One sunny weekend, I found myself standing on a sidewalk holding a "Car Wash for a Cause" sign, drenched in soap and water, yet filled with purpose. What started as a simple community fundraiser quickly turned into one of the most meaningful experiences of my life. Volunteering at a local car wash to raise money for a medical missions trip to Guatemala not only allowed me to give back to my own community, but it also opened the door for me to serve a global one. It was a reminder that small actions, when done with love and intention, can ripple outward and create real change. The car wash was more than just a fundraiser. It became a gathering place for neighbors, families, and friends, many of whom came not just to support us financially but to show encouragement and unity. It was heartwarming to see cars lined up, people chatting, and laughter echoing across the parking lot. It felt like the entire community came together for something bigger than themselves. That day reminded me that service has the power to connect people—regardless of age, background, or circumstance. Organizing the car wash took teamwork, planning, and a lot of elbow grease. From making posters to managing donations and cleaning cars under the hot sun, every task taught me responsibility and leadership. More importantly, it taught me that helping others doesn’t require grand gestures; sometimes, it’s as simple as washing a car with a smile. The funds we raised made it possible for me to travel to Guatemala on a medical missions trip—a life-changing experience that deepened my commitment to service. In Guatemala, I worked alongside doctors and volunteers to provide basic medical care, distribute supplies, and connect with families in need. I witnessed firsthand the health disparities that exist in underserved communities and saw how something as basic as clean water or access to a doctor can drastically change someone’s life. The people we met were kind, generous, and grateful. Despite facing challenges I could hardly imagine, they welcomed us with open arms. I left Guatemala with a new perspective on what it means to serve. I realized that the impact of our car wash didn’t end in our town—it reached across borders and touched lives in another part of the world. Reflecting on the entire journey—from the parking lot car wash to the villages of Guatemala—I feel immense gratitude. The experience strengthened my belief in the power of community, both local and global. It showed me that when people come together with a shared purpose, amazing things can happen. Most importantly, it reminded me that service is not just about helping others—it’s about growing, learning, and becoming part of something greater than yourself. In the end, it wasn’t just about clean cars or even medical care—it was about hope, compassion, and the belief that we all have the ability to make a difference, one small act at a time.

Dancing Through Challenges: How Balancing Dance and School Shaped Me Into a Strong Woman Balancing the intense demands of being a dancer with the pressures of school has not only tested my limits but also shaped the woman I am today. Living in a world where women still fight for space, respect, and recognition—especially in male-dominated environments—has added another layer of complexity to my journey. But through it all, dance and education have given me the strength, discipline, and confidence to stand tall and own my voice. From a young age, dance was my passion. Whether it was ballet, jazz, hip-hop, or contemporary, moving to music felt like speaking a language that came from the soul. But as I grew older, I quickly realized that passion alone wasn’t enough. Hours of daily practice, rehearsals, performances, and competitions were just the beginning. At the same time, I was expected to excel academically, finish assignments on time, prepare for exams, and maintain strong grades. The balance wasn’t easy—but it was through that challenge that I learned how powerful and capable I truly am. Time management became my superpower. While others were relaxing after school, I was stretching, practicing routines, or traveling for dance events. This lifestyle taught me how to prioritize, stay focused, and push through exhaustion. There were moments of doubt and frustration, especially when I felt like I was missing out on things my peers experienced more freely. But instead of breaking me, these challenges built my character. In dance, like in many parts of the world, leadership and recognition often go to men. Choreographers, directors, and even lead roles are frequently dominated by males, even in styles where women make up the majority of the performers. I've had to speak up, prove my worth, and sometimes push back against stereotypes and assumptions. Being a young female dancer navigating a competitive space taught me resilience. It taught me that femininity is not weakness, and that strength can come with grace, emotion, and passion. School offered a different kind of challenge. In classrooms, I had to assert my intelligence and ambition. I was often one of the few girls raising her hand in STEM classes or leading group projects. The discipline I learned from dance gave me the confidence to excel academically, even in subjects where girls are often underrepresented. I realized that being multifaceted—intelligent, artistic, driven—makes me powerful, not “too much.” Together, dance and school created a foundation that shaped me into a strong female voice in a world that often tries to quiet women. They taught me that I don’t have to choose between being creative and being smart. I don’t have to shrink myself to fit into the spaces I walk into—I can expand them. I am still growing, but every plié and every late-night study session has played a part in who I am becoming: a bold, determined woman who knows her worth and isn’t afraid to take up space.

Classical conditioning is a term used in psychology that refers to beings associating things that repeatedly happen together. For me, last summer I quickly correlated walking down the stairs in my house to hearing labored, painful breaths. My uncle, an ER nurse who had dedicated his life to saving people, couldn’t be saved. He was diagnosed with liver failure right before my junior year of high school and there was nothing else we could do, so we transferred him to our house so his last weeks would be comfortable. My house was soon filled with grieving people, hospital machines, and extreme chaos.On July 26, 2023 my expectation of hearing labored breaths after walking down the stairs was broken, as he passed that night. Coming from a whole family of medical personnel, the medical field was the one thing I did not want to do. However, July 26, 2023 was also the day I realized I was going to save people just like him. My uncle was an amazing human being who cared for every single patient and changed countless lives. I realized how medical personnel really are heroes in disguise and give so much of themselves for others, and that is what I will do. Even though my uncle was a nurse, I plan to become a Pediatrician, because children are my personal passion. This spring I will be interning with my local Pediatrics Office, and will get to have hands-on experience. I know I have what it takes to become a doctor, because I am extremely hard working, and know how to persevere through life’s curveballs. Having grown up with nurses as parents, I can see the incredible impact and hope they give to the community. I want to be a Doctor because I live to put others' needs above mine and want to serve my community. Not only do medical personnel help their patients medically, but they’re often a shoulder to cry on, and help the patient mentally and emotionally too. When my uncle died, so many nurses brought us dinner, stayed and cried with us, and did way more than the job required. That is the person I want to be. I want to go above and beyond and be the shoulder to cry on for people who have no one. In conclusion, I will be the doctor who is there for the patients, goes the extra mile, and the first one to care. I will make a difference in my community and be the hope people don’t have. And I will forever be living to honor the legacy of my uncle and everyone he touched. Thank you for considering me as a recipient to help me reach my goals.

As I stared at the chemistry test in front of me, my hands started shaking, my heart rate climbed, I felt my face flush, and I couldn’t focus. In fact, many students today struggle with this very thing: academic anxiety. Gabriel Tan, a psychologist with over 35 years of experience as a clinician and researcher writes in the Journal of Affective Disorders Reports that 35.10% of students recognized anxiety as being directly linked to their academic performance. Academic anxiety is very prevalent in today’s teens and needs to be discussed more. I first started battling with academic anxiety when my uncle unexpectedly passed away right before my junior year of high school. This sparked disabling moments for me in school. I began to take tests and quizzes in the office, because I could not handle taking a test in the classroom. My grades dropped. After all, I could not focus on the material, because my focus went to just keeping it together. I quickly realized that I needed to get this under control or there would be lasting consequences, such as my GPA dropping. I began researching tactics to calm down in a school environment, and began fighting my way back into life. I began going to therapy, where my counselor gave me helpful tips and encouragement. She has been my inspiration in going into the mental health field. She never once discounted my feelings, said I was too far gone, or made me feel stupid for feeling the way I do. She encouraged me, and spoke truth to my tendency to overthink everything. After overcoming anxiety, I would love to help people do the same. I plan to help lead others out of mental health issues by giving them a shoulder to lean on and a support system. I will be their safe place, and an open ear for patients to air their thoughts free of judgment. I have decided it is my duty to spread awareness of mental health and create a judgment-free zone for others to open up. Must people do not talk about the struggle and severness of mental health, because it could be embarrassing or annoy most people to hear. However, absolutely no one should go through it alone. Most times the thing that saves you is community. You have to surround yourself with people who will lift you up. When there does not seem to be a way out, those people remind you that there is a way. Despite what people may feel, there is hope and a light at the end of the tunnel, and I want to help people realize that. In conclusion, mental health is an incredibly important part of life, if not the most important. My goal is to help speak life into people, in turn driving out every worry, fear, and anxiety. I will be the counselor who goes the extra mile for patients, listens intently, and has genuine empathy. Lastly, I will be the one to care about my patients and friends around me, when no one else might.

Classical conditioning is a term used in psychology that refers to beings associating things that repeatedly happen together. For me, last summer I quickly correlated walking down the stairs in my house to hearing labored, painful breaths. My uncle, an ER nurse who had dedicated his life to saving people, couldn’t be saved. He was diagnosed with liver failure right before my junior year of high school and there was nothing else we could do, so we transferred him to our house so his last weeks would be comfortable. My house was soon filled with grieving people, hospital machines, and extreme chaos.On July 26, 2023 my expectation of hearing labored breaths after walking down the stairs was broken, as he passed that night. Coming from a whole family of medical personnel, the medical field was the one thing I did not want to do. However, July 26, 2023 was also the day I realized I was going to save people just like him. My uncle was an amazing human being who cared for every single patient and changed countless lives. I realized how medical personnel really are heroes in disguise and give so much of themselves for others, and that is what I will do. Even though my uncle was a nurse, I plan to become a Pediatrician, because children are my personal passion. This spring I will be interning with my local Pediatrics Office, and will get to have hands-on experience. I know I have what it takes to become a doctor, because I am extremely hard working, and know how to persevere through life’s curveballs. Having grown up with nurses as parents, I can see the incredible impact and hope they give to the community. I want to be a Doctor because I live to put others' needs above mine and want to serve my community. Not only do medical personnel help their patients medically, but they’re often a shoulder to cry on, and help the patient mentally and emotionally too. When my uncle died, so many nurses brought us dinner, stayed and cried with us, and did way more than the job required. That is the person I want to be. I want to go above and beyond and be the shoulder to cry on for people who have no one. In conclusion, I will be the doctor who is there for the patients, goes the extra mile, and the first one to care. I will make a difference in my community and be the hope people don’t have. And I will forever be living to honor the legacy of my uncle and everyone he touched. Thank you for considering me as a recipient to help me reach my goals.

I am the oldest child of four, and my parents are divorced and have 50/50 custody. Both of my parents are nurses, and because they still have three children to raise, it is up to me to fund my education. I have made it my mission to apply for scholarships whenever possible, hoping to have the least amount of school debt possible. Working through college and coming out debt-free is the ultimate goal. I believe it is important to further your education because it gives you more opportunities in the workplace. Knowledge is power, and the more you know, the more independent you can be. if you are educated, you will never have to rely on someone else. Education gives you freedom and more opportunities than without it. It also makes you look more professional and respectable in the workplace. By furthering my education, I hope to earn my Bachelors in Education and World Languages and Culture. From there, I would love to teach for a couple of years, preferably in elementary grades. However, the ultimate goal is to travel and do children's ministry, planting churches in India. This money would help me in furthering my education and making those dreams possible.

Classical conditioning is a term used in psychology that refers to beings associating things that repeatedly happen together. For me, last summer I quickly correlated walking down the stairs in my house to hearing labored, painful breaths. My uncle, an ER nurse who had dedicated his life to saving people, couldn’t be saved. He was diagnosed with liver failure right before my junior year of high school and there was nothing else we could do, so we transferred him to our house so his last weeks would be comfortable. My house was soon filled with grieving people, hospital machines, and extreme chaos.On July 26, 2023 my expectation of hearing labored breaths after walking down the stairs was broken, as he passed that night. Coming from a whole family of medical personnel, the medical field was the one thing I did not want to do. However, July 26, 2023 was also the day I realized I was going to save people just like him. My uncle was an amazing human being who cared for every single patient and changed countless lives. I realized how medical personnel really are heroes in disguise and give so much of themselves for others, and that is what I will do. Even though my uncle was a nurse, I plan to become a Pediatrician, because children are my personal passion. This spring I will be interning with my local Pediatrics Office, and will get to have hands-on experience. I know I have what it takes to become a doctor, because I am extremely hard working, and know how to persevere through life’s curveballs. Having grown up with nurses as parents, I can see the incredible impact and hope they give to the community. I want to be a Doctor because I live to put others' needs above mine and want to serve my community. Not only do medical personnel help their patients medically, but they’re often a shoulder to cry on, and help the patient mentally and emotionally too. When my uncle died, so many nurses brought us dinner, stayed and cried with us, and did way more than the job required. That is the person I want to be. I want to go above and beyond and be the shoulder to cry on for people who have no one. In conclusion, I will be the doctor who is there for the patients, goes the extra mile, and the first one to care. I will make a difference in my community and be the hope people don’t have. And I will forever be living to honor the legacy of my uncle and everyone he touched. Thank you for considering me as a recipient to help me reach my goals.

As I stared at the chemistry test in front of me, my hands started shaking, my heart rate climbed, I felt my face flush, and I couldn’t focus. In fact, many students today struggle with this very thing: academic anxiety. Gabriel Tan, a psychologist with over 35 years of experience as a clinician and researcher writes in the Journal of Affective Disorders Reports that 35.10% of students recognized anxiety being directly linked to their academic performance. Academic anxiety is very prevalent in today’s teens and needs to be discussed more. I first started battling with academic anxiety when my uncle unexpectedly passed away right before my junior year of high school. This sparked disabling moments for me in school. I began to take tests and quizzes in the office, because I could not handle taking a test in the classroom. My grades dropped because I could not focus on the material, because my focus went to just keeping it together. I quickly realized that I needed to get this under control or there would be lasting consequences, such as my GPA dropping. I began researching tactics to calm down in a school environment, and began fighting my way back into life. I began going to therapy, where my counselor gave me helpful tips and encouragement. She has been my inspiration in going into the mental health field. She never once discounted my feelings, said I was too far gone, or made me feel stupid for feeling the way I do. She encouraged me, and spoke truth to my tendency to overthink everything. After overcoming anxiety, I would love to help people do the same. I plan to help lead others out of mental health issues by giving them a shoulder to lean on and a support system. I will be their safe place, and an open ear for patients to air their thoughts free of judgment. I have decided it is my duty to spread awareness of mental health and create a judgment free zone for others to open up. Despite what people may feel, there is hope and a light at the end of the tunnel, and I want to help people realize that. In conclusion, mental health is an incredibly important part of life, if not the most important. It is my goal in life to help speak life into people, in turn driving out every worry, fear, and anxiety. I will be the counselor that goes the extra mile for patients, listens intently, and has genuine empathy. I plan to continue to recover by continuing health methods that work for me. Today I still journal, workout, and think about things I'm grateful for every day. I make active efforts to put myself first and value my mental health over making others happy. I also stay away from things that could potentially spark anxiety, like highly populated areas. In situations like that that are unaided, I recognize when I am feeling anxious, and remove myself from the situation.

As I stared at the chemistry test in front of me, my hands started shaking, my heart rate climbed, I felt my face flush, and I couldn’t focus. In fact, many students today struggle with this very thing: academic anxiety. Gabriel Tan, a psychologist with over 35 years of experience as a clinician and researcher writes in the Journal of Affective Disorders Reports that 35.10% of students recognized anxiety being directly linked to their academic performance. Academic anxiety is very prevalent in today’s teens and needs to be discussed more. I first started battling with academic anxiety when my uncle unexpectedly passed away right before my junior year of high school. This sparked disabling moments for me in school. I began to take tests and quizzes in the office, because I could not handle taking a test in the classroom. My grades dropped because I could not focus on the material, because my focus went to just keeping it together. I quickly realized that I needed to get this under control or there would be lasting consequences, such as my GPA dropping. I began researching tactics to calm down in a school environment, and began fighting my way back into life. I began going to therapy, where my counselor gave me helpful tips and encouragement. She has been my inspiration in going into the mental health field. She never once discounted my feelings, said I was too far gone, or made me feel stupid for feeling the way I do. She encouraged me, and spoke truth to my tendency to overthink everything. After overcoming anxiety, I would love to help people do the same. I plan to help lead others out of mental health issues by giving them a shoulder to lean on and a support system. I will be their safe place, and an open ear for patients to air their thoughts free of judgment. I have decided it is my duty to spread awareness of mental health and create a judgment free zone for others to open up. Despite what people may feel, there is hope and a light at the end of the tunnel, and I want to help people realize that. In conclusion, mental health is an incredibly important part of life, if not the most important. It is my goal in life to help speak life into people, in turn driving out every worry, fear, and anxiety. I will be the counselor that goes the extra mile for patients, listens intently, and has genuine empathy.

Classical conditioning is a term used in psychology that refers to beings associating things that repeatedly happen together. For me, last summer I quickly correlated walking down the stairs in my house to hearing labored, painful breaths. My uncle, an ER nurse who had dedicated his life to saving people, couldn’t be saved. He was diagnosed with liver failure right before my junior year of high school and there was nothing else we could do, so we transferred him to our house so his last weeks would be comfortable. My house was soon filled with grieving people, hospital machines, and extreme chaos.On July 26, 2023 my expectation of hearing labored breaths after walking down the stairs was broken, as he passed that night. Coming from a whole family of medical personnel, the medical field was the one thing I did not want to do. However, July 26, 2023 was also the day I realized I was going to save people just like him. My uncle was an amazing human being who cared for every single patient and changed countless lives. I realized how medical personnel really are heroes in disguise and give so much of themselves for others, and that is what I will do. Even though my uncle was a nurse, I plan to become a Pediatrician, because children are my personal passion. This spring I will be interning with my local Pediatrics Office, and will get to have hands-on experience. I know I have what it takes to become a doctor, because I am extremely hard working, and know how to persevere through life’s curveballs. Having grown up with nurses as parents, I can see the incredible impact and hope they give to the community. I want to be a Doctor because I live to put others' needs above mine and want to serve my community. Not only do medical personnel help their patients medically, but they’re often a shoulder to cry on, and help the patient mentally and emotionally too. When my uncle died, so many nurses brought us dinner, stayed and cried with us, and did way more than the job required. That is the person I want to be. I want to go above and beyond and be the shoulder to cry on for people who have no one. In conclusion, I will be the doctor who is there for the patients, goes the extra mile, and the first one to care. I will make a difference in my community and be the hope people don’t have. And I will forever be living to honor the legacy of my uncle and everyone he touched. Thank you for considering me as a recipient to help me reach my goals.

Classical conditioning is a term used in psychology that refers to beings associating things that repeatedly happen together. For me, last summer I quickly correlated walking down the stairs in my house to hearing labored, painful breaths. My uncle, an ER nurse who had dedicated his life to saving people, couldn’t be saved. He was diagnosed with liver failure right before my junior year of high school and there was nothing else we could do, so we transferred him to our house so his last weeks would be comfortable. My house was soon filled with grieving people, hospital machines, and extreme chaos.On July 26, 2023 my expectation of hearing labored breaths after walking down the stairs was broken, as he passed that night. Coming from a whole family of medical personnel, the medical field was the one thing I did not want to do. However, July 26, 2023 was also the day I realized I was going to save people just like him. My uncle was an amazing human being who cared for every single patient and changed countless lives. I realized how medical personnel really are heroes in disguise and give so much of themselves for others, and that is what I will do. Even though my uncle was a nurse, I plan to become a Pediatrician, because children are my personal passion. This spring I will be interning with my local Pediatrics Office, and will get to have hands-on experience. I know I have what it takes to become a doctor, because I am extremely hard working, and know how to persevere through life’s curveballs. Having grown up with nurses as parents, I can see the incredible impact and hope they give to the community. I want to be a Doctor because I live to put others' needs above mine and want to serve my community. Not only do medical personnel help their patients medically, but they’re often a shoulder to cry on, and help the patient mentally and emotionally too. When my uncle died, so many nurses brought us dinner, stayed and cried with us, and did way more than the job required. That is the person I want to be. I want to go above and beyond and be the shoulder to cry on for people who have no one. In conclusion, I will be the doctor who is there for the patients, goes the extra mile, and the first one to care. I will make a difference in my community and be the hope people don’t have. And I will forever be living to honor the legacy of my uncle and everyone he touched. Thank you for considering me as a recipient to help me reach my goals.

As I stared at the chemistry test in front of me, my hands started shaking, my heart rate climbed, I felt my face flush, and I couldn’t focus. In fact, many students today struggle with this very thing: academic anxiety. Gabriel Tan, a psychologist with over 35 years of experience as a clinician and researcher writes in the Journal of Affective Disorders Reports that 35.10% of students recognized anxiety being directly linked to their academic performance. Academic anxiety is very prevalent in today’s teens and needs to be discussed more. I first started battling with academic anxiety when my uncle unexpectedly passed away right before my junior year of high school. This sparked disabling moments for me in school. I began to take tests and quizzes in the office, because I could not handle taking a test in the classroom. My grades dropped because I could not focus on the material, because my focus went to just keeping it together. I quickly realized that I needed to get this under control or there would be lasting consequences, such as my GPA dropping. I began researching tactics to calm down in a school environment, and began fighting my way back into life. I began going to therapy, where my counselor gave me helpful tips and encouragement. She has been my inspiration in going into the mental health field. She never once discounted my feelings, said I was too far gone, or made me feel stupid for feeling the way I do. She encouraged me, and spoke truth to my tendency to overthink everything. After overcoming anxiety, I would love to help people do the same. I plan to help lead others out of mental health issues by giving them a shoulder to lean on and a support system. I will be their safe place, and an open ear for patients to air their thoughts free of judgment. I have decided it is my duty to spread awareness of mental health and create a judgment free zone for others to open up. Despite what people may feel, there is hope and a light at the end of the tunnel, and I want to help people realize that. In conclusion, mental health is an incredibly important part of life, if not the most important. It is my goal in life to help speak life into people, in turn driving out every worry, fear, and anxiety. I will be the counselor that goes the extra mile for patients, listens intently, and has genuine empathy.

Classical conditioning is a term used in psychology that refers to beings associating things that repeatedly happen together. For me, last summer I quickly correlated walking down the stairs in my house to hearing labored, painful breaths. My uncle, an ER nurse who had dedicated his life to saving people, couldn’t be saved. He was diagnosed with liver failure right before my junior year of high school and there was nothing else we could do, so we transferred him to our house so his last weeks would be comfortable. My house was soon filled with grieving people, hospital machines, and extreme chaos.On July 26, 2023 my expectation of hearing labored breaths after walking down the stairs was broken, as he passed that night. Coming from a whole family of medical personnel, the medical field was the one thing I did not want to do. However, July 26, 2023 was also the day I realized I was going to save people just like him. My uncle was an amazing human being who cared for every single patient and changed countless lives. I realized how medical personnel really are heroes in disguise and give so much of themselves for others, and that is what I will do. Even though my uncle was a nurse, I plan to become a Pediatrician, because children are my personal passion. This spring I will be interning with my local Pediatrics Office, and will get to have hands-on experience. I know I have what it takes to become a doctor, because I am extremely hard working, and know how to persevere through life’s curveballs. Having grown up with nurses as parents, I can see the incredible impact and hope they give to the community. I want to be a Doctor because I live to put others' needs above mine and want to serve my community. Not only do medical personnel help their patients medically, but they’re often a shoulder to cry on, and help the patient mentally and emotionally too. When my uncle died, so many nurses brought us dinner, stayed and cried with us, and did way more than the job required. That is the person I want to be. I want to go above and beyond and be the shoulder to cry on for people who have no one. In conclusion, I will be the doctor who is there for the patients, goes the extra mile, and the first one to care. I will make a difference in my community and be the hope people don’t have. And I will forever be living to honor the legacy of my uncle and everyone he touched. Thank you for considering me as a recipient to help me reach my goals.

As I stared at the chemistry test in front of me, my hands started shaking, my heart rate climbed, I felt my face flush, and I couldn’t focus. In fact, many students today struggle with this very thing: academic anxiety. Gabriel Tan, a psychologist with over 35 years of experience as a clinician and researcher writes in the Journal of Affective Disorders Reports that 35.10% of students recognized anxiety being directly linked to their academic performance. Academic anxiety is very prevalent in today’s teens and needs to be discussed more. I first started battling with academic anxiety when my uncle unexpectedly passed away right before my junior year of high school. This sparked disabling moments for me in school. I began to take tests and quizzes in the office, because I could not handle taking a test in the classroom. My grades dropped because I could not focus on the material, because my focus went to just keeping it together. I quickly realized that I needed to get this under control or there would be lasting consequences, such as my GPA dropping. I began researching tactics to calm down in a school environment, and began fighting my way back into life. I did three things that pulled me out of my sea of anxiousness: journaling, exercising, and practicing gratitude. I learned that exercising biologically counteracts anxiety. When exercising, your body releases hormones such as endorphins and dopamine, also known as the “feel good hormones”. I also began journaling down my thoughts, which helped clear my mind and get me back in control of my thought life. Finally, practicing gratitude may seem small but it made the most difference in my life. I learned that where gratefulness exists, anxiety cannot. After a couple weeks of practicing these methods, I realized I was rarely anxious anymore. I started taking tests in the classroom again. In fact, before every test I still flip the paper over and write down some positive affirmations. Academic anxiety is very real, and there should be more awareness of it. I have decided it is my duty to spread awareness, and I have made multiple speeches for classes on the subject. Despite what you may think, there is hope and a light at the end of the tunnel if you’re willing to partake in some lifestyle modifications. In conclusion, mental health is an incredibly important part of life, if not the most important. Now picture this new scenario: you get the chemistry test, but instead of immediately locking up from anxiety, you take a deep breath and start to work on it with a clear mind.

As I stared at the chemistry test in front of me, my hands started shaking, my heart rate climbed, I felt my face flush, and I couldn’t focus. In fact, many students today struggle with this very thing: academic anxiety. Gabriel Tan, a psychologist with over 35 years of experience as a clinician and researcher writes in the Journal of Affective Disorders Reports that 35.10% of students recognized anxiety being directly linked to their academic performance. Academic anxiety is very prevalent in today’s teens and needs to be discussed more. I first started battling with academic anxiety when my uncle unexpectedly passed away right before my junior year of high school. This sparked disabling moments for me in school. I began to take tests and quizzes in the office, because I could not handle taking a test in the classroom. My grades dropped because I could not focus on the material, because my focus went to just keeping it together. I quickly realized that I needed to get this under control or there would be lasting consequences, such as my GPA dropping. I began researching tactics to calm down in a school environment, and began fighting my way back into life. I did three things that pulled me out of my sea of anxiousness: journaling, exercising, and practicing gratitude. I learned that exercising biologically counteracts anxiety. When exercising, your body releases hormones such as endorphins and dopamine, also known as the “feel good hormones”. I also began journaling down my thoughts, which helped clear my mind and get me back in control of my thought life. Finally, practicing gratitude may seem small but it made the most difference in my life. I learned that where gratefulness exists, anxiety cannot. After a couple weeks of practicing these methods, I realized I was rarely anxious anymore. I started taking tests in the classroom again. In fact, before every test I still flip the paper over and write down some positive affirmations. Academic anxiety is very real, and there should be more awareness of it. I have decided it is my duty to spread awareness, and I have made multiple speeches for classes on the subject. Despite what you may think, there is hope and a light at the end of the tunnel if you’re willing to partake in some lifestyle modifications. In conclusion, mental health is an incredibly important part of life, if not the most important. Now picture this new scenario: you get the chemistry test, but instead of immediately locking up from anxiety, you take a deep breath and start to work on it with a clear mind.

Classical conditioning is a term in psychology that refers to beings associating things that repeatedly happen together. For me, last summer I quickly correlated walking down the stairs in my house to hearing labored, painful breaths. My uncle, an ER nurse who had dedicated his life to saving people, couldn’t be saved. He was diagnosed with liver failure right before my junior year of high school, and there was nothing else we could do, so we transferred him to our house so his last weeks would be comfortable. My house was soon filled with grieving people, hospital machines, and extreme chaos. On July 26, 2023, my expectation of hearing labored breaths after walking down the stairs was broken, as he passed that night. Coming from a whole family of medical personnel, the medical field was the one thing I did not want to do. However, July 26, 2023, was also the day I realized I was going to save people just like him. My uncle was an amazing human being who cared for every single patient and changed countless lives. I realized how medical personnel are heroes in disguise and give so much of themselves for others, and that is what I will do. Even though my uncle was a nurse, I plan to become a Pediatrician, because children are my passion. This spring I will be interning with my local Pediatrics Office, and will get to have hands-on experience. I know I have what it takes to become a doctor, because I am extremely hard-working, and know how to persevere through life’s curveballs. Having grown up with nurses as parents, I can see the incredible impact and hope they give to the community. I want to be a Doctor because I live to put others' needs above mine and want to serve my community. Not only do medical personnel help their patients medically, but they’re often a shoulder to cry on, and help the patient mentally and emotionally too. When my uncle died, so many nurses brought us dinner, stayed and cried with us, and did way more than the job required. That is the person I want to be. I want to go above and beyond and be the shoulder to cry on for people who have no one. In conclusion, I will be the doctor who is there for the patients, goes the extra mile, and is the first one to care. I will make a difference in my community and be the hope people don’t have. And I will forever be living to honor the legacy of my uncle and everyone he touched. Thank you for considering me as a recipient to help me reach my goals.

My favorite book of all time is “The Book of Lost Names”. The protagonist in the book is an older librarian, who was a forger in WW2 and helped children across the Switzerland border. In the beginning, you think she is just a little, harmless librarian. However, she ends up being a spy who saves thousands of lives through the power and secrets of a singular book. It is my favorite book because it teaches the importance and the impact books can have. Through reading, I have learned to dream big, never give up, and work hard for what I want. Books have had a huge impact on my life since I have been a proud “bookworm” since I was little. I have always had my nose in a book, and believe it has positively shaped my life. After graduating high school, I plan to become a Pediatrician, however, I would never have gone after that passion without reading some inspiring books. I also plan to keep volunteering in my local library through school, so I can help others discover their love for books. I love recommending books to people and watching them fall in love with reading. This past Christmas, me and all my friends did a book swap and that is when I discovered my love for historical fiction. However, I would have never tried it without my friend encouraging me to read the book. I want to pass that down to others and watch them be inspired like I was. Reading has also taught me to never give up. I love reading “rags to riches” books and hearing about personal lives being changed when it seems impossible. For example, the book “I Will Always Write Back” is about an African boy who raises money to go to school and follow his dreams. Books like these inspire me to follow my dreams no matter how hard they seem. I have learned that if you want something bad enough and work for it, the sky's the limit. In conclusion, books are my life and will continue to be the reason why I am who I am today. I am so grateful for the impact they have had on my life and the good they do in the world. Now that books have shown me to never give up on what I want, I believe I will be more successful in life because of it. Books are a gift to the world, and for those who think outside the box, and dare to dream about a better world.

"No, 1,000 laps isn't enough...I'm doubling it". Two months prior, I sat in a room full of teenagers while a speaker challenged us to give back to the community. The vision was simple: do one thousand things you're good at for one thousand dollars. In my mind, it did not seem too hard at the time. So, at the end of the speech, I hesitantly got up, picked up a card, and signed my name, committing to raising $1,000 for a well in Africa. Two weeks later I found myself deciding that I would swim laps in order to raise the money. Every day after school, practices, and church I would go straight to the pool. It was like I lived there most weeks. After months of swimming, I felt called to double my commitment. Instead of swimming 1,000 laps, I would swim 2,000. When I committed, I did not know what I was getting myself into. It took lots of hard work I had not planned on doing. It also took away my free time and caused me to turn down events. However, I learned a valuable lesson: when you commit to something, you need to be all in, do not back down on your word. In February I finally finished the challenge and was able to give $2,605 whopping dollars to the building of a well in Africa. Because I worked hard for every single dollar, I am extremely proud of it. I learned the importance of hard work, and what it means to work for what you want. A couple of weeks later, the local newspaper heard about the story and even put it in the paper, asking for donations. When the money finally reached Africa, I got a video of the first time the well worked for the people in the village. The villagers were walking miles each day just to drink contaminated water that made them sick. The second clean water came from the well, a little ran up, and had what was probably his first sip of clean water. Every face in the video had a grin that spread from ear to ear because their suffering for water was over. At that moment, I was overcome with gratitude for what we so easily take for granted. I was so grateful I had the opportunity to make a difference. I was also extremely proud that I could have made an impact on people I will never meet. If given a chance to do this again, I would do it in a heartbeat. After the video came through, I received an invitation to go to Guatemala on a medical trip. I immediately jumped at the opportunity because of the impact the video in Africa had on me. I was ready to have the honor to provide for others again. At the clinic, our team saw and treated over 1,000 people, saving many lives. In Guatemala, healthcare is not easily accessible. We take for granted our hospitals and drug stores, when they have no money to buy Motrin. This year as I am getting ready to go again, I am reminded of what started it all: a simple yes to a speech. I am simply amazed at what can happen when we get out of our comfort zone and do something for others. In conclusion, I have learned doing things for others not only helps them, but it also helps you. Taking the attention off of yourself and focusing on others boosts your attitude. I love to serve others because that is what I feel created to do: serve. If we serve no one but ourselves, in my opinion, our life is a waste. I walk through every day thinking about how I can make someone's day better, and that is how I find fulfillment.