One attribute that makes me unique is that I enjoy complex tasks and being pressured when challenged to do something I have yet to learn to be good at. I feel my best when I am in a position where I have to stop and think about how I can come to a solution—having the ability to think outside the box and having an unorthodox mindset has done me well in my life. I was born in a poor village in Haiti. My family had no money, but we kept our heads up and worked for what we had. Seven years later, I moved to America. I was thankful for making it out of Haiti and having a chance to be someone. I faced many challenges about not speaking the language, but I never let that keep me down. I worked and studied hard so I would not have to use the language barrier as an excuse not to do my best. When I was 12, I was placed into foster care. Although many saw that as a bad thing, which it may be, I did not see it as such. I saw it as an unfamiliar ground that I needed to familiarize myself with. I took advantage of all the opportunities in the foster home. I left that home with straight A's and my picture on the wall. The image on the wall awarded the kids who went over and beyond and showed gratitude and good behavior. I have had that same mindset where ever I go. I used to work at a golf course, and I strived not to just be a good worker but to make things more efficient around the workplace. I got promoted to a higher position after about two months of working. Now that I think about it, I got promoted because of my uniqueness. Yes, I was a good worker, but they liked me as a person. I always used my time wisely and looked for challenges around the workforce. A year after, Covid happened. The golf course had to shut down. Not being able to work drove me crazy. I like the idea of making the hours in a day meaningful. Five months after shut down, I sought a new way to work. I created a window cleaning business. No doubt, starting a company like that comes with challenges too. But it is all worth it. Now I am here, four years later, while typing this short essay, I have over 200 clients and pending messages from clients interested in cleaning their windows. I plan to give back by showing kids who are in a position that they can overcome any obstacle in their way. I want to be an example, somebody that kids can look up to. I plan to sponsor foster homes. I want each home to have a monthly field day where the kids can socialize. I want athletes and stars to talk to kids and share their life stories. I want to inspire and provide them with hope. Hope and motivation are what I need to power through every challenge that I face. So I know how important it is to have both.

My passion is running, as cliche, as it might sound, running is essential to me, and it's something that I enjoy doing. I have been running for about 10 years and feel stronger each year. Whenever things get busy, everything is out of control, I run to make sense of things. I started to take running seriously after my mother died. I didn't run because I liked it at the time; I ran because it was the only thing I could do to relieve stress and clear my head. Running was my way to escape. When running, it was left to just me and my thoughts. My thoughts could have been more concise and organized. It was scattered and unhealthy. But when running, I start to slow down my thoughts. I controlled my breathing, my thoughts, my heartbeat, and the things I owned. When running is the only time, I feel like I'm in control. It eases my mind. I started running for a school during my middle school years; I did cross country and track. At first, I never cared about being good or standing out. I only ran to ease my mind, and if I started running competitively, I would lose my reason for running. Nevertheless, I ran for the team. I'm in high school and run varsity cross country and track. I run by myself, so I can get out of that competitive environment and run to feel like I did when I first started. Running has given me great opportunities that I am more than grateful for. I am truly blessed to have run with the people I ran with and the places I ran in. Running keeps me at ease, and it also impacts my academic life. I am an IB student with a 4.89 Gpa and a 1270 Sat score. I love running, but I also have my priorities straight. I know that my education comes before running. In my head, the only way to pursue running is to ensure that I stay on top of my academics. With that, I am in my school's IB and NHS programs. Education is a bridge to a lot of opportunities in life. I value learning and gravitate toward anything that can help me grow in myself and my education. My next step is going to a secondary school. I have been accepted into 6 colleges, and 5 are from my top school. In college, I will excel academically as well as physically. Winning this scholarship is an excellent opportunity to do just so.

The human body never ceases to amaze. The way we walk, talk, and process information always seems surreal. Yea, there is scientific reasoning behind why and how we do things. But just the fact that we can do what we do is mind-boggling. Even simple functions like thinking blow my mind. The fact that we can have conversations in ours. We can imitate voices in our heads. We can think ahead of different solutions and ideas in our heads. Being able to do that separates us from other mammals—our ability to think about what we do and the reasoning behind what we do. Most animals are driven instinctively; they don't have to think about what they do. They do. But we can think. We can process information so much faster than other mammals. And to even go as far as being able to strengthen our minds. The human mind is already powerful at its base state, but being able to grow and enhance our brain is outrageous. Some people can memorize whole books. They can look up and recite pages. Just the fact that we can learn and repeat what we read is so intriguing. OF all the organisms on Earth, only we humans have the capability of reading and repeating. The human brain is undoubtedly exciting, but there is still more to learn. Things like, how can someone be so close and so different? How are siblings so dissimilar and think so differently? They grew up together and shared the same experience. It makes me wonder what is going on. How are we so great? The only way we can ever learn or explore these different revetting ideas is by working together. The brain is powerful enough, but together? Together we can solve anything. No exaggeration needed; I mean anything. 900 years ago, nobody could have even imagined being able to go to space. Let alone land on the moon. But with minds combined, anything is possible. We are so unique in the way that we can connect. When we connect, we send out chemicals to one another that attract each other's presence and allow us to want to be with someone. We are made to connect and not be alone. That is how we function. Two brains are better than one, not just because 2 is a more significant number than one because it is. But because of the possibilities of the outcomes that come with a union. The possibility is that one day, we can solve our cancer situation. Look how far we have come in the world of Medicine. We have progressed from how we diagnose, treat, and rehabilitate an injury. Before, people would die from minor diseases. Now, we have over-the-counter drugs that resolve these implications. That is all possible by working together. The great thing about this is that we require belonging. We want to help and be helped. NO matter wants to do anything alone. We should cherish that aspect of our nature, nature, to not be solitary. We should engage with one another and ask questions. We questioned our government and the sun and even challenged each other. With these questions, we tend to grow. We start to learn more quickly than ever before. When questioning, we start striving for answers. We then get the urge and the curiosity to know what makes things work. Learning is addictive. The more we do it, the easier it becomes. The human body and brain are extraordinary, and if we come together, nothing can stand in the way of our growth.

My goal in the medical career is to be a light that shines in despair—a person to look to when everything seems dark and doesn't make sense. I want to be a role model to everyone and show that if I can do it, you can too. I want to be able to go back to my birthplace, Haiti, and help little kids who don't have proper nutrition. I want to provide free medical aid to a third-world country like Haiti. I want to shine light and be the person they look up to and strive to be. I want to be the person I would have felt comfortable with when I was in the hospital needing care. When I was only 9, I was rushed into the emergency room because I had osteomyelitis. Osteomyelitis is an affection in the bone, and once left untreated, it limits function and mobility. I could not walk for 3-4 days, and I was terrified out of my mind. I didn't understand what was happening and was uncomfortable in the hospital. I love to run and be active, and if my legs no longer work, then I can no longer do what I love. One of the nurses or assistants in the hospital was a black male. He talked about how much he loved sports and the joy that he gets playing sports. At that very moment, I felt comfortable. In my little mind, all I was thinking about was the fact that he looked like me and how easily we connected. I never processed how impactful that was. I never realized how he looked like me and liked what I liked brought my mind to ease. And it goes to show that representation matters. He represented what I wanted to be. I want to provide comfort and be somebody to connect with in a time of hardship. Representation is so special and unique because it's different for everyone. Every person can feel like they are represented in a certain way. Having a black male assistant/nurse not only provided comfort but it reminds me of my father. My father, just like me, is from Haiti. He yearns to be a nurse. He wanted to connect with people while providing for his family. To him, being a nurse is the second best thing that could happen to him after being a father. And throughout my life, I have always loved that trait about my father. He was and is my role model to this day. He showed me that you could find joy in everything you do with the right mindset. He could not accomplish his goal, but I know I will. I know I have the same joy and captivation he had in helping people. I know my role as a black male in society is essential. I will represent a small percentage of African Americans in healthcare. But I know how impactful that can be. I know that many African American kids will feel comfortable in my presence. Not because I am the best all around, but because I look like them and we can connect differently. Representation Matters!

I experience my most significant growth and character development while in foster care. As crazy as it sounds, being in foster care was an escape and an opportunity to figure out who I am and what I like. One of the many quotes that I hold on to was said to me by my foster parent. He said it is good to know what you don't like just as much as you know what you like. At first, it seemed straightforward, like, yeah, it's good to know your likes and dislikes. But I started to ponder over that. I began to think about my time as a foster youth. I was born in Au'cap, Haiti, and moved to America when I was six. When I was 12, I went into foster care and was there for 5 to 6 years. I lived with my father before foster care. There were a lot of rules we had to oblige by. We could not go outside after school, we could not watch Tv, and we could have friends over nor communicate with anyone via phone. At the time, I didn't see anything wrong with that, so I did not know that I did not like it. But one day, my sister ran away, and hours later, cops pulled into our street and driveway. My sister told her counselor about what went on in the house and what was happening specifically to her, and the counselor called DCF. That day was the last time that I saw my dad. From there, I was in foster care for six years. My experience in foster care is different than most. I am the type of person that can get along with anyone. I made a lot of friends in foster care. I played sports and had many outings. We went to pools every Saturday, some of my friends taught me how to play basketball, and I had my first real crush in foster care. I learned a lot of things about myself; I learned about my likes and dislikes. I realized that I like Vanilla ice cream but despise chocolate ice cream. I have grown so much because of foster and met terrific mentors. I now live with my foster parents, but they have permanent guardianship over me. What was so different for me was that being in foster care allowed me to do things I would not have done. I had an opportunity to create connections with many people, old and young. I played sports with other people and became good at it. I would not have been able to do these things if I had still lived with my dad. Foster care also taught me to take any opportunity given to me. The houses I've lived in had tutors who came and helped kids with homework. I used that opportunity to get straight A's in middle school. I bounced from home to home, and every place an upgrade. Being in foster care allowed me to be in the position that I am in today. I am a high school senior living with a 4.89 Gpa with amazing " foster parents" who taught me so much. My goal is to complete by IB program and finish this year with a 5.0 GPA. I currently have a 4.8 GPA. I have been admitted into some of my dream schools, and I want to be able to pay for college and continue my education. I also want to learn stress-free without worrying about payments. I want to be a physician who has his practice.

I experience my most significant growth and character development while in foster care. As crazy as it sounds, being in foster care was an escape and an opportunity to figure out who I am and what I like. One of the many quotes that I hold on to was said to me by my foster parent. He said it is good to know what you don't like just as much as you know what you like. At first, it seemed straightforward, like, yeah, it's good to know your likes and dislikes. But I started to ponder over that. I began to think about my time as a foster youth. I have been in foster care for about 5 to 6 years, since 12. I lived with my father before foster care. There were a lot of rules we had to oblige by. We could not go outside after school, we could not watch Tv, and we could have friends over nor communicate with anyone via phone. At the time, I didn't see anything wrong with that, so I did not know that I did not like it. But one day, my sister ran away, and hours later, cops pulled into our street and driveway. My sister told her counselor about what went on in the house and what was happening specifically to her, and the counselor called DCF. That day was the last time that I saw my dad. From there, I was in foster care for six years. My experience in foster care is different than most. I am the type of person that can get along with anyone. I made a lot of friends in foster care. I played sports and had many outings. We went to pools every Saturday, some of my friends taught me how to play basketball, and I had my first real crush in foster care. I learned a lot of things about myself; I learned about my likes and dislikes. I realized that I like Vanilla ice cream but despise chocolate ice cream. I have grown so much because of foster and met terrific mentors. I now live with my foster parents, but they have permanent guardianship over me. What was so different for me was that being in foster care allowed me to do things I would not have done. I had an opportunity to create connections with many people, old and young. I played sports with other people and became good at it. These are things I would not have been able to do if I had still lived with my dad. Foster care also taught me to take any opportunity given to me. The houses I've lived in had tutors who came and helped kids with homework. I used that opportunity to get straight A's in middle school. I bounced from home to home, and every place an upgrade. Being in foster care allowed me to be in the position that I am in today. I am a high school senior living with a 4.89 Gpa with amazing " foster parents" who taught me so much. My experience shapes my outlook in life because of foster care. I have been taught to seek opportunity in every situation. No matter how big or small, I know I can find a bright side to everything. I could have turned a blind eye and been down about being in foster care. But I knew that would not do the people around me or me any good, so I found something good about it.

My goal in the medical career is to be a light that shines in despair—a person to look to when everything seems dark and doesn't make sense. I want to be a role model to everyone and show that if I can do it, you can too. I want to be able to go back to my birthplace, Haiti, and help little kids who don't have proper nutrition. I want to provide free medical aid to a third-world country like Haiti. I want to shine light and be the person they look up to and strive to be. I want to be the person I would have felt comfortable with when I was in the hospital needing care. When I was only 9, I was rushed into the emergency room because I had osteomyelitis. Osteomyelitis is an affection in the bone, and once left untreated, it limits function and mobility. I could not walk for 3-4 days, and I was terrified out of my mind. I didn't understand what was happening and was uncomfortable in the hospital. I love to run and be active, and if my legs no longer work, then I can no longer do what I love. One of the nurses or assistants in the hospital was a black male. He talked about how much he loved sports and the joy that he gets playing sports. At that very moment, I felt comfortable. In my little mind, all I was thinking about was the fact that he looked like me and how easily we connected. I never processed how impactful that was. I never realized how he looked like me and liked what I liked brought my mind to ease. And it goes to show that representation matters. He represented what I wanted to be. I want to provide comfort and be somebody to connect with in a time of hardship. Representation is so special and unique because it's different for everyone. Every person can feel like they are represented in a certain way. Having a black male assistant/nurse not only provided comfort but it reminds me of my father. My father, just like me, is from Haiti. He yearns to be a nurse. He wanted to connect with people while providing for his family. To him, being a nurse is the second best thing that could happen to him after being a father. And throughout my life, I have always loved that trait about my father. He was and is my role model to this day. He showed me that you could find joy in everything you do with the right mindset. He could not accomplish his goal, but I know I will. I know I have the same joy and captivation he had in helping people. I know my role as a black male in society is essential. I will represent a small percentage of African Americans in healthcare. But I know how impactful that can be. I know that many African American kids will feel comfortable in my presence. Not because I am the best all around, but because I look like them and we can connect differently. Representation Matters!

The hardest thing about losing a parent is thinking about how you felt and acted toward them before you've lost them—in this case, not knowing what would happen to them a week before. To lose them and knowing you may never hold or can never tell them that you loved them. You can no longer show them love, appreciation, or even gratitude. You then start to feel like you were unworthy of their pet or haven't had an appropriate time with them. That is how I felt when I suddenly lost my Mom in 2016. She was in another country, but we always talked on the phone. We exchanged laughs and ideas. We had a beautiful relationship, and she was like a best friend to me. Ever since I lost her, I felt like I had lost part of myself. It was hard for me to connect with anyone because I thought I had somehow betrayed her. It felt as though if I connected with someone else, I would lose the connection and the memory of her. Although that's not true, this was this idea that I implanted in my head. Around August of that year, I was put into the foster system. It was my first time, and it was something different. I felt empty inside and lost motivation. But out of every dark tunnel, there's always a bright light at the end. My shining light was the selfless and brave people in my life. The people who worked in that foster care facility cared about the kids with all their hearts. They made sure that I didn't give up. They reminded me that I am capable of great things. It helps me realize that this part of my life is only temporary. They tutored me and helped me with anything. They would talk to my teachers and even tell them to push me. Even when I never noticed, they were working on me. They worked hard to ensure that I got the most out of my situation. A year later, I was moved out of that foster home and moved to another one. I was worried that I would not have the same support system. But once again, I was blessed. My new foster parents worked just as hard to push me. I am grateful for them because I finished middle school with a 3. 8 GPA, and I took a lot of high school classes. I moved out of that foster and found a family who now has permanent guardianship over me. As a junior in high school, I’ve kept the same work ethic and strived for greatness. By the end of the 3rd quarter, I had 23.5 high school credits. I am part of the International Baccalaureate program at my high school. I am in the top 25 percent of my class. I have a 3.9/4 unweighted Gpa. And also a 4.6 weighted Gpa. This all would not be possible without the people that dedicated their time and sacrifices so that I could succeed educationally.

The hardest thing about losing a parent is thinking about how you felt and acted toward them before you've lost them—in this case, not knowing what would happen to them a week before. To lose them and knowing you may never hold or can never tell them that you loved them. You can no longer show them love, appreciation, or even gratitude. You then start to feel like you were not worthy of their love or haven't had an appropriate amount of time with them. That is how I felt when I suddenly lost my Mom in 2016. She was in another country, but we always talked on the phone. We exchanged laughs and ideas. We had a beautiful relationship, and she was like a best friend to me. Ever since I lost her, I felt like I had lost part of myself. It was hard for me to connect with anyone because I thought I had somehow betrayed her if I connected with someone else. I felt as though I would lose the connection and the memory of her. Although that's not true, this was this idea that I implanted in my head. Six months after she passed away, I started running. I didn't run because I liked it at the time; I ran because it was the only thing I could do to relieve stress and clear my head. Running was my way to escape. When running, it was left to just me and my thoughts. My thoughts were never concise and organized. It was scattered, discursive and unhealthy. But when running, I start to slow down my thoughts. I controlled my breathing, my thoughts, my heartbeat, and the things that I can control. Running is the only time I feel like I'm in control. It eases my mind. I started running for a school during my middle school years. I did both cross country and track. At first, I never cared about being good or standing out. I only ran to ease my mind, and I felt like if I started running competitively, I would lose my reason for running. Nevertheless, I ran for the team. As of now, I am in high school and I run varsity cross country/ track. I also run by myself, so I can get out of that competitive environment and run to feel like I did when I first started. Running has given me great opportunities that I am more than grateful for. I am truly blessed to have run with the people that I ran with and the places that I ran in. Out of this so-called tragedy, I wanted to create a safe environment for people to express themselves through running. I want them to see running as a way to let go. Running to me is a safe place, and I want people to realize that running doesn't have to be complicated. Running doesn't have to be something that coaches demand out of kids. Running can be a coping mechanism and a way to escape troubles. Running doesn’t require anything but the person. It doesn't require special shoes, equipment, or anything of that nature. Running has always been there for me, and I want to share that with others

The top thing on my bucket list is to have my practice/have my own business. To get into that business mentality, I started my own Window Cleaning Business. I started the company around the pandemic. During the pandemic, I worked at a golf course. But unfortunately, they closed down because of Corona. Shortly after that, I realized that I did not have a source of income and could not do the things that I enjoyed. I knew that I always wanted to work for myself, make my schedule, and always wanted to offer a service. I thought to myself, what is something that I am good at and that others would not want to do? And I thought about it, I hated cleaning my house windows, and I am 100% sure that everybody who has a house is too. So I went with that idea. I worked on the name; I worked on what I would do and how I would successfully clean windows professionally. From that, I made flyers and knocked on every door in my community. I got some doors shut in my face, but it was worth it. I am 2 years into it, and I've learned so much. I learn to love the hustle and the problems that come my way. The top thing on my bucket list is to have my own business because I believe that would be the most significant achievement for me.

Through all the conflicts and difficulties I have endured. I would have to say, the thing that fuels my life is" change" and " people." A saying goes, " the only constant in life is change." That quote says a lot because it is valid from being born in Haiti, going to foster care, and being where one is now. I realize the only constant in was changed. Change makes me who I am and shapes who I am going to be. It shows me that nothing is coming my way that will be able to knock me down. Change allows me to stay focused and be ready for anything because nothing stays the same. Along with change, the people I have fueled my life. In each stage of my life, I was able to count on and depend on people. I believed each person who was and is in my life had a purpose. They all helped me become who I was and wanted me to be great. This support system makes me strive for greatness. It motivates me to be great and successful for myself and them.