"But why?" I stared intently at my mother, who seemed to be slowly losing her patience. It was my sixth time questioning why I had to eat my vegetables. The only response she ever seemed to give me was "because I said so," which always ended the conversation rather quickly. I would sit at the dinner table for hours until my mother would give up, sigh with frustration, and send me away to my room. As a child, I could not yet feel the stress and concern that she felt. My mother constantly sighed. It was her trademark. I had rarely seen my mother spend a penny within her budget on herself. Instead, she devoted her time and energy to be able to afford groceries for the week, encourage me to do well in school, and continuously check up on what I needed-school supplies, novels, the sundress we spotted in the store display. Growing up, my mother never ended her streak. She continued looking over me, trudging onwards and thriving on her own despite the difficulties of single motherhood. Every morning, I was faced with yet another sacrifice that she made. The breakfast placed in front of me, the clothes in my closet, and the backpack I used for school would not have been within my sight if it weren't for my mother. Every night, my mother ensured that I had eaten enough food before she took so much as a glance at hers. Given everything that my mother has done, it became important to be able to show appreciation and gratefulness towards her unquestionable love for me. On Mother's Day, I tippy-toed and reached for the necessary ingredients in the refrigerator, attempting to surprise my mother with the largest, tastiest ham and cheese sandwich, as I had seen Shaggy and Scooby enjoy on Scooby-Doo. A few years later, I wrote long letters of appreciation and created coupons with deals that read "Free Hugs for a Month" and "Two Free Drawings." Fast forward to now, I continue writing letters or playing her requested piano pieces, both of which I can only do because of her, who made it possible to afford weekly music lessons and enough paper to spare for creativity. My mother taught me about the importance of appreciation, and of showing it. I volunteer to help people in need, who, like me, may not have dinner without the help of another person. Making sure that I do well in school to ensure that my mother's efforts do not go to waste is another way in which I try to show that I owe her everything. Oftentimes, I offer tutoring to friends and family to try and earn a little extra money to help the bills on our dinner table disappear. When I'm older, I hope to graduate college with a quality education and show my mother that her efforts and sacrifices were worth her time. I hope to be able to care for her as she did for me. I hope to continue showing appreciation for others, making sure to give back in the end. I hope to have the bravery and diligence as my mother did. I hope to make my mother proud.

"But why?" I stared intently at my mother, who seemed to be slowly losing her patience. It was my sixth time questioning why I had to eat my vegetables. The only response she ever seemed to give me was "because I said so," which always ended the conversation rather quickly. I would sit at the dinner table for hours until my mother would give up, sigh with frustration, and send me away to my room. As a child, I could not yet feel the stress and concern that she felt. My mother constantly sighed. It was her trademark. I had rarely seen my mother spend a penny within her budget on herself. Instead, she devoted her time and energy to be able to afford groceries for the week, encourage me to do well in school, and continuously check up on what I needed-school supplies, novels, the sundress we spotted in the store display. Growing up, my mother never ended her streak. She continued looking over me, trudging onwards and thriving on her own despite the difficulties of single motherhood. Every morning, I was faced with yet another sacrifice that she made. The breakfast placed in front of me, the clothes in my closet, and the backpack I used for school would not have been within my sight if it weren't for my mother. Every night, my mother ensured that I had eaten enough food before she took so much as a glance at hers. Given everything that my mother has done, it became important to be able to show appreciation and gratefulness towards her unquestionable love for me. On Mother's Day, I tippy-toed and reached for the necessary ingredients in the refrigerator, attempting to surprise my mother with the largest, tastiest ham and cheese sandwich, as I had seen Shaggy and Scooby enjoy on Scooby-Doo. A few years later, I wrote long letters of appreciation and created coupons with deals that read "Free Hugs for a Month" and "Two Free Drawings." Fast forward to now, I continue writing letters or playing her requested piano pieces, both of which I can only do because of her, who made it possible to afford weekly music lessons and enough paper to spare for creativity. My mother taught me about the importance of appreciation, and of showing it. I volunteer to help people in need, who, like me, may not have dinner without the help of another person. Making sure that I do well in school to ensure that my mother's efforts do not go to waste is another way in which I try to show that I owe her everything. Oftentimes, I offer tutoring to friends and family to try and earn a little extra money to help the bills on our dinner table disappear. When I'm older, I hope to graduate college with a quality education and show my mother that her efforts and sacrifices were worth her time. I hope to be able to care for her as she did for me. I hope to continue showing appreciation for others, making sure to give back in the end. I hope to have the bravery and diligence as my mother did. I hope to make my mother proud.

Reshma Saujani is the founder of an organization called Girls Who Code. She is a leader who inspires and encourages females all over the world to pursue science and technology with strong-willed intent. Given my interests in technology, learning about Reshma Saujani's philosophy of embracing failure in order to embark on a journey of bravery is the same exact philosophy that further inspired me to give everything in life a try — in order to be brave and not only prove to myself, but to my mother, that anything is possible. Observing my mother encounter the hardships and limited flexibility of single motherhood absolutely encouraged me to help as best as I could. Through learning from my independent and hard-working mother, I realized that the most important quality of leadership is diligence and patience in times of hardship.

During the Summer of 2019, I was accepted into the Girls Who Code Summer Immersion Program. Not only did I learn how to code in various languages, such as Python, HTML, and Javascript, but I also met amazing people that I will never forget. Everyone attending the program came from extremely different backgrounds, but we unified through a sense of newly-found sisterhood, and, most importantly, similar interests in problem-solving and technology. This program helped me to realize my new interests in technology and computer science. Not only did we focus on programming and problem-solving, but we also discussed ethical dilemmas in technological advancement, which combined my love of philosophy and computer science in one. I had the privilege to meet with inspiring and innovative women in technology along with girls my age that worked with me to create amazing projects focused on solving real-world issues, such as poverty, homelessness, lack of education, and more. To be able to break existing gender barriers in science and technology, to be able to show to women across the world that anything is possible, and to be able to prove to minorities and people originating from low-income and single-parent households is a dream that is more than worth achieving. Once I graduate from college, my goal is to encourage women to not walk, but run after their interests with bravery and courage, just as Girls Who Code did for me. In the long run, I hope to find my footing in security, data privacy, or research concerning those topics. I have learned so much about ethics and morals in technology that I have gained an interest in learning how to combat racial bias in technology as well as issues with the average person's data privacy. I believe everyone should be in control of their data and their privacy, which motivates me to continue pursuing computer science to the best of my ability. After graduating from college, I would like to find my way into furthering my education through a graduate program, pursuing research in my passions and interests revolving around technology and software, and try my best to responsibly plan my pathway financially, which is why I believe I am a strong applicant for this scholarship. Link to web design project and the applications of programming below.

"But why?" I stared intently at my mother, who seemed to be slowly losing her patience. It was my sixth time questioning why I had to eat my vegetables. The only response she ever seemed to give me was "because I said so," which always ended the conversation rather quickly. I would sit at the dinner table for hours until my mother would give up, sigh with frustration, and send me away to my room. As a child, I could not yet feel the stress and concern that she felt. My mother constantly sighed. It was her trademark. I had rarely seen my mother spend a penny within her budget on herself. Instead, she devoted her time and energy to be able to afford groceries for the week, encourage me to do well in school, and continuously check up on what I needed-school supplies, novels, the sundress we spotted in the store display. Growing up, my mother never ended her streak. She continued looking over me, trudging onwards and thriving on her own despite the difficulties of single motherhood. Every morning, I was faced with yet another sacrifice that she made. The breakfast placed in front of me, the clothes in my closet, and the backpack I used for school would not have been within my sight if it weren't for my mother. Every night, my mother ensured that I had eaten enough food before she took so much as a glance at hers. Given everything that my mother has done, it became important to be able to show appreciation and gratefulness towards her unquestionable love for me. On Mother's Day, I tippy-toed and reached for the necessary ingredients in the refrigerator, attempting to surprise my mother with the largest, tastiest ham and cheese sandwich, as I had seen Shaggy and Scooby enjoy on Scooby-Doo. A few years later, I wrote long letters of appreciation and created coupons with deals that read "Free Hugs for a Month" and "Two Free Drawings." Fast forward to now, I continue writing letters or playing her requested piano pieces, both of which I can only do because of her, who made it possible to afford weekly music lessons and enough paper to spare for creativity. My mother taught me about the importance of appreciation, and of showing it. I volunteer to help people in need, who, like me, may not have dinner without the help of another person. Making sure that I do well in school to ensure that my mother's efforts do not go to waste is another way in which I try to show that I owe her everything. Oftentimes, I offer tutoring to friends and family to try and earn a little extra money to help the bills on our dinner table disappear. When I'm older, I hope to graduate college with a quality education and show my mother that her efforts and sacrifices were worth her time. I hope to be able to care for her as she did for me. I hope to continue showing appreciation for others, making sure to give back in the end. I hope to have the bravery and diligence as my mother did. I hope to make my mother proud. I hope to be her legacy.

During the Summer of 2019, I was accepted into the Girls Who Code Summer Immersion Program. Not only did I learn how to code in various languages, such as Python, HTML, and Javascript, but I also met amazing people that I will never forget. Everyone attending the program came from extremely different backgrounds, but we unified through a sense of newly-found sisterhood, and, most importantly, similar interests in problem-solving and technology. This program helped me to realize my new interests in technology and computer science. Not only did we focus on programming and problem-solving, but we also discussed ethical dilemmas in technological advancement, which combined my love of philosophy and computer science in one. I had the privilege to meet with inspiring and innovative women in technology along with girls my age that worked with me to create amazing projects focused on solving real-world issues, such as poverty, homelessness, lack of education, and more. To be able to break existing gender barriers in science and technology, to be able to show to women across the world that anything is possible, and to be able to prove to minorities and people originating from low-income and single-parent households is a dream that is more than worth achieving. Once I graduate from college, my goal is to encourage women to not walk, but run after their interests with bravery and courage, just as Girls Who Code did for me. In the long run, I hope to find my footing in security, data privacy, or research concerning those topics. I have learned so much about ethics and morals in technology that I have gained an interest in learning how to combat racial bias in technology as well as issues with the average person's data privacy. I believe everyone should be in control of their data and their privacy, which motivates me to continue pursuing computer science to the best of my ability. After graduating from college, I would like to find my way into furthering my education through a graduate program, pursuing research in my passions and interests revolving around technology and software, and try my best to responsibly plan my pathway financially.

Reshma Saujani is the founder of an organization called Girls Who Code. She is a leader who inspires and encourages females all over the world to pursue science and technology with strong-willed intent. Given my interests in technology, reading and learning about Reshma Saujani's philosophy of embracing failure in order to embark on a journey of bravery is the same exact philosophy that further inspired me to give everything in life a try — in order to be brave and not only prove to myself, but to my mother, that anything is possible. Observing my mother encounter the hardships and limited flexibility of single motherhood absolutely encouraged me to help as best as I could. Through learning from my independent and hard-working mother, I realized that the most important quality of leadership is diligence and patience in times of hardship. Through my time at the University of Florida as a student pursuing a double major in computer science and mathematics, I can visualize addressing gender inequality and discrimination in technology and science. After discovering my passions in technology and science through Girls Who Code — a female-oriented program — I realized that science and technology are passions that should be encouraged worldwide, for everyone, regardless of gender.

"But why?" I stared intently at my mother, who seemed to be slowly losing her patience. It was my sixth time questioning why I had to eat my vegetables. The only response she ever seemed to give me was "because I said so," which always ended the conversation rather quickly. I would sit at the dinner table for hours until my mother would give up, sigh with frustration, and send me away to my room. As a child, I could not yet feel the stress and concern that she felt. My mother constantly sighed. It was her trademark. I had rarely seen my mother spend a penny within her budget on herself. Instead, she devoted her time and energy to be able to afford groceries for the week, encourage me to do well in school, and continuously check up on what I needed-school supplies, novels, the sundress we spotted in the store display. Growing up, my mother never ended her streak. She continued looking over me, trudging onwards and thriving on her own despite the difficulties of single motherhood. Every morning, I was faced with yet another sacrifice that she made. The breakfast placed in front of me, the clothes in my closet, and the backpack I used for school would not have been within my sight if it weren't for my mother. Every night, my mother ensured that I had eaten enough food before she took so much as a glance at hers. Given everything that my mother has done, it became important to be able to show appreciation and gratefulness towards her unquestionable love for me. On Mother's Day, I tippy-toed and reached for the necessary ingredients in the refrigerator, attempting to surprise my mother with the largest, tastiest ham and cheese sandwich, as I had seen Shaggy and Scooby enjoy on Scooby-Doo. A few years later, I wrote long letters of appreciation and created coupons with deals that read "Free Hugs for a Month" and "Two Free Drawings." Fast forward to now, I continue writing letters or playing her requested piano pieces, both of which I can only do because of her, who made it possible to afford weekly music lessons and enough paper to spare for creativity. My mother taught me about the importance of appreciation, and of showing it. I volunteer to help people in need, who, like me, may not have dinner without the help of another person. Making sure that I do well in school to ensure that my mother's efforts do not go to waste is another way in which I try to show that I owe her everything. Oftentimes, I offer tutoring to friends and family to try and earn a little extra money to help the bills on our dinner table disappear. When I'm older, I hope to graduate college with a quality education and show my mother that her efforts and sacrifices were worth her time. I hope to be able to care for her as she did for me. I hope to continue showing appreciation for others, making sure to give back in the end. I hope to have the bravery and diligence as my mother did. I hope to make my mother proud.