Before learning from others, I had to learn on my own. Entering high school, I struggled with being an introvert, so I joined the Johnson Navy Junior ROTC to do more out of my comfort zone. For the first year, trial and error were common, but over time, my communication improved. I could effectively connect and organize things with people, and I learned the importance of taking responsibility for all my actions. These qualities have been helpful in making the best decisions for myself and those around me. As I first became the Marksmanship and Academic Captain in my freshman year, I was tasked with learning the responsibilities of each team's curriculum, managing members, and leading the teams to success as past members graduated. My instructor never provided direct help, as he believed I was determined to solve it. Independence taught me to always rely on myself to finish things without waiting for someone else. I took the initiative and developed critical thinking skills to solve problems. Self-reliance has enhanced my work ethic, enabling me to deliver the best possible work. Additionally, I took on roles as program recruiter, representative, and event organizer during my sophomore year, during which I began organizing and hosting events that required me to serve as the emcee and connect with contributors. Not only that, I was a member of multiple demanding teams, in addition to my leadership roles. Becoming a leader created multiple opportunities to guide and expand my teaching abilities. As a Cadet Commanding Officer, I have the opportunity to direct various aspects of the program's academic and team components. Having experience in two past officer and two team captain positions, I took on the challenge and great opportunity to pass on knowledge and guide those new to the program. Progressively, I worked my way through the ranks and leveraged my experiences, both in and out of school, to confidently present myself and achieve what was needed. Self-advocating and building strong relationships prepare me to establish a strong support system and utilize my leadership skills to guide the community around me. All the experiences I have gone through in JROTC have built my character, giving me the courage to persevere through any challenges that come my way. If I were a superhero, my theme song would be "Na Na Na" by My Chemical Romance, as it is one of my favorite songs and incorporates various themes of heroism and villainy. Although it is explicit, the song prompts us to question those around us, making us reflect on ourselves and the people we rely on. This song represents my growth, as I struggled to find comfort in others. However, through JROTC, I built strong connections with other cadets and my instructors.

Many people have impacted who I am today, but my high school JROTC instructor, Lieutenant Rodriguez, is the person I owe for shaping me into the person I am. I joined the program in my freshman year, and as soon as I started class, we were challenged with thought-provoking questions. LT Rodriguez would continue to do this throughout the years, incorporating world events and the curriculum to challenge your critical thinking. As a freshman, I was an introverted who barely spoke, and he took notice. He would lead students of all grade levels, but his primary focus was to improve everyone in some way. He encouraged discussions and leadership opportunities to help us improve together. As time progressed, I started taking on more responsibilities and leadership roles, and constantly volunteered at every opportunity. He soon offered to try out for the secretary position within the program, and my skills were being put to the test. I proved myself to be a well-rounded cadet with “remarkable organizational abilities and a keen sense of responsibility,” and was promoted to officer within a week. Now, as an officer, he and the other officers put me in charge of the freshmen. Not knowing anything about drill, he stood alongside, fixing my mistakes and pointing out my faults. Yet, he sometimes let me figure out things to promote independence and leadership skills. He taught me that trial and error is the best way to improve. The constructive criticism helped me become a better leader and gain confidence. My role also offered various opportunities, such as serving as the program recruiter, Marksmanship and Academic Captain, and eventually, more rank-ups. From being a freshman member with no social skills, he helped me gain confidence and become more outgoing, regardless of the situation. He has taught me to learn from my mistakes, help others, and continually improve myself. Now, as a senior student, I thank him for constantly pushing me to become what I want to be. With his constant challenges, I was able to think for myself and be confident in who I am. The prestigious role of cadet commanding officer was passed on to me, and as a leader, I strive to pass along his message. Additionally, he has inspired me to pursue a military career as he did, striving to push my limits. Doing the minimum is no longer my mentality; instead, I strive to overachieve and provide the best of myself wherever I go.

There have been many stories of minority active service members facing hardships during and after service. Many people fail to recognize the efforts and dedication of the men and women serving, which can lead to misconceptions and even a lack of care. Most of the minorities in the service are the Hispanic and Black communities, often not seeing the remarkable impact they make. The military life was unknown to me until a relative in the U.S Army passed away from Leukemia. She inspired me to pursue a career in the military, and to do so, I joined JROTC. Joining the Johnson Navy Junior ROTC has instilled in me a sense of citizenship and patriotism, enabling me to become more open-minded and expand my leadership skills. Entering high school, I struggled with being an introvert, and I wanted to do more out of my comfort zone. For the first year, trial and error were common, but over time, my communication improved. I could effectively connect and organize things with people, and I learned the importance of taking responsibility for all my actions. As I first became the Marksmanship and Academic Captain in my freshman year, I was tasked with learning the responsibilities of each team's curriculum, managing members, and leading the teams to success as past members graduated. Progressively, I worked my way through the ranks and leveraged my experiences, both in and out of school, to confidently present myself and achieve what was needed. Self-advocating and building strong relationships prepare me to establish a strong support system and utilize my leadership skills to guide the community around me. Additionally, I took on roles as program recruiter, representative, and event organizer during my sophomore year, during which I began organizing and hosting events that required me to serve as the emcee and connect with contributors, eventually becoming Operations and Administrative Officer. My instructor never provided direct help, as he believed I was determined to solve it. Independence taught me to always rely on myself to finish things without waiting for someone else. Self-reliance has enhanced my work ethic, enabling me to deliver the best possible work. Becoming a leader created multiple opportunities to guide and expand my teaching abilities. As a Commanding Officer, I have the chance to direct various aspects of the academic and team components of the program. Learning from others provided me with unique perspectives and experiences, which I used to guide others effectively. I began directing the next generation of the program, teaching them effective techniques that resulted in winning various awards in competitions. I plan to join the U.S. Air Force and become an occupational therapist, as the medical field has always fascinated me since childhood. The values of integrity, compassion, and service have been instilled in me from a young age. My primary goal is to help others, but ranking up is another side goal I'd like to achieve.