Change may be difficult, and frightening, but still unavoidable. This was something I quickly came to grasp. I've relocated five times, across cities, states, and even countries. Each relocation had a distinct effect on me, but the one that stands out in my memory the most is when I moved to San Diego, California, at the age of fifteen, having spent most of my developing years in Mexico. This specific time was different from all the other ones since I had a stronger consciousness, an established community in Mexico, and an opinion of my own. Once I moved my life took a 180-degree turn. It wasn't easy to begin high school as a junior in a foreign country. I had no idea how the school system worked, people socialized differently, sometimes it would take me longer to understand things in English, and no one was particularly trying to talk to the new girl. Suddenly I felt like an outsider, almost like a fish out of water, gasping for air. I fell into a mild stage of constant sadness. Because of this, I refused to go to school, struggled in my classes, lacked motivation, nagged about going back, and even distanced myself from my family, which hurt me. When somebody asks the typical "Where are you from?" question, I never know how to respond. My family is my home, not a place. Everywhere I went, they were there to help me adjust, give advice, and let me know that God was with me. To overcome my struggles I needed to be reminded of this. After hard conversations with my mom, myself, and especially God, I finally accepted that moving to the U.S. happened for a reason, therefore I should treat it like a blessing. So that I could learn to appreciate my situation and make new memories, I made it my mission to get to know San Diego. I admit it wasn't hard. I went back to school with a new mindset. I was determined to be who I truly was, a disciplined student. Since I had a lot to accomplish, I wanted to challenge myself. This led me to enroll in AP classes, honors programs, preparation education programs, college courses, volunteer work, and further on open my club, all in my first year of U.S High School. In addition, I stayed for tutoring sessions nearly every day of the week to study and keep up with my assignments. Soon enough I became a 4.0 GPA student and have maintained it that way ever since. On the other hand, I gave the social scene at school another go and made an effort this time to get to know other people rather than staying silent. I made wonderful friends who I wouldn't trade for anything. This experience made me realize I want to seek more opportunities that keep me out of my comfort zone and that change doesn't mean the end of the world. Moving was challenging, but it strengthened me as I developed my character and improved my emotional maturity. I am grateful that I was able to live in different places with people from all backgrounds, traditions, and beliefs. I came to understand the value of respect and empathy in society, as well as the importance of getting along with others. I am confident that regardless of how comfortable I feel, I can readily adjust to my surroundings and connect with individuals. You never know what life may hit you with next, but believing everything happens for a reason makes things slightly better.

When I started attending high school, I noticed something odd. Although it was a small school, the people there weren't very sociable, and there was no outlet to make new friends. I would frequently see freshman girls sitting alone in the hallways, and in a way, I saw myself in them since I had experienced difficulty making friends in the past. Because of this, I decided to open "The Girls Club". Its goal is to create a safe place for girls at my high school through fun activities like crafts, painting, games, fun discussions, and more. There was a lot to accomplish, but I couldn't sit there knowing I could make a difference in someone's life. According to school policy, I had to establish a club committee before I could launch the group. During this time, I asked a lot of girls whether they would be interested. Even though I received many negative responses and was briefly discouraged, I eventually assembled my committee successfully. To ensure that no girl had to eat alone, we determined the group would get together on Wednesdays during lunch. About 55 people have joined the club since we formally launched; we've done painting activities like canvases, movie days, bracelet making, friendly competitions like "guess the song", vision boards, and participated in school fundraisers to raise money for our supplies. Since then, a lot of girls have approached me with excitement and positive feedback regarding the club. They come up to me in the halls and even give me suggestions for upcoming activities, which I sincerely appreciate. Due to its demand, being president carries a lot of responsibility, but I wouldn't change it for anything. Once I graduate, I intend to pass the club down to my sister so she can carry on the legacy and ensure that no new girl struggles to make friends and has a wonderful high school experience. Still, I don't think my journey ends here. When in college, I'm determined to start a similar club since my goal is to continue making sure women feel secure at any institution I'm able to help. In a society where women are traditionally undervalued, it is important to create an environment where they are heard and supported, but also where they can create meaningful friendships and memories. Through The Girls Club, I learned about the importance of kindness and friendship in our society, as well as how it affects young girls' confidence and personal growth. I was also reminded of the golden rule "treat others how you want to be treated."

I come from a long line of brave, hardworking, and loving Hispanics. About 40 years ago, my family immigrated to the United States. My grandparents crossed the border illegally and helped over half of my extended family cross. They put their life and freedom at risk so that I had the opportunity to have a better future, and I never took that for granted. Because of this, I make all efforts to achieve excellence and defy the labels a first-generation low-income student gets subjected to. Not knowing if I would be able to go to college because of my economic status made me lose motivation for a while to pursue higher education. Despite this, my mom never allowed me to be sad about what I lacked and instead always encouraged me to think about what I might do, if I put in the effort. She never made me believe that I couldn't succeed in life because of our finances, or disregarded my goals to reach high. I learned to appreciate what I had and realized I had more than enough to get to where I wanted to be. Because of this, I took the step to continue pursuing my education so that in the future my own family won't go through what I did. I believe I am currently making a positive impact on the world. Despite my present financial circumstances, I make an effort to help people in whatever manner I can and believe there is always something I can do. As a result, my mother, sister, and I began helping at "Colina de Luz," an orphanage in Tijuana, Mexico (on the border with San Diego, California). Even though we wished we could give them money out of our own pockets, we managed to find other ways to support them. We organized charity fundraising initiatives to build and furnish the orphanage with a reading room and roughly 53 books. We also discovered a volunteer who was willing to provide the orphanage's youth with a motivational and personal growth course. The majority of the assistance we give to the orphanage is intellectual. My family and I think that knowledge is the key to many doors being opened, but that having the mindset to succeed in life is just as crucial. In addition to this, every year we organize a group of volunteers to, as a group, buy the orphanage's Christmas dinner, serve it to the children, and join them in celebration on December 25. Since starting, numerous other friends have become involved, and the orphanage is always taken care of. Still, there are so many things we can do to create a better future. When I graduate from high school I plan to attend a four-year university and major in International Business with a minor in law and public policy and eventually earn a master's degree in management. Even though I have a strong interest in business, I also have a deep passion for the environment. It's outrageous how badly unsustainable businesses and industries affect the environment. Because of this, in college, whether it be through research, building an organization, or even creating an app, I am determined to combat climate change. In the future, no matter where my career in business leads me, my ultimate goal will always be to bring about change from the inside, thereby promoting sustainable alternatives within the current administrative system to all the companies in the US. Everything has to begin somewhere, you simply need to have faith, and that is what I live by.

Teenage mind. I am the next generation, I am the future. They dismiss my opinions by burying me in humor.  When the big people come in I swallow my crying, And my thinking, And my hoping. Nobody takes me seriously. They say I am a rebellious teen Wanting to be seen, But I just want to achieve my dreams And succeed. Sitting in my room, I glue my future together on a piece of paper. Wondering If it will ever come true. Will the universe come through? I am stuck inside my teenage mind, Battling the fear of being seen as a failure. They say “Choose a good major.” So I work on my midnight papers, Grab my Quakers, And say my prayers. Tomorrow, I will conquer. I will be a doctor, A teacher, A lawyer, A business owner. No one would bother saying, “You’re young, you know nothing”  Finally, They’ll see how smart I am, Even though I simply wanted them to see me. Is this it? Did I succeed?

Big businesses have been ignoring climate change for a long time, but so have people. Scientists have repeatedly warned us, pleading to be heard but we choose to ignore them. We dismiss their efforts by saying "it's still a long way off" or "it's not that big of a concern." Every end-of-the-world movie begins that way, and I have no intentions of going down the same path. We get sidetracked by materialistic concerns like social media, having the nicest car, the priciest clothes, and wealth, but we forget that if there is no earth, none of those things have value. People are dying, animal species are disappearing, ecosystems are collapsing, and it's time to think of something other than ourselves, there's more life besides us. Due to our lack of responsibility as humans, climate change has been progressing. Therefore to create change, we need to recognize what we have done, but also what we can do. The best method to bring about change and jointly address this issue as a society is to concentrate on oneself and do one's part, without worrying about what others are doing or not. This means that everyone should take care of their environmental responsibilities and be conscious of their daily choices. Whether it be separating recycling from trash, not taking long showers, carpooling, or using public transportation when a car isn't needed, among many more. This way, everyone is contributing something to the effort to save the earth. If every household decided to separate their recyclables from their garbage once a week, wouldn't that small change add up to a huge change? On top of that, I support stricter methods. For example, government-mandated water schedules. I even sent a letter to the governor of San Diego, Gavin Newsom, where I explained my idea to help the California drought crisis. In addition to recycling, conserving water, shutting off lights, and donating items I don't use rather than tossing them away, I strive to create a better environment by informing others about what's happening in the world and how critical climate change is. One of my proudest moments was giving a speech at my Christian youth group about climate change. I was inspired when the Climate change protests started to rise again in April 2022. Sitting in my room watching these people and scientists fight for my future didn't sit right with me, I had to do something to spread the word in my community too, but most importantly the new generations. The quickest approach I could think of was to share in front of the 200 teenagers who went to my youth group called "Uno Youth". I contacted my pastor who permitted me to take on the stage for ten minutes before the service started. For two weeks before that date, I prepared everything from information to my tone and body language. I got on that stage and made the most out of those ten minutes. My main point was that this is not our earth; rather, it belongs to God, who borrowed it to us. We are responsible for the things we borrow. I also talked about the critical causes of climate change and how we can protect the planet, starting with our own homes. We need to be grateful for the privilege of living on a planet where we have access to all we need, including quality of life, breathtaking scenery, and limitless opportunities. We’re still in time to change our fate. Our earth has given enough, it's our turn to give back.

Big businesses have been ignoring climate change for a long time, but so have people. Scientists have repeatedly warned us, pleading to be heard but we choose to ignore them. We dismiss their efforts by saying "it's still a long way off" or "it's not that big of a concern." Every end-of-the-world movie begins that way, and I have no intentions of going down the same path. We get sidetracked by materialistic concerns like social media, having the nicest car, the priciest clothes, and wealth, but we forget that if there is no earth, none of those things have value. People are dying, animal species are disappearing, ecosystems are collapsing, and it's time to think of something other than ourselves, there's more life besides us. Due to our lack of responsibility as humans, climate change has been progressing. Therefore to create change, we need to recognize what we have done, but also what we can do. The best method to bring about change and jointly address this issue as a society is to concentrate on oneself and do one's part, without worrying about what others are doing or if they are even doing anything. This means that everyone should take care of their environmental responsibilities, whether it be separating recycling from trash, not taking long showers, carpooling, or using public transportation when a car isn't needed, among many more. This way, everyone is contributing something to the effort to save the earth. If every household decided to separate their recyclables from their garbage once a week, wouldn't that small change add up to a huge change? On top of that, I support stricter methods. For example, government-mandated water schedules. I even sent a letter to the governor of San Diego, Gavin Newsom, where I explained my idea to help the California drought crisis. In addition to recycling, conserving water, shutting off lights, and donating items I don't use rather than tossing them away, I fight climate change by informing others about what's happening in the world and how critical this issue is. One of my proudest moments was giving a speech at my Christian youth group about climate change. I was inspired when the Climate change protests started to rise again in April 2022. Sitting in my room watching these people and scientists fight for my future didn't sit right with me, I had to do something to spread the word in my community too, but most importantly the new generations. The quickest approach I could think of was to share in front of the 200 teenagers who went to my youth group called "Uno Youth". I contacted my pastor who permitted me to take on the stage for ten minutes before the service started. For two weeks before that date, I prepared everything from information to my tone and body language. I got on that stage and made the most out of those ten minutes. My main point was that this is not our earth; rather, it belongs to God, who borrowed it to us. We are responsible for the things we borrow. I also talked about the critical causes of climate change and how we can protect the planet, starting with our own homes. We need to be grateful for the privilege of living on a planet where we have access to all we need, including quality of life, breathtaking scenery, and limitless opportunities. We’re still in time to change our fate. Our earth has given enough, it's our turn to give back.