What difference would this scholarship make? That's a great question! I have felt hopeless about not being able to pay for college. My dad has bad knees and bad heels, but despite that, he worked. He also had difficulties with his English at his job, and that's what makes me think that parents give it all for their kids to achieve their goals. Therefore, I have to write essays to at least do something, because even with my parents' problems, they still look out for me. This scholarship would make me content because, as of now, finances aren't looking well. My Dad is unemployed. I have looked for a job but haven't had any luck. If I get a job and my dad gets a job, then transportation will be an issue because we only have one car. If I get this scholarship, I have a higher probability to college and becoming a dental hygienist at Ivy Tech. My story is very long; therefore, I will summarize it. I was born in Honduras, where my dad had his welding business with my grandpa, and they sacrificed for me to be in a bilingual school to learn English. I only made it to 6th grade because gangsters threatened my dad for money; it became dangerous. Over time, my Dad, my Mom, and I left Honduras in September. 7 of 2019 to live in the U.S.A. I didn't know how the U.S.A. educational system worked; no one advised me, nor my parents, because they didn't know. I went through middle school and finished high school this 2025 year and during my junior and senior years, I only heard about scholarships. As a first-generation student who wants to go to college, it's tough because I have no savings and lack of knowledge. If my parents and me would've known, I probably would've had better chances of going to college. That being said, it's not too late for me, I can keep going, I am interested in going to college, that's why I'm writing this essay, because I care. The reason I want to be a dental hygienist is that I care for people's oral health and especially for kids, adults, and kids with special needs. I have a 2-year-old sister, and I can say it's tough to clean their teeth properly. With kids, we have to be patient, have fairy tales, have strategies because we don't want them to have a hard time. Instead, we want to give them a fun time when cleaning their teeth, and if it is possible, create a GoFundMe group for patients with financial difficulties to have multiple easy payments or no payments at all. I believe everything is possible with faith and action. I hope I can get this scholarship to achieve my goal.

Faced Obstacles Obstacles that happened in the past years of my life that have shaped me into the person that I am today. It all started in Honduras during the year of 2019 where my mom, my dad and me weren't having a good economical time. At the time we were approaching to the peak of not even affording to monthly pay the school that I was attending, not even paying the apartment monthly (including the food, water, and electricity bills). Everything was pilling up in our backs causing my mom and dad not being able to sleep at night. All the worries and doors seemed locked making it look as if there was no exit door to at least be able to breath a bit of fresh liberty however the only thing we could do is pray to God. The last days that we spending Honduras were dry and full of sadness because the only thing we could eat was beans which at some point I got bored of eating, now thinking back I shouldn't have said that to not harm my parents' feelings but at the time I was 11 yrs old. It was around August when mom first left to the U.S.A arriving to palatine, Illinois later on my dad and me left Honduras on September 7 of 2019 arriving where my mom was. As of today, we've been living in the U.S.A for around 5 years still thinking that we are in debt in Honduras with several people however reflecting how this experience influenced an outlook in me for education is having that passion to study knowing that when it comes to gradate High School I will earn a high school Diploma which is valuable for me. Having a High School Diploma, it is representing an open door to college which then that leads to have a bachelor's or even get a doctorate in Dentistry, having that creates respect and value in their tittle that nobody can rob it or take it from me. I plan to use my education to help my family and others in need, as of now I'm planning to apply to many scholarships, then earn my High school Diploma and study 4 or 8 years to earn a bachelor's in dental Hygienist or be a Dentist. After having experience, I can be able to support my family and people in need economically or even help newcomers in their journey, just the same way that we were helped to be where we are now.

How can a degree change my and my family life? The passion of seeking a career to do my rest of my life that I will never regret because it will be like a gift that I will show my parents and the rest of my family in Honduras. It would fulfill my inside with joy knowing I did because of their sacrifice working under the sun, the tons of hours worked and the times they had to be patient with people that got molested because of their English. The college degree will change my life completely because it will make a Gate available for it to be open to have a career for the rest of my life, a career that when people/ clinics will say “I want to hire her, because I know that she can mark a change in this place”. Knowing that I can make people happy and happily have a stable job. Now a college degree can change forever my family/Generations living in a way that we won’t have debts, we won’t worry of paying this months bill, we will have something to give those who helped us in our tribulations and lastly be grateful of the accomplishments of attaining the things that looked impossible. A college degree to me means, winning the lottery, happily knowing that I accomplished something I never thought in my entire life that I would achieve knowing the financial situation that we are in it can be hard to afford. Perhaps a college degree can get me to climb further a step up to peek of the mountain where everyone lives a better life full of happiness. I will be able to achieve e a future that can help my next generation be stable, I will be able to help them achieve what I couldn’t achieve when I was in high school such as joining a school sport, I always dreamt of becoming a professional athlete in track and field but I never couldn’t. But that can change today. I am very passionate about Dental Hygiene and Dietetics. Ever since I was in school I tried my best to do good in school but my weak subject was math, I still try to watch videos to learn more however I have worked hard to get most A’s in high school to have a good GPA, which thankfully I got accepted into the college I was dreaming of going today which makes me very happy because this senior year I worked hard to get A’s. I just think that all that effort and struggle to learn things was very worth it and makes me proud to have what I accomplished thanks to my parents and God.

Having foreign Parents impacts children's lives. For me, it's an honor to have Latino(Honduran) parents because I feel that they've raised me with values and love. Being children who were born and raised by my parents in Honduras was like living by faith. Yes, that showed me the perspective of others who did not have food in the fridge and the only thing we could eat was "frijoles" I am not going to say I love homemade bean soup "Is the best". Being children from foreign parents makes our journey feel more successful and it's all about having a strong mind and interest. It's an honor to be Latina because regardless sometimes it has its own in terms of documents and another achievement that probably required some legal documents that probably affected the flow at this moment. I wish I could've been part of the 21st-century scholars which it would have college cover. Probably my parents didn't understand some stuff when it was explained 4 years ago in 8th grade. Language barrier can sometimes be a problem but I honestly don't feel ashamed of that because I can try my best to translate them. Probably if my parents had known more about the things to get prepared to go to college, such as scholarships, and how college works in the U.S.A., we would have lacked knowledge on some good opportunities for Latinos and from other territories. The Influence that I've gotten from my parents is having a strong mind whenever it comes to facing circumstances. I was finishing my 8th grade year, Teachers were letting me know about high school, and then I remembered my first day or I should say first year in high school. I was very shy, I was trying to make friends but It did not quite go well, I recognized that I did my best in academics but in terms of being sociable, I wasn't doing ok I felt alone. I talked to my parents about it and they advised me to not feel that way and just focus on my academics. In conclusion, all the adaption was rough I cried the first two years when I came to the U.S.A. in 2019 it wasn't easy. I just thanked God for how much I've learned in English and it is worth it to focus on our academics to excel and get prepared to go to college and accomplish our dreams that our parents have dreamed of and have given all the time and effort they had in their hands and heart. First Picture : Dad-Ivan Mom- Vannesa Me-Dulce 2nd Picture: My one-year-old sister.- Grace

Que es el sueno Americano? The achievement, the ambition, the dream. The dream and Goal that wasn't accomplished in our countries. Others might think is an easy life with no obstacles probably because they've seen people that have taken pictures in a nice place. What is exactly behind that picture? probably he just arrived in the U.S.A., probably that person doesn't have a family although they might feel weird asking for help hoping to get help from some stranger in the street that "Talvez es hispano" so they feel comfortable. The American dream is having a busy life, effort, and interest, and starting from zero. It's like starting a new life, where you don't know where to start, and want to give up from the first appearance of not having documents to work legally so you realize in that moment that you'll get kicked out of the apartment that you probably were living. Now thinking that we met someone who knows about "los papeles chuecos" we don't even doubt it. We go for it knowing that it is illegal although the only thought that's on our minds is " Lo hice por necesidad lo hice" it looks like, at first we are happy about it. Unfortunately Just in the first month of living in the U.S.A., we realize that we don't get paid enough for the rent then the worries come as a result we can't sleep at night, we start calling our family in our country letting them know "Pense que hiba ser different". In my journey through the 5 years in the U.S.A., I cried for 2 years because it just did not feel the same as being in Honduras. Life rolls way differently here, school, work, social, and being outdoors. Life is not what we think, what I mean is that life has its ups and downs. When we have fallen into an economic circumstance we can't just say "I'm giving up" We should instead get up and raise our heads high knowing that we can get through this. Sometimes In life or I should say the American Dream is start from scratch and make our way through this without giving up and giving all our interest, effort, dedication, and heart for the goal and life we are looking for. Indeed we strongly want to go back but we can't because our Goal hasn't been done yet. All we might think at first is money but for that, we'll have to have a strong mind, motivation, and interest to accomplish what we couldn't accomplish in our countries. Never give up and connect with the Latino/Hispanic community, together we can make our dream come true.

Despite our backgrounds, we can fight When life has tough decisions we don't see coming and unexpectedly hit our lives not knowing that's for a good and secure future. Why are there presidents who don't update or fix the country’s security? Honduras, my birthplace, has one of those presidents. Located in Central America, Honduras, with precious nature, and delicious food has an unfair president Xiomara Castro. When someone seems not to have a future even though they sought and used the opportunity they had, they’ll try to seek “One more chance” just as my Dad says, when someone is hugely interested in studying and succeeding in life. Everything good in life such as pursuing a career takes a lot of work such as dedication, time, effort, and passion. My Dad had his welding business but gang members visited him often to collect all the business earnings, we didn't have any other option but to give them the money every time they came by for it. No one did something to stop them or put them in jail just like Nayib Bukele did with all the prisoners. There was no other option but to just flee from Honduras and settle in the U.S.A., despite the language barrier my parents had, the fear of not being from here, feeling unprotected, lonely, without support, undocumented, and starting from zero in an unknown country where every immigrant seeks the American Dream. All the effort my parents had made during their marriage was tough and for them to not feel disappointed I must work hard and fight for what I am looking for. All the sacrifices that probably people don't need to know because it causes pity. We might not feel right to be here because of our background, our face shouts it and it’s not that we are ashamed of being from Honduras but because it represents the need in a country where it's saturated with needs, causing trouble. That’s why at all times we should be respectful of the laws and rules they established. Continuing my studies I’ll have to finish my senior year strong, sometimes it might be hard but I must be happy with what I'm going into, I’ll have to work hard to get a good college offer to major as a Dental hygienist. I would have to work hard to get into a good college to let people know how important it is to keep teeth clean as we age. Parents always look up to their kids, They’ll even try to do the impossible for their children to be safe so children have to do good too. If I came here it means working hard to pursue what we want and obtain it, I just want to do what I love and avchieve my goals, I know I can do it. It was tough learning a new language, I cried a lot regardless I struggled with grammar and still to this day. Despite of not feeling very comfortable about being in the USA I hope to get this scholarship, I honestly need it because it will be a lot of help to clever for my books and cost of courses, I’ll still have to look for more scholarships because the tuition needs to be paid but I won’t give up, despite of how things might look.