Throughout my entire life journey to date, I have not lost interest in my original career pathway. I have continued with as much passion as the day I started when I was very young. My future personal career goal is to work with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) as an Engineer focusing on Computer Sciences. Using informational technology (IT) applications and incorporating the knowledge I have from the industry certifications I earned will assist me as an engineer in designing and developing cost-effective, well-constructed, safety equipment to be used in many NASA programs. Going to college is not a want but a need for me, a need to better myself, to achieve all the personal, educational, and professional goals I have set. While in college I will be networking with peers that have similar career goals as well as personal goals. I am just at the beginning of my college career and feel that I have been fortunate enough to have participated in a wide range of experiences that solidified the dream of my future career as an Engineer focusing on Computer Sciences.

Life is unpredictable, we don’t always get what we wish for, nor do we get to do things over. The action of doing something over would mean taking away a piece of the foundational me. I must know that I am strong enough physically and emotionally to continue my journey of life, knowing I have the tools and persistence within me to be brave and move forward. Demonstrating bravery during times of adversity speaks volumes to a person’s character. When I was 12 my dad passed away unexpectedly. The way I started to recovery was by putting things into perspective, volunteering my time to my community, I was giving back to the same community that encouraged me during my struggles. The community’s dedication to my family inspired me not to take anything for granted and to take advantage of every opportunity afforded to me. When I was 17, my mom was diagnosed with cancer and a compensated liver. I continued on in high school while assisting my grandpa in being my mom’s caretaker. While this was occurring, the world was also being hit hard with death and devastation due to the pandemic Covid-19. Adapting to my mom’s diseases worsening, attempting to bounce back as a society from Covid-19, in addition to my father’s passing was not easy. I successfully completed my senior year of high school and prepared to go to college. I was going to live boldly and go away to college for Aerospace Engineering and Computer Science. I packed and bravely moved off to college, only to move home 4 days later because my mom’s health had deteriorated significantly. I switched my modality of learning to online while still attending the same university I was accepted to. I will continue to preserve and bravely move forward.

I have spent all my elementary, middle, and high school career challenging myself by, taking Advanced Placement and Dual Enrollment classes, participating in and leading community service projects that culminated in me giving back to my community 430 hours of community service, earning 5 industry certifications, and being ranked top 3% in high school. I can honestly say, I have given my all and my best to achieve the goals that I set for K-12 schooling. I am going to go to college and need financial assistance. Going to college is not a want but a need for me, a need to better myself, to achieve all the personal, educational, and professional goals I have set. Going to college will assist me in networking with peers that have similar career goals as well as attaining my personal career goal of working with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) as an Engineer focusing on propulsion and Computer Science. I have set financial goals for myself to assist me with paying for college. I have applied for over two hundred scholarships and continue to apply, and I go into my second semester of undergraduate school. I will be grateful to receive any scholarship because that will be less money, I will have to pay back in the future for my college education. I am extremely determined to reach and surpass my goals, then set new ones.

Actions speak louder than words. Showing not telling a person how you care and feel about him or her makes a big difference. Being provided the opportunity to feel loved also means being made to feel welcomed, listened to, and appreciated for the actions completed. I treat others the same way I would want to be treated and show the same respect that I would like to be given. As a whole we are going through many unknown, new events, positive and or negative that cause people to feel extremely strongly. Many people would like to be heard without having the fear of being persecuted for their thoughts. The targeted audiences range in age from 3 to 103. I am a huge proponent of promoting active listening and peaceful actions. Encouraging everyone to have the opportunity to be heard and given the time they need to be effectively listened to. Love is a four-letter word that is filled with extreme power.

Being involved in your community fosters intrinsic value and self-worth. It creates comradery among the residents, a sense of pride for where you live, and mutual respect by the members of the community for one and other. When giving your valuable time freely to someone and or a cause you are advocating for, it is because you believe in it and have created a personal buy-in. You feel it is important to help the person or cause succeed. I have a passion and career aspirations of working with Aerospace Engineering. Even though my mentor, my advocate, my best friend, my dad, passed away unexpectedly 5 years ago, computer science and all the subjects it branches off to, has been with me every day, just like my dad, and the love and knowledge he had for technology he left as his legacy to me. It has been instilled in me to never quit and anything worth doing is worth doing right. My way to give back to my community is by sharing knowledge with rising Aerospace Engineers in the community. I coach them through the process that leads them to their chosen career pathway while guiding them through the process of applying to college or their choice in post-secondary activities.

The basis of a meaningful friendship is unconditional ongoing supportive and genuine actions equally implemented by everyone in the friendship. It is a true commitment of giving yourself and your time to someone else. Having a friendship means you are fortunate enough to have a reliable and consistent support system through great times and not-so-great times. Being able to depend upon each other no matter what the situation is or what time it is. Even when moving away, a long-distance friendship provides love, respect, and support that you can bring with you wherever you go. Each person brings different attributes to the friendship that enhances the relationship. Trusting each other enough to be open and honest about anything and everything discussed and to know that it will not be shared with anyone provides a comforting friendship. Whatever is said, is said out of love and not meant to hurt the other person in any way. A meaningful friendship should never be taken for granted.

Being involved in your community fosters intrinsic value and self-worth. It creates comradery among the residents, a sense of pride for where you live, and mutual respect by the members of the community for one and other. When giving your valuable time freely to someone or a cause you are advocating for, it is because you believe in it and have created a personal buy-in. You feel it is important to help the person or cause to succeed. Quality of life improves for all when people are treated with respect, made to feel welcomed, listened to, heard for what is really being said, appreciated for the actions they do, and how they contribute back to society. My expectations of myself are that I treat others the same way I would want to be treated. Our elders have been through a lot of experiences in their lifetime and have so much to teach us as a community and individually if we would just stop and take the time to listen. So many elderly people just want to belong and feel that they are still useful and fit into their community. Given the opportunity, many elderly people would like to still give back and are able to through various activities. I am personally a caregiver to a 79 year only and all he wants to do is be included, he wants to ensure that I know he is still capable of doing many things and assisting me in many ways. As a result, I let him and when we are finished he is always beaming from ear to ear with a sense of pride and accomplishment and a feeling of being useful.

Close your eyes, picture this, sitting on a tropical scented porch, with the sun indirectly shinning itself on everything you can see. The temperature is not hot, it is a beautiful 75 degrees outside with a slight blowing of the wind. In the background, the ocean waves are rolling in one after another. You are elated for the delicious frozen pineapple drink you have in one hand and the large raft-like pool float you hold in the other. Before you go for a swim you hear a person rustling in the background trying to steady your luxurious lunch being delivered to you poolside of your home. You thankfully did not have to decide on your meal, that is what you hired the famous master chef for who runs your kitchen. Today, the chef prepared a lobster roll sandwich, with a side of sweet coleslaw, bread and butter pickle spear, and light and airy chocolate mousse for dessert. You eat your decadent meal, thank the chef, and go for a delightful dip in the never-ending pool. Open your eyes now, I have just shared a minuscule glimpse of part of my day, every day. This is a part of what my dream life looks like. I am so grateful to have this life, but most importantly, it is great to dream and imagine, what could be. Thank you for this opportunity.

Being involved in your community fosters intrinsic value and self-worth. It creates comradery among the residents, a sense of pride for where you live, and mutual respect by the members of the community for one and other. When giving your valuable time freely to someone and or a cause you are advocating for, it is because you believe in it and have created a personal buy-in. You feel it is important to help the person or cause succeed by generously giving your time. I have a passion and career aspirations of working with Aerospace Engineering. Even though my mentor, my dad, passed away unexpectedly 6 years ago, engineering has been with me every day, just like my dad, and the love and knowledge he had for technology he left as his legacy to me. It has been instilled in me to never quit and anything worth doing is worth doing right and putting forth all your efforts and time. The way that I am going to generously give back to my community is through my future career goals, sharing knowledge with rising Aerospace Engineers in the community. I would like to be able to coach them through the process that will lead them to their chosen career pathway, then guide them through the process of applying to college or their choice in post-secondary activities. I truly appreciate all consideration provided to me as a hopeful candidate for this much-needed scholarship. Expecting the unexpected seems to be the mantra in my household. The reason I am in such dire need of this scholarship assistance is that in addition to my dad's unexpected passing, this unexpected ongoing pandemic, my mom raising me by herself, and now being recently and unexpectedly diagnosed with Cancer and compensated liver cirrhosis disease she requires costly treatments.

Making a situation equitable and symbiotic for all is nearly impossible. You can set a criterion to follow, guidelines to meet, and ensure as much as possible that everyone is afforded some opportunity to attain educational equality. After that is in place though, everyone has an extenuating circumstance that is going to make them stand out for one reason or another. Whether it be that the criteria and guidelines set don’t fit the situation, or a person can’t be afforded the same opportunity due to personal circumstances. People lose out because there is an imbalance of educational equality everywhere. Not everyone learns at the same time by the same modality. We as a society must accept that and know that it is okay for educational inequities to occur because not all will be able to attain a continuously high level of education in every area. Not every student can be molded, guided, and go on a path of being a doctor, just like not every student will become a car mechanic, but we as a society need both occupations equally. Neither one of them had the same education equalities but they both ended up with careers in two different fields where they are successful and a productive part of society. It would be a shame to make education equal for every student, especially when society needs all sorts of jobs filled by varying abilities.

Are you free to talk openly and honestly? Do you feel you can share your concerns with your current school, advocate for yourself, and actually make a difference? Communication is key to change. Change for the better or worse, effective communication with factual statistics to back up the information you are supplying as evidence is important. Speaking up for and on behalf of yourself is not talking back, it is a way of letting others know what you feel needs to be changed, for the betterment of your education. All of my Kindergarten through the twelfth-grade year I have had to continuously advocate for myself and the type of education I need to be successful. My education is not about anyone, but me, what works and does not work. What I feel needs to be changed so I can achieve more for myself. As a student, I am not in school to make the school money nor the teacher money, I am in school for the betterment of my education and to show others what I know and am capable of completing. I am now going to college and I need financial assistance to do so. I was in the top 3% of my 410 students graduating high school class, I earned a 4.69 overall grade point average, I willingly completed 430 hours of community service hours, I earned 5 industry certifications, and I took all upper-level courses in order to receive the best education I would get according to my communication with my school. It was not enough. The school did not communicate effectively with me nor inform me accurately for my benefit of the opportunities I would earn when I graduated. Of course, I was devasted to find out that a lack of effective communication resulted in my losing $60,000 in scholarship money.

“Treat people as you would like to be treated.” This statement speaks volumes and is filled with wisdom. In fact, you can glean many other quotes from this one for example; “Your teeth are there to guard your tongue”, or “People who live in glass houses should not throw stones”, or “What goes around comes around”. I can’t change anyone, I can only focus on myself and what I do. My actions speak louder than words. So if I treat everyone as I would like to be treated, then I know, I will have a positive impact on many people. The way I like to be treated is with respect, made to feel welcomed, listened to, and heard for what I am really saying or not saying, appreciated for the actions I do, and be provided a fair opportunity without judgment to be heard. My expectations of myself are that I treat others the same way I would want to be treated. I believe this wise saying is so crucial today in society more than ever. As a whole we are going through many unknown, new events, positive and or negative that people feel extremely strongly about. Many people would like to be heard without having the fear of being persecuted for their thoughts. The targeted audiences range in age from 3 to 103 and each person requests to be treated like you yourself would like to be treated. This kind of treatment would disperse the anger towards one and another and promote active listening and peaceful actions.

Time and money are not unlimited and we are not invincible. Every opportunity that is afforded to you, take it, every piece of valuable information that is parted upon you, listen to it, and if applicable act on it. Don’t ever be complacent nor settle, want more, achieve more, be more, make more. We were all given the gift of life; how we use it, take hold of it, and experience it is up to each individual. Be that individual that makes the best of everything and cherishes the time and money you have been gifted. Lead others, don’t follow in anyone’s footsteps. If you don’t use your time or money wisely, that time and money will be used up and gone before you know it. This will give someone else the opportunity to swoop in and take over what you were setting out to do. Never spend or borrow more money than you can pay back right away. Due to time being short, you always want to ensure you will have enough money to pay for your purchases so you are not leaving someone else with your financial burdens. Ensure that you have purchased or paid the bills to cover all your needs before you purchase things you want. Wants you can save up for to get at a later date if time is available, but needs have to come first as it relates to your finances. Time and money are not unlimited and we are unfortunately not invincible.

I have spent all my elementary, middle, and high school career challenging myself to do better by, taking Advanced Placement and Dual Enrollment classes, participating in and leading community service projects that culminated in me giving back to my community 430 hours of community service, and earning 5 industry certifications. I can honestly say, I have given my all and my best to achieve what I have achieved thus far including the top three percent in my high school graduating class, an unweighted grade point average of 4.9, starting college with a 3.5-grade point average, and 22 college credits. I am going to go to college and need financial assistance. Going to college is not a want but a need for me, a need to better myself, to achieve all the personal, educational, and professional goals I have set. Going to college will assist me in networking with peers that have similar career goals as well as attaining my personal career goal of working with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) as an Engineer focusing on propulsion. Completing school work at that intense level came with many pitfalls, unfortunately. My middle and high school had a hard time creating class schedules yearly, I had to do a lot of advocating for myself because I was just thrown into classes that were below the level I had already surpassed. In addition, I was provided misinformation from guidance counselors and teachers regarding what would benefit me the best as I moved along towards the goal of graduating high school. I was lead to believe that the path I was on would lead me to earn a scholarship that paid for 60 college credits, whether or not the school staff knew that the information they provided me was false does not matter, what matters is that I was counting on that tuition money. While going to college I am hoping to have many internship opportunities, whether they are paid or unpaid. I do plan and hope to get a job on campus later in my first year of college. I know that I will need to pay for my education and any additional bills I may encounter while in college. My family has had many obstacles in life and finances have been a burden for at least the last 5 years. I am not one to share freely regarding my family issues, but I will share a bit. My dad passed away unexpectedly 5 years ago, leaving my mom a single parent, with a single-family income from that point moving forward. Then a year ago, my mom was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma and a compensated liver full of cirrhosis. Doctor bills, treatments, and medications are atrocious. The sad part is none of this is taken into consideration when I am asked about my household income. So, a piece of paper that leaves no room for explanations shows one thing, but my mom is experiencing a whole different financial battle. I truly appreciate all consideration provided to me as a hopeful candidate for this much-needed scholarship.

My favorite artist is Bob Ross. His artwork is simplistic yet extremely detailed and intricate. He had the ability to take the mundane part of nature, capture its beauty, and display it in a whole new light.

A father’s legacy that knew no boundaries grew extremely strong due to technology. Ever since I was a little boy, I remember following my dad around, watching him work on various aspects of technology, always having a smile on his face while doing it. He made learning about technology, circuits, programming, computer parts while applying the science, engineering, arts, and math concepts, fun. As I get ready to graduate and go on to college, that passion for the Sciences is still within me, it was my father’s legacy that he left to me before he unexpectedly passed away. I have flourished in aerospace, engineering, digital arts, and computer science. Also, I have been fortunate enough to earn five computer science industry certifications. My hope is that all the time and efforts I have put into Aerospace and Engineering while in school will lead to a job working for NASA as an Aerospace Engineer. Being able to keep my career interest involvement active and relevant to the times is important because STEM-related topics are continuing to advance daily. The initiative that I would implement to benefit the next generation of Plantation residents is a Mentorship Initiative. I would really like to see the schools, nursing homes/living facilities, local businesses, and the cities governmental agencies partner together for the betterment of the community. Having a multigenerational, multi-talented, mentorship program would allow for all parties to have a direct connection to the city in which they are residing. Residents of all ages have something to contribute and deserve to be heard, not just within the peer groups, but in multi-age, multi-generational, multi-talented settings as well. This would break the generational gap communication barriers that each group struggles with and encourage the generational gap to come closer in agreement as it pertains to the city, they reside in. Each school, nursing home, governmental agency, and local business would be paired up to meet monthly to create a project that would benefit the city and or to work on solutions to issues needing addressing currently within the city. No matter the participant's ability everyone will have a role and task assigned. Everyone will be valued and utilized in their area of strength. This initiative will bring the city together to achieve common goals of bettering the city all the while welcoming new and existing residents. As a result of this initiative significant open lines of communication, across various types of residents within the city will occur. This initiative would be my legacy to the community I grew up in. It would be completely sustainable after I am gone and will create a true village, community mentality. I truly appreciate all consideration provided to me as a hopeful candidate for this much-needed scholarship. I have spent all my school career challenging myself, taking upper-level classes, and participating in several community service opportunities. I am going to college and need financial assistance. Going to college is not a want but a need for me, a need to better myself and achieve all the personal, educational, and professional goals I have set for myself.

Quote: When the tough gets going, the going gets tough. My parents raised me with the belief system that when things get tough, we as a family unit respond by getting tougher and fighting back with all our might. We support each other, we are there for each other, we love each other unconditionally, and we operate as one. Every day is a new day and when we wake up to that new day, we are appreciative of being given another day to help others. We start the day with one foot in front of the other and keep on moving. Throughout the day we have choices we need to make and whichever choice we choose we need to be willing to accept the actions that come along with the choice we made. Once the day is done, we can rest our heads on our pillows confidently knowing we were the best version of ourselves that day and tomorrow is hopefully a new day to attempt to be a better version of the day before. As an individual, I have had to navigate through some tough obstacles already in my life. I do not give in, nor do I give up, that is not an option nor luxury. I work through the hurdles that have been placed in front of me and I become stronger as a result of it. I do have a strong, effective support system in place that assists me and guides me as needed. This quote keeps me motivated daily. It provides comfort and guidance at times because I know my response and the starting actions I take when and if a situation arises.

As I get ready to graduate high school and go on to college, I am constantly trying to muster up the courage to grow and start a new chapter in my life. Life is what I make of it and how I live it. All of these, what if thoughts, run through my head. Even with all these concerns and worries, I am accepting this challenge of going to college head-on, but I need many things including financial assistance, which I am continuously trying to earn through various opportunities. Aerospace Engineering has been my set career pathway ever since I could remember. I have spent all my K through 12 schooling challenging myself to do better, taking upper-level classes, participating in community service opportunities, earning industry certifications, participating in competitions, and giving back to others. I am continuously working hard academically while at the same time having to face several personal challenges. When I was younger, my dad passed away unexpectedly, and now my mom has been recently been diagnosed with cancer and a compensated liver full of cirrhosis. As a result of doctor visits and treatments, money is extremely tight but very much needed. Yes, along the way, just like many other people I have had and am still having significant struggles to endure. These struggling events have made me weak and strong at the same time, they have shown me that inside me I have the courage and determination to grow and attain my goals. Going to college is a necessity to achieve my personal, educational, and professional goals while providing an opportunity to grow as an individual person. I want the chance to expand my academic knowledge base and social connections, I have worked hard for the chance to go to college, have been accepted, but need monetary assistance to fulfill this opportunity.

A bond that knew no boundaries grew extremely strong using technology and science as the connection. Ever since I was a little boy, I remember following my dad around, watching him work with and on various aspects of technology, always having a smile on his face while doing it. He truly enjoyed answering my daily barrage of questions related to what he was working on. He made learning about technology, circuits, programming, computer parts, while applying science, engineering, arts, and math, fun and allowed me to work hands on with it, with him by my side. As I get ready to graduate high school and go on to college, that passion is still with in me. I have taken and succeeded at classes in aerospace, engineering, digital arts, and computer science. Also, I have been fortunate enough to earn 3 informational technology related industry certifications while in high school. My hope is that all of the time and efforts I have put into learning while in school and hopefully continuing on throughout college will lead to a job working for NASA as an Aerospace Engineer, specializing in propulsion. While in middle school, 5 years ago, my mentor, my advocate, my best friend, my dad, passed away unexpectedly, Engineering and Aerospace plus all those science, math, and technology subjects it branches off to have been with me every day, just like my dad. The daily work I have put into my education and the emotional support I have received have helped me get through life thus far, no matter the situation. Unfortunately, in addition to the hardship of losing my dad 5 years ago, my mom during the month of December 2019, during my junior year of high school, was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma and a compensated liver. All within a 5-year timeframe and being an only child; I lost my dad, became a child from a single-family household, on a single-family income that now had extensive doctors’ bills, all while navigating extremely carefully through a deadly and contagious pandemic. Due to my mom’s diagnosis, treatment she is receiving, and the pandemic, she has been doctored mandated quarantined at home for a full year. She only goes to her doctor’s appointments then back home. Life has not been easy. People you thought you could count on have their own issues to handle. You must be prepared to handle things for yourself, by yourself. That does not mean you stop doing for others, because they stop doing for you, what it does mean is that you have to fight harder to achieve what you want and how you will go about getting it. I want, need to go to college, I need financial support to do it, I will not stop applying for scholarships, grants, and internships until someone at some time is willing to assist me. My parents raised me with the belief system that when things get tough, we as a family unit respond by getting tougher and fight back with all of our might. We support each other, we are there for each other, we love each other unconditionally, and we operate as one. Every day is a new day and when we wake up to that new day, we are appreciative of being given another day to help others and help ourselves. We start the day with one foot in front of the other and keep on moving. Throughout the day we have choices we need to make and whichever choice we choose we need to be willing to accept the results that come along with the choice we made. Once the day is done, we can rest our heads on our pillows knowing we were the best version of ourselves that day and tomorrow is hopefully a new day to attempt to be a better version of the day before. I truly appreciate all consideration provided to me as a hopeful candidate for this much needed scholarship. I have spent all my elementary, middle, and high school career challenging myself to do better, taking upper-level classes, participating in several community service opportunities, giving back to others and overcoming obstacles. I can honestly say, I have given my all and my best to achieve what I have achieved thus far. I am going to go to college and need financial assistance. Going to college is not a want but a need for me, a need to better myself, achieve all the personal, educational, and professional goals I have set for myself, and a need to pay back those that were there for me during my difficult times and continue to be there for me, by me being there for them when they need someone to support them.

A bond that knew no boundaries grew extremely strong using technology and science as the connection. Ever since I was a little boy, I remember following my dad around, watching him work with and on various aspects of technology, always having a smile on his face while doing it. He truly enjoyed answering my daily barrage of questions related to what he was working on. He made learning about technology, circuits, programming, computer parts, while applying science, engineering, arts, and math, fun and allowed me to work hands on with it, with him by my side. As I get ready to graduate high school and go on to college, that passion is still with in me. I have taken and succeeded at classes in aerospace, engineering, digital arts, and computer science. Also, I have been fortunate enough to earn 3 informational technology related industry certifications while in high school. My hope is that all of the time and efforts I have put into learning while in school and hopefully continuing on throughout college will lead to a job working for NASA as an Aerospace Engineer, specializing in propulsion. Throughout high school I have been involved in several organizations that had an extensive amount of extracurricular activities. Some of these various organizations with specific extracurricular activities provided me the opportunity to give back to my peers, friends, community, and school. One organization I was actively involved in all 4 years of high school was YMCA. The YMCA STEM program, related closely to my passion Aerospace Engineering, I was provided the opportunity to lead and facilitate hands-on interactive STEM related activities to elementary and middle school students. Another organization I was involved in for two years during high school was the National Honor Society. I participated in various extracurricular activities within this organization at the school and in the community that related to promoting leadership, showing academic strength, demonstrating integrity, and displaying great character. I want, need to go to college, I need financial support to do it, I will not stop applying for scholarships, grants, and internships until someone at some time is willing to assist me. I truly appreciate all consideration provided to me as a hopeful candidate for this much needed scholarship. I have spent all my elementary, middle, and high school career challenging myself to do better, taking upper-level classes, participating in several community service opportunities, giving back to others and overcoming obstacles. I can honestly say, I have given my all and my best to achieve what I have achieved thus far. I am going to go to college and need financial assistance. Going to college is not a want but a need for me, a need to better myself, achieve all the personal, educational, and professional goals I have set for myself.

A bond that knew no boundaries grew extremely strong using technology and science as the connection. Ever since I was a little boy, I remember following my dad around, watching him work with and on various aspects of technology, always having a smile on his face while doing it. He truly enjoyed answering my daily barrage of questions related to what he was working on. He made learning about technology, circuits, programming, computer parts, while applying science, engineering, arts, and math, fun and allowed me to work hands on with it, with him by my side. As I get ready to graduate high school and go on to college, that passion is still with in me. I have taken and succeeded at classes in aerospace, engineering, digital arts, and computer science. Also, I have been fortunate enough to earn 3 informational technology related industry certifications while in high school. My hope is that all of the time and efforts I have put into learning while in school and hopefully continuing on throughout college will lead to a job working for NASA as an Aerospace Engineer, specializing in propulsion. While in middle school, 5 years ago, my mentor, my advocate, my best friend, my dad, passed away unexpectedly, Engineering and Aerospace plus all those science, math, and technology subjects it branches off to have been with me every day, just like my dad. The daily work I have put into my education and the emotional support I have received have helped me get through life thus far, no matter the situation. Unfortunately, in addition to the hardship of losing my dad 5 years ago, my mom during the month of December 2019, during my junior year of high school, was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma and a compensated liver. All within a 5-year timeframe and being an only child; I lost my dad, became a child from a single-family household, on a single-family income that now had extensive doctors’ bills, all while navigating extremely carefully through a deadly and contagious pandemic. Due to my mom’s diagnosis, treatment she is receiving, and the pandemic, she has been doctored mandated quarantined at home for a full year. She only goes to her doctor’s appointments then back home. Life has not been easy. People you thought you could count on have their own issues to handle. You must be prepared to handle things for yourself, by yourself. That does not mean you stop doing for others, because they stop doing for you, what it does mean is that you have to fight harder to achieve what you want and how you will go about getting it. I want, need to go to college, I need financial support to do it, I will not stop applying for scholarships, grants, and internships until someone at some time is willing to assist me. My parents raised me with the belief system that when things get tough, we as a family unit respond by getting tougher and fight back with all of our might. We support each other, we are there for each other, we love each other unconditionally, and we operate as one. Every day is a new day and when we wake up to that new day, we are appreciative of being given another day to help others and help ourselves. We start the day with one foot in front of the other and keep on moving. Throughout the day we have choices we need to make and whichever choice we choose we need to be willing to accept the results that come along with the choice we made. Once the day is done, we can rest our heads on our pillows knowing we were the best version of ourselves that day and tomorrow is hopefully a new day to attempt to be a better version of the day before. I truly appreciate all consideration provided to me as a hopeful candidate for this much needed scholarship. I have spent all my elementary, middle, and high school career challenging myself to do better, taking upper-level classes, participating in several community service opportunities, giving back to others and overcoming obstacles. I can honestly say, I have given my all and my best to achieve what I have achieved thus far. I am going to go to college and need financial assistance. Going to college is not a want but a need for me, a need to better myself, achieve all the personal, educational, and professional goals I have set for myself, and a need to pay back those that were there for me during my difficult times and continue to be there for me, by me being there for them when they need someone to support them.

A bond that knew no boundaries grew extremely strong using technology and science as the connection. Ever since I was a little boy, I remember following my dad around, watching him work with and on various aspects of technology, always having a smile on his face while doing it. He truly enjoyed answering my daily barrage of questions related to what he was working on. He made learning about technology, circuits, programming, computer parts, while applying science, engineering, arts, and math, fun and allowed me to work hands on with it, with him by my side. As I get ready to graduate high school and go on to college, that passion is still with in me. I have taken and succeeded at classes in aerospace, engineering, digital arts, and computer science. Also, I have been fortunate enough to earn 3 informational technology related industry certifications while in high school. My hope is that all of the time and efforts I have put into learning while in school and hopefully continuing on throughout college will lead to a job working for NASA as an Aerospace Engineer, specializing in propulsion. While in middle school, 5 years ago, my mentor, my advocate, my best friend, my dad, passed away unexpectedly, Engineering and Aerospace plus all those science, math, and technology subjects it branches off to have been with me every day, just like my dad. The daily work I have put into my education and the emotional support I have received have helped me get through life thus far, no matter the situation. Unfortunately, in addition to the hardship of losing my dad 5 years ago, my mom during the month of December 2019, during my junior year of high school, was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma and a compensated liver. All within a 5-year timeframe and being an only child; I lost my dad, became a child from a single-family household, on a single-family income that now had extensive doctors’ bills, all while navigating extremely carefully through a deadly and contagious pandemic. Due to my mom’s diagnosis, treatment she is receiving, and the pandemic, she has been doctored mandated quarantined at home for a full year. She only goes to her doctor’s appointments then back home. Life has not been easy. People you thought you could count on have their own issues to handle. You must be prepared to handle things for yourself, by yourself. That does not mean you stop doing for others, because they stop doing for you, what it does mean is that you have to fight harder to achieve what you want and how you will go about getting it. I want, need to go to college, I need financial support to do it, I will not stop applying for scholarships, grants, and internships until someone at some time is willing to assist me. My parents raised me with the belief system that when things get tough, we as a family unit respond by getting tougher and fight back with all of our might. We support each other, we are there for each other, we love each other unconditionally, and we operate as one. Every day is a new day and when we wake up to that new day, we are appreciative of being given another day to help others and help ourselves. We start the day with one foot in front of the other and keep on moving. Throughout the day we have choices we need to make and whichever choice we choose we need to be willing to accept the results that come along with the choice we made. Once the day is done, we can rest our heads on our pillows knowing we were the best version of ourselves that day and tomorrow is hopefully a new day to attempt to be a better version of the day before. I truly appreciate all consideration provided to me as a hopeful candidate for this much needed scholarship. I have spent all my elementary, middle, and high school career challenging myself to do better, taking upper-level classes, participating in several community service opportunities, giving back to others and overcoming obstacles. I can honestly say, I have given my all and my best to achieve what I have achieved thus far. I am going to go to college and need financial assistance. Going to college is not a want but a need for me, a need to better myself, achieve all the personal, educational, and professional goals I have set for myself, and a need to pay back those that were there for me during my difficult times and continue to be there for me, by me being there for them when they need someone to support them.

Time is valuable and technology manufacturers today use that knowledge to its advantage, the smart phones designers are no exception. Smart phones provide every opportunity for a person to be successful, no matter what situation is going on in your life, most information needed now is right at a person’s fingertips in a matter of seconds. Having access to any piece of information right on the spot can be a good thing and it can also be a hinderance. There are two sides, arguments, views to each person’s situation as it relates to smart phones and technology. Both sides, for and against, technology have great points as to why smart phone usage can be positive and or negative. Smart phones and all technology can be adjusted to a situation. It no longer has to be limited to just a brick-and-mortar location, it can go wherever you go, plus it can assist you in getting to your destination in the shortest amount of time, while guiding you around potentially dangerous situations. It is no longer required for a person to be sitting in a seat attending lectures to earn a college degree, you can learn in online using a smart phone. A person never has to set foot into a store any longer, shopping can be done on the smart phone. If sick an appointment to go to the doctor is not required, now the doctor can diagnose a patient on technology. We as a society have shown so much progress and advancements due to technology. Scientists are able to now make 3-D joints for people who need replacements. Police use technology to search things they deem dangerous and harmful for a person to search. Each and every profession has a use for technology to aide them in doing their jobs. We have also shown how vulnerable we as a society are by the use of technology. People have learned to steal other identities, crack into databases they do not belong, and destroy others through social media. I personally use various technology including my smart phone for multiple tasks each and every day. Yes, it helps me to get the task at hand done and completed, but at the same time I find it to be a hinderance and distraction. I think I have gotten so used to the quick response time I am afforded with technology that when I do have to wait for things, I get agitated. Also, when driving technology completely distracts me from where my full attention should be, on the road, which than causes me to be an unnecessary danger to other people on the road. I believe and know technology has its benefits; I am in no way disputing this. It also has its drawbacks. One thing I know for sure is that without the use of my smart phone I would never have known about this generous and much needed scholarship opportunity, nor would I be able to have a chance to apply for it.

Throughout my life I have been fortunate to be surrounded by caring people. People that would doing anything for me and they know I would do anything for them as well. There have been specific times that I have experienced some very personal issues and both my mom, and I have needed additional social emotional support from our friends. It was a sunny afternoon, I was on my way home from school, I was tired and hungry. As the bus, screeched around the corner I could see my house, there were a lot of cars parked out front, I was unaware why they were there. I got off the bus and rushed into the house, my mom met me at the door and immediately took me into her bedroom. I started feeling my body go limp with fear, I did not know what she was going to say, but I had a sense it was not something I wanted to hear. My mom expressed to me how my dad passed away unexpectedly. She said life is very fragile and we must appreciate every moment. We talked and cried, just the two of us for what felt like a minute but was 2 hours. When we came out of her room, a close family friend approached me and asked me if I wanted anything to eat. I stated no thank you, to which she replied in an extremely kind manner, I will eat if you eat, we could eat together. Her gesture of kindness made a world of difference, we sat and talked about anything and everything I wanted to talk about until I had finished eating. She stopped everything she was doing to be there for me and put my needs above hers. A small, simple, act of kindness made my life a little tolerable that day and moving forward. This took place 5 years and that act of kindness and my feelings of gratefulness remain fresh in my mind to this day. Whether an act of kindness is random or planned it is still meant to help and or change somebody’s situation for that moment in time, maybe with the benefit of carrying forward for an extensive amount of time. I truly appreciate and am thankful for all the kindness that is going into the consideration provided to me, as a hopeful candidate for this much needed scholarship. Going to college is not a want but a need for me, a need to better myself and achieve all the short and long term personal, educational, and professional goals I have set for myself.

A bond that knew no boundaries grew extremely strong due to technology. Ever since I was a little boy, I remember following my dad around, watching him work with and on various aspects of technology, always having a smile on his face while doing it. He truly enjoyed answering my daily barrage of questions related to what he was working on. He made learning about technology, circuits, programming, computer parts, while applying science, engineering, arts, and math, fun and allowed me to work hands on with it, with him by my side. As I get ready to graduate high school and go on to college, that passion is still with in me. I have taken and succeeded at classes in aerospace, engineering, digital arts, and computer science. Also, I have been fortunate enough to earn 4 computer science related industry certifications while in high school. My hope is that all of the time and efforts I have put into computer science while in school and then college will lead to a job working for NASA as an Aerospace Engineer, specializing in mechanical and electrical engineering. While continuing to infuse Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math (STEAM). Throughout my entire life journey to date, I have not lost interest in my career pathway. I have continued on with as much passion as the day I started when I was very young. Even though my mentor, my advocate, my best friend, my dad, passed away unexpectedly 5 years ago, computer science and all the underlying subjects it branches off to has been with me every day, just like my dad. I truly appreciate all consideration provided to me as a hopeful candidate for this much needed scholarship. I have spent all my elementary, middle, and high school career challenging myself to do better, taking upper-level classes, participating in several community service opportunities, giving back what I have been given and more to others. I can honestly say, I have given my all and my best to achieve what I have achieved thus far. I am going to go to college and need financial assistance. Going to college is not a want but a need for me, a need to better myself and achieve all the personal, educational, and professional goals I have set for myself.

Change is inevitable, nothing stays the same, if it did, we as people would not learn and grow from our experiences. When my father passed away 5 years ago, I was and at times still am devastated. Grief doesn’t go away ever, it will always travel with me, but how I handle it changes as I age and have more experiences. My mom has been recently diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma in her bone marrow and compensated cirrhosis of the liver, because this diagnosis is fairly recent my life is currently full of actions and reactions, as more information develops and as her treatment plan continues, I am sure my hopeful future plans will need to be adjusted. Before my mom was diagnosed December 2020, my plans were to go to an in-state public 4-year college about 4 hours from home, for a major in Aerospace Engineering. Since my mom has been diagnosed and is receiving treatment, she requires a lot of help from me, the only child, I am not sure my plans for the future will be able to be my planned reality. Currently, my mom has been doctor mandated home quarantined for a full year due to her treatment and Covid-19, she will be in month 7 as of February 25, 2021, with 5 more months to go. Although she is permitted to work from home, she tires easily and at times has difficulty maneuvering around the house. I know at this point the full implications of her diagnosis has not set in with either one of us, we are taking things one day at a time right now. As of March 2020, to present, I have been doing virtually learning with my high school. All extracurricular activities have been made to go virtual as well. I am struggling with the fact that, what once was will never be again for me and I need to live in, what now is. Meaning, when I did go to school and this pandemic did not exist, I was able to participate hands on within my classes. I was able to eat lunch with my friends, I was able to see the expressions of excitement on my teachers faces when we understood the concepts being taught. Now I am living in a reality of what is. When and if I do return to school face to face before I graduate, my teachers will all be wearing masks, at lunch the closest I can be to the nearest person will be 6 feet, doing hands on activities will be a thing of the past. Now that we are 3 months into the new year of 2021, I am extremely appreciative for the opportunities I was exposed to when we lived in the “what was” time period. As we continue on this year, living under quarantined restrictions due to my mom and Covid-19, I am appreciating the time I have with my mom and making sure each moment is not a wasted moment. I see every day that we wake up as a blessing and I ensure that I thank and appreciate each person personally who has a role in making my day brighter. I am also using this time to send a virtual smile daily to each person I can reach either through social media or on the phone and letting them know they are being thought about and are not alone. I plan on continuing these actions throughout the year and into the future. Thank you for the opportunity you have provided through this scholarship, the A Sani Life Scholarship has provided me with the chance to share my feelings in a safe and judgement free manner. Being chosen to receive this scholarship would result in a significant impact to my future plans. Tuition alone to the university I have been accepted too is $20,980 per year. That is a lot of money and I know that any assistance I can receive would be greatly appreciated and alleviate some money issues in my household. I am hopeful I conveyed myself to the scholarship selection committee in a manner they feel represents their mission best.

Freely giving of oneself is a complete act of kindness and selflessness. One community service activity I am working with that is allowing me to give back to my community is cleaning, scrubbing, and clearing headstones so that they could be visible to visitors and family members. I do this volunteer activity at the oldest African American Cemetery in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Many individuals dating back to passing away in the beginning 1900’s was unaccounted for because the cemetery was overgrown, unkept, and not taken care of. People buried in those plots were not known and they were unaccounted for because their headstones could not be seen or read. This voluntary activity gives me, one person in the tiny spec of this universe, the opportunity to bring closure to family members looking for those that have passed, it gives me the opportunity to give the people who had passed their name and identity back, and it gives me the opportunity to give the people who passed the chance to be recognized and reunited by those looking for them. This project truly allows me to link the past and the present. During this project I feel I made a difference, I have been fulfilling a need and a purpose for others. I have been able to help families find one another, friends have been brought back together, and giving respect to people who have passed on through upkeeping and maintaining the cemetery grounds. This activity allowed me to give back to those who have lost their voice and could not be seen through all the overgrown grass, to say, I am here, and I am somebody. There are so many ways I hope to make my community better for others than the way it was when I moved in. For me, most importantly to start with is to make my community a community again. A place where people not only live, but they feel a sense of belonging and are proud of where they live. When people walk outside their house they actually are invested in their own community and a part of what is going on. Neighbors look out for one and other and genuinely care about the well-being of each other. Children can safely play outside and not have to worry about being safe. I would want that to be my legacy, I was known for making a community and actual community again.

I have spent all my elementary, middle, and high school career challenging myself to do better, taking upper-level classes, participating in several community service opportunities, giving back what I have been given and more to others. I can honestly say, I have given my all and my best to achieve what I have achieved thus far. I am going to go to college and need financial assistance. College is not a want but a need for me, a need to continue bettering myself to achieve all the personal, educational, and professional goals I have set for myself. I have enjoyed and continue to enjoy giving back to my community. I want my community members to have that same feeling of being a part of something bigger than themselves. As of right now I have 430 documented community service hours of activities I have done while in high school. I have been lucky enough to give back to my community in various ways. I have had the opportunity to clean gravestones at the oldest cemetery in the area, I have worked with multigenerational groups exposing them to hands on aspects of science, I have started a mentorship program at my high school, and I have also sent messages to the community celebrating various successes within the community using social media. Being involved in your community fosters intrinsic value and self-worth. It creates comradery among the residents, a sense of pride for where you live, and a mutual respect by the members of the community for one and other. When giving your valuable time freely to someone and or a cause you are advocating for, it is because you believe in it and have created a personal buy in. You feel it is important to help the person or cause succeed, which in turn creates a bonded community. In the future, after college and I settle into my adult life, my hopeful legacy or way that I am planning to give back to my community is by sharing knowledge with rising Aerospace Engineers in the community. I would like to be able to coach them through the process that will lead them to their chosen career pathway and then guide them through the process of applying to college or their choice in post-secondary activities. I truly appreciate all consideration provided to me as a hopeful candidate for this much needed scholarship. Expecting the unexpected seems to be the mantra in my household. The reason I am in such dire need of this scholarship assistance is because my dad unexpectedly passed away 5 years ago, this unexpected on-going pandemic, my mom raising me by herself and now being recently and unexpectedly diagnosed with Cancer and compensated liver cirrhosis disease which requires costly treatments. I have been accepted expectedly to college, unfortunately though I have not been offered any financial assistance.

I have spent all my elementary, middle, and high school career challenging myself to do better, taking upper-level classes, participating in several community service opportunities, giving back what I have been given and more to others. I can honestly say, I have given my all and my best to achieve what I have achieved thus far. I am going to go to college and need financial assistance. College is not a want but a need for me, a need to continue bettering myself to achieve all the personal, educational, and professional goals I have set for myself. I have enjoyed and continue to enjoy giving back to my community. As of right now I have 430 documented community service hours of activities I have done while in high school. I have been lucky enough to give back to my community in various ways. I have had the opportunity to clean gravestones at the oldest cemetery in the area, I have worked with multigenerational groups exposing them to hands on aspects of science, I have started a mentorship program at my high school, and I have also sent messages to the community celebrating various successes within the community using social media. Being involved in your community fosters intrinsic value and self-worth. It creates comradery among the residents, a sense of pride for where you live, and a mutual respect by the members of the community for one and other. When giving your valuable time freely to someone and or a cause you are advocating for, it is because you believe in it and have created a personal buy in. You feel it is important to help the person or cause succeed. I have a passion and career aspirations of working with Aerospace Engineering. Even though my mentor, my advocate, my best friend, my dad, passed away unexpectedly 5 years ago, computer science and all the subjects it branches off to, has been with me every day, just like my dad, and the love and knowledge he had for technology he left as his legacy to me. It has been instilled in me to never quit and anything worth doing is worth doing right. So, my hopeful legacy or way that I am going to give back to my community through my future career goals is by sharing knowledge with rising Aerospace Engineers in the community. I would like to be able to coach them through the process that will lead them to their chosen career pathway and then guide them through the process of applying to college or their choice in post-secondary activities. I truly appreciate all consideration provided to me as a hopeful candidate for this much needed scholarship. Expecting the unexpected seems to be the mantra in my household. The reason I am in such dire need of this scholarship assistance is because in addition to my dad unexpectedly passing, this unexpected on-going pandemic, my mom raising me by herself and now being recently and unexpectedly diagnosed with Cancer and compensated liver cirrhosis disease she requires costly treatments. I have been accepted expectedly to college, unfortunately though I have not been offered any financial assistance. My mom was prepared and had money set aside for me to go to college, but right now the money is going fast towards her treatments. I know and feel that is how it should be.

A father’s legacy that knew no boundaries grew extremely strong due to technology. Ever since I was a little boy, I remember following my dad around, watching him work with and on various aspects of technology, always having a smile on his face while doing it. He truly enjoyed answering my daily barrage of questions related to what he was working on. He made learning about technology, circuits, programming, computer parts, while applying the science, engineering, arts, and math that were all encompassed, fun and allowed me to work hands on with it, with him by my side. As I get ready to graduate high school and go on to college, that passion is still with in me. I have taken and succeeded at classes in aerospace, engineering, digital arts, and computer science. Also, I have been fortunate enough to earn 4 computer science related industry certifications while in high school. My hope is that all of the time and efforts I have put into computer science while in school and then college will lead to a job working for NASA as an Aerospace Engineer, specializing in mechanical and electrical engineering. While continuing to infuse Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math (STEAM). While in high school I have been fortunate to actively participate and take on leaderships roles in two National Competitions Sponsored by NASA, Student Launch initiative (SLI) and Team America Rocketry Challenge (TARC). Being able to keep my career interest involvement active and relevant to the time is important because STEAM related topics are continuing to advance daily. I was team manager of the 5 person TARC team and we placed 6th place nationally and won 1st place for the most uniquely designed and built rocket. Currently, I am manager of the SLI team, the only manager to have the opportunity to facilitate a team virtually, due to being in a pandemic. Our proposal has been accepted by NASA and as a team we will now be building a rocket virtually as well. Throughout my entire life journey to date, I have not lost interest in my career pathway. I have continued on with as much passion as the day I started when I was very young. Even though my mentor, my advocate, my best friend, my dad, passed away unexpectedly 5 years ago, computer science and all the underlying subjects it branches off to has been with me every day, just like my dad has, and the love and knowledge he had for technology he left as his legacy to me. I truly appreciate all consideration provided to me as a hopeful candidate for this much needed scholarship. Expecting the unexpected seems to be the mantra in my household. The reason I am in such dire need of this scholarship assistance is because in addition to my dad unexpectedly passing, this unexpected on-going pandemic, my mom being recently and unexpectedly diagnosed with Cancer and compensated liver cirrhosis disease which require costly treatments, I have been accepted expectedly to college with no free financial assistance unexpectedly and unfortunately. My mom was prepared and had money set aside, right now the money is going fast and towards her treatments. That is how it should be. I have spent all my elementary, middle, and high school career challenging myself to do better, taking upper-level classes, participating in several community service opportunities, giving back what I have been given and more to others. I can honestly say, I have given my all and my best to achieve what I have achieved thus far. I am going to go to college and need financial assistance. Going to college is not a want but a need for me, a need to continue bettering myself to achieve all the personal, educational, and professional goals I have set for myself. This is the legacy I hope to leave someday, to be known for my consistent dedication and strong passion no matter what obstacles are placed in my way.

We never stop learning from the day we are born until the day we pass on. We as people need information to progress and move in a forward direction in order to remain an active part in society. We can choose to keep up or be left behind. Learning should be enjoyable to you and should be delivered in a manner that makes you want to continue gaining more knowledge. My career goal is to be an Aerospace Engineer. I would like to work for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). I am currently working on achieving this career goal. I am a hands-on worker and learner that truly enjoys technology. I started my Aerospace Engineering career themed pathway in middle school and have continued it throughout high school. I have earned 3 industry certifications to date that are directly related to my goal. The classes I am taking in school are challenging, these classes have provided me with the insight of what I can expect to see when I attend college. While attending college to earn my Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Doctorate in Aerospace Engineering I plan on completing internships that will provide me with hands-on experiences in my chosen career field. For me it is important I follow through with my career goal, by going to college and achieving my goals of becoming an Aerospace Engineer. I am going to go to college and need financial help to achieve my goal. Going to college is not a want but a need for me, a need to better myself and achieve all the personal, educational, and professional goals I have set for myself. I lost my dad unexpected 5 years ago, leaving my mom to be a single parent raising me on a single-family income. Losing a parent at a young age can have a profound life-long affect, especially when you are at an age when you are old enough to have experienced things together, blessing you with the opportunity to know who that parent is and how much both of you together are going to miss out on because you are young and still have not been through most of your formative stages in growing up. Losing a parent is like losing a piece of yourself, you are 50% comprised of that person you have lost. The loss is never going to go away and will always have a significant impact. In addition to losing my dad, during the start of Covid-19 my mom was diagnosed with Cancer and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis cirrhosis of the liver. It is important I follow through with my career goal, by going to college and achieving my goals of becoming an Aerospace Engineer. I want this for myself and I know that both of my parents want it for me.

Education is a life-long process. We never stop learning from the day we are born until the day we pass on. We as people need information to progress and move in a forward direction in order to remain an active part in society. We can choose to keep up or be left behind. Today there are so many non-traditional ways to ensure you continue with the learning process, you can do it online at home on your own time, you can choose classes where you learn by doing, you can go to classes and listen to a teacher speak on material that interests you. Learning should be enjoyable to you and should be delivered in a manner that makes you want to continue gaining more knowledge. My career goal is to be an Aerospace Engineer. I would like to work for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). I am currently working on achieving this career goal. I am a hands-on worker and learner that truly enjoys technology. I started my Aerospace Engineering career themed pathway in middle school and have continued it throughout high school. I have earned 3 industry certifications to date that are directly related to my goal. The classes I am taking in school are challenging, these classes have provided me with the insight of what I can expect to see when I attend college. While attending college to earn my Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Doctorate in Aerospace Engineering I plan on completing internships that will provide me with hands-on experiences in my chosen career field. For me it is important I follow through with my career goal, by going to college and achieving my goals of becoming an Aerospace Engineer. I am going to go to college and need financial help to achieve my goal. Going to college is not a want but a need for me, a need to better myself and achieve all the personal, educational, and professional goals I have set for myself. I lost my dad unexpected 5 years ago, leaving my mom to be a single parent raising me on a single-family income. Losing a parent at a young age can have a profound life-long affect, especially when you are at an age when you are old enough to have experienced things together, blessing you with the opportunity to know who that parent is and how much both of you together are going to miss out on because you are young and still have not been through most of your formative stages in growing up. Losing a parent is like losing a piece of yourself, you are 50% comprised of that person you have lost. The loss is never going to go away and will always have a significant impact. In addition to losing my dad, during the start of Covid-19 my mom was diagnosed with Cancer and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis cirrhosis of the liver. Some days are going to be different than other days, these days may not be good nor bad, just different. It is okay to have those types of days. The most important thing to remember is that you are in control of your actions and reactions to situations. The actions and reactions you display are what will shape your experiences to come. It will make you realize what is significant and why. For me it is important I follow through with my career goal, by going to college and achieving my goals of becoming an Aerospace Engineer. I want this for myself and I know that both of my parents want it for me.

I remember following my dad around, watching him work on various aspects of technology, always having a smile on his face while doing it. He made learning about technology, circuits, programming, computer parts, fun. As I get ready to graduate high school and go on to college, that passion is still with in me. While in high school I have successfully completed classes in aerospace, engineering, digital arts, and computer science. I have been fortunate to actively participate and take on leaderships roles in two National Competitions Sponsored by NASA, Student Launch initiative (SLI) and Team America Rocketry Challenge (TARC). Throughout my entire life journey to date, I have not lost interest in my career pathway. I have continued on with as much passion as the day I started. Even though my mentor, my advocate, my best friend, my role model, my dad, passed away unexpectedly 5 years ago, computer science has been with me every day, just like my dad. I have spent all my Kindergarten through 12 grade schooling, challenging myself to do better, taking upper level classes, participating in community service opportunities that give back to others. While having to face several personal and academic challenges I can honestly say, I have given my all and best to achieve what I have. I truly enjoy paying it forward by donating my time to share with interested members in my community what my dad enjoyed most sharing with me, his love for science and technology. For the four years I have been in high school I have participated in community outreach each year. Not only does it feel good to assist others who want to better themselves, but personally it assists me in maintaining the strong connection with my dad. Going to college is a need for me, a need to better myself and achieve my personal, educational, and professional goals. All while providing myself with the opportunity, strength, and courage to continue to grow as a person. I continue to overcome obstacles the older I get. I was grateful to not experience many obstacles until I was 12 when my dad passed, since then I have experienced more, including my mom being diagnosed with Cancer, my high school not offering classes I would need to graduate, loss of income due to my dad passing and my mom becoming ill. The only actions I know how to handle obstacles is by learning from them and moving forward. That is what I am doing here, I know I need to go to college, I know that I need money to do it, so I am taking action and applying for scholarships.

A bond that knew no boundaries grew extremely strong due to technology. Ever since I was a little boy I remember following my dad around, watching him work with and on various aspects of technology and always having a smile on his face while doing it. He truly enjoyed answering my daily barrage of questions related to what he was working on. He made learning about technology, circuits, programming, and computer parts fun and allowed me to work hands on with it, with him by my side. To this day, as I get ready to graduate high school and go on to college, that passion is still with in me. I have taken and succeeded at classes in aerospace, engineering, and computer science. Also, I have been fortunate enough to earn 4 computer science related industry certifications while in high school. My hopes is that all of the time and efforts I have put into computer science while in school and then college will lead to a job working for NASA as an Aerospace Engineer, specializing in mechanical and electrical engineering. Throughout my entire life journey to date, I have not lost interest in my career pathway. I have continued on with as much passion as the day I started when I was very young. Even though my mentor, my advocate, my best friend, my dad, passed away unexpectedly 5 years ago, computer science and all the underlying subjects it branches off to has been with me every day, just like my dad. I truly appreciate all consideration provided to me as a hopeful candidate for this much needed scholarship. I have spent all my elementary, middle, and high school career challenging myself to do better, taking upper level classes, participating in several community service opportunities, giving back what I have been given and more to others. I can honestly say I have given my all and my best to achieve what I have achieved thus far.

Someone might say misfit, I say unique, different, stand out in a crowd. It is okay to be myself. I am who I am because my experiences in life have shaped me and molded me to be that way. I am a product of my environment, guess what, I am proud of it too! If we were all alike, that would mean we have all had the same experiences, at the same time, in the same place, with the same people, boring. I don’t want to be like everyone else. I don’t need to fit in to have a life or be somebody. I want to stand out for being me. I have never followed the crowd, since I can remember I did not fit in with most people. I was okay with that. In school I wanted to be responsible for my own work and actions, I wanted to share my own thoughts, and I wanted my work to represent me. I did not like working in groups, I did not want to be forced to conform to what others wanted to do. I did work in groups when I had to and yes I had fun doing it, but it represented us as a whole, and not me as the individual. Another significant and most times damaging way I am a misfit is that I am a high achiever academically, but an extremely poor test taker. This truly is a harsh reality when it comes to applying for things, it is sad that this criteria alone gets me immediately put aside. Many schools, scholarships, colleges, and people judge me for this. Immediately before getting to know me they see the test score and toss my application aside, I am a person beyond my test scores. I don’t fit that set criteria and it is a hinderance. In the future I plan to change this jaded outlook, for others who may have this same issue. In life, I am a ruler follower, for things that relate to others or my safety. I would never intentionally put anyone nor myself in harms way. Nor would I push anyone aside to make myself shine brighter. I can tell you though that my experiences in life are like no one else’s, aspects of it maybe similar, but not every detail. As a result of it, I tend to be an outsider. Most times it does not bother me because I am my own self, there are times though I am left wondering why I don’t fit in, but those times a short brief moments because the friends I do have remind me I am who I am, if I have to change for anyone, than they are not my friend in the first place. Just because I am quirky and or a misfit, I will not let a label force me to put my career aspirations on hold. I am planning on going to college to be an Aerospace Engineer. I have always been interested in space, working with my hands, math, and science. That is my passion, I can attain and achieve my career goals even if I am a misfit.

Life is funny, we don’t always get what we wish for nor get to do things over, if we did, our adventures in life would be skewed and our achievements would not be based on the original learning opportunities that provided us growth, strength, and perseverance. The action of doing something over, would mean taking away a piece of the foundational me, I have started to build. I have to be able to continue to learn and grow, I have to be allowed to make my own mistakes and find my own way of handling and coping with them, I have to know that I am strong enough physically and emotionally to continue on my journey of life, knowing I have the tools and persistence within me to move forward. Demonstrating perseverance during difficult times speaks volumes to a person’s character. When I was 12 my Dad passed away unexpectedly and the community was there for my family and I. The way I put things into perspective was by, volunteering my time, this was my way of giving back to a community that supported, advocated, encouraged, and was there for me during my family’s time of struggles. The community’s dedication to my family, inspired me to continue to work hard in school and not take anything for granted. It was an honor for me to give back to those who had given so much of themselves to us. A month and a half after I turned 17, we needed the community’s assistance again, my Mom was diagnosed with cancer, this same community was there for me again and has been since, cheering me on and routing for my successes. I feel I have made and continue to make a difference in my community. By volunteering I had and continue to fulfill a need and a purpose for others, like they did for my family and I. I not only volunteered my time, but I also gave a part of myself; I became deeply invested with the task at hand. I am most proud of the fact that volunteering allows me to give back and puts into perspective that I am not alone, I am not the only one with issues, and that others are willing to connect beyond a superficial level. My experiences and perspective are mine, until someone walks the exact same path, in my exact same shoes, at the exact same time, with the exact same previous life events, as I have, these will remain my mine. My views have definitely changed now that I have experienced some tough situations. Taking life and people for granted or putting materialistic things over making memories will not create long term gratification. Life is extraordinary, also fragile, and should never be taken for granted. Time is precious and we must make purposeful use of it while we are afforded the wonderful opportunity. I know I have a significant amount of things to learn and experience. I in no way think I have seen it all nor know it all. I truly hope that I will be afforded an opportunity to take part of my future and possibly have my perspective expanded and my perseverance tested.

A bold activity I was grateful to be apart of was giving those that had no voice a voice! I volunteered at the North Woodlawn Cemetery in, Florida, identifying headstones, documenting their location at the grave site, and clearing each grave site. This impacted the community in a positive manner, for many years this cemetery was neglected and families could not visit due to the massive amounts of trash and bugs over running the cemetery. By cleaning up the cemetery it provided the families with a a more pleasant way to visit and pay their respect to departed loved ones.