I am a student, I am a friend to others, and most importantly I am a daughter and sister. I cherish my family the most in this world, I look out for them even when they don't realize it. Both of my parents are from Vietnam, so adjusting to the new surroundings was difficult for them especially speaking and reading English. As I grew up in the United States it was hard to understand my parents, including my grandma that lived with us, because they only spoke Vietnamese at home. However this was a challenge I was glad to take on, I listened and mimicked Vietnamese phrases and words so that my brain would recognize familiar terms and ways to respond. Being able to translate between languages has always been a goal of mine. This includes making sure that they fill out important documents whether they pertained to school information or making a registration online. I may not be able to express my gratitude or emotions well in Vietnamese or English but I believe that the simple act of service is worth more than words. I'm not going to talk about how I'm a straight-A student with the motivation to work hard. But I will talk about how the mistakes I've made in this world will help me grow and not hold me back with the regret I may feel. Many people resent themselves for making a minor mistake that the majority will forget the next day. Messing up on a presentation or a part of your speech are simple mistakes adults make every day in the professional world. I've always emphasized that life is never perfect, even in the world we live in. A life without mistakes is a life I'm afraid of living. We learn from our actions and things that we say, it helps us become stronger, I've made bad instinctual judgments, but who hasn't? Comparing myself to the success of others isn't going to make me better, instead acknowledging my faults and using them to prevent me or others from making the same mistakes in the future. If I am awarded this scholarship it not only lifts the burden of college expenses, but it lets me know I've reached a milestone in my life. Attending elementary, middle and high school was a requirement for me and other children. But pursuing more education after high school graduation is a significant step toward my bigger goals in life. I want to be able to problem solve in this rapidly changing world we live in and build fulfilling relationships with the people in my community. Additionally, since I want to pursue the accounting/financing route this opportunity allows me to be more vigilant about my and other's financial futures.

I have volunteered at countless different nonprofit organization within my community, all of which has made me more knowledgeable about the life around us. Volunteering at a local community garden made me appreciate and understand how the earth gives back to us. Local residents had their own assigned plant beds which volunteers helped shape and nurture for the plants, flowers, and vegetables that grew in it. I always enjoyed coming back to volunteer organizations after a little break and seeing new things that were developed or donated to make them more appealing and welcoming. I also volunteer at a Food pantry that gave donated foods, which came from the community or local supermarkets to anyone that needed it. The food pantry offered me an internship to work during the summer and assist them with preparation as well as data logging on days of service. This opportunity allowed me to understand how these organizations set up their goals for the future in order to help those unable to provide for themselves or their loved ones. In a number of ways, volunteering has changed my mindset for the greater good. It helped me develop a greater sense of empathy and compassion for others. I am exposed to many different people each time and getting to interact with them helps me understand the challenges others face that I don't usually encounter. Giving back to the people in my community makes me feel like I'm making a positive difference in the world by starting with the ones around me. Besides gaining a new understanding, volunteering helped me develop new skills and interests which can benefit my personal and professional growth. For every day that I volunteer, I'm reminded of how grateful I am to have necessities such as a home, food, water and an education. By financially earning this scholarship it'll help me cover a part of my educational expenses. As I enter College in the fall of 2023, there is going to be a burden of fees, textbooks and additional costs that my family is unable to contribute towards. Reducing this burden just a little bit can help me focus on my studies and pursue the academic goals I've set myself to achieve. Receiving this award can help me avoid taking out significant loans which will affect me greatly after graduation. Overall, a scholarship is a valuable resource given to students seeking higher education, regardless of the amount, it represents an academic achievement recognizing one's hard work and achievements.