Let's be honest school can be one of the most toxic, overwhelming, and energy-consuming places, and currently for me, this is my predicament. Over time I have noticed how every time I get to school, I feel an instant drop in my mood and this content routine has been getting me down lately as I have noticed that I haven't been that excited about school or any events. But, as soon as I am out of school and in my own space my mood is much better and for some reason, my skin seems clearer. I have recently realized that I need to prioritize my wellness because this negative cloud that I have over my head at school is affecting my every mood and my health, so more recently I have been making sure that I have time for myself and separate my homework and studies I do at home to the real me time I need for myself at home. I have made a weekly calendar and have set Thursday nights as my self-care nights where I have made time to do facials and get really into the self-care mode. But I invest in my wellness by journaling my experiences, especially the events going on at school since I believe those events are the ones that disrupt my flow. Overall, just making sure there is time for you and only you regardless of what the activity is can be your way of maintaining your wellness and your peace. Managing your wellness school may not be as much of a drag as it seems. Since I have been getting into the routine of having my time for myself, my motivation has increased, and my schoolwork has improved. I am receiving better grades and doing less slacking with assignments making sure that they are turned in early or on time. I have been more motivated to just push through the day and am starting to think less of the bad that's happening at school and more of the good. Maintaining my wellness has made me feel better equipped to handle the stress of school and has increased my focus on my work and classes. It has also improved my overall quality of life and now has changed the way I perceive things; I no longer have this mentality that if things are going bad then it is just the end of things for me. I feel less anxious and less stressed about the things I can't handle or have no control over and have focused on myself and what is best for me and for the ones I love.

If there is one thing my father has always told me it was to "be somebody". As someone who has come from parents who didn't get the opportunity to finish high school or college the pressure of going to and through college is aggressively promoted to me and has influenced me to work harder than ever to be who I want to be. My whole life has been the preparation of me and pursuing my education and finding the best ways to use it for my future career of becoming a businesswoman. Witnessing the sacrifices my parents have had to make to provide for me to recieve my education has made me realize that college will be the only way for me to get to a brighter future, bringing success to not only me but my family as well. Being a first gen college student has instilled in me a strong work ethic and a strong sense of determination because I know the path to my goal of becoming a businesswoman won't be easy but being the product of parents who have persevered I know I can get through any obstacle brought my way. I am determined to break a cycle and create a better future for myself and my family. My future career of becoming a CEO or business owner has rooted in my parent's creative minds of becoming their bosses and creating their small mom-and-pop shop. I aspire to be a leader and make a positive impact on the youth in my community who will soon be first-gen college students like me. This is why I am dedicated to excelling in my studies and seeking more opportunities for myself and for my professional development. Being a first-generation college student has taught me the value of being able to take my education and use it for the betterment of my future career. I know that I have a responsibility to knot only achieve my own goals but also be able to influence others around me to pave a path to success.

One night, I found myself running away from home, screaming for help for my sister. I was only 13 years old at the time and terrified for her safety. Despite my efforts to find someone who could help, no one came. However, my actions that night ultimately made no change to my sister's abuse. That was five years ago, and while the abuse has slowed down over time, it has become less physical and more mental. There are many instances where I've seen violence towards my sister by her husband, and many times I have had to call the police but had gotten little to no help. My sister is still fighting to escape domestic abuse, but she is getting to a better place. This experience has left me with lasting scars. Through this experience, I have come to understand the importance of raising awareness about domestic violence. It is a traumatizing and potentially deadly issue, and as someone who has witnessed it firsthand, I am committed to standing up for anyone who has faced it. I speak openly about my experience with domestic violence and constantly stress the importance of leaving toxic relationships or friendships as soon as possible. Unfortunately, many people who experience domestic violence are afraid to speak up out of fear of further harm or worse. This is why I plan to advocate for the importance to educate others about the warning signs of abuse. Domestic violence is an issue that is not discussed enough, and the warning signs leading up to it are not widely known. Additionally, I plan to participate in support groups, especially in college, to raise awareness about domestic violence and provide a safe space for survivors to share their experiences. I believe that by raising awareness, speaking up, and educating others, we can create a zero-tolerance environment for domestic violence. Educating others can help break the cycle of abuse and potentially save someone's life. The support groups I plan to participate in will allow me to provide support to others and create an environment where people feel comfortable talking about any abuse or violence in their lives. It may seem small, but these steps can lead to gradual progress and make a significant impact on someone's life. I want anyone who has experienced or is experiencing domestic violence to know that they are not alone and that others do know their pain and can help them get help.

After I have finished my degree, I am off to experience a new world of business and innovate new things and a new future with my belief in hard work.

I am a young woman from the Eastside of San Antonio, Texas, who has been heavily influenced by parents who have always had a hustler mindset with their small mom-and-pop shop. I am juggling multiple things in my life that will help me become an entrepreneur and a successful businesswoman. As a senior, I have 7+ AP classes and am hoping to get rid of some of my freshman core classes. I am also the vice president of my student government and the president of the national honors society at my school, and I am an active leader off and on campus. My parents had a strong work ethic and taught me the value of hard work from a young age as I witnessed them build a small business from scratch, and their entrepreneurial spirit always rubbed off on me. Currently, I run my own small clothing retail business, hoping to provide great-quality clothes to everyone and promote black fashion. My next step is to pursue a degree in business at the University of Houston, a dream I've had since I was young. The university has an excellent business program and is well-known for its entrepreneurial resources. I want to learn the skills needed to take my clothing business to the next level and eventually expand it into a larger retail brand. I am excited about the opportunities that will come my way once I complete my degree. I plan on making a positive impact on the world, specifically by helping young black youth and promoting the importance of aspirations and education through my business. I am always involved with events that involve youth, constantly promoting education through any means, and am open to talking about my experiences, where I came from, and where I am going. To address this issue, I plan to take the business world by storm and use my success as an example of what black individuals can achieve in the field. I want to show that anyone can do anything they put their mind to, regardless of their skin color or background. By achieving success in the business world, I hope to inspire young black individuals to pursue their dreams in this field and show them that there is a place for them at the top. I plan to collaborate with organizations that focus on promoting education among black youth. By using my platform to amplify their voices, I can help raise awareness of the importance of equal access to quality education. I plan to use my resources to support initiatives that provide scholarships and mentorship programs for black students.

I am the youngest of four children, born to my parents, who had already raised my three older siblings. When I arrived, my oldest sister, who stepped in as a surrogate parent, influenced my upbringing. My sister began at an early age to condition me to start planning for my future. She often spoke about making the most of my education and ensuring that I used all the educational opportunities that were presented to me. With my sister and parents guiding me, I knew I could prosper. The educational opportunities that my sister pressed upon me as the most crucial gateway for my future often took place at white private schools. It was there that I experienced various forms of racism, which would later serve to force me to prove my worth as a student. I knew I was a good student. My sister instilled in me early on the work ethics and habits necessary. However, others saw a dark-skinned girl, and they began forming stereotypes about who I was and who I could be. They tormented me for being a dark-skinned black girl, had food thrown in my hair, received complaints about my hair being too big, and dealt with racist remarks during class all because of who I am and what I look like. Facing this made me want to work even harder for myself and be a person who is an exemplar of black excellence for girls who look like me, and from there on, it helped solidify my goals for the future. My goal is to be a successful entrepreneur. After a change in schools and environment, my teachers brought and pushed the best in me. In the ninth grade, I then started my own small lipgloss business that quickly gained over 20k followers on Instagram and slowly turned into a clothing retail shop. After years of hard work, I was pretty consistent with my sales and my marketing strategy constantly and learning new things about business as a whole. I made 20k in sales for the first two years that my business was opened. Unfortunately, I took a break due to me being kind of overwhelmed with schools, sports, extracurriculars, family, and my business and eventually decided to shut down this business and rebrand a new business that represents the maturing person I have become. Currently, with the products I've sold, I have saved around $5000 for college. With this and my financial aid, I need to pay an additional $10,000 per year to attend college. My goal is to study business administration at the University of Houston, where I have been admitted, and soon will invest more time and knowledge into becoming an entrepreneur. As I've taken AP classes to have some of the regular college classes diminished, which allows me to pay less, it will still task me with coming up with an additional $10,000, which this scholarship can help with. Any amount I receive can be equaled to hours I take for work-study to get money, which could be spent focused on my studies and getting towards my goal. Overall, this scholarship will be of much benefit to me and my path to education.

Coming from a family that has promoted striving for generational wealth has inspired me to be a part of something so achieving. I understand that this is a long-term goal, and it takes time and effort to build, but it is essential to ensure the financial security and success of future generations. To me, generational wealth means leaving a legacy of hard work and progression. This could mean leaving them with a couple of homes in their names or investing in long-term assets that will appreciate over time. Ultimately, it means providing them with financial stability and security that will enable them to pursue their goals and dreams without being held back by financial constraints. My biggest belief in generational wealth is being able to provide your children with the assistance needed to further their education for college, so they aren't struggling to make it day by day while trying to earn a degree, or them having to work full-time jobs to pay off huge loans. It means having the financial resources to give them the education and opportunities they need to succeed without being held back by financial constraints. Achieving generational wealth requires hard work, discipline, and a long-term perspective. It means making smart financial decisions, investing wisely, and avoiding debt as much as possible. It also means prioritizing education and setting realistic financial goals that align with our long-term objectives. One of the strategies I plan to use to achieve generational wealth is long-term investments. I plan to pursue generational wealth by investing in real estate. I plan to purchase properties and rent them out, providing a steady stream of passive income that can be used to build wealth over time. By doing so, I can accumulate assets that will appreciate, and potentially leave them to my future children as an inheritance. Additionally stock is also one of my goals for achieving generational wealth. By investing in a diversified portfolio of stocks, I can take advantage of market growth over time and potentially achieve significant returns. Even though the practice is risky it's one of the best ways that I've seen to start generational wealth. Another way I plan on building generational wealth is by saving in bank accounts that earn interest over time. While the interest rates may not be very high, the steady accumulation of interest can help to grow my savings over time. This will provide me with a reliable source of income that can be used to further invest in other areas, such as real estate or the stock market. In addition to these strategies, I also plan to prioritize education and financial literacy for myself and my future children. By providing them with the tools and resources they need to make informed financial decisions, I can help them to build wealth over time and ensure a brighter future for generations to come.

As a young black woman from the east side of San Antonio, I am dedicated to representing resilience for education to the young black kids in my community. I strongly believe that by sharing my experiences and showing them what is possible with hard work and dedication, I can inspire them to strive for academic excellence and inspire them to follow their dreams. I take on many roles in my community that deals with the youth and I take those opportunities to always talk about my experience in academics and any extracurriculars to hopefully inspire other little black girls and boys that they can do what they put their mind to despite where we come from. I am a teacher's assistant and aide in motoring children and u have many conversations about goals and get many questions about who I am and what I plan to do. I often speak about the challenges I have faced, such as overcoming stereotypes and the lack of resources in our community, but also how I have persevered and succeeded academically. By sharing these experiences, I hope to show them that they too can achieve their goals and overcome any obstacles in their way. I believe by my constant push for education and extracurricular that these students can have the confidence to believe in themselves and achieve any goal they have been longing for. I have been able to build relationships with young people in my community and show them that they have someone they can look up to and ask for guidance. My dedication to representing resilience for education comes from the belief that every young person should have the opportunity to succeed regardless of their background or circumstances. I want to be an example of what is possible and inspire others to pursue their dreams. By demonstrating my commitment to academic excellence and showing the importance of hard work, I hope to motivate young people to do the same. I am dedicated to representing resilience for education to the young black kids in my community. Through my many encounters with them and my constant activeness in extracurriculars, I have shown them that anything is possible with hard work and determination. I am passionate about being a positive influence in their lives and inspiring them to strive for academic success. I believe that together we can break the cycle of limited opportunities and show the world that young black kids from the east side of San Antonio can achieve anything they set their minds to.

I know hearing about the usual academic 4.0, straight-A student-athlete can be repetitive, but for me, it's something I take my biggest pride in. Coming from the east side of San Antonio, people like me are faced with many challenges and are forced with the stereotype of not being academic excels or not finishing high school, but I know I am an example of the opposite of those stereotypes. My academic goals were to be top of my class, get and maintain a high GPA, and be a part of many extracurriculars and I have done just that and plan on continuing to strive for these goals of not only academic excellence and being someone active in their community. My academic goals for the future are to maintain the same level of dedication and hard work that I exhibited in high school. I plan to pursue a degree in business and learn about the world of finance, entrepreneurship, and marketing. I am excited to explore new concepts and ideas and apply them to real-world situations. I hope to use my education to make a positive impact on my community and help other young people achieve their academic goals. I plan on going to the University of Houston as an honors scholar and getting my business administration degree, potentially meeting connections and taking a step into the business world. I have set academic goals for myself to maintain the same work ethic and even improve it for my college career in business. I hope to step into a new world of knowledge and take it by storm. Growing up in a community where many people have limited opportunities, I have come to appreciate the value of education and hard work. My community has played a significant role in shaping who I am and my desire to strive for excellence. I believe that it is important to give back to the community that has given so much to me. That is why I am active in my community, whether it's by helping coach my former cheer team, being the teacher's assistant, or helping host the kid's Halloween trunk or treat. I give a lot of time to my community because they did the same for me. Being active in my community has been a source of inspiration for me to be a role model for other young black kids who are facing similar challenges as I did. I want them to know that they can do anything they set their minds to, despite the obstacles they may face. By being involved in extracurricular activities and achieving academic success, I hope to show young people that hard work and dedication can lead to a brighter future. I am motivated to set a good reputation for my community and be an example of growth as a child coming from the east side of San Antonio. I want to demonstrate that it is possible to overcome stereotypes and limitations, and that success is within reach for everyone. By being a positive influence and encouraging others to pursue their dreams, I hope to make a difference in the lives of young people in my community.

Finding Myself I am the youngest of four children, born to my parents, who had already raised my three older siblings. When I arrived, my oldest sister influenced my upbringing. She often spoke about making the most of my education and ensuring that I used all the educational opportunities that would be presented to me. Having my sister guide me throughout my childhood has benefited me, giving me a dedicated mindset that differs from my peers. The educational opportunities that my sister pressed upon me as the most crucial gateway for my future took place at a white private school. There, I experienced various forms of racism, which would later force me to prove my worth as a student. I knew I was a good student. My sister instilled in me early on the work ethics and habits necessary. However, others saw a dark-skinned girl and began forming stereotypes about who I was and who I could be. They tormented me for being a dark-skinned black girl, threw food in my hair, complained about my hair being too big, and made racist remarks during class, all because of who I am and what I look like. Facing this made me want to work even harder for myself and be a person who is an exemplar of black excellence for girls who look like me, and from there on, it helped solidify my goals for the future. My goal is to be a successful entrepreneur. In middle school, I began attending IDEA Public Schools, a public charter school dedicated to the success of students who are typically forgotten or left behind. Immediately, I felt I had found my place. My IDEA teachers saw I had great potential and invested their time in helping me succeed academically, supplying me with all I needed. My teachers helped set me up to begin a strong freshman year and offered better insight and in-depth knowledge of what was to come. Around my first year, I worked closely with and studied with my parents and my sister, all small business owners. I directed my educational courses toward the businessperson I would one day be. I now had a new goal: to be first in my class, and I dedicated myself to my studies to achieve this goal. Managing a business, attending school, and participating in extracurricular activities allowed me to balance multiple responsibilities and stirred my passion for entrepreneurship. With confidence in my studies and the support of my family, I started my own online business. My company gained popularity with hard work and support, and business boomed within a year, selling many products. This success helped me push back negative stereotypes and helped me prove to myself and all others that, despite their preconceived notions, I could and would succeed. I am so excited to say that I am on a path that benefits me and shows how hard I have worked throughout my academic career. I am passionate about everything I want to do and have the grit to get there. Now that I look back at the obstacles I have overcome, I am thankful because they have made me who I am today, shaped my personality, and helped me write a part of the story of my life. With all my experience and people supporting me, I know I am ready to achieve anything.

Maintaining one's mental health is crucial because it affects many aspects of one's life. Unfortunately, the stresses of life—like those associated with work, school, relationships, and family—lead to many people having mental health problems. The stress her family was placed on her caused one of my closest friends to experience mental health issues. It was challenging for her to balance all the duties that were being assigned to her because they were not hers to begin with. I consequently established myself as a constant in her life and assisted her in any way I could. I was shocked and worried when my friend opened up to me about her struggles with mental health. She described how she was under tremendous pressure from her family to handle their responsibilities, and that this pressure was damaging her mental health. It was challenging for her to concentrate on her own needs because she felt overburdened and powerless. I knew I had to intervene and support her in any way I could. I started by offering to be a listening ear for her. I urged her to talk to me any time she was experiencing stress or worry. I listened to her concerns and did my best to reassure her and provide guidance. I also reminded her that she was not alone and that I was there for her, no matter what. I invited her to spend more time with my family, and I was there for her emotionally. I knew that her mental health might improve with supportive individuals surrounding her. We went out to eat, watched movies, and went on walks in the park. These outings gave her the chance to explore new things and have fun away from the strains of her family. Finally, I advised her to prioritize her needs and take breaks. I told her it was all right to say no occasionally, and that she didn't have to handle all of her family's responsibilities. I also advised her to practice taking time for herself, even if it's just reading a book or taking a long shower. I noticed that my friend's mental health significantly improved over time. She appeared happier, more at ease, and more confident. She could prioritize her own needs and deal with the pressure her family was putting on her. She was going through a difficult time, and I was glad I could be there for her. I was also pleased to see how well she was doing. . It's critical to help a friend who is experiencing mental health issues. It calls for being a sympathetic ear, providing emotional support, and motivating them to put their own needs first. It's also crucial to make happy memories and experiences for people so they can balance out the stressors in their lives. These actions will enable us to support, love, and care for our friends during trying times.

I am the youngest of four children, born to my parents, who had already raised my three older siblings. When I arrived, my upbringing was influenced by my oldest sister. Having my sister guide me throughout my childhood has benefitted me in many ways, including having a dedicated mindset that differed from my peers. She often spoke about making the most of my education and ensuring that I used all the educational opportunities that would be presented to me. The educational opportunities that my sister pressed upon me as the most crucial gateway for my future took place at a white private school. It was there that I experienced various forms of racism, which would later serve to force me daily to prove my worth as a student. I knew I was a good student. My sister instilled in me early on the work ethics and habits necessary. However, others saw a dark-skinned girl, and they began forming stereotypes about who I was and who I could be. I was tormented for being a dark skin black girl, had food thrown in my hair, complained about my hair being too big, and dealt with racist remarks during class. All because of who I am and what I look like. Facing this made me want to work even harder for myself and be a person who is an exemplar of black excellence for girls who look like me, and from there on, it helped solidify my goals for the future. My goal is to be a successful entrepreneur. In middle school, I began attending IDEA Public Schools; IDEA public school is a public charter school dedicated to the success of students who are typically forgotten or left being. Immediately I felt that I had found my place. My IDEA teachers saw that I had great potential and invested their time to help me succeed academically, supplying me with all I needed. My teachers helped set me up to begin a strong freshman year and offered better insight and in-depth knowledge of what was to come. Around my freshman year, I began to work closely with and study with my parents and my sister, who are all small business owners. I began to direct my educational courses toward the businessperson I would one day be. I now had a new goal to be first in my class, and I dedicated myself to my studies to achieve my goal. Managing a business, going to school, and extracurricular activities allowed me to balance multiple responsibilities and stirred my passion for entrepreneurship. With confidence from my studies and the support of my family, I decided to start my own online business. My company gained popularity with hard work and support, and business boomed within a year, selling many products. This success helped me push back negative stereotypes and helped me prove to myself and all others that, despite their preconceived notions, I could and would succeed. I am so excited to say that I am on a path that benefits me and shows how hard I have worked throughout my academics. I am passionate about everything I want to do and have the grit to get there. Now that I look back at the obstacles I have overcome, I am thankful because they have made me who I am today and my personality and shaped the story of my life. With all my experience and people supporting me, I know I am ready to achieve anything.

I am the youngest of four children, born to my parents, who had already raised my three older siblings. When I arrived, my upbringing was influenced by my oldest sister. Having my sister guide me throughout my childhood has benefitted me in many ways, including having a dedicated mindset that differed from my peers. She often spoke about making the most of my education and ensuring that I used all the educational opportunities that would be presented to me. The educational opportunities that my sister pressed upon me as the most crucial gateway for my future took place at a white private school. It was there that I experienced various forms of racism, which would later serve to force me daily to prove my worth as a student. I knew I was a good student. My sister instilled in me early on the work ethics and habits necessary. However, others saw a dark-skinned girl, and they began forming stereotypes about who I was and who I could be. I was tormented for being a dark skin black girl, had food thrown in my hair, complained about my hair being too big, and dealt with racist remarks during class. All because of who I am and what I look like. Facing this made me want to work even harder for myself and be a person who is an exemplar of black excellence for girls who look like me, and from there on, it helped solidify my goals for the future. My goal is to be a successful entrepreneur. In middle school, I began attending IDEA Public Schools; IDEA public school is a public charter school dedicated to the success of students who are typically forgotten or left being. Immediately I felt that I had found my place. My IDEA teachers saw that I had great potential and invested their time to help me succeed academically, supplying me with all I needed. My teachers helped set me up to begin a strong freshman year and offered better insight and in-depth knowledge of what was to come. Around my freshman year, I began to work closely with and study with my parents and my sister, who are all small business owners. I began to direct my educational courses toward the businessperson I would one day be. I now had a new goal to be first in my class, and I dedicated myself to my studies to achieve my goal. Managing a business, going to school, and extracurricular activities allowed me to balance multiple responsibilities and stirred my passion for entrepreneurship. With confidence from my studies and the support of my family, I decided to start my own online business. My company gained popularity with hard work and support, and business boomed within a year, selling many products. This success helped me push back negative stereotypes and helped me prove to myself and all others that, despite their preconceived notions, I could and would succeed. I am so excited to say that I am on a path that benefits me and shows how hard I have worked throughout my academics. I am passionate about everything I want to do and have the grit to get there. Now that I look back at the obstacles I have overcome, I am thankful because they have made me who I am today and my personality and shaped the story of my life. With all my experience and people supporting me, I know I am ready to achieve anything.

My self-esteem, life happiness, and self-confidence have all changed from volunteering. Now that I am more active in my community, I feel naturally accomplished since I love helping people and the community. Most importantly, community service has opened my eyes to new perspectives on my own community. I have learned how to be more compassionate towards others because someone's circumstances aren't always known. Volunteering has allowed me to humble myself and not judge others so quickly. My volunteer work has shown me how a community can influence someone's life, and it makes me feel proud of and connected to my community. I want to specialize in a major in business with a minor in entrepreneurship to not only fulfill a childhood dream but also diversify the field of business and the percentage of black business owners. I want to become the best entrepreneur I can be, and through college, I can do that. My goal is to attain a career where my innovations can aid anyone, that can change the opposing views and stereotypes placed upon the business world, and work towards a goal I have longed for my whole high school career. I am very dedicated to my practice but have financial needs holding me back. I am incredibly passionate about entrepreneurship and its success in helping kids do productive and great things and something more positive than the negative things known. It is stimulation for creative minds and a new way of thinking. Managing a small business requires a strong understanding of business and entrepreneurship to excel, and with my goal of gaining a college degree, I will be able to do that. I want to pursue a BBA(Bachelor of Business Administration) degree with a minor in entrepreneurship to gain a broad range of essential business knowledge. Although I am very committed to college courses to give me the education needed to succeed, financial needs hold me back. With financial assistance, I will still owe $10,000 more. The Lauren Czebatul Scholarship will strengthen my opportunity to take more time to focus on my classes instead of having to work extra hours to pay for my education. The scholarship can help me further the future academic goals that I have set for myself for college and will help me start my dream career in the business world. This scholarship will assist me in paying for the books that I will need this fall. Although I intend to work while earning my undergraduate degree, I will devote more time to my studies. With this scholarship, I will attend college for less money and work fewer hours as a student. I will continue making academic progress in this way. Overall, this scholarship will help me accomplish my current goal, move on to the next, and eventfully become a successful professional in the business field and a step closer to my dream of becoming an entrepreneur.

My goal is to attain a career where my innovations can be of some aid to anyone, that can change the opposing views and stereotypes placed upon the business world, and work towards a goal I have been longing for my whole high school career. I want to become an entrepreneur. I will specialize in a major in business with a minor in entrepreneurship to not only fulfill a childhood dream, but also diversify the field of business and the percentage of black business owners. I want to become the best entrepreneur I know I can be, and through college; I know I can do that. I am very dedicated to my practice but have financial needs holding me back. I am incredibly passionate about entrepreneurship and how it is successful in helping kids do productive and great things and something more positive than the negative things known. It is a stimulation for creative minds and a new way of thinking. Managing a small business requires a strong understanding of both business and entrepreneurship to excel, and with my goal of gaining a college degree, I will do that. I want to pursue a BBA (Bachelor of Business Administration) degree with a minor in entrepreneurship to gain a broad range of essential business knowledge. Although I am very committed to college courses to give me the education needed to succeed, financial needs hold me back. With financial assistance, I will still owe $10,000 more. The Voila Natural Lifestyle Scholarship will strengthen my opportunity to take more time focused on my classes instead of having to work extra hours to pay for my education. The scholarship can help me further the future academic goals that I have set for myself for college and will help me start my dream career in the business world. This scholarship will assist me in paying for the books that I will need this upcoming fall. Although I intend to work while earning my undergraduate degree, I will devote more time to my studies. With this scholarship, I will attend college for less money and work fewer hours while I am a student. I will continue making academic progress in this way. Overall, this scholarship will help me accomplish my current goal, move on to the next, and eventfully become a successful professional in the business field and a step closer to my dream of becoming an entrepreneur.

Managing finances as a student is essential because it allows you to learn how to allocate your resources effectively based on your current circumstance. Teaching things like money management allows for better preparation for the real world, where everything has an opportunity cost. When you manage finances, you'll be able to determine whether your spending is more significant than your income and, if so, which managing finances might cut expenses. You can start making decisions that will help you reach your financial objectives after you start keeping track of your income and expenses. A budget will also assist you in managing your expenditure if you need help keeping your spending in check. You may use the money you save by sticking to your budget to buy the items that benefit you the most. Following a budget enables you to remain within your bounds and assists you in preventing or lowering debt. A budget can help you make the most of the money you have borrowed and will help you estimate how long it will take and how much it will cost to repay your debt if you have gotten student loans to assist with the expense of college or career school. If you do borrow, it will help your creditworthiness and financial future if you can make your monthly payments on time. While I am starting my way of financial management as I become a college freshman, I have begun to use SMART goals. Smart goals are something that I have learned currently in school, which stands for Specific, Measurable, Actionable, Realistic, and Timebound. SMART goals are a way for you to plan objectives in an accessible manner. For instance, your initial purpose should be to determine the typical payment you will need to make based on the tuition expenses if you intend to save money for a down payment for your college tuition. You can determine how much money you need to keep after you know what the average is. From there, you can establish more manageable objectives, like saving a certain sum of money each month until you accomplish your goal. Make sure that each of these more compact objectives is doable. To track your progress, give your purpose a time limit. For instance, you would need to save "X" amount every month if you wanted to have the down payment saved up for some years. We currently use this for academic goals that we want to set during the school year, but I thought SMART goals could also apply to my financial plans on how I will be paying for college. This is how I manage my finances.

My goal is to attain a career where my innovations can be of some aid to anyone, that can change the negative views and stereotypes placed upon the business world, and work towards a goal I have been longing for my whole high school career. I want to become an entrepreneur. I will specialize in a major in business with a minor in entrepreneurship to not only fulfill a childhood dream, but also diversify the field of business and the percentage of black business owners. I want to become the best entrepreneur I know I can be and through college; I know I can do that. I am very dedicated to my practice but am having trouble with financial needs holding me back. I am extremely passionate about entrepreneurship and how it is successful in helping kids do productive and great things and something more positive than the negative things known. It is a stimulation for creative minds and a new way of thinking. Managing a small business requires a strong understanding of both business and entrepreneurship to excel, and with my goal of gaining a college degree, I will do that. I want to pursue a BBA (Bachelor of Business Administration) degree with a minor in entrepreneurship to gain a broad range of essential business knowledge. Although I am very committed to college courses to give me the education needed to succeed, financial needs hold me back. With financial assistance, I will still owe $10,000 more. The North Star Dreamer Memorial Scholarship will certainly strengthen my opportunity to take more time focused on my classes instead of having to work extra hours to pay for my education. The scholarship can help me further the future academic goals that I have set for myself for college and will help me start my dream career in the business world. This scholarship will assist me in paying for the books that I will need this upcoming fall. Although I intend to work while earning my undergraduate degree, I will devote more time to my studies. With this scholarship, I will attend college for less money and work fewer hours while I am a student. I will continue making academic progress in this way. Overall, this scholarship will help me accomplish my current goal, move on to the next, and eventfully become a successful professional in the business field and a step closer to my goal of becoming an entrepreneur.

I am the youngest of four children, born to my parents who had already raised my three older siblings. By the time I arrived, my upbringing was influenced by my oldest sister, who stepped in as a surrogate parent. Having my sister guide, me throughout my childhood has benefited me in many ways, one being having a dedicated mindset that differed from that of my peers. She spoke often about making the most of my education and ensuring that I did not waste any of the educational opportunities that would be presented to me. With my sister and parents guiding me, I knew I could prosper. The educational opportunities that my sister pressed upon me as the most important gateway for my future often took place at white private schools. It was there that I experienced various forms of racism, which would later serve to force me daily to prove my worth as a student. I knew I was a good student. My sister instilled in me early on the work ethics and habits necessary. However, what others saw was a dark-skinned girl and they began to form stereotypes about who I was and worse, who I could be. I was tormented for being a dark skin black girl, had food thrown in my hair, complaints about my hair being too big, and dealt with racist remarks during class. All because of who I am and what I look like. Facing this made me want to work even harder for myself, and be a person who is an exemplar of black excellence, for girls who look like me, and from there on helped solidify my goals for the future. My goal is to be a successful entrepreneur. In middle school I began attending IDEA Public Schools, IDEA public school is a public charter school dedicated to the success of students who are typically forgotten or left being. Immediately I felt that I had found my place. My IDEA teachers saw that I had immense potential and invested their time to help me succeed academically, supplying me with all I needed. This set me up to begin a strong freshman year and offered better insight and in-depth knowledge of what was to come. Around my freshman year, I began to work closely with and study both my parents and my sister who are all successful business owners. I began to direct my educational courses toward the businessperson I would one day be. I now had a new goal to be first in my class and dedicated myself to my studies to achieve my goal. With confidence from my studies and the support of my family, I decided to start my own online business. With hard work and support, my business gained some popularity within a year. Managing a business, going to school, along with extracurricular activities allowed me to balance multiple responsibilities and stirred the passion I had for entrepreneurship. This success helped me push back against stereotypes and made me more determined for my future, and know that I will be able to change my story. I am excited that I am on a path that benefits me and my future. I am passionate about everything I want to do, and I have the grit to get there. Now that I look back at the obstacles I have overcome, I am thankful because they have prepared me for my future to come. With all the experience and people, I have to support me, I know I am ready to achieve anything.

As a young girl, I helped run my parent's small family business, a discounted local store. My dad worked a vigorously long four years to get his own small lot to sell remade furniture. His dedication and passion for entrepreneurship stirred that same passion in me toward business. I have gotten a taste of business through my trial-and-error experiences. Beginning my freshman year of school, and the impact of covid, I was inspired to start my own clothing business. With the mandatory stay-at-home, I was able to put extra time into planning out my business. Luckily, I had parents who believed in my goal and wanted to fund my start. Through my start, I lost money, messed up inventory, and had to do many corrections before I had a steady hand at it. Due to starting my own small business selling clothing from my home and the slight success in popularity in San Antonio, I knew I was passionate about business. Following in my dad's steps to make a good start with the business, I felt exhilaration in the complete process and seeing more orders come through day by day. I was excited to continue business and through my dad then I was able to see the success I wanted. But the success I wanted was different from others' usual definition of being able to buy what you want. To me, success means being able to come back to your hometown with a degree in hand. It means being able to give back to the community that put much time and effort into raising you in becoming the best you can be. It is the ability to have your parents no longer live in financial discomfort and giving their last to send you off to college. My success will always start with my community. Giving back to the community is important because it allows improvement in the community, whether big or small, any contribution is a change. It allows enrichment and investment in the community now and in the future. Not only does it enable the betterment of your community but of oneself as well. It will improve your quality of life, help you get to know your neighborhood, and introduce you to concepts and individuals who will have a positive influence on how you see the world for the rest of your life. Giving back to your community gives you the chance to develop yourself and have a greater understanding of how you fit into society.