During the summer, I signed up to volunteer at a place called C.A.M.P. camp in Center point, Texas. At this unique facility, people with special needs have the opportunity to experience adapted activities such as horseback riding, swimming, basketball, swings, group life and songs. Volunteers ensure their needs are met and assist them with aforementioned activities. As a volunteer, I experienced tremendous self improvement socially. After COVID, I had become more introverted and was hesitant to engage with my peers. This continued into my intro to CAMP camp when I was training. I kept to myself and avoided social interactions. When training concluded, my confidence was at an all time low. How was I to help another person have a fun summer when I wasn’t able to enjoy mine? I went home dejected because I had little faith in myself. I was still determined to follow through with my commitment. Two weeks later, I went back to camp and was assigned a camper to supervise. Little did I know that I would be paired up with the most outgoing and extroverted person in the whole camp. This young man's name was Julian; He liked dance parties, basketball, and cereal, in that order. From the very first moment that I met Julian, his kind smile and outgoing personality assured me we’d be fast friends. For our first activity, Julian decided we were going to play basketball and have a dance party. I was very aware of everyone around me seeing me dance and being goofy, so I clammed up and stopped drawing attention to myself. Julian, on the other hand, decided we needed more attention so he started a conga line. I was beyond uncomfortable, but as the minutes went by, and I watched the look of pure joy on Julian’s face, I decided I had to get in on the conga line and joined in. When that first day of camp was over, I reflected on Julian’s view towards life and his carefree attitude. I decided I would adopt that same easygoing outlook in an effort to maximize Julian’s experience at camp. Between the first and second day of camp, I became an entirely different person and felt ten times lighter. Being free of my self-imposed restrictions allowed Julian and I to jump around and dance the rest of the week. Over the next six days, we danced in the dining hall, at the park, in the pool, when we were brushing our teeth, when it was time for bed, and any other time a mood struck him. It was one of the most freeing times of my life. I didn't feel judged by Julian and didn't care if I looked funny because I was putting a smile on the face of the sweetest guy I had ever met. After camp, I realized that I could make many other people smile with my own goofiness, and encourage others to get out of their shell by being what Julian was for me: a source of light. I came to understand that confidence is infectious. Julian’s confidence in himself helped to create a more confident version of myself. Without this experience, I would not have realized the extent to which showing confidence in yourself can foster a positive environment and uplift those around you. I am thankful for this service opportunity because it taught me to have faith in myself.

In my sophomore year of high school, I was elected class treasurer. I went in ready to raise funds for the class through festivals, concessions, and donations. Little did I know our predecessors had left the class in debt for several thousand dollars. The other class officers and I were able to overcome this challenge because of the leadership qualities we possess. As treasurer, I assumed the responsibility to brainstorm and implement ways to get the class solvent. In this instance, my leadership qualities: being adaptable, having integrity, and a clear vision, allowed me to give the other officers relief from the stresses of being in debt so we could find the solution to resolve it. My adaptability is one of the key reasons I was part of the solution to resolve the debt. I am adaptable because it was a necessary life skill that I learned as a military dependent. I moved five times before I was fourteen, and four of those were international. When all of my worldly belongings were packed up and sent away, not to be seen for several months later, I learned to live with limited resources and choices. I drew upon my experience living with limited resources and applied it thinking creatively. At the beginning of sophomore year, we had meetings once every week to maximize our communication. We had to continuously stay informed on the opportunities we had to sell concessions or put together festivals for the school. Making time for all those meetings was the only way to ensure we each knew the responsibilities we held to get out of debt. I possess the integrity necessary to be entrusted with the school funds and to behave honestly. Unfortunately, the class officers from freshman year were not honest about the money that was raised. I always communicated with our sponsor about the money we were making at events. When the class was in debt, we, the officers, donated supplies with our own money so that we would have funds to start the necessary work of turning a profit. Being a visionary is one of the best qualities I have to encourage others. I do every assignment, task, and activity with the knowledge that it will be helpful to me down the road. I am always looking at what my current skills are and questioning how I can improve them to be better prepared for the future.. At times, it felt that all the work we did was insignificant. So, trying to think long-term, I would constantly reiterate the different methods we could use to get out of debt over the year. These long-term ideas encouraged the others to keep showing up. We showed up to middle school field days and sold pizza, we partnered with food chains to give discounts to students of our school, and we ran concessions at nearly every school event. We dedicated countless hours to raising money and finally got out of debt by the end of sophomore year. In summary, being a leader is important because it brings a rang of skills to a group that is all working towards the same goal, ultimately increasing the efficiency of the group and increasing the chances of success

I love math because there is always a right answer, but I am not bound by one method to get to the answer. My mind can work differently from my table mates and yet we can arrive at the same answer. Getting a correct answer always gives me a rush of adrenile. I have to circle it on my test because my paper is so messy. I consume the words on my calculus tests so fast that I scribble the langauge down all over my paper with little rhyme or reason. By the time I finish my test and put down my pencil, it appears as if i've tried to create an abtract piece of art. If It were english class, I would be told to redo my work and make it neat. But in math, I can spew everything onto my paper as disorganized as I want and simply circle my answer. Another reason I love math it because I love art. I love the symmetry of art and the patterns that I can replicate on my canvas over and over again. It's very much the same in math. I deal with the art of patterns in derivatives, square roots, etc. There are always patterns, especially in calculus, that are waiting for me to realize them, and when I do it;s like I'm on top of the world. Doing calculus is like speaking the language of the universe, and when I see the patterns, it's like the universe is speaking back to me. We have this effertless conversation that never bores me. I will always love math for the comfort, excitement, and joy it gives me. I always want to have math in my life, and for that reason I am majoring in engineering.

The reopening of Notre Dame Cathedral after years of rebuilding after the fire in 2019 has reinforced my passion for engineering. It’s encouraging to me that, as an engineer, when things become broken, I can help to make them whole again with my high-quality A&M education. Seeing the restoration has deepened my appreciation for the state-of-the-art technical knowledge and problem-solving skills required to reinstate such a renowned structure. The burning of Notre Dame was a time of great pain for the people of France. I was living in Germany, on the French border, at the time of the fire. I constantly visited France and experienced firsthand the country's love for cultural preservation which the French take great pride in. Seeing the demolition of the landmark made me realize just how deeply woven the structures are in France's identity. However, the cathedral’s reopening demonstrated the power of engineering to bring back what was thought to be lost even better than before. Now thanks to experienced engineers and architects, the French take even greater pride in their country and how they overcame a disastrous situation. This situation showed me that as an engineer, I can give hope to people who fear renewal is out of reach and reassure them that their problems can be fixed. I won’t just be fixing structures, I'll be improving lives and pushing the boundaries of what is believed to be possible. The burning of the cathedral was both disastrous and revolutionary for me. It sparked a sense of empathy I had never felt on such a wide scale, and created a yearning in me to help communities rebuild. The precision required for such restoration —from analyzing structural integrity to selecting the right materials—showed me that such projects require a mastery of engineering principles. This was the start of my relationship with engineering, ultimately leading me to A&M. The Notre Dame restoration demonstrated how true restoration comes from well-practiced skills that I can only gain with rigorous engineering education. Seeing this process unfold reinforced my belief that to make a lasting impact, I need the best training possible, which I know I will receive at A&M. Texas A&M’s strong emphasis on hands-on learning and research aligns with my passion for engineering. With access to high-tech labs, mentorships, and opportunities to work on real-world projects, I know that A&M will equip me with the expertise to take on challenges like the Notre Dame restoration and make meaningful contributions to the world.

The reopening of Notre Dame Cathedral after years of rebuilding after the fire in 2019 has reinforced my passion for engineering. It’s encouraging to me that, as an engineer, when things become broken, I can help to make them whole again with my high-quality A&M education. Seeing the restoration has deepened my appreciation for the state-of-the-art technical knowledge and problem-solving skills required to reinstate such a renowned structure. The burning of Notre Dame was a time of great pain for the people of France. I was living in Germany, on the French border, at the time of the fire. I constantly visited France and experienced firsthand the country's love for cultural preservation which the French take great pride in. Seeing the demolition of the landmark made me realize just how deeply woven the structures are in France's identity. However, the cathedral’s reopening demonstrated the power of engineering to bring back what was thought to be lost even better than before. Now thanks to experienced engineers and architects, the French take even greater pride in their country and how they overcame a disastrous situation. This situation showed me that as an engineer, I can give hope to people who fear renewal is out of reach and reassure them that their problems can be fixed. I won’t just be fixing structures, I'll be improving lives and pushing the boundaries of what is believed to be possible. The burning of the cathedral was both disastrous and revolutionary for me. It sparked a sense of empathy I had never felt on such a wide scale, and created a yearning in me to help communities rebuild. The precision required for such restoration —from analyzing structural integrity to selecting the right materials—showed me that such projects require a mastery of engineering principles. This was the start of my relationship with engineering, ultimately leading me to A&M. The Notre Dame restoration demonstrated how true restoration comes from well-practiced skills that I can only gain with rigorous engineering education. I plan to go to undergraduate engineering and then go onto medical school to gain experience with biomedical engineering and become a dermatologist. I want to help people improve and maintain, while also expanding the technology to be used to help people more efficiently. I want to be a restorer of hope in the medical field. I want to create even better technology that can even be believed at the moment. This is how I will contribute to our world.

Community, to me, is a collection of individuals with shared experiences. It’s about contributing time and talent in a manner that positively impacts others. One way I have built community is through routinely serving. Volunteering puts me in the position to inspire the next generation to carry on serving with empathy and become connected to other people in the process, hopefully making the younger generation kinder to each other in the process. Growing up in the Northside School District I looked up to older high school students who served in my middle school. They inspired me to serve in high school as well. A very rewarding experience for me was volunteering at the North Side annual solar car race. I assisted students in explaining the rules, organized races, and helped teachers when they needed it. Serving the kids taught me the value of creating a joyful, inclusive environment. Each moment spent encouraging their choices and confidence felt as rewarding to me as the time I gave. I specifically made sure to encourage teamwork between the kids to create a sense of unity among them, and make them see that what they say to each other has an effect, whether it’s good or bad. Through the solar derby community, I not only had a chance to lead, and gain friends, but also to find a mentor in Bobby Blount, one of the members on the board of trustees for San Antonio. He is an amazing man and has since given me even more ways to get involved and serve my community. He has become dear to my heart and I have invited him to my graduation party. His love for service and his humility are inspiring to me and encourage me to serve even more once I have a career. I became part of my school's service community through the National Honor Society. Through NHS, I discovered the opportunities to volunteer at C.A.M.P. Camp, a unique facility dedicated to serving people with special needs. During the summer of 2023, I helped to ensure that campers' needs were met while trying to facilitate meaningful connections. This experience taught me patience, and I learned different forms of communication. Camp was a huge contributor to my service hours. With local service, and camp, I totaled over four hundred service hours, in an effort to positively impact individuals in my city, and set a standard for myself to volunteer my time to those in need. With these hours, I earned the President’s Volunteer Gold Medal Service Award and I hold the record for the most service hours at my high school. After receiving my award, fellow members of the National Honor Society asked me for suggestions as to how and where they could serve. This fulfilled my hope that my service would encourage others to get involved, just as older high schoolers set an example for me to serve. It is a blessing to know that my service encouraged my peers and friends. I know going to college to receive a higher education will be a continuation of my practiced habit of service. I am ready for this next step toward my future, eager to form new communities in college and continue striving to create positive connections that inspire growth and service. I need financial help to cover my housing to be able to live in the engineering honors dorms and surround myself with others who want to go above expectations, and serve their community. Thank you for considering me the Matthew E. Minor Memorial Scholarship

Gray: my 11 year old brother inspired by real events Visit to the Doctors office: 10:13 AM: Gray cries because he's getting a shot 10:14 AM: Correction Gray cried because he's getting three shots 10:17 AM: Gray cried louder because the Doctor tells him he's getting blood drawn 10:17 AM: Gray pushes me for laughing at him crying 10:20 AM: Doctor tells Gray he's in the 95 percentage for weight 10:25 AM: Doctor tells Gray to cough for each shot 10:26 AM: Gray coughs excessively *he gets three shots 10:30 AM: Gray gets up and says bye really quick 10:40 AM: We go to the blood draw area 10:41 AM: Gray being anxious about blood draw 10:42 AM: I ask the nurse where the sympathy candy is 10:43 AM: I take three stickers for my troubles 11:15 AM: Gray has another melt down in the car saying he's hurting more because he got three shots and I only got one 11:15 AM: I admire my princess stickers 11:43 AM: Gray being happy because he gets to go to chick fil a 11:50 AM: Gray asks for six cookies 11:50 AM: Mom tells the lady taking the order that Gray's in the 95 percentile for weight 12:02 AM: We get out order, Zero cookies were ordered

I am a hard-working, determined young woman who takes after my grandpa Dave! My grandpa, a mechanical engineer, has always been my inspiration. I have fond memories of watching him construct my childhood playground, intricately design pens, and make calculations for the layout of the pickleball court I wanted. With each creation, I developed a deeper yearning to understand the skill set he possessed. On an unrelated note, since I was thirteen, I have struggled with acne. I was extremely discouraged because, no matter my efforts, it felt like it would never resolve. With help from my dermatologist and research about my biology and hormones, my face has considerably improved. This led to a fascination with the largest organ of the body: the skin. To another person, dermatology and engineering have little in common, but to me, their commonality is that they both fascinate me. I intend to become a mechanical engineer and then go to medical school to become a dermatologist and join Doctors Without Borders. I can aspire to reach these big goals because of the achievements I have accomplished and the plans I set in place when I started high school. My dedication to my schooling and determination has put me in a great position to reach these goals and more. I am third for the Harlan High School class 2025 with over a 102-grade point average. I’ve been cognizant of my grades since freshman year, and where I fall concerning the 650 people in my graduating class. My goal of being among the top-ranked students required a four-year commitment and discipline in every class I took. It was worth it because it motivated me to develop study habits that will be useful in college and medical school. To increase the opportunities available to me, I also started working toward the Congressional Gold Medal Award in my sophomore year and received it after my junior year of high school. The Congressional Gold Medal Award was a big achievement because of the 450 service hours required. To reach this number of service hours, I volunteered at the San Antonio food bank and served in an orphanage in Honduras. Volunteering at the San Antonio Food Bank, like volunteering in Honduras, was transformative. It strengthened my empathy for less fortunate people. Engaging with individuals who are in difficult positions has actively encouraged me to use my gift to help others. One encounter stands out: a woman who arrived with her children, pushing a cart. Despite her circumstances, she greeted me with the brightest smile. This experience showed me the value of service, and of finding joy even in hard times. It reinforced the idea that empathy is key to understanding how to help others, which is crucial for engineers aiming to create worldwide improvements. I completed these activities acknowledging that I want to make something of my life and be passionate about my future career. But I also walked away with a new understanding that if I study and work hard for a few more years I can have an even greater positive impact on many more people. I would love to use this scholarship money to put towards my engineering degree. This scholarship would allow me to stress less about money and focus on my education.

The reopening of Notre Dame Cathedral after years of rebuilding after the fire in 2019 has reinforced my passion for engineering. It’s encouraging to me that, as an engineer, when things become broken, I can help to make them whole again with my high-quality A&M education. Seeing the restoration has deepened my appreciation for the state-of-the-art technical knowledge and problem-solving skills required to reinstate such a renowned structure. The burning of Notre Dame was a time of great pain for the people of France. I was living in Germany, on the French border, at the time of the fire. I constantly visited France and experienced firsthand the country's love for cultural preservation which the French take great pride in. Seeing the demolition of the landmark made me realize just how deeply woven the structures are in France's identity. However, the cathedral’s reopening demonstrated the power of engineering to bring back what was thought to be lost even better than before. Now thanks to experienced engineers and architects, the French take even greater pride in their country and how they overcame a disastrous situation. This situation showed me that as an engineer, I can give hope to people who fear renewal is out of reach and reassure them that their problems can be fixed. I won’t just be fixing structures, I'll be improving lives and pushing the boundaries of what is believed to be possible. The burning of the cathedral was both disastrous and revolutionary for me. It sparked a sense of empathy I had never felt on such a wide scale, and created a yearning in me to help communities rebuild. The precision required for such restoration —from analyzing structural integrity to selecting the right materials—showed me that such projects require a mastery of engineering principles. This was the start of my relationship with engineering, ultimately leading me to A&M. The Notre Dame restoration demonstrated how true restoration comes from well-practiced skills that I can only gain with rigorous engineering education. Seeing this process unfold reinforced my belief that to make a lasting impact, I need the best training possible, which I know I will receive at A&M. Texas A&M’s strong emphasis on hands-on learning and research aligns with my passion for engineering. With access to high-tech labs, mentorships, and opportunities to work on real-world projects, I know that A&M will equip me with the expertise to take on challenges like the Notre Dame restoration and make meaningful contributions to the world.

I have experienced many challenges that come with being a student-athlete. I have less time on the weekends to complete assignments when cross-country meets or soccer matches fall on those weekends. I miss class for games and must make up tests or assignments in my free time to catch up with the rest of the class. The biggest challenge, though, was the setback I experienced from getting two concussions. My sophomore year of high school, my head collided with another player’s head during a soccer game, resulting in a concussion. Thirteen months later, during my junior year, I took a direct hit straight to the face, resulting in another concussion. I followed protocol for brain rest since I had headaches, as well as light and sound sensitivity. I was not able to do very much physically for over two weeks, which also impacted me emotionally. This experience created an imbalance in my school life and athletic life. I had fallen very far behind in academic work because of the concussion and this presented me with a challenge to overcome. I had to prove that injuries from participating in sports would not stop me from excelling in school. If my grades dropped from taking time off, then it was likely I would have to step back from sports to get them back up. I gradually returned to a regular schedule and worked diligently to catch up on all of my work, which was a significant amount since I was taking AP and dual college classes. My rigorous efforts were to prove that I could maintain a school and sport life balance, especially because the benefits of participating in sports are too good to give up. As a student-athlete, I benefit from participating in sports in numerous aspects. Well-rounded athletes are physically, mentally, and emotionally healthy. During my high school career, I have participated in varsity cross country and soccer, which have offered opportunities to meet all areas of holistic health. Physically, these sports provide me with cardiovascular fitness and strength training components, which improve my overall fitness level. Physical well-being alone is not sufficient to sustain competitive athletes. Athletes also need to develop and utilize mental strength. Mental tenacity is a vital component that pushed me to persevere through challenges on the field and in the classroom. Sport participation improves my overall mental function. I have learned to manage my time, set goals, and concentrate intensely on the field, which then carries over into academics. The work ethic and self-discipline that I utilize to get up at 6 am for early morning workouts are normal and well-practiced; I employ these skills for assignments, tests, and projects. After training, I find that I am better able to sustain focus while sitting in lectures. Additionally, I can manage my time well to be successful academically and also meet the expectations and commitment I make to my team and coaches. Lastly, the emotional benefits that come from balancing sports and academics are numerous. I have coaches and teammates that I have formed deep connections with and who offer encouragement and support. Being on a team provides a sense of belonging. The friendships I have developed from striving together toward a common goal improve the school experience. When I am limping through the hallways after a brutal hill workout, it hurts less when I see my friends limping along with me. Sharing in the pain makes the hurt just a little more bearable.

The reopening of Notre Dame Cathedral after years of rebuilding after the fire in 2019 began my passion for engineering. It’s encouraging to me that, as an engineer, when things become broken, I can help to make them whole again with a high-quality education. Seeing the restoration has deepened my appreciation for the state-of-the-art technical knowledge and problem-solving skills required to reinstate such a renowned structure. The burning of Notre Dame was a time of great pain for the people of France. I was living in Germany, on the French border, at the time of the fire. I constantly visited France and experienced firsthand the country's love for cultural preservation which the French take great pride in. Seeing the demolition of the landmark made me realize just how deeply woven the structures are in France's identity. I was heartbroken by the change in attitude of the French people and overwhelmed by the hopelessness of the situation. However, the cathedral’s reopening demonstrated the power of engineering to bring back what was thought to be lost even better than before. Now thanks to experienced engineers and architects, the French take even greater pride in their country and how they overcame a disastrous situation. This situation showed me that as an engineer, I can give hope to people who fear renewal is out of reach and reassure them that their problems can be fixed. I won’t just be fixing structures, I'll be improving lives and pushing the boundaries of what is believed to be possible. The burning of the cathedral was both disastrous and revolutionary for me. It sparked a sense of empathy I had never felt on such a wide scale, and created a yearning in me to help communities rebuild. The precision required for such restoration —from analyzing structural integrity to selecting the right materials—showed me that such projects require a mastery of engineering principles. This was the start of my relationship with engineering, ultimately leading me to A&M. The Notre Dame restoration demonstrated how true restoration comes from well-practiced skills that I can only gain with rigorous engineering education. Seeing this process unfold reinforced my belief that to make a lasting impact, I need the best training possible. Thanks to this experience, I developed a passion for engineering that motivates me to work even harder than I have in high school. I will continue onto graduate school after undergraduate in order to develop an even deeper education in engineering, to help people, and maybe inspire a kid to go into engineering when they get older.

I struggled with not having a career goal for a long time. As a kid, I excelled in the classroom but didn’t have passion for a specific subject. This was very confusing for at the time. While all my friends wanted to be soccer players, astronauts, and firefighters, I still didn't know what I wanted to do. This was my situation until about sixth grade. The reopening of Notre Dame Cathedral after years of rebuilding after the fire in 2019 began my passion for engineering. It’s encouraging to me that, as an engineer, when things become broken, I can help to make them whole again with a high-quality education. Seeing the restoration has deepened my appreciation for the state-of-the-art technical knowledge and problem-solving skills required to reinstate such a renowned structure. The burning of Notre Dame was a time of great pain for the people of France. I was living in Germany, on the French border, at the time of the fire. I constantly visited France and experienced firsthand the country's love for cultural preservation which the French take great pride in. Seeing the demolition of the landmark made me realize just how deeply woven the structures are in France's identity. I was heartbroken by the change in attitude of the French people and overwhelmed by the hopelessness of the situation. However, the cathedral’s reopening demonstrated the power of engineering to bring back what was thought to be lost even better than before. Now thanks to experienced engineers and architects, the French take even greater pride in their country and how they overcame a disastrous situation. This situation showed me that as an engineer, I can give hope to people who fear renewal is out of reach and reassure them that their problems can be fixed. I won’t just be fixing structures, I'll be improving lives and pushing the boundaries of what is believed to be possible. The burning of the cathedral was both disastrous and revolutionary for me. It sparked a sense of empathy I had never felt on such a wide scale, and created a yearning in me to help communities rebuild. The precision required for such restoration —from analyzing structural integrity to selecting the right materials—showed me that such projects require a mastery of engineering principles. This was the start of my relationship with engineering, ultimately leading me to A&M. The Notre Dame restoration demonstrated how true restoration comes from well-practiced skills that I can only gain with rigorous engineering education. Seeing this process unfold reinforced my belief that to make a lasting impact, I need the best training possible. Thanks to this experience, I developed a passion for engineering that motivates me to work even harder than I have in high school. I will continue onto graduate school after undergraduate in order to develop an even deeper education in engineering, to help people, and maybe inspire a kid to go into engineering when they get older.

Being a leader is about contributing time and talent in a manner that positively impacts others and creates community. A good leader shapes the future through service. One way I have prioritized leadership is through service. Volunteering puts me in the position to inspire the next generation to carry on serving with empathy and become connected to other people in the process, hopefully making the younger generation kinder to each other in the process. Growing up in the Northside School District I looked up to older high school students who served in my middle school. They inspired me to serve in high school as well. A very rewarding experience for me was volunteering at the North Side annual science solar car race. I assisted students in explaining the rules, organized races, and helped teachers when they needed it. Serving kids taught me the value of creating a joyful environment that shows STEM being fun. Each moment spent encouraging their choices and confidence felt as rewarding to me as the time I gave. I specifically made sure to encourage teamwork between the kids to create a sense of unity among them, and make them see that science can be collaborative and exciting.. Through the solar derby community, I not only had a chance to lead, and gain friends, but also to find a mentor in Bobby Blount, one of the members on the board of trustees for San Antonio. He is an amazing man and has since given me even more ways to get involved and serve my community. He has become dear to my heart and I have invited him to my graduation party. His love for service and his humility are inspiring to me and encourage me to serve even more once I have a career. The leadership organizations at schools across the country encourage students to prioritize investing in their community. Through NHS, I discovered the opportunities to volunteer at C.A.M.P. Camp, a unique facility dedicated to serving people with special needs. During the summer of 2023, I helped to ensure that campers' needs were met while trying to facilitate meaningful connections. This experience taught me patience, and I learned different forms of communication. Camp was a huge contributor to my service hours. With local service, and camp, I totaled over four hundred service hours, in an effort to positively impact individuals in my city, and set a standard for myself to volunteer my time to those in need. With these hours, I earned the President’s Volunteer Gold Medal Service Award and I hold the record for the most service hours at my high school. After receiving my award, fellow members of the National Honor Society asked me for suggestions as to how and where they could serve. This fulfilled my hope that my service would encourage others to get involved, just as older high schoolers set an example for me to serve. It is a blessing to know that my service encouraged my peers and friends. Leadership is the cornerstone for a proper community. People must be willing to be the first to contribute to their community to encourage others to start as well. Thanks to young leaders, such as NHS volunteers, there is more outreach to the younger generations that need encouragement.

I am a hard-working, determined young woman who takes after my grandpa Dave! My grandpa, a mechanical engineer, has always been my inspiration. I have fond memories of watching him construct my childhood playground, intricately design pens, and make calculations for the layout of the pickleball court I wanted. With each creation, I developed a deeper yearning to understand the skill set he possessed. On an unrelated note, since I was thirteen, I have struggled with acne. I was extremely discouraged because, no matter my efforts, it felt like it would never resolve. With help from my dermatologist and research about my biology and hormones, my face has considerably improved. This led to a fascination with the largest organ of the body: the skin. To another person, dermatology and engineering have little in common, but to me, their commonality is that they both fascinate me. I intend to become a mechanical engineer and then go to medical school to become a dermatologist and join Doctors Without Borders. I can aspire to reach these big goals because of the achievements I have accomplished and the plans I set in place when I started high school. My dedication to my schooling and determination has put me in a great position to reach these goals and more. I am third for the Harlan High School class 2025 with over a 102-grade point average. I’ve been cognizant of my grades since freshman year, and where I fall concerning the 650 people in my graduating class. My goal of being among the top-ranked students required a four-year commitment and discipline in every class I took. It was worth it because it motivated me to develop study habits that will be useful in college and medical school. To increase the opportunities available to me, I also started working toward the Congressional Gold Medal Award in my sophomore year and received it after my junior year of high school. The Congressional Gold Medal Award was a big achievement because of the 450 service hours required. To reach this number of service hours, I volunteered at the San Antonio food bank and served in an orphanage in Honduras. Volunteering at the San Antonio Food Bank, like volunteering in Honduras, was transformative. It strengthened my empathy for less fortunate people. Engaging with individuals who are in difficult positions has actively encouraged me to use my gift to help others. One encounter stands out: a woman who arrived with her children, pushing a cart. Despite her circumstances, she greeted me with the brightest smile. This experience showed me the value of service, and of finding joy even in hard times. It reinforced the idea that empathy is key to understanding how to help others, which is crucial for engineers aiming to create worldwide improvements. I completed these activities acknowledging that I want to make something of my life and be passionate about my future career. But I also walked away with a new understanding that if I study and work hard for a few more years I can have an even greater positive impact on many more people. The Congressional Gold Medal Award and being high-ranked are achievements in themselves but are also purposefully part of a bigger plan to make me a competitive candidate for my future in engineering and dermatology.

Being the dependent of an active duty military member is akin to a gypsy lifestyle except I don’t have a horse drawn vardo traveling through a field of dandelions. I’m akin to the dandelion, which is the symbol for military children, who grow and blossom wherever they are planted. I have learned to be adaptable, to build sincere relationships, develop patriotism, and to respect other cultures. Before I turned fourteen, I moved five times, with four of those moves being international. I attended two preschools, two elementary schools, one intermediate school, and two middle schools on three different continents. I learned to adapt to each new location in order to fully absorb the opportunities. There were new neighborhoods, friends, and activities in each new place. I set new goals for myself as I navigated expectations specific to country, culture and school. Military orders typically are for three years, so I learned to quickly get involved at school, in sports and at church. Making friends with other military kids was easy since they were in the same situation. We would compare experiences: my friend Keira compared our experiences riding elephants in Bali. No matter where I moved, I always had the support of my best friends, my siblings. It has made me sincerely cherish my sister and brother, who shared similar joys and struggles. The three of us gathered outside where other kids would join us until our small group tripled in size. At five o’clock, the call to attention brought us all to a standstill as we faced the American flag and the National Anthem played. The patriotism and respect that we learned at an early age were deeply instilled in all of us since we practiced it on a daily basis. From my gypsy lifestyle, I have learned that beauty comes in various forms and perspectives. I adore Japanese kimonos and kanzashi hair ornaments, as well as German drindls. Being immersed in new cultures, trying new foods, learning new phrases in a different language, experiencing local customs, and traveling to historic sites has given me an appreciation for diversity in this world. Although I have never had a permanent place, I am adaptable and I have had unique life experiences, which have shaped my attitudes, abilities, outlooks and goals. I know that the only constant in life is change. Just like a dandelion, I know I can grow where I am planted next.

One of the best things I have ever learned is to be confident. Many of the women in my life have taught me to feel powerful. Oxford defines ‘power’ as “the capacity or ability to direct or influence the behavior of others or the course of events”. This concept has been fundamental to my life through the inspiring women who have mentored and encouraged me to put forth my best effort. The relationships that I have with these women have helped me become more confident and strong. I credit these women with instilling their power in me so that I have grown more capable and willing to get involved for the betterment of my local community. My involvement in my community through sports, volunteering and many other activities is why I am notoriously known for my power. In my sophomore year of high school, I joined my high school’s co-ed cross-country team. As the season began, I noticed that the average speed of the boys was always higher than the average speed of the girls. I felt dispirited and became extremely self-critical of my running speed because I was not fast compared to the boys. One early morning during our warm up I mentioned this self-criticism to my female friend and teammate, who happened to be a senior leader. She replied, “Comparison will only kill the progress you make in your season.” My friend helped me to realign my priorities and focus on performing to the best of my ability while encouraging my teammates to do the same. During each of my practices, from that moment on, I focused on giving my personal best and started seeing improvement in my running tempo. This improved my confidence and implored me to adopt a positive attitude. My senior friend set an example for me as an underclassman and helped me realize the power in each of us to positively impact other young women. Now, as a senior leader of the cross-country team, I take responsibility and set an example for my younger female teammates to demonstrate how much they are truly capable of achieving. I challenge myself to push my limits in cross country, to be a representative of power, and strength to the younger girls. I especially remember to encourage the incoming freshman, at the start of the season, to do their best and run against themselves. In the first practice of the season, I did not run with the returning team, but instead, I chose to hang back with the incoming freshman girls to warm up the first mile with them. I reminded them they don’t have to start fast to keep up with the varsity boys and should listen to their bodies and pace themselves. I also seek to positively influence the younger girls in the ways I respond to running competitively. No matter my finish time at a race or how I perform, I continue to persevere to show other girls that they too can persevere even in a sport where they would seem to be at a disadvantage. I want them to realize that this sport is more than just how they improve physically; it is also how they develop a stronger mental state. Having a strong mental state sets them up to persevere in future challenges and to put the power they hold into practice. I share my power by encouraging my younger teammates to be more confident in themselves and work to their full potential.

I struggled with not having a career goal for a long time. I excelled in the classroom but didn’t have passion for a specific subject.The reopening of Notre Dame Cathedral after years of rebuilding after the fire in 2019 began my passion for engineering. It’s encouraging to me that, as an engineer, when things become broken, I can help to make them whole again with a high-quality education. Seeing the restoration has deepened my appreciation for the state-of-the-art technical knowledge and problem-solving skills required to reinstate such a renowned structure. The burning of Notre Dame was a time of great pain for the people of France. I was living in Germany, on the French border, at the time of the fire. I constantly visited France and experienced firsthand the country's love for cultural preservation which the French take great pride in. Seeing the demolition of the landmark made me realize just how deeply woven the structures are in France's identity. I was heartbroken by the change in attitude of the French people and overwhelmed by the hopelessness of the situation. However, the cathedral’s reopening demonstrated the power of engineering to bring back what was thought to be lost even better than before. Now thanks to experienced engineers and architects, the French take even greater pride in their country and how they overcame a disastrous situation. This situation showed me that as an engineer, I can give hope to people who fear renewal is out of reach and reassure them that their problems can be fixed. I won’t just be fixing structures, I'll be improving lives and pushing the boundaries of what is believed to be possible. The burning of the cathedral was both disastrous and revolutionary for me. It sparked a sense of empathy I had never felt on such a wide scale, and created a yearning in me to help communities rebuild. The precision required for such restoration —from analyzing structural integrity to selecting the right materials—showed me that such projects require a mastery of engineering principles. This was the start of my relationship with engineering, ultimately leading me to A&M. The Notre Dame restoration demonstrated how true restoration comes from well-practiced skills that I can only gain with rigorous engineering education. Seeing this process unfold reinforced my belief that to make a lasting impact, I need the best training possible. Thanks to this experience, I developed a passion for engineering that motivates me to work even harder than I have in high school. I will continue onto graduate school after undergraduate in order to develop an even deeper education in engineering, to help people, and maybe inspire a kid to go into engineering when they get older.

During the summer of 2023, I signed up to volunteer at a place called C.A.M.P. camp in Center Point, Texas. At this unique facility people with special needs have the opportunity to experience adapted activities such as horseback riding, swimming, basketball, swings, group life, and songs. Volunteers ensure camper's needs are met by assisting them. Being a helper gave me the unique opportunity to experience tremendous personal growth and overcome social anxiety. After COVID, I avoided social interactions. This continued into my training for camp. When the training concluded, my confidence was at an all-time low. How was I to help another person have a fun summer when I wasn’t able to enjoy mine? I went home deflated but still determined to follow through with my commitment. When I returned to camp two weeks later I was paired with the most outgoing and extroverted person in the whole camp. J liked dance parties, basketball, and cereal, in that order. From the first moment that I met J, his kind smile and infectious enthusiasm assured me we’d be fast friends. For our first activity, J decided we were going to play basketball and have a dance party. I was very aware of everyone around me seeing me dance and being goofy, so I clammed up and stopped drawing attention to myself. J, on the other hand, decided we needed more attention and started a conga line. I was beyond uncomfortable, but as the minutes went by, and I watched the look of pure joy on J's face, I decided I had to get in on the conga line. When that first day of camp was over, I reflected on J’s view towards life and his carefree attitude. I decided I would adopt that same easygoing outlook to maximize J’s experience at camp. Between the first and second days of camp, I became an entirely different person and felt ten times lighter. Being free of my self-imposed restrictions allowed J and me to jump around and dance for the rest of the week. Over the next six days, we danced in the dining hall, at the park, in the pool, when we were brushing our teeth, and any other time the mood struck him. We danced when there was music, and when there wasn't, J or I sang. It was one of the most freeing times of my life. I didn't feel judged by J and didn't care if I looked funny because I was putting a smile on the face of the sweetest guy I had ever met. This was my reason for being outgoing during camp, and I decided to carry my joy over into my everyday life. After camp, I realized that I could make many other people smile with my goofiness and encourage others to get out of their shells by being what J was for me: a source of light. I came to understand that confidence is contagious. Confidence for J was being comfortable with who he was. That quality helped me to create a more confident version of myself. It's now my mission to enjoy my time and manage stress in healthy ways while encouraging others to do the same. Without this experience, I would not have realized how much I enjoy being around other people and actively trying to brighten their day. This led me to research dermatology, a job where I would be surrounded by many people. Thanks to the confidence I gained at camp, I now fully believe that I have the drive to become a dermatologist

The reopening of Notre Dame Cathedral after years of rebuilding after the fire in 2019 has reinforced my passion for engineering. It’s encouraging to me that, as an engineer, when things become broken, I can help to make them whole again with my high-quality A&M education. Seeing the restoration has deepened my appreciation for the state-of-the-art technical knowledge and problem-solving skills required to reinstate such a renowned structure. The burning of Notre Dame was a time of great pain for the people of France. I was living in Germany, on the French border, at the time of the fire. I constantly visited France and experienced firsthand the country's love for cultural preservation which the French take great pride in. Seeing the demolition of the landmark made me realize just how deeply woven the structures are in France's identity. However, the cathedral’s reopening demonstrated the power of engineering to bring back what was thought to be lost even better than before. Now thanks to experienced engineers and architects, the French take even greater pride in their country and how they overcame a disastrous situation. This situation showed me that as an engineer, I can give hope to people who fear renewal is out of reach and reassure them that their problems can be fixed. I won’t just be fixing structures, I'll be improving lives and pushing the boundaries of what is believed to be possible. The burning of the cathedral was both disastrous and revolutionary for me. It sparked a sense of empathy I had never felt on such a wide scale, and created a yearning in me to help communities rebuild. The precision required for such restoration —from analyzing structural integrity to selecting the right materials—showed me that such projects require a mastery of engineering principles. This was the start of my relationship with engineering, ultimately leading me to A&M. The Notre Dame restoration demonstrated how true restoration comes from well-practiced skills that I can only gain with rigorous engineering education. Seeing this process unfold reinforced my belief that to make a lasting impact, I need the best training possible. Texas A&M’s strong emphasis on hands-on learning and research aligns with my passion for engineering. With access to high-tech labs, mentorships, and opportunities to work on real-world projects, I know that A&M will equip me with the expertise to take on challenges like the Notre Dame restoration and make meaningful contributions to the world.

I would have never decided to try and become a dermatologist if it wasn't for the experience I had at C.A.M.P. camp. At this unique facility people with special needs have the opportunity to experience adapted activities. While volunteering, I became more care free and less stressed. During camp, I was paired with the most extroverted person in the whole camp. From the first moment I met J, his kind smile and infectious enthusiasm assured me we’d be friends. For our first activity, J decided we were going have a dance party. I was very aware of everyone around me seeing me dance, so I clammed up and stopped drawing other's attention. But J started a conga line. I was beyond uncomfortable, but as minutes went by, I watched the look of joy on J's face, and decided I had to join in. It was one of the most freeing times of my life. I didn't feel judged by J and didn't care if I looked funny. Without this experience, I would not have become more adaptable. Thanks to the confidence I gained at camp, I now fully believe that I have the potential to become a dermatologist.

I believe I should be seriously considered for this scholarship because I have experienced adversity and know how to come out the other side of it victoriously. In my sophomore year of high school, I was elected class treasurer. I went in ready to raise funds for the class through festivals, concessions, and donations. Little did I know our predecessors had left the class in debt for several thousand dollars. The other class officers and I were able to overcome this challenge because of the leadership qualities we possess. As treasurer, I assumed the responsibility to brainstorm and implement ways to get the class solvent. In this instance, my leadership qualities: being adaptable, having integrity, and a clear vision, allowed me to give the other officers relief from the stresses of being in debt so we could find the solution to resolve it. My adaptability is one of the key reasons I was part of the solution to resolve the debt. I am adaptable because it was a necessary life skill that I learned as a military dependent. I moved five times before I was fourteen, and four of those were international. When all of my worldly belongings were packed up and sent away, not to be seen for several months later, I learned to live with limited resources and choices. I drew upon my experience living with limited resources and applied it thinking creatively. At the beginning of sophomore year, we had meetings once every week to maximize our communication. We had to continuously stay informed on the opportunities we had to sell concessions or put together festivals for the school. Making time for all those meetings was the only way to ensure we each knew the responsibilities we held to get out of debt. I possess the integrity necessary to be entrusted with the school funds and to behave honestly. Unfortunately, the class officers from freshman year were not honest about the money that was raised. I always communicated with our sponsor about the money we were making at events. When the class was in debt, we, the officers, donated supplies with our own money so that we would have funds to start the necessary work of turning a profit. Being a visionary is one of the best qualities I have to encourage others. I do every assignment, task, and activity with the knowledge that it will be helpful to me down the road. I am always looking at what my current skills are and questioning how I can improve them to be better prepared for the future.. At times, it felt that all the work we did was insignificant. So, trying to think long-term, I would constantly reiterate the different methods we could use to get out of debt over the year. These long-term ideas encouraged the others to keep showing up. We showed up to middle school field days and sold pizza, we partnered with food chains to give discounts to students of our school, and we ran concessions at nearly every school event. We dedicated countless hours to raising money and finally got out of debt by the end of sophomore year. In summary, my past experience has taught me what it takes to succeed. I am set on continuing to serve in college. I want to be a leader at my future college to resolve issues and foster efficiency within a student council or another organization. -Thank you for considering me for this scholarship!

Oxford defines ‘power’ as “the capacity or ability to direct or influence the behavior of others or the course of events”. Connection and collaboration are vital for women to be empowered. This concept has been fundamental to my life through the inspiring women who have mentored and encouraged me to put forth my best effort. The relationships that I have with these women have helped me become more confident and strong. I credit these women with instilling their power in me so that I have grown more capable and willing to get involved for the betterment of my local community. My involvement in my community through sports, volunteering and many other activities is why I am notoriously known for my power. In my sophomore year of high school, I joined my high school’s co-ed cross-country team. As the season began, I noticed that the average speed of the boys was always higher than the average speed of the girls. I felt dispirited and became extremely self-critical of my running speed because I was not fast compared to the boys. One early morning during our warm up I mentioned this self-criticism to my female friend and teammate, who happened to be a senior leader. She replied, “Comparison will only kill the progress you make in your season.” My friend helped me to realign my priorities and focus on performing to the best of my ability while encouraging my teammates to do the same. During each of my practices, from that moment on, I focused on giving my personal best and started seeing improvement in my running tempo. This improved my confidence and implored me to adopt a positive attitude. My senior friend set an example for me as an underclassman and helped me realize the power in each of us to positively impact other young women. Now, as a senior leader of the cross-country team, I take responsibility and set an example for my younger female teammates to demonstrate how much they are truly capable of achieving. I challenge myself to push my limits in cross country, to be a representative of power, and strength to the younger girls. I especially remember to encourage the incoming freshman, at the start of the season, to do their best and run against themselves. In the first practice of the season, I did not run with the returning team, but instead, I chose to hang back with the incoming freshman girls to warm up the first mile with them. I reminded them they don’t have to start fast to keep up with the varsity boys and should listen to their bodies and pace themselves. I also seek to positively influence the younger girls in the ways I respond to running competitively. No matter my finish time at a race or how I perform, I continue to persevere to show other girls that they too can persevere even in a sport where they would seem to be at a disadvantage. I want them to realize that this sport is more than just how they improve physically; it is also how they develop a stronger mental state. Having a strong mental state sets them up to persevere in future challenges and to put the power they hold into practice. I share my power by encouraging my younger teammates to be more confident in themselves and work to their full potential.

I chose All the light we cannot see. I am unpacking the complex themes within the book that can often be overlooked. I am overwhelmed by the beauty of Anthony Doerr’s writing style, it is both poetic and straightforward. I am not overwhelmed by flowery language nor bored by extreme simplicity. Rather, there is a balance in the writing that celebrates life without romanticizing war. A quote on page 99 exemplifies this balance. On this page, Werner's military position has just been bombed by the Americans. It says, “Flames? Phantoms? They lick along the floor, then rise to the ceiling, growing strangely, serenely. ‘Are we dead?’ he shouts into the dark. ‘Have we died?’ ” This part stood out and impacted me because Werner's talents were manipulated to promote evil. Werner hoped to become a mechanic, fix things, and ease people’s lives. He found machinery exciting, and when he fixed the problems within the machinery, for a moment, he found he was free “of all feelings save triumph” (Doerr, pg.83). The Third Reich seized and perverted this talent to build machinery to destroy. Werner crying out in fear and hysteria showed the toll war is taking on him. He mourns the loss of what little innocence he had left. Too soon, Werner realizes that life's not as simple as fixing the problems within objects, rather, life is more so about fixing the problems within the people that create them. There is so much more that I can analyze in this passage, but the one topic that must be discussed above all others is the diamond called the sea of flames. The museum Marie Laure’s father worked at contained the diamond. Marie Laure was often told that the diamond brought the original owner bad luck for keeping it rather than throwing it back into the ocean. I thought little of this story at first, but seeing that Marie Laure's dad is entrusted with one of the four diamonds, I have now taken interest. I realized The bigger meaning of the diamond in my second reading. The diamond represents how people foster the world's destruction by submitting to their greed. This can be quite disheartening, but considering that the diamond eventually ends up in Marie Laure's possession, I think that she will throw it into the ocean at the end of the book, symbolizing that among those who destroy the world for personal gain, there are still selfless people to rebuild what is broken. I have to unpack the relationship between Marie Laure and her great-uncle Etienne. Their relationship is one where they bond like children and develop a deep mutual love for each other that helps them grow through their trauma. From the very first time that Marie Laure meets her great uncle, she is drawn to him like a friend. On page 134, when Marie Laure has her first conversation with Etienne, she describes his voice as “a piece of silk you might keep in a drawer and pull out only on rare occasions, just to feel between your fingers.” Although Marie Laure has heard that her great-uncle has problems with “ hearing things that aren’t there” after experiencing war, she doesn't allow this to affect her first impression of him. From her description of Etienne, we can tell that she feels calm and comforted around him and doesn’t judge him for his struggles. Marie Laure's acceptance of Etienne opens the doors for an unlikely friendship between the blind girl and the agoraphobe. As the pre-war period intensifies, their friendship blossoms further. With her father refusing Marie Laure's wish to go play outside due to danger, Marie Laure turns to Etienne to pass the time. They play various games that rely on imagination. This part of the book is a personal favorite of mine because Etienne takes the time to make their adventures special for Marie Laure. They pretend their sofa is a plane and that, as they fly over Borneo, they smell coffee bushes. In reality, it’s just Etienne waving coffee grounds under Marie Laure's nose, but it’s the thought that counts. I resonated with these adventures deeply because my parents did the same for me during the pandemic lockdown. My parents took my siblings and me on bike rides through the countryside, we played soccer together in our backyard, and we shared an unusual amount of time talking to ease the feelings of isolation. My personal experience makes me thankful that Etienne and Marie Laure have each other's company and joy to help them see the beauty in life amidst the chaos. With the pair spending more time together, Marie Laure sees the first signs of Etienne's PTSD. When Etienne becomes fearful and tries to hide in the hole he dug under the floors, Marie Laure is right there to comfort him. She does not get frustrated with him, like Mademoiselle Manec, but rather tries to ease his worries by challenging his fears with reality. This level of acceptance is striking and only seems like something that children are capable of because they have not yet been taught what adults believe is acceptable. Because of this acceptance, Etienne opens up about his relationship with his dead brother. I think that with time, this will allow Etienne to remember his brother and work through some of the survivor's guilt he developed when his brother didn’t return from war. The complete healing power of human connections is inconceivable. A major theme I noticed in this section is survival. On page 193, the commandant asks Frederick, "Cadet, are you the weakest?" to taunt Frederick for his limited physical ability. Frederick does not give the Commandant the response he wants and is punished heavily. This leads Werner to adopt a reserved persona to not draw attention to himself and be targeted. His reservation creates division within Werner. He is caught between his duty and the brutality that exists around him. The weight of Werner's choices begins to take an effect on him, even as his survival instincts carry him forward. Thankfully, Werner finds some small comfort in Volkheimer, an upperclassman. Volkheimer hints to Werner that he also believes the German military has poor morals. With time, this relationship comes to have a greater impact on Werner. When they are both trapped under the Hotel of Bees, Werner is ready to give up his life as he believes he must pay penance for being willing to do the evil work of the German military (page 205). However, Volkhiemer doesn't allow Werner to give up and fights for both of their lives. For Marie Laure, survival has always been harder with her blindness. However, in the context of war, where Marie is separated from her family, Marie must fight for life like never before. This is exemplified on page 207, where Marie finds two cans of food but doesn't know the continents. At first, we see a sense of fragility in Marie's solo existence, but with time, she exhibits resilience by holding onto what her father has taught her, the memory of her life before the war, and her determination to survive in occupied France. Marie Laure also survives by not letting the darkness consume her. The news of her father going missing sends Marie spiraling. However, with help from Madame Manec, Marie senses the world's beauty through her touch, smell, and memory. She touches the sand of the sea, smells the cool salty air, and remembers all the ways her father has taught her to be independent. This suggests that even in the darkest of times, there is always an ember of hope that refuses to extinguish. I enjoyed the alternating between Marie Laures and Werner's vivid experiences. This back-and-forth writing heightened the emotional impact each of the stories had. The detailed descriptions of the characters' environments, whether it's the military school or the broken countryside, show the broader havoc being caused by the warmth. The settings are just as momentous as what is happening in the character's lives because the settings show the integral struggles of the characters. The war has its way in every area of the character's lives, reshaping their understanding of life. As the war progresses, Werner and Marie must decide whether to fight the evil that has entered their lives or do nothing. In their choices, they find that fighting is seen as an act of rebellion, and doing nothing is seen as an act of submission. The chapters focusing on Marie Laure's situation (pages 248-249 and 252-253) bring laughter to this discouraging book. Madame Manec gathers many servicewomen of the city to mess with the Germans and give them a difficult time while they occupy the city. At first, this is just a means to distract the women from the limited options. Madame Manec finds that taking action against the Germans not only supports the French war effort but also lifts her spirits about Saint-Malo being occupied. This attitude spreads to the other French women, and once again, they find purpose in their everyday work. They no longer feel down about providing their services to the Germans, they now see it as an opportunity to serve France. Marie Laure joins the miniature revolution passively. Marie accompanies Madame Manec to the meetings involving retaliation and believes the radio in their attic can be used for their efforts. However, Ettiene thinks doing nothing is best to keep himself and his family out of trouble. On page 269, Madame Manec and Ettiene have a dispute over Ettiene's refusal to involve himself in retaliation by using his radio. When Ettiene defends his lack of actions by saying, "Doing nothing is doing nothing, "Madame Mance responds by saying, "Doing nothing is as good as collaborating." Marie overhears this discussion and has her choices laid out for her. Marie can choose to take a more active role in defending her city, or she can take after her uncle and hope she is left alone. Werner, on the other hand, deals with the same choice but in a much more hostile environment. Werner is surrounded by German chauvinists who don't sympathize with Werner's moral dilemma in the slightest. This is exemplified when Werner's friend, Frederick, was verbally and physically abused to the point that he was sent away from school with permanent brain damage, and, as said on page 264, "no one was punished." Werner sees the destruction but becomes numb to it because everyone around him delights in brutality. This causes Werner to resent the part of him that convicts him when he stays quiet instead of defending his friend. If Werner mentions any resignations he has, the other boys will see his humanity as a weakness and start to beat him up as they did Frederick. Werner stays quiet and retreats into himself for protection. Even writing to Yutta seems dangerous because the German military reads every note and blacks out information before sending it. Finally, Werner realizes he must get away from the influence of his school when his instructor Bastion, on page 264, tells the boys, "Do not trust your minds" because they constantly drift to questions when they need certainty. Werner went to the school to learn and get his questions on mechanics and physics answered, and now he is being told to quit being curious. This does not go over well with Werner, and he asks to return home to no avail. It becomes very clear that even though he wants to fight against the military's influence, they will not be easily denied. Realizing he won't be released, Werner must be on his guard to decide what's true and what is indoctrination.

I struggled with not having a career goal for a long time. I excelled in the classroom but didn’t have passion for a specific subject.The reopening of Notre Dame Cathedral after years of rebuilding after the fire in 2019 began my passion for engineering. It’s encouraging to me that, as an engineer, when things become broken, I can help to make them whole again with a high-quality education. Seeing the restoration has deepened my appreciation for the state-of-the-art technical knowledge and problem-solving skills required to reinstate such a renowned structure. The burning of Notre Dame was a time of great pain for the people of France. I was living in Germany, on the French border, at the time of the fire. I constantly visited France and experienced firsthand the country's love for cultural preservation which the French take great pride in. Seeing the demolition of the landmark made me realize just how deeply woven the structures are in France's identity. I was heartbroken by the change in attitude of the French people and overwhelmed by the hopelessness of the situation. However, the cathedral’s reopening demonstrated the power of engineering to bring back what was thought to be lost even better than before. Now thanks to experienced engineers and architects, the French take even greater pride in their country and how they overcame a disastrous situation. This situation showed me that as an engineer, I can give hope to people who fear renewal is out of reach and reassure them that their problems can be fixed. I won’t just be fixing structures, I'll be improving lives and pushing the boundaries of what is believed to be possible. The burning of the cathedral was both disastrous and revolutionary for me. It sparked a sense of empathy I had never felt on such a wide scale, and created a yearning in me to help communities rebuild. The precision required for such restoration —from analyzing structural integrity to selecting the right materials—showed me that such projects require a mastery of engineering principles. This was the start of my relationship with engineering, ultimately leading me to A&M. The Notre Dame restoration demonstrated how true restoration comes from well-practiced skills that I can only gain with rigorous engineering education. Seeing this process unfold reinforced my belief that to make a lasting impact, I need the best training possible. Thanks to this experience, I developed a passion for engineering that motivates me to work even harder than I have in high school. I will continue onto graduate school after undergraduate in order to develop an even deeper education in engineering, to help people, and maybe inspire a kid to go into engineering when they get older.

In my sophomore year of high school, I was elected class treasurer. I went in ready to raise funds for the class through festivals, concessions, and donations. Little did I know our predecessors had left the class in debt for several thousand dollars. As treasurer, I assumed the responsibility to brainstorm and implement ways to get the class solvent. My adaptability is one of the key reasons I was part of the solution to resolve the debt. I am adaptable because it was a necessary life skill that I learned as a military dependent. I moved five times before I was fourteen, and four of those were international. When all of my worldly belongings were packed up and sent away, not to be seen for several months later, I learned to live with limited resources and choices. I drew upon my experience living with limited resources and applied it thinking creatively. At the beginning of sophomore year, we had meetings once every week to maximize our communication. We had to continuously stay informed on the opportunities we had to sell concessions or put together festivals for the school. Making time for all those meetings was the only way to ensure we each knew the responsibilities we held to get out of debt. I possess the integrity necessary to be entrusted with the school funds and to behave honestly. Unfortunately, the class officers from freshman year were not honest about the money that was raised. I always communicated with our sponsor about the money we were making at events. When the class was in debt, we, the officers, donated supplies with our own money so that we would have funds to start the necessary work of turning a profit. Being a visionary is one of the best qualities I have to encourage others. I do every assignment, task, and activity with the knowledge that it will be helpful to me down the road. So, trying to think long-term, I would constantly reiterate the different methods we could use to get out of debt over the year. We dedicated countless hours to raising money and finally got out of debt by the end of sophomore year. In summary, my persistence and dedication, along with my ability to collaborate, served our class well. This situation showed me the importance of bringing my skills to my community. I will become a leader at A&M.

Community, to me, is a collection of individuals with shared experiences. It’s about contributing time and talent in a manner that positively impacts others. One way I have built community is through service. Volunteering puts me in the position to inspire the next generation to carry on serving with empathy and become connected to other people in the process, hopefully making the younger generation kinder to each other in the process. Growing up in the Northside School District I looked up to older high school students who served in my middle school. They inspired me to serve in high school as well. A very rewarding experience for me was volunteering at the North Side annual solar car race. I assisted students in explaining the rules, organized races, and helped teachers when they needed it. Serving the kids taught me the value of creating a joyful, inclusive environment. Each moment spent encouraging their choices and confidence felt as rewarding to me as the time I gave. I specifically made sure to encourage teamwork between the kids to create a sense of unity among them, and make them see that what they say to each other has an effect, whether it's good or bad. Through the solar derby community, I not only had a chance to lead, and gain friends, but also to find a mentor in Bobby Blount, one of the members on the board of trustees for San Antonio. He is an amazing man and has since given me even more ways to get involved and serve my community. He has become dear to my heart and I have invited him to my graduation party. His love for service and his humility are inspiring to me and encourage me to serve even more once I have a career. I became part of my school's service community through the National Honor Society. Through NHS, I discovered the opportunities to volunteer at C.A.M.P. Camp, a unique facility dedicated to serving people with special needs. During the summer of 2023, I helped to ensure that campers' needs were met while trying to facilitate meaningful connections. This experience taught me patience, and I learned different forms of communication. Camp was a huge contributor to my service hours. With local service, and camp, I totaled over four hundred service hours, in an effort to positively impact individuals in my city, and set a standard for myself to volunteer my time to those in need. With these hours, I earned the President’s Volunteer Gold Medal Service Award and I hold the record for the most service hours at my high school. After receiving my award, fellow members of the National Honor Society asked me for suggestions as to how and where they could serve. This fulfilled my hope that my service would encourage others to get involved, just as older high schoolers set an example for me to serve. It is a blessing to know that my service encouraged my peers and friends. I know going to college to receive a higher education will be a continuation of my practiced habit of service. I am ready for this next step toward my future, eager to form new communities in college and continue striving to create positive connections that inspire growth and service. I need financial help to cover my housing to be able to live in the engineering honors dorms and surround myself with others who want to go above expectations, and serve their community. Thank you for considering me the Matthew E. Minor Memorial Scholarship!

I would have never decided I wanted to be a dermatologist if it wasn't for the experience I had thanks to my school's National Honor Society. During the summer, I signed up to volunteer at a place called C.A.M.P. camp in Center Point, Texas. I volunteered there at the recommendation of my NHS advisor. At this unique facility people with special needs have the opportunity to experience adapted activities such as horseback riding, swimming, basketball, swings, group life, and songs. Volunteers ensure camper's needs are met by assisting them. Being a helper gave me the unique opportunity to experience tremendous personal growth and overcome social anxiety. After COVID, I avoided social interactions. This continued into my training for camp. When the training concluded, my confidence was at an all-time low. How was I to help another person have a fun summer when I wasn’t able to enjoy mine? I went home deflated but still determined to follow through with my commitment. When I returned to camp two weeks later I was paired with the most outgoing and extroverted person in the whole camp. J liked dance parties, basketball, and cereal, in that order. From the first moment that I met J, his kind smile and infectious enthusiasm assured me we’d be fast friends. For our first activity, J decided we were going to play basketball and have a dance party. I was very aware of everyone around me seeing me dance and being goofy, so I clammed up and stopped drawing attention to myself. J, on the other hand, decided we needed more attention and started a conga line. I was beyond uncomfortable, but as the minutes went by, and I watched the look of pure joy on J's face, I decided I had to get in on the conga line. When that first day of camp was over, I reflected on J’s view towards life and his carefree attitude. I decided I would adopt that same easygoing outlook to maximize J’s experience at camp. Between the first and second days of camp, I became an entirely different person and felt ten times lighter. Being free of my self-imposed restrictions allowed J and me to jump around and dance for the rest of the week. Over the next six days, we danced in the dining hall, at the park, in the pool, when we were brushing our teeth, and any other time the mood struck him. We danced when there was music, and when there wasn't, J or I sang. It was one of the most freeing times of my life. I didn't feel judged by J and didn't care if I looked funny because I was putting a smile on the face of the sweetest guy I had ever met. This was my reason for being outgoing during camp, and I decided to carry my joy over into my everyday life. After camp, I realized that I could make many other people smile with my goofiness and encourage others to get out of their shells by being what J was for me: a source of light. Without this experience, I would not have realized how much I enjoy being around other people and actively trying to brighten their day. This led me to research dermatology, a job where I would be surrounded by many people. Thanks to the confidence I gained at camp, I now fully believe that I have the potential to become a dermatologist.

I am a hard-working, determined young woman who takes after my grandpa Dave! My grandpa, a mechanical engineer, has always been my inspiration. I have fond memories of watching him construct my childhood playground, intricately design pens, and make calculations for the layout of the pickleball court I wanted. With each creation, I developed a deeper yearning to understand the skill set he possessed. On an unrelated note, since I was thirteen, I have struggled with acne. I was extremely discouraged because, no matter my efforts, it felt like it would never resolve. With help from my dermatologist and research about my biology and hormones, my face has considerably improved. This led to a fascination with the largest organ of the body: the skin. To another person, dermatology and engineering have little in common, but to me, their commonality is that they both fascinate me. I intend to become a mechanical engineer and then go to medical school to become a dermatologist and join Doctors Without Borders. I can aspire to reach these big goals because of the achievements I have accomplished and the plans I set in place when I started high school. My dedication to my schooling and determination has put me in a great position to reach these goals and more. I am third for the Harlan High School class 2025 with over a 102-grade point average. I’ve been cognizant of my grades since freshman year, and where I fall concerning the 650 people in my graduating class. My goal of being among the top-ranked students required a four-year commitment and discipline in every class I took. It was worth it because it motivated me to develop study habits that will be useful in college and medical school. To increase the opportunities available to me, I also started working toward the Congressional Gold Medal Award in my sophomore year and received it after my junior year of high school. The Congressional Gold Medal Award was a big achievement because of the 450 service hours required. To reach this number of service hours, I volunteered at the San Antonio food bank and served in an orphanage in Honduras. Volunteering at the San Antonio Food Bank, like volunteering in Honduras, was transformative. It strengthened my empathy for less fortunate people. Engaging with individuals who are in difficult positions has actively encouraged me to use my gift to help others. One encounter stands out: a woman who arrived with her children, pushing a cart. Despite her circumstances, she greeted me with the brightest smile. This experience showed me the value of service, and of finding joy even in hard times. It reinforced the idea that empathy is key to understanding how to help others, which is crucial for engineers aiming to create worldwide improvements. I completed these activities acknowledging that I want to make something of my life and be passionate about my future career. But I also walked away with a new understanding that if I study and work hard for a few more years I can have an even greater positive impact on many more people. The Congressional Gold Medal Award and being high-ranked are achievements in themselves but are also purposefully part of a bigger plan to make me a competitive candidate for my future in engineering and dermatology.

During the summer of 2023, I signed up to volunteer at a place called C.A.M.P. camp in Center Point, Texas. At this unique facility people with special needs have the opportunity to experience adapted activities such as horseback riding, swimming, basketball, swings, group life, and songs. Volunteers ensure camper's needs are met by assisting them. Being a helper gave me the unique opportunity to experience tremendous personal growth and overcome social anxiety. After COVID, I avoided social interactions. This continued into my training for camp. When the training concluded, my confidence was at an all-time low. How was I to help another person have a fun summer when I wasn’t able to enjoy mine? I went home deflated but still determined to follow through with my commitment. When I returned to camp two weeks later I was paired with the most outgoing and extroverted person in the whole camp. J liked dance parties, basketball, and cereal, in that order. From the first moment that I met J, his kind smile and infectious enthusiasm assured me we’d be fast friends. For our first activity, J decided we were going to play basketball and have a dance party. I was very aware of everyone around me seeing me dance and being goofy, so I clammed up and stopped drawing attention to myself. J, on the other hand, decided we needed more attention and started a conga line. I was beyond uncomfortable, but as the minutes went by, and I watched the look of pure joy on J's face, I decided I had to get in on the conga line. When that first day of camp was over, I reflected on J’s view towards life and his carefree attitude. I decided I would adopt that same easygoing outlook to maximize J’s experience at camp. Between the first and second days of camp, I became an entirely different person and felt ten times lighter. Being free of my self-imposed restrictions allowed J and me to jump around and dance for the rest of the week. Over the next six days, we danced in the dining hall, at the park, in the pool, when we were brushing our teeth, and any other time the mood struck him. We danced when there was music, and when there wasn't, J or I sang. It was one of the most freeing times of my life. I didn't feel judged by J and didn't care if I looked funny because I was putting a smile on the face of the sweetest guy I had ever met. This was my reason for being outgoing during camp, and I decided to carry my joy over into my everyday life. After camp, I realized that I could make many other people smile with my goofiness and encourage others to get out of their shells by being what J was for me: a source of light. I came to understand that confidence is contagious. Confidence for J was being comfortable with who he was. That quality helped me to create a more confident version of myself. It's now my mission to enjoy my time and manage stress in healthy ways while encouraging others to do the same. Without this experience, I would not have realized how much I enjoy being around other people and actively trying to brighten their day. This led me to research dermatology, a job where I would be surrounded by many people. Thanks to the confidence I gained at camp, I now fully believe that I have the drive to become a dermatologist.

If my life were a movie the title would say in bold pink neon light: "busy-body does it all". I am a hard-working, determined young woman who takes after my grandpa Dave! My grandpa, a mechanical engineer, has always been inspirational to me. I have fond memories of watching him construct my childhood playground, intricately design pens, and make calculations for the layout of the pickleball court I wanted. With each creation, I developed a deeper yearning to understand the skill set he possessed. On an unrelated note, since I was thirteen, I have struggled with acne. I was extremely discouraged because, no matter my efforts, it felt like it would never resolve. With help from my dermatologist and research about my biology and hormones, my face has considerably improved. This led to a fascination with the largest organ of the body: the skin. To another person, dermatology and engineering have little in common, but to me, their commonality is that they both fascinate me. I intend to become a mechanical engineer and then go to medical school to become a dermatologist and join Doctors Without Borders. I can aspire to reach these big goals because of the achievements I have accomplished and the plans I set in place when I started high school. My dedication to my schooling and determination has put me in a great position to reach these goals and more. I am third for the Harlan High School class 2025 with over a 102-grade point average. I’ve been cognizant of my grades since freshman year, and where I fall concerning the 650 people in my graduating class. My goal of being among the top-ranked students required a four-year commitment and discipline in every class I took. It was worth it because it motivated me to develop study habits that will be useful in college and medical school. To increase the opportunities available to me, I also started working toward the Congressional Gold Medal Award in my sophomore year and received it after my junior year of high school. The Congressional Gold Medal Award was a big achievement because of the 450 service hours required. To reach this number of service hours, I volunteered at the San Antonio food bank and served in an orphanage in Honduras. Volunteering at the San Antonio Food Bank, like volunteering in Honduras, was transformative. It strengthened my empathy for less fortunate people. Engaging with individuals who are in difficult positions has actively encouraged me to use my gift to help others. One encounter stands out: a woman who arrived with her children, pushing a cart. Despite her circumstances, she greeted me with the brightest smile. This experience showed me the value of service, and of finding joy even in hard times. It reinforced the idea that empathy is key to understanding how to help others, which is crucial for engineers aiming to create worldwide improvements. I completed these activities acknowledging that I want to make something of my life and be passionate about my future career. But I also walked away with a new understanding that if I study and work hard for a few more years I can have an even greater positive impact on many more people. The Congressional Gold Medal Award and being high-ranked are achievements in themselves but are also purposefully part of a bigger plan to make me a competitive candidate for my future in engineering and dermatology.

I am a hard-working, determined young woman who takes after my grandpa Dave! My grandpa, a mechanical engineer, has always been a joy to be around. I have fond memories of watching him construct my childhood playground, intricately design pens, and make calculations for the layout of the pickleball court I wanted. With each creation, I developed a deeper yearning to understand the skill set he possessed. On an unrelated note, since I was thirteen, I have struggled with acne. I was extremely discouraged because, no matter my efforts, it felt like it would never resolve. With help from my dermatologist and research about my biology and hormones, my face has considerably improved. This led to a fascination with the largest organ of the body: the skin. To another person, dermatology and engineering have little in common, but to me, their commonality is that they both fascinate me. I intend to become a mechanical engineer and then go to medical school to become a dermatologist and join Doctors Without Borders. I can aspire to reach these big goals because of the achievements I have accomplished and the plans I set in place when I started high school. My dedication to my schooling and determination has put me in a great position to reach these goals and more. I am third for the Harlan High School class 2025 with over a 102-grade point average. I’ve been cognizant of my grades since freshman year, and where I fall concerning the 650 people in my graduating class. My goal of being among the top-ranked students required a four-year commitment and discipline in every class I took. It was worth it because it motivated me to develop study habits that will be useful in college and medical school. To increase the opportunities available to me, I also started working toward the Congressional Gold Medal Award in my sophomore year and received it after my junior year of high school. The Congressional Gold Medal Award was a big achievement because of the 450 service hours required. To reach this number of service hours, I volunteered at the San Antonio food bank and served in an orphanage in Honduras. Volunteering at the San Antonio Food Bank, like volunteering in Honduras, was transformative. It strengthened my empathy for less fortunate people. Engaging with individuals who are in difficult positions has actively encouraged me to use my gift to help others. One encounter stands out: a woman who arrived with her children, pushing a cart. Despite her circumstances, she greeted me with the brightest smile. This experience showed me the value of service, and of finding joy even in hard times. It reinforced the idea that empathy is key to understanding how to help others, which is crucial for engineers aiming to create worldwide improvements. I completed these activities acknowledging that I want to make something of my life and be passionate about my future career. But I also walked away with a new understanding that if I study and work hard for a few more years I can have an even greater positive impact on many more people. The Congressional Gold Medal Award and being high-ranked are achievements in themselves but are also purposefully part of a bigger plan to make me a competitive candidate for my future in engineering and dermatology.