is Mexican American and my Dad is Guatemalan American and was a military veteran for 20 years, carried himself high and gave me a sense of grit and empathy towards others, as he was stationed overseas for numeral missions and explains realities of kids my age in very different postions, I remain humble because of it and, without this, it completely reshapes me, this upbringing made me work so hard because they made major sacrifices as 2nd Generation Americans, and as a first-generation student, I have to prove their struggles were worth it. During my countless endeavors throughout school so far, I've grown accustomed to rigorous courses along with maintaining my personal life and making my presence known in my community. I'm motivated by leaving a lasting legacy for my peers and by the countless connections I've made and will continue to make. I want to be remembered as a hard worker who never backed down from any challenge and performed with a high standard at all times. I understand that the prospect of attending college can be intimidating, but if I stay on the course and stay true to my principles, I know that I'll have memorable experiences and countless new bonds. Within my new community, my voice will be heard in local churches, charitable organizations, and shelters, as I've grown so accustomed to it and am thrilled to learn more about how this foundation supports their local community and what my possible role can be in aid or how I can pay that forward in the future to young scholars like me some day. All in all, I want to maintain good ethics and continue to support the ones around me, and I feel the Morgan Levine Dolan scholarship will give me the support system to keep building my legacy. As for my future goals, my long-term goal is to go into the workforce and gain experience working for a successful company that values its workers and gives me good insight into the field. I want to have hands-on experience, mainly in the construction aspect of civil engineering, and work my way up to eventually owning my own construction company. Whether I go back to earn a further degree, my main goal is to gain entrepreneurship .
St.Hilaire Leaders of Tomorrow Scholarship
Blood, sweat, and tears—these three key factors had a big impact on me at both an educational and athletic level. When I first stepped into this new world of sports, I gravitated towards this new sport of kicking a ball into a net, but I didn’t understand the complexities and the idea of this “beautiful game” yet. However, I built a love for it, and it took me to places I could never have imagined were possible. I was eager to learn and accepted everything that came with this new journey that I would embark on. Soccer gave me a sense of comfort; whenever things were going on at home, I went outside and juggled or worked on my close dribbling while weaving in and out of circles. I first started my soccer journey when I was in the 3rd grade. At just 9 years old, I started with the Pemberton Recreation League on the Blue Team and had a season where I learned the fundamentals of the game. I then played on a travel team the year after, and here I truly learned the reality of hard work, determination, and grit. Still only 10 years old, I got pushed hard in training by my dad, who was also my assistant coach. He taught me how to work hard, no matter what the subject at hand was. Even in school, I was always pushed hard, which displayed my attitude toward certain challenges I face now. I understand that, a African American man, I am already behind in the race for success, but he taught me to put my head down and grind it out, and eventually you will pass everyone who took their position for granted. I live by that concept day by day and work very hard. As for soccer, I've been continuing my success and have chosen to play at the collegiate level. I want to pursue soccer while also continuing to improve areas in my community. I've grown accustomed to rigorous courses along with maintaining my personal life and making my presence known in my community. I'm motivated by leaving a lasting legacy for my peers and by the countless connections I've made and will continue to make. I want to be remembered as a hard worker who never backed down from any challenge and performed with a high standard at all times. I understand that the prospect of attending college can be intimidating, but if I stay on the course and stay true to my principles, I know that I'll have memorable experiences and countless new bonds. Within my new community, my voice will be heard in local churches, charitable organizations, and shelters, as I've grown so accustomed to it and am thrilled to learn more about how this foundation supports their local community and what my possible role can. My religion and diversity also will play a part in my future and I believe heavily in my cultural values and beliefs, I admire learning about different cultures and comparing certain aspects of some of theirs to mine within my heritage and culture which are a part of me, I've derived from catholic beliefs, my Mom is Mexican American and my Step-Dad is Guatemalan American and was a military veteran for 20 years, carried himself high and gave me a sense of grit and empathy towards others, as he was stationed overseas for numeral missions and explains realities of kids my age in very different positions and I am thrilled to learn more about how this foundation supports their local community.
Simon Strong Scholarship
In our modern society, why is men’s mental health unnoticed or overlooked? I've grown up seeing misconceptions everyday on how a man should withhold himself, Cristian don’t be soft, Cristian man up and Cristian don’t cry , Only girls cry. These are common phrases that are taught to our youth which then translates to later in life and the mental and emotional disconnect they have from society , problems like not opening up are based upon principles that were established during childhood . It’s a full circle moment , and it holds my attention for hours. My adolescence consisted of failed notions of how a man holds himself and I saw the struggle first hand through my hero , my Dad who was a military veteran for 20 years, carried himself high and with a lot of pride ,Often he would resort to using certain sayings and quotes that hid his true feelings towards the subject of his mental and emotional health. I was too young to understand what anything means but now reflecting, I started to put the pieces together of the struggles he felt internally. A saying that stuck with me was when he said “Cristian, you can get depressed and still get things done it’s called being a man”, which gave me perspective of not only his life but my future and the struggles that await me. I felt like nobody could defeat my father in anything, he was the strongest man in the world , but in hindsight the only one he couldn’t defeat was himself . I sought to be just like him, often we reflect on his life and he gives me meaningful insight of abuse he faced through previous relationships and particularly how to learn from it and better myself. Understanding the complexities of men’s mental health is imperative . It involves a range of issues such as depression, anxiety, and the impact of societal expectations. Men may face indifferent challenges such as the pressure to conform to traditional notions of masculinity, which can make it difficult for them to express vulnerability or seek help. Most men live lives of quiet desperation , and society is the start to the betterment of this, countless lives are lost every year , and still the continuation and implementation of bashful phrases and words are set on our upcoming generation , we are the future and as a whole we can make a difference. We are progressing in the right direction as our generation speaks out on topics like this , and other topics such as gender equality, climate change, including the steady rise in unemployment rates . As the great Pierce Brosnan , states “Together we are stronger, our voices louder, and the synergy of our actions more powerful. In hindsight, a man isn’t defined by the amount of money he made but the meaningful connections he cultivated throughout his journey. A beautiful legacy is the stamp I want to leave on this world before departing this life and entering my next one.
Janie Mae "Loving You to Wholeness" Scholarship
Many of my goals that I currently have influenced some of my friendships today, My close-knit friends grew up together throughout middle school and eventually in high school, and as we got older, our personalities started to change, and we formed into young men. We talked about our future goals and aspirations when we were younger; we dreamt of living a better life, providing for our family, and giving back to our town, but something changed throughout some of my companions; they let outside influences control them and started participating in activities that derailed their dreams and aspirations. This is something that became hard for me to accept but also motivated me. I maintained the course, however, because I know I have a beautiful purpose and want to find out what that is. I've accepted that I can't steer some of my friends from right or wrong; they decide their future. My religion and diversity also will play a part in my future and I believe heavily in my cultural values and beliefs, I admire learning about different cultures and comparing certain aspects of some of theirs to mine within my heritage and culture which are a part of me, I've derived from catholic beliefs, my Mom is Mexican American and my Dad is Guatemalan American and was a military veteran for 20 years, carried himself high and gave me a sense of grit and empathy towards others, as he was stationed overseas for numeral missions and explains realities of kids my age in very different postions, I remain humble because of it and, without this, it completely reshapes me, this upbringing made me work so hard because they made major sacrifices as 2nd Generation Americans, and as a first-generation student, I have to prove their struggles were worth it. During my countless endeavors throughout school so far, I've grown accustomed to rigorous courses along with maintaining my personal life and making my presence known in my community. I'm motivated by leaving a lasting legacy for my peers and by the countless connections I've made and will continue to make. I want to be remembered as a hard worker who never backed down from any challenge and performed with a high standard at all times. I understand that the prospect of attending college can be intimidating, but if I stay on the course and stay true to my principles, I know that I'll have memorable experiences and countless new bonds. Within my new community, my voice will be heard in local churches, charitable organizations, and shelters, as I've grown so accustomed to it and am thrilled to learn more about how this foundation supports their local community and what my possible role can be in aid or how I can pay that forward in the future to young scholars like me some day. All in all, I want to maintain good ethics and continue to support the ones around me, and I feel the Janie Mae scholarship will give me the support system to keep building my legacy. As for my future goals, my long-term goal is to go into the workforce and gain experience working for a successful company that values its workers and gives me good insight into the field. I want to have hands-on experience, mainly in the construction aspect of civil engineering, and work my way up to eventually owning my own construction company. Whether I go back to earn my construction management degree or I get a great opportunity from a company, I will be satisfied to gain entrepreneurship.
Kathryn Graham "Keyport's Mom" Scholarship
Many of my goals that I currently have influenced some of my friendships today, My close-knit friends grew up together throughout middle school and eventually in high school, and as we got older, our personalities started to change, and we formed into young men. We talked about our future goals and aspirations when we were younger; we dreamt of living a better life, providing for our family, and giving back to our town, but something changed throughout some of my companions; they let outside influences control them and started participating in activities that derailed their dreams and aspirations. This is something that became hard for me to accept but also motivated me. I maintained the course, however, because I know I have a beautiful purpose and want to find that out. I've accepted that I can't steer some of my friends from right or wrong; they decide their future. My religion and diversity also will play a part in my future and I believe heavily in my cultural values and beliefs, I admire learning about different cultures and comparing certain aspects of some of theirs to mine within my heritage and culture which are a part of me, I've derived from catholic beliefs, my Mom is Mexican American and my Dad is Guatemalan American and was a military veteran for 20 years, carried himself high and gave me a sense of grit and empathy towards others, as he was stationed overseas for numeral missions and explains realities of kids my age in very different postions, I remain humble because of it and, without this, it completely reshapes me, this upbringing made me work so hard because they made major sacrifices as 2nd Generation Americans, and as a first-generation student, I have to prove their struggles were worth it. During my countless endeavors throughout school so far, I've grown accustomed to rigorous courses along with maintaining my personal life and making my presence known in my community. I'm motivated by leaving a lasting legacy for my peers and by the countless connections I've made and will continue to make. I want to be remembered as a hard worker who never backed down from any challenge and performed with a high standard at all times. I understand that the prospect of attending college can be intimidating, but if I stay on the course and stay true to my principles, I know that I'll have memorable experiences and countless new bonds. Within my new community, my voice will be heard in local churches, charitable organizations, and shelters, as I've grown so accustomed to it and am thrilled to learn more about how this foundation supports their local community and what my possible role can be in aid or how I can pay that forward in the future to young scholars like me some day. All in all, I want to maintain good ethics and continue to support the ones around me, and I feel the Kathryn Graham scholarship will give me the support system to keep building my legacy. As for my future goals, my long-term goal is to go into the workforce and gain experience working for a successful company that values its workers and gives me good insight into the field. I want to have hands-on experience, mainly in the construction aspect of civil engineering, and work my way up to eventually owning my own construction company. Whether I go back to earn my construction management degree or get a great opportunity from a company, I will be satisfied to gain entrepreneurship.
Anthony Bruder Memorial Scholarship
Blood, sweat, and tears—these three key factors had a big impact on me at both an educational and athletic level. When I first stepped into this new world of sports, I gravitated towards this new sport of kicking a ball into a net, but I didn’t understand the complexities and the idea of this “beautiful game” yet. However, I built a love for it, and it took me to places I could never have imagined were possible. I was eager to learn and accepted everything that came with this new journey that I would embark on. Soccer gave me a sense of comfort; whenever things were going on at home, I went outside and juggled or worked on my close dribbling while weaving in and out of cones. I first started my soccer journey when I was in the 3rd grade. At just 9 years old, I started with the Pemberton Recreation League on the Blue Team and had a season where I learned the fundamentals of the game. I then played on a travel team the year after, and here I truly learned the reality of hard work, determination, and grit. Still only 10 years old, I got pushed hard in training by my dad, who was also my assistant coach. He taught me how to work hard, no matter what the subject at hand was. Even in school, I was always pushed hard, which displayed my attitude toward certain challenges I face now. I understand that, as an African-American man, I am already behind in the race for success, but he taught me to put my head down and grind it out, and eventually you will pass everyone who took their position for granted. I live by that concept day by day and work very hard. As for soccer, I've been continuing my success and have chosen to play at the collegiate level. I want to pursue soccer while also continuing to improve areas in my community. I've grown accustomed to rigorous courses along with maintaining my personal life and making my presence known in my community. I'm motivated by leaving a lasting legacy for my peers and by the countless connections I've made and will continue to make. I want to be remembered as a hard worker who never backed down from any challenge and performed with a high standard at all times. I understand that the prospect of attending college can be intimidating, but if I stay on the course and stay true to my principles, I know that I'll have memorable experiences and countless new bonds. Within my new community, my voice will be heard in local churches, charitable organizations, and shelters, as I've grown so accustomed to it and am thrilled to learn more about how this foundation supports their local community and what my possible role can be in aid or how I can pay that forward in the future to young scholars like me some day.
Nintendo Super Fan Scholarship
Nintendo as a whole revolutionized the gaming industry, spiraling from the iconic Super Mario series towards the Zelda games, which became a staple of Nintendo's legacy, proving the versatility of their creation, and now to the new films that incorporate those very games and transition them to household films to which both the younger and older generations can relate. During my adolescence, I remember bonding with family through these games, the first I vividly remember is the Original Mario Kart 64, countless memories come to mind, the grind of persevering through all the Cups, and the difficulty of the Rainbow Road map, in particular, drew me crazy, just thinking about brings back countless memories of me falling off and the Lakitu, brought me right back as I watch my competitors go right past me, as a young kid the eagerness to be resilient through situations like that molded my mindset for the future of gaming, not only did it do this but it improved my relationship with my baby brother, we would spend countless hours playing Super Mario Wii level through a level, just grinding it out, we even made our little aliases of me being Luigi and him Mario, and for a good couple of months we even referred to each other of those names. There it was, the last level. After countless hours of me and my brother working to get here, we finally did. The suspense of Bowser entering our room filled the room with shock. Both me and my brother shivered in fear. This was it—the final level, the final boss—to gain the success we longed for. This long journey would end soon with our demise or with our success with the safety of Princess Peach. Bowser pursued us all this way, and finally, we were here, one last run toward the glory land. He followed us with his roars, this monster was determined to make us fail we entered the map with a level of confidence that was unmatched but the amount of multi-tasking was something we had never encountered within the Bowser, and the amount of bright red fiery lava and along with the monsters that filled the map, this level lived up to its difficulty my brother and lost most of our confidence due to 2 failed previous attempts, we worked so hard for this victory, we started the level and kept reiterating that the 3rd time was the charm, we surpassed the point of which we were, and finally progressive in the right direction, we saw the Bowser engulfed in anger, and his violence grew, as our confidence grew with it, one last push, one last chance to seize it all, and the final attempt to take it all. We pushed, and finally, after months of working towards this moment, we saw Bowser fall into the lava. The victory was ours; all that hard work did not go to waste, and we allege that it was over the place. We hugged each other and jumped in jubilation. Although it was a video game, this type of experience was influential on the relationship between me and my brother. Our communication and constant brotherly love were put to the test, and we overcame the challenge and continued to better ourselves with those same principles built upon us during this game, and this dictates our lives and the bond we have now. We continued to play co-op games, and Super Mario Bros. Wii started it all for us.