"Every person matters." It has been a common theme throughout history that individuals don’t believe they can spark change themselves. I have heard from peers: “I don’t want to vote because my vote doesn’t matter,” or “why even try, nothing is going to happen.” If everyone had this mindset, nothing would get done. Rosa Parks was just one ordinary woman who took a chance and fought for what she believed in. In refusing to give up her seat, she challenged societal norms and fostered an entire social movement. Individual voices are powerful. We live in a world with inequality, injustice, and insecurity, and if no one steps up, nothing will change. As the young generation, we have the most power to facilitate conversation and better the world for the future. Thus, I would want to empower others to fight for what they believe in and emphasize that no person nor action is too small. I know firsthand that simply speaking up works. In a survey I created for my club, GenUp, which advocates for the students at school, somebody detailed concerns about diversity in student council. As a result, the principal is looking into the issue. Furthermore, there have been concerns regarding the parking lot. GenUp then worked alongside the principal to come up with many solutions, such as putting more trash cans in the parking lot and having a security team monitor parking lot traffic. Just bringing up something could be the catalyst for change. Though small scale, it is proof that voicing concerns works. If even one person is willing to start a tiny movement, it can grow into something big -- something that can cause massive, positive change. You can make a difference. Every person matters.

Every person matters. It has been a common theme throughout history that individuals don’t believe they can spark change themselves. I have heard from peers: “I don’t want to vote because my vote doesn’t matter,” or “why even try, nothing is going to happen.” If everyone had this mindset, nothing would get done. Rosa Parks was just one ordinary woman who took a chance and fought for what she believed in. In refusing to give up her seat, she challenged societal norms and fostered an entire social movement. Individual voices are powerful. We live in a world with inequality, injustice, and insecurity, and if no one steps up, nothing will change. As the young generation, we have the most power to facilitate conversation and better the world for the future. Thus, I would want to empower others to fight for what they believe in and emphasize that no person nor action is too small. I know firsthand that simply speaking up works. In a survey I created for my club, GenUp, which advocates for the students at school, somebody detailed concerns about diversity in student council. As a result, the principal is looking into the issue. Just bringing up something could be the catalyst for change. Though small scale, it is proof that voicing concerns works. When students feel their voices are not being heard, they have reacted by vandalizing bathrooms and littering the parking lots, among other ways of acting out. School should be a safe place for students where they focus on their education rather than their basic human rights and a good school environment. Thus, I felt compelled to create the club in order to be more inclusive of all students and serve as a bridge between the student body and school administration. Through school-wide surveys and biweekly meetings, GenUp focuses on three initiatives: mental health, gender and racial equality, and school environment. After several one-on-one meetings with the school principal, our initiatives came to life; we hosted a town hall where students could voice their concerns directly with the principal and other administrative personnel. The main focus of this town hall was addressing the school environment: discussing lunch shortages and lack of variety, bathroom vandalism, and littering in the parking lots. It also addressed mental health and equality by advocating for stronger mental health resources and more considerate grading and late policies. One of our main focuses was providing adequate school lunches for the student body. Oftentimes, the school would run out of food and those who had second lunch wouldn’t have anything to eat. Thus, I led a partnership between the head of Douglas County School District Nutrition and the lunch ladies in the cafeteria to potentially bring food trucks to the school. Regarding mental health, I proposed drop-in counseling so those who needed someone to talk to could sign up with a click of a button, a stark contrast from having to reach out for help themselves. For equality, our club initiated partnerships with the POC Empowerment club and the Women’s Empowerment club at school to amend the dress code and spread more awareness about racism and prejudice. Finally, for the school environment, the principal and I worked together to put more trash cans in the parking lot to reduce littering. I aspire to continue my work in making my community a better place and inspiring others to do the same. If even one person is willing to start a tiny movement, it can grow into something big -- something that can cause massive, positive change. You can make a difference. Every person matters.

I sat heartbroken at the nurses’ station, witnessing parents sobbing into each other's arms as they begged the doctor to cure their daughter battling severe pneumonia. Through volunteering and shadowing a doctor at Skyridge Medical Center, I have learned the extraordinary empathy and compassion that is required to be a physician. I’ve known since I was eight years old -- when my brother was hospitalized for a week after emergency surgery due to a burst appendix -- that I want to be a pediatrician. Thus, I am interested in the pre-medicine path and plan to major in statistics at a four-year institution. In addition to my interest in statistics, majoring in statistics would prove very beneficial to my pre-medicine journey as understanding statistical methods would allow me to draw conclusions in research I would not have seen otherwise. In addition, I would explore many methods that would allow me to understand a variety of treatment options and the basis behind decisions made regarding public health. Beyond academics, I plan to join various on-campus organizations to help fight for equal access to healthcare for less fortunate communities to combine my passions for health and advocacy. Through volunteering at Skyridge Medical Center, I aimed to alleviate the stress of being in the hospital by providing free snacks for families and cleaning toys to keep the kids occupied, hoping that they felt some sense of relief from the dark hospital walls. However, providing momentary relief is not enough. I want to make healthcare more accessible by alleviating financial burdens and opening a free clinic. Thus, joining these on-campus organizations would allow me to see firsthand what resources and services are needed the most in less fortunate communities, bringing me one step closer to making my dream of opening a free clinic a reality.