I desire to become an environmental engineer. This path fits my life mantra of perseverance, hard work, accepting failure, and then reworking things to overcome those obstacles. I am on the autism spectrum which has led to challenges with mental health, fitting in, being focused and being able to just be “normal”. I’ve been raised in a single parent home by my father who is a teacher, along with my two younger siblings. As the oldest child I have struggled to be that role model, helper, and person I wish to be. As I grow, I am aware of what I want to accomplish but then often disappointed by my limitations. I struggle with social situations, I struggle in many ways. I learned early that everyone struggles and that while my challenges are different from others, we all struggle in life. This is how God, science, or circumstances made me and the choice is mine on how to respond. My response has been to dive into every situation with 100% commitment. My father encouraged me to put myself into situations and learn that failure is part of life. Not every situation will be perfect and giving our best is the goal. I joined Scouts, the wrestling team, track, and drama club in middle school. My academics were never the question, it was learning to navigate uncomfortable situations. I was not the lead role in the school play, but I did it! I was on stage, feeling awkward, but living in that moment. I did not do well in wrestling, but I won a match one time and didn’t realize all the friends and support I had. They were screaming and cheering like I had won the Olympic Gold. Those small moments add up, they gain momentum, they reinforce that success is a choice in life. As I type other parts of this essay, I’m reflecting on all my accomplishments. I really don’t know how I have managed to do so much and it gives me great pride. I really struggled with Chinese 4 but I did it! I reached the level of Eagle Scout with also earning some major national science awards. I committed to the path of excellence and reached it. Sometimes it wasn’t pretty, perfect, or pleasant. One parent with limited funds, we learned to make the best of every situation and every single opportunity. While everyone has their challenges, I feel my story may be unique in that daily I face these challenges and daily I struggle.

Engineering is a path of discovery, trials, failures, and reworking situations. Life is the same way! I enjoy the process of understanding how something works, seeing if there are improvements, or trying to figure out how to make something new or improved. I have always had a fascination with space, rockets, exploration, so aerospace engineering combines my passions, interests, and skills. It becomes the art of making dreams reality, of making something happen that didn’t seem possible. It truly is a path of reaching for the stars. This past summer I was selected for the JSEP program (Joint Science Environmental Program) through Dartmouth University. This normally was a three week fully funded venture to Greenland but was virtual this year due to Covid. This program was a rigorous study of environmental concerns regarding Greenland’s ice shield and involved students from Denmark, Greenland, and the United States. It was exciting to work with these students to explore glacierography, ice engineering, and ways to prevent ice melt. I was selected based on a lengthy essay process as well as my academic achievement. My biggest takeaway was studying albedo and it’s role in ice melt. This is turning into my senior year science fair project and also something for Scouts. My future career could involve further research into the NASA missions that helped make this research possible.

One area of service for me has been in my school band program. I have played a variety of instruments and have returned to my middle school to help the younger students. At first I thought I was just doing service, logging hours, helping younger students learn to play and improve their skills. Over time I realized how much they looked up to me and respected my input. It was exciting to attend their concerts and have the students introduce their parents to me. I knew I had made a difference in their immediate lives but also one that would continue to develop and grow. Another important service activity has been Boy Scouts where I’m an Eagle Scout and have helped younger scouts and Cubs with different programs, lessons, and experiences. These experiences have lead me to a future as a hopeful aerospace engineer. Similar to working with young people, engineering is a path of discovery, trials, failures, and reworking situations. Life is the same way! Other areas of service have been volunteering with our local Habitat for Humanity where I spent most of last summer working in their warehouse. It brought me much joy to help people in our community and while it was hard labor, I realized I was making a difference in people's lives. These services have taught me that when I help others, it leads to a sense of fulfillment and that I am doing something positive with my time and energy.

Active listening is an essential skill. We must hear the words but also picking up on the nonverbal communication of those we are talking with. I am on the autism spectrum and communication is my number one challenge. I have learned to really focus on the person but eye contact is something of a struggle. As a result I tend to watch them, their mannerisms and hand gestures. This gives me context to what is being said but also the tone. When I was younger I really struggled with understanding someones tone, sarcasm or things that were being implied. I had a tendency to miss essential information so it is something that I work on daily. Listening involves hearing the words but putting those words into the bigger picture of what someone is trying to communicate. For me, I must always really focus on those around me or I sometimes miss what they are trying to share. Passive listening does not work for me so I'm glad to see you use the word "active" because that leads to engagement and being able to have meaningful dialogue.

One of my biggest passions and extracurricular activities has been my school band program. I have been a member since 6th grade, playing multiple instruments in concert band, marching band and winter percussion. Over the years I have taken on different leadership, notably returning to my middle school to help younger students. At first I thought I was just doing service, logging hours, helping younger students learn to play and improve their skills. Over time I realized how much they looked up to me and respected my input. It was exciting to attend their concerts and have the students introduce their parents to me. I knew I had made a difference in their immediate lives but also one that would continue to develop and grow. While I have loved band, one obstacle has always been that I’m autistic and have accompanying social and mental health concerns. It’s a daily challenge sometimes to get in front of people, to teach and lead, or even talking in groups. Another passion has been Boy Scouts where I’m an Eagle Scout and have helped younger scouts and Cubs with different programs, lessons, and experiences. These experiences have lead me to a future as a hopeful aerospace engineer. Similar to working with young people, engineering is a path of discovery, trials, failures, and reworking situations. Life is the same way! I enjoy the process of understanding how something works, seeing if there are improvements, or trying to figure out how to make something new or improved. It becomes the art of making dreams reality, of making something happen that didn’t seem possible. It truly is a path of reaching for the stars. I believe my passions have helped define what is needed in this next step of college.

I desire to become an aerospace engineer. This path fits my life mantra of perseverance, hard work, accepting failure, and then reworking things to overcome those obstacles. Finding scholarships are necessary for me to pursue that goal and I hope you will consider me for this prestigious award. Engineering is a path of discovery, trials, failures, and reworking situations. Life is the same way! I enjoy the process of understanding how something works, seeing if there are improvements, or trying to figure out how to make something new or improved. I have always had a fascination with space, rockets, exploration, so aerospace engineering combines my passions, interests, and skills. It becomes the art of making dreams reality, of making something happen that didn’t seem possible. It truly is a path of reaching for the stars. I will finish high school with my Associates Degree. This will allow me to maximize my college education by entering a combined Bachelor/Masters program. I am in Florida where companies with internships exist so I hope to intern at NASA and eventually be employed by them. I am bothered by excessive trash and have participated in different programs to make the world a better place. One professional goal may be to help clean the debris found in space. Right now we are not doing a great job and there is a ton of it out there.

Being a musician at my school and helping others with music brings me great joy. It brings me a deep sense of satisfaction that I have accomplished something profound. I have been a member since 6th grade, playing multiple instruments in concert band, marching band and winter percussion. Over the years I have taken on different leadership, notably returning to my middle school to help younger students. At first I thought I was just doing service, logging hours, helping younger students learn to play and improve their skills. Over time I realized how much they looked up to me and respected my input. It was exciting to attend their concerts and have the students introduce their parents to me. I knew I had made a difference in their immediate lives but also one that would continue to develop and grow. While I have loved band, one obstacle has always been that I’m autistic and have accompanying social and mental health concerns. It’s a daily challenge sometimes to get in front of people, to teach and lead, or even talking in groups. Leadership is a verb, an active path of helping and serve others. As a section leader for my percussion group or helping younger students, I learned that I had to set the model of example with my words and actions. If I expected others to practicer and put forth effort, I had to set the tone through my leadership. Leadership then just isn’t a word but instead a daily choice to be the best we can all be.

Everyone has a story and while I share my story, I realize it is no better or worse than others. I am on the autism spectrum which has led to challenges with mental health, fitting in, being focused and being able to just be “normal”. I’ve been raised in a single parent home by my father who is a teacher, along with my two younger siblings. As the oldest child I have struggled to be that role model, helper, and person I wish to be. As I grow, I am aware of what I want to accomplish but then often disappointed by my limitations. I struggle with social situations, I struggle in many ways. I learned early that everyone struggles and that while my challenges are different from others, we all struggle in life. This is how God, science, or circumstances made me and the choice is mine on how to respond. My response has been to dive into every situation with 100% commitment. My father encouraged me to put myself into situations and learn that failure is part of life. Not every situation will be perfect and giving our best is the goal. I joined Scouts, the wrestling team, track, and drama club in middle school. My academics were never the question, it was learning to navigate uncomfortable situations. I was not the lead role in the school play, but I did it! I was on stage, feeling awkward, but living in that moment. I did not do well in wrestling, but I won a match one time and didn’t realize all the friends and support I had. They were screaming and cheering like I had won the Olympic Gold. Those small moments add up, they gain momentum, they reinforce that success is a choice in life. As I type other parts of this essay, I’m reflecting on all my accomplishments. I really don’t know how I have managed to do so much and it gives me great pride. I really struggled with Chinese 4 but I did it! I reached the level of Eagle Scout with also earning some major national science awards. I committed to the path of excellence and reached it. Sometimes it wasn’t pretty, perfect, or pleasant. One parent with limited funds, we learned to make the best of every situation and every single opportunity. While everyone has their challenges, I feel my story may be unique in that daily I face these challenges and daily I struggle. I desire to become an aerospace engineer. This path fits my life mantra of perseverance, hard work, accepting failure, and then reworking things to overcome those obstacles. Finding scholarships are necessary for me to pursue that goal and I hope you will consider me for this prestigious award.

Covid has had such a major impact on many students. My grades did go down last year. I very much enjoy structure and last year was difficult to navigate. I did get Covid and during that I think depression and mental health became a struggle. While this year is also a challenge, I am moving forward, got accepted in my dual enrollment Honors program and am doing really well so far this year academically. I’m worried that a couple of my grades from Junior year may deter potential scholarships. It was a tough year, for everyone! Out of all of this though I found a new focus and attitude. I got a job, got a car, and began to realize that my future was truly in my own hands. This was initially stressful but the freedom and empowerment of being in control of my future really gave me a more positive outlook on life and things. I also realized during the pandemic who were my closest friends and who I could lean on and trust. We all need those people in our world and out of the darkness came the light!

One of my biggest extracurricular activities and simple pleasures of life has been my school band program. I have been a member since 6th grade, playing multiple instruments in concert band, marching band and winter percussion. Over the years I have taken on different leadership, notably returning to my middle school to help younger students. At first I thought I was just doing service, logging hours, helping younger students learn to play and improve their skills. Over time I realized how much they looked up to me and respected my input. It was exciting to attend their concerts and have the students introduce their parents to me. I knew I had made a difference in their immediate lives but also one that would continue to develop and grow. While I have loved band, one obstacle has always been that I’m autistic and have accompanying social and mental health concerns. It’s a daily challenge sometimes to get in front of people, to teach and lead, or even talking in groups. Music becomes that place where I am free to explore, create, and respond. It truly is a simple pleasure and gives me much happiness in my life.

Hello and greetings from Punta, Gorda Florida. During my time in high school I have been active in several volunteer activities which are Habitat for Humanity, Scouts, and helping with my local band program. I have tried to be involved with my community because I know that helping others in turns helps myself. These experiences have instilled confidence, refined my work ethic and I feel made me a better person all around. This sounds selfish, talking mostly about how the benefit has been mine, but the biggest lesson learned thus far is that by giving to others, we do give to our ourselves. My time at Habitat for Humanity has mostly been working in their warehouse. I’ll admit, this was not always enjoyable with the summer heat of Florida. My duties were mostly unloading donations and then cleaning the warehouse. Over time I began to notice the excitement and joy that people had. I helped load a table and chairs for a person and they explained how they had been homeless and were excited to finally have a table to eat with their children. After nearly 100 hours of helping, it started to click that I was a small part in making their happiness come true. This is why I feel these experiences have given more in return than expended.

Mental health has been a major challenge for me. I am on the autism spectrum and have a hard time with having social relationships. I've had challenges with multiple situations where I feel awkward and not belonging. I have been raised by my father along with my two siblings. He's a school teacher and has tried his best. My mother is bi-polar and mostly out of the picture, but it makes me always scared that mental health will always be a challenge throughout my life. I am an honor student and have tried to pour my energy into positive things like band or dual enrollment classes. I know that I'm gifted academically but it all becomes a challenge when I can't fit into everyday situations. I have also enjoyed helping other students with their challenges, such as my cousin who has cerebral palsy. All of these experiences have started to merge in my senior year of high school. We would never make fun of someone that has cancer, diabetes or other illness. For some reason people still like to target, single out or plainly state how some people are crazy, nuts, or sick. This always brings me pain because I realize this is how God or life has made them. Someone doesn't ask to have mental health problems. Depression is real, everyone gets depressed but some people suffer from a crippling depression. I don't understand the need to point that out, make fun, or target people for having these kind of struggles or imbalances. I try to remain positive and realize that everyone deserves love and that everyone will need help. Some people lack that maturity or insight to understand that every single person's journey and path has challenges and struggles. From the 4.0 student who seems to have a perfect life to the person that is barely hanging on by a thread. What I have done is try to surround myself with people that understand life is a challenge and by appreciating all that I have in this world. Two things I have done is by volunteering, first through our local chapter of "Keep America Beautiful" and then also by logging a bunch of hours at Habitat for Humanity. That experience has been great because I know I am using my time to make someone else's life a better situation. Mostly I have volunteered in their warehouse unloading, cleaning, and moving donations but it has been a joy to help people acquire needed goods to make their quality of life better. The world is a tough place and is a challenge daily for me, but in the end I know I am doing things to better myself and others.

I am active in my school and community in many ways. I’m currently a senior preparing for college to study aerospace engineering. To prepare for that I have a dedicated path of accomplishments that I hope set me apart from other applicants. These include four years of Chinese study, band membership, and part of my school engineering team. I am an Eagle Scout, obtaining several prestigious science awards and over 100 merit badges. I’m a dual enrolled student, selected for my college Honors program and will graduate with both my high school diploma and Associate’s degree. I’ve won my school science fair for three years and placed at our regional Thomas Edison science fair. This year I am replicating a study I did during a Greenland ice melt study through Dartmouth. I am also a certified diver and take part in volunteer work with Habitat for Humanity and also underwater clean up and a coral farming project through scuba. All of this sounds impressive as I type it out. In truth I am on the spectrum and have responded by always having a thirst for adventure and education. I am from a single parent home and my father has always encouraged me to continue my desire to experience new things. In ten years I hope to be completing a PhD in aerospace engineering or working for NASA on a project that may change the world. I don’t expect to change everything in this world but I hope to accomplish something that somehow makes the planet or space a little better. This path fits my life mantra of perseverance, hard work, accepting failure, and then reworking things to overcome those obstacles. Finding scholarships are necessary for me to pursue that goal. My plan to avoid college debt is really simple. I have worked extremely hard to set myself up for success. In Florida, we have the Bright Futures Scholarship for tuition coverage if you volunteer enough hours and get good grades. I have also taken many dual enrollment classes and will graduate with my AA, thus eliminating some of the common core classes needed. I also applied to the Honors Program which opened up different scholarship options. My biggest plan has been to basically apply to every scholarship I can find. I have explored many search engines and realize that every scholarship will help in the long wrong. Student loan debt is a major concern and I am determined to not accumulate much, if any. My other plan was to find the colleges best suited for my degree, apply to them and all financial aid options. I have been accepted to my three choices and will probably pursue the one that offers the best funding. All three are relatively nearby my home in Florida and are great schools, although not Ivy league. I know my best future is attending a quality school and maxing out the experience. Applying to many scholarships is a full time job it feels. It has made me a better writer and researcher. I started to apply to different scholarships but then realized I did not qualify, such as women in science (I'm a male). So this entire process has helped me fine tune my reading for comprehension skills, as well as helping me become more focused on my dreams and aspirations.

I am active in my school and community in many ways. These have all helped shape my perspective of education from a smaller viewpoint. I’m currently a senior preparing for college to study aerospace engineering. To prepare for that I have a dedicated path of accomplishments that I hope set me apart from other applicants. These include four years of Chinese study, band membership, and part of my school engineering team. I am an Eagle Scout, obtaining several prestigious science awards and over 100 merit badges. I’m a dual enrolled student, selected for my college Honors program and will graduate with both my high school diploma and Associate’s degree. I’ve won my school science fair for three years and placed at our regional Thomas Edison science fair. This year I am replicating a study I did during a Greenland ice melt study through Dartmouth. I am also a certified diver and take part in volunteer work with Habitat for Humanity and also underwater clean up and a coral farming project through scuba. All of this sounds impressive as I type it out. In truth I am on the spectrum and have responded by always having a thirst for adventure and education. I am from a single parent home and my father has always encouraged me to continue my desire to experience new things. As I grew and experienced these new things, my perspective widened and I began to see things from a more global view. I have found that we are all the same. All of us are struggling at times for motivation, battling our demons and simply trying our best to get by. I have realized how fortunate we are to have opportunities that others may not have around the globe. I think the Greenland experience and then my own travel experiences have shown me that people are all similar in our desire to do the right thing and to better ourselves. My Chinese teacher is native to China and she shared plenty of experiences on challenges she faced. While they are different, they lack the similar needs for expression and connections. In summary, my experiences have shown me that while the globe is rather large, we are all sharing a journey of discovery and growth. All of our journeys may be slightly different but we all need love, support, and understanding. Too many times people just make assumptions and generalizations without really first seeking to understand the people, needs, and motivations. I am grateful for this opportunity to grow as an individual and person.

My favorite artist is Hans Zimmer. He has been a consistent inspiration of creating new music and being able to capture a mood or visual scene. His talents are wide spread and he is able to create a musical expression to relate to a visual depiction.

My extracurricular activities and desire to be my best is what motivates me on a daily basis. One of my biggest activities has been my school band program. I have been a member since 6th grade, playing multiple instruments in concert band, marching band and winter percussion. Over the years I have taken on different leadership, notably returning to my middle school to help younger students. At first I thought I was just doing service, logging hours, helping younger students learn to play and improve their skills. Over time I realized how much they looked up to me and respected my input. It was exciting to attend their concerts and have the students introduce their parents to me. I knew I had made a difference in their immediate lives but also one that would continue to develop and grow. While I have loved band, one obstacle has always been that I’m autistic and have accompanying social and mental health concerns. It’s a daily challenge sometimes to get in front of people, to teach and lead, or even talking in groups. Leadership is a verb, an active path of helping and serve others. As a section leader for my percussion group or helping younger students, I learned that I had to set the model of example with my words and actions. If I expected others to practice and put forth effort, I had to set the tone through my leadership. Leadership then just isn’t a word but instead a daily choice to be the best we can all be. Another important activity has been Boy Scouts where I’m an Eagle Scout and have helped younger scouts and Cubs with different programs, lessons, and experiences. These experiences have lead me to a future as a hopeful aerospace engineer.

Everyone has a story and while I share my story, I become focused on what I've learned that is valuable. I am on the autism spectrum which has led to challenges with mental health, fitting in, being focused and being able to just be “normal”. I’ve been raised in a single parent home by my father who is a teacher, along with my two younger siblings. As the oldest child I have struggled to be that role model, helper, and person I wish to be. As I grow, I am aware of what I want to accomplish but then often disappointed by my limitations. I struggle with social situations, I struggle in many ways. I learned early that everyone struggles and that while my challenges are different from others, we all struggle in life. This is how God, science, or circumstances made me and the choice is mine on how to respond. My response has been to dive into every situation with 100% commitment. My father encouraged me to put myself into situations and learn that failure is part of life. Not every situation will be perfect and giving our best is the goal. I joined Scouts, the wrestling team, track, and drama club in middle school. My academics were never the question, it was learning to navigate uncomfortable situations. I was not the lead role in the school play, but I did it! I was on stage, feeling awkward, but living in that moment. I did not do well in wrestling, but I won a match one time and didn’t realize all the friends and support I had. They were screaming and cheering like I had won the Olympic Gold. Those small moments add up, they gain momentum, they reinforce that success is a choice in life.

I would like my legacy to be my reputation as a person of integrity that strived to be the best I could always be. I hope that people will see me as someone that remained focused on reaching for the best me possible. Being great at anything first starts with an investment, caring enough about any topic to make that change. If I want to be good at math, it begins with me caring about my grade, tests, and homework. The same applies to being a great citizen. Next we must seek first to understand. Being great also means being humble, which sometimes means we don’t have all the answers and are not perfect. It’s ok to disagree with someone, but greatness requires understanding and educating ourselves and why things are the way they are. Being great requires positivity, empathy and understanding. We must be optimistic for a future. This has been hard time for many people during the pandemic as housing and food costs increase. We must be grateful for what we do have and work hard for the things that we want. Greatness is not expecting things to be easy, it involves understanding and working together to make a change. It is my hope that others will see this desire to help, work together, and respect others. This will be my legacy I hope.

"Wherever you go, there you are!" is the sentence I would pick. This has been used widely in society, modified, and become part of popular culture but it can be traced back to Confucious and is more a philosophical mindset about accepting all things in life. It is easy to think that life would be different with different circumstances. If I changed jobs, had more money, lived in a different state or even had a different teacher for a class, then the outcome would be different. The truth is that wherever we may exist, all our good and bad qualities will also exist. We can't really escape the inevitable and fixed truths of life, so it's fruitless to think life would be different on the other side of the river. I like this sentence because it reminds me that I am responsible for my own decisions and choices. The pandemic times have challenged us all and it feels like a giant wrench has been added to our daily decision making, yet in the end it is our responsibility to do the right thing.

Music makes me happy! I am a senior in high school and part of my concert and marching bands. When I listen to music or make music with my friends it brings me joy and peace. I saw a TED talk years ago how when we play music, the brain goes into super drive accessing multiple parts of the brain for the kinetic, affective, and cognitive processing that happens with reading notes, blowing into an instrument, and physically manipulating the keys. Playing music becomes a full brain workout and provides that rush of excitement and gives pleasure. I'm on the spectrum and these past two years have been a challenge for the entire planet. The pandemic has just brought on an endless set of barriers and hurdles for all people. Music has the ability to transform and generate effect. When I listen to music, or play, I am able to sometimes escape what is immediately in front of me. Music also reminds me of great memories or helps create new ones. For instance, homecoming dance is this weekend and perhaps there will be a particular song and moment that become forever connected. For the rest of my life, music will remind me of that memory that has yet to be created. Music becomes the happy place of the past, present, and future.

The song "Don't Stop me now" by Queen inspires me. Ironically, my marching band is doing a Queen show in my senior year and we include that song. Life can be tough and with the pandemic it feels that it has become more of a challenge. There have been many hurdles and barriers to overcome in my final high school years. I had a nasty bout with Covid and I'm on the autism spectrum. I've somehow managed to fight through things, pushing to be the best me I can be everyday. So when I hear the words "Don't stop me now, I'm having such a good time", it brings me back to a focused place and helps remind me of all the wonderful positive things I have in my life. Music has the power to translate, share, and connect us to those emotions. Music is a universal concept but not a universal language because each of us can experience a different feeling or response to music. While this song inspires me, it could also bring sadness to another person based on their experiences and feelings. This is why I love music and particularly making music. I play the oboe in concert band and then alto sax in the concert band. Music has the ability to transform our mindset so as I prepare for college and this final push of senior year, nothing will stop me from reaching my goals. I'll be "defying gravity and traveling at the speed of light" and the only person to hold me back will be myself.

Keeping a growth mindset can be difficult. I am on the autism spectrum which has led to challenges with mental health, fitting in, being focused and being able to just be “normal”. I’ve been raised in a single parent home by my father who is a teacher, along with my two younger siblings. As the oldest child I have struggled to be that role model, helper, and person I wish to be. As I grow, I am aware of what I want to accomplish but then often disappointed by my limitations. I struggle with social situations, I struggle in many ways. I learned early that everyone struggles and that while my challenges are different from others, we all struggle in life. This is how God, science, or circumstances made me and the choice is mine on how to respond. My response has been to dive into every situation with 100% commitment. My father encouraged me to put myself into situations and learn that failure is part of life. Not every situation will be perfect and giving our best is the goal. I joined Scouts, the wrestling team, track, and drama club in middle school. My academics were never the question, it was learning to navigate uncomfortable situations. I was not the lead role in the school play, but I did it! I was on stage, feeling awkward, but living in that moment. I did not do well in wrestling, but I won a match one time and didn’t realize all the friends and support I had. They were screaming and cheering like I had won the Olympic Gold. Those small moments add up, they gain momentum, they reinforce that success is a choice in life. Focusing on those choices is how I keep a healthy, positive mindset.

Through scouts and honor society I have participated in several different cleanup and recycling events. These have included in depth study on pesticides and their harmful impact on our world. I also participate in a coral reef program as a certified diver. These programs have instilled the importance but also developed practices to have a positive impact on the climate. My biggest endeavor though has been this past summer when I was selected for the JSEP program (Joint Science Environmental Program) through Dartmouth University. This normally was a three week fully funded venture to Greenland to study ice melt and global warming but was virtual this year due to Covid. This program was a rigorous study of environmental concerns regarding Greenland’s ice shield and involved students from Denmark, Greenland, and the United States. It was exciting to work with these students to explore glacierography, ice engineering, and ways to prevent ice melt. I was selected based on a lengthy essay process as well as my academic achievement. My biggest takeaway was studying albedo and it’s role in ice melt. This is turning into my senior year science fair project and also something for Scouts. I realize I am just one person but the lessons, when shared, create a starting point to my contribution being larger than myself.

I am active in my school and community in many ways. I’m currently a senior preparing for college to study aerospace engineering. To prepare for that I have a dedicated path of accomplishments that I hope set me apart from other applicants. These include four years of Chinese study, band membership, and part of my school engineering team. I am an Eagle Scout, obtaining several prestigious science awards and over 100 merit badges. I’m a dual enrolled student, selected for my college Honors program and will graduate with both my high school diploma and Associate’s degree. I’ve won my school science fair for three years and placed at our regional Thomas Edison science fair. This year I am replicating a study I did during a Greenland ice melt study through Dartmouth. I am also a certified diver and take part in volunteer work with Habitat for Humanity and also underwater clean up and a coral farming project through scuba. All of this sounds impressive as I type it out. In truth I am on the spectrum and have responded by always having a thirst for adventure and education. I am from a single parent home and my father has always encouraged me to continue my desire to experience new things. My response to life's challenges with autism has been to dive into every situation with 100% commitment. My father encouraged me to put myself into situations and learn that failure is part of life. Not every situation will be perfect and giving our best is the goal. I joined Scouts, the wrestling team, track, and drama club in middle school. My academics were never the question, it was learning to navigate uncomfortable situations. I was not the lead role in the school play, but I did it! I was on stage, feeling awkward, but living in that moment. I did not do well in wrestling, but I won a match one time and didn’t realize all the friends and support I had. They were screaming and cheering like I had won the Olympic Gold. Those small moments add up, they gain momentum, they reinforce that success is a choice in life. As I type other parts of this essay, I’m reflecting on all my accomplishments. I really don’t know how I have managed to do so much and it gives me great pride. I really struggled with Chinese 4 but I did it! I reached the level of Eagle Scout with also earning some major national science awards. I committed to the path of excellence and reached it. Sometimes it wasn’t pretty, perfect, or pleasant. One parent with limited funds, we learned to make the best of every situation and every single opportunity. While everyone has their challenges, I feel my story may be unique in that daily I face these challenges and daily I struggle. I desire to become an aerospace engineer. This path fits my life mantra of perseverance, hard work, accepting failure, and then reworking things to overcome those obstacles. Finding scholarships are necessary for me to pursue that goal and I hope you will consider me for this prestigious award.

I try to stay focused on the big picture in life, with my decisions being guided by the big picture goals and objectives. Mantras like treat others how you want treated, do a good turn daily. These thoughts help keep me on a moral and ethical path of trying to always do the right thing. When we live a life that is true to our wants, needs, and goals, we can live a pretty satisfying life. I find that "being true" becomes a habit. The more we do, the better we are which translates into feeling more positive, which makes us want to do more. It's a circular approach and it doesn't work when we remove one of those three gears of the machine. It feels great to know we made a difference in our little worlds by simply being ourselves and making choices that agree with our life philosophy!

Integrity has been an important topic for many generations but I feel it more important even now. Integrity involves a never ending approach toward doing what is right which often involves putting others before ourselves. Right now we have billionaires using their funds in a battle to reach space. People are questioning what if they used their influence to help others. It's not that their desire to reach space impedes other's chance to progress, it's more so that in their position of influence they could potentially contribute to major initiatives like funding cancer or Alzheimer's research. Having integrity is often overlooked. As humans we are designed to preserve our self need, but at some point we must consider the selfless need of helping others and standing for the principals of always doing what is right. We do have particular models in society that exemplify this, and those individuals are revered. Mr. Rogers and Steve Erwin come to mind as people that continuously decided to serve others, do what was right, even if it clashed with popular beliefs. Those people stood for something, inspired others to be better people, and will forever be remembered as individuals of integrity.

I've learned that success is a choice in life. I realize my choices are no better or worse than others. I am on the autism spectrum which has led to challenges with mental health, fitting in, being focused and being able to just be “normal”. I’ve been raised in a single parent home by my father who is a teacher, along with my two younger siblings. As the oldest child I have struggled to be that role model, helper, and person I wish to be. As I grow, I am aware of what I want to accomplish but then often disappointed by my limitations. I struggle with social situations, I struggle in many ways. I learned early that everyone struggles and that while my challenges are different from others, we all struggle in life. This is how God, science, or circumstances made me and the choice is mine on how to respond. My response has been to dive into every situation with 100% commitment. My father encouraged me to put myself into situations and learn that failure is part of life. Not every situation will be perfect and giving our best is the goal. I joined Scouts, the wrestling team, track, and drama club in middle school. My academics were never the question, it was learning to navigate uncomfortable situations. I was not the lead role in the school play, but I did it! I was on stage, feeling awkward, but living in that moment. I did not do well in wrestling, but I won a match one time and didn’t realize all the friends and support I had. They were screaming and cheering like I had won the Olympic Gold. Those small moments add up, they gain momentum, they reinforce that success is a choice in life.

I love being active in my school and community in many ways. I think it really keeps my brain filled with positive thoughts and helps me move forward. I’m currently a senior preparing for college to study aerospace engineering. To prepare for that I have a dedicated path of accomplishments that has given me a great sense of self-worth and value. I have not always been that way and have had to seek mental health help in my life. But by doing four years of Chinese study, band membership, and part of my school engineering team I realized I'm pretty awesome. I am an Eagle Scout, obtaining several prestigious science awards and over 100 merit badges. I’m a dual enrolled student, selected for my college Honors program and will graduate with both my high school diploma and Associate’s degree. I’ve won my school science fair for three years and placed at our regional Thomas Edison science fair. This year I am replicating a study I did during a Greenland ice melt study through Dartmouth. I am also a certified diver and take part in volunteer work with Habitat for Humanity and also underwater clean up and a coral farming project through scuba. All of this sounds impressive as I type it out. In truth I am on the spectrum and live has been hard. I have responded by always having a thirst for adventure and education. I am from a single parent home and my father has always encouraged me to continue my desire to experience new things. This attitude will help me with my goals of aerospace engineering.