Victoria Taft, my guard coach since eighth grade, has shown me aspects of myself as a Color Guard and Winter Guard performer that I would never have been able to see in myself. She has never given up on me. Each time I failed, dedication and perseverance continued to push me beyond my limits. She doesn’t just expect you to meet the bare minimum, she has forced me to reach goals I would never have believed I could reach without her by my side. “I will always be proud of you” is something that she has repeatedly told me after each competition. No matter if I make a mistake, her continuous love and support are what push me through this program. In these vital times of my life where every experience shapes who I become in my future, Victoria has taught me the value of commitment, endurance, and reliance. My freshman year in the Color Guard Marching Band was the hardest season out of the nine guard seasons I have been a part of. This year, Victoria was not present due to unforeseen circumstances and it was through this season where I built the foundations for who I will become. Having no coach, the Color Guard were left to figure out everything ourselves. Staying up until midnight time and time again figuring out choreography for a parade, or a pep rally, I continued to show up for my teammates. The clueless looks from the eyes of my teammates struck me deeply. Even though I had to keep learning my parts, I would pull a teammate aside and make sure they were confident in their abilities. Even though I would spend hours organizing and encouraging others, I always found my peace through these. This continuation of teaching made me grow not only as a leader, but as a person. It wasn’t until the start of the following season when Victoria was able to coach. I believe if these moments were any different, they would not have made me into the person I am today. Due to these experiences in my high school career, I grew to enjoy helping those around me. I cared profoundly about making sure not only my teammates, but my friends and family were taken care of. Ever since I can remember I have always been interested in the culinary arts so naturally after researching and discovering “Nutrition & Dietetics”, I had felt at home. The perfect balance of preparing meals and understanding the true science between the relationship of food and the human body really piqued my interest. Especially in smaller communities where there are limited resources, continuing my education to become a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist is one way I can give back to the community that has given me the world to raise me. Not everyone is able to have an opportunity to pursue a higher education, so to have this chance at not only educating myself, but to positively impact lives of individuals who need assistance is why I want to represent those who don’t get the spotlight to represent themselves. Just like how Victoria believed in me, I want to believe in the power of others to make a difference.

Food has always been the way to the heart. It embodies the love and care one pours into a simple dish or pastry. The smell of warm pan dulce fresh out of the oven brings family and friends closer, exactly the same way it feels when crossing the United States-Mexico border. Living in a small border town has been a blessing, yet opening the oven door to the lack of resources that bring health and the food we eat has been eye-opening. It only takes about 15 minutes to reach the nearest border from, roughly the same amount of time it takes to bake a batch of cookies. This is why I have become driven to pursue a future in the Nutrition & Dietetics field. To not only create a better future for myself, but for my community, and most importantly, my mother. Tens of millions of Americans live with Diabetes, each having to adapt to manage it. My mother is merely one out of the millions. Ever since I can remember, my mother has always struggled with her health. Carefully tracking what she eats, administering insulin through needles or an Omnipod, and traveling to see doctors for checkups. Not until I grew older when I realized how notable it has been her entire life. Traveling hours to receive medical care opened the world around me, it showed how limited these resources were in my town. I had always watched my mother cook meals for my family. When I was finally old enough to help, I fell in love. Preparation, cooking, presentation, and cleanup was all I ever wanted to do. Experimenting with recipes, watching various colors of greens and seasonings blending together like a painting was pleasing to watch and sharing it was the cherry on top. More cooking and baking led me to want to know the science behind it all. How can something so small like a grain of rice, piece of bread, or fruit slice affect one’s health? How can it strengthen the body, or make it worse? Joining the Culinary Arts program at my high school was one way to get the answers. One week we studied nutrition and my passion truly flourished. Paying close attention, eager to master how food fuels the mind and body, how it can influence the overall health of a person. Even though I felt like I was finally getting the answers I needed, it still felt incomplete. All I ever thought I wanted to do was cook and bake, but I also wanted to use it to improve the lives of the community around me. I finally felt clarity when I discovered Dietetics while researching one weekend. The realization hit like a shot of hot air smacking my face like how the air in an oven rushes out when you open it. Becoming a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist had always been a part of who I was growing up, I just needed to discover it. It is my mother’s story that sparked my interest, and now it is my turn to be there for my community. Now more than ever, I have been meal planning to guide my family through more balanced options. I have been finding ways to make healthier meals from cultural foods to better support the health for those I love while still honoring my heritage. I want to be the person to bring guidance and hope to families like mine. To improve the health of mothers, fathers, sisters and brothers, and it will finally bring me closure to what I had been searching for all along.

Food has always been the way to the heart. It embodies the love and care one pours into a simple dish or pastry. The smell of a warm batch of cookies fresh out of the oven brings family and friends closer, exactly the same way it feels when crossing the United States-Mexico border. Living in a small border town has been a blessing, yet opening the oven door to the lack of resources that bring health and the food we eat has been devastating. This is why I have become driven to pursue a future in the Nutrition & Dietetics field. To not only create a better future for myself, but for my community, and most importantly, my mother. Tens of millions of Americans live with Diabetes, each individual has to adapt their way of life to manage it. My mother is merely one out of the millions. Ever since I can remember, my mother has always struggled with her health. Carefully tracking what she eats, administering insulin through needles or an Omnipod, and traveling to see doctors for checkups. It wasn’t until I grew older when I understood how notable it has been her entire life. Traveling hours to receive medical care opened the world around me, it showed how limited these resources were in my town. At the same time, I had always watched my mother cook meals for the family. When I was finally old enough to help her, I fell in love. The preparation, the cooking, the presentation, and cleanup was all I ever wanted to do. Experimenting with recipes and watching the various colors of greens and seasonings blend together like a painting was pleasing to my eyes. Sharing the final product was a reward for the work put into the craft. The more and more I cooked and baked, the more curious I became invested in the science behind it all. How can something so small such as a grain of rice, piece of bread, or fruit slice affect one’s health? How can it strengthen the body, or make it worse? I joined the Culinary Arts program at my high school to get a better understanding of my questions. It was one week we studied nutrition when my passion truly flourished. I paid close attention, eager to master how food fuels the mind and body, how it can influence the overall health of a person. Even though I felt like I was finally getting the answers I needed, I still felt incomplete. I thought all I ever wanted to do was cook and bake, but I also wanted to use it to improve the lives of everyone around me. I finally felt clarity when I discovered Dietetics while researching one weekend. The realization hit like a shot of hot air smacking my face like how the air in an oven rushes out when you open it. Becoming a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist had always been a part of who I was growing up, I just needed to discover it. It is my mother’s story that sparked my interest, and now it is my turn to be there for my community. I want to be the person to bring guidance and hope to families like mine. To improve the health of mothers, fathers, sisters and brothers, and it will finally bring me closure to what I had been searching for all along.

Even when a coach is not present in the moment, that does not mean you cannot pick up their hat and lead others to victory. For five years now, I have been a part of the same programs that my Middle School and High School has had to offer: Winter guard and Color Guard. Both are far more mentally and physically demanding than they appear. Determination, combined with countless hours of practices until bruises form on your arms and legs, is only one aspect of commitment to the craft. During my freshman year, our Color Guard program had no coach. We were a team left to figure out the choreography, timing, and precision on our own. Performing at football games, we were unprepared. It was my first time performing at a high school level, and it was overwhelming. I swayed the silk as best as I could, but it never aligned with those around me. Understanding the music, tempo, and rhythm felt mentally exhausting. The feedback from community members hit the hardest. We were meant to represent our school and show pride, yet the feeling of failure overtook me. The feeling lingered throughout the remaining of the season. The following year, I debated rejoining the team. I felt the cons outweighed the pros and I was intimidated by the rigorous effort needed to push through what felt like a brick wall. Despite this, something in my gut urged me to stay. After all, we finally had a coach for the season. I picked up my flag and rifle and even with mixed feelings, I was made captain for our team. Being given the honor to lead, inspire, and support others ignited a new drive within me to strive for the galaxy above. Practicing for hours on end in my dirt-filled backyard, from sunlight to moonlight, with a growing fire pushing me forward. I no longer wanted to hear negative comments from our community, and I never wanted our team to be without guidance again. I set my heart out to be the one to hold everyone's hand and step into a journey one beat at a time. Year after year, I came back more resilient and committed to making my wish come true. Stamina and endurance strengthened, the smile let out performing and embodying a character pertaining to the message of the given show made every tear shed previously worth it. Showing up at 6:00AM for competitions with gift boxes or pastries for our team reminded me that even through the hardest practice days, it was worth it if we faced them together. I stepped into a world full of disorder and chaos, but within no time I was able to re-establish the program. Shape it into one where it welcomes all, one where new comers never have to face what our team had experienced as our first time. Even though everyone faces hardships in their life, I am grateful to be the one to remove a barrier in the lives of those continuing the legacy of the Color Guard program. Even without guidance, sometimes you can relight your own fire with the embers left behind. You can lead others to victory and never let the comments of others reduce you to ashes. Instead, use them to ignite the flames needed to bring others warmth and security.