Being no taller than the countertop, I remember the little details that made Lolo’s cooking special. Past his tough exterior, he used delicately plated longanisa, freshly steamed rice, and hand-picked tomatoes to display his affection. Our bellies would be full, but our hearts even more so. As I grew older, Lolo developed Parkinson's disease, making it difficult to perform everyday tasks, let alone cook. As it worsened, my grandparents moved in next door, and I wanted to lend more than an arm to help him walk. So, I started baking and took inspiration to care for him and my family just as he did. His tired hands that fed me finally got time to eat from the food I created. Through my homemade sweets, I realized the independence of creating from scratch and the joy of providing for others. While my bakes are free to anyone, the smiles in return make me rich. No matter family, friends, or strangers, the bonds I forged by sharing my homemade bakes with others last forever. This also led me to discover my passion for innovating and creating. The science of carefully measuring ingredients, creatively decorating bakes, and intelligently developing new recipes had me captivated. If simply sharing my bakes could foster a sense of community, then how much more could my future career as an aspiring mechanical engineer positively impact society? From measuring sugar to CAD models and designing cakes to rover prototypes, I'll continue to use my skills every day to uplift others. The Alexander de Guia Memorial Scholarship will continue to support me in supporting others in engineering. Currently, I am President of the Girls Who Code Club. Each meeting is not just to teach website development lessons using HTML, JavaScript, and CSS or to prepare for coding competitions using Python. Instead, I work with a team to strive for the creation of a diverse and welcoming environment for introductory coders to pursue their passions. As President of the Science Olympiad team, I also collaborate to focus on fostering other members’ STEM passions. By leading 2 teams in regional competitions, we compete and experience new opportunities together. Outside of school, I further contribute by being a Mentor at the AEOP’s Gains in Education of Mathematics and Sciences camp. We explore topics through hands-on activities, tours, special guests, and games at the University of Central Florida. I am able to connect with the group of kids and introduce them to a variety of topics and possible careers in a lighthearted way. The bonds I can form throughout the weeks over the summer are like no other and further fuel my passion to inspire and create. My passion for creating, volunteering, mentoring, and giving to others will continue throughout my career. I've grown up noticing how the tiniest actions can still mean the world. I keep those values true and will hold them in my engineering journey to solve problems and make a difference all around me. By furthering my education, I'll have the tools to go beyond sweet treats. I'll be able to focus on sustainable, effective, and innovative development for the future. Most importantly, beyond the cool innovations, it's the supportive community that truly enhances the experience which I aspire to build upon. With the help of this scholarship, I am eager to witness advancements in the field and community.

I realized those seemingly simple actions have the deepest impact while looking down into a pile of yarn. I taught myself to crochet with the original intent to proudly make my own adorable stuffed animals. The repeated action of doing stitch after stitch for hours straight felt painstakingly long when first learning to crochet. In the end, I was left with a slightly lopsided yellow stuffed ball that would turn into a duck after some touch-ups. After trial and error, each little stitch brought the stuffed animal together and I can now provide my close ones with their own homemade plushie. Through my crafted gifts, I realized the independence of creating from scratch and the joy of providing for others. While my crocheted pieces are free to anyone, the smiles in return make me rich. No matter family, friends, or strangers, the ties I build by sharing with others last forever. This also led to me enhancing my passion for innovating. The science of carefully following patterns, creatively decorating pieces, and inventively developing new pieces from nothing had me captivated. If simply threading yarn can bring people together, then how much more would my future career as a mechanical engineer positively impact society? From measuring string to CAD models and designing patterns to rover prototypes, I'll continue to use my skills everyday to support others. Currently, I am President of the Girls Who Code Club. It is not just to teach website development lessons using HTML, JavaScript, and CSS or to prepare for coding competitions using Python. Instead, I prioritize working with a team to strive for the creation of a diverse and welcoming environment for introductory coders to pursue their passions. As President of the Science Olympiad team, I also collaborate to focus on fostering other members’ STEM passions. By leading 2 teams in regional competitions, we compete and experience new opportunities together. Each meeting builds upon itself to advance a larger impact in my community. It may not be forward in the beginning, but neither was crocheting. What matters is that by the end of the year, I connect with others and we once again work together to learn more. I further contribute by being a Mentor at the AEOP’s Gains in Education of Mathematics and Sciences camp. We explore topics through hands-on activities, tours, special guests, and games at UCF. I can collaborate with 6th-9th graders and introduce them to varied subjects and possible careers. The bonds I can form throughout the weeks over the summer are like no other and further fuel my passion to inspire. I continue to teach others and will always learn more from those around me throughout my career. My crocheting collection grandly displayed on my bookshelf is continuously growing and so are the bonds with others I form while pursuing engineering. I keep those values true and will hold them in my engineering journey to solve problems and make a difference all around me.