To whomever this may concern, hello and allow me to introduce myself, my name is Evangelina Chavez. I want to start off on the right foot and admit I am not a single mother. But I do admit that I have a mother. And yes, she's single and I have witnessed a lot of struggles she had to endure so strongly that is why I felt the need to share my own voice about the type of character dynamic that tends to be overlooked: the child of a single mother. This scholarship would help me achieve the financial struggles that my single mother is currently going through. Ironically, this is written on Father's Day at the time I am writing this letter to you but in a weird way, my mother had to step up as two people, the absent father and the mother. It isn't an easy task to do, especially when you have to watch a single mom take four kids to three different schools, each one with different schedules, prepare a home-cooked meal for four kids, and of course interacting with them and finally, parenting them, as not just me, but two of my other siblings are living with a disability and one of my siblings, my sister who does not have a disability, had my mom rely on her heavingly. One of the many hardships that I seen not just my mom but other single moms do is that they are trying to pursue a higher education, and trying to do better in the world. And unfortunately this rubs men in the wrong way, in the sense that men tend to think very highly of themselves to put other single moms and my own mom down, how women should be able to have a man to watch their kids. I know this is supposed to be about single moms and yet this is true: facing social backlash for having more than one kid, being a single mom, trying to focus on more than one child to parent and raise, trying to encourage their kids to do better, and you know something? I may be one of my mom's daughters, and while I am not a mom but single myself, I have seen the most hardships that I have seen my mom do for me, and for my siblings but most importantly, our future. So, I have hope that you will at least consider me for this scholarship, because I would love to help out my mom back in the best way possible for financially.

To whom it may concern: Hello, I'm Evangelina Chavez. I'm the eldest daughter of four. And for that reason alone, I'm not a parent but in my whole childhood, but I was a witness to my own mother be a single parent catering to us four. She was actually getting four kids to four different schools at the same time, doing housework, doing the cooking, paying bills, and even then, despite us having to live in a poor neighborhood, having to still divide her time for us. While I may not be a single parent, I have witness the struggles of a single parent. The main challenges of having to divide her time to four kids, three of them disabled (me included), and at same time on top of everything else, she was also attending college and even transferred to the university. Watching my own single mother accomplished so much, is such an inspiring feat. It is very fulfilling to see my mom accomplish her education as a single mom as she is currently trying to apply for a master's degree. She wants to be able to get a higher degree, and be able to provide a better life for us. I can hear the loud question marks as you're scratching your heads wondering why me, who's not a parent but still painfully single, why would I apply for this scholarship and why should you consider me? That is fairly easy to answer. Simply put, I want you to consider me for this scholarship so that way, I can help my mom, the one person who did so much for me and my three siblings, to be able to help her more to provide more to the family, to help achieve her and my dream of living a better life, and to earn a nice, well-paying job that we rightfully deserve to earn after putting in so much effort and work, to help her with her paying for my youngest brother with his own college fees, her master's program, to help build our better future. I know this is a similar story you must have heard a thousand times, but even I realized that I can't do this alone. What separates me from other applications is that I will put this to good use, and to be able to work really hard for this scholarship. I hope you will make the right decision and you will see by choosing me for this scholarship, you will not regret it, and you will see what me and my mom who does everything and has yet to received anything back for her efforts, just how hardworking we are and we can definitely provide a lot more than you realize. But we can't do this without your help. I hope you can see it in your heart to reach out and help a family who can help others in the process. Please and thank you, Evangelina Chavez

To whom it may concern: Hello, my name is Evangelina Chavez. As long as I can remember, I had often struggled a bit in school. I saw and think things differently than the other students, and it often made it harder to have friends or to learn certain things. I do having a learning disability and it affects me socially, and throughout my education. Despite these "setbacks" I have, I have been trying to better myself. I am on the spectrum and while there are some things that I am very passionate about, there are some weaknesses attached to it that seems to amplify me mentally from my condition. For example, I am a Studio Arts Major, and while it took it a long time to transfer from community college to the university that I currently attend to, my learning disabiltily fails to grasp certain materials or how to learn about them; like one of my current classes, Intro to Photography. In that specific class, I was struggling how to do tasks in the dark, and while I was trying to keep up with the class, I started to have anxiety attacks in that. One thing to note about that class, while I am not a Photography major, I am a Studio Arts Major, which is why I needed that photography class, is that I come from a poor background. A extremely poor background. I do not have the funds to cover lab fees and some of the materials. I fear that with my learning disabilty, while I am on the specturm, that I will not be able to complete that course to earn my degree. I do not know where it will take me, but what I do know is that I can not do this on my own. Which is how I started to apply application after application on this site, and this is where it led me to you and your company for this scholarship. My learning disability is one of the reasons why it took me about six and a half years to transfer from the community college, East Los Angeles college, to Cal State Los Angeles University. Technically, I was supposed to graduate by Spring 2026, but due to circumstances I wasn't aware of until it was too late, and a misunderstanding from my disability, have held me back to graduate (I thought it was until Fall 2026), and now my graduate due date was pushed back until Spring 2027. While it is a painful for me to endure, I still try my hardest to do my best in my education, and hopefully graduate with one of the highest level of Cum Laude. How amazing and how inspirinational is that? That is why I come to you, to consider granting me this opportunity for this scholarship, to help me further my eduacation, to help me earn proper materials that I normally couldn't get before, and to boost my social mobility; ending my chapter of living in poverty, and to continue to do what I do best: helping others, inspiring others, encourging others to do the same with those who are just as passionate in the arts as I am. I can't do this alone, and I am hopeful that the person who reads this, feels the same way I do. I just need someone who can help me get through this, and you will not regret it, and you will see that I am the right candiate for this, even when others haven't given me the chance, I hope you will. Thank you, Evangelina Chavez

To whomever this may concern: Hello, this is Evangelina Chavez. When I was a little girl, I was diagonsed on the autistic spectrum. When I was a kid, I didn't understand a lot of things, and some things I just wasn't really good at. When I was in elementary school, the entire staff just didn't have any faith in me, and had wanted to held me back a grade. They chose to not understand that I - or students like me; was capable of doing something else that I can do this things. This disability, I can admit have a lot of cons, but it was because of their lack of faith in me that I was able to prove them wrong. How so? Me having this disability, believe it or not, can have a lot of advantages to them such as seeing the world a bit differently and that might be heighted for me to have compassion for people. For some, they might find it intimidating. Here, I plan to use my disability into a more positive way of thinking and living. As stated previously, the adults in my life were completely unaware of what I needed in education, and some didn't understand what I needed to be repeated several times. So they felt like they saw me as a failure. In a way, I came a long way; graduated middle school, graduated high school, graduated from community college... and soon, hopefully very soon, I am about to graduate with a Bachelor's Degree in Studio Arts, with my disability with a the highest level of Cum Laude. How amazing is that? It influenced my relationships because I have learned how to socialize better, how to deal with anxiety and depression along with my condition. It definitely shaped my beliefs about the world, and it aspires me to make it better. I plan to make this world a better place from my career choices as a artist, knowing that if I can do it, I know I can inspire other people to be the best they can be, regardless of where they came from, no matter what age, and no matter what we have been born with, that we can still make this world a better place. There is no reason why anyone should be forced to act a certain way, even the ones born on the specturm, and they shouldn't be labeled negatively. I do hope you considered me for this scholarship because I know I can use it wisely and to properly get the results of my goals; even if that means trying to get the proper tools to help cope living with my condition. The primary schools and other children didn't believe in me, some relatives didn't believe in me, but I believe in me and I hope, from the bottom of my heart, that whoever reads this will believe in me too. Thank you for your time, Evangelina Chavez

To whomever it may concern: Hi, my name is Evangelina Chavez. In the words of poet Langston Hughes, "Life for me ain't no crystal stair", and while that line is true to desrcribe my past childhood but even as a child, I had some big dreams of helping the world, when the world had turned its back on me. But, I had something not even normal children have : hope. I had hoped that over time, I would be able to help others who actually need it, regardless of where they are from, or how they gotten themselves into that situation. As a young adult, I am currently attending a university for a Bachelor's Degree in Art (BA) and throughout my early years of life to where I am today, I was able to help so many people in need with my talent from the arts. In my high school years, I had started to be a little spontaneous by selling my poems (some comissioned me to make poems), drawings, and little comics here and there to engage with my classmates. In my days of attending community college, I had done the same thing from high school, but once in a while, provide a little bit more than just poems and drawings, I had started to be a little more comfortable with drawing them in pen/ink and charcoal, and moved to a slight variation of sizes. At the same time, I was barely learning how to do digital art. In my current days of attending at my university, I still do these comissions, however my skills have improved drastically, as they are more sharper, cleaner, and definitely more pleasing to the eye, each crafted with intention of spreading positivity, and to help others repair with their inner child. I have gained a lot more cilents since I have taken a bold step in entrepreneurship in my artworks, as they now have expanded to a more variety selection. What I plan to do with this degree, once after I graduated, is to create my own business - still involved around art. But I want my business to create the legacy of what my art is supposed to represent: Friendship, kindness, imagination, care-free, honest, spiritual, family-friendly and completely honest and surreal. The business that I hoped to create one day, is to instill positivity in others while at the same time, be a safe place for everyone to enjoy. People don't need a age requirement to be happy, people shouldn't be restricted or held back by their creativity based on age, or by the level of their artisitic skill. I believed firmly in my heart and soul that art is meant for everyone, and that we all have different ideas and forms on what they might be. I have shown my light by helping others with my art, my own drawings of Greek Mythology characters in a Tarot Deck to help guide people with their choices and decision-making. I help by sharing my art with people and they have reported back to me that they have been happy by looking at my work. I would to continue this work, but the sad thing is...I can't. I can't do it without this scholarship to help further my education. It would mean the world to me if you consider granting this scholarship to me, so not only would I be able to graduate from my university, but to shine a little bit brighter so that way, I can help others find their own ways to shine brighter too. Thank you, Evangelina Chavez

To whoever this may concern: Hello, my name is Evangelina Chavez. Ever since I was a little girl, I always have had a vivid imagination. What really inspired me to aim towards a creative art degree in Studio Arts, were these two films in particular: Henry Selick's film 'Coraline' written by Neil Gaiman, and Tim Burton's 'The Nightmare Before Christmas'. Both struck me as fansicating films, because they have resonated so very strongly to me. I will discuss these two films and how they resonated to me, and why it led me to have a career centered around the arts, and finally, how I intend to use my creative talents to uplift and inspire others. In 'Coraline', I related to her the most to myself when I was a young girl; often a daydreamer, a explorer, but would rather live in a fantasy world more than in the real world - but sometimes we need that to escape from our own current issues and boredom. But 'Coraline' also protrays the perspective of adults, not just children. And I would want my artworks, my art, my craft, to be able for both children and adults to enjoy, to feel they are valued and seen, but most importantly, feel heard. Yes, reality can be disappointing at times, but we can turn our biggest fantasies, daydreams, and dreams into our reality. In the, 'The Nightmare Before Christmas', I also felt the same way as a little kid: feeling out of place, feeling like I didn't belong in a social group, but also willing to explore out of their own comfort zone. I also felt that there was many things that I wanted to do in life, but never seemed to have the time to do so. Jack Skellington was the leader of Halloween Town, but he wanted to do something else that was beyond social norms (Halloween in Christmas) and while I wasn't exactly a leader, I could feel sympathic towards Jack, in the sense that he wanted to feel included or even combine two completely different elements in a positive way, unfortunately was misunderstood by his good intentions. His own excitement took over that he didn't realize not everyone was going to feel the same way. And while I can relate to that kind of experience from Jack, I would definitely take great care of my well-intended purpose of my art to ensure that my art is meant for everyone on a positve scale. In my personal journey, this makes it an emotional roller coaster, as it provides both challenges and wonderful opportunities for me. One of my challenges would be competing for this scholarship for sure, but if you do consider granting this scholarship to me, it would help me a great deal to aquire better materials so I can better my craft for everyone to enjoy, whether that be making stickers, notebooks, keychains of my own design. Each one of my designs, when I show them to people, have often recieved positive reviews and feedback. I intend to use my creative talents and skills in any format possible, a children's book, a cartoony portrait of others, turn them into plushes, keychains, small toys, toys, etc., but for others to feel the inner joy of their childhood again, or to simply feel to heal their inner child, to reconnect with children and parents, to give them a healthy reason to feel happier. I've contributed by making cards in pencil/pen/colored pencils, and in a digtital format as well, and many have told me that they can see my artworks becoming so much more. And I would love that, except I do not have the financials needed to carry out my projects that have lived inside my head for so long. This is why I need this scholarship; not just to help increase my skills, not just to keep my passions alive, but to instill my passions to others, whether or not they realize it or to help others find their own gifts for the arts, regardless of what they think "art" is. Many thanks in advance, - Evangelina Chavez

To whoever this may concern: Hi, my name is Evangelina Chavez and there was so many times I have faced adversities since I was a little girl. When I was a baby, I almost got into a car accident just shortly after being born. My own father's mother (my grandmother) had beaten me, though I have no memory of it when I was borderline baby and toddler. In elementary school, I struggled with making friends and was often bullied. Certain objects of mine were stolen, and I was struggling to find my own voice, and the times where I would speak up, I was often told to shut up, I was too young to understand, punished for standing up for myself where the adults would play stupid and act as though I was not a person. In middle school, I found out through my own mother that she had deliberately lied to my classmates, which was the reason behind why no one wanted to be my friend, that she had kept a secret from me until middle school, and she has also informed me that I was born with a certain disability but on the spectrum, another thing she kept from me since my childhood. In that same time period, my father grew into a abusive man, causing me and my sibilings a lot of tramua, a lot of tension, where he ended up in the hospital, and my mom finally broke up with him after 15 years...I was twelve at the time. Many bad things have happen to me after that and are still continuing today. But if there is something that I can say, it definitely shaped my beliefs that the world is unpleasant and that it can happen to any age, not just as a child, but to learn as a child the ugliness in people, within and outside of family. While most people choose to continue to have a bitter outlook on life, and sometimes imposing that on others, filfulling a self-prohecy in their minds of the outcome, I have choose to use that energy for a more positive outlook on life. I know this is easier said than done, but I remember even as a child, I embrace the morning as if it was a new day, as if the bad memories didn't exist. In my young adult years, I have slowly started on the habit of writing letters to the people who have done me wrong in the past, and some are more or less recent over time. However, I did not let my trouble past become into my present troubles, and have been using these as experiences to help other people cope with theirs to get out of their mindset, and out of their own misfortunes. I have using my gift of the arts (drawing, stories, poetry) to help others understand their own perspectives and gives them self-awareness. I hope you will consider giving me the scholarship so that way, I can give back to the community to help others in need, the pure souls who truly deserve my help. It would help me help others who are also going through the same circumstances.

Hi, I'm Evangelina and today, I am applying for this scholarship because I come from a mixed background. I'm a mixed salad of cultures that is trying to earn her merit of graduating from a university with a degree of Studio Arts. I am half Mexican, half Salvadorean, and one sixteenth Guatamalean. It certainly is a unique combination! Even though I am part of techinally three beautiful ethnic backgrounds, I am also a legal U.S.A. citzen. I was born in the U.S. However, at the current moment (and I regert to inform you) that our president in my country is discriminating towards our people. Mothers, fathers, and anyone who "looks brown" is being deported based on looks, whether or not they are legal citzens or not. These types of news just breaks my heart and not being able to do something about it. I can't just stand idly by while terrible things happen to my people. Sadly, this is the truth. But the good news is, this is impacted my life greatly because I am currently a university student with a knack of the arts: theater, poetry, singing, drawing, and digital art. Should you decided to choose me, and I hope you will, I will use this scholarship by further developing my talents of the arts to embrace, display, and impacting the community of different colored-skin people to show that the world is just really beautiful with them. If everyone was the same, it would be rather boring, wouldn't it? Imagine drinking a cup of coffee. It's strong, but bitter. But if you add some cinnamon, ginger, vanilla extract or even pumpkin seasoning, it excites your taste buds, because now it has flavor to the bitter coffee. And my God, we all need that cup of coffee as a energy boost! If we are capable of loving different types of coffee (and I know you do, you're probably having a pumpkin latte for all I know), then it would make more sense to love the different kinds of people of all colors! Many people don't think people like myself can be capable of succeding in life. Elementary school teachers didn't have the faith for me to succeed, but if only they saw me now! Did you know that many Mexican people are successful in the arts? It's true! Not just Pablo Picasso, but Frida Khalo, Diego Rivera, and Elizabeth Catlette have all made their marks. Now is the time for me to make my mark. Thank you for your time, Evangelina Chavez

Hello, to whoever this may concern: allow me to introduce myself. My name is Evangelina Chavez, and I come from a multicultural background. A young 27 year old woman who literally loved reading books as a child. So much so that some teachers had to pry a book out of my hands! I remember specifically loving the picture books of young children. At the time, I loved looking at the art style as a child, and still do now. Literacy had benefited me in a way that I know can be relatable to other children, not just me. Currently, I attend the Cal State LA university where I am studying to be a Studio Arts major. I know with my own artwork style, I know that it will be visually pleasing and very able to reach children to let them know on an emotional scale the importantance of learning other cultures and/or other common life lessons, while being able to tell a wonderfully stunning adventure as a narrative. While it is common to see children who are Causaisan in picture books, it is also slightly common to see black children in picture books too. But because of my own mixed culture background, I see less of it in picture books about being a Mexican child, or even interracial child, which does indeed exist but isn't really talked about more often. Should you decided to pick me, (and I hope you will consider) I plan to use my charming artworks to remedy that by being able to show what it is like to be in a half Mexican, half Salvadorean, and 1/16 Guatamalean. (And yes, that is actually my real ethnicity!) But it is not just my artworks that I am good at, far from it! I also can write an compelling story, and write beautiful poetry that can make you hunger for more of my stronger and powerful talents. I can do it all - write the story, write the poems, create the characters in a fun and cute style, I can definitely edit my own work. I can show you my illustrations as a previous project that I have done. I enjoy having a lot of color in my work, which I can promise you is unique, different, and very uplifting. One digital artwork that I sent is two sisters but are inspired from Ireland/Scotsland, one is a painting of two pigs, and another digital artwork of a Dia De Los Muretos character named Estelia, who is preparing food, the second artwork is Estelia with her older sister Selena, and finally but not least, two spy princess characters with brown skin tones by the name of Ursula and Emma. I hope you enjoy looking at my artwork, and please consider granting me this scholarship, for I will put these characters into good use of them. It would mean a lot to me for you to look and if you do consider me, to please let me know which one of these is your favorite. Thank you for your time, Evangelina

I was diagonsed on the autistic spectrum when I was a young girl. As a result, growing up was very difficult, and I had a hard time making friends. It wasn't the best environment for me growing up, but at the time my feelings were an emotional roller coaster because around the time I was in middle school, my dad was an alcoholic drinker, to a point where he became abusive which led to me and my siblings mental health declined and drained daily. I know this is supposed to be my personal experience to share, but I had to include my dad's problem because it turned into my mental problem. Out of all my four siblings, I had to endure it the longest, and of course, my mental health declined as my mental condition became harder to keep secret. However, I shall lead this story to the end of it - rather, my mom ended the relationship to my dad, and my dad had told my mom that I wasn't going to stand a chance against the world (yes, he really said that!), and for that reason, he didn't get to see me or any of my siblings grow as a person, neither did he get to see me graduate middle school, graduate high school, graduate my community college, now he will miss another milestone. Since then, I kept a positive outlook, helping others, went to therapy, and creating art that others that are loving my work, showing my light to others who need it, instead for someone who didn't see my light. It is really hard for me to share this experience with you, not the fact I have to relive it, but I also had to share my dad's experience as well. In a way, art became my therapy in the chaos of the enviornment that I have to deal with. At the same time, he knew how important art is to me, so he occassionally gave me art supplies, so it was around the same time that I had found another way to cope: writing poems and my stories, drawing and making comics, being able to use that to help others overcome their own trauma into healing. I'm going to level to whoever this may concern... my educational goal is to focus on graduation from the university, and to use this opportunity to help others overcome it, and to encourage others to pursue their education no matter level of disability or even from what others have said to them. I know I have prove my own dad wrong, now it is time to prove the whole society wrong. Let me prove to you that I am the right candidate for this scholarship, and to right the wrongs that society had managed to social condition about people with their mental health, to improve their personal growth, to help them with their future educational goals, and to refuel their passions of whatever they aspire to be and to others. Thank you for your time.

My college campus had offered a special type of service that I was not aware at the time it existed: Art Therapy. It was hosted in the library and when I first encountered it, it both introduced me and intrigued me to learn more about it's purpose. As a artist myself, I knew that art was therapeutic for me. I was aware it could be therapeutic for others as well. I had always known that art could help people be able to express themselves and at the same time, be able to destress with art therapy. Like I mentioned before, I am a artist too, and I noticed that my art had helped people heal more. Healing with art to me is like being able to know how to smile again, like realizing you need to belly laugh really hard at a joke. It's healthy to share it with others who have good intentions. I believe in art therapy it could work wonders, being able to create a world where you could decided what happens in it or what things could look like in this world. It could be something to reach closure for some. I say this because from what I've heard from other people who have seen my art, have reported feeling happy, inspired, even nostalgic! They also showed me their work, and this leads me to believe more in the success of art therapy to unlock their true creative potential. My art has achieved success with receiving positive feedback from other people, and the amount of support of them wanting to explore their true potential based on their interests. It's impressive how art can be a healing tool by making them realize that art doesn't have a limit, nor does it even have a international border. Art is meant to heal, art therapy is meant to help others heal on a wider scale. It would help so many people around the world who also has had a passion for using art therapy as a healing tool. And that is why I got lead into art therapy, knowing that my art would also help achieve others on their very own artistic and healing journey as they are navigating through life. If my art can bring me and people joy, then I know for sure for sure that it will work for society, one color pencil at a time.

My future goals would be to graduate with a Bachelors degree of Studio Arts from my university...because as a young girl, many people did not believe in me, not even my own family had faith in me in school or even my own talents, but by granting me this scholarship, it would definitely proof to others and to myself that I can do something to impact the world. As a kid, I remember how I wanted to do so much and making everyone feel happy. No one understood me. In fact, it was really hard to make friends as a child because everyone assumed I wasn't good enough. If only they could see me now, as some of them have given up on college, and somehow they still see themselves better than me. But I'm one of the few people who continued education after high school, and is about to graduate with the highest Cum Laude in my university. But with this scholarship, I would make sure it will be used with a great cause, to show that I will use my talent, my love for art, that I am understood by others. By achieving this, I will definitely be able to gain social mobility to help my family as we had grown up in a poor neighborhood. I realized then that my university I go to currently, I was going to lose my financial aid, and I have no idea on how to pay it off. I can't do this by myself. I realize that now. If you do choose me, (and I hope you do), it would mean a great surprise for me, being able to take care of my fees and being able to continue my studies with my art. I'm just two semesters away and it would be wonderful to earn this scholarship. To finally be able to make the world a much better place to live in, to make others feel inspired and feeling comforted. My art has done so much during my educational journey. It would mean the world to me if you were also a part of my journey too. It's not just the work production people should value, it's also a matter of integrity and compassion for me. You won't regret it by being there for a girl that was told she would never make her dreams come true, by actually supporting her dreams. Thank you for reading my words from the heart, - Evangelina.

My sister has a dog named Lacy, and to give you an idea, she is an Schmowzier (I hope I spelled that breed right), and she's one of my best friends because we are totally similar in bonding with each other. She'll come to me in the middle of the night even though she's technically my sister's dog. (Sorry, not sorry). That dog can tell when I'm sad, so she'll come near me and give me a hug...like an actual human hug. She's quite adorable and can even close the door and tell me that she loves me. The best thing that makes her my best friend is that she'll even want to watch TV with me. For some people, that might seem weird, but even I picked up on what she likes to watch as some of those shows I also enjoying watching. It's cute seeing her tail wagging when she knows I put on the TV on, particularly she loves The Simpsons, The Twilight Zone, Dateline, and anything with Lesile Neilson movies! (Who could blame her?) And when I put on movies, I'll make some popcorn and I'll share it with her. Lacy loves her popcorn, haha! Whenever she needs something or wants attention, she makes me laugh by flipping her water dish. She's either telling me that she wants food/water, or to go outside or simply wants attention. If I play music, there is something that excites Lacy, as she'll come up to me and is trying to tell me that she wants to dance with me. And we do! If I fall down, she definitely comes to check in on me. She'll follow me to the bathroom and gets into the tub, waiting for me to get inside the bathroom. When I come home from school, she is always eager to jump on me, and I hugged her before I can put my stuff down. And if I start to sing, she tends to join in too. My furry best is my best friend, she seems to know what I'm feeling, whether or not I'm aware of it, and she had always found a way to make me smile and laugh. She is the essence of pure love and innocence, which reminds me to also give that love to other people. To some people, she's a animal or just a dog, but she will always be one of my best friends, fur and all.

Most kids have been able to get support from their families, however, I wasn't like most kids as I was in a poor household with three younger siblings, until one particular day in 7th/8th grade, I had my very first WOW moment. One of my teachers at the time, had been shocked to see only me. We usually didn't see eye to eye per se, but he informed me of an art gallery in the auditorium. At the time, my art skills wasn't the best but I was curious enough to go. I was blown away by the effort of creativity made by other people, some were around my age! After exploring the gallery, we had a lovely chat about art. That teacher was my major reason why I had began to pursue art. My dad was my 2nd supporter, gifting me pens, pencils, and colored pencils. Even a coloring book meant to relax the mind! From then on, I had more exposure to art, in high school, I had more experience with art, even going to museums, and slowly but surely, my artwork began to improve. By the time I got to community college, it have improved a lot more that now my work has moved from pencil, pen & paper onto the digital. While that teacher was the one who inspired me to make that choice, it was also the support from other classmates, other teachers and professors. And lately, I've been getting such support from family members too. My current supporters to help me pursue my craft, are my dad, mom, my mom's current partner, my youngest brother, my sister, my extended family, even bus drivers, and of course, to the people who have collaborated with me with my craft, or gave my artworks a chance. I couldn't have done it without them, and for that, I would always be grateful for having them. Another good inspiration for me in the art world would definitely be Tim Burton- if he can share his passion with his creations, then so can I! I'm actually quite fond of his work, Edvard Much, Vincent Van Gogh, but also with Georgia O'Keeffe, Raphael, Frida Khalo, Diego Rivera, Andy Warhol, Pablo Picasso, Shaun Tan, Michaelangelo, Henry Matisse, etc. It always fascinated me to learn what or why they would create their pieces the way that they did for their art to represent.

It wasn't quite a published book however, it was more of a personal project. One of my friends was about to have a baby boy, and I created a little story of how a stork is supposed to deliver this bundle but accidentally takes the wrong turn mid-flight and it ends up being quite an adventure during the stork's travels, including the stork taking a train station! The impact it had on my friend was she felt touched by it, as the art style was very cartoony and meant for a younger audience. The main challenge was due to balancing home life and school life. It was during this time that my friend had found out she was having a baby prior to Covid, and she felt it was wonderful beginning to end. I was constantly in touch to make sure it was what she wanted, as I do for all my artworks/stories. This scholarship will not only help further my education of the art world of illustration, but it would also help spread joy to these children with my talent of both artistic and storytelling combine to make a lasting impact on children. If you were to see my work, you would feel very nostalgic the way I would feel reading James & The Giant Peach by Roald Dahl. The images I have sent below are my own designs for fairies. See how these colors, these characters, could have an instant appeal to young children and adults? While not being actually published, these could easily end up in a children's book after graduation with my degree in Studio Arts. This is only a sample of what I can do but I know I can definitely supply more! Imagine that these fairies are outside having lunch, near an old tree and suddenly, their food starts to move! Some panick, others are calm, only to relax to see that their food is being taken away by ants, who instinctively and purposely took their lunch! It could even have a strong educational impact by learning more about ants. You could even have more than one type of story or ending. One might learn about ants, one might even learning how to share with their food, one might be learning to be careful with leaving food out in the open so insects don't land in their own food and learn about nature itself.