My little sister, Nora, has stage four melanoma. She was born with an extremely rare type of melanoma, referred to as pigment-synthesizing melanoma. She is currently in remission, but only just last year was she taken off of treatment. Between cancer and her immunotherapy drug (Nivolumab, also known as Opdivo), her immune system was not only weakened, but trained to become overreactive. Immunotherapy drugs stimulate the immune system, and teach it to fight and eliminate cancer cells. Due to this, she was at an increased risk of contracting viral infections, such as Covid-19. My parents decided that for Nora's health, as well as our own, we should socially distance. I am currently enrolled in the Fort Wayne Virtual Academy, an entirely online-based school. Due to the circumstances, I have not had a safe opportunity to complete the SAT or ACT. My school, being newly formed last year, had to offer the SAT in conjunction with a local high school. There were no precautionary measures taken. As well as being unable to safely complete standardized testing, I have not had the same academic opportunities as other prospective college students. I took a couple of honors courses in my freshman year of high school, when I was going in-person. Sophomore year, I was able to take English 10 Honors through virtual school. However, Fort Wayne Virtual Academy does not offer any form of honors, AP, IB, or dual credit curriculum. I am unfortunately lacking the hefty coursework colleges and universities ideally want me to have. Despite being academically disadvantaged and losing opportunities during the pandemic, I have tried my best to continue to immerse myself in academics to help myself thrive as both a person, and a student. Virtual school has taught me self-sufficiency, discipline, and time management skills. When you are working through an online environment, schooling is quite different. You are expected to learn and absorb material faster, and you have to improve your work ethic. I had to be able to learn entire classes' worth of material on my own. I had to study harder, and take notes consistently. Even though I may not have taken any weighted classes in the past couple of school years, I definitely have not been lacking in academic rigor. I plan to pursue biomedical engineering, or some other form of medical-based science. No one deserves to suffer, or to watch a loved one suffer. Watching my sister go through the things she did, experiencing intense stress and anxiety over the situation, and seeing my parents become depressed and scared, really put things into perspective for me. It was clear to see what detrimental effects an illness or disease can have on a person and their loved ones. When someone you love falls ill, they are not the only one suffering. You suffer too. Perhaps not physically, but psychologically. In an ideal world, no one would have to experience that. That is a world I want to help create.

Over the years, I have become progressively interested in STEM. When I was ten, my youngest sister, who was six months old at the time, was diagnosed with stage four melanoma. As her treatment progressed, I became more and more fascinated by the technology and science that had engulfed her life. I believe that witnessing firsthand how biomedical engineering can save someone's life truly sparked my interest. My sister, Nora, originally needed a Broviac line (also known as a central venous catheter). The Broviac line internally connected to a large vein that lead to her heart, while leaving an external line that allowed her immunotherapy drug, Nivolumab, to be administered easily. She was so little that without the Broviac line, it was nearly impossible for her doctors and nurses to obtain access to her veins in order to give Nora her medicine. Around age four, Nora was able to have her Broviac line replaced with a port. This device was able to be placed underneath her skin, but still allowed quick and easy access to her veins in order for her to receive treatment. After six long years of grueling treatment, Nora was finally able to enter remission as of last year. Despite living in Indiana, my parents drove her to University of Michigan for treatment approximately every two weeks for several years. If it was not for University of Michigan and their amazing staff, as well as the biomedical engineers who created the tools and technology necessary to treat cancer, Nora may not be here today. Nora's Broviac and port allowed not only her, but thousands of other cancer patients to avoid unnecessary pokes and prods. While it may not seem like much to an outsider, it means something to the patients, and it means something to their family. I distinctly remember my mom stating how relieved she was that there was technology to reduce the amount of needle pokes needed for Nora to receive immunotherapy. I do not think that it is unrealistic to want to create and provide ways to lessen the havoc that illness wreaks. Biomedical engineering will allow me to accomplish this. I plan to pursue biomedical engineering, or some other form of medical-based science. No one deserves to suffer, or to watch a loved one suffer. Watching my sister go through the things she did, experiencing intense stress and anxiety over the situation, and seeing my parents become depressed and scared, really put things into perspective for me. It was clear to see what detrimental effects an illness or disease can have on a person and their loved ones. When someone you love falls ill, they are not the only one suffering. You suffer too. Perhaps not physically, but psychologically. In an ideal world, no one would have to experience that. That is a world I want to help create.

When I was ten, my youngest sister, who was six months old at the time, was diagnosed with stage four melanoma. As her treatment progressed, I became more and more fascinated by the technology and science that had engulfed her life. I believe that witnessing firsthand how biomedical engineering can save someone's life truly sparked my interest. My sister, Nora, originally needed a Broviac line (also known as a central venous catheter). The Broviac line internally connected to a large vein that lead to her heart, while leaving an external line that allowed her immunotherapy drug, Nivolumab, to be administered easily. She was so little that without the Broviac line, it was nearly impossible for her doctors and nurses to obtain access to her veins in order to give Nora her medicine. Around age four, Nora was able to have her Broviac line replaced with a port. This device was able to be placed underneath her skin, but still allowed quick and easy access to her veins in order for her to receive treatment. After six long years of grueling treatment, Nora was finally able to enter remission as of last year. Despite living in Indiana, my parents drove her to University of Michigan for treatment approximately every two weeks for several years. If it was not for University of Michigan and their amazing staff, as well as the biomedical engineers who created the tools and technology necessary to treat cancer, Nora may not be here today. Nora's Broviac and port allowed not only her, but thousands of other cancer patients to avoid unnecessary pokes and prods. While it may not seem like much to an outsider, it means something to the patients, and it means something to their family. I distinctly remember my mom stating how relieved she was that there was technology to reduce the amount of needle pokes needed for Nora to receive immunotherapy. I do not think that it is unrealistic to want to create and provide ways to lessen the havoc that illness wreaks. Biomedical engineering will allow me to accomplish this. I plan to pursue biomedical engineering. No one deserves to suffer, or to watch a loved one suffer. Watching my sister go through the things she did, experiencing intense stress and anxiety over the situation, and seeing my parents become depressed and scared, really put things into perspective for me. It was clear to see what detrimental effects an illness or disease can have on a person and their loved ones. When someone you love falls ill, they are not the only one suffering. You suffer too. Perhaps not physically, but psychologically. In an ideal world, no one would have to experience that. That is a world I want to help create.

Over the years, I have become progressively interested in STEM. When I was ten, my youngest sister, who was six months old at the time, was diagnosed with stage four melanoma. As her treatment progressed, I became more and more fascinated by the technology and science that had engulfed her life. I believe that witnessing firsthand how biomedical engineering can save someone's life truly sparked my interest. My sister, Nora, originally needed a Broviac line (also known as a central venous catheter). The Broviac line internally connected to a large vein that lead to her heart, while leaving an external line that allowed her immunotherapy drug, Nivolumab, to be administered easily. She was so little that without the Broviac line, it was nearly impossible for her doctors and nurses to obtain access to her veins in order to give Nora her medicine. Around age four, Nora was able to have her Broviac line replaced with a port. This device was able to be placed underneath her skin, but still allowed quick and easy access to her veins in order for her to receive treatment. After six long years of grueling treatment, Nora was finally able to enter remission as of last year. Despite living in Indiana, my parents drove her to University of Michigan for treatment approximately every two weeks for several years. If it was not for University of Michigan and their amazing staff, as well as the biomedical engineers who created the tools and technology necessary to treat cancer, Nora may not be here today. Nora's Broviac and port allowed not only her, but thousands of other cancer patients to avoid unnecessary pokes and prods. While it may not seem like much to an outsider, it means something to the patients, and it means something to their family. I distinctly remember my mom stating how relieved she was that there was technology to reduce the amount of needle pokes needed for Nora to receive immunotherapy. I do not think that it is unrealistic to want to create and provide ways to lessen the havoc that illness wreaks. Biomedical engineering will allow me to accomplish this. I plan to pursue biomedical engineering, or some other form of medical-based science. No one deserves to suffer, or to watch a loved one suffer. Watching my sister go through the things she did, experiencing intense stress and anxiety over the situation, and seeing my parents become depressed and scared, really put things into perspective for me. It was clear to see what detrimental effects an illness or disease can have on a person and their loved ones. When someone you love falls ill, they are not the only one suffering. You suffer too. Perhaps not physically, but psychologically. In an ideal world, no one would have to experience that. That is a world I want to help create.

When I was ten, my youngest sister, who was six months old at the time, was diagnosed with stage four melanoma. As her treatment progressed, I became more and more fascinated by the technology and science that had engulfed her life. I believe that witnessing firsthand how biomedical engineering can save someone's life truly sparked my interest. My sister, Nora, originally needed a Broviac line (also known as a central venous catheter). The Broviac line internally connected to a large vein that lead to her heart, while leaving an external line that allowed her immunotherapy drug, Nivolumab, to be administered easily. She was so little that without the Broviac line, it was nearly impossible for her doctors and nurses to obtain access to her veins in order to give Nora her medicine. Nora's Broviac allowed not only her, but thousands of other cancer patients to avoid unnecessary pokes and prods. While it may not seem like much to an outsider, it means something to the patients, and it means something to their family. I distinctly remember my mom stating how relieved she was that there was technology to reduce the amount of needle pokes needed for Nora to receive immunotherapy. I do not think that it is unrealistic to want to create and provide ways to lessen the havoc that illness wreaks. Biomedical engineering will allow me to accomplish this. I plan to pursue biomedical engineering, or some other form of medical-based science. No one deserves to suffer, or to watch a loved one suffer. Watching my sister go through the things she did, experiencing intense stress and anxiety over the situation, and seeing my parents become depressed and scared, really put things into perspective for me. It was clear to see what detrimental effects an illness or disease can have on a person and their loved ones. When someone you love falls ill, they are not the only one suffering. You suffer too. Perhaps not physically, but psychologically. In an ideal world, no one would have to experience that. That is a world I want to help create.

The most helpful piece of financial advice I've ever received would probably be from one of my current teachers. Last semester, I took a business management course at my high school. My teacher, Mr. Crum, constantly taught us about finances. He taught us the ins and out of managing a business financially. His piece of advice was to keep up with the news. He repeatedly used the news and other media outlets to convey information about finances, businesses, economics, etc. The news and other forms of media can keep you up to date on recent developments and can prove useful when attempting to learn new things. On several occasions, we discussed things occurring in the world of business in class, as the topics came up in our schoolwork. A few months back, he had shown us a news clip informing us about the situation with the cargo ships lingering off the coast of California. I had heard of this occurring, but I didn't know why it was happening. He explained about potential upcoming shortages during the past holiday season, due to the congestion of ships. He gave us a real-world example of why we should keep up with the news. Since then, I have signed up for several financial newsletters. That way, I can get recent and updated information sent straight to my email. It has been very useful. I can now read about things going on in the world around me that I may not have been aware of. It has also given me useful information about topics like cryptocurrency, and stocks, which I only had a very basic understanding of before receiving these newsletters. His advice has positively impacted me and helped me grow my knowledge of finance.

I want my legacy to be in the medical field. I hope to positively impact the field of medicine through the research I will conduct as a laboratory scientist. I plan to major in clinical/medical laboratory sciences in college. I want to help patients. I hope to dabble in a mix of pharmaceutical research and gene therapy. I want to understand what occurs in someone's genes to cause genetic disorders and diseases, such as cancer. I hope that this will strengthen my abilities and that one day, I'll make a discovery that could assist in diagnosis, or in treatment against illnesses and diseases. I want to understand what went wrong and find a way to help the situation. I want to help ensure the safety and good health of the people around me. Beyond that, I hope to make a discovery that could assist more than just the people around me. I want to help people worldwide. I want to help in a way that has a lasting effect on the field of medicine.

This is a drawing I've created. It was inspired by the characters Naruto and Sasuke from the anime Naruto. I drew their faces split down the center because I felt it represented the emotion from the show well. In the show, Sasuke essentially takes off to team up with Orochimaru (the villain) and deserts Naruto. Naruto, who becomes distressed, spends years trying to get Sasuke back, despite Sasuke's dismissive nature. I felt that this piece of artwork captured that distress and anger they've both harbored well. My artistic vision is based off of expression and emotion. I like to create emotional pieces of artwork. I want my art to make people stop and think. I want them to feel the depth of the emotion that I felt while creating my artwork. I aspire to continue creating art with emotional depth and to hopefully display my art for the public eye.

One investing tip I've taken to heart would be a piece of advice I received would've been from my business and accounting teacher, Mr. Crum. I took a business management course last semester at my high school, and my teacher, Mr. Crum, constantly taught us about finances. He has taught us the ins and out of managing a business financially. He advised us to keep up with the news. He constantly talked about things regarding business in the news. The news can keep you up to date on recent developments, in finance and business, and many other topics. For example, we discussed things occurring in the world of business in class as the topics came up in our schoolwork. Back in December, he showed us a news clip informing us about the situation with the cargo ships lingering off the coast of California. I had heard of this occurring, but I didn't know why it was happening. He explained about potential upcoming shortages last holiday season, due to the congestion of ships. He gave us a real-world example of why we should keep up with the news. Since then, I have signed up for several financial and business newsletters. That way, I can get recent and updated information sent straight to my email. It has been very useful. I can now read about things going on in the world around me that I may not have been aware of. It has also given me useful information about topics like cryptocurrency, and stocks, which I only had a very basic understanding of before receiving these newsletters. His advice has positively impacted me and helped me grow my knowledge of business and finance.

I try to remain positive. I try to radiate positivity to the people around me, thus having a positive impact...Maybe not on the whole world, but the hope is that by showing someone else positivity, they'll show someone else positivity, and so on and so forth. I believe by being positive, and kind to other people, you can help them do the same for someone else. A little kindness goes a long way. I know how good I feel when someone recognizes my hard work or compliments me, so I try my best to do the same for other people. For example, a simple "I love your artwork" or "I love your outfit" can make someone's day! I know it makes mine. A little positivity really can go a long way. By radiating positivity, you'll rub off positively on other people. Give someone a compliment today, maybe you'll help positively impact the world.

I have many goals for the future. I plan to be successful in all that I do. I am working hard towards success. Currently, I am gearing up for the SAT, applying for scholarships, and working towards college. I hope to pursue a bachelor's degree in laboratory sciences. Unfortunately, college can be expensive. Even if I receive financial assistance, I have to figure out how to cover the rest of the costs. I hope to win some scholarships to help put a dent in my future debt. Besides the issue of cost, I have to make sure to work hard. I have a good sense of self-drive, so I'm not worried. I am constantly pushing myself to be the best I can be. I'm confident I can do anything I set my mind to. Just last week I applied for an internship in entrepreneurship. I am completely confident that if I get the internship, I will succeed. The internship will be a good way to push myself and get job experience. Going after every opportunity I am offered keeps me on my toes and teaches me a sense of self-drive and motivation. As long as I continue to push myself, I will achieve any sort of success I desire.

I used to think that I needed perfect grades, that I needed to never mess up, to never fail. I was wrong. Failure is inevitable. You can't deny failure; you can't always expect to succeed. If you succeed at everything on your first try, you will never learn or grow as a person. When I was a kid, everyone had very high expectations of me. I was considered to be smart for my age, and my school would put me into advanced programs. In elementary, I remember I did an extra project on World War 2 because they felt I needed more work, more things to stretch, and grow my brain, because I was absorbing all of these materials easily and passing everything with flying colors. Every year of elementary, we would take this standardized test called NWEA. I scored 252 on my last NWEA math test of fifth grade, which was considered advanced for my age. Due to my test score, my mom was contacted by the principal of the middle school I was going to attend the upcoming school year. He proposed that I should be placed in an advanced track math program. I ended up taking Pre-Algebra in 6th grade. Then, I took Algebra 1 in 7th grade, Geometry Honors in 8th grade, and Algebra 2 my freshman year of high school. I did alright through pre-algebra, but when I reached Algebra 1 the content caused me to struggle. I wound up with a math tutor. I remember feeling upset because they had threatened to remove me from the advanced program, and I wasn't getting all As like I used to. Despite this, I continued to press through and learned that failure is necessary to succeed.

I have many goals for the future. I hope to be successful in all that I do. I am currently a junior in high school. Academically, my goals are pretty clear. I am currently working hard to boost my GPA and to maintain As and Bs in school. I hope to continue to maintain As and Bs while in college as well. I plan to major in laboratory sciences while attending college. I am currently working hard applying for scholarships to help me overcome a major obstacle of college: the costs. Unfortunately, college can be expensive. Even with the potential of financial aid, I will need to come up with other ways to pay for extensive schooling. Besides the issue of cost, I am certain I will succeed at anything I put my mind to. After I graduate from college, I plan to work in the medical field, doing research and lab sciences. I hope to positively impact the field of medicine.

I hope to leave a positive impact on the world. I hope that when it's my time to go, I can look back on my life and feel a sense of accomplishment. I want to know that I did something to help change the world. I hope to make medical advancements. I want to help patients in the medical field. I want to somehow figure out some way to help them. Whether it is a form of treatment or discovery, I want to leave my mark on the medical field. I want to help ensure safety and good health to more than just the people around me. I want to help people worldwide. I want to help in a way that has a lasting effect on the field of medicine. I am planning to study laboratory sciences in college. I hope that this will strengthen my abilities and that maybe one day, I'll make a discovery that could assist in diagnosis, or in treatment against illnesses and diseases.

Financial freedom means being able to follow my dreams and pursue my goals. I have several goals that can be accomplished via financial freedom. I believe that financial freedom would open doors to lots of possibilities. By starting to work towards financial freedom now, I can help ensure my best chances of avoiding debt, needing to file for bankruptcy, etc. I want to travel as an adult, and it's going to be expensive to do so. I also want to be able to invest freely in assets such as stocks. As well as more personal goals, I have educational goals. I hope to pursue a bachelor's degree in clinical laboratory science. Unfortunately, all of these goals require a great deal of money. Financial freedom would also mean having freedom my parents don't have. My little sister, Nora, has stage 4 melanoma. Due to that, my parents went into debt several years ago from medical bills and are still struggling to get out of it. I want to achieve financial freedom so I don't have to experience the same hardships they experienced. Financial hardship can create excessive stress and worry. Watching them struggle to afford to pay her medical bills as a kid made me realize how important being financially stable is. You have to plan carefully in case an event such as this occurs. I have a plan to achieve financial stability. While they may seem small and insignificant, the practice of good spending habits, such as being mindful of my purchases and not impulse buying, teaches me the beginnings of being financially responsible. As I budget my purchases, I always look for the best deals. I exercise patience by waiting until an item I want goes on sale, so I can get the most out of my money. By budgeting to afford things I need and things I want, I am teaching myself small but important ways to be financially stable. Even right now, while writing this essay, I am trying to achieve financial freedom. By applying for scholarships, I'm increasing my chances of receiving the means necessary to further my education. I have applied to several scholarships, and plan to continue applying to them to help pay for college. By accomplishing things like this, I can help prepare myself for the future, and help stabilize myself financially. I hope by practicing financial responsibility now, I can continue to grow my knowledge on the subject and become a financially free adult.

This is my cat, Elvis! He loves to curl up in my mom's crock-pot.

The pandemic helped me to practice self-care more. Before Covid-19 brought life to a screeching halt, I felt like I was viewing my life through a lens. It felt as though I wasn't truly experiencing my life. It felt as though I was just an outsider looking in. I was constantly running around and multitasking. Between shuffling my extracurricular activities and schoolwork, I felt like there was never enough time in the day. I was under a lot of stress. The pandemic was like a fork in the road. It made me stop and think. It helped me to realize that you need to appreciate the little things more. It helped me to relieve stress, and take things step by step. Instead of hurling myself through life and feeling blindsided by every obstacle, I now take life day by day and enjoy the little things more. I talk more kindly to myself, and I don't expect myself to be perfect. Instead of pushing myself to the point of becoming stressed, I take breaks when I need them. The pandemic has allowed me to practice self-care on a regular basis. It has positively impacted my life and helped my mood to improve overall.

The most helpful piece of financial advice I've ever received would probably be from one of my current teachers. I am currently taking a business management course at my high school, and my teacher, Mr. Crum, constantly teaches us about finances. He has taught us the ins and out of managing a business financially. He advised us to keep up with the news. He constantly tells about things regarding business in the news. It can keep you up to date on recent developments in finance and business. For example, we have discussed things occurring in the world of business in class, as the topics came up in our schoolwork. A couple of days ago, he showed us a news clip informing us about the situation with the cargo ships lingering off the coast of California. I had heard of this occurring, but I didn't know why it was happening. He explained about potential upcoming shortages this holiday season, due to the congestion of ships. He gave us a real-world example of why we should keep up with the news. Since then, I have signed up for several financial, and business newsletters. That way, I can get recent and updated information sent straight to my email. It has been very useful. I can now read about things going on in the world around me that I may not have been aware of. It has also given me useful information about topics like cryptocurrency, and stocks, which I only had a very basic understanding of before receiving these newsletters. His advice has positively impacted me and helped me grow my knowledge of business and finances.