How do you stand apart? What makes you different than every other student who applies for this scholarship? If I have heard those questions once, I have heard them a thousand times. I consider myself a stand out from 99% of the world because I have run a full marathon. Yes, that is 26.2 consecutive miles. In fact, I have completed three full marathons. While in middle school, I was part of a phenomenal running group called WeROCK (We Run Orange County Kids) where we trained for 9 months and ran 5Ks, 10Ks, half-marathons, and one full marathon each season. Being a member of this team helped me realize the power of exercise and nutrition, and how much it can impact me physically and emotionally. In my freshman year, I carried that passion for running into high school and joined the cross-country and track & field teams. Through running, I have learned the value of good nutrition. My learnings have been through both positive and negative experiences. Early in my running career, I learned that eating a heavy cheeseburger the night before an early morning run typically doesn't sit well in my gut and will result in poor performance. I have learned over the years that food is truly fuel for your mind and body, and if I want to get good performance out of my mind or body, I need to eat well and drink plenty of water. When I don't do those 2 critical things, my body feels it. It is incredible how helpful listening to your body can be. This year, I have even started monitoring my macros (protein, fats, and carbohydrates) to ensure that my body is properly balanced for my physical and mental needs. It has been empowering to learn how I can help my physical and mental state through what I consume. Throughout my athletic career, I have also learned that training and nutrition are not enough to ensure my health and well-being. I deal with the physical intensity of cross-country and track & field seasons, knowing that after practice I will need to drag myself home and hit the books. At times, it can certainly be a struggle. Sometimes the daily grind gets to me, and my mental state turns for the worse. I have been able to manage the stresses of my responsibilities through something I've begun to practice regularly: meditation. I initially looked into it as a coping mechanism, but now look at meditation as a method to reset my mental state and focus. Now, whenever I am in stressful situations, I sit down, close my eyes, and meditate. I am able to calm down, put things into better perspective, and when I'm ready, I can get back to work. I think meditation has become a vital practice to keep myself grounded as the efficient, hardworking, and unbreakable student-athlete I am now. I plan to learn more about maintaining my health and wellness through my undergraduate studies in health and kinesiology. I recently started a position as a swim instructor at my local YMCA and find it fascinating to watch the human body at work - even through the kicks and splashes of a young child. This swim instructor position has made it abundantly clear that I want to learn more about enhancing the human body's performance and ultimately work to help others achieve their physical and athletic goals.

Depression is real. While in middle school, the relentless cruelty of older kids made me want to just disappear. I remember one day confiding to my mom that I wished I was dead. Luckily, my mom took my comment seriously and started asking me more questions. Little did I know, my mom struggled with depression as well and she immediately made an appointment for me to see a therapist. I was nervous at my first meeting with Denise, the therapist. What was she going to ask me? What was she going to make me do? I was pleasantly surprised at how calm and nice she was, and how she just listened to me. I could say whatever I wanted and she didn't judge me. She helped me understand that my thoughts created my feelings, shaping my mood. She helped me realize that I was listening to the negative thoughts of those cruel kids at school and started telling myself the same things. I had to stop that cycle and start reminding myself of all the positive things in my life. Around the same time in my life, I joined a running club. I was indifferent about it at the start, didn't care about training, and didn't take it seriously. That is until one day I was forced to run at the front of the pack. I never imagined that would be how I fell in love with running, but I did. I loved the challenge of keeping a pace that made my lungs burn. I loved the feeling of leaving nothing but wind behind me. I loved pushing my limits, and from that day on, I began to take my training seriously. Months passed, miles started to add up, and when May of 2017 rolled around, I ran my first marathon. (As a 12-year-old, I ran 26.2 miles in just over 4 hours.) It was a challenge, but I managed it, and most importantly, the accomplishment gave me great confidence. I then trained for and ran 2 more marathons in the following years. In my freshman year, I carried that passion for running into high school and joined the cross-country and track & field teams. I have been on both teams throughout high school and was a cross-country team captain. All the while, I successfully maintain an intense academic course load. Through it all, I strive to give my best effort. That said, I'm not superhuman, and I cannot brute force my way through struggles and shrug them off like they were nothing. I withstand the physical intensity of both seasons, knowing after practice, I will need to drag myself home and hit the books. At times, it can certainly be a struggle. Sometimes the daily grind gets to me, and my mental state worsens. I have been able to manage the stresses of my responsibilities through something Denise introduced me to during our time together: meditation. I initially looked at meditation as a coping mechanism. But it has become so much more to me. Meditation has been a critical practice to reset my mental state and focus. Now, whenever I am in stressful situations, I sit down, close my eyes, and meditate. I calm down, can put things better into perspective, and when I'm ready, I get back to work. Meditation has become a vital practice to keep myself grounded as the efficient, hardworking, and unbreakable student-athlete I am now. Without it, I'm not sure where I would be today.

I am a hardworking, gritty, and unwavering student-athlete. At first glance, that may seem insignificant because the world is full of student-athletes who work hard. Where I differ from most student-athletes and 99.99% of the world: I have completed 3 full marathons. While in middle school, I was part of a running group called WeROCK (We Run Orange County Kids) where we trained for 9 months and ran 5Ks, 10Ks, half-marathons, and one full marathon each season. Admittedly, I was indifferent about the running program initially. That is until one day I was forced to run at the front of the pack. I never imagined that would be how I fell in love with running, but it was. I loved the challenge of keeping a pace that made my lungs burn. I loved pushing my limits. From that day on, I began to take my training seriously. Months passed, miles started to add up, and when May of 2017 rolled around, I ran my first marathon. It was a challenge, but I managed to run 26.2 miles. I then completed many 5Ks, 10Ks, half marathons, and two more marathons before entering high school. My middle school running experience made for an easy transition into high school cross-country. I have been on the team all 4 years, and I believe that running is how I, along with a few of my teammates, mentally survived the pandemic. Running was something we were allowed to do when we weren't able to do anything else. I push through each run and struggle, sometimes even reveling in my challenges. Sometimes it might not be pretty, and sometimes it might take flexibility, but I always find a way to succeed. Keeping track of it all while managing academic success has undoubtedly strengthened me physically, mentally, and spiritually. I believe that if you can help others in any way, shape, or form - do it. As a senior, I am a proud captain of my cross-country team and a competitive varsity athlete. I work to mentor others in any way I can. I help underclassmen with school and class issues, and in cross-country, I advise teammates on training, recovery, and competitions. When completing a race, I always find the time to congratulate fellow runners. It takes a unique warrior to run 40-50 miles per week, and the gentlemen who motivate me to run my fastest in each race certainly deserve praise. Running has taught me that I can tackle any challenge if I create a reasonable plan and work at it day by day. If you would have told me on the first day of sixth grade that I would run a full marathon by the end of the school year (let alone three by the end of middle school), I would have said you were crazy. But with our running program, we put our heads down and did the work, increasing our mileage little by little. That is a life lesson that I will always remember and often remind myself of when things get tough. I push through each struggle, sometimes even reveling in the challenges I face. Sometimes it might not be pretty, and sometimes it might take some adjusting of plans, but I always find a way to succeed.

Depression is real. When I started middle school, I was still a little boy who had to walk the halls with boys who looked like grown men. They may have been just eighth-grade boys, but they were incredibly intimidating and shoved me around when walking in the same hallways. Their relentless cruelty made me want to just disappear. I didn't know it at the time, but this feeling slowly turned into depression. I remember one day telling my mom that I wished I was dead. Luckily, my mom took my comment seriously and started asking me more questions. Little did I know, my mom struggled with depression as well and she immediately made an appointment for me to see a therapist. I was nervous at my first meeting with Denise, the therapist. What was she going to ask me? What was she going to make me do? I was pleasantly surprised at how calm and nice she was, and how she just listened to me. I could say whatever I wanted and she didn't judge me. She helped me understand that my thoughts created my feelings, shaping my mood. She helped me realize that I was listening to the negative thoughts of those cruel kids at school and started telling myself the same things. I had to stop that cycle and start reminding myself of all the positive things in my life. Around the same time in my life, I joined a running club. I was indifferent about it at the start, didn't care about training, and didn't take it seriously. That is until one day I was forced to run at the front of the pack. I never imagined that would be how I fell in love with running, but I did. I loved the challenge of keeping a pace that made my lungs burn. I loved the feeling of leaving nothing but wind behind me. I loved pushing my limits, and from that day on, I began to take my training seriously. Months passed, miles started to add up, and when May of 2017 rolled around, I ran my first marathon. It was a challenge, but I managed it, and most importantly, the accomplishment gave me great confidence. Throughout my high school career, I continued that passion for running on the cross-country and track & field teams while maintaining an intense academic course load. Through it all, I strive to give my best effort. That said, I'm not superhuman, and I cannot brute force my way through struggles and shrug them off like they were nothing. I withstand the physical intensity of both seasons, knowing after practice, I will need to drag myself home and hit the books. At times, it can certainly be a struggle. Sometimes the daily grind gets to me, and my mental state turns for the worse. I have been able to manage the stresses of my responsibilities through something Denise introduced me to during our time together: meditation. I initially looked at meditation as a coping mechanism. But it really has become so much more to me. Meditation has been a critical practice to reset my mental state and focus. Now, whenever I am in stressful situations, I sit down, close my eyes, and meditate. I calm down, can put things better into perspective, and when I'm ready, I get back to work. I think meditation has become a vital practice to keep myself grounded as the efficient, hardworking, and unbreakable student-athlete I am now. Without it, I'm not sure where I would be today.

I am a hardworking, gritty, and unwavering student-athlete. At first glance, that may seem insignificant because the world is full of student-athletes who work hard. Where I differ from most student-athletes and 99% of the world: I have completed 3 full marathons. In fact, over the past 7 years, I have run the equivalent mileage of Los Angeles to Washington, D.C. three times! While in middle school, I was part of a phenomenal running group called WeROCK (We Run Orange County Kids) where we trained for 9 months and ran 5Ks, 10Ks, half-marathons, and one full marathon each season. Being a member of this team helped me realize the power of exercise and how much it can impact me physically and emotionally. In my freshman year, I carried that passion for running into high school and joined the cross-country and track & field teams. I have been on the teams throughout high school and served as captain of the cross-country team this year. All the while, I successfully maintain an intense academic course load. Through it all, I strive to give my best effort. That said, I'm not superhuman, and I cannot brute force my way through struggles and shrug them off like they were nothing. I deal with the physical intensity of Cross Country seasons, knowing after practice, I will need to drag myself home and hit the books. At times, it can certainly be a struggle. Sometimes the daily grind gets to me, and my mental state turns for the worse. I have been able to manage the stresses of my responsibilities through something I've begun to practice regularly: meditation. I initially looked into it as a coping mechanism, but now look at meditation as a method to reset my mental state and focus. Now, whenever I am in stressful situations, I sit down, close my eyes, and meditate. I am able to calm down, put things into better perspective, and when I'm ready, I can get back to work. I think meditation has become a vital practice to keep myself grounded as the efficient, hardworking, and unbreakable student-athlete I am now. Through running, I have also learned the value of good nutrition. My learnings have been through both positive and negative experiences. Early on in my running career, I learned that eating a heavy cheeseburger the night before an early morning run typically doesn't sit well in my gut. I have learned over the years that food is truly fuel for your mind and body, and if I want to get good performance out of mind or body, I need to eat well and drink plenty of water. When I don't do those 2 critical things, my body feels it. It is amazing how helpful listening to your body can be. This year, I have even started monitoring my macros (protein, fats, and carbohydrates) to ensure that my body is in proper balance for my physical and mental needs. Learning how I can help my physical and mental state through what I consume has been empowering. I plan to learn more about maintaining my mental and physical wellness through my undergraduate studies in health and kinesiology. I recently started a position as a swim instructor at my local YMCA and find it fascinating to watch the human body at work - even through the kicks and splashes of a young child. This swim instructor position has made it abundantly clear that I want to learn more about enhancing the human body's performance and ultimately work to help others achieve their physical and athletic goals.

I am a hardworking, gritty, and unwavering student-athlete. At first glance, that may seem insignificant because the world is full of student-athletes who work hard. Where I differ from most student-athletes and 99% of the world: I have completed 3 full marathons. While in middle school, I was part of a phenomenal running group called WeROCK (We Run Orange County Kids) where we trained for 9 months and ran 5Ks, 10Ks, half-marathons, and one full marathon each season. Being a member of this team helped me realize the power of exercise and how much it can impact me physically and emotionally. My freshman year, I carried that passion for running into high school and joined the cross-country team. I have been on the team all 4 years and am currently a team captain. All the while, I successfully maintain an intense academic course load. Through it all, I strive to give my best effort. That said, I'm not superhuman, and I cannot brute force my way through struggles and shrug them off like they were nothing. I deal with the physical intensity of Cross Country seasons, knowing after practice, I will need to drag myself home and hit the books. At times, it can certainly be a struggle. Sometimes the daily grind gets to with me, and my mental state turns for the worse. I have been able to manage the stresses of my responsibilities through something I've begun to practice regularly: meditation. I initially looked into it as a coping mechanism, but now look at meditation as a method to reset my mental state and focus. Now, whenever I am in stressful situations, I sit down, close my eyes, and meditate. I am able to calm down, put things into better perspective, and when I'm ready, I can get back to work. I think meditation has become a vital practice to keep myself grounded as the efficient, hardworking, and unbreakable student-athlete I am now. Through running, I have also learned the value of good nutrition. My learnings have been through both positive and negative experiences. Early on in my running career, I learned that eating a heavy cheeseburger the night before an early morning run typically doesn't sit well in my gut. I have learned over the years that food is truly fuel for your mind and body, and if I want to get good performance out of mind or body, I need to eat well and drink plenty of water. When I don't do those 2 critical things, my body feels it. It is amazing how helpful listening to your body can be. This year, I have even started monitoring my macros (protein, fats, and carbohydrates) to ensure that my body is in proper balance for my physical and mental needs. It has been empowering to learn how I can help my physical and mental state through what I eat. I am hopeful that I will continue to learn more about maintaining my mental and physical wellness through my undergraduate studies in health and kinesiology.

There are so many beautiful things I am grateful for: a loving family, good health, a friendly and safe neighborhood, and awesome friends. Of course, there are always things I would like to see change. I feel blessed that I live in a giving community that inspires me to do and be my best on a daily basis. Community engagement and volunteering is something important to me due to an idea that has been deeply rooted in my core. The idea is that if I can help others then I must do everything in my power to do so. A personal experience volunteering is a blood drive for a blood donation center that I helped set up through my school. Throughout the pandemic, I felt like I wanted to do something to help the front-line workers that were sacrificing so much for others. A family friend was an ICU nurse and she told me about how low their hospital's blood supply was. She shared with me a terrifying story about Code Crimson being announced over the intercom at her hospital. She explained that Code Crimson is when a mother is losing blood during childbirth. Hearing about such a wonderful, miraculous moment potentially turning to tragedy motivated me to do something to ensure that a newborn baby never lost her/his mother. I got in contact with my local blood donation center at Saddleback Memorial Hospital and asked if I could organize a blood drive targeting my school and neighborhood. The donation center was thrilled by the idea and we determine that a month-long blood drive would be the best way to go about it. I created a website for the blood drive, met with my high school principal and ASB members, and posted advertisements around my school. I informed students and parents where and how they could donate as well as the incentives they would receive from donating including movie tickets or Amazon Gift Cards. By the end of the month of May, we had over 50 donors, some of whom continue to donate on a regular basis. While I was hoping to get even more donations, I realized how many people are afraid of needles and giving blood through this blood drive. And that is ok. We were able to get over 50 bags of blood and those donations were life-saving. Our second annual blood drive has been going on this month (February 2023) and I am proud to say we have doubled our donations. Even though I will be graduating this year, I am excited for the 3 students currently in ninth, tenth, and eleventh grades who will continue this blood drive in the years to come. I am proud of the legacy I have built at my high school and in my community and look forward to more similar opportunities in college.

I am a hardworking, gritty, and unwavering student-athlete. At first glance, that may seem insignificant because the world is full of student-athletes who work hard. Where I differ from most student-athletes and 99% of the world: I have completed 3 full marathons. While in middle school, I was part of a phenomenal running group called WeROCK (We Run Orange County Kids) where we trained for 9 months and ran 5Ks, 10Ks, half-marathons, and one full marathon each season. Being a member of this team helped me realize the power of exercise and how much it can impact me physically and emotionally. In my freshman year, I carried that passion for running into high school and joined the cross-country team. I have been on the team all 4 years and am currently a team captain. All the while, I successfully maintain an intense academic course load. Through it all, I strive to give my best effort. That said, I'm not superhuman, and I cannot brute force my way through struggles and shrug them off like they were nothing. I deal with the physical intensity of Cross Country seasons, knowing after practice, I will need to drag myself home and hit the books. At times, it can certainly be a struggle. Sometimes the daily grind gets to me, and my mental state turns for the worse. I have been able to manage the stresses of my responsibilities through something I've begun to practice regularly: meditation. I initially looked into it as a coping mechanism, but now look at meditation as a method to reset my mental state and focus. Now, whenever I am in stressful situations, I sit down, close my eyes, and meditate. I am able to calm down, put things into better perspective, and when I'm ready, I can get back to work. I think meditation has become a vital practice to keep myself grounded as the efficient, hardworking, and unbreakable student-athlete I am now. Through running, I have also learned the value of good nutrition. My learnings have been through both positive and negative experiences. Early on in my running career, I learned that eating a heavy cheeseburger the night before an early morning run typically doesn't sit well in my gut. I have learned over the years that food is truly fuel for your mind and body, and if I want to get good performance out of mind or body, I need to eat well and drink plenty of water. When I don't do those 2 critical things, my body feels it. It is incredible how helpful listening to your body can be. This year, I have even started monitoring my macros (protein, fats, and carbohydrates) to ensure that my body is in proper balance for my physical and mental needs. It has been empowering to learn how I can help my physical and mental state through what I consume. I plan to learn more about maintaining my mental and physical wellness through my undergraduate studies in health and kinesiology. I recently started a position as a swim instructor at my local YMCA and find it fascinating to watch the human body at work - even through the kicks and splashes of a young child. This swim instructor position has made it abundantly clear to me that I want to learn more about how to enhance the human body's performance and ultimately work to help others achieve their physical and athletic goals.

I am a hardworking, gritty, and unwavering student-athlete. At first glance, that may seem insignificant because the world is full of student-athletes who work hard. Where I differ from most student-athletes and 99% of the world: I have completed 3 full marathons. While in middle school, I was part of a phenomenal running group called WeROCK (We Run Orange County Kids) where we trained for 9 months and ran 5Ks, 10Ks, half-marathons, and one full marathon each season. Being a member of this team helped me realize the power of exercise and how much it can impact me physically and emotionally. In my freshman year, I carried that passion for running into high school and joined the cross-country team. I have been on the team all 4 years and am currently a team captain. All the while, I successfully maintain an intense academic course load. Through it all, I strive to give my best effort. That said, I'm not superhuman, and I cannot brute force my way through struggles and shrug them off like they were nothing. I deal with the physical intensity of Cross Country seasons, knowing after practice, I will need to drag myself home and hit the books. At times, it can certainly be a struggle. Sometimes the daily grind gets to me, and my mental state turns for the worse. I have been able to manage the stresses of my responsibilities through something I've begun to practice regularly: meditation. I initially looked into it as a coping mechanism, but now look at meditation as a method to reset my mental state and focus. Now, whenever I am in stressful situations, I sit down, close my eyes, and meditate. I am able to calm down, put things into better perspective, and when I'm ready, I can get back to work. I think meditation has become a vital practice to keep myself grounded as the efficient, hardworking, and unbreakable student-athlete I am now. Through running, I have also learned the value of good nutrition. My learnings have been through both positive and negative experiences. Early on in my running career, I learned that eating a heavy cheeseburger the night before an early morning run typically doesn't sit well in my gut. I have learned over the years that food is truly fuel for your mind and body, and if I want to get good performance out of mind or body, I need to eat well and drink plenty of water. When I don't do those 2 critical things, my body feels it. It is incredible how helpful listening to your body can be. This year, I have even started monitoring my macros (protein, fats, and carbohydrates) to ensure that my body is in proper balance for my physical and mental needs. It has been empowering to learn how I can help my physical and mental state through what I consume. I plan to learn more about maintaining my mental and physical wellness through my undergraduate studies in health and kinesiology. I recently started a position as a swim instructor at my local YMCA and find it fascinating to watch the human body at work - even through the kicks and splashes of a young child. This swim instructor position has made it abundantly clear to me that I want to learn more about how to enhance the human body's performance and ultimately work to help others achieve their physical and athletic goals.

There are so many beautiful things I am grateful for: a loving family, good health, a friendly and safe neighborhood, and awesome friends. Of course, there are always things I would like to see change. I feel blessed that I live in a giving community that inspires me to do and be my best on a daily basis. Community engagement and volunteering is something important to me due to an idea that has been deeply rooted in my core. The idea is that if I can help others then I must do everything in my power to do so. A personal experience volunteering is a blood drive for a blood donation center that I helped set up through my school. Throughout the pandemic, I felt like I wanted to do something to help the front-line workers that were sacrificing so much for others. A family friend was an ICU nurse and she told me about how low their hospital's blood supply was. She shared with me a terrifying story about Code Crimson being announced over the intercom at her hospital. She explained that Code Crimson is when a mother is losing blood during childbirth. Hearing about such a wonderful, miraculous moment potentially turning to tragedy motivated me to do something to ensure that a newborn baby never lost her/his mother. I got in contact with my local blood donation center at Saddleback Memorial Hospital and asked if I could organize a blood drive targeting my school and neighborhood. The donation center was thrilled by the idea and we determine that a month-long blood drive would be the best way to go about it. I created a website for the blood drive, met with my high school principal and ASB members, and posted advertisements around my school. I informed students and parents where and how they could donate as well as the incentives they would receive from donating including movie tickets or Amazon Gift Cards. By the end of the month of May, we had over 50 donors, some of whom continue to donate on a regular basis. While I was hoping to get even more donations, I realized how many people are afraid of needles and giving blood through this blood drive. And that is ok. We were able to get over 50 bags of blood and those donations were life-saving. Our second annual blood drive is going on right now (February 2023) and I am looking forward to recruiting more donations and building our local blood supply to ensure hospitals have what they need to save lives. Even though I will be studying in college moving forward, I have enlisted a few students in the ninth, tenth, and eleventh grades to continue this blood drive in the future. While this high school blood drive will be my legacy in my hometown, I hope to organize blood drives in my college community as well.

There are so many beautiful things I am grateful for: a loving family, good health, a friendly and safe neighborhood, and awesome friends. Of course, there are always things I would like to see change. I feel blessed that I live in a giving community that inspires me to do and be my best on a daily basis. Community engagement and volunteering is something important to me due to an idea that has been deeply rooted in my core. The idea is that if I can help others then I must do everything in my power to do so. A personal experience volunteering is a blood drive for a blood donation center that I helped set up through my school. Throughout the pandemic, I felt like I wanted to do something to help the front-line workers that were sacrificing so much for others. A family friend was an ICU nurse and she told me about how low their hospital's blood supply was. She shared with me a terrifying story about Code Crimson being announced over the intercom at her hospital. She explained that Code Crimson is when a mother is losing blood during childbirth. Hearing about such a wonderful, miraculous moment potentially turning to tragedy motivated me to do something to ensure that a newborn baby never lost her/his mother. I got in contact with my local blood donation center at Saddleback Memorial Hospital and asked if I could organize a blood drive targeting my school and neighborhood. The donation center was thrilled by the idea and we determine that a month-long blood drive would be the best way to go about it. I created a website for the blood drive, met with my high school principal and ASB members, and posted advertisements around my school. I informed students and parents where and how they could donate as well as the incentives they would receive from donating including movie tickets or Amazon Gift Cards. By the end of the month of May, we had over 50 donors, some of which continue to donate on a regular basis. While I was hoping to get even more donations, I realized through this blood drive just how many people are afraid of needles and giving blood. And that is ok. We were able to get over 50 bags of blood and those donations were life-saving. Our second annual blood drive will be held in February 2023 and I am looking forward to recruiting more donations and building our local blood supply to ensure hospitals have what they need to save lives.

As it is for many, middle school was a challenging time for me. When I first started middle school, I was still a little boy who had to walk the halls with boys who looked like grown men. they may have been just eighth-grade boys, but they were incredibly intimidating and shoved me around when walking in the same hallways. Their relentless cruelty made me want to just disappear. I didn't know it at the time, but this feeling slowly turned into depression. I remember one day telling my mom that I wished I was dead. Luckily, my mom took my comment seriously and started asking me more questions. Little did I know, that my mom struggled with depression as well and she immediately made an appointment for me to see a therapist. While I was a little apprehensive to sit and talk to someone about my feelings, my mom told me to just give it a try. I was very nervous at my first meeting with Denise, the therapist. What was she going to ask me? What was she going to make me do? I was pleasantly surprised at how calm and nice she was, and how she just listened to me. I could say whatever I wanted and she didn't judge me. She helped me understand that my thoughts created my feelings which then shaped my mood. I realized that I was listening to the negative thoughts of those cruel kids at school and started telling myself the same things. I had to stop that cycle and start reminding myself of all the positive things in my life. Around the same time in my life, I joined a running club. I was indifferent about it at the start, didn't care about training, and didn't take it seriously. That is until one day I was forced to run at the front of the pack. I never imagined that would be how I fell in love with running, but I did. I loved the challenge of keeping a pace that made my lungs burn. I loved the feeling of leaving nothing but wind behind me. I loved pushing my limits, and from that day on, I began to take my training seriously. Months passed, miles started to add up, and when May of 2017 rolled around, I ran my first marathon. It was a challenge, but I managed it, and most importantly, the accomplishment gave me great confidence. Thanks to Denise, I was also introduced to meditation. I initially looked at meditation as a coping mechanism. But it has become so much more to me. Meditation has been a critical practice to reset my mental state and focus. Now, whenever I am in stressful situations, I sit down, close my eyes, and meditate. I calm down, can put things better into perspective, and when I'm ready, I get back to work. I think meditation has become a vital practice to keep myself grounded as the efficient, hardworking, and unbreakable student-athlete I am now. Without it, I'm not sure where I would be today.

There are so many beautiful things I am grateful for: a loving family, good health, a friendly and safe neighborhood, and awesome friends. Of course, there are always things I would like to see change. I feel blessed that I live in a giving community that inspires me to do and be my best on a daily basis. Community engagement and volunteering is something important to me due to an idea that has been deeply rooted in my core. The idea is that if I can help others then I must do everything in my power to do so. A personal experience volunteering is a blood drive for a blood donation center that I helped set up through my school. Throughout the pandemic, I felt like I wanted to do something to help the front-line workers that were sacrificing so much for others. A family friend was an ICU nurse and she told me about how low their hospital's blood supply was. She shared with me a terrifying story about Code Crimson being announced over the intercom at her hospital. She explained that Code Crimson is when a mother is losing blood during childbirth. Hearing about such a wonderful, miraculous moment potentially turning to tragedy motivated me to do something to ensure that a newborn baby never lost her/his mother. I got in contact with my local blood donation center at Saddleback Memorial Hospital and asked if I could organize a blood drive targeting my school and neighborhood. The donation center was thrilled by the idea and we determine that a month-long blood drive would be the best way to go about it. I created a website for the blood drive, met with my high school principal and ASB members, and posted advertisements around my school. I informed students and parents where and how they could donate as well as the incentives they would receive from donating including movie tickets or Amazon Gift Cards. By the end of the month of May, we had over 50 donors, some of which continue to donate on a regular basis. While I was hoping to get even more donations, I realized through this blood drive just how many people are afraid of needles and giving blood. And that is ok. We were able to get over 50 bags of blood and those donations were life-saving. Our second annual blood drive will be held in February 2023 and I am looking forward to recruiting more donations and building our local blood supply to ensure hospitals have what they need to save lives.

My parents wanted me to be physically active as I was growing up. Soccer, t-ball, wrestling, swimming, and basketball: I tried them all. Unfortunately, I never felt very passionate about any of these sports, and not surprisingly, didn't excel at them. In sixth grade, my parents encouraged me to try running. Admittedly I was indifferent about it at the start, didn't care about training, and didn't take it seriously. That is until one day I was forced to run at the front of the pack. I never imagined that would be how I fell in love with running, but I did. I loved the challenge of keeping a pace that made my lungs burn. I loved the feeling of leaving nothing but wind behind me. I loved pushing my limits, and from that day on, I began to take my training seriously. Months passed, miles started to add up, and when May of 2017 rolled around, I ran my first marathon. It was a challenge, but I managed it. I began training for my next marathon right after. I thought it would be fine, but my second marathon was one of, if not the most challenging thing I have faced in my life. The start of the race was no issue, it was a little rainy, but nine miles passed like nothing. I was running and listening to music, but things descended toward hellish torture quickly. What started as a slight discomfort in my feet led to agonizing pain by mile ten. I stopped briefly and discovered I had identical blisters on both feet. It was concerning, but I thought I could push through. I was so wrong. By mile twelve, stomach issues forced a stop at a porta-potty. I couldn't believe it when things got worse. My blisters slowed me to a hobble, and my stomach forced an off-course stop to use the restroom at mile thirteen. My body had become nothing more than a husk by mile fifteen. The pain was unbearable, and my body was failing. I knew there was no reason for me to keep going. I knew I could drop out of the race and take a loss because it didn't seem there was any way I would make it to the end. My mind warred between ideas of quitting and knowing I didn't want to give up. Somehow, I kept moving. My mom supported me from the sidewalks, cheering and telling me to keep going and not give up, and deep down, I knew she was right. I knew that if I quit, I would regret it for the rest of my life. I felt a sense of responsibility to myself and my coaches to finish this race. So, I dug in. I dug arguably the deepest I've ever had to and kept moving. Every few steps, pain jolted through my body, but I kept moving. Miles passed like an eternity, but I finally finished my second marathon through grit and determination. The following year I completed another marathon without issue. I have continued running ever since and now compete with the Cross Country and Distance Track teams. Through my marathons and subsequent years of experience, running triggered the self-realization of the kind of person I am. I thrive on hard work, knowing I can finish anything I start. I have ironclad willpower, undying perseverance, and a colossal work ethic. Thanks to running, I am prepared for the challenges and opportunities that lay ahead of me.

I am a hardworking, gritty, and unwavering student-athlete. At first glance, that may seem insignificant because the world is full of student-athletes who work hard. Where I differ from most student-athletes and 99% of the world: I have completed 3 full marathons. While in middle school, I was part of a phenomenal running group called WeROCK (We Run Orange County Kids) where we trained for 9 months and ran 5Ks, 10Ks, half-marathons and one full marathon each season. Being a member of this team helped me realize the power of exercise and how much it can impact me physically and emotionally. In my freshman year, I carried that passion for running into high school and joined the cross-country team. I have been on the team all 4 years and am currently a team captain. All the while, I successfully maintain an intense academic course load. Through it all, I strive to give my best effort. As a result of my passion for running and exercise in general, I plan to study Integrative Physiology and Kinesiology to further my knowledge and expertise of the human body and how it performs. The topic of science is something that excites every fiber of my being. If there’s something observable in the world, science always plays into it. Whether it be the clouds in the sky, states of matter, or human beings, all are covered and explained by the cosmic-sized blanket that is science. Despite their range of difficulties, I enjoyed the struggle of each new science class. I worked hard to succeed in physics and was eager to learn the concepts and elements of chemistry, but I always had the most fun learning about biology. Beyond science class, I have been able to serve two internships, one in a chiropractic office and one in a PT facility. These experiences and my current Sports Med course have solidified my love of science and desire to study human biology. My interest in science was piqued when I needed physical therapy due to an injury. Going to PT is, without a doubt, why I am pursuing further studies in the physical sciences. Becoming kinesthetically aware of how my injury would benefit from particular treatment and exercise was fascinating. I look forward to taking my first kinesiology course to start building my knowledge of the science of the human body and its functions. My love of science transcends the classroom, and I know my future lies in the field of physical science. And the path to reach that future will be achieved by studying Integrative Physiology and Kinesiology.

I am a hardworking, gritty, and unwavering student-athlete. At first glance, that may seem insignificant because the world is full of student-athletes who work hard. Where I differ from most student-athletes and 99% of the world: I have completed 3 full marathons. While in middle school, I was part of a running group called WeROCK (We Run Orange County Kids) where we trained for 9 months and ran 5Ks, 10Ks, half-marathons and one full marathon each season. Admittedly I was indifferent about the running program at the start. That is until one day I was forced to run at the front of the pack. I never imagined that would be how I fell in love with running, but I did. I loved the challenge of keeping a pace that made my lungs burn. I loved pushing my limits, and from that day on, I began to take my training seriously. Months passed, miles started to add up, and when May of 2017 rolled around, I ran my first marathon. It was a challenge, but I managed it. I began training for my next marathon right after. I thought it would be fine, but my second marathon was one the most challenging things I have faced in my life. The start of the race was no issue, and nine miles passed like nothing. I was running and listening to music, but things descended toward hellish torture quickly. What started as a slight discomfort in my feet led to agonizing pain by mile ten. I stopped briefly and discovered I had identical blisters on both feet. It was concerning but knew I could push through. By mile twelve, stomach issues forced a stop at a porta-potty. I couldn't believe it when things got worse. My blisters slowed me to a hobble, and my stomach forced an off-course stop to use the restroom at mile thirteen. My body had become nothing more than a husk by mile fifteen. The pain was unbearable, and my body was failing. I knew I could drop out of the race and take a loss because it didn't seem there was any way I would make it to the end. My mind warred between ideas of quitting and knowing I didn't want to give up. Somehow, I kept moving. My mom supported me from the sidewalks, cheering and telling me to keep going and not give up. Deep down, I knew she was right. I knew that if I quit, I would regret it. I felt a sense of responsibility to myself and my coaches to finish. So, I dug in arguably the deepest I've ever had to and kept moving. Every few steps, pain jolted through my body, but I kept moving. Miles passed like an eternity, but I finally finished my second marathon through grit and determination. From this experience and four years of running cross-country in high school, I feel it is important to mentor less-experienced teammates. I remember what it was like to be the new kid. I feel a responsibility to help underclassmen with school and class issues; while in cross-country, I advise on training, recovery, and competitions. Last year I decided to take my giving back up a notch. Knowing that hospitals were/are in desperate need of blood donations because of the pandemic, l organized a blood drive at a local hospital. Over the one-month course of the blood drive, we received more than fifty donors, and all blood donated I know will be put to good use to help my community. I plan to organize another blood drive in February, too.

I am pursuing a college degree because I want to study Physical Sciences/Integrative Physiology. The topic of science is something that excites every fiber of my being. If there’s something observable in the world, science always plays into it. Whether it be the clouds in the sky, the states of matter and human beings are all covered and explained by the cosmic-sized blanket that is science. And that’s why I’ve loved learning all the different components of science throughout high school; because there is always an explanation. Going through all my high school science courses was fun for me to learn. Despite their ranging difficulties, I was able to struggle through and learn physics, I was eager to learn elements of places in our world in chemistry, and by far had the most fun learning about biology. Even outside of class, physical science impacted my life when I got injured during my track season and had to go see a PT. Going into PT was without a doubt the reason why I am pursuing further studies in physical sciences and a future major in kinesiology. Going through a kinesiology course would be perfect for me as I get to further my knowledge of the human body and help my goal of opening a PT office of my own. I’m honestly surprised the idea hadn’t come to me sooner when it involves some of my favorite things; that being physical activity, science, and helping others. This interest in PT, Biology, and Kinesiology is carrying on into my senior year as I have taken two different internships, one being a chiropractic internship, and the other being an internship at a PT office, and I am currently in a Sports Medicine class in my senior year. This class has been eye-opening to me when it comes to other aspects of a career in sports medicine - the privacy rights created by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 being one of them. It’s difficult for me to stop thinking about the muscles and physical functions of the human body being a cross-country runner and gym-goer. I’m always trying to feel what kind of muscles and what kind of sensations I feel during every action my brain feeds to the nerves in my muscles. I am certain that I am addicted to the subject, and nothing would make me happier than to land in a line of work that relates to human biology.

It's a fact: middle school is rough. When I first started middle school, I was still a little boy who walked the halls with boys who looked like grown men. They may have been just eighth grade boys, but they were incredibly intimidating and shoved me around. Their relentless cruelty made me want to disappear. I didn't know it at the time, but this feeling slowly turned into depression. I remember on a Saturday telling my mom that I wished I was dead. Luckily, my mom took my comment seriously and started asking me more questions. Little did I know, she struggled with depression as well and immediately made an appointment for me to see a therapist. While I was very apprehensive to sit and talk to someone about my feelings, my mom told me to just give it a try. I was very nervous at my first meeting with Denise, the therapist. What was she going to ask me? What was she going to make me do? I was pleasantly surprised at how calm and nice she was. How she just listened to me. I could say whatever I wanted and she didn't judge me. She helped me understand my thoughts created my feelings which then shaped my mood. I realized I was listening to the negative thoughts of those cruel kids at school and started telling myself the same things. I had to stop that cycle and start reminding myself of all the positive things in my life. Around the same time, I joined a running club at school. I was indifferent about it initially, didn't care about training, and didn't take it seriously. That is until the day I was forced to run at the front of the pack. I never imagined that would be how I fell in love with running, but I did. I loved the challenge of keeping a pace that made my lungs burn. I loved the feeling of leaving nothing but wind behind me. I loved pushing my limits, and from that day on, I began to take my training seriously. Months passed, miles started to add up, and when May of 2017 rolled around, I ran my first marathon. It was a challenge, but I finished. Most importantly, running gave me confidence and stress relief. Thanks to Denise, I was also introduced to meditation. I initially looked at meditation as a coping mechanism. But it really has become so much more to me. Meditation has been a critical practice to reset my mental state and focus. Now, whenever I am in stressful situations, I sit down, close my eyes, and meditate. I calm down, can put things better into perspective, and when I'm ready, I get back to work. I think meditation has become a vital practice to keep me grounded as the efficient, hardworking, and unbreakable student-athlete I am now. I see many people struggling with mental health issues around me, especially since the COVID-19 pandemic. I also know there are so many more people struggling with mental health issues that hide it well. Since I don't know what issues people might be struggling with, I try to be kind to everyone I meet. I think back to those cruel eighth grade boys and want to be the opposite of what they were: welcoming, kind, and accepting. Treating others this way has helped me establish great relationships with friends and teammates. I believe treating people with kindness, regular exercise, and my meditation practice will serve me well when I embark on my college journey next fall.

I am a hardworking, gritty, and unwavering student-athlete. At first glance, that may seem insignificant because the world is full of student-athletes who work hard. Where I differ from most student athletes and 99% of the world: I have completed 3 full marathons. While in middle school, I was part of a phenomenal running group called WeROCK (We Run Orange County Kids) where we trained for 9 months and ran 5Ks, 10Ks, half-marathons and one full marathon each season. Being a member of this team helped me realize the power of exercise and how much it can impact me physically and emotionally. I carried that passion for running into high school and joined the cross country team my freshman year. I have been on the team all 4 years and I am currently a captain of our team. All the while, I successfully maintain an intense academic course load. Through it all, I strive to give my best effort. That said, I'm not superhuman, and I cannot brute force my way through struggles and shrug them off like they were nothing. I deal with the physical intensity of Cross Country seasons, knowing after practice, I will need to drag myself home and hit the books. At times, it can certainly be a struggle. Sometimes the daily grind does get to with me, and my mental state takes a turn for the worse. I have been able to manage the stresses of my responsibilities through something I've begun to practice regularly: meditation. I initially looked into it as a coping mechanism, but have now look at meditation as a method to reset my mental state and focus. Now, whenever I am in stressful situations, I sit down, close my eyes, and meditate. I am able to calm down, put things into better perspective, and when I'm ready, I can get back to work. I think meditation has become a vital practice to keep myself grounded as the efficient, hardworking, and unbreakable student-athlete I am now. Through running, I have also learned the value of good nutrition. My learnings have been through both positive and negative experiences. Early on in my running career, I learned that eating a heavy cheeseburger the night before an early morning run typically doesn't sit well in my gut. I have learned over the years that food is truly a fuel for your mind and body, and if I want to get good performance out of mind or body, I need to eat well and drink plenty of water. When I don't do those 2 critical things, my body feels it. It is amazing how helpful listening to your body can be. This year, I have even started monitoring my macros (protein, fats, and carbohydrates) to ensure that my body is in proper balance for my physical and mental needs. It has been empowering to learn how I can help my physical and mental state through what I eat. My own journey with exercise and nutrition has inspired me to help others in these areas. I am hopeful that I will continue to learn more about maintaining my mental and physical wellness through my undergraduate studies in health and kinesiology. I look forward to helping athletes and even non-athletes physically perform and feel their best.

I am a hardworking, gritty, and unwavering student-athlete. At first glance, that may seem insignificant because the world is full of student-athletes who work hard. Where I differ from most student athletes and 99% of the world: I have completed 3 full marathons. While in middle school, I was part of a phenomenal running group called WeROCK (We Run Orange County Kids) where we trained for 9 months and ran 5Ks, 10Ks, half-marathons and one full marathon each season. Being a member of this team helped me realize the power of exercise and how much it can impact me physically and emotionally. I carried that passion for running into high school and joined the cross country team my freshman year. I have been on the team all 4 years and I am currently a captain of our team. All the while, I successfully maintain an intense academic course load. Through it all, I strive to give my best effort. That said, I'm not superhuman, and I cannot brute force my way through struggles and shrug them off like they were nothing. I deal with the physical intensity of Cross Country seasons, knowing after practice, I will need to drag myself home and hit the books. At times, it can certainly be a struggle. Sometimes the daily grind does get to with me, and my mental state takes a turn for the worse. I have been able to manage the stresses of my responsibilities through something I've begun to practice regularly: meditation. I initially looked into it as a coping mechanism, but have now look at meditation as a method to reset my mental state and focus. Now, whenever I am in stressful situations, I sit down, close my eyes, and meditate. I am able to calm down, put things into better perspective, and when I'm ready, I can get back to work. I think meditation has become a vital practice to keep myself grounded as the efficient, hardworking, and unbreakable student-athlete I am now. Through running, I have also learned the value of good nutrition. My learnings have been through both positive and negative experiences. Early on in my running career, I learned that eating a heavy cheeseburger the night before an early morning run typically doesn't sit well in my gut. I have learned over the years that food is truly a fuel for your mind and body, and if I want to get good performance out of mind or body, I need to eat well and drink plenty of water. When I don't do those 2 critical things, my body feels it. It is amazing how helpful listening to your body can be. This year, I have even started monitoring my macros (protein, fats, and carbohydrates) to ensure that my body is in proper balance for my physical and mental needs. It has been empowering to learn how I can help my physical and mental state through what I eat. I am hopeful that I will continue to learn more about maintaining my mental and physical wellness through my undergraduate studies in health and kinesiology.

To give some background on what I am like, I’d like to state that I believe in promoting positive change and being a problem solver. Like many students, I am no stranger to struggle, and I think it is vital as it makes us stronger human beings. Primarily due to the rigor of the courses I’ve taken throughout high school, I’ve experienced a lot of stress and had to find ways to manage my workload. Each day I have to manage my time in meaningful ways so I can successfully juggle my class schedule, study needs, and homework and still try to have time for non-academic activities. Beyond academic time management, I also have athletic responsibilities. When I was in middle school, I joined a running team which helped me find the ultimate stress relief. I loved the challenge of keeping a pace that made my lungs burn. I loved the feeling of leaving nothing but wind behind me. I loved pushing my limits, and from that day on, I began to take my training seriously. Months passed, miles started to add up, and when May of 2017 rolled around, I ran my first marathon. It was a challenge, but I managed it. I then completed many 5Ks, 10Ks, half marathons and 2 more marathons before entering high school. Being a part of my middle school running team made for an easy transition into high school cross country. I have been on the team all 4 years, and I believe that running is how I, along with a few of my teammates, made it through the pandemic. Running was something we were still able to do when we weren't able to do anything else. As a senior, I am a proud captain of my Cross Country team and a competitive varsity athlete. I push through each struggle, sometimes even reveling in the challenges I face. Sometimes it might not be pretty, and sometimes it might take some adjusting of plans, but I always find a way to succeed. Keeping track of it all while managing academic success has undoubtedly strengthened me, and my experience with planning and managing stress have made me an excellent problem-solver. I also believe that if you can help others in any way, shape, or form- do it. As a senior in high school and a veteran captain of my team, I work to mentor others in any way I can. I help underclassmen with school and class issues, and in Cross Country, I advise new members on training, recovery, and competitions. My help reaches further than just captaining. Last year I was approached by a local hospital with the opportunity to start up my blood drive; I was given the ability to reach out and help my community. I was able to help those in physical need of blood and the hospitals that needed help recovering from COVID, which ravaged their resources. So with the help of the volunteers at the blood center and my mother, we set up a blood drive. Over the one-month course of the blood drive, we received more than fifty donors, and all blood donated I know will be put to good use to help my community. All of my experiences have shaped my desire to study kinesiology and help others with their training in the future.

I am pursuing a college degree because I want to study Physical Sciences/Integrative Physiology. The topic of science is something that excites every fiber of my being. If there’s something observable in the world, science always plays into it. Whether it be the clouds in the sky, the states of matter, and human beings are all covered and explained by the cosmic-sized blanket that is science. And that’s why I’ve loved learning all the different components of science throughout high school; because there is always an explanation. Going through all my high school science courses was fun for me to learn. Despite their ranging difficulties, I was able to struggle through and learn physics, I was eager to learn elements of places in our world in chemistry, and by far had the most fun learning about biology. Even outside of class, physical science impacted my life when I got injured during my track season and had to go see a PT. Going into PT was without a doubt the reason why I am pursuing further studies in physical sciences and a future major in kinesiology. Going through a kinesiology course would be perfect for me as I get to further my knowledge on the human body and help my goal of opening a PT office of my own. I’m honestly surprised the idea hadn’t come to me sooner when it involves some of my favorite things; that being physical activity, science, and helping others. This interest in PT, Biology, and Kinesiology is carrying on into my senior year as I have taken two different internships, one being a chiropractic internship, and the other being an internship at a PT office, and I am currently in a Sports Medicine class in my senior year. This class has been eye-opening to me when it comes to other aspects of a career in sports medicine - the privacy rights created by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 being one of them. It’s difficult for me to stop thinking about the muscles and physical functions of the human body being a cross country runner and gym-goer. I’m always trying to feel what kind of muscles and what kind of sensations I feel during every action my brain feeds to the nerves in my muscles. I am certain that I am addicted to the subject, and nothing would make me happier than to land in a line of work that relates to human biology.

As it is for many, middle school was a challenging time for me. When I first started middle school, I was still a little boy who had to walk the halls with boys who looked like grown men. They may have been just eighth grade boys, but they were incredibly intimidating and shoved me around when walking in the same hallways. Their relentless cruelty made me want to just disappear. I didn't know it at the time, but this feeling slowly turned into depression. I remember one day telling my mom that I wished I was dead. Luckily, my mom took my comment seriously and started asking me more questions. Little did I know, my mom struggled with depression as well and she immediately made an appointment for me to see a therapist. While I was a little apprehensive to sit and talk to someone about my feelings, my mom told me to just give it a try. I was very nervous at my first meeting with Denise, the therapist. What was she going to ask me? What was she going to make me do? I was pleasantly surprised at how calm and nice she was, and how she just listened to me. I could say whatever I wanted and she didn't judge me. She helped me understand that my thoughts created my feelings which then shaped my mood. I realized that I was listening to the negative thoughts of those cruel kids at school and started telling myself the same things. I had to stop that cycle and start reminding myself of all the positive things in my life. Around the same time, I joined a running club. I was indifferent about it at the start, didn't care about training, and didn't take it seriously. That is until one day I was forced to run at the front of the pack. I never imagined that would be how I fell in love with running, but I did. I loved the challenge of keeping a pace that made my lungs burn. I loved the feeling of leaving nothing but wind behind me. I loved pushing my limits, and from that day on, I began to take my training seriously. Months passed, miles started to add up, and when May of 2017 rolled around, I ran my first marathon. It was a challenge, but I managed it, and most importantly, the accomplishment gave me great confidence. Thanks to Denise, I was also introduced to meditation. I initially looked at meditation as a coping mechanism. But it really has become so much more to me. Meditation has been a critical practice to reset my mental state and focus. Now, whenever I am in stressful situations, I sit down, close my eyes, and meditate. I calm down, can put things better into perspective, and when I'm ready, I get back to work. I think meditation has become a vital practice to keep myself grounded as the efficient, hardworking, and unbreakable student-athlete I am now. Without it, I'm not sure where I would be today. I see many people struggling with mental health issues around me, especially since the COVID-19 pandemic. I also know there are so many more people struggling with mental health issues that hide it well. Since I don't know what issues people might be struggling with, I try to be kind to everyone I meet. I think back to those cruel eighth grade boys and want to be the opposite of what they were: welcoming, kind, and accepting. Treating others this way has helped me establish great relationships with friends and teammates. I believe it will serve me well when I embark on my college journey next fall.