I am a STEM person. Who also plays trombone. And performs in my high school's field marching band, jazz band, wind ensemble, and pit orchestra. I have been playing the trombone for the past 8 years and have also been involved in local and regional competition, solo competition and have participated in the honors college band at local colleges. Being a high school senior, many of my "band friends" are, of course, planning on pursing a degree in music once we get to college. Some may be surprised, I'm not. I am a STEM person at heart....who, as it just happens, can also play a trombone in concert! It makes for a multi-faceted and balanced life, expanded in different, yet complementary ways! With science and math, the ability to learn from all sorts of research and have new experiences is endless. I love to learn and experience new things and this drives my passion for these fields. I feel very passionate and driven by my passion for technology when it comes to working with computers, programming, coding, troubleshooting and solving issues. I have been this way since the age of 11 when my parents first bought me a Lego Mindstorm Robotics kit. I loved it! I used it feverishly and created multitudes of devices including robots that used sensors to follow lines, robots that used solar energy to power themselves and even a robot that solved the Rubik’s cube! I soon grew very tech savvy in robotics and computers and began applying my skills by volunteering at a local nonprofit agency called, “Missing Ignite: Computers for Children” at the age of 11 after my mom wanted to find a STEM "Summer Camp for Kids" for me, but couldn't find one challenging enough within our area. One of my most meaningful experiences though, is volunteering at the Western New York STEM "Hand in Hand" program. Through the Western New York STEM "Hand in Hand" Program, I volunteered three consecutive summers and served as a Project Team Leader for two of those summers, designing, measuring and building prosthetic hands for children born without an arm and/or hand using 3D printers. There are no words watching the joy on a child's face who, born with only one hand, can now suddenly use TWO hands for the first time in their life! One kid even felt like IronMan with his "robotic arm"! This program creatively combined both art and technology effectively for the benefit of serving children in need of a prosthetic hand. The 3D hands had to be first be well thought out and designed with the wants, needs and interests of the child recipients in mind. And, it was only through today's 3D printer technology, that we STEM kids were able to cost effectively manifest our work into physical, plastic prosthetic hands which were then donated to the kids. The hands, by the way, were also retrofitted with finishing line which served as tendons allowing the user to make a fist so they could also use the hand to hold or grab items as one could do with a real hand. Again, the design of the hands, the vision, is art. This "Hand in Hand' program was featured on many of the local media stations in my area, some of which interviewed me, as a participant in the program and the pride and joy I felt. My family saved video footage here: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1U9dpQaq1o5IZ9cLbR7dp5TwGrh6QAHZ9?usp=sharing So, art and technology can definitely, positively impact our world in all different kinds of new and exciting ways! This drive for knowledge, experiences, and completing a project, continues to fuel and direct me deeper and deeper into the STEM fields. I have truly found a field for which I have a passion in, and regardless of where I work or how I get there, I will always be a STEM person who, of course, also enjoys playing the trombone and performing arts, too! I would like to continue in my life doing good things for others. By going to college and earning a college degree, I will be able to accomplish and do more. A calling....to learn, to grow, to become part of a team to achieve more. Without a college degree, many doors would remain shut. With a college education, I can grow in my knowledge and skill so I can be successful and expertised in my job in the world. My job would, in turn, help companies and people --as well as provide me with a life that is healthy, balanced and fulfilling. I would like I job I LOVE. It wouldn't just be a job, but a career, and an offshoot of my own identity and who I am. I have been a student all my life and value my education. I would like to continue that education and see it give birth to an adult life where I am in a career I enjoy and love what I do. And, for me, such a career would be with computers. I love working with computers and technology. But when I'm not working, I might be heard making beautiful music......because I will continue, of course, to play the trombone. Music and art are good food for the soul and have the ability to bring joy, peace, a smile, a memory or even hope. Soothing and meaningful, music has the ability to life one's mood and make one's day a little bit brighter. So, whatever I'm creating, music or technological advances, I'll be leaving my footprint on this earth and hopefully, leaving the world a better place.

I enjoy and take pride in using my ability to learn, aptitude for technology, and my leadership skills to participate in activities that serve and benefit the community and those around me. I would like to work in a profession where I feel the work I do is important for making the lives of others richer because of my role in it. In 30 years, when I look back on my life, what it would take for me to consider my life successful is to have brought to the world and leave those I meet in a better situation, because I was there. I helped. I made better. I would like to be well liked person by others and to have the love and support of family. My friends. And the respect of those around me. I would like to go into a STEM field and at this time am considering software engineering. I feel very passionate and driven by my passion for technology when it comes to working with computers, programming, coding, troubleshooting and solving issues. I have been this way since the age of 11 when my parents first bought me a Lego Mindstorm Robotics kit. I loved it! I used it feverishly and created multitudes of devices including robots that used sensors to follow lines, robots that used solar energy to power themselves and even a robot that solved the Rubik’s cube! I soon grew very tech savvy in robotics and computers and began applying my skills by volunteering at a local nonprofit agency called, “Missing Ignite: Computers for Children” at the age of 11 after my mom wanted to find a STEM "Summer Camp for Kids" for me, but couldn't find one challenging enough within our area. I still enjoy building, coding, troubleshooting and fixing technology and source code. I could easily spend hours on the computer totally absorbed. While working at Mission Ignite, by the age of 14, I learned how to create a "virtual box" which allowed me to showcase two monitors --one running with an Apple IOs and one running with a Windows OS-- but with both monitors running off of the SAME computer hard drive. I have since built and coded several Lego Mindstorm and VEX Robotics creations, many of which I entered into the Buffalo Mini-Maker Faire for a few years. These days, I enjoy modifying the source code on my video games to put my own ideas and new experiences into a game. One of my most meaningful experiences though, is volunteering at the Western New York STEM "Hand in Hand" program. Through the Western New York STEM "Hand in Hand" Program, I volunteered three consecutive summers and served as a Project Team Leader for two of those summers, designing, measuring and building prosthetic hands for children born without an arm and/or hand using 3D printers. There are no words watching the joy on a child's face who, born with only one hand, can now suddenly use TWO hands for the first time in their life! One kid even felt like IronMan with his "robotic arm"! This program was featured on many of the local media stations in my area, some of which interviewed me, as a participant in the program and the pride and joy I felt. My family saved video footage here: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1U9dpQaq1o5IZ9cLbR7dp5TwGrh6QAHZ9?usp=sharing So, technology can definitely, positively impact our world in all different kinds of ways! Our world is technologically connected and advancing more in technology everyday and I would like to be a crusader and help lead the way and forage a path to new horizons.