My character has been shaped by my deep-rooted passion for leadership and being actively involved in various activities for most of my life. From a young age, I naturally gravitated toward positions where I could inspire and guide others. My love for leadership grew more through participating actively in community events, school projects, and local initiatives. Each experience strengthened my leadership skills in communication, problem-solving, and creativity. Being raised in a single-parent household has also influenced me to aspire to higher education. Throughout my life, my mother never had support from my father. My mother raised two kids independently and persevered through the rough patches of life. Growing up, I watched my mother maintain independence. My mother was laid off from her job, and she sustained her grit by finding other ways to achieve it, such as becoming an entrepreneur. Though we didn’t have much growing up, she exposed me to different cultures, ways of life, experiences, and the importance of giving back. I am thankful for the experiences I endured as I was growing up. My mother taught me the importance of prioritizing. My brother and I were always her priority. She always ensured our needs were taken care of and simultaneously that we were well aware of the opportunities we needed to succeed. I learned quickly, through my mother, the value of grit. A grit mindset is the outcome of my mother’s actions, allowing me to maintain perseverance no matter what life brings. I find other ways to achieve my goals and to remain optimistic. The independent and determined mother I witnessed growing up has shaped me into who I am today. Because of my mother, I have observed the qualities of having a great work ethic, dedication, responsibility, reliability, and perseverance for a better life. These qualities have shaped me to become who I am today. For me, a college education means having the chance to impact my community and future. After college, I want to pursue a career as a Digital Cybersecurity Engineer. My educational goal is to start a business that creates and develops cybersecurity software and systems. A college education is necessary for my future because it will provide me with the skills needed to be successful and a hands-on experience that will stimulate an innovative attitude to create better cybersecurity systems for my world. It is also necessary to help me network, make connections, and foster leadership skills. A college education is an opportunity that leads me closer to attaining my goals.

Education is a powerful tool that inspires societal awareness, growth, and prosperity. With education, we carve out a path toward success in life. At college, our focus is on laying the foundation for our careers. It’s where future world-changers refine their skills and knowledge. During this time, we gain experiences, training, and core skills that set the stage for a successful career. We also get the chance to connect with people from different backgrounds. But education isn’t just about careers. Education is what helps us to make a difference in the world. Education is necessary for our communities to be aware of our surroundings and fosters innovation to keep our world endlessly improving and advancing. Without education, we would live in a world with strong leaders and innovators. The value of education creates a foundation for future generations to continue having the opportunity to stay inspired and acquire the skills and innovative attitude necessary to make the world a better place. A college education, regardless of its size, can impact a lifetime. It’s essential for smaller or underserved communities. Education empowers individuals in these communities to build up their strengths and skills. It opens up new opportunities for jobs, businesses, and leadership roles, leading to a better quality of life for everyone. For me, a college education means having the chance to impact my community and future. After college, I want to pursue a career as a Digital Cybersecurity Engineer. My educational goal is to start a business that creates and develops cybersecurity software and systems. A college education is necessary for my future because it will provide me with the skills needed to be successful and a hands-on experience that will stimulate an innovative attitude to create better cybersecurity systems for my world. It is also necessary to help me network, connect, and foster leadership skills. A college education is an opportunity that leads me closer to attaining both my academic goals but my career goals as well.. Education has brought tremendous value to my life. Throughout my primary education, the experiences have fostered a sense of empowerment. Education constantly empowers and ignites my desire to demonstrate my knowledge and challenge myself. It is the back burner of my willingness to learn and grow, continually pushing me to strengthen my abilities with a purpose. As I continue my academic career, I hope the educational value instilled in me will help me impact the world.

In today’s world, we are as technologically advanced as we’ve ever been before. Our world fascinates me and inspires me. I have become drawn to many industries, such as business and computer science. My interest in BusinessBusiness started during the pandemic when I began my mask business. I previously had sewing skills and used them to create handmade masks. I loved the aspects of running a business, and because of that experience, I would like to continue my career in the business industry. However, my college education will be a valuable tool to continue my path in the business industry. I plan to utilize all of the resources available through a college degree, such as networking opportunities and necessary professional skills, to make sure I enter the business field knowledgeable. I also hope to obtain an internship to gain valuable experience.  While raised in Central Florida, I observed businesses adapt to digital markets and procedures due to the evolving technological world.  My choice to major in Business Administration and Computer Science stems from my passion for empowering my community by shaping new innovative technology and practices. In Central Florida, there is a need for effective cybersecurity solutions. With the world rapidly adapting to digital technology, there is a lack of proper safety measures and protocols to protect companies’ sensitive data and information. Many Small businesses don’t have access to resources to protect their sensitive data and systems from cyber threats. By obtaining a college education in both business operations and advanced cybersecurity techniques, I plan to combat this issue. I plan to use my knowledge and skills to offer cybersecurity services to local businesses and organizations from my community. Additionally, my aspiration to eventually establish a cybersecurity firm that develops software aligns with my long-term goal of contributing to national security initiatives. By partnering with organizations such as the FBI, CIA, and NASA, I aim to apply innovative solutions to protect critical infrastructure and sensitive information at a broader scale. Additionally, I intend to collaborate with local government agencies to strengthen their cybersecurity infrastructure, ensuring that public services remain resilient against digital threats. I am committed to creating a successful career and making a meaningful impact on my community to create a safer digital environment for all. Through persistence, dedication, and an educational foundation in business management and cybersecurity, I am eager to contribute to the prosperity of my community and beyond.

My name is Eva Weeden. For all of my life, I have been raised by a single mother in Sanford, Florida. My mother always instilled in me the value of gratitude. While there are many different aspects of gratitude, the aspect that speaks to me the most is service. I have always been raised to be aware of everyone’s lifestyle and always take into account being there for someone when they need it. Being raised with these values has had a substantial impact on me wanting to get involved in my community, especially the lives of children. I decided to become a Youth Mentor Volunteer at Midway Safe Harbor, a 501(c)(3) organization for elementary and middle school kids in Sanford, Florida. I have volunteered over 95 hours of community service here I have been so grateful for this opportunity to help me learn about myself and others throughout the process. Here I completed activities such as tutoring, hosting a STEM activity, playing their favorite games, and teaching them about the importance of education. I made connections by showing interest in the children’s lives, listening to their struggles and stories, and spending quality time with them. I understand that the positive relationships you form with children are vital to ensuring they feel valued and increase their self-esteem. Every child is different, and so is their story. It makes me feel special when the children here get excited to inform me of their accomplishments and things they are proud of because they know that I am going to praise them and encourage them to keep up their great work. Their excitement is a testament to the impact I have made on them. Never would I have known that I would have also learned much about myself along my volunteering journey. I’ve learned the value of being a support system for a child and recognizing their inherent dignity, their potential, and their rights. This volunteering experience has given me the inspiration to make a bigger impact on the lives of children. The future will eventually fall into the hands of today’s children as they age. Thus, it is up to older generations to make sure that children will have the opportunities and foundations that are going to set them up for success. Providing children with a solid foundation will lead them to reach their full potential. Because I believe this, I want to create businesses that will be available to children to nurture and provide assistance to them. My volunteering experience with mentoring children has helped me develop and strengthen my connections in the field of Business. After high school, I plan on majoring in business, where personal connections are valuable. By creating engaging and creative projects, and activities for the children, I have demonstrated my ability to communicate, design, and develop relationships which will help me to succeed in the business field. Volunteering has given me the experience to inspire and empower the next generation. I have successfully accomplished the experience and skills necessary to build thriving, long-lasting relationships that will help me accomplish great things in the industry of business. While in college an obstacle I may anticipate is feeling far away from home while having academic pressures. Though I will not be at home with my mother every day while trying to focus on my studies, I may get homesick and I may be emotionally affected by it. However, I anticipate overcoming these struggles through the connections I made. This is why I value connections because each one is an opportunity to receive help and guidance.

There are many ways to define leadership. Leadership can be something big or small, but the bottom line is what you achieve. Leaders can achieve by making a difference in their communities through service and volunteer work to achieve a goal. The end goal of a leader is to change the world and the future eventually. By providing their skills and knowledge, leaders can create a positive impact on society and drive meaningful change. Whether it’s through organizing community events, volunteering at local charities, or leading by example, leaders have the power to inspire others and create a better world. Leadership is important to me because it is the driving force of change. It takes leaders to make an impact. I believe that any type of change requires leaders. Leaders lead by example, are authentic, and are open to everyone's ideas. By leading by example leaders demonstrate the way to act to create change. When a leader remains authentic, they develop a sense of trust among their followers which allows them to stay focused on their goal. Leaders also take into account others' perspectives to incorporate a more inclusive change to represent everyone. Leadership has been an essential aspect of my life in many ways. One of my favorite leadership experiences has been being a youth mentor volunteer at Midway Safe Harbor, a 501(c) organization in Sanford, Florida. Here at Midway Safe Harbor, I have volunteered 85 hours of community service, where I have mentored, educated, and made connections with children. I have loved every moment of volunteering here because It allowed me to make an impact on children by leading by example to work on the behaviors of children and making valuable connections with children to show them that someone actually cares for them. The children at Midway Safe Harbor have become a family to me and I am so grateful for this opportunity. While at school I have demonstrated leadership by being selected to lead my graduating class throughout the school year as a Student Council Officer. While in this leadership position, I've had to take into account the many 987 perspectives among my graduating class to serve them with information of helpful, tips, and events to make their senior year a great one. While my impact has been mainly on the school, it has also been on local businesses. I have had the chance to communicate with local businesses to connect them with our school to provide us resources, while in turn, the business was able to be promoted. My leadership experiences have been important to me because they have allowed me to connect within my community, which has been very important to me. I have had the opportunity to connect with members of my community to make an impact and I loved every minute of it. I have fallen in love with being involved with my community because I feel like I am doing something in my life. I believe to live a fulfilling life you must be involved with your community and make connections to impact the lives of others. Volunteering at Midway Safe Harbor has allowed me to make an impact on elementary children by encouraging good behavior and showing interest in their lives. My officer position has allowed me to make an impact on the study body population at my school by having events that help them to have a fun, exciting, and successful senior year. I want to continue to lead and do more great things as I attend college to make as many connections as possible to create change.

Of all the values in my life, the one that resides in me the most is the value of service. Service allows you to form connections with people and make an impact on them. I especially believe making an impact on the youth early on in their lives can have a positive outcome. I strongly believe that people can build better futures for future generations by investing in the lives of children. Because of this, I decided to make an impact on my local community. I started volunteering with Midway Safe Harbor, a 501(c) youth organization in Sanford, Florida as a youth mentor volunteer. I have contributed over 85 hours here for the sake of children by making connections with them. The relationships I built with them are crucial as they help them to feel valued, and important, and increase their self-esteem. Every day, as I listen to their stories, I learn from them and become inspired to continue to make a difference in their lives. I feel so proud to know that because of my actions, the children know that there will be someone who cares for them, they'll want to make someone proud and give them a sense of purpose. And most importantly they’ll be inspired to strive for great things. With all the things I have done at Midway Safe Harbor for the children, I have learned many things about myself. Volunteering with children has allowed me to learn the way in which they think, form deep bonds, and take into account different backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences. Throughout the process, I learned to enjoy meeting new children because not every child is the same and will teach you different things. I have learned that children who have positive social connections with people in the early stages of life are more likely to have healthy development, both physically and emotionally. From my perspective, the future is eventually going to lie in the hands of children. To ensure a successful future for generations, it’s vital we provide for children a foundation of instilled courage, respect, and motivation. My work as a youth mentor has made a difference in the lives of children, and it’s inspiring to know that the relationships I am forming today will lead to positive change in the community for future generations. My volunteering experience with mentoring children has helped me develop and strengthen my connections in the field of Business. After high school, I plan on majoring in business, where personal connections are valuable. By mentoring children, I have had the opportunity to work with other volunteers who share my passion and skills in making connections. I have also made connections with the advisors who have introduced me to their professional contacts in the industry. By creating engaging and creative projects, and activities for the children, I have demonstrated my ability to communicate, design, and develop relationships which will help me to succeed in the business field. Volunteering has given me the experience to inspire and empower the next generation. I have successfully accomplished the experience and skills necessary to build thriving, long-lasting relationships that will help me accomplish great things in the industry of business.

Selflessness is putting the needs of others before your own. It takes the effort to contribute your time, energy, and resources to be of service to others. It may take even giving up what is important to you. At seventeen years old, I have come to appreciate the value of selflessness as it lays the foundation to make an impact not only for yourself but for those around you. One of the ways I’ve come to value selflessness is through volunteering. I started volunteering at Midway Safe Harbor, a 501(c) youth organization in Sanford, Florida, as a youth mentor in 2023. The children at Midway Safe Harbor attend because they need assistance with their education and behavior. I wanted to help contribute to the cause to have the opportunity to make a positive impact on the lives of children. While volunteering here, I tutored, guided, supported, and bonded with children. The best thing I have learned from volunteering is the relationships you form. I believe in order to properly contribute to your community, you must form a connection. I made connections by showing interest in the children’s lives, listening to their struggles and stories, and spending quality time with them. By doing this I took the time to bond with each individual child, and I became even more motivated to make a difference in their lives. I feel proud to know that I have had the opportunity to give back to the community by supporting younger generations. I embody selflessness because I contributed 85 hours to the cause of supporting children both physically and emotionally. Though my main focus was on the children, I also learned many things about myself along the way, considering the amount of time in my day I spent volunteering. I’ve learned the value of being a support system for a child and recognizing their inherent dignity, their potential, and their rights. I’ve become very passionate about contributing to my community to make an impact. It fills me with joy to see how excited the children get whenever I visit them. My passion for community service among the youth has driven me to desire to continue making an impact. I embody selflessness because I believe in the investment of children. I willingly contribute my time to help younger generations because I truly believe that provides them with the opportunities and the support they need to grow, learn, and thrive. It is my duty to use acts of altruism, by dedicating my efforts to make a positive connection with children. Children are the future, so I want to help give them a positive foundation to reach their best potential. These acts of service will lead to positive change in the community for future generations.

My involvement in my community was ultimately influenced by an experience that taught me the value of investing in the lives of children. Investing in children is one of the most beneficial and necessary things a society can do to build a better future for generations to come. To invest in a child, we ensure that they have access to opportunities for early learning and responsive caregiving, and it shows them there is someone who really truly cares for them.This includes being kind and treating every single child with love and care and being there for them to set an example and provide guidance. Because I believe in the value of giving back to younger generations, I made the choice to volunteer as a youth mentor for elementary students at Midway Safe Harbor, a 501(c) youth organization in Sanford, Florida. The 85 hours that I have spent volunteering so far has been a life-changing experience for me. It has allowed me an opportunity to give back to the community and make a positive impact on the lives of children, and those after me. I believe that making connections with children is crucial as it helps them to feel valued, important, and increase their self-esteem. As a mentor, I tutor, and provide guidance and support, both physically and emotionally. The mentoring process is simply not just about teaching or guiding the child but also about learning from them. It involves spending quality time with them, engaging in various activities such as rewarding them with a field day, teaching the benefits of exercise, watching a movie, playing games, or helping with homework. Volunteering is not just about showing up regularly, but about truly connecting and caring for the children. Their stories and struggles have touched my heart and inspire me to make a difference in their lives. As I continued to share these experiences with them, I not only helped build trust and rapport with each child but also foster mutual respect and understanding, laying the foundation for a strong and enduring friendship. My experience at Midway Safe Harbor taught me the power of making connections with children. I have learned that children who have positive social connections with people in the early stages of life are more likely to have healthy development, both physically and emotionally. So, it has been my mission to help children expand their thinking by making connections and encouraging them to think about how things are related to each other and how the physical world works. Through this experience, I have learned many things about myself and my life along the way such as patience, compassion, and resilience in the face of challenges. Investing in children means investing in community and humanity. It means recognizing their inherent dignity, their potential, and their rights. It means providing them with the opportunities and the support they need to grow, learn, and thrive. They are brilliant and like sponges, eager to learn from someone, like me, who cares about them so much. The smiles on their faces when I visit them inspires me to keep going and make a difference. I believe that every child should have someone they know will support them so it is my duty to be that for them and make an impact on their lives. My work as a youth mentor has made a difference in the lives of children, and it’s inspiring to know that the relationships I am forming today will lead to positive change in the community for future generations.