I have been curious since the day I was born. It showed in the way I played with my toys, arranging them by color, shape and size. So, it was not a surprise to know that I picked up my first video game when I was 2 and never put it down. For most of my life, I wanted to be an engineer because working with technology has always been something that interested me. I can remember in Middle School, playing so much FIFA, Fortnite, and Super Mario Brothers that my parents encouraged me to attend a computer course. We found a web development camp that looked beneficial. It was there that I saw firsthand how powerful coding can be. Seeing my creation come to life was exciting. Others may use pen and paper to show their imagination, my web page showed mines. I used my knowledge of Fortnite Battle Royale to build a page explaining how to be successful and win the game. I explained hidden secrets in the game and the best locations to find the treasure chests. At camp, talking to the student teachers about their majors introduced me to Computer Science and showed me there are a lot of things that you can do with technology. I have taken other coding classes, including Python and Java languages, participated in the Joy of coding program through University of Michigan, and taken Drafting courses at school. I have also participated in the University of Illinois’s Discovering STEM in ACES program where I focused on engineering and completed a hydraulics project. Through these experiences, I learned that everyone has something valuable to contribute and that we can always learn from one another if we are willing. I opened myself to new opportunities, new ideas and new ways of thinking and found what I want to do as my career. In college, I plan to major in Computer Science. I want to prioritize expanding my knowledge of languages and how technology works. Using my experience, highlighting what I enjoyed about a game, and avoiding what I did not like, I am motivated to create a game of my own. Classes like graphic design, database modeling, programming languages and system integrations would give me the skillset to make my dream a reality. I would also embrace comments from my friends and family as they test out my creation. As a video game designer, I want to create a popular game like Madden or NBA 2K. I know that there are going to be lots of challenges to creating games on this level. So, I plan to learn as much as I can, listen to those around me and apply my experiences to everything that I do. I look forward to using my college experience to complete my tasks. From my future coursework, internships and, interactions with professors and students, I will have something valuable to help me achieve my goals. With each experience, I will be exposed to a variety of individuals who will be skilled, innovative, and creative in their way. Engaging with these peers will challenge me academically and physically. Attending college will be instrumental to my development as a leader, team player, and collaborator. I am confident that with my degree in Computer Science, I can excel in the classes and find the job that fits me in the future.

In elementary school, my foundation was shaped in the classroom and on the playground. Being accepted into the Marietta Center for Advanced Academics was instrumental in my development as a well-rounded individual and teammate. The rigor in the classroom was exciting and challenging, but the thrill and energy exhausted on the playground also contributed to my development. Over the years, my love for sports grew into more than just a passion. From learning how to work as a team, training under new coaches, and working with new teammates, I have learned that working hard despite challenges could lead to more than just winning games. I have learned that doing my part, being on time, and being ready to go at each practice was teaching me how to be a leader and accountable for my actions. How I participated in practices and games was reflected in my teammates. Earning the role of captain meant the team was looking to me to set the tone. When I played hard, the team played hard. When I pushed harder, the team pushed harder. I have given encouraging talks, not just to myself, but to my peers to ensure we never gave up and kept trying until the end of the game. Sometimes we celebrated successes, sometimes we learned to try harder. Playing soccer has taught me that staying focused on goals can equal huge success. Taking a moment to train, study and analyze your mistakes can help you perform better in your next competition. I have been able to apply this work ethic to my classwork. Reviewing my past assignments and communicating with my teachers and peers, all contribute to excelling in the classroom. By working together to learn new topics, I was able to have success in the classroom. I can remember in Middle School, playing so much FIFA, Fortnite, and Super Mario Brothers that my parents encouraged me to attend a computer course. I selected a web development camp. It was here that I saw firsthand how powerful coding can be. Seeing my creation come to life was exciting. Others may use pen and paper to show their imagination, my web page showed mines. I used my knowledge of Fortnite Battle Royale to build a page explaining how to be successful and win the game. I explained hidden secrets in the game and the best locations to find the treasure chests. At camp, talking to the student teachers about their majors introduced me to Computer Science and showed me there are a lot of things that you can do with technology. Through these experiences, I learned that everyone has something valuable to contribute and that we can always learn from one another if we are willing. I opened myself to new opportunities, new ideas and new ways of thinking. It may have started with playing soccer, but has grown to be much more. When I graduate, I want to use technology to improve our way of living in the future. Whether it is developing the next exciting video game, or creating a program to improve functionality, I look forward to using my college experience to complete my tasks. Knowing how to be on a team, being willing to work hard despite challenges, staying focused on goals, and celebrating triumphs with my communities -- these are traits I am proud to leverage in building upon the legacy that attending college will offer.

In elementary school, my foundation was shaped in the classroom and on the playground. Being accepted into the Marietta Center for Advanced Academics was instrumental in my development as a well-rounded individual and teammate. The rigor in the classroom was exciting and challenging, but the thrill and energy exhausted on the playground also contributed to my development. Once the recess bell sounded, my classmates would sprint to the field and immediately assess which of us could meet our playful objectives. Speed, strength, intelligence, and demeanor all played a factor in deciding which collective of individuals would form the best bond to achieve a favorable outcome. In those fields, I learned how to utilize the talents and backgrounds of each team member to reach our common goal. This is where my love of soccer began and I developed a take action, get it done attitude. From a recreational team at my local YMCA, to a competitive club level with Concorde Fire, I have met lots of teammates and coaches who have contributed to who I am today. From learning how to work as a team, training under new coaches, and working with new teammates, working hard despite challenges could lead to more than just winning games. I have learned that doing my part, being on time, and being ready to go at each practice was teaching me how to be a leader and accountable for my actions. How I participated in practices and games was reflected in my teammates. Earning the role of captain meant the team was looking to me to set the tone. When I played hard, the team played hard. When I pushed harder, the team pushed harder. I have given encouraging talks, not just to myself, but to my peers to ensure we never gave up and kept trying until the end of the game. Sometimes we celebrated successes, sometimes we learned to try harder. Engaging with my peers challenged me academically and physically. This community has proven to be just as instrumental to my development as a leader, team player, and collaborator. Just like on the field, every person I meet brings something unique and necessary to the table. Each person’s story and experiences not only help to enrich the whole but me, as an individual. They push me to see the world differently, attack problems more robustly, and explore things outside my comfort zone. All of this has encouraged me to prioritize and manage my time. Between school, homework, practices, games, and training, all could be overwhelming. Plus, trying to find time to clear my head, relax and unwind barely fits into my schedule. Establishing a schedule to stay on top of my responsibilities will help me be accountable for my actions. I have a responsibility to my parents to maintain my grades, and a responsibility to my team to give my all. Finding that perfect balance has been a challenge that I try to improve daily. The best solution is to prioritize my activities. Using a calendar, I can log the time of events and due dates for assignments. This will give me a visual of what remaining time is available. It also allows me to plan. Plan my downtime, time for eating, and time to start tasks. For example, an assignment might be due on Thursday, however, reviewing the week’s schedule may indicate Monday night is the only time available to complete the task. Planning makes all the difference and avoids procrastination. This will be especially important in college when it is imperative to be able to manage your time and prioritize your tasks. In high school, my parents assisted in being sure I was where I needed to be when I needed to be there. In college, I will be on my own. My scheduled tasks may not be as consecutive as they are now. My college courses may not fill the 8 am to 3 pm schedule. There could be large gaps in my schedule that I have to use to my advantage. Through these experiences, I plan to attack college like I’ve done everything in my life, with a “get it done” attitude. I plan to work hard, give my all, and never quit. I plan to use my time wisely by prioritizing and effectively managing my time. I’m going to take the grit that I gained and maintained from playing sports, learning new things and excelling in the classroom, to earn a degree in Computer Science. I cannot wait to walk across a stage, earn my college degree, find my dream job, and start sharing technology with the world.

For most of my life, I wanted to be an engineer because working with technology has always been something that interested me. I can remember in Middle School, playing so much FIFA, Fortnite, and Super Mario Brothers that my parents encouraged me to attend a computer course. We found a web development camp that looked beneficial. It was there that I saw firsthand how powerful coding can be. Seeing my creation come to life was exciting. Others may use pen and paper to show their imagination, my web page showed mines. I used my knowledge of Fortnite Battle Royale to build a page explaining how to be successful and win the game. I explained hidden secrets in the game and the best locations to find the treasure chests. At camp, talking to the student teachers about their majors introduced me to Computer Science and showed me there are a lot of things that you can do with technology. I have taken other coding classes, including Python and Java languages, participated in the Joy of coding program through University of Michigan, and taken Drafting courses at school. I have also participated in the University of Illinois’s Discovering STEM in ACES program where I focused on engineering and completed a hydraulics project. I’m following in the footsteps of my father who is also a programmer. From his experience with websites, Cobol and Java, he has been able to assist me with my assignments and offer real world knowledge of how the languages can be used. Through these experiences, I learned that everyone has something valuable to contribute and that we can always learn from one another if we are willing. I opened myself to new opportunities, new ideas and new ways of thinking and found what I want to do as my career. In college, I plan to major in Computer Science. I want to prioritize expanding my knowledge of languages and how technology works. Using my experience, I want to develop videos games, educational material and technology to keep people entertained. I want to provide outlets for people to relieve stress, wind down and simply have fun. Classes like graphic design, database modeling, programming languages and system integrations would give me the skillset to make my dream a reality. I would also embrace comments from my friends and family as they test out my creation. I look forward to using my college experience to complete my tasks. From my future coursework, internships and, interactions with professors and students, I will have something valuable to help me achieve my goals. With each experience, I will be exposed to a variety of individuals who will be skilled, innovative, and creative in their way. Engaging with these peers will challenge me academically and physically. Attending college will be instrumental to my development as a leader, team player, and collaborator. I am confident that with my degree in Computer Science, I can excel in the classes and find the job that fits me in the future.

I have been curious since the day I was born. It showed in the way I played with my toys, arranging them by color, shape and size. So, it was not a surprise to know that I picked up my first video game when I was 2 and never put it down. Accidentally clicking the wrong button and seeing Super Mario Bros staring back at me, was impactful. Fast forward 15 years later, and technology is still a big part of my life. For most of my life, I wanted to be an engineer because working with technology has always been something that interested me. I can remember in Middle School, playing so much FIFA, Fortnite, and Super Mario Brothers that my parents encouraged me to attend a computer course. We found a web development camp that looked beneficial. It was there that I saw firsthand how powerful coding can be. Seeing my creation come to life was exciting. Others may use pen and paper to show their imagination, my web page showed mines. I used my knowledge of Fortnite Battle Royale to build a page explaining how to be successful and win the game. I explained hidden secrets in the game and the best locations to find the treasure chests. At camp, talking to the student teachers about their majors introduced me to Computer Science and showed me there are a lot of things that you can do with technology. I have taken other coding classes, including Python and Java languages, participated in the Joy of coding program through University of Michigan, and taken Drafting courses at school. I have also participated in the University of Illinois’s Discovering STEM in ACES program where I focused on engineering and completed a hydraulics project. Through these experiences, I learned that everyone has something valuable to contribute and that we can always learn from one another if we are willing. I opened myself to new opportunities, new ideas and new ways of thinking and found what I want to do as my career. In college, I plan to major in Computer Science. I want to prioritize expanding my knowledge of languages and how technology works. Using my experience, highlighting what I enjoyed about a game, and avoiding what I did not like, I am motivated to create a game of my own. Classes like graphic design, database modeling, programming languages and system integrations would give me the skillset to make my dream a reality. I would also embrace comments from my friends and family as they test out my creation. As a video game designer, I want to create a popular game like Madden or NBA 2K. I know that there are going to be lots of challenges to creating games on this level. So, I plan to learn as much as I can, listen to those around me and apply my experiences to everything that I do. I look forward to using my college experience to complete my tasks. From my future coursework, internships and, interactions with professors and students, I will have something valuable to help me achieve my goals. With each experience, I will be exposed to a variety of individuals who will be skilled, innovative, and creative in their way. Engaging with these peers will challenge me academically and physically. Attending college will be instrumental to my development as a leader, team player, and collaborator. I am confident that with my degree in Computer Science, I can excel in the classes and find the job that fits me in the future.

I have been curious since the day I was born, so it was no surprise that I picked up my first video game when I was 2 and never put it down. Fast forward 15 years later, and technology is still a big part of my life. One Middle School summer experience in a web development camp showed me how powerful coding can be. Seeing my creation come to life was exciting. Others may use pen and paper to show their imagination, my web page showed mines. Since then, I have taken other coding classes and participated in summer programs offered through various universities. I’m following in the footsteps of my father who is also a programmer. From his experience with websites, Cobol and Java, he has been able to assist me with my assignments and offer real-world knowledge of how the languages can be used. Through these experiences, I learned that everyone has something valuable to contribute and that we can always learn from one another if we are willing. I opened myself to new opportunities, new ideas and new ways of thinking and found what I want to do as my career. In college, I plan to major in Computer Science. I want to expand my knowledge of languages and how technology works. Using my experience, highlighting what I enjoyed about a game, and avoiding what I did not like, I am motivated to create a game of my own. Classes like graphic design, database modeling, programming languages and system integrations would give me the skillset to make my dream a reality. I would also embrace comments from my friends and family as they test out my creation. As a video game designer, I want to create a popular game like Madden or NBA 2K. I know that there are going to be lots of challenges in creating games on this level. So, I plan to learn as much as I can, listen to those around me and apply my experiences to everything that I do. College will be instrumental to my development as a leader, team player, and collaborator. It can also be challenging since most of the schools I have been accepted to are out of state. The financial impact alone is overwhelming; out-of-state fees are almost double the expense compared to attending an in-state school. Although Georgia offers the “HOPE” scholarship to help with the college expense, it does not cover all of my expenses. I am hoping to alleviate the financial burden on my parents and apply for as many scholarships as I can. I understand the importance of a college education seeing as degrees can open doors and create opportunities for me to fulfill all of my dreams. I cannot wait to walk across a stage and earn my college degree, find my dream job, and start bridging the gap of sharing technology with the world.