My name is Isabella Torres, and I am a first-generation college student currently pursuing an Associate of Applied Science degree. My journey through college has taught me that building a future takes determination, sacrifice, and the willingness to step outside your comfort zone. I have always been someone who wants to accomplish more, challenge myself, and create opportunities that may not have always seemed within reach. My interests have led me down several paths, from working on and modifying vehicles to starting my own small business, Rowdy Roadrunner Co., during my first year of college. Through my business, I create handmade jewelry and offer boutique items. Being a student while managing a business has taught me valuable lessons about responsibility, time management, perseverance, and believing in my own abilities. My long-term goal is to continue my education in business, develop my entrepreneurial skills, and grow my business into something sustainable that I can be proud of. Being a first-generation college student has made me appreciate the opportunities education provides, but it has also made me aware of the financial challenges that come with pursuing higher education. Between tuition, living expenses, and everyday responsibilities, the cost of college can be overwhelming. Receiving this scholarship would help ease some of that financial pressure, reduce the amount I may need to rely on student loans, and allow me to focus more of my attention on my education and future. I want to make a positive impact by encouraging other young women to believe in themselves, pursue their interests, and not allow other people's expectations to determine their future. I also hope to use my business to create meaningful connections within my community and support other small businesses whenever possible. I believe success is about more than what you accomplish for yourself. It is also about what you do with the opportunities you are given and how you use them to help others. I want to build a future that allows me to be successful while still giving back, supporting others, and creating opportunities for the next person. If I can make someone else's path a little easier than mine was, I will consider that a success.

My life has been shaped by experiences that have challenged me in ways I never expected. Growing up, addiction was something I saw within my own family. Both of my parents struggled with addiction when I was younger, and although they are now in recovery, growing up around those struggles had an impact on me. It taught me at an early age that addiction does not just affect one person. It affects families, relationships, and the people who love someone struggling with it. As I got older, I found myself facing some of those same struggles. I have battled my own addiction, along with challenges involving my mental health. There have been times when I felt constantly overwhelmed, struggled to find motivation, and had difficulty managing the responsibilities of everyday life. For a long time, I did not always know how to handle what I was feeling or how to find a healthy way forward. Experiencing addiction myself gave me a different understanding of what my parents had gone through. It also made me realize that I did not want my struggles to determine the rest of my life. One of the biggest turning points in my life was meeting my fiancé. Our relationship is built on love, support, and faith. He has encouraged me to become a better version of myself and has stood beside me through difficult times. His support has been an important part of my journey, but I also recognize the work and commitment it takes to choose recovery every day. I am proud to say that I have been sober for two years. That is something I never want to take for granted. My recovery has changed the way I look at my future. I have learned that I cannot always wait until I feel motivated to do something. Sometimes I have to push myself to get out, take advantage of opportunities, and remind myself of how much I have to be grateful for. I am still learning how to manage feeling overwhelmed, but I no longer want to let difficult days keep me from experiencing the life I want. I have also learned to be more understanding of others because I know that people can be fighting battles that are not visible. Education has become a major part of the future I am working toward. I am a first-generation college student currently pursuing my second year of automotive technology. My passion for vehicles started long before college, and I hope to turn that passion into a successful career. I also started my own business, Rowdy Roadrunner Co., during my first year of college. Balancing school, work, and entrepreneurship has taught me responsibility, perseverance, and the importance of setting goals for myself. I want to continue my education, grow my business, and create opportunities that I may not have imagined possible when I was younger. As I continue my recovery, I plan to stay connected to the people who support me, maintain my relationship with God, prioritize healthy relationships, and recognize when I need to slow down or ask for help. I know recovery is not something I can simply check off a list. It is something I must continue choosing and protecting. I also want to remember where I came from without allowing my past to define where I am going. If there is one thing my experiences have taught me, it is that your past does not have to determine your future. I have seen addiction affect my family, experienced it myself, and worked hard to build a different life. I am not perfect, and I still have difficult days, but I am proud of how far I have come. I want to continue proving to myself that I am capable of building a happy, healthy, and successful future. More than anything, I want my life to reflect how far I have come rather than what I have been through.

My faith has become one of the most important foundations in my life, especially through the relationships I have built and the challenges I have faced. One of the biggest blessings in my life has been meeting my fiancé. Our relationship is built on faith, love, and the belief that God should be at the center of our lives. Having someone who supports me, encourages me, and shares those beliefs has helped me grow not only as a person but also in my relationship with God. There have been times when life feels overwhelming, when we do not know what decision to make or where to turn for answers. During those moments, we turn to God. We pray together, ask for guidance, and remind ourselves that we do not have to figure everything out on our own. Faith has taught me that I may not always understand why certain things happen or what direction my life is going, but I can trust that God has a plan. It has also taught me the importance of gratitude, patience, and finding strength even when things are difficult. As a first-generation college student, an automotive technology student, and a small business owner, I have many goals I am working toward. I started my business, Rowdy Roadrunner Co., during my first year of college. Building something of my own while continuing my education has taught me the value of hard work, dedication, and perseverance. I want to continue growing both professionally and personally, and I hope to create a future where I can be successful in my career while continuing to pursue my entrepreneurial interests. I believe my faith will play an important role in my career because success should be about more than money or recognition. I want to be someone people can trust, whether I am working with customers, coworkers, or running a business. I want to treat people fairly, keep my promises, take responsibility for my actions, and make decisions that reflect my values. I believe that having a strong relationship with God will help me stay grounded as I face new opportunities and challenges. Ultimately, I want to build a life that I am proud of, not only because of what I accomplish but because of the person I become along the way. I hope to have a successful career, grow my business, and someday build a family with faith at its center. I know there will be challenges along the way, but I find comfort in knowing that I do not have to face them alone. My faith reminds me to keep working hard, trust God's timing, and never lose sight of what truly matters.

My name is Isabella Torres, and I am currently a second-year automotive student. During my first year of college, I started my own business, Rowdy Roadrunner Co., which specializes in handmade jewelry, custom products, and western accessories. My business was inspired by my love for jewelry and my active lifestyle. In the past, I spent my time rodeoing, going to the gym, and, of course, working on vehicles. Unfortunately, I often found myself breaking or ruining my favorite jewelry while participating in these activities. I love the uniqueness of handmade pieces, so traditional costume jewelry was not appealing to me. That is why I decided to create my own jewelry that is essentially less costly and still unique. My current business plan focuses on expanding my customer outreach and increasing brand awareness. I have spent considerable time researching social media marketing and learning how to reach my target audience effectively. I am continuously trying to expanding my presence across platforms where my potential customers are active and exploring new ways to promote my products. Looking toward the future, one of my biggest goals is to open a local storefront where customers can shop in person and support a small, locally owned business. One of the qualities that sets me apart from my competition is my determination to succeed. I am willing to put in the time, effort, and work necessary to turn my goals into reality. My determination is also why I am applying for this scholarship. I want to continue my education and gain a stronger understanding of business management, marketing, and entrepreneurship so I can improve my own business and eventually help others pursue their goals as well. Two of the biggest challenges I face when growing my business are financial limitations and my lack of business knowledge. As the first person in my family to start a business, I have had to learn many things through research, experience, and trial and error. Although the process has not always been easy, I see these challenges as opportunities to grow. I believe that continued education, combined with the support and resources this scholarship could provide, would help me build a stronger foundation for my business. My long-term goal is to create a successful business that can continue to grow and eventually become something I can pass down for generations. Artificial intelligence has also become a valuable resource in my business. As a small-business owner with limited funding, I often have to find creative and affordable ways to complete tasks that larger businesses may have the resources to outsource. I primarily use AI to help create advertisements and develop marketing materials. It has also been useful for organizing information and assisting with data entry. While I understand that some people have concerns about AI, I believe it can be an effective tool when used responsibly. For small-business owners like me, it provides access to resources that might otherwise be difficult or expensive to obtain. I see AI as a tool that can support creativity, improve efficiency, and help entrepreneurs make the most of the resources they have available. Ultimately, my goal is to combine my education, determination, and entrepreneurial experience to build a successful and lasting business. This scholarship would help me take another step toward achieving my goals and creating a future that reflects the hard work and dedication I am willing to put into my education and my business. Thank you for considering me for this scholarship. - Isabella Torres

I chose to pursue a career in the trades because of my dad. When I was little I never got the chance to do much with my dad because he worked so much. Sometimes so where we barely got the chance to see him because he was out of town working. Some of the best memories I have with my dad is getting to help him out in the garage. When it came to picking a career path automotive technology was at the top of my list. I always loved fixing things and working hands on. At the time I had a job as a parts specialist at a local Massey Ferguson dealership. I was always so curious to learn what the parts went on and what they did. I loved seeing all of the different parts that allowed this one machine to run. Even as a technician it still amazes me all that goes into making something that is seemingly simple from the outside run. Working on vehicles has always been a big part of my life outside of my family. It has allowed me to meet some amazing people. I've gotten the chance to be apart of some female truck groups. There I have met some amazing ladies that have done nothing but support everyone and their vehicles. I have also got to meet some amazing people in my class. I came in with no clue what I was doing and no matter what someone always took me under their wing. That is why I chose to be an auto mechanic. Some social causes I care about is medical inequities, homelessness, and poverty. As most of us know the prices of everyday items such as gas and groceries are skyrocketing. As those prices rise it makes it harder for people to survive. I personally have had issues being able to afford food and even gas to get to school. With that being said there are resources out there such as SNAP and EBT or food pantries. But with everyone struggling right now it is hard to get help sometimes because resources run out due to so many people needing those resources. The same goes with healthcare. I hope as a society we eventually figure out a way for people to be able to take care of themselves medically without having to go into debt over it. As prices rise it is only going to be more common for people to go bankrupt, become homeless, or not be able to afford a meal. I grew up in a poor family and never got the chance to see my dad often because of it. Now I am in the same situation where I can't afford to see my family sometimes for weeks because of how much gas costs.