When I learned that I suffer from an autoimmune disease and dysoautonomia (a family of disorders of the autonomic nervous system), it changed everything about my life. On top of now having to rearrange school, work, and my social life around hospital visits and check ups, I also realized that the world was a much different place than I had previously thought. It put into perspective how much more effort I was putting into small daily tasks than other people, and also showed me how impressive my accomplishments actually were when the full scope all I had overcome was considered. For so long, I had been dealing with chronic fatigue, disabling migraines, frequent infections, dizziness, fainting, heart palpitations, constant pain, and dozens of other symptoms than most people rarely experience, on a daily basis. I had no idea that chronic illnesses such as the ones I suffer from had even existed before I was diagnosed, and when I delved further into research on the topic, I was surprised to find an diverse and inspiring community of others who shared the same illneses I did. They proved to me that my diagnoses don't define me- instead, they merely show a fraction of what I have been able to overcome in my life. I've learned that you truly cannot judge a book by its cover- many young and seemingly healthy people suffer from invisible disabilities, and deserve just as much compassion and understanding as any other disabled person. Through all of this, I learned to believe in myself and my abilities, and to stop beating myself up when I needed to rest. I have never felt so confident in my ability to persevere, or so hopeful about the future, than I do now, as strange as that might seem.

It was a rainy night, and I hoped my tears weren't visible as I stepped up to the register to order something small at the local Mcdonald's. I just wanted a dry place to stay for a few hours. It had been a very hard week for me- from getting kicked out by my parents after they found out I was LGBT, to being homeless and struggling to find a job while sleeping in my car, I was exhausted. Grief-stricken for the family I had lost, I had also been considering suicide. Though I didn't know it, part of me was searching anywhere it could for a reason to remain a part of this world. Some small sliver of hope. I don't know why- maybe my voice trembled when I tried to order- but when she handed my order, she gave me a free milkshake, and told me "you look like you need this. Don't worry, I paid for it. I hope you feel better." I know that there's no way that she could have known the impact that her simple act of kindness would have on a homeless teenager who felt that no one cared. But that milkshake may have very well have saved my life. It was proof that I was still human and worthy of compassion. That memory of how such a seemingly insignificant action changed my life pushes me to make a difference in the world. I make an effort to be kind everyday, and volunteer when I can, because I know what it's like to be in need. I help out at a local animal shelter and food bank Sometimes, it's the smallest things that make the difference, and if I can help one person the way that cashier helped me, then it's worth it.

Until this year, I had never heard of, let alone read, the Tao Te Ching. This amazing book, written thousands of years ago, has changed my life more than any other. During the pandemic, like many other people, I was going through a rough patch in my life. I lost my aunt to cancer, and I too began to suffer from serious health issues. I couldn't find balance or peace in my life, and it seemed like everything was going downhill. When I picked up this book, however, it seemed almost like divine intervention. It truly changed my life in a way I didn't know was possible. The Chinese concept of Wu Wei, or "effortless action", allowed me to take at look at who I was and discover what I wanted my life to look like. Most overnight, like winter melting into spring, my life began to change around me. My attitude towards the difficulties shifted, and like water, I was able to flow around the obstacles I faced, instead of going up against them. I found the strength to cut toxic people out of my life, to move to a new state, find a better job, and continue my education at a different school with a major I was actually passionate about. My relationships began to flourish under the new philosophy I applied to everything in my life, and my mental and physical health improved immensely. There is a reason that this book has survived dynasties, thousands of years, and that it's the one of the most printed books in the world, only second to the Bible. The wisdom and insight that this books provides can be applied to literally any situation, and can help anyone to find their own truth and correct path in life.

The motion moves through me, hypnotic and yet fully focused. My weight shifts from one foot to the other, my arm swing forward as my energy flows forwards like the crest of a wave. Nothing but me remains, but I am fully one with the earth. A smile graces my lips. It's my morning kata, and no matter what else is going on in my life, it always brings me happiness. Martial arts were originally brought into my life to bring me some sort of balance- I felt as though I was falling through life locked in a tailspin, just stumbling from one day to the next. I was drowning and I needed someone to teach me to just be. To breathe. To relax into the flow that is life, and to fully realize that happiness is a state of mind that can be found and dwelt in no matter where you are in life. I have had some very dark times in my life. I've been homeless, struggled with traumatic experiences, and have had moments where I just wanted everything to end. But martial arts truly saved me. It allowed me to gain the ability to step outside myself and see who I really was and what I wanted, unbiased by my painful emotions. It wasn't about what had happened to me anymore- it was about my choices. And I chose happiness. Continuing my practice keeps me focused on all of the positive things I have in my life that bring me joy. It reminds me that happiness is a choice I want to make and that I am allowed to put myself first. Martial arts bring me so much happiness and peace, and I'll always be thankful that I had the opportunity to bring them into my life.

It was late April of 2020. I had been suffering from untreated mental illness and being stuck alone in my apartment during the pandemic was not helping. I stepped out one morning to make my way to the laundromat and suddenly stopped and looked around at the world with eyes wide in wonder. I had never seen a springtime quite so green and bright. It had seemed to arrive almost overnight, though that was probably because I'd been stuck inside. Still- the birdsong hung in the air, a warm breeze gently brushed by me, and the sweet scent of something clean and alive in the air were things I had never experienced in any spring prior. What I was witnessing was the earth taking a bit of itself back as humanity receded back into our little caves. It was what spring was supposed to be like, and witnessing it gave me more hope than I had ever had that everything was somehow, eventually going to be okay. I grew up in a big, overcrowded city, breathing smog and unable to see a single star at night. I couldn't ever walk barefoot for fear of stepping on broken glass, and gunshots echoed over the concrete corridors at night. But now I knew something else was not only possible, but would persist, no matter the fate of humanity. I had spent so many days depressed over climate change and the idea that irreversible damage had been done to our planet for so cheap of a trade-off, and yet, here I was, witnessing the comeback of nature. Though lockdown was terribly lonely, it allowed me to reflect on the future of our beautiful earth, and I now have more hope than I ever have before. Change is possible. The earth is more than capable of taking itself back. I realized that this world doesn't belong to us; we, in fact, belong to it, as an arm belongs to a body and not the other way around. We are part of it, but it doesn't rely on us, and no matter our fate, the miracle of life will go on. It was such a relief to me to realize all of this. It felt as though a terribly heavy weight had been lifted, and I could breathe for the first time in months. Lockdown had caused me to marinate in all of the negativity humanity had to offer via the internet, but here I was, seeing so much more for the future of our world than all of that. But what's more than that- this proved to me that our actions make a difference. A few weeks of us all living more simply and this was the result. So much can be done for our future. We truly can change the trajectory we are on and ensure a better future for our children. Each and every one of us has the capability to make a change for the better. The choice is ours.

1a) Influence, to me, is a tool that can be used to improve the world around us. The impact we can have on one another should never be underestimated, and instead brandished carefully, in order to make the largest and most positive impact possible. 1b) I do my best every single day to have a positive impact on those in my life. I have overcome a fair amount of hardships, but instead of allowing these things to shape a negative view of the world, I am proud that they have allowed me to become more resilient and sure of who I am. I do my best to encourage those around me when they need it, and to be there when they need someone to lean on. I try my best to give advice and comfort to my younger siblings because that's what I so desperately needed at that age. I do my best to model authenticity to others so that they know there's nothing to fear in being your true self. 2) In 2019, I lost my aunt, after a long battle with cancer. I try to make her proud each day by doing my best to positively impact those around me. She was an amazing person and cared deeply for everyone around her. I want more than anything to make the kind of impact she did. Following her passing, I was forced to move out unexpectedly and was homeless for a few months, during which I began to suffer from several illnesses that I had no idea I even had. Some of the most serious included adrenal gland dysfunction (causes extreme fatigue and slowed healing) and POTS (which causes dizziness and fainting upon standing, as well as brain fog and palpitations). Getting to a place where I was medically stable and able to maintain a job and school on my own was the hardest thing I ever went through, but I persevered. 3a) I'm pursuing a degree in computer development and programming. 3b) I've always been passionate about coding, and find solace in the logical way computers function. They bring me peace and are the place I find my brain works the most fluidly and I am able to come up with innovative ideas and create new things. 3c) Computers are a tool that I hope to use to create new software that can make the world a better place. I'm very passionate about this and know that no matter what, I won't give up. 4) Winning this scholarship would be an honor, and I would do my best to honor the memory of Jack and continue to do my best as I continue in my studies and to show kindness to those around me. It would also remove some of the strain from my life as I would be able to work fewer hours and put more of my energy into school work and personal coding projects. Regardless of your decision, thank you so much for your consideration.

It was May of 2020, and I had been pushed to my limits. I had no idea how I would pay rent, I felt trapped, and everywhere I looked, negativity seemed to be seeping into everything. And I had never imagined spending my 21st birthday alone. Suddenly it clicked in my brain that this life was going to be what I made it. There was no perfectly mapped out plan laying before me- or anyone, for that matter. There would always be obstacles. But I was strong enough to overcome them. And that the changes this pandemic would bring could be a positive in my life, which had seemed to have fallen off the rails in the months leading up to lockdown. I got my life back on track. I applied to start back at college. I found a new job delivering food. I focused on improving my health and reconnected over the phone with family. For the first time, I had the time I needed to think about my future, and I decided what I wanted to accomplish with my life. And most importantly and ironically, I ended up feeling less alone than I ever had before.

As a child, I never seemed to run out of questions. I wanted to know everything- from the what to the way and the how. I taught myself to read from the mountains of books piled around our house before I ever started kindergarten and read every single book I could get my hands on in the elementary school library. I graduated in the top 3% of my class, with honors, a year before my classmates, while dual-enrolled at the local college. As a college student pursuing STEM, I’m hungry for knowledge and fueled by the fire of my ambition. I want to learn every bit of information I can get my hands on. It’s who I am, who I always have been. And I’m so grateful to have been given all the opportunities I have been given, as well as the obstacles I have overcome because they have made me so much stronger and better equipped to succeed in the future. I have overcome a lot in the past two years: from being forced to unexpectedly move out of my parents’ house, to learning to build a functional life for myself while suffering from chronic mental and physical illnesses, to struggling to continue my education while on the verge of homelessness. Through all of this adversity, however, I have found who I truly am: someone resolute, who refuses to back down even when success seems improbable. I have proven to myself time and time again that my future is in my hands, and mine alone, and that if I persevere and use my head, I can overcome any hardship that presents itself. I’m passionate about STEM because it encourages me to use my brain to its fullest potential- to look for the root causes of problems and unravel them. It allows me to fully immerse myself in those things that I am most passionate about: mathematics, science, and learning how to solve new kinds of problems. It pushes me to better understand the world, as well as puts me in a very competitive environment, which also helps me to improve. I want to become the best version of myself possible, and I believe that STEM is the most efficient way for me to achieve this. I’m currently pursuing a degree in Computer Development and Programming, and I’ve found that I adore my coursework and have been able to apply it to personal projects and pursuits outside of the bounds of my classwork. I hope to use the proficiency in computer software that I am gaining through my studies to make practical improvements in the world through innovations in technology. I want to create technology that makes life easier and can solve problems that were previously thought to be just a fact of life. I truly believe this is my calling in life, and I find so much joy through using computer programming to create new things. There are so, so many ways that computer development can be used to improve our world. Overall, STEM brings me joy because it encourages me to innovate, to use my mind to change things, and to improve upon the things that others have poured their hearts into. It’s truly beautiful to me what humans can create when we cooperate and all use our brains to their fullest potential. Science is art. Everyone has had different experiences in life that their ideas build off of, and that’s why diversity in technology is so important. I can’t wait to be a part of the new technological frontier that is sweeping our planet.

Though my aunt died two years ago, I still see her every day. She lingers there, in the buildings and roads, in the TV shows that she used to adore, and in the foods we used to share. In a way, it's agonizing, because it reminds me of all that my family lost when her cancer took her away from us, but it also amazes me- even though she has left the earth, her legacy refuses to dissipate. And it makes me realize, day by day, that I just want to leave the earth a better place like she did. Hundreds of people came to her funeral, a testament to all of the lives she changed. She was a schoolteacher, and generations of students still adored Mrs. Gray enough to travel home to see her laid to rest. I had never seen anything like it. Though each and every person had different memories of her, the message was the same overall: she had left behind a shadow of all of the kindness she had shown to others, and of love given without obligation. I want my legacy to be like that of my late aunt. Even if I never become rich, or achieve greatness, that will be okay. I want to be a shining light in the lives of those around me, to show them that the world is a much better place than it can be made out be sometimes. She always had a kind word to say to others, and was one of the few people that I knew would never judge anyone in their moments of weakness. That is the kind of legacy I want to leave behind me. More than greatness or money, I just want to leave behind a testament to God's love like her.

If there is one thing that I have learned over the past few years that stands out, it is that patience, more than any other trait or characteristic, is the true key to success. It unlocks the ability to reach any goal or milestone one sets for themselves. It allows for progress and maturity to be reached in different disciplines. But most importantly, it builds confidence in one's ability to overcome adversity and achieve success. When I was a teenager, I dismissed the capacity for patience as unimportant, and prioritized other character traits, such as ambition and creativity. While these are certainly important and important on the path to success, patience is the most precious gift that my maturity has given me. The ability to trust that I will be able to reap the fruits of my labor at a later date has allowed me to be present and emotionally grounded, and to make better decisions in times of stress. I have expanded my ability to be patient through meditation and studying martial arts in my free time. I've found so much personal growth there, and come to realize so many of my past mistakes were due to impatience that caused me to push for premature progress when I should have been content to wait. Patience helps in so many aspects of life - it nurtures the natural growth of relationships and allows one to continue to progress through challenges such as paying off debt or losing weight. I've learned that if you allow yourself to become preoccupied with the progress you can visibly see in the present, you can easily become discouraged and cease the efforts that would have allowed you to reach success, had you just patiently waited. Patience is peace, and patience brings success in its wake.

I believe that giving others the means and encouragement to help themselves is the most empowering way one can help them. In the same way that scholarships give students the means to support themselves, and yet students themselves are the ones who have to make their own way to success, helping my friends to help themselves has always made the biggest positive impact on their lives. For example, helping a friend to find a job helps them much more than just loaning them money when they are in need, because it allows them to support themselves long term and the opportunity to make new connections. Not only does helping others in this way get their needs met more efficiently, but it allows them to prove to themselves that they are capable and able to overcome obstacles. It shows them that the power to change their life lies in their hands. I have experienced this situation on both sides, having been kicked out of my parent's house to fend for myself when I was younger, and the truest friends I have are the ones who empowered me to change my life and turn a terrible situation into one that made me proud of all I had overcome. In the end, I believe that helping others when they need it is always the route one should take, as long as it doesn't put the person giving the aid in a bad situation (be it financially, emotionally, etc.), but helping others to help themselves will always have the largest net positive as the end result. I think it's one of the best ways to show someone you truly care about them and their well being, from now and far into the future.

"Blood is thicker than water." There goes the common mantra of those who praise blood relatives above all other relationships, regardless of how deep or meaningful they are. I, however, wholeheartedly disagree with this sentiment. When I got kicked out of my parent's home after being outed as LGBT, I learned the true value of friendship. I was completely unprepared for the situation I had been thrown into, and felt betrayed, heartbroken, and rejected by those who were supposed to love me unconditionally. If it hadn't been for the kindness of those I now call my true family, I would have been out on the streets with no where to go. It humbled me so much to have so many kind gestures directed at me, even when I had nothing to give in return, and taught me what real, unconditional love looks like. I've realized that being blood related doesn't make someone is your family- instead, real family is something you choose. Friendships can become the most defining, beautiful relationships one ever experiences, and part of this beauty comes from the knowledge that you were chosen, despite all of your imperfections, instead of the other party being stuck with you due to a connection neither of you chose. True friendship comes without chains or obligations. It's helping out someone you care for when they need it, without any expectations of the favors being returned in the future. It's not judging someone, and instead seeing them as a whole person deserving of compassion and care. Friendship, to me, is what love in its purest form is supposed to look like. I will never be able to repay those who have shown me true friendship, so instead, I will continue to do my best to make them proud with my success.

Growing up, I never stopped asking questions. For each and every new thing I learned, a dozen new questions were born. I must have been so frustrating to parent. But I'm thankful that those around me nurtured this burning curiosity, instead of stifling my flame, because it shaped me into who I am today. I heard the stories about my grandfather helping to engineer the Apollo missions for NASA and realized that I could have an impact on the world the way he did. That I could help humanity touch the stars, both figuratively and literally. There is so much about the universe that is unknown to us. Just as I, as a child, would come up with five new questions after I was given one answer, such is the plight of those seeking to understand our place in the universe. From the details of the way our neurons fire, to the very forces that keep the universe in motion, its so clear that the more we think we understand, the looser our grasp on the nature of reality really is. But the quest to understand is so worth it, because of the advancements and improvements it brings in its wake. There is so, so much that I want to make better. I seek truth. I have an unquenchable thirst for knowledge, for understanding, for all that life and the universe had to offer. And I want to make a difference- to contribute to the world in a way that will make all of those who have encouraged me proud. I want to take everything that this life has to offer and not let go. And I know that the keys to my success are based entirely in how hard I am willing to work for this goal, in how relentless I am in my quest to learn as much as I can and unravel the mysteries of the universe. My chosen path is one in computer programming and development. This, to me, is the clearest path for me to get in on the ground floor and contribute to advances in technology that is going to pave our way into the future. Computer technology, and especially AI based learning (which I plan to focus on heavily) will soon be assisting every industry: in education, medicine, transportation, planning, logistics, defense. There is nothing that the wide spectrum that is AI will not touch. More than anything, I want to do what I can to improve lives, to create, and to make an impact on the world at both a large and small scale. I want to build a better future for those that will come after us. To make something beautiful, something that will outlast me. To me, STEM is the future. Mathematics are art. It bridges cultures and languages and unifies all people under the common goal of a brighter future. It's everything that those who have come before us have given their lives to build, and I want to do the same. STEM is the best of what we as humans have to offer, and I know that it is what I am meant to dedicate my life towards. It is what I am truly passionate about, and I know a life spent creating new technologies and innovations will be one that I can be proud of.