My name is Edgar Perez-Palacios, and I am a high school student from the luscious mountains of Asheville, North Carolina. I’m a senior enrolled at Clyde A. Erwin High School and dual-enrolled with A-B Tech - a local community college serving the Asheville-Buncombe county area. As a scholar, I’ve been perpetually intrigued by the overly perplexing - and at times overwhelming - field of Engineering. I deem scientific principles as imperative assets to the world due to their innovative tendencies --- it’s through science and engineering that technology enhancements arise, and innovation drives society today. Moreover, I find engineering to be a discipline that mutually entwines some of my various interests in arithmetic, science, and computational analysis. My goal is to seek higher education as a first-generation college student. As a first-generation student in all academic spectrums, I had to work in oblivion; however, it has also made me conscientious of the inopportune burdens that minorities tend to face, and I wish to advocate for these individuals to amplify their academic scope in educational opportunities. I form part of National Beta and Key Club International, serving as secretary. I’ve also taken part in varsity sports while balancing thespian productions, choral music, and academics. Aside from being dual-enrolled in my local community college, I’m also an AP Student and have taken courses through the NC Virtual Public School (NCVPS). Furthermore, I’ve enrolled in Summer Engineering Camps and am a North Carolina Governor’s School Alumni for Natural Science.