“For the next three months, with the team that you’ve chosen, you will be creating an app using the information we’ve learned in class.” And with those words, I was thrown headfirst into the experiences that kindled a flame that I fully hadn’t realized was inside me. My introduction to my Mobile App Development class brought computer science from a mere career choice to an exciting prospect of my future. With intricate, storage-eating software platforms downloaded on my computer and new, complicated programming languages being taught on a Google Slideshow, the class was unlike any I had ever experienced in the past. My group and I collaborated to create a project, directly implementing Chat GPT and AI into an app that generated vacation itineraries for a user based on their inputs. I got the opportunity to research my own code, experiment beyond the set class curriculums, and work with a team throughout the entire year to create even more projects that fell entirely out of our comfort zones. It pushed me to become a better programmer and teammate. I experienced growth in my User Interface skills, and getting to design the app helped me solidify my interest in pursuing computer science in the future, as I found myself constantly excited to get back to class and start coding again. With all this combined, Mobile Apps quickly stole the title as my favorite class and the best part of my school day. Getting to work on these projects and take this class showed me that I enjoyed problem solving, collaboration, and being detail oriented, all of which are crucial skills to being successful in computer science. In the future, I want to make sure that no matter how much growth we see in technology over the next few decades, that we never forget about the humanity that was behind the creation of it. This includes making sure that marginalized voices have a say in our new creations, truly considering if something is necessary and helpful before we create it, and never forgetting the line between our humanity and automation-because as we’ve seen in the past, it’s a very fine line that can be so easily crossed with a little misguidance. I hope to oversee further technological development that makes our lives easier, while also making sure not to cross the ethical boundaries I stated above. I hope that my restraint can help to inspire a future generation to be more careful and intentional about what they choose to create while also being driven to help humanity grow to its fullest potential. Because of these goals to help better humanity in ways that differ from the typical person-giving us the chance to grow but also making sure to protect our humanity-I believe that I am the best candidate for this scholarship. I think that my passion and dedication to the technology field have been showcased in this essay and that makes me a deserving recipient for the scholarship

“For the next three months, with the team that you’ve chosen, you will be creating an app using the information we’ve learned in class.” And with those words, I was thrown headfirst into the experiences that kindled a flame that I fully hadn’t realized was inside me. My introduction to my Mobile App Development class brought computer science from a mere career choice to an exciting prospect of my future. With intricate, storage-eating software platforms downloaded on my computer and new, complicated programming languages being taught on a Google Slideshow, the class was unlike any I had ever experienced in the past. My group and I collaborated to create a project, directly implementing Chat GPT and AI into an app that generated vacation itineraries for a user based on their inputs. I got the opportunity to research my own code, experiment beyond the set class curriculums, and work with a team throughout the entire year to create even more projects that fell entirely out of our comfort zones. It pushed me to become a better programmer and teammate. I experienced growth in my User Interface skills, and getting to design the app helped me solidify my interest in pursuing computer science in the future, as I found myself constantly excited to get back to class and start coding again. With all this combined, Mobile Apps quickly stole the title as my favorite class and the best part of my school day. Getting to work on these projects and take this class showed me that I enjoyed problem solving, collaboration, and being detail oriented, all of which are crucial skills to being successful in computer science. In the future, I want to make sure that no matter how much growth we see in technology over the next few decades, that we never forget about the humanity that was behind the creation of it. This includes making sure that marginalized voices have a say in our new creations, truly considering if something is necessary and helpful before we create it, and never forgetting the line between our humanity and automation-because as we’ve seen in the past, it’s a very fine line that can be so easily crossed with a little misguidance. I hope to oversee further technological development that makes our lives easier, while also making sure not to cross the ethical boundaries I stated above. I hope that my restraint can help to inspire a future generation of girls to be more careful and intentional about what they choose to create while also being driven to help humanity grow to its fullest potential. Because of these goals to help better humanity in ways that differ from the typical person-giving us the chance to grow but also making sure to protect our humanity-I believe that I am the best candidate for this scholarship. I think that my passion and dedication to this field have been showcased in this essay and that makes me a deserving recipient for the computer science scholarship.

“For the next three months, with the team that you’ve chosen, you will be creating an app using the information we’ve learned in class.” And with those words, I was thrown headfirst into the experiences that kindled a flame that I fully hadn’t realized was inside me. My introduction to my Mobile App Development class brought computer science from a mere career choice to an exciting prospect of my future. With intricate, storage-eating software platforms downloaded on my computer and new, complicated programming languages being taught on a Google Slideshow, the class was unlike any I had ever experienced in the past. My group and I collaborated to create a project, directly implementing Chat GPT and AI into an app that generated vacation itineraries for a user based on their inputs. I got the opportunity to research my own code, experiment beyond the set class curriculums, and work with a team throughout the entire year to create even more projects that fell entirely out of our comfort zones. It pushed me to become a better programmer and teammate. I experienced growth in my User Interface skills, and getting to design the app helped me solidify my interest in pursuing computer science in the future, as I found myself constantly excited to get back to class and start coding again. With all this combined, Mobile Apps quickly stole the title as my favorite class and the best part of my school day. Getting to work on these projects and take this class showed me that I enjoyed problem solving, collaboration, and being detail oriented, all of which are crucial skills to being successful in computer science. I want to make sure that no matter how much growth we see in technology over the next few decades, that we never forget about the humanity that was behind the creation of it. This includes making sure that marginalized voices have a say in our new creations, truly considering if something is necessary and helpful before we create it, and never forgetting the line between our humanity and automation-because as we’ve seen in the past, it’s a very fine line that can be so easily crossed with a little misguidance. I hope that my restraint can help to inspire a future generation of girls to be more careful and intentional about what they choose to create while also being driven to help humanity grow to its fullest potential.

Years before I was even able to form conscious memories, I was a reader—clutching picture books with sticky fingers, pointing to illustrations, and mimicking the voices around me. As a toddler, I used to beg the people around me to read me a story, and I would make them repeat it until I had the words memorized, so I could later read it out loud as well. While I don’t make a habit of memorizing the words I read anymore, the main reason that I- along with millions of others in this community- read, is to learn about someone’s story. One of the best parts about being a reader is constantly taking in perspectives that vary from your own, and actually being eager to learn more about it. This community, through constant dedication to admire others’ points of view, has developed a keen sense of empathy and curiosity that’s hard to replicate through other everyday hobbies like sports or gaming, because reading places you directly inside someone else’s thoughts, emotions, and experiences. As I’ve taken in more literature, it’s become easier to understand where people are coming from, and making me more understanding towards the strangest thoughts and beliefs, even if I don’t necessarily agree with them. My biggest contribution to this community is giving it the means to keep expanding. I’ve become the designated friend or family member that people have come to when they’re searching for a book recommendation, whether they’re looking for a heartwarming romance, a fast-paced fantasy, or a memoir that makes them cry. And while this is a seemingly normal favor from one person to another, it’s actually helped to foster a sense of trust and belief, in both myself and the community of readers that I choose to surround myself with. These simple, helpful services have given me self-confidence that has translated into other parts of my life, both academically and socially. Through reading, I've also been able to find comfort during difficult times, explore questions I didn't know I had, and strengthen my ability to express myself in writing and conversation. These skills have helped empower me in ways I never thought possible. While there’s an infinite number of paths my future can take, I’m confident that I’ll always have a place in the reading community, always shaping me to be a wiser, stronger, and better version of myself—someone who listens deeply, imagines freely, and connects meaningfully with others.

“For the next three months, with the team that you’ve chosen, you will be creating an app using the information we’ve learned in class.” And with those words, I was thrown headfirst into the experiences that kindled a flame that I hadn’t fully realized was inside me. My introduction to my Mobile App Development class brought computer science from a mere career choice to an exciting prospect of my future. With intricate, storage-eating software platforms downloaded on my computer and new, complicated programming languages being taught on a Google Slideshow, the class was unlike any I had ever experienced. I got the opportunity to research my own code, experiment beyond the set class curriculums, and work with a team throughout the entire year to create even more projects that fell entirely out of our comfort zones. I experienced growth in my User Interface skills, and getting to design the app helped me solidify my interest in pursuing computer science in the future, as I found myself constantly excited to get back to class and start coding again. With all this combined, Mobile Apps quickly stole the title as my favorite class and best part of my day. In the end, getting to work on these projects and take this class showed me that I enjoyed problem solving, collaboration, and being detail oriented, all of which are crucial skills to being successful in my intended major. Through this realization, I hope to bring a positive change to the world of technology. With technology growing at such a rampant pace, I hope to be the person there to regulate the growth and make sure that along the way of rapid development, we don't lose sight of our humanity and the things that keep us grounded to reality. The line between automation and humanity are a very fine line and it's a very easy line to cross, as we've seen in the past. I know that being a woman will make things a little more difficult in terms of finding my voice and being comfortable in this industry, as it's so male dominated, but I know that with the right amount of support and the chances to build my confidence during my time in college will be greatly helpful. And once I do find my voice, I plan on becoming a leader on the ethical side of it all, making sure that we can advance technology in a way that's safe and intentional to reach humanity's full potential.

“For the next three months, with the team that you’ve chosen, you will be creating an app using the information we’ve learned in class.” And with those words, I was thrown headfirst into the experiences that kindled a flame that I fully hadn’t realized was inside me. My introduction to my Mobile App Development class brought computer science from a mere career choice to an exciting prospect of my future. With intricate, storage-eating software platforms downloaded on my computer and new, complicated programming languages being taught on a Google Slideshow, the class was unlike any I had ever experienced in the past. My group and I collaborated to create a project, directly implementing Chat GPT and AI into an app that generated vacation itineraries for a user based on their inputs. I got the opportunity to research my own code, experiment beyond the set class curriculums, and work with a team throughout the entire year to create even more projects that fell entirely out of our comfort zones. It pushed me to become a better programmer and teammate. I experienced growth in my User Interface skills, and getting to design the app helped me solidify my interest in pursuing computer science in the future, as I found myself constantly excited to get back to class and start coding again. With all this combined, Mobile Apps quickly stole the title as my favorite class and the best part of my school day. Getting to work on these projects and take this class showed me that I enjoyed problem solving, collaboration, and being detail oriented, all of which are crucial skills to being successful in computer science. My friends and I decided to enter a district hosted hackathon as a team. One of our main goals was to connect with other attendees and try to create something that would be impactful. However, when we arrived, we found out that we were the only four girls in attendance out of almost 100 participants. Although it felt discouraging at first, we only used it as an incentive to perform even better. We decided to create an app to help find accessible routes for those in wheelchairs. We faced various technical difficulties with a new software we wanted to learn about, the API that we chose to utilize, and the rough time constraints we were under to finish the project. However, our ability to work as a team through all of our problems was our saving grace, and we were able to combine our diverse skillset to put together an incredible final project and reach our end goal for the hackathon. This event, although it was hard being such a small minority, showed me the importance of collaboration, not only with each other, but with the various other groups in the room so we could get over our roadblocks together. This also taught me how to step out of my comfort zone and be fully confident in my own skin.

The book adaptation I have most looked forward to in my life was based off of a book that I had never been able to finish. When I found out that Leigh Bardugo’s Shadow and Bone was getting adapted into a TV series, I was ecstatic, and when casting was released, I scrolled straight past the main characters. Every time I saw a promotion for it, my gaze only focused on The Crows. Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo changed my life - to put it lightly. Through the complicated world building and newly invented language, I fell in love with the characters and storyline instantly. The book followed six people who were considered criminals in their country, who decided to try and kidnap someone in exchange for becoming millionaires. This adventure came with road bumps, unforeseen difficulties, and plot twists that had me staring at my book at two in the morning. Reading about them through each of their unique perspectives made me feel like I truly knew them as people and made me feel connected to each of them in ways that felt surreal for fictional characters. When I saw their actors, it felt like a dream. The characters that I idolized so much had been pulled directly out of the books, from their physical appearance all the way to their mannerisms in the various interviews they did together. It truly changed my 8th grade self to see these people bringing to life my favorite characters. Seeing them on the show was even better. Seemingly with little effort, they jumped into their roles headfirst, perfectly encapsulating each of their character’s trauma -such as Kaz Brekker’s aversion to physical touch- without making it look fake. All of the suspense from the book carried out into the scenes, and all the tension weaved into the relationships between characters was executed perfectly. Inej and Jesper’s friendship remained strong and genuine, letting me see a real-life example of my best friend and I. I saw parts of myself in Wylan’s character, because even though he was quiet, his secret talents always shone through and he was capable of so much more than he seemed on the outside. Because the Crows were not the primary focus of the Shadow and Bone TV show, and had only a quarter of screen time at best compared to the main cast,. I was hesitant at first on whether or not I would enjoy the show. However, giving it a try allowed me to see their characters in accurate costume, slang, and physical descriptions, helping me feel even more connected to these characters. Because of this experience, I have been more willing to bridge my personal gap between books and their adaptations, and have made me even more excited to see what the film industry will do with my favorite stories in the future.