My parents divorced in 2016, causing my life to go through some very abrupt changes. Arguments and passive aggressiveness were common occurrences. The divorce resulted in my mother deciding to move to Allentown, Pennsylvania, with me and my older sister, leaving my father behind in New York along with my older brother, who was in his first year of college. I felt as if our family was suddenly split in two. All I could remember feeling was anxiety and uncertainty. I wasn’t sure when or if I’d be able to see my father again, since neither my mother nor sister could drive at the time. The move to another state was a difficult one, since I had lived in New York City my entire life, and I wasn’t sure what to expect. My parents are still separated to this day, with no communication whatsoever. We didn’t even have internet service for months since we couldn’t afford it. In addition to our financial struggles, it was tough to get school supplies and general necessities that me my family and I needed. I was able to get a phone eventually, but the service couldn’t be paid for. I had to walk 30 minutes to a nearby aunt’s house every day for school so that she could drive us there, even under less-than-ideal weather conditions. I felt isolated, in a new town where I had to make new friends and start a new life. The instability continued, but eventually ran out. We went from one house to another until finally settling on a tiny row house in a corner. It was within walking distance from my school and family members. It had a backyard with a front and back porch. We painted it, and my mom planted dozens of flower bushes on the side, and vegetables in newly rich soil. I loved it. For the first time in a while, I felt like I had a natural place to call home. The hardships my family and I faced in the previous years allowed me to do some deep reflection. I strived to keep my family happy through good grades. I got a hold of a planner, I learned how to stay organized and take detailed notes. In a sense, these hardships, along with feelings of isolation, allowed me to become way more introspective. It helped me focus on gaining skills and bettering myself. With inflation worsening after the pandemic, and with the shortage of work hours that my mother receives, maintaining ourselves became exceedingly difficult. I’ve worked in the fast food industry as a crew member to assist my family in paying bills. It was the only job available that was at an optimal walking distance. I couldn’t be driven to work since only my sister knew how to drive at the time, and she was working when my shifts began. I had a surreal state of realization that spending more time on becoming more involved within my school would benefit me immensely in the long run with college and scholarship applications. In high school, I became an officer for the National Honor Society. As a service coordinator, assisting and guiding my fellow members with gathering their service hours was a very amiable and cordial experience for me. For every monthly NHS meeting, I woke up with a disciplined mentality to be present at school at 6:30 AM. This early bird commitment was not easy, especially in the colder months. Nevertheless, the grit and tenacious willpower I exhibited propelled me to do what I knew was best for me in the long run.

My grandfather from my mother’s side of the family unexpectedly passed away right before the uprising of the coronavirus pandemic’s global havoc in February 2021. It was a shock when my family found out that he tested positive for it before his death. Nothing had seemed wrong with him in January aside from the loss of memory. His movement and cognitive function all appeared dandy. Every recent picture that he was present in displayed a wide and bright smile on his face. It was nighttime when, my mother, sister, and brother found out about his death when one of my uncles confirmed the tragedy to us digitally. A man named Pablo Espinal died right after his 80th birthday. My mother struggled a lot to get a good amount of sleep that night because of the heartbreak she had to endure. Her daily dose of caffeine was difficult for her to even prepare, so I helped her out in doing so. One of my many aunts had phone called my mom in the same woeful state. Mother's phone was on speaker. The sounds of the synchronous sobbing eventually made me shed tears as well. It was tough for me even to eat breakfast too. The impact of my grandfather's death affected every one of my family members drastically. Every person in my family looked up to him as a necessity of positivity in our lives. His charming and benevolent personality and charisma imbued immense satisfaction every time we witnessed portions of it. His wisdom and morality taught me a couple of things. He pointed out that eating and drinking simultaneously is awful for the gastrointestinal system. He told me that only water should be consumed while devouring a meal. I soon learned that drinking a variety of foreign fluids while eating can negatively affect the criticality of my optimal digestion. My grandfather’s commitment and devotion to our religion of Roman Catholicism consistently unified us as a family. Every day he would have a rosary and holy water for his mass prayers. He was always the orator for these prayers and every word and incentive that each of the prayers brought forth made us considerably synchronized in both verbal and spiritual manners. Before the old man would enjoy his hearty meals throughout the day, prayers filled with everlasting gratitude for the blessed delicacies were bestowed upon us from the almighty lord. Pablo advised and prepared church children for their communion ceremonies. The embodiment of the Holy Spirit became all the more apparent and easily manifested with each of his prayers. My grandfather was an incredible animal caretaker and veterinarian in the Dominican Republic. He treated cows in nearby ranches, in which he helped them give birth. He planted various luscious trees in the soils that surround the rural house in which he was born, raised, and departed from this world. He was also a mayor of the local communal commonwealth in his youth. Within his position as a mayor, some of the numerous plans and projects developed by him were the operationalization of the distribution of food to families and people in need through “Caritas Dominicana” under the auspices of its international entities, motivation and commencement of the project on the design and construction of the first chapel of the community of Los Cagueyes, an example that was imitated by several of the surrounding towns, and his enthusiasm to his fellow farmers to protect and defend nature with the permanent planting of trees, in Plan Sierra he directed a reforestation brigade that led to the planting of 30,000 trees on the banks of rivers, streams, and streams of cibaena communities. Grandfather Pablo was a magnificent human being from his birth to his passing. He wasn’t able to remain in the United States for long periods during visits, but he always maintained and embraced his affirmative and affectionate demeanor. The 14 entities of marvellous offspring he assisted in creating and bringing forth into this world made his life well worth living. His body may be gone, but his gracious soul remains present within each of our hearts and minds. With the presence of only one grandparent alive at the present day, never before in my life have I felt the enormity of gratitude and acknowledgement I do today for the elders that my lineage has produced. My grandfather’s demeanor and persona formed a beacon of aspiration and sanguineness to establish an emboldened, assertive, and concise trajectory to propel myself forward in life. His teachings, advice, guidance, and evocative contribution to society have all heavily inspired me to build myself up into the person I am today.

Out of every K-pop group that I've heard/listened to, EXO is by far my favorite. The whole genre of K-pop and its entirety was introduced to me during the early years of my adolescence. My older brother named Wilson, constantly cast Youtube videos of EXO hits on TV with his Chromecast when back I lived in New York City. At the time he had a girlfriend that was Korean. This inspired him to look into Korean culture through music. I quickly got hooked on K-pop since I took a huge liking to the rhythms, melodies, and overall smooth vibes that the songs bring forth. The Korean language shines brightly when utilized in musical records. EXO was the band that caught my attention and interest the most. Their song called "Forever" is one of the best songs that they've made in my opinion. One of the verses says "It's strange because I can feel you no matter where you are." This reminds me of the constant feeling of loneliness I will have to endure throughout my college experience as I get accustomed to living independently by myself. Reminding myself that I'll always have my beloved family members and my closest friends with me in spirit will greatly enhance my positivity and mental fortitude. The lyrics of the song are what make it very satisfying. It reminds me to keep those dearest to me in my mind while moving onward as beacons of hope and optimism. The other song of EXO that I adore is called "Universe." This song creates a pristine vibe filled with tranquillity. This song is about isolation, yearnful longings, and reverberating memories. When one of the singers says that he'll search the universe to find who he's looking for, reminded me of how I struggle immensely with negativity biases where negative occurrences often become stuck in my head while I forget/lose track of the positive things in life. From my perspective, I can picture the universe as my mind and the person as the beacon/beacons of perseverance and resilience for pushing forward. I have a rough history with my mental health because of having divorced parents and difficulty surviving my adolescent years. I also have only one grandparent alive since my grandfather from my mother's side passed away 2 years ago right after his birthday. In the past, I've been hospitalized because of suicidal ideational thoughts causing havoc in my mind. This song from EXO entices me to think positively about myself and the world around me.

My mother is the sole entity in this world that inspires me to move onward and be a positive force in this world. My parents are immigrants from the Dominican Republic, who came for much better financial stability not only for themselves but for their children as well. Coming from a low-class household with low incomes, created a painful and exhausting journey to reach the current stage of my life. My inner family has five members with myself included. I’m the youngest of my family along with a sister as the middle child, and an older brother as the first child. My parents divorced in 2016, causing my life to go through some very abrupt changes. This occurred right before I started middle school. Arguments and passive aggressiveness were common occurrences. The divorce resulted in my mother deciding to move to Allentown, Pennsylvania with me and my older sister, leaving my father behind in New York along with my older brother who was in his first year of college. I felt as if our family was suddenly split in two. All I could remember feeling was anxiety and uncertainty. I wasn’t sure when or if I’d be able to see my father again since neither my mother nor sister could drive at the time. The move to another state was difficult, since I had lived in NYC my entire life, I wasn’t sure what to expect. My parents are still separated to this day with no communication whatsoever. We didn’t even have internet service for months since we couldn’t afford it. In addition to our financial struggles, it was tough to get school supplies and general necessities that me and my family needed. I was able to get a phone eventually, but the service couldn’t be paid for. I had to walk 30 minutes to a nearby aunt’s house every day for school so that she could drive us there, even under less-than-ideal weather conditions. I felt isolated, in a new town where I had to make new friends and start a new life. With inflation worsening after the pandemic, and with the shortage of work hours that my mother receives, maintaining ourselves became exceedingly difficult. No matter how much physical pain my mother has to endure while working as a strenuous loader/stocker at a grocery warehouse, she tolerates the physical toil to keep myself and my older sister well-maintained. The bills that our full house has been increasing as a result of inflation. I’ve worked in the fast food industry as a crew member to assist my family in paying bills. It was the only job available that was at an optimal walking distance. I couldn’t be driven to work since only my sister knew how to drive at the time and she was working when my shifts began. I had a surreal state of realization that spending more time on becoming more involved within my school would benefit me immensely in the long run with college and scholarship applications. Still to this day, I'm training and embracing my disciplinary mindset to execute rigorous and productive work. Time is precious and valuable, therefore, I must take advantage of it. Striving to be the best I can be through my rigorous academic endeavors is crucial for the support of my divorced parents in the far future, who struggle to pay the various bills they have with check-to-check spending. Financial obstacles are one of the main hurdles that I must overcome to arrive at my long-awaited destination in life, and winning this scholarship will aid me incredibly in accomplishing that.

I feel as if the Slytherin Hogwarts house best embodies my persona. My ambition, heritage, and resourcefulness have each played a huge role in my robust persistence to achieve financial prosperity after college graduation. In Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, the sorting hat said that Slytherins would do anything to get their way. I integrate this habit into my own life through fierce daily hard work to apply to as many scholarships as I can no matter how difficult it may be to search and apply for them. Nothing instills more ambition in me than the various opportunities I have available at my disposal to obtain free money for college that doesn't need to be paid back. Ever since I discovered Bold.org, I noticed how concise and eloquent the website looks in every aspect. Through a few months of usage, I soon recognized it as one of the absolute best scholarship websites that exist currently. Bold.org skyrockets the ambitious desires within me to work harder than ever before to get to where I want to be in life without financial issues. With college becoming more expensive with every passing decade, more companies and organizations must create numerous grants and scholarships for students who are facing troublesome financial burdens that interfere with their pursuits of higher education. My heritage is symbolic of not only my pride as an individual of Hispanic origin but also for being born in the greatest country the planet has ever seen. My adolescence was very hard to survive as I had to deal with witnessing my immigrant parents getting divorced, being forced to move and adapt to a new environment, and struggling with financial hardships. As the youngest child of my inner family, I was prone to feeling very anxious, overwhelmed, and sensitive to the majority of negative things that occurred around me. I've dealt with resisting suicidal thoughts because of traumatic moments from the past that I constantly reminisced about, so much so to the point where I was hospitalized. Overtime, as I overcame my environmental and psychological inadequacies, I became significantly more gratified and assured of how far I've come in life, what it took to get to this point, and the steps I will take going forward for the greater good. The MacBook Air is the ultimate piece of technology that my older brother bestowed upon me with his own money. This device has propelled and empowered my ingenuity, operational management, organization, and assiduous tenacity for reaching my desired status in life. It's the device that I’m currently using to type this faithful scholarship essay. Maneuvering through the tabs of web browsers and the pages of documents has never been easier. The light weight of the laptop makes it smoothly portable. Formulating and arranging every one of my scholarship essays works like a charm. Filling out the FAFSA and various scholarship applications is way faster and more fluent on the MacBook Air compared to if I were to do it with my cellular device or with the rusty Chromebook that my school district provides for its students. This masterpiece is by far, the most resourceful object I have ever utilized in my life. It also allows me to access many digital resources on the internet in a much more efficient manner. Bold.org is one of those astounding resources. As a result, the symbolic traits and tendencies of the Slytherins represent the three major qualities of my personality that have helped me become the person I am today.

As human beings, assistance, association, affiliation and companionship are all vital for the improvement of every one of our individual lifestyles and lifespans. Our physical and psychological differences work to our advantage through instinctive expressions of empathy and sympathy. These differences are what inspire us to form close, long-standing relationships with certain people whom we eventually come to know as those who were meant to be in our lives. Since we as a species are very fragile when it comes to our physical durability, it's crucial that we support one another by any means necessary to significantly enhance the security and longevity of our lives. Resilience, whether it'd be physical or mental, can easily be boosted with various methods of help. With suicide being the 11th leading cause of death in the U.S, therapy, counseling, and mental health analysis have unitedly saved millions of lives around the world by ingraining mental resilience within the minds of the crippled victims that needed that push to move on with their lives. I can relate to this fully since I have been hospitalized for struggling to resist suicidal thoughts from the traumatic events of my past. By helping one another, we also become more physically resilient as well from exercise/physique encouragement, improved awareness of healthy eating, and learnings of convenient healing remedies for injuries at any level of severity. Wise decision-making is dramatically improved with help. As we get older, the consequences of our actions become excessively dire. Dire to the point where we can get incarcerated for even the slightest unintentional misdemeanor that could escalate into something we'll regret in the long run. Prosperous and sturdy relationships very often teach us about making good choices that benefit each other's lives. Examples include not falling into risky peer pressure, uplifting one another no matter how they feel or where they are, and encouragement of furthered growth and progression in all aspects of life. Everyone has some shape or form of inner potential deep within them that often requires lots of heartwarming inspiration for it to be unleashed. These positive actions help us immensely with adapting as well as overcoming all the forms/manifestations of negativity that disrupt the trajectories and pathways in life that we are eager to pursue to achieve our desired goals. Both positivity and negativity are extremely contagious. When we support each other, we become far more respected, adored, admired, and commended for the integral morality that we enforce and exert into the world around us. Through involvement in high school, I offered help to the local community through extracurricular activities at school like the Key Club and the National Honor Society. Within the Key Club, I performed community service through park clean-ups, toy drives, food drives, and school decorations. As an officer/service coordinator for the NHS, assisting my fellow members with accumulating service hours for their inductions felt amazing. My limbs and respiratory pathways were so cold that they often felt paralyzed and internally damaged while I walked to the monthly NHS meetings. Nevertheless, the grit and tenacious willpower I exhibited propelled me to maintain my disciplinary mindset in the face of adversity. Through all of the above and personal experiences, I quickly learned that the embracement of positivity and dismissal of negativity should be applied to anyone's life. The more courageous and bold you assert yourself to be, the more adoration and reverence you’ll receive from those that were massively impacted by your gallantry and audacity for being a positive force in this world. This is truly what communal service and the importance of helping others have taught me.

My mother is the sole entity in this world that inspires me to move onward and be a positive force in this world. My parents are immigrants from the Dominican Republic, who came for much better financial stability not only for themselves but for their children as well. Coming from a low-class household with low incomes, created a painful and exhausting journey to reach the current stage of my life. My inner family has five members with myself included. I’m the youngest of my family along with a sister as the middle child, and an older brother as the first child. My parents divorced in 2016, causing my life to go through some very abrupt changes. This occurred right before I started middle school. Arguments and passive aggressiveness were common occurrences. The divorce resulted in my mother deciding to move to Allentown, Pennsylvania with me and my older sister, leaving my father behind in New York along with my older brother who was in his first year of college. I felt as if our family was suddenly split in two. All I could remember feeling was anxiety and uncertainty. I wasn’t sure when or if I’d be able to see my father again since neither my mother nor sister could drive at the time. The move to another state was difficult, since I had lived in NYC my entire life, I wasn’t sure what to expect. My parents are still separated to this day with no communication whatsoever. We didn’t even have internet service for months since we couldn’t afford it. In addition to our financial struggles, it was tough to get school supplies and general necessities that me and my family needed. I was able to get a phone eventually, but the service couldn’t be paid for. I had to walk 30 minutes to a nearby aunt’s house every day for school so that she could drive us there, even under less-than-ideal weather conditions. I felt isolated, in a new town where I had to make new friends and start a new life. With inflation worsening after the pandemic, and with the shortage of work hours that my mother receives, maintaining ourselves became exceedingly difficult. No matter how much physical pain my mother has to endure while working as a strenuous loader/stocker at a grocery warehouse, she tolerates the physical toil to keep myself and my older sister well-maintained. The bills that our full house has been increasing as a result of inflation. I’ve worked in the fast food industry as a crew member to assist my family in paying bills. It was the only job available that was at an optimal walking distance. I couldn’t be driven to work since only my sister knew how to drive at the time and she was working when my shifts began. I had a surreal state of realization that spending more time on becoming more involved within my school would benefit me immensely in the long run with college and scholarship applications. Still to this day, I'm training and embracing my disciplinary mindset to execute rigorous and productive work. Time is precious and valuable, therefore, I must take advantage of it. Striving to be the best I can be through my rigorous academic endeavors is crucial for the support of my divorced parents in the far future, who struggle to pay the various bills they have with check-to-check spending. Financial obstacles are one of the main hurdles that I must overcome to arrive at my long-awaited destination in life, and winning this scholarship will aid me incredibly in accomplishing that.

Since the dawn of time, everything in the universe that we exist in has been ruled by the eternal encyclopedic phenomenon known as nature. It's consistently being altered and differentiated before and right now as you're reading this essay. As the most intellectually complex species on the planet, we humans have developed revolutionary technological infrastructure that has allowed us to gain extensive sophisticated knowledge of various aspects that encompass nature as a whole. The Universe is the incomprehensibly enormous aggregate of everything nature has to offer to every lifeform, species, and subspecies that comes into fruition with their existential presence within it. As a lover of time and space, understanding the nature of our universe has always been and will be a concept of science that fascinates me to the core and beyond. My Astronomy teacher from high school, Mr Sprayberry, has a deep affection for the intriguing anomalies of nature that occur all over our planet. I remember it as if it happened yesterday. It was during my fully asynchronous sophomore year, amidst the worst of the coronavirus pandemic's global rampage. Sprayberry displayed a variety of uncommon events in nature before he would begin his lecture on the daily Zoom meeting sessions. From hydraulic pressing to lava flowing into a vehicle, the events displayed made me question Sprayberry about how nature truly affects us both positively and negatively. I also witnessed luxurious astronomy movies in the learning dome that my high school has as soon as my junior year came about. One was about the formation of planet Earth before life was even able to emerge from it. Another was about the classifications of stars present within the universe. The movies that were purchased to be projected in the learning dome cost more than a thousand dollars each. Being present in nature and wildlife is a blessing in itself. It's the natural essence of life that every human being gets to enjoy no matter where they are located on the planet. We modern-day humans can savor the commodities that nature brings forth, without having to declare and initiate war to obtain portions of land that accommodate those profitable goods. Having been born in the 21st century is extremely fortunate as the introduction of new inventions has dramatically changed the scope of modernized transportation around the globe. Nature is also savored through the waters and skies, and it's way easier to navigate the oceanic and aerial areas of the world today than back then. My admiration and affection for nature is evident through my desperate desire to inhale fresh air and cleanse the environment. I've been involved in the Key Club at my high school. Throughout my time in this club, I've helped clean the local park several times, which felt amazing at the moment and afterwards knowing that I'm cleansing nature from its impurities. I also participated in the community clean-up day that tidied up every side of the school as well as the courtyard and the tiny river by the breezeway where I raked leaves and dispersed mulch so that plants remained insulated during the summer. Images taken by the staff in charge that day highlighted my everlasting devotion and cherishing for nature. I realized that partaking in activities and events that entice me to enjoy the beauty that planet Earth has to offer is the catalyst for improved well-being across all of the dimensions of wellness. Understanding the benefits that nature brings forth for our minds is crucial for improving the longevity and satisfaction of our lives. As a result, the knowledge and wisdom that we gather from nature remind me of how fortunate it truly is to be alive in the current period of planet Earth's humongous lifespan. As the only planet habitable enough to make life hospitable for us, understanding the advantages and conveniences that its nature provides us with is vital so that we take action to relish and thrive on Earth successfully. Therefore, our lives should never be taken for granted in the century that we were blessed to be born in, and this is the main reason why we must accustom our minds to embrace and strive to refine and enhance nature's conditioning to make it even more beneficial. The various enrichments of nature should be indulged and absorbed by everyone. Nature is something that will continue to flourish on our planet for countless generations to come, and I feel internally obliged to elevate and manifest the precious prosperity that it brings into my life and the world around me. All of what's stated above widely opens our mindscapes to visualize the bigger picture of how fortunate we are in the grand scheme of things. The more courageous and bold you assert yourself to be, the more adoration and reverence you’ll receive from those that were massively impacted by your gallantry and audacity for being a positive force in this world. This is truly what communal service in nature has taught me. I feel excessively blessed and fortunate to be a member of the Allentown school district, and also feel obliged and inclined to lend future service and guidance to the community of Gettysburg College once I set foot on its marvellous and exquisite-looking campus. I have over $50k of accumulated debt from the 4 years in which I will be pursuing a bachelor's degree at Gettysburg College. I am a first-generation student. Striving to be the best I can be through my rigorous academic endeavors is crucial for the support of my divorced parents in the future, who struggle to pay the various bills they have with check-to-check spending. Financial obstacles are one of the main hurdles that I must overcome to arrive at my long-awaited destination in life, and winning this scholarship will aid me incredibly in accomplishing that.

Mental health and mental illness have made a significant impact on my life. As the youngest child of my inner family, I've always had this monotonous sensation of sensitivity towards the majority of derogatory words that were thrown at me. My older siblings simply told me that I couldn't be sensitive, and my friends told me that I should always rebuttal back. The most devastating tendency that I had was allowing the atrocious occurrences of my past to affect my triumph of resilience in the present and onwards. All the personal wrongdoings, foreign conflicts, and internal struggles amassed into a dreadful conglomeration of negativity that made me feel suicidal a couple of times while combatting what I was going through. When my parents got divorced in 2016 when I was only 12 years of age, I felt very anxious and uncertain about how my parents were going to cope with the loss and go on their separate ways. My father had broken down into tears after the climactic argument between him and my mom that caused the initiation of the divorce to undergo. Since I never witnessed my Dad in this emotional state, I felt very concerned for his mental health from there on out. I had to move to Allentown, Pennsylvania with my mother and older sister to remain with them and get accustomed to living in another state. I had lived in New York City my whole life up to that point, and the transition wasn't easy. We didn’t even have internet service for months since we couldn’t afford it. In addition to our financial struggles, it was tough to get school supplies and general necessities that me and my family needed. I was able to get a phone eventually, but the service couldn’t be paid for. I had to walk 30 minutes to a nearby aunt’s house every day for school so that she could drive us there, even under less-than-ideal weather conditions. I felt isolated, in a new town where I had to make new friends and start a new life. My mother has had 3 partners in her life after the divorce, two of which are now gone because of jealousy and selfishness. The third partner she got with ended up being the most aggressive and bipolar of the three. There was one heavily snowed winter when I got scolded by her third partner with hellacious words that insulted my masculinity, all because of not being able to shovel snow in time while I was eating breakfast in a peaceful mood. I felt utterly emasculated and unsure about the true meaning of being a man. The significance of being a man is a very complicated topic, so much so to the point where certain men abuse their masculinity in toxic manners or they fight valiantly to discover their own idealistic definition of what it means to be a man. My mother's third partner was without a doubt one of those abusive men in my mind. It was over 3 years later after that event when he was prescribed by doctors to utilize marijuana to control and maintain his sanity. I miraculously endured and persevered through many traumatic events between the time of the divorce and the present day in which I am typing this essay. The instability continued but eventually ran out. We went from one house to another until finally settling on a tiny row house in a corner. It was within walking distance from my school and family members. It had a backyard with a front and back porch. We painted it, and my mom planted dozens of flower bushes on the side. I loved it. For the first time in a while, I felt like I had a natural place to call home. The hardships I and my family faced in the previous years allowed me to do some deep reflection. I strived to keep my family happy through good grades. I got a hold of a planner, I learned how to stay organized and take detailed notes. In a sense, these hardships along with feelings of isolation allowed me to become way more introspective. It helped me focus on gaining skills and bettering myself. Through involvement, I gained confidence, which made me make deeper connections with my teachers. It inspired me to offer help to the local community through extracurricular activities at school like the Key Club and the National Honor Society. Within the Key Club, I performed community service through park clean-ups, toy drives, food drives, and school decorations. I became an officer/service coordinator for the NHS. For every monthly NHS meeting, I woke up with a disciplined mentality to be present at school at 6:30 AM. This early bird commitment is not easy, especially in the colder months. My limbs and respiratory pathways were so cold that they often felt paralyzed and internally damaged. Nevertheless, the grit and tenacious willpower I exhibited propelled me to do what I knew was best for me in the long run. All of these milestones have helped me transform myself into the person that I am today. As the only male in my house, and the majority of its inhabitants being women, discovering my ideal persona of masculinity was considerably challenging. The culmination of negativity that I had gone through taught me something. That I shouldn't worry about or feel insecure about my masculinity as it is irrelevant in regards to long-term success, and that the profanity of the past is an absolute hinderance and nuisance for my tenacious determination and diligence to excel and transition into the next phase of my life as I go to college. Another thing that I've learned from all of the above is that your mind can either be your best friend or your worst enemy. As I recollected all of my affirmative resolutions and let go of the detrimental psychological setbacks, my purpose for living became much more apparent, and this essay is proof of that.

I've read a few books based on iconic athletes like Mike Tyson and Muhammad Ali. Mike Tyson has said amazing things from podcasts that I completely agree with and have applied to my own life for adaptation against negative circumstances. Tyson said that your mind is not your friend and that you're responsible for teaching and training it to iterate positive things about yourself so that it doesn't become a massive hinderance in every one of your performances. One quote that I really like from him is "Impossible is nothing to somebody that tries." This quote reminds me of the general overall chances of winning scholarships. No matter how many scholarships I'll need to win to significantly lower my debt, my burning desire for financial prosperity is further enhanced when I think of all the opportunities and advantages available at my disposal. My favorite quote of all time from Muhammad Ali is "Don't count the days, make the days count." My favorite of all time quote from Mike Tyson is "Discipline is doing what you hate to do, but doing it as if you love it." I adhere to both of these extraordinary quotes on a daily basis, and it instills a disciplinary mentality within me to work rigorously to get to where I want to be in life and make use of the precious time that every day brings. Adventurous superhero films like The Avengers, The Incredibles, and X-Men filled my soul with a sense of unification and wholeheartedness within me among my friends and family members. Iron Man/Roberty Downy Jr is my favorite Avenger and superhero, not only because of his amazing tactical combative prowess but also for his handy ingenuity, intellect, and wisdom whenever he or any of his affiliations were in the face of dire danger. I can relate to this from my involvement in the National Honor Society during my junior and senior years of high school. My position as an officer/service coordinator has made me a much more accountable and convenient person. The Disney movie "Up" is another film I could relate to since the majority of my grandparents are deceased. I can relate to the geriatric main character in the film named Carl Fredricksen because I too have lost a couple of loved ones in my life. Only having one grandparent alive in the present day reminds me of how Carl painstakingly endured the agony he experienced when living without the convenience of his spouse beside him. The encouragement she gave to Carl before her passing was crucial. She implored him to not suffer in a mournful state and live out a new adventure with those preferable to him for the remainder of his life. With the presence of only one grandparent alive at the present day, never before in my life have I felt the enormity of gratitude and acknowledgement I do today for the elders that my lineage has produced. Carl's adaptation to his major loss makes me all the more grateful and blessed for having the beloved family members alive today in great shape while promoting healthy lifestyles with them at the same time. I'm leaning mostly towards majoring in Psychology in college when deciding what career/field is most suitable for me. Graduating with a bachelor's degree in Psychology would open the door to many employment opportunities. Opportunities in which I'll be able to assist and support individuals that have been mentally impaired in any shape or form. The field of psychology would stimulate my mind to crave more learning and to become a much better thinker in general.

My mother is the sole entity in this world that inspires me to. Becoming the person I am today was an excruciating journey. My parents are immigrants from the Dominican Republic, who came for much better financial stability not only for themselves but for their children as well. Coming from a low-class household with low incomes, created a painful and exhausting journey to reach the current stage of my life. My inner family has five members with myself included. I’m the youngest of my family along with a sister as the middle child, and an older brother as the first child. My parents divorced in 2016, causing my life to go through some very abrupt changes. This occurred right before I started middle school. Arguments and passive aggressiveness were common occurrences. The divorce resulted in my mother deciding to move to Allentown, Pennsylvania with me and my older sister, leaving my father behind in New York along with my older brother who was in his first year of college. I felt as if our family was suddenly split in two. All I could remember feeling was anxiety and uncertainty. I wasn’t sure when or if I’d be able to see my father again since neither my mother nor sister could drive at the time. The move to another state was a difficult one, since I had lived in New York City my entire life, and I wasn’t sure what to expect. My parents are still separated to this day with no communication whatsoever. We didn’t even have internet service for months since we couldn’t afford it. In addition to our financial struggles, it was tough to get school supplies and general necessities that me and my family needed. I was able to get a phone eventually, but the service couldn’t be paid for. I had to walk 30 minutes to a nearby aunt’s house every day for school so that she could drive us there, even under less-than-ideal weather conditions. I felt isolated, in a new town where I had to make new friends and start a new life. Through my involvement in school, I gained confidence, which made me make deeper connections with my teachers. My perseverance was evident in my enlightenment. It inspired me to offer help to the local community through extracurricular activities at school like the Key Club and the National Honor Society. Within the Key Club, I performed community service through park clean-ups, toy drives, food drives, and school decorations. I became an officer/service coordinator for the NHS. For every monthly NHS meeting, I woke up with a disciplined mentality to be present at school at 6:30 AM. This early bird commitment is not easy, especially in the colder months. My limbs and respiratory pathways were so cold that they often felt paralyzed and internally damaged in the bitter cold months. Nevertheless, the grit and tenacious willpower I exhibited propelled me to do what I knew was best for me in the long run.

Mental health and mental illness have made a significant impact on my life. As the youngest child of my inner family, I've always had this monotonous sensation of sensitivity towards the majority of derogatory words that were thrown at me. My older siblings simply told me that I couldn't be sensitive, and my friends told me that I should always rebuttal back. The most devastating tendency that I had was allowing the atrocious occurrences of my past to affect my triumph of resilience in the present and onwards. All the personal wrongdoings, foreign conflicts, and internal struggles amassed into a dreadful conglomeration of negativity that made me feel suicidal a couple of times while combatting what I was going through. When my parents got divorced in 2016 when I was only 12 years of age, I felt very anxious and uncertain about how my parents were going to cope with the loss and go on their separate ways. My father had broken down into tears after the climactic argument between him and my mom that caused the initiation of the divorce to undergo. Since I never witnessed my Dad in this emotional state, I felt very concerned for his mental health from there on out. I had to move to Allentown, Pennsylvania with my mother and older sister to remain with them and get accustomed to living in another state. I had lived in New York City my whole life up to that point, and the transition wasn't easy. My mother has had 3 partners in her life after the divorce, two of which are now gone because of jealousy and selfishness. The third partner she got with ended up being the most aggressive and bipolar of the three. There was one heavily snowed winter when I got scolded by her third partner with hellacious words that insulted my masculinity, all because of not being able to shovel snow in time while I was eating breakfast in a peaceful mood. I felt utterly emasculated and unsure about the true meaning of being a man. The significance of being a man is a very complicated topic, so much so to the point where certain men abuse their masculinity in toxic manners or they fight valiantly to discover their own idealistic definition of what it means to be a man. My mother's third partner was without a doubt one of those abusive men in my mind. It was over 3 years later after that event when he was prescribed by doctors to utilize marijuana to control and maintain his sanity. I miraculously endured and persevered through many traumatic events between the time of the divorce and the present day in which I am typing this essay. As the only male in my house and the majority of its inhabitants being women, discovering my ideal persona of masculinity was considerably challenging. The culmination of negativity that I had gone through taught me something. That I shouldn't worry about or feel insecure about my masculinity as it is irrelevant in regards to long-term success, and that the profanity of the past is an absolute hinderance and nuisance for my tenacious determination and diligence to excel and transition into the next phase of my life as I go to college. Another thing that I've learned from all of the above is that your mind can either be your best friend or your worst enemy. As I recollected all of my affirmative resolutions and let go of the detrimental psychological setbacks, my purpose for living became much more apparent, and this essay is proof of that.

As a human being, optimizing every one of the individual dimensions of wellness to the best of my ability is crucial for my long-term success in life. Since I live in a household with a low income, obtaining a wide selection of healthy foods for a balanced diet is quite difficult. Even though older adults generally have lower calorie needs, their nutrient needs are often greater than when they were younger. This goes to show that as you age, maintaining optimal nutritional conditioning in your body becomes more challenging. My multicultural wellness is managed through enhanced social interaction. Increasing involvement in my school community has made me remarkably accustomed to socializing with people of different ethnic origins and racial backgrounds. This imbues higher levels of curiosity and inquisitiveness within me for how divergent people view the world and live out their lives. Emotional wellness is very critical and conducive to the longevity of the ardent friendships that I have formed. I manage this dimension easily through the embracement of immense gratitude for where I am today and everything I’ve done to get to this point. This instills an intense ambition for excessive growth within myself along with my friends, family, and peers. Environmental wellness is a dimension of wellness that many tend to overlook. I have promoted my synchronization with the environment from my affection for nature and the thrilling sensations I feel when breathing fresh air. The scholastic community service that I’ve done to tidy up and cleanse the environment from its impurities has made me forge a much closer bond with the environments that surround me. My intellectual wellness has changed dramatically in the course of my life. Academics have inspired and propelled me to enhance my consistent cognitive outputs and to become a clever rational thinker for the rest of my life. My physical wellness is imperative for the performance of every other dimension of wellness. This I have managed efficiently through careful and precise meal planning along with exercising my whole body to keep my bones, blood, and brain in great shape. Exercise also reduces the risk of getting diagnosed with fatal diseases like cancer, diabetes, and heart failure. My hygiene is something I take very seriously daily. The sense of smell is invigorating for my mind. Every day I make sure my hygiene is top-notch from my head down to my toes. This not only increases my confidence and self-esteem but also improves how other people perceive and judge me. My sexual wellness has always been superb from the start. I haven't engaged in any sexual activity with another person, which protects me from contracting various STDs and HIVs unknowingly. Lastly, financial wellness is the dimension that I’m tremendously eager to elevate and amplify with the help of this glamorous essay I’ve composed. Scholarships are the rays of persistence and commitment that will open the gateway to the financial prosperity that I’m destined to reach. I have over $50k of accumulated debt from the 4 years in which I will be pursuing a bachelor's degree at Gettysburg College. I am a first-generation student. Striving to be the best I can be through my rigorous academic endeavors is crucial for the support of my divorced parents in the far future, who struggle to pay the various bills they have with check-to-check spending. Financial obstacles are one of the main hurdles that I must overcome to arrive at my long-awaited destination in life, and winning this scholarship will aid me incredibly in accomplishing that.

Out of all the songs in the 1989 album, "Shake It Off" is my absolute favorite by a long shot. My favorite aspect or component of the song is its lyrics. At the onset of the song, Swift lets the audience and listeners know about the disturbing inquiries that she received from people that aren't particularly fond of her with the usage of figurative language. Taylor's mood, tone, and state of mind throughout the song are utterly optimistic, outgoing, and nonchalant. In my opinion, this was the most relatable song she made in this album. The accumulation of pleasant vibes I get while listening to this song is both uplifting and salubrious for my mentality. The lyrics of the second verse explain that she never misses a beat when dancing alone and that either way she doesn't stop making her moves to continue cruising onward no matter what criticism she receives from her haters. I can relate to this fully in my personal life. Despite the sheer amount of doubt, uncertainty, and irrelevant nuisance that other people attempt to convey to change my established growth mindset for the revolutionary phase of my life that I'll soon be entering. She states that when music like hers becomes ingrained into her memory, it acts as a handy reminder that everything will be alright in the long run. Swift's private reticent persona present within her mannerisms is very relatable. I've applied to more than one hundred scholarships at the time of which I'm typing this essay. Knowing the amount of independence, effort, and accountability that is needed to significantly increase my chances of winning scholarships, instills a confidential disciplinary mentality within me that is extremely eager to prove to those who disapproved of me, wrong. The tempo, rhythm, and melody all synchronize and complement each other very well. It often makes me want to snap my fingers or clap to the beat and flow of the song. The rhythm brings forth an uplifting and exhilarating sensation that gives me the urge to dance along. As I hear Taylor repeat the words "I shake it all" dozens of times during the final verse, it prompts me to dismiss and let go of all the forms of negativity I have in my mind at the moment. This assists me tremendously with fighting depression and anxiety that comes from my tendency of overthinking so many different aspects of my life. As an overthinker, I've very often become too dwelled and attached to the atrocities of the past, but I've trained my mind constantly to remain in the present to make my future the best one it can be. Your mind can either be your best friend or your worst enemy depending on how you articulate and utilize your thoughts and emotions. This is what I have learned as I grew up and "Shake It All'' is a song that serves as an icon of remembrance for maintaining that prosperous mindset that the song has empowered me to embrace.

My favorite thing about Disney is the caliber of entertainment and inspiration that its films have brought into my life during my years of adolescence and onwards. I watched plenty of shows and movies that came from the Disney franchise. My favorite shows were Mickey Mouse, Phineas and Ferb, and Lightning McQueen. Mickey Mouse was a show I would play almost every morning when waking from my tiny makeshift bed on the floor. Phineas and Ferb as well as Lightning McQueen are shows that I played in the afternoon and evening hours of the day. Lightning McQueen motivated me to remain consistent with myself no matter how many challenges and distressing circumstances I dealt with throughout my childhood and the journey of growth into the person I am today. Mickey Mouse's welcoming personality inspired me to be more welcoming regarding friendship formation, the establishment of goals, and the execution of disciplinary actions. Phineas's personality, which is filled with optimism, intelligence, and boldness is one that I admire and appreciate to the fullest extent whenever I incorporate these characteristics of Phineas into my personality. My grueling perseverance through the divorce of my parents, the abrupt moving to another state, poor living status conditioning, and academic hardships were all thanks to my maintenance of all three elements of Phinneas's personality listed above. Obtaining school supplies was challenging as my mother had a job at minimum wage right after moving from New York City to Allentown Pennsylvania. The movies of Disney made me much more attached to the fanbases and communities that revolve around the company. Avengers Endgame and the Up movie are my personal favorites. Adventurous superhero films like The Avengers, The Incredibles, and X-Men filled my soul with a sense of unification and wholeheartedness within me among my friends and family members. Iron Man/Roberty Downy Jr is my favorite Avenger and superhero, not only because of his amazing tactical combative prowess but also for his handy ingenuity, intellect, and wisdom whenever he or any of his affiliations were in the face of dire danger. I can relate to this from my involvement in the National Honor Society during my junior and senior years of high school. My position as an officer/service coordinator has made me a much more accountable and convenient person. The movie "Up" was a film I could relate to since the majority of my grandparents are deceased. I can relate to the geriatric main character in the film named Carl Fredricksen since I too have lost a couple of loved ones in my life. Only having one grandparent alive in the present day reminds me of how Carl painstakingly endured the agony he experienced when living without the convenience of his spouse beside him. The encouragement she gave to Carl before her passing was crucial. She implored him to not suffer in a mournful state and live out a new adventure with those preferable to him for the remainder of his life. With the presence of only one grandparent alive at the present day, never before in my life have I felt the enormity of gratitude and acknowledgment I do today for the elders that my lineage has produced. Carl's adaptation to his major loss makes me all the more grateful and blessed for having the beloved family members alive today, in great shape while promoting healthy lifestyles. The internal and external struggles that each of the characters mentioned above tolerated and overcame heavily inspired me to make enhancements to my persona and mindset to cope and adapt to the hindering obstacles that I was destined to conquer.

Selflessness plays a major role in the triumph and ascendancy of our peers and admirers. Accountability, integrity, and patience are the three characteristics of selflessness that I value most. Each of these characteristics has galvanized my dedication and commitment to achieving prodigious academic, personal, and communal prosperity. As I transitioned and progressed through each year of my high school career, the abundance of these characteristics gradually flourished and amplified to the incandescent dynamism that I manifest and internalize now and forever onward. Maintaining frequent accountability ensures that my consistency as a selfless person operates according to plan. Improvements in my communication skills as an officer of the National Honor Society was something I was solely accountable for. My position as a service coordinator drastically heightened my motives and incentives to speak and stand up for myself. Elucidations have become all the more apparent and instinctive for my mindset. Being present at school at 6:30 AM for the NHS meetings was an exhausting and painstaking responsibility I had to endure, especially during the coldest months. I walked with the concern of encountering deer or skunks on my way to the meetings and unsurprisingly stumbled upon a couple lurking around the streets with my own eyes while my limbs were in agony from the cold temperatures. Nevertheless, the grit and tenacious willpower I exhibited propelled me to do what I knew was best for me in the long run. Integrity substantially elevates my pride as a Dieruff husky and as an efficacious member of my community. Supporting and uplifting my friends during ups and downs, not succumbing to risky peer pressure, reconciliation of wrongdoings, and embracement of consistent honesty all outline the amount of integrity I put forth in each of my affiliations. One of my close friends named Daniel, described his experience of work as a crew member at Burger King as hell and it induced overwhelming sensations of despair and anguish within him. I sincerely advised and assisted him as best I could to resist and overcome the atrocities of the past and focus on what the future has in store for him. Some acquaintances I’ve encountered attempted to persuade me to inhale vapes, which I immediately declined and refused knowing the debilitating effects it can ravage my body with. Honesty is a crucial component of integrity and is determinative and conducive to healthy prosperous long-term relationships. The importance of patience is vital for nearly every aspect of life. As a selfless individual, patience is pivotal for the establishment of deep-rooted long-standing companionships with your pupils. I’ve been excessively patient with fellow members of the National Honor Society who struggled to accumulate service hours for their inductions. Waiting was also necessary for the Walking Club due to newcomers arriving late to the meetings, and inclement weather affecting our option to head outside for physical activity. Remaining patient with my somewhat sluggish comprehension of newly learned concepts from certain classes assisted with grasping and assimilating the new knowledge I absorbed. As a result, each of the characteristics of selflessness listed above embodies my dedication and commitment to achieving prodigious academic, personal, and communal prosperity with every one of my affiliations. Being a selfless leader isn’t an easy feat, and incorporating its role within myself felt fascinatingly impeccable for both my self-image and identity. The more courageous and bold you assert yourself to be, the more adoration and reverence you’ll receive from those that were massively impacted by your gallantry and audacity for being a positive force in this world. This is truly what selflessness has taught me.

Service is a word that envelops the epitome of my gratitude for being alive in the robust and lively state that I’m in. Service is often overlooked by people who don’t usually lend it or partake in it with any organization or institution, however, I can definitively say that it has made my life all the more jubilant and gratified. Every form or method of service that I volunteered for in my community makes me feel proud of the caliber of person I’ve become throughout the years of my academic career. The spirit of service has indulged me in the embracement of contagious positivity that entices me to lend even more support to those inhabiting my community and beyond. Offering guidance and advice to individuals in my local community repletes my heart and soul with immense volumes of bliss and contentment. The community of the Allentown School District is a very captivating and delightful one both visually and spiritually. As I got accustomed and familiarized with lending service to the district populace, I became synchronized with not only my pride as a Dieruff husky but also as a courageous and diligent provider in this lovely and lively community through actions of service. I've been involved in the Key Club at Dieruff High School. Throughout my time spent in this club, I've helped clean the local park several times, which felt amazing at the moment, and afterward knowing that I'm cleansing nature of its impurities. I also participated in the community clean-up day that tidied up every side of the school as well as the courtyard and the tiny river by the breezeway where I raked leaves and dispersed mulch so that plants remained insulated during the summer. I managed to make a couple of friends during the large cleaning session. The other participants made the experience 10 times more enjoyable. Images taken by the staff in charge that day highlighted the spectacular experience. My role as an officer/service coordinator in the National Honor Society was an honor and a privilege that permeated my mind with jubilance and exultation to the core. Assisting and guiding my fellow members with gathering their service hours was a very amiable and cordial experience for me. The main instructor of the NHS, Mr. Sprayberry is a phenomenal teacher, advisor, adult, and even human being. He inspired me immensely to be benevolent, supportive, and empathetic to those in need. Husky pride became all the more pragmatic and sublime as I progressed through my high school career with more communal involvement. As a result, every one of the methods in which I volunteered for my local school community significantly augmented my synchronicity and harmonious correspondence with my school district. I feel excessively blessed and fortunate to be a member of this district, and also feel obliged and inclined to lend future service and guidance to the community of Gettysburg College once I set foot on its marvelous and exquisite-looking campus. I have over $44k of accumulated debt from the 4 years in which I will be pursuing a bachelor's degree at Gettysburg College. I am a first-generation student. Striving to be the best I can be through my rigorous academic endeavors is crucial for the support of my divorced parents in the far future, who struggle to pay the various bills they have with check-to-check spending. Financial obstacles are one of the main hurdles that I must overcome to arrive at my long-awaited destination in life, and winning this scholarship will aid me incredibly in accomplishing that.

Service is a word that envelops the epitome of my gratitude for being alive in the robust and lively state that I’m in. Service is often overlooked by people who don’t usually lend it or partake in it with any organization or institution, however, I can definitively say that it has made my life all the more jubilant and gratified. Every form or method of service that I volunteered for in my community makes me feel proud of the caliber of person I’ve become throughout the years of my academic career. The spirit of service has indulged me in the embracement of contagious positivity that entices me to lend even more support to those inhabiting my community and beyond. Offering guidance and advice to individuals in my local community repletes my heart and soul with immense volumes of bliss and contentment. The community of the Allentown School District is a very captivating and delightful one both visually and spiritually. As I got accustomed and familiarized with lending service to the district populace, I became synchronized with not only my pride as a Dieruff husky but also as a courageous and diligent provider in this lovely and lively community through actions of service. I've been involved in the Key Club at Dieruff High School. Throughout my time spent in this club, I've helped clean the local park several times, which felt amazing at the moment, and afterward knowing that I'm cleansing nature of its impurities. I also participated in the community clean-up day that tidied up every side of the school as well as the courtyard and the tiny river by the breezeway where I raked leaves and dispersed mulch so that plants remained insulated during the summer. I managed to make a couple of friends during the large cleaning session. The other participants made the experience 10 times more enjoyable. Images taken by the staff in charge that day highlighted the spectacular experience. My role as an officer/service coordinator in the National Honor Society was an honor and a privilege that permeated my mind with jubilance and exultation to the core. Assisting and guiding my fellow members with gathering their service hours was a very amiable and cordial experience for me. The main instructor of the NHS, Mr. Sprayberry is a phenomenal teacher, advisor, adult, and even human being. He inspired me immensely to be benevolent, supportive, and empathetic to those in need. Husky pride became all the more pragmatic and sublime as I progressed through my high school career with more communal involvement. As a result, each and every one of the methods in which I lent service to my local school community significantly augmented my synchronicity and harmonious correspondence with my school district. I feel excessively blessed and fortunate to be a member of this district, and also feel obliged and inclined to lend future service and guidance to the community of Gettysburg College once I set foot on its marvelous and exquisite-looking campus. I have over 44k of accumulated debt from the 4 years in which I will be pursuing a bachelor's degree at Gettysburg College. I am a first-generation student. Striving to be the best I can be through my rigorous academic endeavors is crucial for the support of my divorced parents in the far future, who struggle to pay the various bills they have with check-to-check spending. Financial obstacles are one of the main hurdles that I must overcome in order to arrive at my long-awaited destination in life, and winning this scholarship will aid me incredibly in accomplishing that.

My parents divorced in 2016, causing my life to go through some very abrupt changes. Arguments and passive aggressiveness were common occurrences. They eventually stopped sharing a room, forcing my dad into my room and me onto a makeshift bed on the floor. The divorce resulted in my mother deciding to move to Allentown, Pennsylvania with me and my older sister, leaving my father behind in New York along with my older brother who was in his first year of college. I felt as if our family was suddenly split in two. All I could remember feeling was anxiety and uncertainty. I wasn’t sure when or if I’d be able to see my father again since neither my mother nor sister could drive at the time. The move to another state was a difficult one, I had lived in New York City my entire life, I wasn’t sure what to expect. At first, it was hard to thrive as my mother struggled to find a good job. She ended up working at a local Mcdonald's, which was barely enough to pay our bills. Our house was old and rundown, our new landlords were deceptive and greedy, looking to charge us extra for things like trash collection. We didn’t even have internet service for months since we couldn’t afford it. In addition to our financial struggles, it was tough to get school supplies and general necessities that me and my family needed. I was able to get a phone eventually, but the service couldn’t be paid for. I had to walk 30 minutes to a nearby aunt’s house every day for school so that she could drive us there, even under less-than-ideal weather conditions. I felt isolated, in a new town where I had to make new friends, and basically start a new life. I gained confidence, which made me make deeper connections with my teachers. My perseverance was evident in my personal enlightenment. It inspired me to offer help to the local community through extracurricular activities at school like the Key Club and the National Honor Society. Within the Key Club, I performed community service through park clean-ups, toy drives, food drives, and school decorations. In my first year of being in the NHS, I contributed ample service through VocalID, by reading passages and sending my voice to assist individuals that are physically or mentally disabled or impaired. For every monthly NHS meeting, I woke up with a disciplined mentality to be present at school at 6:30 AM. This early bird commitment is not easy, especially in the colder months. As I eventually overcame my own hardships it felt good knowing that I could give a helping hand to others with theirs. All of these milestones have helped me transform myself into the person that I am today. A student that knows exactly where he came from, what he’s been through, and where he’s headed to make his future the best one it can possibly be. I have over 44k of accumulated debt from the 4 years in which I will be pursuing a bachelor's degree at Gettysburg College. I am a first-generation student. Striving to be the best I can be through my rigorous academic endeavors is crucial for the support of my divorced parents in the far future, who struggle to pay the various bills they have with check-to-check spending. Financial obstacles are one of the main hurdles that I must overcome in order to arrive at my long-awaited destination in life, and winning this scholarship will aid me incredibly in accomplishing that.

My parents divorced in 2016, causing my life to go through some very abrupt changes. Arguments and passive aggressiveness were common occurrences. They eventually stopped sharing a room, forcing my dad into my room and me onto a makeshift bed on the floor. The divorce resulted in my mother deciding to move to Allentown, Pennsylvania with me and my older sister, leaving my father behind in New York along with my older brother who was in his first year of college. I felt as if our family was suddenly split in two. All I could remember feeling was anxiety and uncertainty. I wasn’t sure when or if I’d be able to see my father again since neither my mother nor sister could drive at the time. The move to another state was a difficult one, I had lived in New York City my entire life, I wasn’t sure what to expect. At first, it was hard to thrive as my mother struggled to find a good job. She ended up working at a local Mcdonald's, which was barely enough to pay our bills. Our house was old and rundown, our new landlords were deceptive and greedy, looking to charge us extra for things like trash collection. We didn’t even have internet service for months since we couldn’t afford it. In addition to our financial struggles, it was tough to get school supplies and general necessities that me and my family needed. I was able to get a phone eventually, but the service couldn’t be paid for. I had to walk 30 minutes to a nearby aunt’s house every day for school so that she could drive us there, even under less-than-ideal weather conditions. I felt isolated, in a new town where I had to make new friends, and basically start a new life. We went from one house to another until finally settling on a tiny row house in a corner. It was within walking distance from my school, and from family members. It had its own backyard with a front and back porch. We painted it, and my mom planted dozens of flower bushes on the side. I loved it. For the first time in a while, I felt like I had a natural place to call home. The hardships I and my family faced in the previous years allowed me to do some deep reflection. I strived to keep my family happy through good grades. I got a hold of a planner, I learned how to stay organized and take detailed notes. In a sense, these hardships along with feelings of isolation allowed me to become way more introspective. It helped me focus on gaining skills and bettering myself. My confidence increased, which then made me want to connect with teachers on a deeper level than before. It inspired me to offer help to the local community through extracurricular activities at school like the Key Club and the National Honor Society. Within the Key Club, I performed community service through park clean-ups, toy drives, food drives, and school decorations. In my first year of being in the NHS, I contributed ample service through VocalID, by reading passages and sending my voice to assist individuals that are physically or mentally disabled or impaired. For every monthly NHS meeting, I woke up with a disciplined mentality to be present at school at 6:30 AM. This early bird commitment is not easy, especially in the colder months. As I eventually overcame my own hardships it felt good knowing that I could give a helping hand to others with theirs. All of these milestones have helped me transform myself into the person that I am today. A student that knows exactly where he came from, what he’s been through, and where he’s headed to make his future the best one it can possibly be. I have over 44k of accumulated debt from the 4 years in which I will be pursuing a bachelor's degree at Gettysburg College. Financial obstacles are one of the main hurdles that I must overcome in order to arrive at my long-awaited destination in life, and winning this scholarship will aid me incredibly in accomplishing that.