I would say my mom is my everything because she has helped he through so many things. It can be difficult things at school or work also at home. She is always there to give me advice or tell me right from wrong. She is my mom and my best friend. We are so open to each other I can talk to her about anything. I have no idea what I would do without her. I love her very much.

Hello I am Emily Correa. I am a senior in high school so that means college is around the corner. I think I should be awarded this scholarship because I really want to get an education such as get my bachelors degree and major in child development. When I was little I always wanted to help people even if it’s taking out the trash bins or mow their lawn but I used to volunteer at a Sunday school for kids and I loved it. But since COVID-19 it stopped and it was virtually. So senior year of high school everybody keeps asking me what I want to be when I grow up and I soon I realized that I want to be and elementary teacher. I want to help kids new things and see their faces glow when they learn something. So I think I should get this scholarship so I can achieve my dream and help my parents with their bills. If I when this scholarship I know I would make my parents proud and that would make me so happy.

Hello my name is Emily Correa. Currently I am a senior high school student so that means I’ll be attending a college very soon. I don’t have a what inspires me but I have a who. The person that inspires me to be a better person is my mom. She is always their for me when I need her. She is my hero. A technology that I would like to create would have to be something that you can take with you on the go for example AirPods or a phone. I think anything that you can take on the go is super easy and can be fun.

What makes me happy is spending time with my dad in garage fixing his Datsun 510. It’s definitely a labor of love and I love learning from him. I also love spending time with my mom in the kitchen. I love hearing her stories and how she learned recipes. My other source of happiness are my two dachshund puppies, Duke and Dino. I enjoy playing with them and showing them all the love and cuddles I have for them. Being surrounded by family, my home and my pets bring me so much peace and happiness. I look forward to the weekends especially the ones where nothing is planned to be able to enjoy them. Thinking of family time brings a smile to my face and will always be the best memories for me. I contribute my happiness to being able to be myself, I am free to be silly and most of the time my parents join in with me. This is what makes me happy.

Hello, my name is Emily Correa. I am currently 17 years old and a senior at Covina High School in Covina CA. Attending and graduating from college has always been a dream of my parents. As a child, I didn't understand why it was so important to them. I only knew it was something that had to be done. Now as I am older and trying to seek employment, I see the importance of continued education. I feel very blessed to live in California where we have over 280 universities and colleges. Personally, I want to attend a university to not only further my education but to grow as a person as well. I feel very fortunate to have had guidance from my family all these years but as I become an adult and more independent, I would like to continue with the strong foundation that an education at a university can offer. When I attend college, I hope to go to school in a community with a positive environment. I hope I will be able to find a new group of friends, and experience college together. I have volunteered in several places during the summer, and I understand now why college education is important. It is important to earn more money. I have also read that someone with a college degree is less likely to face unemployment. I saw firsthand how the pandemic affected so many of my family members who don't have a college degree and faced the uncertainty of not knowing if they would be laid off. That is not something I want to worry about. Furthering my education will give me the knowledge and skills needed to pursue a career and my passions. The degree also can bring personal satisfaction. I have also heard from people with degrees that they are more likely to be happy in their jobs and careers. A degree boosts happiness and overall satisfaction. Having a college degree will also open many doors for me such as my all-time goal of someday owning my home because I would make more money than if I didn't go to college. I want to someday get married and have a stable home for my family. Save money for my retirement and invest towards my old age. More importantly, I want to set a good example for my little brother and the rest of my family. I volunteered at my church for two years and that is when I realized I would love to teach someday. I assisted with the first-grade religious education. I really enjoyed helping young kids and watching them learn. This is one of the most heartwarming benefits of volunteering such a young age. I would like to receive a degree in education and major in psychology. I took psychology in high school during my junior year and I really enjoyed it. I really want to pursue it. In summary, I hope I am given the opportunity to attend your university. Thank you, Emily Correa

Something that I have learned about myself that is valuable to me now is that I can accomplish whatever my heart wants. I started high school with horrible grades, feeling unsure of everything. I was told that I have a learning disability and I didn't know my self-worth. Until my mother got sick with breast cancer in 1026 and I had no choice but to push forward on my own. I found that things might take a bit longer for me to accomplish. That things might take a few tries but I can definitely do it. I realized I am strong and smart and that I have to be my own advocate. I learned that I am capable of accomplishing straight A's. I learned that I am helpful, that I can speak up for myself to get my point across, and no longer stand in the shadows of those that have spoken for me before. I have a voice and this is a valuable characteristic.

My biggest motivation is my mother. In 2016 she was diagnosed with stage 2B breast cancer. She had major surgeries and treatments that included chemo and radiation. However, she still managed to work her full-time job as a research coordinator. She still kept a clean house, dinner on the table, and was my constant companion. She pushed through pain, suffering, and sickness. I see how strong she is, how happy she is. She motivates me to keep going, even when things are tough. I know I have to try and try again. Why? because I know she would. She motivates me to stay healthy and fit. My mom motivates me to be someone big in this world. She motivated me to bring up my grades from C's to almost straight A's, all because I want to make her proud and I want her to know that her fight during her sickness will never be in vain. My greatest payback to her will be handing her my degree and seeing me fulfilled as a professional woman. My mother is my biggest motivation.

My favorite way to help people is to volunteer. I enjoy volunteering as it enables me to help others in a selfless way. It is very rewarding. I volunteered at my church for the last two years and that is when I realized I would love to teach someday. I assisted with the first-grade religious education. I really enjoyed helping young kids and watching them learn. At the same time I helped my church, I helped the teachers so that they can focus on the materials and I helped the kids feel engaged. Being young I feel I added a fun twist to the class. This is one of the most heartwarming benefits of volunteering to such a young age. Helping others, asking for nothing in return actually pays more than being on a salary. The thank you's and welcoming salutes are enough pay for me. Volunteering has opened doors for me and has helped promote happiness and a sense of accomplishment.

A college education is very important to me and my family as I would be the first to do so. I want to have a degree to get a good job someday. A college education would open so many doors for me and would help me reach my goals of buying a home and a new car someday. A college education would ultimately bring me stability and happiness. A typical day for me consists of getting up early to have a good breakfast, attending school, coming home. I then get my homework done and volunteer at a local gym with a personal trainer. Where I practice on my customer service skills and learn from the coach how to do a little of physical therapy, stretching and overall well-being. When that is done I workout every day for about 40 minutes with the coach I volunteer for. I feed my curiosity by searching through the internet, researching schools and careers. Talking to adults like my teachers, my parents and mentors and their experiences. I love to volunteer at my church, gym and local salon. I also do crafting, making candles, playing with make up and making gifts out of resin. I have self taught myself by watching YouTube videos and lots of practice.