There are places I have never seen, languages I have never spoken, and countries I have only touched with my fingertips as I turned the pages of a book. I cannot afford to travel, so I have learned to travel through history. Books have become more than entertainment to me—they have become maps, companions, and, on the darkest days, reasons to keep going. I’m a first-generation college student at Florida International University, pursuing degrees while helping care for my family. Life often feels like a balancing act between survival and hope. There have been nights when anxiety convinced me I was not enough and depression made tomorrow feel impossibly distant. Yet every time I read, I remember that countless people before me have wrestled with suffering and still found meaning. No writer has shaped me more profoundly than Fyodor Dostoevsky, he is so ingrained in me that I started learning Russian. Reading Crime and Punishment was like holding a mirror to the hidden corners of the human soul. Raskolnikov's torment taught me that intelligence alone cannot save us from ourselves; compassion, humility, and redemption are what give life its meaning. Notes from Underground forced me to confront the darker parts of my own mind—the overthinking, isolation, and self-doubt that accompany anxiety. Instead of making me feel broken, it made me feel understood. I realized that someone writing in nineteenth-century Russia could describe emotions I struggled to put into words more than a century later. Honestly, it’s like Dostoevsky’s in my head. When I read The Brothers Karamazov, I found myself returning again and again to the question of faith. I was raised in a Christian-Hindu household, but my own spiritual journey eventually led me to Islam. Reverting to Islam transformed my life. My faith became the steady foundation beneath everything else—the source of patience during hardship, gratitude during uncertainty, and hope when I felt I had none left. Dostoevsky's novels wrestle endlessly with suffering, belief, forgiveness, and the search for truth. Although our religious traditions differ, his questions strengthened my conviction that faith is not the absence of pain but the courage to endure it with purpose. I have become deeply fascinated by Russian history and politics, which is why I am currently reading Orlando Figes' The Story of Russia. Through history, I have learned that nations, like people, are shaped by triumphs and tragedies alike. I have also found myself captivated by books such as The Race to Save the Romanovs, Saladin, India: A Short History, and Made in China. I have walked through imperial palaces, crossed frozen battlefields, stood beside explorers in Antarctica in Endurance, and witnessed humanity's resilience across centuries—all without leaving my small room. These stories have taught me empathy. They remind me that every culture carries wisdom, every generation faces hardship, and every ordinary person has the capacity to change history in quiet ways. They have inspired me to remain endlessly curious about the world. My goal is not simply to earn a degree. I want to build a life that gives my family the stability they sacrificed to provide for me. I want to prove that difficult beginnings do not determine impossible endings. Books did not rescue me from hardship. They taught me how to walk through it. They reminded me that suffering can coexist with beauty, that faith can exist alongside doubt, and that hope is often found quietly between the pages of a story. Every book I finish leaves me believing a little more deeply that my own story, too, is still being written—and that its best chapters are yet to come!

Throughout my 19 years of living, life has presented me with many challenges. When I was little, my parents went through a brutal divorce and even at such an early age, I knew things weren't right. I have struggled mentally and emotionally and have always felt differently compared to my peers. I developed extreme introversion and tend to isolate because it makes me feel comfortable. I don't want others to feel the way I feel. I have experience with mental illnesses such as anxiety and depression. I've lived in an income household and always struggled to do my best to provide good news and hope for the people around me. In high school, I did my CNA clinical at a long-term living facility. The place was understaffed, and CNAs rushed with the elderly patients. I saw the harsh treatment of patients, and it honestly broke my heart. At the facility, I made friends with one of the patients. She was amazing, she remembered WW2 and was extremely knowledgeable. She told my nursing teacher she liked me. I always tried to be nice and gentle with the patients. There was a language barrier because I don't speak Spanish, but when you treat people kindly, you can see the appreciation in their eyes. I learned the skill of patience. I would take my time feeding them, dressing them as gently as I could so it wouldn't hurt them, and talking to them softly so they felt safe. I always knew I wanted to help people, so I went to FIU to study psychology. I'm pursuing psychology to become a psychiatrist or forensic psychologist to help people living with mental illness. Living with mental illness is hard and extremely stigmatized. You feel the need to be productive and "normal" just like everyone else. You feel different but can't explain your struggles to people so they can better understand you because you don't want to be pitied. You're facing battles nobody knows about, and you try so hard to make it in a world that values hard work and effort even when you don't have the energy. You notice the slightest changes in people because you want to please them and make their lives easier while your life is falling apart. For anyone who reads this and feels the same, I see you, and I want to help. What I learned is that you don't need to be a doctor to help. Most importantly, you have to take care of yourself before you can jump to help others. I've developed empathy to see others' struggles and make it known that they're doing enough. I've developed skills such as communication, patience, empathy, critical thinking, ethics, and active listening. I always try to help people by not offering a solution sometimes but just listening to them attentively so they are heard. Nobody can talk for people or truly understand what a person has gone through until they have experienced what that person has experienced. So, I try to be mindful of that when trying to aid people. I want to help others be their best and build a community of people who try to help others. Sometimes, helping others is a good way to remind ourselves that we do have a purpose and are valuable. I am low-income, and I would like financial help to continue my studies. I'd to complete university without going into debt because it would greatly take a lot of stress and pressure off my shoulders. Thank you for listening to my story:)

Psychology has always been a subject of interest to me because I've dealt with symptoms of depression and other mental disorders. I come from a low-income family, and I've had therapy, but I couldn't get diagnosed because we couldn't afford more sessions. Depression, bipolar disorder, alcoholism, substance abuse, and suicide occur in my ancestry. Therefore, I am passionate about treating people because I have experience with losing loved ones to mental illness. I am 19 years old and recently reverted to Islam as a Guyanese-Trinidadian revert. I've dealt with a lot of mental health struggles, and my faith is how I cope. I know what it is like to be stereotyped and persecuted just for being me, which can lead to discomfort and isolation. People in marginalized communities are at more risk of developing mental health disorders. In marginalized communities, it's crucial to combat systemic barriers to access to care, cultural stigma, and discrimination. I want to provide culturally competent services, advocate for policy changes, and foster community support networks that are sensitive to the needs of the people. My mental health influenced my beliefs because I never want anyone to be uncomfortable with themselves or left out for the struggles that they face. We should never have to fight for space in the first place and beg for others to accept us. I noticed there is a lot of political injustice in the world right now that affects people of different ethnicities and religions. Right now, the humanitarian crisis going on in Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, Sudan, Congo, Afghanistan, Somalia, Ukraine, etc actively affects a lot of people. I protest for Palestine in FIU through SJP. We have organized protests, educational teachings, and fundraisers for Palestine and some of these other countries. Other than religious and racial marginalized communities, there are also low-income individuals, the disabled, senior citizens, women, prisoners, etc. I would try to commodate for as many of them as possible. I want to open clinics in marginalized areas that include multiple mental health services. The clinics should include therapies of nature, physical therapy, spiritual therapy, religious therapy, and additional resources for anyone who needs them. In the community, we can create jobs for people, such as picking up trash, cleaning beaches, and planting gardens for the homeless. Cleaning jobs in nature can give people a sense of purpose and refreshment. There could be jobs of adding adjustments for buildings and places to accommodate, the disabled. For women, we could offer free menstrual products in the clinics. I would like to encourage people to help one another. I would open pantries for people to donate food, clothes, tools, books, and toiletries to whoever needs them. There needs to be a sense of unity among people. Now of course my plans cost the most money and are paid for through tax dollars. I would like to advocate for the U.S. to stop sending billions of dollars to foreign countries and instead use it for the citizens who need it here. My plans will take time and money. During my studies, I plan to help out as many people as I can. I am low-income, and I would like financial help to continue my studies. I'd to complete university without going into debt because it would greatly take a lot of stress and pressure off my shoulders. Thank you for listening to my story:)

Throughout my 19 years of living, life has presented me with many challenges. When I was little, my parents went through a brutal divorce and even at such an early age, I knew things weren't right. I have struggled mentally and emotionally and have always felt differently compared to my peers. I developed extreme introversion and tend to isolate because it makes me feel comfortable. I don't want others to feel the way I feel. I have experience with mental illnesses such as anxiety and depression. I've lived in an income household and always struggled to do my best to provide good news and hope for the people around me. In high school, I did my CNA clinical at a long-term living facility. The place was understaffed, and CNAs rushed with the elderly patients. I saw the harsh treatment of patients, and it honestly broke my heart. At the facility, I made friends with one of the patients. She was amazing, she remembered WW2 and was extremely knowledgeable. She told my nursing teacher she liked me. I always tried to be nice and gentle with the patients. There was a language barrier because I don't speak Spanish, but when you treat people kindly, you can see the appreciation in their eyes. I learned the skill of patience. I would take my time feeding them, dressing them as gently as I could so it wouldn't hurt them, and talking to them softly so they felt safe. I always knew I wanted to help people, so I went to FIU to study psychology. I'm pursuing psychology to become a psychiatrist or forensic psychologist to help people living with mental illness. Living with mental illness is hard and extremely stigmatized. You feel the need to be productive and "normal" just like everyone else. You feel different but can't explain your struggles to people so they can better understand you because you don't want to be pitied. You're facing battles nobody knows about, and you try so hard to make it in a world that values hard work and effort even when you don't have the energy. You notice the slightest changes in people because you want to please them and make their lives easier while your life is falling apart. For anyone who reads this and feels the same, I see you, and I want to help. What I learned is that you don't need to be a doctor to help. Most importantly, you have to take care of yourself before you can jump to help others. I've developed empathy to see others' struggles and make it known that they're doing enough. I've developed skills such as communication, patience, empathy, critical thinking, ethics, and active listening. I always try to help people by not offering a solution sometimes but just listening to them attentively so they are heard. Nobody can talk for people or truly understand what a person has gone through until they have experienced what that person has experienced. So, I try to be mindful of that when trying to aid people. I want to help others be their best and build a community of people who try to help others. Sometimes, helping others is a good way to remind ourselves that we do have a purpose and are valuable. I am low-income, and I would like financial help to continue my studies. I'd to complete university without going into debt because it would greatly take a lot of stress and pressure off my shoulders. Thank you for listening to my story:)

Throughout my 19 years of living, life has presented me with many challenges. When I was little, my parents went through a brutal divorce and even at such an early age, I knew things weren't right. I have struggled mentally and emotionally and have always felt differently compared to my peers. I developed extreme introversion and tend to isolate because it makes me feel comfortable. I don't want others to feel the way I feel. I have experience with mental illnesses such as anxiety and depression. I've lived in an income household and always struggled to do my best to provide good news and hope for the people around me. In high school, I did my CNA clinical at a long-term living facility. The place was understaffed, and CNAs rushed with the elderly patients. I saw the harsh treatment of patients, and it honestly broke my heart. At the facility, I made friends with one of the patients. She was amazing, she remembered WW2 and was extremely knowledgeable. She told my nursing teacher she liked me. I always tried to be nice and gentle with the patients. There was a language barrier because I don't speak Spanish, but when you treat people kindly, you can see the appreciation in their eyes. I learned the skill of patience. I would take my time feeding them, dressing them as gently as I could so it wouldn't hurt them, and talking to them softly so they felt safe. I always knew I wanted to help people, so I went to FIU to study psychology. I'm pursuing psychology to become a psychiatrist or forensic psychologist to help people living with mental illness. Living with mental illness is hard and extremely stigmatized. You feel the need to be productive and "normal" just like everyone else. You feel different but can't explain your struggles to people so they can better understand you because you don't want to be pitied. You're facing battles nobody knows about, and you try so hard to make it in a world that values hard work and effort even when you don't have the energy. You notice the slightest changes in people because you want to please them and make their lives easier while your life is falling apart. For anyone who reads this and feels the same, I see you, and I want to help.

Throughout my 19 years of living, life has presented me with many challenges. When I was little, my parents went through a brutal divorce and even at such an early age, I knew things weren't right. I have struggled mentally and emotionally and have always felt differently compared to my peers. I developed extreme introversion and tend to isolate because it makes me feel comfortable. I don't want others to feel the way I feel. I have experience with mental illnesses such as anxiety and depression. I've lived in an income household and always struggled to do my best to provide good news and hope for the people around me. In high school, I did my CNA clinical at a long-term living facility. The place was understaffed, and CNAs rushed with the elderly patients. I saw the harsh treatment of patients, and it honestly broke my heart. At the facility, I made friends with one of the patients. She was amazing, she remembered WW2 and was extremely knowledgeable. She told my nursing teacher she liked me. I always tried to be nice and gentle with the patients. There was a language barrier because I don't speak Spanish, but when you treat people kindly, you can see the appreciation in their eyes. I learned the skill of patience. I would take my time feeding them, dressing them as gently as I could so it wouldn't hurt them, and talking to them softly so they felt safe. I always knew I wanted to help people, so I went to FIU to study psychology. I'm pursuing psychology to become a psychiatrist or forensic psychologist to help people living with mental illness. Living with mental illness is hard and extremely stigmatized. You feel the need to be productive and "normal" just like everyone else. You feel different but can't explain your struggles to people so they can better understand you because you don't want to be pitied. You're facing battles nobody knows about, and you try so hard to make it in a world that values hard work and effort even when you don't have the energy. You notice the slightest changes in people because you want to please them and make their lives easier while your life is falling apart. For anyone who reads this and feels the same, I see you, and I want to help. What I learned is that you don't need to be a doctor to help. Most importantly, you have to take care of yourself before you can jump to help others. I've developed empathy to see others' struggles and make it known that they're doing enough. I've developed skills such as communication, patience, empathy, critical thinking, ethics, and active listening. I always try to help people by not offering a solution sometimes but just listening to them attentively so they are heard. Nobody can talk for people or truly understand what a person has gone through until they have experienced what that person has experienced. So, I try to be mindful of that when trying to aid people. I want to help others be their best and build a community of people who try to help others. Sometimes, helping others is a good way to remind ourselves that we do have a purpose and are valuable. I am low-income, and I would like financial help to continue my studies. I'd to complete university without going into debt because it would greatly take a lot of stress and pressure off my shoulders. Thank you for listening to my story:)

Psychology has always been a subject of interest to me because I've dealt with symptoms of depression and other mental disorders. I come from a low-income family, and I've had therapy, but I couldn't get diagnosed because we couldn't afford more sessions. Depression, bipolar disorder, alcoholism, substance abuse, and suicide occur in my ancestry. Therefore, I am passionate about treating people because I have experience with losing loved ones to mental illness. I am 19 years old and recently reverted to Islam as a Guyanese-Trinidadian revert. I've dealt with a lot of mental health struggles, and my faith is how I cope. I know what it is like to be stereotyped and persecuted just for being me, which can lead to discomfort and isolation. People in marginalized communities are at more risk of developing mental health disorders. In marginalized communities, it's crucial to combat systemic barriers to access to care, cultural stigma, and discrimination. I want to provide culturally competent services, advocate for policy changes, and foster community support networks that are sensitive to the needs of the people. My mental health influenced my beliefs because I never want anyone to be uncomfortable with themselves or left out for the struggles that they face. We should never have to fight for space in the first place and beg for others to accept us. I noticed there is a lot of political injustice in the world right now that affects people of different ethnicities and religions. Right now, the humanitarian crisis going on in Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, Sudan, Congo, Afghanistan, Somalia, Ukraine, etc actively affects a lot of people. I protest for Palestine in FIU through SJP. We have organized protests, educational teachings, and fundraisers for Palestine and some of these other countries. Other than religious and racial marginalized communities, there are also low-income individuals, the disabled, senior citizens, women, prisoners, etc. I would try to accommodate for as many of them as possible. I want to open clinics in marginalized areas that include multiple mental health services. The clinics should include therapies of nature, physical therapy, spiritual therapy, religious therapy, and additional resources for anyone who needs them. In the community, we can create jobs for people, such as picking up trash, cleaning beaches, and planting gardens for the homeless. Cleaning jobs in nature can give people a sense of purpose and refreshment. There could be jobs of adding adjustments for buildings and places to accommodate, the disabled. For women, we could offer free menstrual products in the clinics. I would like to encourage people to help one another. I would open pantries for people to donate food, clothes, tools, books, and toiletries to whoever needs them. There needs to be a sense of unity among people. Now of course my plans cost the most money and are paid for through tax dollars. I would like to advocate for the U.S. to stop sending billions of dollars to foreign countries and instead use it for the citizens who need it here. My plans will take time and money. During my studies, I plan to help out as many people as I can. I am low-income, and I would like financial help to continue my studies. I'd to complete university without going into debt because it would greatly take a lot of stress and pressure off my shoulders. Thank you for listening to my story:)

Throughout my 19 years of living, life has presented me with many challenges. When I was little, my parents went through a brutal divorce and even at such an early age, I knew things weren't right. I have struggled mentally and emotionally and have always felt differently compared to my peers. I developed extreme introversion and tend to isolate because it makes me feel comfortable. I don't want others to feel the way I feel. I have experience with mental illnesses such as anxiety and depression. I've lived in an income household and always struggled to do my best to provide good news and hope for the people around me. In high school, I did my CNA clinical at a long-term living facility. The place was understaffed, and CNAs rushed with the elderly patients. I saw the harsh treatment of patients, and it honestly broke my heart. At the facility, I made friends with one of the patients. She was amazing, she remembered WW2 and was extremely knowledgeable. She told my nursing teacher she liked me. I always tried to be nice and gentle with the patients. There was a language barrier because I don't speak Spanish, but when you treat people kindly, you can see the appreciation in their eyes. I learned the skill of patience. I would take my time feeding them, dressing them as gently as I could so it wouldn't hurt them, and talking to them softly so they felt safe. I always knew I wanted to help people, so I went to FIU to study psychology. I'm pursuing psychology to become a psychiatrist or forensic psychologist to help people living with mental illness. Living with mental illness is hard and extremely stigmatized. You feel the need to be productive and "normal" just like everyone else. You feel different but can't explain your struggles to people so they can better understand you because you don't want to be pitied. You're facing battles nobody knows about, and you try so hard to make it in a world that values hard work and effort even when you don't have the energy. You notice the slightest changes in people because you want to please them and make their lives easier while your life is falling apart. For anyone who reads this and feels the same, I see you, and I want to help. What I learned is that you don't need to be a doctor to help. Most importantly, you have to take care of yourself before you can jump to help others. I've developed empathy to see others' struggles and make it known that they're doing enough. I've developed skills such as communication, patience, empathy, critical thinking, ethics, and active listening. I always try to help people by not offering a solution sometimes but just listening to them attentively so they are heard. Nobody can talk for people or truly understand what a person has gone through until they have experienced what that person has experienced. So, I try to be mindful of that when trying to aid people. I want to help others be their best and build a community of people who try to help others. Sometimes, helping others is a good way to remind ourselves that we do have a purpose and are valuable. I am low-income, and I would like financial help to continue my studies. I'd to complete university without going into debt because it would greatly take a lot of stress and pressure off my shoulders. Thank you for listening to my story:)

Throughout my 19 years of living, life has presented me with many challenges. When I was little, my parents went through a brutal divorce and even at such an early age, I knew things weren't right. I have struggled mentally and emotionally and have always felt differently compared to my peers. I developed extreme introversion and tend to isolate because it makes me feel comfortable. I don't want others to feel the way I feel. I have experience with mental illnesses such as anxiety and depression. I've lived in an income household and always struggled to do my best to provide good news and hope for the people around me. In high school, I did my CNA clinical at a long-term living facility. The place was understaffed, and CNAs rushed with the elderly patients. I saw the harsh treatment of patients, and it honestly broke my heart. At the facility, I made friends with one of the patients. She was amazing, she remembered WW2 and was extremely knowledgeable. She told my nursing teacher she liked me. I always tried to be nice and gentle with the patients. There was a language barrier because I don't speak Spanish, but when you treat people kindly, you can see the appreciation in their eyes. I learned the skill of patience. I would take my time feeding them, dressing them as gently as I could so it wouldn't hurt them, and talking to them softly so they felt safe. I always knew I wanted to help people, so I went to FIU to study psychology. I'm pursuing psychology to become a psychiatrist or forensic psychologist to help people living with mental illness. Living with mental illness is hard and extremely stigmatized. You feel the need to be productive and "normal" just like everyone else. You feel different but can't explain your struggles to people so they can better understand you because you don't want to be pitied. You're facing battles nobody knows about, and you try so hard to make it in a world that values hard work and effort even when you don't have the energy. You notice the slightest changes in people because you want to please them and make their lives easier while your life is falling apart. For anyone who reads this and feels the same, I see you, and I want to help. What I learned is that you don't need to be a doctor to help. Most importantly, you have to take care of yourself before you can jump to help others. I've developed empathy to see others' struggles and make it known that they're doing enough. I've developed skills such as communication, patience, empathy, critical thinking, ethics, and active listening. I always try to help people by not offering a solution sometimes but just listening to them attentively so they are heard. Nobody can talk for people or truly understand what a person has gone through until they have experienced what that person has experienced. So, I try to be mindful of that when trying to aid people. I want to help others be their best and build a community of people who try to help others. Sometimes, helping others is a good way to remind ourselves that we do have a purpose and are valuable. I am low-income, and I would like financial help to continue my studies. I'd to complete university without going into debt because it would greatly take a lot of stress and pressure off my shoulders. Thank you for listening to my story:)

Throughout my 19 years of living, life has presented me with many challenges. When I was little my parents went through a brutal divorce and even at such an early age, I knew things weren't right. I have struggled mentally and emotionally and have always felt differently compared to my peers. I developed extreme introversion and tend to isolate because it makes me feel comfortable. I don't want others to feel the way I feel. I have experience with mental illnesses such as anxiety and depression. I've lived in an income household and always struggled to do my best to provide good news and hope for the people around me. In high school, I did my CNA clinical at a long-term living facility. The place was understaffed and CNAs rushed with the elderly patients. I saw the harsh treatment of patients and it honestly broke my heart. At the facility, I made friends with one of the patients. She was amazing she remembered WW2 and was extremely knowledgeable. She told my nursing teacher she liked me. I always tried to be nice and gentle with the patients. There was a language barrier because I don't speak Spanish but when you treat people kindly you can see the appreciation in their eyes. I learned the skill of patience. I would take my time feeding them, dressing them as gently as I could so it wouldn't hurt them, and talking to them softly so they felt safe. I always knew I wanted to help people so I went to FIU to study psychology. I'm pursuing psychology to become a psychiatrist or forensic psychologist to help people living with mental illness. Living with mental illness is hard and extremely stigmatized. You feel the need to be productive and "normal" just like everyone else. You feel different but can't explain your struggles to people so they can better understand you because you don't want to be pitied. You're facing battles nobody knows about and you try so hard to make it in a world that values hard work and effort even when you don't have the energy. You notice the slightest changes in people because you want to please them and make their lives easier while your life is falling apart. For anyone who reads this and feels the same, I see you and I want to help. What I learned is that you don't need to be a doctor to help. Most importantly you have to take care of yourself before you can jump to help others. I've developed empathy to see others' struggles and make it known that they're doing enough. I've developed different skills such as communication, patience, empathy, critical thinking, ethics, and active listening. I always try to help people by not offering a solution sometimes but just listening to them attentively so they are heard. Nobody can talk for people or truly understand what a person has gone through until they have experienced what that person has experienced. So I try to be mindful of that when trying to aid people. I want to help others be their best and build a community of people who try to help others. Sometimes helping others is a good way to remind ourselves that we do have a purpose and we are valuable. I am low-income and I would like financial help to continue my studies. I would like to complete university without going into debt because it would greatly take a lot of stress and pressure off my shoulders. Thank you for listening to my story:)

Throughout my 19 years of living, life has presented me with many challenges. When I was little my parents went through a brutal divorce and even at such an early age, I knew things weren't right. I have struggled mentally and emotionally and have always felt differently compared to my peers. I developed extreme introversion and tend to isolate because it makes me feel comfortable. I don't want others to feel the way I feel. I have experience with mental illnesses such as anxiety and depression. I've lived in an income household and always struggled to do my best to provide good news and hope for the people around me. In high school, I did my CNA clinical at a long-term living facility. The place was understaffed and CNAs rushed with the elderly patients. I saw the harsh treatment of patients and it honestly broke my heart. At the facility, I made friends with one of the patients. She was amazing she remembered WW2 and was extremely knowledgeable. She told my nursing teacher she liked me. I always tried to be nice and gentle with the patients. There was a language barrier because I don't speak Spanish but when you treat people kindly you can see the appreciation in their eyes. I learned the skill of patience. I would take my time feeding them, dressing them as gently as I could so it wouldn't hurt them, and talking to them softly so they felt safe. I always knew I wanted to help people so I went to FIU to study psychology. I'm pursuing psychology to become a psychiatrist or forensic psychologist to help people living with mental illness. Living with mental illness is hard and extremely stigmatized. You feel the need to be productive and "normal" just like everyone else. You feel different but can't explain your struggles to people so they can better understand you because you don't want to be pitied. You're facing battles nobody knows about and you try so hard to make it in a world that values hard work and effort even when you don't have the energy. You notice the slightest changes in people because you want to please them and make their lives easier while your life is falling apart. For anyone who reads this and feels the same, I see you and I want to help. What I learned is that you don't need to be a doctor to help. Most importantly you have to take care of yourself before you can jump to help others. I've developed empathy to see others' struggles and make it known that they're doing enough. I've developed different skills such as communication, patience, empathy, critical thinking, ethics, and active listening. I always try to help people by not offering a solution sometimes but just listening to them attentively so they are heard. Nobody can talk for people or truly understand what a person has gone through until they have experienced what that person has experienced. So I try to be mindful of that when trying to aid people. I want to help others be their best and build a community of people who try to help others. Sometimes helping others is a good way to remind ourselves that we do have a purpose and we are valuable. I am low-income and I would like financial help to continue my studies. I would like to complete university without going into debt because it would greatly take a lot of stress and pressure off my shoulders. Thank you for listening to my story:)

I make a positive impact by helping my community. My current challenge is graduating high school. In high school, I'm double majoring in veterinary and nursing assisting. I am BLS, CMAA, and OSHA certified. I am currently working on my CNA and CVA certifications. I help my community through clubs that reflect my interest. I am part of the FFA Vegetable Judging Team, Environmental Club, Psychology Honor Society, and Pre-Med Honor Society. In the Veggie Team, I judge vegetables on whether they are appropriate for consumers. My team has grown the school garden, and we donate the vegetables to struggling people. In the team, I was going to go to a competition in Gainesville as a Freshman. I couldn't go eventually due to Covid. This year, I took the veggie preliminaries, and my team placed 4th out of all the veggie teams that took the test across the US. So, I am going to compete this year. Only the top 20 teams get to compete. In the Environmental Club, I spent two hours picking up trash from the street of the Steinburg Nature Center because I love the environment. About a week ago, I did a project with the Miami Zoo. I helped put together the exhibit for the new clouded leopards and helped shovel clay for the camel habitat. These clubs made me well-rounded because they made me aware of how I can do my part to aid different causes. In the Psychology Honor Society, I educate on mental health topics. I made a Start with Hello/ Suicide Awareness and Alzheimer's Awareness poster. During Start with Hello week, I made a poster, put up fliers, and participated in facilitating activities. In October, my school does an event called Fright Night. On fright night, I gave candy to the kids and gave them fake Halloween tattoos. I made an Alzheimer's awareness poster and did an Alzheimer's walk at FIU. We made Christmas bags for the kids containing candy, toys, and letters. For Pay it Forward, we put candy and stickers for the high school kids. In the Pre-Med Honor Society, I educate on medical health topics. I made Breast Cancer, Lung Cancer, and AIDS/HIV Awareness poster. During the Pre-Med fright night Shift, I set up a game where the kids had to dig through Orbeez to find prizes. I donated to Toys for Tots and Thanksgiving food drives. For Christmas, we made cards for the kids at St. Judes. Since I am double majoring in veterinary and nursing assisting, I was a biomedical representative for my school during the Magnetic Fair. During the Magnetic Fair, I explained to future high school students why they should come to my school. I explained what my high school has to offer and the medical programs. I like to help people cause I know other people might not have as much as me. I am so grateful that I can live and go to school. I plan to keep on giving back to my community by becoming a psychiatrist and helping people with their mental health. I am low-income, and I want to attend college at FIU. So as you can tell, in my spare time, I apply for scholarships. My parents work hard, but I need a little more help to get a bachelor's degree in Psychology without putting myself in financial debt. An obstacle I faced playing sports is confidence. Sometimes after losing you lose confidence and start to doubt yourself. But as you keep playing realize the most important is to trust yourself and be healthy. Thank you for this opportunity!

I grew up in a home where my mother hesitated to take me to the hospital when I broke my arm because she didn't know if she could afford a cast. The day I fractured my arm, I slept the night without a splint until she couldn't bear to see me in agony. Seeing the panic in my mother's eyes broke my heart. I felt guilty for playing and breaking my arm, although I was only in the second grade. My name is Jada Sinanan. I am a first-year undergraduate at FIU majoring in psychology. My dream job is to be a psychiatrist because I want to help people. Psychology has always been a subject of interest to me because I've dealt with symptoms of depression and other mental disorders. I come from a low-income family, and I've had therapy, but I couldn't get diagnosed because we couldn't afford more sessions. Depression, bipolar disorder, alcoholism, substance abuse, and suicide occur in my ancestry. Therefore, I am passionate about treating people because I have first-hand experience with losing loved ones to mental illness, and I am a survivor of psychological and physical abuse. I am the child of an immigrant, divorced, low-income family. My mom and dad never went to college. My dad is unemployed, and my mom works a minimum-wage job. My expected family contribution for college is $0. The only thing putting me through college is the government Pell Grant and any scholarships I can get like this one. I am a first-generation woman of color with a 4.0 GPA. I started the summer term and got A's in all my classes. I'm telling you this to let you know I won't take the money for granted and want to use it to further my education. Winning this scholarship would lift some weight off my shoulder. It sucks because I want to attend college but worry about how far I can get without putting myself in a bad financial situation. I am BLS, GenCleo, CMAA, CNA, CVA, and OSHA certified. My goal is to try to get many certifications. Being certified allows me to be qualified for jobs. I need those jobs to help me pay off college fees. I would use the scholarship money to put me through college and support my medical bills. During the seventh grade, I developed iron-deficiency anemia. I lost blood every day for three months due to my irregular period. With my condition, I experienced fatigue, weakness, and pain. My doctors had to put me on birth control. When I finished my birth control, my period ended. Then later in the eighth grade, the period came again. It lasted a month, but I ran out of birth control because my mother couldn't afford it. I never what anyone to suffer from a medical condition because they can't afford treatment. I still suffer from iron deficiency anemia and have extreme periods that persist for months. Growing the way I did taught me that I have little room for error. Growing up low-income shows you that any minor mistake sets you back so much financially and emotionally. Growing up the way I did took an emotional toll on me because I feel guilty that my parents have to work so hard to provide me with resources that might not be enough. Graduating college is my dream but their whole lives savings. After college, if I have any leftover money, I plan to use it as a down payment to buy my own house and car. Thank you for this opportunity and have a nice day!

I grew up in a home where my mother hesitated to take me to the hospital when I broke my arm because she didn't know if she could afford a cast. The day I fractured my arm, I slept the night without a splint until she couldn't bear to see me in agony. Seeing the panic in my mother's eyes broke my heart. I felt guilty for playing and breaking my arm, although I was only in the second grade. My name is Jada Sinanan. I am a first-year undergraduate at FIU majoring in psychology. My dream job is to be a psychiatrist because I want to help people. Psychology has always been a subject of interest to me because I've dealt with symptoms of depression and other mental disorders. I come from a low-income family, and I've had therapy, but I couldn't get diagnosed because we couldn't afford more sessions. Depression, bipolar disorder, alcoholism, substance abuse, and suicide occur in my ancestry. Therefore, I am passionate about treating people because I have first-hand experience with losing loved ones to mental illness, and I am a survivor of psychological and physical abuse. I am the child of an immigrant, divorced, low-income family. My mom and dad never went to college. My dad is unemployed, and my mom works a minimum-wage job. My expected family contribution for college is $0. The only thing putting me through college is the government Pell Grant and any scholarships I can get like this one. I am a first-generation woman of color with a 4.0 GPA. I started the summer term and got A's in all my classes. I'm telling you this to let you know I won't take the money for granted and want to use it to further my education. Winning this scholarship would lift some weight off my shoulder. It sucks because I want to attend college but worry about how far I can get without putting myself in a bad financial situation. I am BLS, GenCleo, CMAA, CNA, CVA, and OSHA certified. My goal is to try to get many certifications. Being certified allows me to be qualified for jobs. I need those jobs to help me pay off college fees. I would use the scholarship money to put me through college and support my medical bills. During the seventh grade, I developed iron-deficiency anemia. I lost blood every day for three months due to my irregular period. With my condition, I experienced fatigue, weakness, and pain. My doctors had to put me on birth control. When I finished my birth control, my period ended. Then later in the eighth grade, the period came again. It lasted a month, but I ran out of birth control because my mother couldn't afford it. I never what anyone to suffer from a medical condition because they can't afford treatment. I still suffer from iron deficiency anemia and have extreme periods that persist for months. Growing the way I did taught me that I have little room for error. Growing up low-income shows you that any minor mistake sets you back so much financially and emotionally. Growing up the way I did took an emotional toll on me because I feel guilty that my parents have to work so hard to provide me with resources that might not be enough. Graduating college is my dream but their whole lives savings. After college, if I have any leftover money, I plan to use it as a down payment to buy my own house and car. Thank you for this opportunity and have a nice day!

I grew up in a home where my mother hesitated to take me to the hospital when I broke my arm because she didn't know if she could afford a cast. The day I fractured my arm, I slept the night without a splint until she couldn't bear to see me in agony. Seeing the panic in my mother's eyes broke my heart. I felt guilty for playing and breaking my arm, although I was only in the second grade. My name is Jada Sinanan. I am a first-year undergraduate at FIU majoring in psychology. My dream job is to be a psychiatrist because I want to help people. Psychology has always been a subject of interest to me because I've dealt with symptoms of depression and other mental disorders. I come from a low-income family, and I've had therapy, but I couldn't get diagnosed because we couldn't afford more sessions. Depression, bipolar disorder, alcoholism, substance abuse, and suicide occur in my ancestry. Therefore, I am passionate about treating people because I have first-hand experience with losing loved ones to mental illness, and I am a survivor of psychological and physical abuse. I am the child of an immigrant, divorced, low-income family. My mom and dad never went to college. My dad is unemployed, and my mom works a minimum-wage job. My expected family contribution for college is $0. The only thing putting me through college is the government Pell Grant and any scholarships I can get like this one. I am a first-generation woman of color with a 4.0 GPA. I started the summer term and got A's in all my classes. I'm telling you this to let you know I won't take the money for granted and want to use it to further my education. Winning this scholarship would lift some weight off my shoulder. It sucks because I want to attend college but worry about how far I can get without putting myself in a bad financial situation. I am BLS, GenCleo, CMAA, CNA, CVA, and OSHA certified. My goal is to try to get many certifications. Being certified allows me to be qualified for jobs. I need those jobs to help me pay off college fees. I would use the scholarship money to put me through college and support my medical bills. During the seventh grade, I developed iron-deficiency anemia. I lost blood every day for three months due to my irregular period. With my condition, I experienced fatigue, weakness, and pain. My doctors had to put me on birth control. When I finished my birth control, my period ended. Then later in the eighth grade, the period came again. It lasted a month, but I ran out of birth control because my mother couldn't afford it. I never what anyone to suffer from a medical condition because they can't afford treatment. I still suffer from iron deficiency anemia and have extreme periods that persist for months. Growing the way I did taught me that I have little room for error. Growing up low-income shows you that any minor mistake sets you back so much financially and emotionally. Growing up the way I did took an emotional toll on me because I feel guilty that my parents have to work so hard to provide me with resources that might not be enough. Graduating college is my dream but their whole lives savings. After college, if I have any leftover money, I plan to use it as a down payment to buy my own house and car. Thank you for this opportunity and have a nice day!

I grew up in a home where my mother hesitated to take me to the hospital when I broke my arm because she didn't know if she could afford a cast. The day I fractured my arm, I slept the night without a splint until she couldn't bear to see me in agony. Seeing the panic in my mother's eyes broke my heart. I felt guilty for playing and breaking my arm, although I was only in the second grade. My name is Jada Sinanan. I am a first-year undergraduate at FIU majoring in psychology. My dream job is to be a psychiatrist because I want to help people. Psychology has always been a subject of interest to me because I've dealt with symptoms of depression and other mental disorders. I come from a low-income family, and I've had therapy, but I couldn't get diagnosed because we couldn't afford more sessions. Depression, bipolar disorder, alcoholism, substance abuse, and suicide occur in my ancestry. Therefore, I am passionate about treating people because I have first-hand experience with losing loved ones to mental illness, and I am a survivor of psychological and physical abuse. I am the child of an immigrant, divorced, low-income family. My mom and dad never went to college. My dad is unemployed, and my mom works a minimum-wage job. My expected family contribution for college is $0. The only thing putting me through college is the government Pell Grant and any scholarships I can get like this one. I am a first-generation woman of color with a 4.0 GPA. I started the summer term and got A's in all my classes. I'm telling you this to let you know I won't take the money for granted and want to use it to further my education. Winning this scholarship would lift some weight off my shoulder. It sucks because I want to attend college but worry about how far I can get without putting myself in a bad financial situation. I am BLS, GenCleo, CMAA, CNA, CVA, and OSHA certified. My goal is to try to get many certifications. Being certified allows me to be qualified for jobs. I need those jobs to help me pay off college fees. I would use the scholarship money to put me through college and support my medical bills. During the seventh grade, I developed iron-deficiency anemia. I lost blood every day for three months due to my irregular period. With my condition, I experienced fatigue, weakness, and pain. My doctors had to put me on birth control. When I finished my birth control, my period ended. Then later in the eighth grade, the period came again. It lasted a month, but I ran out of birth control because my mother couldn't afford it. I never what anyone to suffer from a medical condition because they can't afford treatment. I still suffer from iron deficiency anemia and have extreme periods that persist for months. Growing the way I did taught me that I have little room for error. Growing up low-income shows you that any minor mistake sets you back so much financially and emotionally. Growing up the way I did took an emotional toll on me because I feel guilty that my parents have to work so hard to provide me with resources that might not be enough. Graduating college is my dream but their whole lives savings. After college, if I have any leftover money, I plan to use it as a down payment to buy my own house and car. Thank you for this opportunity and have a nice day!

I grew up in a home where my mother hesitated to take me to the hospital when I broke my arm because she didn't know if she could afford a cast. The day I fractured my arm, I slept the night without a splint until she couldn't bear to see me in agony. Seeing the panic in my mother's eyes broke my heart. I felt guilty for playing and breaking my arm, although I was only in the second grade. My name is Jada Sinanan. I am a first-year undergraduate at FIU majoring in psychology. My dream job is to be a psychiatrist because I want to help people. Psychology has always been a subject of interest to me because I've dealt with symptoms of depression and other mental disorders. I come from a low-income family, and I've had therapy, but I couldn't get diagnosed because we couldn't afford more sessions. Depression, bipolar disorder, alcoholism, substance abuse, and suicide occur in my ancestry. Therefore, I am passionate about treating people because I have first-hand experience with losing loved ones to mental illness, and I am a survivor of psychological and physical abuse. I am the child of an immigrant, divorced, low-income family. My mom and dad never went to college. My dad is unemployed, and my mom works a minimum-wage job. My expected family contribution for college is $0. The only thing putting me through college is the government Pell Grant and any scholarships I can get like this one. I am a first-generation woman of color with a 4.0 GPA. I started the summer term and got A's in all my classes. I'm telling you this to let you know I won't take the money for granted and want to use it to further my education. Winning this scholarship would lift some weight off my shoulder. It sucks because I want to attend college but worry about how far I can get without putting myself in a bad financial situation. I am BLS, GenCleo, CMAA, CNA, CVA, and OSHA certified. My goal is to try to get many certifications. Being certified allows me to be qualified for jobs. I need those jobs to help me pay off college fees. I would use the scholarship money to put me through college and support my medical bills. During the seventh grade, I developed iron-deficiency anemia. I lost blood every day for three months due to my irregular period. With my condition, I experienced fatigue, weakness, and pain. My doctors had to put me on birth control. When I finished my birth control, my period ended. Then later in the eighth grade, the period came again. It lasted a month, but I ran out of birth control because my mother couldn't afford it. I never what anyone to suffer from a medical condition because they can't afford treatment. I still suffer from iron deficiency anemia and have extreme periods that persist for months. Growing the way I did taught me that I have little room for error. Growing up low-income shows you that any minor mistake sets you back so much financially and emotionally. Growing up the way I did took an emotional toll on me because I feel guilty that my parents have to work so hard to provide me with resources that might not be enough. Graduating college is my dream but their whole lives savings. After college, if I have any leftover money, I plan to use it as a down payment to buy my own house and car. Thank you for this opportunity and have a nice day!

It is good to help others because it gives insight into other people's struggles and allows us to be emphatic towards people. My mom is the most empathetic person I know. One day, when I was in the fourth grade, we went to BJ's to get groceries. As we were leaving with our groceries, my mom saw a hungry homeless man. She stood still for a moment and looked like she was contemplating her thoughts. My sister and I were eating some M&M cookies that she bought from the store. She then looked at us eating the cookies and looked back at the man. She went up to him and gave him half of our groceries. She gave him whatever she could. He couldn't believe it. He thanked her so much. She then asked him if he wanted some M&M cookies. He looked at us eating the cookies, and I was a kid so naturally I gave my mom the "mom, not my cookies" look. He looked at us and laughed. He said it was okay to let the kids have their cookies and thanked her again. My mom told us later in the car that if we ever saw anyone struggling to always help not because we could be in the same predicament but because it's the right thing to do. I realized my mom was someone who's been through a lot and any sort of kindness anyone showed her made her day. I feel the same. Anytime people show me kindness or help me even if it's something so simple it makes me so happy. Which is why I think helping people is so important. You get to be the difference in someone's day. I am part of the FFA Vegetable Judging Team, Environmental Club, Psychology Honor Society, and Pre-Med Honor Society. In the Veggie Team, I judge vegetables on whether they are appropriate for consumers. My team has grown the school garden, and we donate the vegetables to struggling people. In the team, I was going to go to a competition in Gainesville as a Freshman. I couldn't go eventually due to Covid. This year, I took the veggie preliminaries, and my team placed 4th out of all the veggie teams that took the test across the US. So, I am going to compete this year. Only the top 20 teams get to compete. In the Environmental Club, I spent two hours picking up trash from the street of the Steinburg Nature Center because I love the environment. These clubs make me well-rounded because they make me aware of how I can do my part to help different causes. In the Psychology Honor Society, I make mental health awareness posters, donate to mental causes, and improve the school environment. In the Pre-Med Honor Society, I make medical awareness posters, give to the hungry and toys for tots, and assist the John A. Ferguson Biomedical program. I try to aid others because I want to be involved in my community and help people in need. Thank you for this opportunity!

I grew up in a home where my mother hesitated to take me to the hospital when I broke my arm because she didn't know if she could afford a cast. The day I fractured my arm, I slept the night without a splint until she couldn't bear to see me in agony. Seeing the panic in my mother's eyes broke my heart. I felt guilty for playing and breaking my arm, although I was only in the second grade. My name is Jada Sinanan. I am a first-year undergraduate at FIU majoring in psychology. My dream job is to be a psychiatrist because I want to help people. Psychology has always been a subject of interest to me because I've dealt with symptoms of depression and other mental disorders. I come from a low-income family, and I've had therapy, but I couldn't get diagnosed because we couldn't afford more sessions. Depression, bipolar disorder, alcoholism, substance abuse, and suicide occur in my ancestry. Therefore, I am passionate about treating people because I have first-hand experience with losing loved ones to mental illness, and I am a survivor of psychological and physical abuse. I am the child of an immigrant, divorced, low-income family. My mom and dad never went to college. My dad is unemployed, and my mom works a minimum-wage job. My expected family contribution for college is $0. The only thing putting me through college is the government Pell Grant and any scholarships I can get like this one. I am a first-generation woman of color with a 4.0 GPA. I started the summer term and got A's in all my classes. I'm telling you this to let you know I won't take the money for granted and want to use it to further my education. Winning this scholarship would lift some weight off my shoulder. It sucks because I want to attend college but worry about how far I can get without putting myself in a bad financial situation. I am BLS, GenCleo, CMAA, CNA, CVA, and OSHA certified. My goal is to try to get many certifications. Being certified allows me to be qualified for jobs. I need those jobs to help me pay off college fees. I would use the scholarship money to put me through college and support my medical bills. During the seventh grade, I developed iron-deficiency anemia. I lost blood every day for three months due to my irregular period. With my condition, I experienced fatigue, weakness, and pain. My doctors had to put me on birth control. When I finished my birth control, my period ended. Then later in the eighth grade, the period came again. It lasted a month, but I ran out of birth control because my mother couldn't afford it. I never what anyone to suffer from a medical condition because they can't afford treatment. I still suffer from iron deficiency anemia and have extreme periods that persist for months. Growing the way I did taught me that I have little room for error. Growing up low-income shows you that any minor mistake sets you back so much financially and emotionally. Growing up the way I did took an emotional toll on me because I feel guilty that my parents have to work so hard to provide me with resources that might not be enough. Graduating college is my dream but their whole lives savings. After college, if I have any leftover money, I plan to use it as a down payment to buy my own house and car. Thank you for this opportunity and have a nice day!

I grew up in a home where my mother hesitated to take me to the hospital when I broke my arm because she didn't know if she could afford a cast. The day I fractured my arm, I slept the night without a splint until she couldn't bear to see me in agony. Seeing the panic in my mother's eyes broke my heart. I felt guilty for playing and breaking my arm, although I was only in the second grade. My name is Jada Sinanan. I am a first-year undergraduate at FIU majoring in psychology. My dream job is to be a psychiatrist because I want to help people. Psychology has always been a subject of interest to me because I've dealt with symptoms of depression and other mental disorders. I come from a low-income family, and I've had therapy, but I couldn't get diagnosed because we couldn't afford more sessions. Depression, bipolar disorder, alcoholism, substance abuse, and suicide occur in my ancestry. Therefore, I am passionate about treating people because I have first-hand experience with losing loved ones to mental illness, and I am a survivor of psychological and physical abuse. I am the child of an immigrant, divorced, low-income family. My mom and dad never went to college. My dad is unemployed, and my mom works a minimum wage job. My expected family contribution for college is $0. The only thing putting me through college is the government Pell Grant and any scholarships I can get like this one. I am a first-generation woman of color with a 4.0 GPA. I started the summer term and got A's in all my classes. I'm telling you this to let you know I won't take the money for granted and want to use it to further my education. Winning this scholarship would lift some weight off my shoulders. It sucks because I want to attend college but worry about how far I can get without putting myself in a bad financial situation. I am BLS, GenCleo, CMAA, CNA, CVA, and OSHA certified. My goal is to try to get many certifications. Being certified allows me to be qualified for jobs. I need those jobs to help me pay off college fees. I would use the scholarship money to put me through college and support my medical bills. During the seventh grade, I developed iron deficiency anemia. I lost blood every day for three months due to my irregular period. With my condition, I experienced fatigue, weakness, and pain. My doctors had to put me on birth control. When I finished my birth control, my period ended. Then later in the eighth grade, the period came again. It lasted a month, but I ran out of birth control because my mother couldn't afford it. I never want anyone to suffer from a medical condition because they can't afford treatment. I still suffer from iron deficiency anemia and have extreme periods that persist for months. Growing the way I did taught me that I have little room for error. Growing up low-income shows you that any minor mistake sets you back so much financially and emotionally. Growing up the way I did took an emotional toll on me because I feel guilty that my parents have to work so hard to provide me with resources that might not be enough. Graduating college is my dream but their whole lives savings. After college, if I have any leftover money, I plan to use it as a down payment to buy my own house and car. Thank you for this opportunity!

I grew up in a home where my mother hesitated to take me to the hospital when I broke my arm because she didn't know if she could afford a cast. The day I fractured my arm, I slept the night without a splint until she couldn't bear to see me in agony. Seeing the panic in my mother's eyes broke my heart. I felt guilty for playing and breaking my arm, although I was only in the second grade. My name is Jada Sinanan. I am a first-year undergraduate at FIU majoring in psychology. My dream job is to be a psychiatrist because I want to help people. Psychology has always been a subject of interest to me because I've dealt with symptoms of depression and other mental disorders. I come from a low-income family, and I've had therapy, but I couldn't get diagnosed because we couldn't afford more sessions. Depression, bipolar disorder, alcoholism, substance abuse, and suicide occur in my ancestry. Therefore, I am passionate about treating people because I have first-hand experience with losing loved ones to mental illness, and I am a survivor of psychological and physical abuse. I am the child of an immigrant, divorced, low-income family. My mom and dad never went to college. My dad is unemployed, and my mom works a minimum-wage job. My expected family contribution for college is $0. The only thing putting me through college is the government Pell Grant and any scholarships I can get like this one. I am a first-generation woman of color with a 4.0 GPA. I started the summer term and got A's in all my classes. I'm telling you this to let you know I won't take the money for granted and want to use it to further my education. Winning this scholarship would lift some weight off my shoulder. It sucks because I want to attend college but worry about how far I can get without putting myself in a bad financial situation. I am BLS, GenCleo, CMAA, CNA, CVA, and OSHA certified. My goal is to try to get many certifications. Being certified allows me to be qualified for jobs. I need those jobs to help me pay off college fees. I would use the scholarship money to put me through college and support my medical bills. During the seventh grade, I developed iron-deficiency anemia. I lost blood every day for three months due to my irregular period. With my condition, I experienced fatigue, weakness, and pain. My doctors had to put me on birth control. When I finished my birth control, my period ended. Then later in the eighth grade, the period came again. It lasted a month, but I ran out of birth control because my mother couldn't afford it. I never what anyone to suffer from a medical condition because they can't afford treatment. I still suffer from iron deficiency anemia and have extreme periods that persist for months. Growing the way I did taught me that I have little room for error. Growing up low-income shows you that any minor mistake sets you back so much financially and emotionally. Growing up the way I did took an emotional toll on me because I feel guilty that my parents have to work so hard to provide me with resources that might not be enough. Graduating college is my dream but their whole lives savings. After college, if I have any leftover money, I plan to use it as a down payment to buy my own house and car. Thank you for this opportunity and have a nice day!

I grew up in a home where my mother hesitated to take me to the hospital when I broke my arm because she didn't know if she could afford a cast. The day I fractured my arm, I slept the night without a splint until she couldn't bear to see me in agony. Seeing the panic in my mother's eyes broke my heart. I felt guilty for playing and breaking my arm, although I was only in the second grade. My name is Jada Sinanan. I am a first-year undergraduate at FIU majoring in psychology. My dream job is to be a psychiatrist because I want to help people. Psychology has always been a subject of interest to me because I've dealt with symptoms of depression and other mental disorders. I come from a low-income family, and I've had therapy, but I couldn't get diagnosed because we couldn't afford more sessions. Depression, bipolar disorder, alcoholism, substance abuse, and suicide occur in my ancestry. Therefore, I am passionate about treating people because I have first-hand experience with losing loved ones to mental illness, and I am a survivor of psychological and physical abuse. I am the child of an immigrant, divorced, low-income family. My mom and dad never went to college. My dad is unemployed, and my mom works a minimum-wage job. My expected family contribution for college is $0. The only thing putting me through college is the government Pell Grant and any scholarships I can get like this one. I am a first-generation woman of color with a 4.0 GPA. I started the summer term and got A's in all my classes. I'm telling you this to let you know I won't take the money for granted and want to use it to further my education. Winning this scholarship would lift some weight off my shoulder. It sucks because I want to attend college but worry about how far I can get without putting myself in a bad financial situation. I am BLS, GenCleo, CMAA, CNA, CVA, and OSHA certified. My goal is to try to get many certifications. Being certified allows me to be qualified for jobs. I need those jobs to help me pay off college fees. I would use the scholarship money to put me through college and support my medical bills. During the seventh grade, I developed iron-deficiency anemia. I lost blood every day for three months due to my irregular period. With my condition, I experienced fatigue, weakness, and pain. My doctors had to put me on birth control. When I finished my birth control, my period ended. Then later in the eighth grade, the period came again. It lasted a month, but I ran out of birth control because my mother couldn't afford it. I never what anyone to suffer from a medical condition because they can't afford treatment. I still suffer from iron deficiency anemia and have extreme periods that persist for months. Growing the way I did taught me that I have little room for error. Growing up low-income shows you that any minor mistake sets you back so much financially and emotionally. Growing up the way I did took an emotional toll on me because I feel guilty that my parents have to work so hard to provide me with resources that might not be enough. Graduating college is my dream but their whole lives savings. After college, if I have any leftover money, I plan to use it as a down payment to buy my own house and car. Thank you for this opportunity and have a nice day!

The dream version of my future self is the girl I look at in the mirror right now, and I'm so proud of her because she may not have reached her full potential, but she tries her best every day and as long as I try my best every day I am already my dream version. Thank you for this opportunity!

My name is Jada Sinanan. I am a first-year undergraduate at FIU majoring in psychology. My dream job is to be a psychiatrist because I want to help people. Psychology has always been a subject of interest to me because I've dealt with symptoms of depression and other mental disorders. I come from a low-income family, and I've had therapy, but I couldn't get diagnosed because we couldn't afford more sessions. Depression, bipolar disorder, alcoholism, substance abuse, and suicide occur in my ancestry. Therefore, I am passionate about treating people because I have first-hand experience with losing loved ones to mental illness, and I am a survivor of psychological and physical abuse. I am the child of an immigrant, divorced, low-income family. My mom and dad never went to college. My dad is unemployed, and my mom works a minimum-wage job. My expected family contribution for college is $0. The only thing putting me through college is the government Pell Grant and any scholarships I can get like this one. I am a first-generation woman of color with a 4.0 GPA. I started the summer term and got A's in all my classes. I'm telling you this to let you know I won't take the money for granted and want to use it to further my education. Growing the way I did taught me that I have little room for error. Growing up low-income shows you that any minor mistake sets you back so much financially and emotionally. Growing up the way I did took an emotional toll on me because I feel guilty that my parents have to work so hard to provide me with resources that might not be enough. Graduating college is my dream but their whole lives savings. After college, if I have any leftover money, I plan to use it as a down payment to buy my own house and car. Thank you for this opportunity and have a nice day!

I grew up in a home where my mother hesitated to take me to the hospital when I broke my arm because she didn't know if she could afford a cast. The day I fractured my arm, I slept the night without a splint until she couldn't bear to see me in agony. Seeing the panic in my mother's eyes broke my heart. I felt guilty for playing and breaking my arm, although I was only in the second grade. My name is Jada Sinanan. I am a first-year undergraduate at FIU majoring in psychology. My dream job is to be a psychiatrist because I want to help people. Psychology has always been a subject of interest to me because I've dealt with symptoms of depression and other mental disorders. I come from a low-income family, and I've had therapy, but I couldn't get diagnosed because we couldn't afford more sessions. Depression, bipolar disorder, alcoholism, substance abuse, and suicide occur in my ancestry. Therefore, I am passionate about treating people because I have first-hand experience with losing loved ones to mental illness, and I am a survivor of psychological and physical abuse. I am the child of an immigrant, divorced, low-income family. My mom and dad never went to college. My dad is unemployed, and my mom works a minimum-wage job. My expected family contribution for college is $0. The only thing putting me through college is the government Pell Grant and any scholarships I can get like this one. I am a first-generation woman of color with a 4.0 GPA. I started the summer term and got A's in all my classes. I'm telling you this to let you know I won't take the money for granted and want to use it to further my education. Winning this scholarship would lift some weight off my shoulder. It sucks because I want to attend college but worry about how far I can get without putting myself in a bad financial situation. I am BLS, GenCleo, CMAA, CNA, CVA, and OSHA certified. My goal is to try to get many certifications. Being certified allows me to be qualified for jobs. I need those jobs to help me pay off college fees. I would use the scholarship money to put me through college and support my medical bills. During the seventh grade, I developed iron-deficiency anemia. I lost blood every day for three months due to my irregular period. With my condition, I experienced fatigue, weakness, and pain. My doctors had to put me on birth control. When I finished my birth control, my period ended. Then later in the eighth grade, the period came again. It lasted a month, but I ran out of birth control because my mother couldn't afford it. I never what anyone to suffer from a medical condition because they can't afford treatment. I still suffer from iron deficiency anemia and have extreme periods that persist for months. Growing the way I did taught me that I have little room for error. Growing up low-income shows you that any minor mistake sets you back so much financially and emotionally. Growing up the way I did took an emotional toll on me because I feel guilty that my parents have to work so hard to provide me with resources that might not be enough. Graduating college is my dream but their whole lives savings. After college, if I have any leftover money, I plan to use it as a down payment to buy my own house and car. Thank you for this opportunity and have a nice day!

I grew up in a home where my mother hesitated to take me to the hospital when I broke my arm because she didn't know if she could afford a cast. The day I fractured my arm, I slept the night without a splint until she couldn't bear to see me in agony. Seeing the panic in my mother's eyes broke my heart. I felt guilty for playing and breaking my arm, although I was only in the second grade. My name is Jada Sinanan. I am a first-year undergraduate at FIU majoring in psychology. My dream job is to be a psychiatrist because I want to help people. Psychology has always been a subject of interest to me because I've dealt with symptoms of depression and other mental disorders. I come from a low-income family, and I've had therapy, but I couldn't get diagnosed because we couldn't afford more sessions. Depression, bipolar disorder, alcoholism, substance abuse, and suicide occur in my ancestry. Therefore, I am passionate about treating people because I have first-hand experience with losing loved ones to mental illness, and I am a survivor of psychological and physical abuse. I am the child of an immigrant, divorced, low-income family. My mom and dad never went to college. My dad is unemployed, and my mom works a minimum-wage job. My expected family contribution for college is $0. The only thing putting me through college is the government Pell Grant and any scholarships I can get like this one. I am a first-generation woman of color with a 4.0 GPA. I started the summer term and got A's in all my classes. I'm telling you this to let you know I won't take the money for granted and want to use it to further my education. Winning this scholarship would lift some weight off my shoulder. It sucks because I want to attend college but worry about how far I can get without putting myself in a bad financial situation. I am BLS, GenCleo, CMAA, CNA, CVA, and OSHA certified. My goal is to try to get many certifications. Being certified allows me to be qualified for jobs. I need those jobs to help me pay off college fees. I would use the scholarship money to put me through college and support my medical bills. During the seventh grade, I developed iron-deficiency anemia. I lost blood every day for three months due to my irregular period. With my condition, I experienced fatigue, weakness, and pain. My doctors had to put me on birth control. When I finished my birth control, my period ended. Then later in the eighth grade, the period came again. It lasted a month, but I ran out of birth control because my mother couldn't afford it. I never what anyone to suffer from a medical condition because they can't afford treatment. I still suffer from iron deficiency anemia and have extreme periods that persist for months. Growing the way I did taught me that I have little room for error. Growing up low-income shows you that any minor mistake sets you back so much financially and emotionally. Growing up the way I did took an emotional toll on me because I feel guilty that my parents have to work so hard to provide me with resources that might not be enough. Graduating college is my dream but their whole lives savings. After college, if I have any leftover money, I plan to use it as a down payment to buy my own house and car. Thank you for this opportunity and have a nice day!

My mom and grandma grew up in Guyana. When my mom was young, her mom and dad left their children to create a better life for them in America. My mom and her siblings had to live with the aunt and uncle. When living with her aunt and uncle, my mom had to wake up every day at five in the morning to complete her chores. Her chores were sweeping the entire house, doing the laundry( by hand), hanging the laundry to dry, making breakfast, washing the dishes, etc. They also had a farm, so my mom and her siblings had to tend to the livestock. My mom was fourteen when she came to the United States. When she arrived in the States, she immediately got a job. She didn't have her papers, but she got her first job at McDonalds. She told me they made her mop the floors on her first night. My mom works at Baptist as a CNA (certified nursing assistant). My family has shaped me into being an intelligent woman. My grandma came to this country with nothing. Now she has her car and house. My grandma worked with Baptist in nutrition for over twenty-five years. My grandpa passed away from a heart attack before I could ever meet him. My mom was eighteen when he passed. She always said that he taught her that to succeed in life, you work hard and always have goals. I plan to take life one goal at a time. My current goal is to obtain my bachelor's degree in psychology at Florida International University. I'm first-generation, so getting this degree is extra special for me and my family. My grandparents and parents never got their degrees, so I'm going to utilize all their sacrifices so that I can finish the job. I completed the summer term at FIU, and I got all A's in my classes. During the summer term, I had to ride the Miami transit bus for over two hours, then I walked for over thirty minutes to get to my class. Then I had to repeat the process all over again to get home. I never missed a day. I did that and still created time to get my work done. Knowing that my family is counting on me motivates me to make them proud. My name is Jada Sinanan. I am a first-year undergraduate at FIU majoring in psychology. My dream job is to be a psychiatrist because I want to help people. Psychology has always been a subject of interest to me because I've dealt with symptoms of depression and other mental disorders. I come from a low-income family, and I've had therapy, but I couldn't get diagnosed because we couldn't afford more sessions. Depression, bipolar disorder, alcoholism, substance abuse, and suicide occur in my ancestry. Therefore, I am passionate about treating people because I have first-hand experience with losing loved ones to mental illness. I am the child of an immigrant, divorced, low-income family. My mom and dad never went to college. My dad is unemployed, and my mom works a minimum wage job. My expected family contribution for college is $0. The only thing putting me through college is the government Pell Grant and any scholarships I can get. I am a first-generation woman of color with a 4.0 GPA. I started the summer term and got A's in all my classes. I'm telling you this to let you know I won't take the money for granted and want to use it to further my education. Thank you for this opportunity!

My favorite thing about Disney is the warmth and emotions I get by watching their movies. I cry every time I see a Disney movie. Its ability to make relatable characters no matter the circumstance is incredible. I just started college at Florida International University. I am majoring in psychology, and watching Disney movies makes me feel like a kid again. I live in a dorm, so I don't get to see my parents often, but watching Disney brings me back to when I was a little kid watching the movies on the couch with my family. It provides me with a feeling of normalcy while being away at college. I especially love how all the Disney characters are admirable and relatable. I relate to Princess Jasmine because I want to be independent and see the world. I am a first-generation college student. My grandparents and parents never got a college degree. I'm going to be the first. I heavily relate to Mulan because I want to bring honor to my family and make them proud. My favorite Disney princess is Pocahontas. She taught me to be brave, loyal, kind, and intelligent. I love her connection to nature and ability to utilize her strengths even when everything seems against the odds. Disney inspired me to be a better person. Many of the morales are fighting for what's right. I also love the prominent theme of true love in Dinsey's movies. They always manage to showcase the magic of true love. I love that their films can showcase women fighters like Pocahontas, Jasmine, Mulan, Moana, etc. However, we can't forget about the ordinary average girls who want to find love and create a family like Snow White, Aurora, Cinderella, etc. I like how Disney can give us a representation of both. I love going to Disney World it's the highlight of my vacations. The food never disappoints and always looks so cute. One of my favorite rides at Disney's Animal Kingdom is the Na'vi River Journey. The boat ride gently glides through the bioluminescent forest in the world of Pandora from the Avatar movie. All the lights and colors bring the ride to life: it looks like a dream. I love everything about Dinsey World: the excitement, anticipation, chills, food, and child-like wonder. Nothing makes me feel more like a kid than a good old day at Disney World. Thank you, Disney, for my childhood and the memories! Thank you, Disney scholarship for this opportunity!

I grew up in a home where my mother hesitated to take me to the hospital when I broke my arm because she didn't know if she could afford a cast. The day I fractured my arm, I slept the night without a splint until she couldn't bear to see me in agony. Seeing the panic in my mother's eyes broke my heart. I felt guilty for playing and breaking my arm, although I was only in the second grade. My name is Jada Sinanan. I am a first-year undergraduate at FIU majoring in psychology. My dream job is to be a psychiatrist because I want to help people. Psychology has always been a subject of interest to me because I've dealt with symptoms of depression and other mental disorders. I come from a low-income family, and I've had therapy, but I couldn't get diagnosed because we couldn't afford more sessions. Depression, bipolar disorder, alcoholism, substance abuse, and suicide occur in my ancestry. Therefore, I am passionate about treating people because I have first-hand experience with losing loved ones to mental illness, and I am a survivor of psychological and physical abuse. I am the child of an immigrant, divorced, low-income family. My mom and dad never went to college. My dad is unemployed, and my mom works a minimum-wage job. My expected family contribution for college is $0. The only thing putting me through college is the government Pell Grant and any scholarships I can get like this one. I am a first-generation woman of color with a 4.0 GPA. I started the summer term and got A's in all my classes. I'm telling you this to let you know I won't take the money for granted and want to use it to further my education. Winning this scholarship would lift some weight off my shoulder. It sucks because I want to attend college but worry about how far I can get without putting myself in a bad financial situation. I am BLS, GenCleo, CMAA, CNA, CVA, and OSHA certified. My goal is to try to get many certifications. Being certified allows me to be qualified for jobs. I need those jobs to help me pay off college fees. I would use the scholarship money to put me through college and support my medical bills. During the seventh grade, I developed iron-deficiency anemia. I lost blood every day for three months due to my irregular period. With my condition, I experienced fatigue, weakness, and pain. My doctors had to put me on birth control. When I finished my birth control, my period ended. Then later in the eighth grade, the period came again. It lasted a month, but I ran out of birth control because my mother couldn't afford it. I never what anyone to suffer from a medical condition because they can't afford treatment. I still suffer from iron deficiency anemia and have extreme periods that persist for months. Growing the way I did taught me that I have little room for error. Growing up low-income shows you that any minor mistake sets you back so much financially and emotionally. Growing up the way I did took an emotional toll on me because I feel guilty that my parents have to work so hard to provide me with resources that might not be enough. Graduating college is my dream but their whole lives savings. After college, if I have any leftover money, I plan to use it as a down payment to buy my own house and car. Thank you for this opportunity and have a nice day!

I grew up in a home where my mother hesitated to take me to the hospital when I broke my arm because she didn't know if she could afford a cast. The day I fractured my arm, I slept the night without a splint until she couldn't bear to see me in agony. Seeing the panic in my mother's eyes broke my heart. I felt guilty for playing and breaking my arm, although I was only in the second grade. My name is Jada Sinanan. I am a first-year undergraduate at FIU majoring in psychology. My dream job is to be a psychiatrist because I want to help people. Psychology has always been a subject of interest to me because I've dealt with symptoms of depression and other mental disorders. I come from a low-income family, and I've had therapy, but I couldn't get diagnosed because we couldn't afford more sessions. Depression, bipolar disorder, alcoholism, substance abuse, and suicide occur in my ancestry. Therefore, I am passionate about treating people because I have first-hand experience with losing loved ones to mental illness, and I am a survivor of psychological and physical abuse. I am the child of an immigrant, divorced, low-income family. My mom and dad never went to college. My dad is unemployed, and my mom works a minimum-wage job. My expected family contribution for college is $0. The only thing putting me through college is the government Pell Grant and any scholarships I can get like this one. I am a first-generation woman of color with a 4.0 GPA. I started the summer term and got A's in all my classes. I'm telling you this to let you know I won't take the money for granted and want to use it to further my education. Winning this scholarship would lift some weight off my shoulder. It sucks because I want to attend college but worry about how far I can get without putting myself in a bad financial situation. I am BLS, GenCleo, CMAA, CNA, CVA, and OSHA certified. My goal is to try to get many certifications. Being certified allows me to be qualified for jobs. I need those jobs to help me pay off college fees. I would use the scholarship money to put me through college and support my medical bills. During the seventh grade, I developed iron-deficiency anemia. I lost blood every day for three months due to my irregular period. With my condition, I experienced fatigue, weakness, and pain. My doctors had to put me on birth control. When I finished my birth control, my period ended. Then later in the eighth grade, the period came again. It lasted a month, but I ran out of birth control because my mother couldn't afford it. I never what anyone to suffer from a medical condition because they can't afford treatment. I still suffer from iron deficiency anemia and have extreme periods that persist for months. Growing the way I did taught me that I have little room for error. Growing up low-income shows you that any minor mistake sets you back so much financially and emotionally. Growing up the way I did took an emotional toll on me because I feel guilty that my parents have to work so hard to provide me with resources that might not be enough. Graduating college is my dream but their whole lives savings. After college, if I have any leftover money, I plan to use it as a down payment to buy my own house and car. Thank you for this opportunity and have a nice day!

I grew up in a home where my mother hesitated to take me to the hospital when I broke my arm because she didn't know if she could afford a cast. The day I fractured my arm, I slept the night without a splint until she couldn't bear to see me in agony. Seeing the panic in my mother's eyes broke my heart. I felt guilty for playing and breaking my arm, although I was only in the second grade. My name is Jada Sinanan. I am a first-year undergraduate at FIU majoring in psychology. My dream job is to be a psychiatrist because I want to help people. Psychology has always been a subject of interest to me because I've dealt with symptoms of depression and other mental disorders. I come from a low-income family, and I've had therapy, but I couldn't get diagnosed because we couldn't afford more sessions. Depression, bipolar disorder, alcoholism, substance abuse, and suicide occur in my ancestry. Therefore, I am passionate about treating people because I have first-hand experience with losing loved ones to mental illness, and I am a survivor of psychological and physical abuse. I am the child of an immigrant, divorced, low-income family. My mom and dad never went to college. My dad is unemployed, and my mom works a minimum-wage job. My expected family contribution for college is $0. The only thing putting me through college is the government Pell Grant and any scholarships I can get like this one. I am a first-generation woman of color with a 4.0 GPA. I started the summer term and got A's in all my classes. I'm telling you this to let you know I won't take the money for granted and want to use it to further my education. Winning this scholarship would lift some weight off my shoulder. It sucks because I want to attend college but worry about how far I can get without putting myself in a bad financial situation. I am BLS, GenCleo, CMAA, CNA, CVA, and OSHA certified. My goal is to try to get many certifications. Being certified allows me to be qualified for jobs. I need those jobs to help me pay off college fees. I would use the scholarship money to put me through college and support my medical bills. During the seventh grade, I developed iron-deficiency anemia. I lost blood every day for three months due to my irregular period. With my condition, I experienced fatigue, weakness, and pain. My doctors had to put me on birth control. When I finished my birth control, my period ended. Then later in the eighth grade, the period came again. It lasted a month, but I ran out of birth control because my mother couldn't afford it. I never what anyone to suffer from a medical condition because they can't afford treatment. I still suffer from iron deficiency anemia and have extreme periods that persist for months. Growing the way I did taught me that I have little room for error. Growing up low-income shows you that any minor mistake sets you back so much financially and emotionally. Growing up the way I did took an emotional toll on me because I feel guilty that my parents have to work so hard to provide me with resources that might not be enough. Graduating college is my dream but their whole lives savings. After college, if I have any leftover money, I plan to use it as a down payment to buy my own house and car. Thank you for this opportunity and have a nice day!

I grew up in a home where my mother hesitated to take me to the hospital when I broke my arm because she didn't know if she could afford a cast. The day I fractured my arm, I slept the night without a splint until she couldn't bear to see me in agony. Seeing the panic in my mother's eyes broke my heart. I felt guilty for playing and breaking my arm, although I was only in the second grade. My name is Jada Sinanan. I am a first-year undergraduate at FIU majoring in psychology. My dream job is to be a psychiatrist because I want to help people. Psychology has always been a subject of interest to me because I've dealt with symptoms of depression and other mental disorders. I come from a low-income family, and I've had therapy, but I couldn't get diagnosed because we couldn't afford more sessions. Depression, bipolar disorder, alcoholism, substance abuse, and suicide occur in my ancestry. Therefore, I am passionate about treating people because I have first-hand experience with losing loved ones to mental illness, and I am a survivor of psychological and physical abuse. I am the child of an immigrant, divorced, low-income family. My mom and dad never went to college. My dad is unemployed, and my mom works a minimum-wage job. My expected family contribution for college is $0. The only thing putting me through college is the government Pell Grant and any scholarships I can get like this one. I am a first-generation woman of color with a 4.0 GPA. I started the summer term and got A's in all my classes. I'm telling you this to let you know I won't take the money for granted and want to use it to further my education. Winning this scholarship would lift some weight off my shoulder. It sucks because I want to attend college but worry about how far I can get without putting myself in a bad financial situation. I am BLS, GenCleo, CMAA, CNA, CVA, and OSHA certified. My goal is to try to get many certifications. Being certified allows me to be qualified for jobs. I need those jobs to help me pay off college fees. I would use the scholarship money to put me through college and support my medical bills. During the seventh grade, I developed iron-deficiency anemia. I lost blood every day for three months due to my irregular period. With my condition, I experienced fatigue, weakness, and pain. My doctors had to put me on birth control. When I finished my birth control, my period ended. Then later in the eighth grade, the period came again. It lasted a month, but I ran out of birth control because my mother couldn't afford it. I never what anyone to suffer from a medical condition because they can't afford treatment. I still suffer from iron deficiency anemia and have extreme periods that persist for months. Growing the way I did taught me that I have little room for error. Growing up low-income shows you that any minor mistake sets you back so much financially and emotionally. Growing up the way I did took an emotional toll on me because I feel guilty that my parents have to work so hard to provide me with resources that might not be enough. Graduating college is my dream but their whole lives savings. After college, if I have any leftover money, I plan to use it as a down payment to buy my own house and car. Thank you for this opportunity and have a nice day!

I grew up in a home where my mother hesitated to take me to the hospital when I broke my arm because she didn't know if she could afford a cast. The day I fractured my arm, I slept the night without a cast until she couldn't bear to see me in agony. Seeing the panic in my mother's eyes broke my heart. I felt guilty for playing and breaking my arm, although I was only in the second grade. My name is Jada Sinanan. I am a first-year undergraduate at FIU majoring in psychology. My dream job is to be a psychiatrist because I want to help people. Psychology has always been a subject of interest to me because I've dealt with symptoms of depression and other mental disorders. I come from a low-income family, and I've had therapy, but I couldn't get diagnosed because we couldn't afford more sessions. Depression, bipolar disorder, alcoholism, substance abuse, and suicide occur in my ancestry. Therefore, I am passionate about treating people because I have first-hand experience with losing loved ones to mental illness, and I am a survivor of psychological and physical abuse. I am the child of an immigrant, divorced, low-income family. My mom and dad never went to college. My dad is unemployed, and my mom works a minimum-wage job. My expected family contribution for college is $0. The only thing putting me through college is the government Pell Grant and any scholarships I can get like this one. I am a first-generation woman of color with a 4.0 GPA. I started the summer term and got A's in all my classes. I'm telling you this to let you know I won't take the money for granted and want to use it to further my education. Winning this scholarship would lift some weight off my shoulder. It sucks because I want to attend college but worry about how far I can get without putting myself in a bad financial situation. I am BLS, GenCleo, CMAA, CNA, CVA, and OSHA certified. My goal is to try to get many certifications. Being certified allows me to be qualified for jobs. I need those jobs to help me pay off college fees. I would use the scholarship money to put me through college and support my medical bills. During the seventh grade, I developed iron-deficiency anemia. I lost blood every day for three months due to my irregular period. With my condition, I experienced fatigue, weakness, and pain. My doctors had to put me on birth control. When I finished my birth control, my period ended. Then later in the eighth grade, the period came again. It lasted a month, but I ran out of birth control because my mother couldn't afford it. I never what anyone to suffer from a medical condition because they can't afford treatment. I still suffer from iron deficiency anemia and have extreme periods that persist for months. Growing the way I did taught me that I have little room for error. Growing up low-income shows you that any minor mistake sets you back so much financially and emotionally. Growing up the way I did took an emotional toll on me because I feel guilty that my parents have to work so hard to provide me with resources that might not be enough. Graduating college is my dream but their whole lives savings. After college, if I have any leftover money, I plan to use it as a down payment to buy my own house and car. Thank you for this opportunity and have a nice day!

Free speech contributes to freedom of expression in American students. We have to be able to voice our opinions on topics that we care about. The first thing that came to mind when reading the prompt was the Vietnam War. In 1970 there was a massive protest against the Vietnam War from college and high school students. They felt the war was unnecessary, and many students felt the terror of being drafted. Over 58,000 Americans died, and we lost the war. President Lydon B. Johnson could've avoided mass casualties had he listened to the college and high American population. Now we have other topics that need our attention, such as the Russian-Ukrainian war, abortions, offering free tuition, eliminating student loan debt, there is no justification for the war on terror, universal healthcare, banning animal testing, etc. It is crucial to preserve our fundamental right to free speech to allow us to advocate for ourselves and the upcoming generations. Free speech promotes critical thinking to understand what kind of person you are and what interest you fight for. My name is Jada Sinanan. I am an undergraduate at FIU. I am majoring in psychology. According to psychology individuals, in higher cognitive abilities showed greater support for freedom of speech. My field of study promotes mental health and raises awareness of the mental crisis in America. According to Prevalence Data 2022- Mental Health America, 19.86% of adults are experiencing mental illness. Equivalent to nearly 50 million Americans and 4.91% are experiencing severe mental illness. 7.74% of adults reported having a substance abuse disorder. 5.71% of adults reported having an alcohol use disorder. 4.58% of Americans have thoughts of suicide, an estimated 11.4 million people- an increase of 664,000 people from last year's data set. 15.08% of youth (ages 12-17) report suffering from at least one major depressive episode. 10.6% of youth (over 2.5 million) cope with severe major depression. Freedom of speech allows us to spread awareness on topics that need concern. As college students, most of us can't give money to charity, aren't old enough to vote, and can't directly be involved in the problems we care about. One way we can indirectly show support for our causes is through awareness. That is why it is essential to protect our rights because it allows underrepresented voices to be heard. In the Psychology Honor Society, I make mental health awareness posters, donate to mental causes, and improve the school environment. In the Pre-Med Honor Society, I make medical awareness posters, give to the hungry and toys for tots, and assist the JAF Biomedical program. These are ways that I keep my freedom of speech alive. Thank you for this opportunity!

I grew up in a home where my mother hesitated to take me to the hospital when I broke my arm because she didn't know if she could afford a cast. The day I fractured my arm, I slept the night without a splint until she couldn't bear to see me in agony. Seeing the panic in my mother's eyes broke my heart. I felt guilty for playing and breaking my arm, although I was only in the second grade. My name is Jada Sinanan. I am a first-year undergraduate at FIU majoring in psychology. My dream job is to be a psychiatrist because I want to help people. Psychology has always been a subject of interest to me because I've dealt with symptoms of depression and other mental disorders. I come from a low-income family, and I've had therapy, but I couldn't get diagnosed because we couldn't afford more sessions. Depression, bipolar disorder, alcoholism, substance abuse, and suicide occur in my ancestry. Therefore, I am passionate about treating people because I have first-hand experience with losing loved ones to mental illness, and I am a survivor of psychological and physical abuse. I am the child of an immigrant, divorced, low-income family. My mom and dad never went to college. My dad is unemployed, and my mom works a minimum-wage job. My expected family contribution for college is $0. The only thing putting me through college is the government Pell Grant and any scholarships I can get like this one. I am a first-generation woman of color with a 4.0 GPA. I started the summer term and got A's in all my classes. I'm telling you this to let you know I won't take the money for granted and want to use it to further my education. Winning this scholarship would lift some weight off my shoulder. It sucks because I want to attend college but worry about how far I can get without putting myself in a bad financial situation. I am BLS, GenCleo, CMAA, CNA, CVA, and OSHA certified. My goal is to try to get many certifications. Being certified allows me to be qualified for jobs. I need those jobs to help me pay off college fees. I would use the scholarship money to put me through college and support my medical bills. During the seventh grade, I developed iron-deficiency anemia. I lost blood every day for three months due to my irregular period. With my condition, I experienced fatigue, weakness, and pain. My doctors had to put me on birth control. When I finished my birth control, my period ended. Then later in the eighth grade, the period came again. It lasted a month, but I ran out of birth control because my mother couldn't afford it. I never what anyone to suffer from a medical condition because they can't afford treatment. I still suffer from iron deficiency anemia and have extreme periods that persist for months. Growing the way I did taught me that I have little room for error. Growing up low-income shows you that any minor mistake sets you back so much financially and emotionally. Growing up the way I did took an emotional toll on me because I feel guilty that my parents have to work so hard to provide me with resources that might not be enough. Graduating college is my dream but their whole lives savings. After college, if I have any leftover money, I plan to use it as a down payment to buy my own house and car. Thank you for this opportunity and have a nice day!

I grew up in a home where my mother hesitated to take me to the hospital when I broke my arm because she didn't know if she could afford a cast. The day I fractured my arm, I slept the night without a splint until she couldn't bear to see me in agony. Seeing the panic in my mother's eyes broke my heart. I felt guilty for playing and breaking my arm, although I was only in the second grade. My name is Jada Sinanan. I am a first-year undergraduate at FIU majoring in psychology. My dream job is to be a psychiatrist because I want to help people. Psychology has always been a subject of interest to me because I've dealt with symptoms of depression and other mental disorders. I come from a low-income family, and I've had therapy, but I couldn't get diagnosed because we couldn't afford more sessions. Depression, bipolar disorder, alcoholism, substance abuse, and suicide occur in my ancestry. Therefore, I am passionate about treating people because I have first-hand experience with losing loved ones to mental illness, and I am a survivor of psychological and physical abuse. I am the child of an immigrant, divorced, low-income family. My mom and dad never went to college. My dad is unemployed, and my mom works a minimum-wage job. My expected family contribution for college is $0. The only thing putting me through college is the government Pell Grant and any scholarships I can get like this one. I am a first-generation woman of color with a 4.0 GPA. I started the summer term and got A's in all my classes. I'm telling you this to let you know I won't take the money for granted and want to use it to further my education. Winning this scholarship would lift some weight off my shoulder. It sucks because I want to attend college but worry about how far I can get without putting myself in a bad financial situation. I am BLS, GenCleo, CMAA, CNA, CVA, and OSHA certified. My goal is to try to get many certifications. Being certified allows me to be qualified for jobs. I need those jobs to help me pay off college fees. I would use the scholarship money to put me through college and support my medical bills. During the seventh grade, I developed iron-deficiency anemia. I lost blood every day for three months due to my irregular period. With my condition, I experienced fatigue, weakness, and pain. My doctors had to put me on birth control. When I finished my birth control, my period ended. Then later in the eighth grade, the period came again. It lasted a month, but I ran out of birth control because my mother couldn't afford it. I never what anyone to suffer from a medical condition because they can't afford treatment. I still suffer from iron deficiency anemia and have extreme periods that persist for months. Growing the way I did taught me that I have little room for error. Growing up low-income shows you that any minor mistake sets you back so much financially and emotionally. Growing up the way I did took an emotional toll on me because I feel guilty that my parents have to work so hard to provide me with resources that might not be enough. Graduating college is my dream but their whole lives savings. After college, if I have any leftover money, I plan to use it as a down payment to buy my own house and car. Thank you for this opportunity and have a nice day!

I suffer from anxiety disorders and depression, and a psychiatrist suggested that I suffer from borderline personality disorder. As a precaution, I am not diagnosed with bpd. I tried to get diagnosed, but my family is low-income, and we couldn't afford more sessions, so I never got diagnosed. I don't know if I have bpd until I save enough money to meet another psychiatrist. I completed the summer term at Florida International University with A's in all my classes. What most people don't know is on the first day of college, I went home and threw up three times. I suffer from chronic and overwhelming general anxiety, depression, and paranoia, which constitute a mental disability. I would like to say I've overcome it, but in all honestly, I can't say that I have. But I'm working on living a better quality of life through music, meditation, healthier diets, and nature. When I get anxious, I like to skateboard through my neighborhood listening to current joys on my headphones. Being a teenage first-generation girl of divorced, low-income immigrants led me to develop my own experiences with mental illness. Depression, bipolar disorder, alcoholism, substance abuse, and suicide occur in my ancestry. Therefore, I am passionate about treating people because I have first-hand experience with losing loved ones to mental illness. I want nothing more than for people to recognize when they need help and have someone they trust to aid them. As a psychiatrist, I want to provide my patients with the highest quality of life and low-cost wellness care. To achieve my goal of becoming a psychiatrist, I must be college educated. A psychiatrist must earn a bachelor's degree, four years of medical school, and a four-year residency. Some psychiatrists also complete fellowship programs and additional training. It takes approximately twelve years to become a psychiatrist. I love psychology and study it in my free time. Becoming a psychiatrist is undoubtedly a difficult task to complete. However, I feel I can accomplish this ambition. I discovered I desired a career in psychology when I enjoyed being attentive to my friend's struggles and offering them a list of solutions to improve their mood. I appreciate taking the time to create a comfortable environment for my peers. When I grow up, I want to observe my patients and develop precise treatment plans to alleviate my patient's mental distress. I passed the AP Psych exam and am part of the Psychology Honor Society. According to Prevalence Data 2022- Mental Health America, 19.86% of adults are experiencing mental illness. Equivalent to nearly 50 million Americans and 4.91% are experiencing severe mental illness. 7.74% of adults reported having a substance abuse disorder. 5.71% of adults reported having an alcohol use disorder. 4.58% of Americans have thoughts of suicide, an estimated 11.4 million people- an increase of 664,000 people from last year's data set. 15.08% of youth (ages 12-17) report suffering from at least one major depressive episode. 10.6% of youth (over 2.5 million) cope with severe major depression. Mental health awareness is essential for patients because they deserve care, understanding, and compassion. They need rehabilitation. Caring for patients as they recover and assisting families through difficult times provide me with optimism for the future. I suffer from mental illness and understand how strenuous it is to cope. However, it is possible to recover and live a healthy life. Our job as medical professionals is to deconstruct the stigma of mental illness and support others in need. I desire to achieve this in my medical career. Thank you for this opportunity!

I grew up in a home where my mother hesitated to take me to the hospital when I broke my arm because she didn't know if she could afford a cast. The day I fractured my arm, I slept the night without a splint until she couldn't bear to see me in agony. Seeing the panic in my mother's eyes broke my heart. I felt guilty for playing and breaking my arm, although I was only in the second grade. My name is Jada Sinanan. I am a first-year undergraduate at FIU majoring in psychology. My dream job is to be a psychiatrist because I want to help people. Psychology has always been a subject of interest to me because I've dealt with symptoms of depression and other mental disorders. I come from a low-income family, and I've had therapy, but I couldn't get diagnosed because we couldn't afford more sessions. Depression, bipolar disorder, alcoholism, substance abuse, and suicide occur in my ancestry. Therefore, I am passionate about treating people because I have first-hand experience with losing loved ones to mental illness, and I am a survivor of psychological and physical abuse. I am the child of an immigrant, divorced, low-income family. My mom and dad never went to college. My dad is unemployed, and my mom works a minimum-wage job. My expected family contribution for college is $0. The only thing putting me through college is the government Pell Grant and any scholarships I can get like this one. I am a first-generation woman of color with a 4.0 GPA. I started the summer term and got A's in all my classes. I'm telling you this to let you know I won't take the money for granted and want to use it to further my education. Winning this scholarship would lift some weight off my shoulder. It sucks because I want to attend college but worry about how far I can get without putting myself in a bad financial situation. I am BLS, GenCleo, CMAA, CNA, CVA, and OSHA certified. My goal is to try to get many certifications. Being certified allows me to be qualified for jobs. I need those jobs to help me pay off college fees. I would use the scholarship money to put me through college and support my medical bills. During the seventh grade, I developed iron-deficiency anemia. I lost blood every day for three months due to my irregular period. With my condition, I experienced fatigue, weakness, and pain. My doctors had to put me on birth control. When I finished my birth control, my period ended. Then later in the eighth grade, the period came again. It lasted a month, but I ran out of birth control because my mother couldn't afford it. I never what anyone to suffer from a medical condition because they can't afford treatment. I still suffer from iron deficiency anemia and have extreme periods that persist for months. Growing the way I did taught me that I have little room for error. Growing up low-income shows you that any minor mistake sets you back so much financially and emotionally. Growing up the way I did took an emotional toll on me because I feel guilty that my parents have to work so hard to provide me with resources that might not be enough. Graduating college is my dream but their whole lives savings. After college, if I have any leftover money, I plan to use it as a down payment to buy my own house and car. Thank you for this opportunity and have a nice day!

Nursing interests me as a career choice because I want to help people. The majority of my family is nurses, and they tell me about the hard work and challenges that nurses face. They told me you need grit to be a nurse cause it's not easy. I graduated from high school with a major in veterinary and nursing assisting. I am BLS, OSHA, GenCleo, CMAA, CVA, and CNA certified. I got my certifications from my nursing and vet classes. To be a certified nursing assistant, I had to complete nursing clinical during school. I volunteered at the Palace Nursing and Rehabilitation Center. At the Palace, I washed patients in their beds and showers. I learned you have to be quick and efficient but also gentle. When I worked with the residents, they smiled at me and talked about their lives. I tried my best to make washing them feel normal and comfortable. I let them take control and wash themselves as much as they could. If they couldn't bathe themselves then I assisted. With any task, I let them make the decisions and take control. When feeding them I let them feed themselves, and if they couldn't then I would take over. I asked them what would you like to eat first, and what would you like to drink, and when they told me they were done, I asked are you sure you wouldn't like some more to make sure? I changed diapers and changed their clothes. I cleaned up areas and stacked plates. It was normal tasks but I loved completing them with care to show the residents how loved they are. It's little things like asking them about their day and going the extra mile to ask if they are comfortable that made them trust me more. But like any job it has its ups and downs. A lot of patients I saw were in pain and irritated. One day an older lady refused to take her pills with her meals, and the CNAs tried their best to make her take them, but she wouldn't. The CNAs ended up leaving me and her alone. I offered her some water and kind words of encouragement, and after some time, she took it when I was sitting next to her. I was so happy, and the CNAs told me good job. That interaction made me realize that being a nurse is exhausting but rewarding, especially when you think no one is paying attention. There was a patient there that I met, and I loved her. I won't mention specific details about her because of patient confidentiality, but she is an inspiration. I loved talking to her about her life and her interests. She and I love the same things and every time I saw her, she said she was waiting for me. She was so awake, alert, and orientated. Her memory is incredible, and she speaks with such vocabulary. I almost broke down crying one day because usually, I tell the patients that they are doing great and so on but when I first met her so kept telling me good job and that I was doing fantastic. I was 17, and those words of encouragement were all the feedback I needed to know that I'm doing great. After my clinical, I passed my skills and written exams. I became a certified nursing assistant. I was extremely joyful. Now I want to continue my career and get a job at Baptist Hospital while at college. They have a nursing internship program that I am very interested in. Thank you!

Every occupation requires math. At an early age, I knew I wanted to be a psychiatrist. Psychiatry falls under medicine which comes under Health Science. I want to be a psychiatrist to treat patients by prescribing medication. Psychiatry has always been a subject of interest because I grew up with mental illness in my family. Depression, bipolar disorder, alcoholism, substance abuse, and suicide occur in my ancestry. Therefore, I am passionate about treating people because I have first-hand experience with losing loved ones to mental illness. However, I cannot achieve this goal without the knowledge of math. To be a psychiatrist, you must be firm with statistics and quantitative analysis. During school, I was fascinated with the mathematical modeling of psychological theories and experimental phenomena. I then discovered psychometrics. Psychometrics is a field of psychology specializing in testing, measurement, assessment, and related activities. In my spare time, I studied the psychometrics of personality and aptitude tests which measure the applicant's ability to function in a specific role. I'd psychoanalyze to determine different occupations based on characteristics I found in my peers. Due to the growing population, my calculations state healthcare will be the largest U.S. employer. Math improves my thinking by stimulating the region of my brain called the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. Math provides me with the information to make inferences based on circumstances. For example, according to Bold.Org, every 100 Bold points makes me 30% more likely to win scholarships. Now I can hypothesize how many scholarships to submit. The probability of me earning a scholarship increases each time I apply for a new one. My family's low income. My mom makes less than $30,000 annually. According to a net price calculator, we'll have to pay $6,594 per semester after aid to attend FIU. FIU is my dream university. My total estimated cost of attendance is $17,294. That's about 69.2% of my mom's income for attendance costs. My estimated tuition is $6,558 per year for 30 credits per year. I estimated $26,232 for four years of teaching if I want to obtain my bachelor's. The math of estimation and accuracy are crucial to me as an upcoming first-generation college student. I must know my expenses and determine the most cost-effective plan to pay my dues. At FIU this fall I am taking college algebra. I can't wait. Thank you so much for this opportunity and I hope I can utilize math to develop a better world for generations to come!

My name is Jada Sinanan. I just turned 18 years old. I am currently pursuing a bachelor's degree at FIU. My dream job is to be a psychiatrist because I want to help people. Psychology has always been a subject of interest to me because I've dealt with symptoms of depression and other mental disorders. I come from a low-income family, and I've had therapy, but I couldn't get diagnosed because we couldn't afford more sessions. Depression, bipolar disorder, alcoholism, substance abuse, and suicide occur in my ancestry. Therefore, I am passionate about treating people because I have first-hand experience with losing loved ones to mental illness. I plan to positively impact the world through psychology by making counseling and psychological services more affordable. Psychiatrists are becoming more prevalent due to a generational shift. Due to hardships like homelessness, poverty, and financial instability, people are becoming prone to developing psychological illnesses. According to Prevalence Data 2022- Mental Health America, 19.86% of adults are experiencing mental illness. Equivalent to nearly 50 million Americans and 4.91% are experiencing severe mental illness. 7.74% of adults reported having a substance abuse disorder. 5.71% of adults reported having an alcohol use disorder. 4.58% of Americans have thoughts of suicide, an estimated 11.4 million people- an increase of 664,000 people from last year's data set. 15.08% of youth (ages 12-17) report suffering from at least one major depressive episode. 10.6% of youth (over 2.5 million) cope with severe major depression. Mental health awareness is essential for patients because they deserve care, understanding, and compassion. They need rehabilitation. Caring for patients as they recover and assisting families through difficult times provide me with optimism for the future. I suffer from mental illness and understand how strenuous it is to cope. However, it is possible to recover and live a healthy life. Our job as medical professionals is to deconstruct the stigma of mental illness and support others in need. I desire to achieve this in my medical career. But I don't want to wait until I have a medical career to help people. I am currently BLS, OSHA, GenCleo, CMAA, CNA, and CVA certified. I am part of the FFA Vegetable Judging Team, FFA Aquaculture Team, Environmental Club, GenCleo, Psychology Honor Society, and Pre-Med Honor Society. In the Veggie Team, I judge vegetables on whether they are appropriate for consumers. My team has grown the school garden, and we donate the vegetables to struggling people. In the team, I was going to a competition in Gainesville as a Freshman. I couldn't go eventually due to Covid. This year, I took the veggie preliminaries, and my team placed 4th out of all the veggie teams that took the test across the US. So, I am going to compete this year. Only the top 20 teams get to compete. In the Environmental Club, I spent two hours picking up trash from the street of the Steinburg Nature Center because I love the environment. These clubs make me well-rounded because they make me aware of how I can do my part to help different causes. In the Psychology Honor Society, I make mental health awareness posters, donate to mental causes, and improve the school environment. In the Pre-Med Honor Society, I make medical awareness posters, give to the hungry and toys for tots, and assist the JAF Biomedical program. I try to aid others because I want to be involved in my community. Completing college is a goal of mine. Florida International University will guide me into being an educated, independent, and strong woman. Thank you for this opportunity!

My name is Jada Sinanan. I just turned 18 years old. I am pursuing a bachelor's degree at FIU. I am a first-generation college student. My dream job is to be a psychiatrist because I want to help people. Psychology has always been a subject of interest to me because I've dealt with symptoms of depression and other mental disorders. I come from a low-income family, and I've had therapy, but I couldn't get diagnosed because we couldn't afford more sessions. Depression, bipolar disorder, alcoholism, substance abuse, and suicide occur in my ancestry. Therefore, I am passionate about treating people because I have first-hand experience with losing loved ones to mental illness. I plan to positively impact the world through psychology by making counseling and psychological services more affordable. Psychiatrists are becoming more prevalent due to a generational shift. Due to hardships like homelessness, poverty, and financial instability, people are becoming prone to developing psychological illnesses. According to Prevalence Data 2022- Mental Health America, 19.86% of adults are experiencing mental illness. Equivalent to nearly 50 million Americans and 4.91% are experiencing severe mental illness. 7.74% of adults reported having a substance abuse disorder. 5.71% of adults reported having an alcohol use disorder. 4.58% of Americans have thoughts of suicide, an estimated 11.4 million people- an increase of 664,000 people from last year's data set. 15.08% of youth (ages 12-17) report suffering from at least one major depressive episode. 10.6% of youth (over 2.5 million) cope with severe major depression. Mental health awareness is essential for patients because they deserve care, understanding, and compassion. They need rehabilitation. Caring for patients as they recover and assisting families through difficult times provide me with optimism for the future. I suffer from mental illness and understand how strenuous it is to cope. However, it is possible to recover and live a healthy life. Our job as medical professionals is to deconstruct the stigma of mental illness and support others in need. I desire to achieve this in my medical career. But I don't want to wait until I have a medical career to help people. I am currently BLS, OSHA, GenCleo, CMAA, CNA, and CVA certified. I am part of the FFA Vegetable Judging Team, FFA Aquaculture Team, Environmental Club, GenCleo, Psychology Honor Society, and Pre-Med Honor Society. In the Veggie Team, I judge vegetables on whether they are appropriate for consumers. My team grew gardens, and we donate the vegetables. In the team, I was going to a competition in Gainesville as a Freshman. I couldn't go eventually due to Covid. This year, I took the veggie preliminaries, and my team placed 4th out of all the veggie teams that took the test across the US. So, I am going to compete this year. Only the top 20 teams get to compete. In the Environmental Club, I spent two hours picking up trash from the street of the Steinburg Nature Center because I love the environment. These clubs make me well-rounded because they make me aware of how I can do my part to help different causes. In the Psychology Honor Society, I make mental health awareness posters, donate to mental causes, and improve the school environment. In the Pre-Med Honor Society, I make medical awareness posters, give to the hungry and toys for tots, and assist the JAF Biomedical program. I try to aid others because I want to be involved in my community. Completing college is a goal of mine. Florida International University will guide me into being an educated, independent, and strong woman. Thank you for this opportunity!

My name is Jada Sinanan. I just turned 18 years old. I am currently pursuing a bachelor's degree at FIU. My dream job is to be a psychiatrist because I want to help people. Psychology has always been a subject of interest to me because I've dealt with symptoms of depression and other mental disorders. I come from a low-income family, and I've had therapy, but I couldn't get diagnosed because we couldn't afford more sessions. Depression, bipolar disorder, alcoholism, substance abuse, and suicide occur in my ancestry. Therefore, I am passionate about treating people because I have first-hand experience with losing loved ones to mental illness. I plan to positively impact the world through psychology by making counseling and psychological services more affordable. Psychiatrists are becoming more prevalent due to a generational shift. Due to hardships like homelessness, poverty, and financial instability, people are becoming prone to developing psychological illnesses. According to Prevalence Data 2022- Mental Health America, 19.86% of adults are experiencing mental illness. Equivalent to nearly 50 million Americans and 4.91% are experiencing severe mental illness. 7.74% of adults reported having a substance abuse disorder. 5.71% of adults reported having an alcohol use disorder. 4.58% of Americans have thoughts of suicide, an estimated 11.4 million people- an increase of 664,000 people from last year's data set. 15.08% of youth (ages 12-17) report suffering from at least one major depressive episode. 10.6% of youth (over 2.5 million) cope with severe major depression. Mental health awareness is essential for patients because they deserve care, understanding, and compassion. They need rehabilitation. Caring for patients as they recover and assisting families through difficult times provide me with optimism for the future. I suffer from mental illness and understand how strenuous it is to cope. However, it is possible to recover and live a healthy life. Our job as medical professionals is to deconstruct the stigma of mental illness and support others in need. I desire to achieve this in my medical career. But I don't want to wait until I have a medical career to help people. I am currently BLS, OSHA, GenCleo, CMAA, CNA, and CVA certified. I am part of the FFA Vegetable Judging Team, FFA Aquaculture Team, Environmental Club, GenCleo, Psychology Honor Society, and Pre-Med Honor Society. In the Veggie Team, I judge vegetables on whether they are appropriate for consumers. My team has grown the school garden, and we donate the vegetables to struggling people. In the team, I was going to a competition in Gainesville as a Freshman. I couldn't go eventually due to Covid. This year, I took the veggie preliminaries, and my team placed 4th out of all the veggie teams that took the test across the US. So, I am going to compete this year. Only the top 20 teams get to compete. In the Environmental Club, I spent two hours picking up trash from the street of the Steinburg Nature Center because I love the environment. These clubs make me well-rounded because they make me aware of how I can do my part to help different causes. In the Psychology Honor Society, I make mental health awareness posters, donate to mental causes, and improve the school environment. In the Pre-Med Honor Society, I make medical awareness posters, give to the hungry and toys for tots, and assist the JAF Biomedical program. I try to aid others because I want to be involved in my community. Completing college is a goal of mine. Florida International University will guide me into being an educated, independent, and strong woman. Thank you for this opportunity!

My name is Jada Sinanan. I just turned 18 years old. I am currently pursuing a bachelor's degree at FIU. My dream job is to be a psychiatrist because I want to help people. Psychology has always been a subject of interest to me because I've dealt with symptoms of depression and other mental disorders. I come from a low-income family, and I've had therapy, but I couldn't get diagnosed because we couldn't afford more sessions. Depression, bipolar disorder, alcoholism, substance abuse, and suicide occur in my ancestry. Therefore, I am passionate about treating people because I have first-hand experience with losing loved ones to mental illness. I plan to positively impact the world through psychology by making counseling and psychological services more affordable. Psychiatrists are becoming more prevalent due to a generational shift. Due to hardships like homelessness, poverty, and financial instability, people are becoming prone to developing psychological illnesses. According to Prevalence Data 2022- Mental Health America, 19.86% of adults are experiencing mental illness. Equivalent to nearly 50 million Americans and 4.91% are experiencing severe mental illness. 7.74% of adults reported having a substance abuse disorder. 5.71% of adults reported having an alcohol use disorder. 4.58% of Americans have thoughts of suicide, an estimated 11.4 million people- an increase of 664,000 people from last year's data set. 15.08% of youth (ages 12-17) report suffering from at least one major depressive episode. 10.6% of youth (over 2.5 million) cope with severe major depression. Mental health awareness is essential for patients because they deserve care, understanding, and compassion. They need rehabilitation. Caring for patients as they recover and assisting families through difficult times provide me with optimism for the future. I suffer from mental illness and understand how strenuous it is to cope. However, it is possible to recover and live a healthy life. Our job as medical professionals is to deconstruct the stigma of mental illness and support others in need. I desire to achieve this in my medical career. But I don't want to wait until I have a medical career to help people. I am currently BLS, OSHA, GenCleo, CMAA, CNA, and CVA certified. I am part of the FFA Vegetable Judging Team, FFA Aquaculture Team, Environmental Club, GenCleo, Psychology Honor Society, and Pre-Med Honor Society. In the Veggie Team, I judge vegetables on whether they are appropriate for consumers. My team has grown the school garden, and we donate the vegetables to struggling people. In the team, I was going to a competition in Gainesville as a Freshman. I couldn't go eventually due to Covid. This year, I took the veggie preliminaries, and my team placed 4th out of all the veggie teams that took the test across the US. So, I am going to compete this year. Only the top 20 teams get to compete. In the Environmental Club, I spent two hours picking up trash from the street of the Steinburg Nature Center because I love the environment. These clubs make me well-rounded because they make me aware of how I can do my part to help different causes. In the Psychology Honor Society, I make mental health awareness posters, donate to mental causes, and improve the school environment. In the Pre-Med Honor Society, I make medical awareness posters, give to the hungry and toys for tots, and assist the JAF Biomedical program. I try to aid others because I want to be involved in my community. Completing college is a goal of mine. Florida International University will guide me into being an educated, independent, and strong woman. Thank you for this opportunity!

My name is Jada Sinanan. I just turned 18 years old. I am currently pursuing a bachelor's degree at FIU. My dream job is to be a psychiatrist because I want to help people. Psychology has always been a subject of interest to me because I've dealt with symptoms of depression and other mental disorders. I come from a low-income family, and I've had therapy, but I couldn't get diagnosed because we couldn't afford more sessions. Depression, bipolar disorder, alcoholism, substance abuse, and suicide occur in my ancestry. Therefore, I am passionate about treating people because I have first-hand experience with losing loved ones to mental illness. I plan to positively impact the world through psychology by making counseling and psychological services more affordable. Psychiatrists are becoming more prevalent due to a generational shift. Due to hardships like homelessness, poverty, and financial instability, people are becoming prone to developing psychological illnesses. According to Prevalence Data 2022- Mental Health America, 19.86% of adults are experiencing mental illness. Equivalent to nearly 50 million Americans and 4.91% are experiencing severe mental illness. 7.74% of adults reported having a substance abuse disorder. 5.71% of adults reported having an alcohol use disorder. 4.58% of Americans have thoughts of suicide, an estimated 11.4 million people- an increase of 664,000 people from last year's data set. 15.08% of youth (ages 12-17) report suffering from at least one major depressive episode. 10.6% of youth (over 2.5 million) cope with severe major depression. Mental health awareness is essential for patients because they deserve care, understanding, and compassion. They need rehabilitation. Caring for patients as they recover and assisting families through difficult times provide me with optimism for the future. I suffer from mental illness and understand how strenuous it is to cope. However, it is possible to recover and live a healthy life. Our job as medical professionals is to deconstruct the stigma of mental illness and support others in need. I desire to achieve this in my medical career. But I don't want to wait until I have a medical career to help people. I am currently BLS, OSHA, GenCleo, CMAA, CNA, and CVA certified. I am part of the FFA Vegetable Judging Team, FFA Aquaculture Team, Environmental Club, GenCleo, Psychology Honor Society, and Pre-Med Honor Society. In the Veggie Team, I judge vegetables on whether they are appropriate for consumers. My team has grown the school garden, and we donate the vegetables to struggling people. In the team, I was going to a competition in Gainesville as a Freshman. I couldn't go eventually due to Covid. This year, I took the veggie preliminaries, and my team placed 4th out of all the veggie teams that took the test across the US. So, I am going to compete this year. Only the top 20 teams get to compete. In the Environmental Club, I spent two hours picking up trash from the street of the Steinburg Nature Center because I love the environment. These clubs make me well-rounded because they make me aware of how I can do my part to help different causes. In the Psychology Honor Society, I make mental health awareness posters, donate to mental causes, and improve the school environment. In the Pre-Med Honor Society, I make medical awareness posters, give to the hungry and toys for tots, and assist the JAF Biomedical program. I try to aid others because I want to be involved in my community. Completing college is a goal of mine. Florida International University will guide me into being an educated, independent, and strong woman. Thank you for this opportunity!

My name is Jada Sinanan. I just turned 18 years old. I am currently pursuing a bachelor's degree at FIU. My dream job is to be a psychiatrist because I want to help people. Psychology has always been a subject of interest to me because I've dealt with symptoms of depression and other mental disorders. I come from a low-income family, and I've had therapy, but I couldn't get diagnosed because we couldn't afford more sessions. Depression, bipolar disorder, alcoholism, substance abuse, and suicide occur in my ancestry. Therefore, I am passionate about treating people because I have first-hand experience with losing loved ones to mental illness. I plan to positively impact the world through psychology by making counseling and psychological services more affordable. Psychiatrists are becoming more prevalent due to a generational shift. Due to hardships like homelessness, poverty, and financial instability, people are becoming prone to developing psychological illnesses. According to Prevalence Data 2022- Mental Health America, 19.86% of adults are experiencing mental illness. Equivalent to nearly 50 million Americans and 4.91% are experiencing severe mental illness. 7.74% of adults reported having a substance abuse disorder. 5.71% of adults reported having an alcohol use disorder. 4.58% of Americans have thoughts of suicide, an estimated 11.4 million people- an increase of 664,000 people from last year's data set. 15.08% of youth (ages 12-17) report suffering from at least one major depressive episode. 10.6% of youth (over 2.5 million) cope with severe major depression. Mental health awareness is essential for patients because they deserve care, understanding, and compassion. They need rehabilitation. Caring for patients as they recover and assisting families through difficult times provide me with optimism for the future. I suffer from mental illness and understand how strenuous it is to cope. However, it is possible to recover and live a healthy life. Our job as medical professionals is to deconstruct the stigma of mental illness and support others in need. I desire to achieve this in my medical career. But I don't want to wait until I have a medical career to help people. I am currently BLS, OSHA, GenCleo, CMAA, CNA, and CVA certified. I am part of the FFA Vegetable Judging Team, FFA Aquaculture Team, Environmental Club, GenCleo, Psychology Honor Society, and Pre-Med Honor Society. In the Veggie Team, I judge vegetables on whether they are appropriate for consumers. My team has grown the school garden, and we donate the vegetables to struggling people. In the team, I was going to a competition in Gainesville as a Freshman. I couldn't go eventually due to Covid. This year, I took the veggie preliminaries, and my team placed 4th out of all the veggie teams that took the test across the US. So, I am going to compete this year. Only the top 20 teams get to compete. In the Environmental Club, I spent two hours picking up trash from the street of the Steinburg Nature Center because I love the environment. These clubs make me well-rounded because they make me aware of how I can do my part to help different causes. In the Psychology Honor Society, I make mental health awareness posters, donate to mental causes, and improve the school environment. In the Pre-Med Honor Society, I make medical awareness posters, give to the hungry and toys for tots, and assist the JAF Biomedical program. I try to aid others because I want to be involved in my community. Completing college is a goal of mine. Florida International University will guide me into being an educated, independent, and strong woman. Thank you for this opportunity!

My name is Jada Sinanan. I just turned 18 years old. I am currently pursuing a bachelor's degree at FIU. My dream job is to be a psychiatrist because I want to help people. Psychology has always been a subject of interest to me because I've dealt with symptoms of depression and other mental disorders. I come from a low-income family, and I've had therapy, but I couldn't get diagnosed because we couldn't afford more sessions. Depression, bipolar disorder, alcoholism, substance abuse, and suicide occur in my ancestry. Therefore, I am passionate about treating people because I have first-hand experience with losing loved ones to mental illness. I plan to positively impact the world through psychology by making counseling and psychological services more affordable. Psychiatrists are becoming more prevalent due to a generational shift. Due to hardships like homelessness, poverty, and financial instability, people are becoming prone to developing psychological illnesses. According to Prevalence Data 2022- Mental Health America, 19.86% of adults are experiencing mental illness. Equivalent to nearly 50 million Americans and 4.91% are experiencing severe mental illness. 7.74% of adults reported having a substance abuse disorder. 5.71% of adults reported having an alcohol use disorder. 4.58% of Americans have thoughts of suicide, an estimated 11.4 million people- an increase of 664,000 people from last year's data set. 15.08% of youth (ages 12-17) report suffering from at least one major depressive episode. 10.6% of youth (over 2.5 million) cope with severe major depression. Mental health awareness is essential for patients because they deserve care, understanding, and compassion. They need rehabilitation. Caring for patients as they recover and assisting families through difficult times provide me with optimism for the future. I suffer from mental illness and understand how strenuous it is to cope. However, it is possible to recover and live a healthy life. Our job as medical professionals is to deconstruct the stigma of mental illness and support others in need. I desire to achieve this in my medical career. But I don't want to wait until I have a medical career to help people. I am currently BLS, OSHA, GenCleo, CMAA, CNA, and CVA certified. I am part of the FFA Vegetable Judging Team, FFA Aquaculture Team, Environmental Club, GenCleo, Psychology Honor Society, and Pre-Med Honor Society. In the Veggie Team, I judge vegetables on whether they are appropriate for consumers. My team has grown the school garden, and we donate the vegetables to struggling people. In the team, I was going to a competition in Gainesville as a Freshman. I couldn't go eventually due to Covid. This year, I took the veggie preliminaries, and my team placed 4th out of all the veggie teams that took the test across the US. So, I am going to compete this year. Only the top 20 teams get to compete. In the Environmental Club, I spent two hours picking up trash from the street of the Steinburg Nature Center because I love the environment. These clubs make me well-rounded because they make me aware of how I can do my part to help different causes. In the Psychology Honor Society, I make mental health awareness posters, donate to mental causes, and improve the school environment. In the Pre-Med Honor Society, I make medical awareness posters, give to the hungry and toys for tots, and assist the JAF Biomedical program. I try to aid others because I want to be involved in my community. Completing college is a goal of mine. Florida International University will guide me into being an educated, independent, and strong psychiatrist. Thank you for this opportunity!

College is important to me because I want to continue my learning. My dream job is to be a psychiatrist because I want to help people. Psychology has always been a subject of interest to me because I've dealt with symptoms of depression and other mental disorders. I come from a low-income family, and I've had therapy, but I couldn't get diagnosed because we couldn't afford any more sessions. Depression, bipolar disorder, alcoholism, substance abuse, and suicide occur in my ancestry. Therefore, I am passionate about treating people because I have first-hand experience with losing loved ones to mental illness. I got accepted to my dream college FIU and will attend there in the summer soon after I graduate high school. I'm glad I got into FIU, but I have to say I'm worried. Their terms are expensive. Even though I got accepted, that doesn't guarantee me a seat. To enroll, you have to pay a 200 dollar nonrefundable tuition fee. My family doesn't have that kind of money. My mom works for minimum wage, and her job lets her stay for about two weeks. After that, they're letting their employees go. My parents are divorced, and I don't know if my dad will be able to help because he already has to pay off debt. My mom has money to pay off, but she's trying to help me. Winning this scholarship would lift some weight off my shoulder. It sucks because I want to attend college but worry about how far I can get without putting myself in a bad financial situation. In school, I am majoring in veterinary and nursing assisting. I am BLS-certified and CMAA-certified. Currently, I'm working on CNA, CVA, and OSHA certifications. My goal is to try to get many certifications. Being certified allows me to be qualified for jobs. I need those jobs to help me pay off college fees. Since I am low-income, I know what it's like to struggle. I want to help people, but I don't want to wait til I have a job to help people. I want to help people now. I am part of the FFA Vegetable Judging Team, Environmental Club, Psychology Honor Society, and Pre-Med Honor Society. In the Veggie Team, I judge vegetables on whether they are appropriate for consumers. My team has grown the school garden, and we donate the vegetables to struggling people. In the team, I was going to go to a competition in Gainesville as a Freshman. I couldn't go eventually due to Covid. This year, I took the veggie preliminaries, and my team placed 4th out of all the veggie teams that took the test across the US. So, I am going to compete this year. Only the top 20 teams get to compete. In the Environmental Club, I spent two hours picking up trash from the street of the Steinburg Nature Center because I love the environment. These clubs make me well-rounded because they make me aware of how I can do my part to help different causes. In the Psychology Honor Society, I make mental health awareness posters, donate to mental causes, and improve the school environment. In the Pre-Med Honor Society, I make medical awareness posters, give to the hungry and toys for tots, and assist the John A. Ferguson Biomedical program. I try to aid others because I want to be involved in my community and help people in need. Completing college is a goal of mine. Florida International University will guide me into being an educated, independent, and strong woman. Thank you for this opportunity!

College is important to me because I want to continue my learning. My dream job is to be a psychiatrist because I want to help people. Psychology has always been a subject of interest to me because I've dealt with symptoms of depression and other mental disorders. I come from a low-income family, and I've had therapy, but I couldn't get diagnosed because we couldn't afford any more sessions. Depression, bipolar disorder, alcoholism, substance abuse, and suicide occur in my ancestry. Therefore, I am passionate about treating people because I have first-hand experience with losing loved ones to mental illness. I got accepted to my dream college FIU and will attend there in the summer soon after I graduate high school. I'm glad I got into FIU, but I have to say I'm worried. Their terms are expensive. Even though I got accepted, that doesn't guarantee me a seat. To enroll, you have to pay a 200 dollar nonrefundable tuition fee. My family doesn't have that kind of money. My mom works for minimum wage, and her job lets her stay for about two weeks. After that, they're letting their employees go. My parents are divorced, and I don't know if my dad will be able to help because he already has to pay off debt. My mom has money to pay off, but she's trying to help me. Winning this scholarship would lift some weight off my shoulder. It sucks because I want to attend college but worry about how far I can get without putting myself in a bad financial situation. In school, I am majoring in veterinary and nursing assisting. I am BLS-certified and CMAA-certified. Currently, I'm working on CNA, CVA, and OSHA certifications. My goal is to try to get many certifications. Being certified allows me to be qualified for jobs. I need those jobs to help me pay off college fees. Since I am low-income, I know what it's like to struggle. I want to help people, but I don't want to wait til I have a job to help people. I want to help people now. I am part of the FFA Vegetable Judging Team, Environmental Club, Psychology Honor Society, and Pre-Med Honor Society. In the Veggie Team, I judge vegetables on whether they are appropriate for consumers. My team has grown the school garden, and we donate the vegetables to struggling people. In the team, I was going to go to a competition in Gainesville as a Freshman. I couldn't go eventually due to Covid. This year, I took the veggie preliminaries, and my team placed 4th out of all the veggie teams that took the test across the US. So, I am going to compete this year. Only the top 20 teams get to compete. In the Environmental Club, I spent two hours picking up trash from the street of the Steinburg Nature Center because I love the environment. These clubs make me well-rounded because they make me aware of how I can do my part to help different causes. In the Psychology Honor Society, I make mental health awareness posters, donate to mental causes, and improve the school environment. In the Pre-Med Honor Society, I make medical awareness posters, give to the hungry and toys for tots, and assist the John A. Ferguson Biomedical program. I try to aid others because I want to be involved in my community and help people in need. Completing college is a goal of mine. Florida International University will guide me into being an educated, independent, and strong woman. Thank you for this opportunity!

College is important to me because I want to continue my learning. My dream job is to be a psychiatrist because I want to help people. Psychology has always been a subject of interest to me because I've dealt with symptoms of depression and other mental disorders. I come from a low-income family, and I've had therapy, but I couldn't get diagnosed because we couldn't afford any more sessions. Depression, bipolar disorder, alcoholism, substance abuse, and suicide occur in my ancestry. Therefore, I am passionate about treating people because I have first-hand experience with losing loved ones to mental illness. I got accepted to my dream college FIU and will attend there in the summer soon after I graduate high school. I'm glad I got into FIU, but I have to say I'm worried. Their terms are expensive. Even though I got accepted, that doesn't guarantee me a seat. To enroll, you have to pay a 200 dollar nonrefundable tuition fee. My family doesn't have that kind of money. My mom works for minimum wage, and her job lets her stay for about two weeks. After that, they're letting their employees go. My parents are divorced, and I don't know if my dad will be able to help because he already has to pay off debt. My mom has money to pay off, but she's trying to help me. Winning this scholarship would lift some weight off my shoulder. It sucks because I want to attend college but worry about how far I can get without putting myself in a bad financial situation. In school, I am majoring in veterinary and nursing assisting. I am BLS-certified and CMAA-certified. Currently, I'm working on CNA, CVA, and OSHA certifications. My goal is to try to get many certifications. Being certified allows me to be qualified for jobs. I need those jobs to help me pay off college fees. Since I am low-income, I know what it's like to struggle. I want to help people, but I don't want to wait til I have a job to help people. I want to help people now. I am part of the FFA Vegetable Judging Team, Environmental Club, Psychology Honor Society, and Pre-Med Honor Society. In the Veggie Team, I judge vegetables on whether they are appropriate for consumers. My team has grown the school garden, and we donate the vegetables to struggling people. In the team, I was going to go to a competition in Gainesville as a Freshman. I couldn't go eventually due to Covid. This year, I took the veggie preliminaries, and my team placed 4th out of all the veggie teams that took the test across the US. So, I am going to compete this year. Only the top 20 teams get to compete. In the Environmental Club, I spent two hours picking up trash from the street of the Steinburg Nature Center because I love the environment. These clubs make me well-rounded because they make me aware of how I can do my part to help different causes. In the Psychology Honor Society, I make mental health awareness posters, donate to mental causes, and improve the school environment. In the Pre-Med Honor Society, I make medical awareness posters, give to the hungry and toys for tots, and assist the John A. Ferguson Biomedical program. I try to aid others because I want to be involved in my community and help people in need. Completing college is a goal of mine. Florida International University will guide me into being an educated, independent, and strong woman. Thank you for this opportunity!

College is important to me because I want to continue my learning. My dream job is to be a psychiatrist because I want to help people. Psychology has always been a subject of interest to me because I've dealt with symptoms of depression and other mental disorders. I come from a low-income family, and I've had therapy, but I couldn't get diagnosed because we couldn't afford any more sessions. Depression, bipolar disorder, alcoholism, substance abuse, and suicide occur in my ancestry. Therefore, I am passionate about treating people because I have first-hand experience with losing loved ones to mental illness. I got accepted to my dream college FIU and will attend there in the summer soon after I graduate high school. I'm glad I got into FIU, but I have to say I'm worried. Their terms are expensive. Even though I got accepted, that doesn't guarantee me a seat. To enroll, you have to pay a 200 dollar nonrefundable tuition fee. My family doesn't have that kind of money. My mom works for minimum wage, and her job lets her stay for about two weeks. After that, they're letting their employees go. My parents are divorced, and I don't know if my dad will be able to help because he already has to pay off debt. My mom has money to pay off, but she's trying to help me. Winning this scholarship would lift some weight off my shoulder. It sucks because I want to attend college but worry about how far I can get without putting myself in a bad financial situation. In school, I am majoring in veterinary and nursing assisting. I am BLS-certified and CMAA-certified. Currently, I'm working on CNA, CVA, and OSHA certifications. My goal is to try to get many certifications. Being certified allows me to be qualified for jobs. I need those jobs to help me pay off college fees. Since I am low-income, I know what it's like to struggle. I want to help people, but I don't want to wait til I have a job to help people. I want to help people now. I am part of the FFA Vegetable Judging Team, Environmental Club, Psychology Honor Society, and Pre-Med Honor Society. In the Veggie Team, I judge vegetables on whether they are appropriate for consumers. My team has grown the school garden, and we donate the vegetables to struggling people. In the team, I was going to go to a competition in Gainesville as a Freshman. I couldn't go eventually due to Covid. This year, I took the veggie preliminaries, and my team placed 4th out of all the veggie teams that took the test across the US. So, I am going to compete this year. Only the top 20 teams get to compete. In the Environmental Club, I spent two hours picking up trash from the street of the Steinburg Nature Center because I love the environment. These clubs make me well-rounded because they make me aware of how I can do my part to help different causes. In the Psychology Honor Society, I make mental health awareness posters, donate to mental causes, and improve the school environment. In the Pre-Med Honor Society, I make medical awareness posters, give to the hungry and toys for tots, and assist the John A. Ferguson Biomedical program. I try to aid others because I want to be involved in my community and help people in need. Completing college is a goal of mine. Florida International University will guide me into being an educated, independent, and strong woman. Thank you for this opportunity!

I grew up in a home where my mother was hesitant to take me to the hospital when I broke my arm because she didn't know if she could afford a cast. The day I fractured my arm, I slept the night without a splint until she couldn't bear to see me in agony. Seeing the panic in my mother's eyes broke my heart. I felt guilty for playing and breaking my arm, although I was only in the second grade. Since then, I've never been more dedicated to ensuring that families in poverty have access to affordable healthcare. Being a teenage first-generation girl of divorced, low-income immigrants led me to develop my own experiences with mental illness. Depression, bipolar disorder, alcoholism, substance abuse, and suicide occur in my ancestry. I am passionate about treating people because I have first-hand experience with losing loved ones to mental illness. I want nothing more than for people to recognize when they need help and have someone they trust to aid them. As a psychiatrist, I want to provide my patients with the highest quality of life and low-cost wellness care. To achieve my goal of becoming a psychiatrist, I must be college educated. A psychiatrist must earn a bachelor's degree, four years of medical school, and a four-year residency. Some psychiatrists also complete fellowship programs and additional training. It takes approximately twelve years to become a psychiatrist. I love psychology and study it in my free time. Becoming a psychiatrist is undoubtedly a difficult task to complete. However, I feel I can accomplish this ambition. I discovered I desired a career in psychology when I enjoyed being attentive to my friend's struggles and offering them a list of solutions to improve their mood. I appreciate taking the time to create a comfortable environment for my peers. When I grow up, I want to observe my patients and develop precise treatment plans to alleviate my patient's mental distress. I passed the AP Psych exam and am part of the Psychology Honor Society. According to Prevalence Data 2022- Mental Health America, 19.86% of adults are experiencing mental illness. Equivalent to nearly 50 million Americans, and 4.91% are experiencing severe mental illness. 7.74% of adults reported having a substance abuse disorder. 5.71% of adults reported having an alcohol use disorder. 4.58% of Americans have thoughts of suicide, an estimated 11.4 million people- an increase of 664,000 people from last year's data set. 15.08% of youth (ages 12-17) report suffering from at least one major depressive episode. 10.6% of youth (over 2.5 million) cope with severe major depression. Mental health awareness is essential for patients because they deserve care, understanding, and compassion. They need rehabilitation. Caring for patients as they recover and assisting families through difficult times provide me with optimism for the future. I suffer from mental illness and understand how strenuous it is to cope. However, it is possible to recover and live a healthy life. Our job as medical professionals is to deconstruct the stigma of mental illness and support others in need. I desire to achieve this in my medical career. In the medical field, diversity is crucial because representation matters. Patients develop deeper trust when they feel like they can relate to the people treating them. Racial, gender, disability, and age representation in the workplace shows that everyone matters. No one's struggles would be left unheard. If patients see people that look like them and can relate to them, they will feel more comfortable letting that person treat them. We can create more diversity in workplaces by giving everyone equal opportunities!

College is important to me because I want to continue my learning. My dream job is to be a psychiatrist because I want to help people. Psychology has always been a subject of interest to me because I've dealt with symptoms of depression and other mental disorders. I come from a low-income family, and I've had therapy, but I couldn't get diagnosed because we couldn't afford any more sessions. Depression, bipolar disorder, alcoholism, substance abuse, and suicide occur in my ancestry. Therefore, I am passionate about treating people because I have first-hand experience with losing loved ones to mental illness. I got accepted to my dream college FIU and will attend there in the summer soon after I graduate high school. I'm glad I got into FIU, but I have to say I'm worried. Their terms are expensive. Even though I got accepted, that doesn't guarantee me a seat. To enroll, you have to pay a 200 dollar nonrefundable tuition fee. My family doesn't have that kind of money. My mom works for minimum wage, and her job lets her stay for about two weeks. After that, they're letting their employees go. My parents are divorced, and I don't know if my dad will be able to help because he already has to pay off debt. My mom has money to pay off, but she's trying to help me. Winning this scholarship would lift some weight off my shoulder. It sucks because I want to attend college but worry about how far I can get without putting myself in a bad financial situation. In school, I am majoring in veterinary and nursing assisting. I am BLS-certified and CMAA-certified. Currently, I'm working on CNA, CVA, and OSHA certifications. My goal is to try to get many certifications. Being certified allows me to be qualified for jobs. I need those jobs to help me pay off college fees. Since I am low-income, I know what it's like to struggle. I want to help people, but I don't want to wait til I have a job to help people. I want to help people now. I am part of the FFA Vegetable Judging Team, Environmental Club, Psychology Honor Society, and Pre-Med Honor Society. In the Veggie Team, I judge vegetables on whether they are appropriate for consumers. My team has grown the school garden, and we donate the vegetables to struggling people. In the team, I was going to go to a competition in Gainesville as a Freshman. I couldn't go eventually due to Covid. This year, I took the veggie preliminaries, and my team placed 4th out of all the veggie teams that took the test across the US. So, I am going to compete this year. Only the top 20 teams get to compete. In the Environmental Club, I spent two hours picking up trash from the street of the Steinburg Nature Center because I love the environment. These clubs make me well-rounded because they make me aware of how I can do my part to help different causes. In the Psychology Honor Society, I make mental health awareness posters, donate to mental causes, and improve the school environment. In the Pre-Med Honor Society, I make medical awareness posters, give to the hungry and toys for tots, and assist the John A. Ferguson Biomedical program. I try to aid others because I want to be involved in my community and help people in need. Completing college is a goal of mine. Florida International University will guide me into being an educated, independent, and strong woman. Thank you for this opportunity!

May is Mental Health Awareness month. Understanding mental health conditions increase access to healthcare for those who need it. We can help others in need increase mental awareness by talking about our own experiences and staying educated. My parents separated when I was six and divorced when I was nine. It was a rough process that I felt could've been handled better but I learned from it. My parents still had anger toward each other which made it difficult to have a stable environment. So I spent the rest of my life trying to prove myself. I grew up seeing my parents struggle with money. They always told me to get a good education so I would never be in their position. I took that literally. None of my parents completed college or had great jobs with a steady income. So the pressure for me to do better was gut-wrenching. Nonetheless, I did what I was told. I was an A student with a 4.7 weighted and 3.9 unweighted GPA. I got 5's on every EOC I took and passed my AP Psych Exam. I attend John A. Ferguson Senior High School and double major in vet and nursing. I am BLS and CMAA certified. I'm John A. Ferguson's 2022 Allied Health Assisting Student of the Year. Everyone thinks school is a breeze for me. However, that's not the case. During those years I suffered extreme anxiety and depression. Being a perfectionist took a toll on me. I had to find an outlet. So I joined the Vegetable Judging Team in 2019. In this team, we grow gardens from scratch and donate food to impoverished people. The food we produce goes to non-profit organizations and hurricane relief programs. We donated food and materials during hurricanes Michael and Harvey. We host fundraisers like Fright Night to also feed people in our local community. Gardening relieved my stress. We have a daycare center at my school for students pursuing early childcare. One day I found the little kids had a lesson plan where they made pizza with vegetables from our garden. My friend showed me a picture and my heart melted. They all looked so cute and happy in their mini aprons. Helping people had a positive impact and elevated my mood. But helping people is not all I did. Gardening benefits the Earth. Gardens cleanse the air, absorb carbon dioxide and air pollutants, and release clean oxygen for us. Plant roots stabilize soil and filter water. Plants tackle climate change, reduce flooding, and keep you cool during the summer. I've always loved nature and wanted to protect it so in 2021 I went vegan. Veganism reduces greenhouse gas emissions and puts less stress on our fossil fuels. Veganism is also an alternative to factory farming which exhibits severe animal cruelty for food production. Being vegan is healthy for our bodies puts less stress on our natural resources, reduces animal cruelty, is safer for the environment, and reduces climate change by eliminating animal consumption. I want to make a change in my community by being kinder to the environment and providing healthy food options for consumption. I've dedicated 120 hours to my Vegetable Team and have a garden at my grandma's and mom's house. It goes to show that despite facing challenges we can still find a way to contribute to a better society. Many people who experience mental illness feel like the world would be better without them. However, that's not true. We can all find ways to help each other and most importantly love ourselves. Thank you for this opportunity!

College is important to me because I want to continue my learning. My dream job is to be a psychiatrist because I want to help people. Psychology has always been a subject of interest to me because I've dealt with symptoms of depression and other mental disorders. I come from a low-income family, and I've had therapy, but I couldn't get diagnosed because we couldn't afford any more sessions. Depression, bipolar disorder, alcoholism, substance abuse, and suicide occur in my ancestry. Therefore, I am passionate about treating people because I have first-hand experience with losing loved ones to mental illness. I got accepted to my dream college FIU and will attend there in the summer soon after I graduate high school. I'm glad I got into FIU, but I have to say I'm worried. It sucks because I want to attend college but worry about how far I can get without putting myself in a bad financial situation. In school, I am majoring in veterinary and nursing assisting. I am BLS-certified and CMAA-certified. Currently, I'm working on CNA, CVA, and OSHA certifications. My goal is to try to get many certifications. Being certified allows me to be qualified for jobs. I need those jobs to help me pay off college fees. Since I am low-income, I know what it's like to struggle. I want to help people, but I don't want to wait til I have a job to help people. I want to help people now. Thank you for this opportunity!

When I was in the 7th grade, I experienced a period that went on for three months. When my period first started, I noticed this one was different. I started feeling intense period cramps, nausea, diarrhea, heavy bleeding, fatigue, fainting, etc. It got to the point where I was fainting so frequently that someone always had to be in the room with me in case I fainted so I wouldn't fall on any furniture. It was horrendous. I wanted to die. I was tired all the time, and I had the worst brain fog. I went to a small middle school, and all my friends had to walk me to class in case I fainted. I was pale and felt very cold. My mom took me to numerous doctors. They diagnosed me with iron deficiency anemia. The doctors told me I had a hormonal imbalance that caused my periods to last so long. They said my period would be more painful, last longer, and is heavier than the average period. Since my period went on for so long, I lost a lot of hemoglobin and became anemic. The doctors put me on birth control. I was never the same. I felt depressed. I already had problems with anxiety and depression. Birth control made it worse. I'm a senior in high school, and my periods are still extremely painful and last about three weeks. Birth control changed nothing. It's taken a toll on my life, energy, and mood. But I still try to do my best in school and concentrate. My dream job is to be a psychiatrist because I want to help people with mental disorders. Psychology has always been a subject of interest to me because I've dealt with symptoms of depression and other mental illnesses. I come from a low-income family, and I've had therapy, but I couldn't get diagnosed because we couldn't afford more sessions. Depression, bipolar disorder, alcoholism, substance abuse, and suicide occur in my ancestry. Therefore, I am passionate about treating people because I have first-hand experience with losing loved ones to mental illness. In school, I am majoring in veterinary and nursing assisting. I am BLS, CMAA, OSHA, and GenCleo certified. Currently, I'm working on CNA and CVA certifications. My goal is to try to get many certifications. Being certified allows me to be qualified for jobs. I need those jobs to help me pay off college fees. Since I am low-income, I know what it's like to struggle. I want to help people, but I don't want to wait til I have a job to help people. I want to help people now. I am part of the FFA Vegetable Judging Team, FFA Aquaculture Team, Environmental Club, GenCleo, Psychology, and Pre-Med Honor Society. In the Veggie Team, my team has grown the school garden, and we donate the vegetables to struggling people. In the Environmental Club, I picked up trash from the streets and went to the zoo to help set up the new clouded leopard exhibit. In GenCleo, we spread awareness of climate change in schools. In the PHS, I make mental health awareness posters, donate to mental causes, and improve the school environment. In the Pre-Med Honor Society, I make medical awareness posters, give to the hungry and toys for tots, and assist the JAF Biomedical program. I try to aid others because I want to be involved in my community and help people. Completing college is a goal of mine. Florida International University will guide me into being an educated, independent, and strong woman. Thank you for this opportunity!

When I was in the 7th grade, I experienced a period that went on for three months. When my period first started, I noticed this one was different. I started feeling intense period cramps, nausea, diarrhea, heavy bleeding, fatigue, fainting, etc. It got to the point where I was fainting so frequently that someone always had to be in the room with me in case I fainted so I wouldn't fall on any furniture. It was horrendous. I wanted to die. I was tired all the time, and I had the worst brain fog. I went to a small middle school, and all my friends had to walk me to class in case I fainted. I was pale and felt very cold. My mom took me to numerous doctors. They diagnosed me with iron deficiency anemia. The doctors told me I had a hormonal imbalance that caused my periods to last so long. They said my period would be more painful, last longer, and is heavier than the average period. Since my period went on for so long, I lost a lot of hemoglobin and became anemic. The doctors put me on birth control. I was never the same. I felt depressed. I already had problems with anxiety and depression. Birth control made it worse. I'm a senior in high school, and my periods are still extremely painful and last about three weeks. Birth control changed nothing. It's taken a toll on my life, energy, and mood. But I still try to do my best in school and concentrate. My dream job is to be a psychiatrist because I want to help people with mental disorders. Psychology has always been a subject of interest to me because I've dealt with symptoms of depression and other mental illnesses. I come from a low-income family, and I've had therapy, but I couldn't get diagnosed because we couldn't afford more sessions. Depression, bipolar disorder, alcoholism, substance abuse, and suicide occur in my ancestry. Therefore, I am passionate about treating people because I have first-hand experience with losing loved ones to mental illness. In school, I am majoring in veterinary and nursing assisting. I am BLS, CMAA, OSHA, and GenCleo certified. Currently, I'm working on CNA and CVA certifications. My goal is to try to get many certifications. Being certified allows me to be qualified for jobs. I need those jobs to help me pay off college fees. Since I am low-income, I know what it's like to struggle. I want to help people, but I don't want to wait til I have a job to help people. I want to help people now. I am part of the FFA Vegetable Judging Team, FFA Aquaculture Team, Environmental Club, GenCleo, Psychology, and Pre-Med Honor Society. In the Veggie Team, my team has grown the school garden, and we donate the vegetables to struggling people. In the Environmental Club, I picked up trash from the streets and went to the zoo to help set up the new clouded leopard exhibit. In GenCleo, we spread awareness on climate change in school. In the PHS, I make mental health awareness posters, donate to mental causes, and improve the school environment. In the Pre-Med Honor Society, I make medical awareness posters, give to the hungry and toys for tots, and assist the JAF Biomedical program. I try to aid others because I want to be involved in my community and help people. Completing college is a goal of mine. Florida International University will guide me into being an educated, independent, and strong woman. Thank you for this opportunity!

The characteristic I value the most in myself is courage. I'm not afraid to step out of my comfort zone to accomplish my goals. College is something that scares me, but I'm super excited. College is important to me because I want to continue my learning. My dream job is to be a psychiatrist because I want to help people. Psychology has always been a subject of interest to me because I've dealt with symptoms of depression and other mental disorders. I come from a low-income family, and I've had therapy, but I couldn't get diagnosed because we couldn't afford any more sessions. Depression, bipolar disorder, alcoholism, substance abuse, and suicide occur in my ancestry. Therefore, I am passionate about treating people because I have first-hand experience with losing loved ones to mental illness. I got accepted to my dream college FIU and will attend there in the summer soon after I graduate high school. I'm glad I got into FIU, but I have to say I'm worried. Their terms are expensive. Even though I got accepted, that doesn't guarantee me a seat. To enroll, you have to pay a 200 dollar nonrefundable tuition fee. My family doesn't have that kind of money. My mom works for minimum wage, and her job lets her stay for about two weeks. After that, they're letting their employees go. My parents are divorced, and I don't know if my dad will be able to help because he already has to pay off debt. My mom has money to pay off, but she's trying to help me. Winning this scholarship would lift some weight off my shoulder. It sucks because I want to attend college but worry about how far I can get without putting myself in a bad financial situation. In school, I am majoring in veterinary and nursing assisting. I am BLS-certified and CMAA-certified. Currently, I'm working on CNA, CVA, and OSHA certifications. My goal is to try to get many certifications. Being certified allows me to be qualified for jobs. I need those jobs to help me pay off college fees. Since I am low-income, I know what it's like to struggle. I want to help people, but I don't want to wait til I have a job to help people. I want to help people now. I am part of the FFA Vegetable Judging Team, Environmental Club, Psychology Honor Society, and Pre-Med Honor Society. In the Veggie Team, I judge vegetables on whether they are appropriate for consumers. My team has grown the school garden, and we donate the vegetables to struggling people. In the team, I was going to go to a competition in Gainesville as a Freshman. I couldn't go eventually due to Covid. This year, I took the veggie preliminaries, and my team placed 4th out of all the veggie teams that took the test across the US. So, I am going to compete this year. Only the top 20 teams get to compete. In the Environmental Club, I spent two hours picking up trash from the street of the Steinburg Nature Center because I love the environment. These clubs make me well-rounded because they make me aware of how I can do my part to help different causes. In the Psychology Honor Society, I make mental health awareness posters, donate to mental causes, and improve the school environment. In the Pre-Med Honor Society, I make medical awareness posters, give to the hungry and toys for tots, and assist the John A. Ferguson Biomedical program. Thank you for this opportunity!

College is important to me because I want to continue my learning. My dream job is to be a psychiatrist because I want to help people. Psychology has always been a subject of interest to me because I've dealt with symptoms of depression and other mental disorders. I come from a low-income family, and I've had therapy, but I couldn't get diagnosed because we couldn't afford any more sessions. Depression, bipolar disorder, alcoholism, substance abuse, and suicide occur in my ancestry. Therefore, I am passionate about treating people because I have first-hand experience with losing loved ones to mental illness. I got accepted to my dream college FIU and will attend there in the summer soon after I graduate high school. I'm glad I got into FIU, but I have to say I'm worried. Their terms are expensive. Even though I got accepted, that doesn't guarantee me a seat. To enroll, you have to pay a 200 dollar nonrefundable tuition fee. My family doesn't have that kind of money. My mom works for minimum wage, and her job lets her stay for about two weeks. After that, they're letting their employees go. My parents are divorced, and I don't know if my dad will be able to help because he already has to pay off debt. My mom has money to pay off, but she's trying to help me. Winning this scholarship would lift some weight off my shoulder. It sucks because I want to attend college but worry about how far I can get without putting myself in a bad financial situation. In school, I am majoring in veterinary and nursing assisting. I am BLS-certified and CMAA-certified. Currently, I'm working on CNA, CVA, and OSHA certifications. My goal is to try to get many certifications. Being certified allows me to be qualified for jobs. I need those jobs to help me pay off college fees. Since I am low-income, I know what it's like to struggle. I want to help people, but I don't want to wait til I have a job to help people. I want to help people now. I am part of the FFA Vegetable Judging Team, Environmental Club, Psychology Honor Society, and Pre-Med Honor Society. In the Veggie Team, I judge vegetables on whether they are appropriate for consumers. My team has grown the school garden, and we donate the vegetables to struggling people. In the team, I was going to go to a competition in Gainesville as a Freshman. I couldn't go eventually due to Covid. This year, I took the veggie preliminaries, and my team placed 4th out of all the veggie teams that took the test across the US. So, I am going to compete this year. Only the top 20 teams get to compete. In the Environmental Club, I spent two hours picking up trash from the street of the Steinburg Nature Center because I love the environment. These clubs make me well-rounded because they make me aware of how I can do my part to help different causes. In the Psychology Honor Society, I make mental health awareness posters, donate to mental causes, and improve the school environment. In the Pre-Med Honor Society, I make medical awareness posters, give to the hungry and toys for tots, and assist the John A. Ferguson Biomedical program. I try to aid others because I want to be involved in my community and help people in need. Completing college is a goal of mine. Florida International University will guide me into being an educated, independent, and strong woman. Thank you for this opportunity!

College is important to me because I want to continue my learning. My dream job is to be a psychiatrist because I want to help people. Psychology has always been a subject of interest to me because I've dealt with symptoms of depression and other mental disorders. I come from a low-income family, and I've had therapy, but I couldn't get diagnosed because we couldn't afford any more sessions. Depression, bipolar disorder, alcoholism, substance abuse, and suicide occur in my ancestry. Therefore, I am passionate about treating people because I have first-hand experience with losing loved ones to mental illness. I got accepted to my dream college FIU and will attend there in the summer soon after I graduate high school. I'm glad I got into FIU, but I have to say I'm worried. Their terms are expensive. Even though I got accepted, that doesn't guarantee me a seat. To enroll, you have to pay a 200 dollar nonrefundable tuition fee. My family doesn't have that kind of money. My mom works for minimum wage, and her job lets her stay for about two weeks. After that, they're letting their employees go. My parents are divorced, and I don't know if my dad will be able to help because he already has to pay off debt. My mom has money to pay off, but she's trying to help me. Winning this scholarship would lift some weight off my shoulder. It sucks because I want to attend college but worry about how far I can get without putting myself in a bad financial situation. In school, I am majoring in veterinary and nursing assisting. I am BLS-certified and CMAA-certified. Currently, I'm working on CNA, CVA, and OSHA certifications. My goal is to try to get many certifications. Being certified allows me to be qualified for jobs. I need those jobs to help me pay off college fees. Since I am low-income, I know what it's like to struggle. I want to help people, but I don't want to wait til I have a job to help people. I want to help people now. I am part of the FFA Vegetable Judging Team, Environmental Club, Psychology Honor Society, and Pre-Med Honor Society. In the Veggie Team, I judge vegetables on whether they are appropriate for consumers. My team has grown the school garden, and we donate the vegetables to struggling people. In the team, I was going to go to a competition in Gainesville as a Freshman and Senior. Now, I can compete in aquaculture. In the Environmental Club, I spent two hours picking up trash from the street of the Steinburg Nature Center because I love the environment. I also do clean-ups at the zoo. These clubs make me well-rounded because they make me aware of how I can do my part to help different causes. I am very passionate about the environment. In the Psychology Honor Society, I make mental health awareness posters, donate to mental causes, and improve the school environment. In the Pre-Med Honor Society, I make medical awareness posters, give to the hungry and toys for tots, and assist the John A. Ferguson Biomedical program. I represented the nursing and veterinary strand at my school's Magnetic Fair. I try to aid others because I want to be involved in my community and help people in need. I have what it takes to overcome obstacles because I always give everything my best. Completing college is a goal of mine. Florida International University will guide me into being an educated, independent, and strong woman. Thank you for this opportunity!

I grew up in a home where my mother was hesitant to take me to the hospital when I broke my arm because she didn't know if she could afford a cast. The day I fractured my arm, I slept the night without a splint until she couldn't bear to see me in agony. Seeing the panic in my mother's eyes broke my heart. I felt guilty for playing and breaking my arm, although I was only in the second grade. Since then, I've never been more dedicated to ensuring that families in poverty have access to affordable healthcare. Being a teenage girl of divorced, low-income immigrants led me to develop my own experiences with mental illness. Depression, bipolar disorder, alcoholism, substance abuse, and suicide occur in my ancestry. I am passionate about treating people because I have first-hand experience with losing loved ones to mental illness. I want nothing more than for people to recognize when they need help and have someone they trust to aid them. As a psychiatrist, I want to provide my patients with the highest quality of life and low-cost wellness care. I discovered I desired a career in psychology when I enjoyed being attentive to my friend's struggles and offering them a list of solutions to improve their mood. I appreciate taking the time to create a comfortable environment for my peers. When I grow up, I want to observe my patients and develop precise treatment plans to alleviate my patient's mental distress. I passed the AP Psych exam and am part of the Psychology Honor Society. According to Prevalence Data 2022- Mental Health America, 19.86% of adults are experiencing mental illness. Equivalent to nearly 50 million Americans, and 4.91% are experiencing severe mental illness. 7.74% of adults reported having a substance abuse disorder. 5.71% of adults reported having an alcohol use disorder. 4.58% of Americans have thoughts of suicide, an estimated 11.4 million people- an increase of 664,000 people from last year's data set. 15.08% of youth (ages 12-17) report suffering from at least one major depressive episode. 10.6% of youth (over 2.5 million) cope with severe major depression. Mental health awareness is essential for patients because they deserve care, understanding, and compassion. They need rehabilitation. Caring for patients as they recover and assisting families through difficult times provide me with optimism for the future. I suffer from mental illness and understand how strenuous it is to cope. However, it is possible to recover and live a healthy life. Our job as medical professionals is to deconstruct the stigma of mental illness and support others in need. I desire to achieve this in my medical career. Right now, I'm in high school. I am majoring in nursing and veterinary assisting because I love medicine. I am also a part of the Environmental Club, FFA Vegetable Judging Team, Psychology Honor Society, and Pre-Med Honor Society. I am an FFA (Future Farmers of America) and SkillsUSA member. I also got the 2022 Allied Health Assisting Student of the Year award from John A. Ferguson. I am BLS, CMAA, and OSHA certified. So, as you can see, I love what I do. Thank you for this opportunity!

One way I've grown over the past year is I've learned to take my health into my own hands. During high school, I never took care of my body and took it for granted. I used to experience aches and pains every day. Every day of high school, I ran on two hours of sleep, didn't eat much or drink enough water, used to eat only junk food, and was highly stressed. I was an A student with perfect attendance but a mental wreck. That all changed with one day in my Allied Health Assisting class. That day, a nutritionist walked in. He informed us about the foods we ate at the grocery store. I learned that the animal products I consumed daily could potentially put me at risk for heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. Animal products contain large quantities of saturated fat, cholesterol, lactose, estrogen, and pathogenic microorganisms. I was horrified. But the nice man told us not to worry because he was here to discuss an alternative lifestyle. He started educating us on the benefits of going vegan. Going vegan reduces your risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and certain cancers and lowers cholesterol. Veganism also reduces greenhouse gas emissions and puts less stress on our fossil fuels. So as of 2021, I went vegan. I've never felt better. I was consuming more nutrients, vitamins, and minerals. But what I love the most about being vegan is being educated. Since being vegan, I researched the foods I ate and their benefits. Learning about the benefits of the food I consumed made me want to be even healthier. I started working out in late July of 2022. I work out five times a week with two rest days. Currently, I'm seeing results. I've noticed I'm getting stronger. Working out has forced me to consume more food, plant protein, and water to hydrate. Since I was born, I've always been underweight. Now for the first time, I'm starting to gain weight which is what I desire. Eating right and working out have made me feel more comfortable with myself. It has created a butterfly effect of holistic practices. Every time I consume food from the store, I look at the ingredient list and nutrition facts. I do the same with all products I use, food or not. If I don't like the product, then I don't use it. I apply sunscreen every two hours every day. I refuse to use sunscreen that contains harmful carcinogens and that are harmful to coral reefs. I don't use toothpaste with titanium dioxide in it. I don't eat foods with dyes such as Red 40, Yellow 5, and Yellow 6. I don't drink or smoke. I try to practice mindfulness and meditation as much as I can. I can tell you the hippies were onto something. I even made my eyelash serum. I want to try making my natural toothpaste. What has remained the same about me is that I'm still an overachieving responsible student who would do anything for her future. I now know if I don't take care of myself, then I shouldn't be in a position to take care of others. In the summer of 2023, I am majoring in Psychology at Florida International University. I want to give my patients the highest quality of life and affordable healthcare. A big part of being a psychiatrist is maintaining your physical and mental well-being. Your mind must be sharp and focused. Being mentally resilient and physically healthy gives me the energy to do my job. Thank you for this opportunity!

I think it's important to understand the nature of the universe so we can utilize the resources it has given us. Our universe started with the big bang- an explosion of space itself. The universe has left behind a trail of clues of how we got from the earliest life forms of microbes to developing intelligent humans. Abiogenesis is the idea that attempts to figure out how life originated. Geologist state the Earth formed roughly 4.5 billion years ago. They estimated this by measuring the oldest rocks on Earth: moon rocks, and meteorites, by radiometric dating (determining the proportions of particular radioactive isotopes present in the sample). For millions of years, the early Earth got hit by meteoroids and other celestial bodies. The temperature of the Earth was very high, and water was so hot it would take the form of gas. Between 4.4 and 4.0 billion years ago, the first forms of life might have emerged. During this time, there was a break in the asteroid bombardment. The water was cool enough to condense into oceans. After that, there was a second bombardment of asteroids around 3.9 billion years ago. During this time, the Earth became capable of sustaining life. The earliest evidence of life on Earth came from fossils discovered in Western Australia. The fossils date back to about 3.5 billion years ago. They were fossils known as stromatolites, formed by the growth of layers of single-celled microbes, such as cyanobacteria. The earliest microbes preserve the remains of sulfur-metabolizing bacteria. Bacteria are relatively complex, suggesting life could have begun way before 3.5 billion years ago. However, the lack of fossils makes understanding the timeline of life's origin difficult. But how did life arise? In the 1920s, Russian scientist Aleksandr Oparin and English scientist J.B.S. Haldane both separately proposed the Oparin-Haldane hypothesis: This hypothesis states that life on Earth could have arisen step by step from non-living matter through the process of "gradual chemical evolution." They thought the Earth had an oxygen-poor atmosphere where molecules tend to donate electrons. They suggested that simple inorganic molecules could've reacted to form amino acids and nucleotides that accumulated in the oceans, making a "primordial soup." The primordial soup could've combined further reactions to create more complex molecules (polymers) like proteins and nucleic acids. The polymers could have assembled structures of life. Oparin thought these colonies of protein together could carry out metabolism. Haldane suggests that macromolecules became enclosed in membranes to create cell-like structures. However, geologists don't think the atmosphere was oxygen-poor. So, the Oparin-Haldane hypothesis is probably not accurate. The basic idea- a stepwise, spontaneous formation of simple, then more complex, then self-sustaining biological molecules or assemblies is still the core of most origin of life hypotheses. In 1953, Stanely Miller and Harold Urey's experiment tested the Oparin-Haldane hypothesis. They discovered that organic molecules spontaneously produce under reducing conditions that resemble the early Earth. Miller and Urey built a closed system containing a heated pool of water and a mixture of gases to mimic the early Earth's atmosphere (H2O, NH4, CH4, and N2). To simulate lighting that might have provided energy for chemical reactions in the atmosphere, Miller and Urey sent sparks of electricity through their experimental system. After a week, Miller and Urey found various types of amino acids, sugars, lipids, and other organic molecules had formed. Large, complex molecules like protein and DNA were missing, but their experiment showed that at least some of the building blocks for these molecules could form spontaneously from simple compounds. However, scientists now think the atmosphere was different than in the Miller-Urey experiment atmosphere (it is not oxygen-poor and is not rich in ammonia and methane). So, the Miller-Urey experiment was not accurate. Other similar experiments show that it is reasonable to believe that some of life's building blocks could have formed abiotically on early Earth. How could monomers like amino acids or nucleotides on early Earth assemble into polymers or actual biological macromolecules? Cells today are put together by enzymes. But, since enzymes are polymers, this is a kind of chicken-and-egg problem! Monomers might have been able to form polymers under early Earth conditions. In the 1950s, biochemist Sidney Fox and his colleagues found that if amino acids got heated without water, they could link together to form proteins. Sidney Fox suggested that, on early Earth, ocean water carrying amino acids could have splashed onto a hot surface such as lava, boiling the water away and leaving protein behind. Additional experiments in the 1990s showed that RNA nucleotides link together when exposed to a clay surface. The clay acts as a catalyst to form an RNA polymer. Clay and other mineral surfaces may have played a key role in assembling the polymers, acting as catalysts. Polymers floating in solution might have hydrolyzed (broken down) quickly, supporting a surfaced attached model. A type of clay known as montmorillonite is crucial. Montmorillonite has catalytic and organizing properties that may have been important in the origins of life, such as the ability to catalyze the formation of RNA polymers and assemble cell-like lipid vesicles. If polymers were able to form on early Earth, this still leaves the question of how polymers could self-replicate or self-perpetuate, meeting the criteria for life. One possibility is the genes-first hypothesis, the first life forms were self-replicating nucleic acids, such as RNA or DNA, and other elements (like metabolic networks) were a later add-on to this basic system. Many scientists think RNA, not DNA, was likely the first genetic material, known as the RNA world hypothesis. Scientists favor RNA over DNA as the first genetic molecule for several reasons. Most important is that RNA can carry information and act as a catalyst. We do not know of any naturally occurring catalytic DNA molecules. RNA catalysts called ribozymes play vital roles in the RNA world. A catalytic RNA could potentially catalyze a chemical reaction to copy itself. Such a self-replicating RNA could pass genetic material from generation to generation, fulfilling the criteria for life and, potentially, undergoing evolution. RNA maybe not be the first information-carrying molecule to serve as genetic material. Some scientists think that an even simpler RNA-like molecule with catalytic and information-carrying capacity might have come first and have catalyzed or acted as a template for RNA synthesis, called the pre-RNA world hypothesis. An alternative is a metabolism-first hypothesis, which suggests that self-sustaining networks of metabolic reactions may have been the first simple life (predating nucleic acids). These networks might have formed near undersea hydrothermal vents that provided a continual supply of chemical precursors that have been self-sustained and persistent (meeting the criteria for life). In this scenario, simple pathways might have produced molecules that acted as catalysts to form more complex molecules. Eventually, the metabolic networks might have been able to build large molecules such as proteins and nucleic acids. Forming individuals enclosed by membranes (separate from the communal network) would have been a late step. How did the early cells appear? One of the properties of a cell is the ability to maintain an internal environment different from the surrounding environment. Today, cells are separated from their environment by a phospholipid bilayer. It is unlikely that phospholipids would have been present under the conditions in which the first cells formed other lipids (ones that would have more likely been available) have spontaneously formed bilayered compartments. This type of compartment could surround a self-replicating ribozyme or the components of a metabolic pathway to make a cell. This type of idea is not supported by experimental evidence yet. No experiment has created self-replicating cells from abiotic (non-living) components. Organic molecules might have formed spontaneously from inorganic ones on early Earth, à la Miller-Urey. But could they instead have come from space? Scientists have found that organic molecules can produce from simple chemical precursors present in outer space under conditions that could exist in space (high UV irradiation and low temperature). Most importantly, various meteorites have turned out to contain organic compounds (derived from outer space, not from Earth). One meteorite, ALH84001, came from Mars and contained organic molecules with multiple ring structures. Another meteorite, the Murchison meteorite, carried nitrogenous bases (like those found in DNA and RNA) and amino acids. One meteorite that fell in 2000 in Canada contained tiny organic structures dubbed "organic globules." NASA scientists think this meteorite might have fallen onto Earth's early history, seeding it with organic compounds. Earth is the most accessible habitable planet for study. Studying the origin and earliest evolution of life, along with the long-term development of Earth's environments, helps us understand why the Earth became habitable and why terrestrial life has persisted for billions of years. I hope to employ an understanding of life's origin to understand the meaning of life and what I can do to improve it. It's important to me to understand life because I want to be a psychiatrist who understands how humans came to be and how our minds function. Thank you for this opportunity!

Being a teenage girl of divorced, low-income immigrants led me to develop my own experiences with mental illness. Depression, bipolar disorder, alcoholism, substance abuse, and suicide occur in my ancestry. I am passionate about treating people because I have first-hand experience with losing loved ones to mental illness. I want nothing more than for people to recognize when they need help and have someone they trust to aid them. As a psychiatrist, I want to provide my patients with the highest quality of life and low-cost wellness care. To achieve my goal of becoming a psychiatrist, I must be college educated. A psychiatrist must earn a bachelor's degree, four years of medical school, and a four-year residency. Some psychiatrists also complete fellowship programs and additional training. It takes approximately twelve years to become a psychiatrist. I love psychology and study it in my free time. Becoming a psychiatrist is undoubtedly a difficult task to complete. However, I feel I can accomplish this ambition. I discovered I desired a career in psychology when I enjoyed being attentive to my friend's struggles and offering them a list of solutions to improve their mood. I appreciate taking the time to create a comfortable environment for my peers. When I grow up, I want to observe my patients and develop precise treatment plans to alleviate my patient's mental distress. I passed the AP Psych exam and am part of the Psychology Honor Society. According to Prevalence Data 2022- Mental Health America, 19.86% of adults are experiencing mental illness. Equivalent to nearly 50 million Americans, and 4.91% are experiencing severe mental illness. 7.74% of adults reported having a substance abuse disorder. 5.71% of adults reported having an alcohol use disorder. 4.58% of Americans have thoughts of suicide, an estimated 11.4 million people- an increase of 664,000 people from last year's data set. 15.08% of youth (ages 12-17) report suffering from at least one major depressive episode. 10.6% of youth (over 2.5 million) cope with severe major depression. Mental health awareness is essential for patients because they deserve care, understanding, and compassion. They need rehabilitation. Caring for patients as they recover and assisting families through difficult times provide me with optimism for the future. I suffer from mental illness and understand how strenuous it is to cope. However, it is possible to recover and live a healthy life. Our job as medical professionals is to deconstruct the stigma of mental illness and support others in need. I desire to achieve this in my medical career. Hardships I've experienced while pursuing college are mainly emotional and financial. I'm low-income and college is expensive. I worry about how much I can spend on college without putting myself in a bad financial situation. I hope I go through college and come out with a bachelor's degree in psychology without having debt. But, that's probably highly unlikely. So, in my spare time, I apply for scholarships to help me out. Thank you for this opportunity!

The song that has the most important message to me is Rotten Apple by Alice in Chains. Rotten Apple is one of grunge's most beautiful masterpieces. Listening to the song makes me feel like floating outside of my body. It's what I imagine what the ultimate high feels like. I would inject that song into my bloodstream if I could. The second I hear it, my brain floods with dopamine. The song reminds me of its artist Layne Staley. He was a beautiful soul who passed away in April 2002 due to a speedball overdose. He was only 34. The song reminds me of how precious life is and how one person can change the life of millions. Artists like Layne Staley, Kurt Cobain, and Chuck Schuldiner inspire me to be the girl who changes the world for the better. I want to help people like how they've helped people. Which is why I want to be a psychiatrist and help people who are experiencing mental disorders. I want to give my patients the highest quality of life and low-cost wellness care. Thank you for this opportunity!

I make a positive impact by helping my community. My current challenge is graduating high school. In high school, I'm double majoring in veterinary and nursing assisting. I am BLS, CMAA, and OSHA certified. I am currently working on my CNA and CVA certifications. I help my community through clubs that reflect my interest. I am part of the FFA Vegetable Judging Team, Environmental Club, Psychology Honor Society, and Pre-Med Honor Society. In the Veggie Team, I judge vegetables on whether they are appropriate for consumers. My team has grown the school garden, and we donate the vegetables to struggling people. In the team, I was going to go to a competition in Gainesville as a Freshman. I couldn't go eventually due to Covid. This year, I took the veggie preliminaries, and my team placed 4th out of all the veggie teams that took the test across the US. So, I am going to compete this year. Only the top 20 teams get to compete. In the Environmental Club, I spent two hours picking up trash from the street of the Steinburg Nature Center because I love the environment. About a week ago, I did a project with the Miami Zoo. I helped put together the exhibit for the new clouded leopards and helped shovel clay for the camel habitat. These clubs made me well-rounded because they made me aware of how I can do my part to aid different causes. In the Psychology Honor Society, I educate on mental health topics. I made a Start with Hello/ Suicide Awareness and Alzheimer's Awareness poster. During Start with Hello week, I made a poster, put up fliers, and participated in facilitating activities. In October, my school does an event called Fright Night. On fright night, I gave candy to the kids and gave them fake Halloween tattoos. I made an Alzheimer's awareness poster and did an Alzheimer's walk at FIU. We made Christmas bags for the kids containing candy, toys, and letters. For Pay it Forward, we put candy and stickers for the high school kids. In the Pre-Med Honor Society, I educate on medical health topics. I made Breast Cancer, Lung Cancer, and AIDS/HIV Awareness poster. During the Pre-Med fright night Shift, I set up a game where the kids had to dig through Orbeez to find prizes. I donated to Toys for Tots and Thanksgiving food drives. For Christmas, we made cards for the kids at St. Judes. Since I am double majoring in veterinary and nursing assisting, I was a biomedical representative for my school during the Magnetic Fair. During the Magnetic Fair, I explained to future high school students why they should come to my school. I explained what my high school has to offer and the medical programs. I like to help people cause I know other people might not have as much as me. I am so grateful that I can live and go to school. I plan to keep on giving back to my community by becoming a psychiatrist and helping people with their mental health. I am low-income, and I want to attend college at FIU. So as you can tell, in my spare time, I apply for scholarships. My parents work hard, but I need a little more help to get a bachelor's degree in Psychology without putting myself in financial debt. An obstacle I faced playing sports is confidence. Sometimes after losing you lose confidence and start to doubt yourself. But as you keep playing realize the most important is to trust yourself and be healthy. Thank you for this opportunity!

"The phenomenon of people within online gaming forums discarding the common accepted social norms of civil discourse and actions and it's effect on real-life social interaction". My interpretation of the quote above is that people who spend time on online gaming forums such as stream discussions, GameFAQs, IGN Boards, etc ignore the socially acceptable norms of civil discussion and actions and it affects real social interactions such as talking to other people. This means to me that when people spend a lot of time communicating on online gaming forums this could potentially alter their ability to socially interact with others in real life. This happens because when you're online you can get away with saying a lot of things with generally no consequence so that changes a lot of people's personalities. Sometimes when we spend a lot of time online we forget that not everyone speaks the way we speak online. In real life you have to have manners, be polite, and you shouldn't say things that are out of hand or that are generally offensive. My interpretation would be completely wrong but that is what the quote brought to my mind. It reminds me of gamers boys who think being offensive is funny when it's not. Psychology is the scientific study of the human mind and its functions, especially mental health. In the summer of 2023, I will attend Florida International University to obtain a bachelor's in Psychology. Psychology has always been a subject of interest to me because I've dealt with symptoms of depression and other mental disorders. I come from a low-income family, and I've had therapy, but I couldn't get diagnosed because we couldn't afford sessions. Depression, bipolar disorder, alcoholism, substance abuse, and suicide occur in my ancestry. Therefore, I am passionate about treating people because I have first-hand experience with losing loved ones to mental illness. My dream job is to become a psychiatrist. Psychiatry is a science STEM career that also deals with medicine. To achieve my goal of becoming a psychiatrist, I must be college educated. A psychiatrist must earn a bachelor's degree, four years of medical school, and a four-year residency. It takes approximately twelve years to become a psychiatrist. Becoming a psychiatrist is undoubtedly a difficult task to complete. However, I feel I can accomplish this ambition. I discovered I desired a career in psychology when I enjoyed being attentive to my friend's struggles and offering them a list of solutions to improve their mood. I appreciate taking the time to create a comfortable environment for my peers. I want to observe my patients and develop precise treatment plans to alleviate my patient's mental distress. I passed the AP Psych exam and am part of the Psychology Honor Society. According to Prevalence Data 2022- Mental Health America, 19.86% of adults are experiencing mental illness. Equivalent to nearly 50 million Americans, and 4.91% are experiencing severe mental illness. 15.08% of youth (ages 12-17) report suffering from at least one major depressive episode. 10.6% of youth (over 2.5 million) cope with severe major depression. Mental health awareness is essential for patients because they deserve care, understanding, and compassion. They need rehabilitation. Caring for patients as they recover and assisting families through difficult times provide me with optimism for the future. I suffer from mental illness and understand how strenuous it is to cope. However, it is possible to recover and live a healthy life. Our job as medical professionals is to deconstruct the stigma of mental illness and support others in need. I desire to achieve this in my medical career. Thank you!

I grew up in a home where my mother was hesitant to take me to the hospital when I broke my arm because she didn't know if she could afford a cast. The day I fractured my arm, I slept the night without a splint until she couldn't bear to see me in agony. Seeing the panic in my mother's eyes broke my heart. I felt guilty for playing and breaking my arm, although I was only in the second grade. Since then, I've never been more dedicated to ensuring that families in poverty have access to affordable healthcare. Being a teenage girl of divorced, low-income immigrants led me to develop my own experiences with mental illness. Depression, bipolar disorder, alcoholism, substance abuse, and suicide occur in my ancestry. I am passionate about treating people because I have first-hand experience with losing loved ones to mental illness. I want nothing more than for people to recognize when they need help and have someone they trust to aid them. As a psychiatrist, I want to provide my patients with the highest quality of life and low-cost wellness care. To achieve my goal of becoming a psychiatrist, I must be college educated. A psychiatrist must earn a bachelor's degree, four years of medical school, and a four-year residency. Some psychiatrists also complete fellowship programs and additional training. It takes approximately twelve years to become a psychiatrist. I love psychology and study it in my free time. Becoming a psychiatrist is undoubtedly a difficult task to complete. However, I feel I can accomplish this ambition. I discovered I desired a career in psychology when I enjoyed being attentive to my friend's struggles and offering them a list of solutions to improve their mood. I appreciate taking the time to create a comfortable environment for my peers. When I grow up, I want to observe my patients and develop precise treatment plans to alleviate my patient's mental distress. I passed the AP Psych exam and am part of the Psychology Honor Society. According to Prevalence Data 2022- Mental Health America, 19.86% of adults are experiencing mental illness. Equivalent to nearly 50 million Americans, and 4.91% are experiencing severe mental illness. 7.74% of adults reported having a substance abuse disorder. 5.71% of adults reported having an alcohol use disorder. 4.58% of Americans have thoughts of suicide, an estimated 11.4 million people- an increase of 664,000 people from last year's data set. 15.08% of youth (ages 12-17) report suffering from at least one major depressive episode. 10.6% of youth (over 2.5 million) cope with severe major depression. Mental health awareness is essential for patients because they deserve care, understanding, and compassion. They need rehabilitation. Caring for patients as they recover and assisting families through difficult times provide me with optimism for the future. I suffer from mental illness and understand how strenuous it is to cope. However, it is possible to recover and live a healthy life. Our job as medical professionals is to deconstruct the stigma of mental illness and support others in need. I desire to achieve this in my medical career. Hardships I've experienced while pursuing college are mainly emotional and financial. I'm low-income and college is expensive. I worry about how much I can spend on college without putting myself in a bad financial situation. I hope I go through college and come out with a bachelor's degree in psychology without having debt. But, that's probably highly unlikely. So, in my spare time, I apply for scholarships to help me out. Thank you for this opportunity!

I am like Maggie because I am a strong woman who displays intelligence and kindness. I display kindness by helping my community. My current challenge is graduating high school. In high school, I'm double majoring in veterinary and nursing assisting. I am BLS, CMAA, and OSHA certified. I am currently working on my CNA and CVA certifications. I help my community through clubs that reflect my interest. I am part of the FFA Vegetable Judging Team, Environmental Club, Psychology Honor Society, and Pre-Med Honor Society. In the Veggie Team, I judge vegetables on whether they are appropriate for consumers. My team has grown the school garden, and we donate the vegetables to struggling people. In the team, I was going to go to a competition in Gainesville as a Freshman. I couldn't go eventually due to Covid. This year, I took the veggie preliminaries, and my team placed 4th out of all the veggie teams that took the test across the US. So, I am going to compete this year. Only the top 20 teams get to compete. In the Environmental Club, I spent two hours picking up trash from the street of the Steinburg Nature Center because I love the environment. About a week ago, I did a project with the Miami Zoo. I helped put together the exhibit for the new clouded leopards and helped shovel clay for the camel habitat. These clubs made me well-rounded because they made me aware of how I can do my part to aid different causes. In the Psychology Honor Society, I educate on mental health topics. I made a Start with Hello/ Suicide Awareness and Alzheimer's Awareness poster. During Start with Hello week, I made a poster, put up fliers, and participated in facilitating activities. In October, my school does an event called Fright Night. On fright night, I gave candy to the kids and gave them fake Halloween tattoos. I made an Alzheimer's awareness poster and did an Alzheimer's walk at FIU. We made Christmas bags for the kids containing candy, toys, and letters. For Pay it Forward, we put candy and stickers for the high school kids. In the Pre-Med Honor Society, I educate on medical health topics. I made Breast Cancer, Lung Cancer, and AIDS/HIV Awareness poster. During the Pre-Med fright night Shift, I set up a game where the kids had to dig through Orbeez to find prizes. I donated to Toys for Tots and Thanksgiving food drives. For Christmas, we made cards for the kids at St. Judes. Since I am double majoring in veterinary and nursing assisting, I was a biomedical representative for my school during the Magnetic Fair. During the Magnetic Fair, I explained to future high school students why they should come to my school. I explained what my high school has to offer and the medical programs. I like to help people cause I know other people might not have as much as me. I am so grateful that I can live and go to school. I am low-income, and I want to attend college at FIU. So as you can tell, in my spare time, I apply for scholarships. My parents work hard, but I need a little more help to get a bachelor's degree in Psychology without putting myself in financial debt. Thank you for this opportunity!

I display kindness by helping my community. My current challenge is graduating high school. In high school, I'm double majoring in veterinary and nursing assisting. I am BLS, CMAA, and OSHA certified. I am currently working on my CNA and CVA certifications. I help my community through clubs that reflect my interest. I am part of the FFA Vegetable Judging Team, Environmental Club, Psychology Honor Society, and Pre-Med Honor Society. In the Veggie Team, I judge vegetables on whether they are appropriate for consumers. My team has grown the school garden, and we donate the vegetables to struggling people. In the team, I was going to go to a competition in Gainesville as a Freshman. I couldn't go eventually due to Covid. This year, I took the veggie preliminaries, and my team placed 4th out of all the veggie teams that took the test across the US. So, I am going to compete this year. Only the top 20 teams get to compete. In the Environmental Club, I spent two hours picking up trash from the street of the Steinburg Nature Center because I love the environment. About a week ago, I did a project with the Miami Zoo. I helped put together the exhibit for the new clouded leopards and helped shovel clay for the camel habitat. These clubs made me well-rounded because they made me aware of how I can do my part to aid different causes. In the Psychology Honor Society, I educate on mental health topics. I made a Start with Hello/ Suicide Awareness and Alzheimer's Awareness poster. During Start with Hello week, I made a poster, put up fliers, and participated in facilitating activities. In October, my school does an event called Fright Night. On fright night, I gave candy to the kids and gave them fake Halloween tattoos. I made an Alzheimer's awareness poster and did an Alzheimer's walk at FIU. We made Christmas bags for the kids containing candy, toys, and letters. For Pay it Forward, we put candy and stickers for the high school kids. In the Pre-Med Honor Society, I educate on medical health topics. I made Breast Cancer, Lung Cancer, and AIDS/HIV Awareness poster. During the Pre-Med fright night Shift, I set up a game where the kids had to dig through Orbeez to find prizes. I donated to Toys for Tots and Thanksgiving food drives. For Christmas, we made cards for the kids at St. Judes. Since I am double majoring in veterinary and nursing assisting, I was a biomedical representative for my school during the Magnetic Fair. During the Magnetic Fair, I explained to future high school students why they should come to my school. I explained what my high school has to offer and the medical programs. I like to help people cause I know other people might not have as much as me. I am so grateful that I can live and go to school. I plan to keep on giving back to my community by becoming a psychiatrist and helping people with their mental health. I am low-income, and I want to attend college at FIU. So as you can tell, in my spare time, I apply for scholarships. My parents work hard, but I need a little more help to get a bachelor's degree in Psychology without putting myself in financial debt. Thank you for this opportunity!

I display kindness by helping my community. My current challenge is graduating high school. In high school, I'm double majoring in veterinary and nursing assisting. I am BLS, CMAA, and OSHA certified. I am currently working on my CNA and CVA certifications. I help my community through clubs that reflect my interest. I am part of the FFA Vegetable Judging Team, Environmental Club, Psychology Honor Society, and Pre-Med Honor Society. In the Veggie Team, I judge vegetables on whether they are appropriate for consumers. My team has grown the school garden, and we donate the vegetables to struggling people. In the team, I was going to go to a competition in Gainesville as a Freshman. I couldn't go eventually due to Covid. This year, I took the veggie preliminaries, and my team placed 4th out of all the veggie teams that took the test across the US. So, I am going to compete this year. Only the top 20 teams get to compete. In the Environmental Club, I spent two hours picking up trash from the street of the Steinburg Nature Center because I love the environment. About a week ago, I did a project with the Miami Zoo. I helped put together the exhibit for the new clouded leopards and helped shovel clay for the camel habitat. These clubs made me well-rounded because they made me aware of how I can do my part to aid different causes. In the Psychology Honor Society, I educate on mental health topics. I made a Start with Hello/ Suicide Awareness and Alzheimer's Awareness poster. During Start with Hello week, I made a poster, put up fliers, and participated in facilitating activities. In October, my school does an event called Fright Night. On fright night, I gave candy to the kids and gave them fake Halloween tattoos. I made an Alzheimer's awareness poster and did an Alzheimer's walk at FIU. We made Christmas bags for the kids containing candy, toys, and letters. For Pay it Forward, we put candy and stickers for the high school kids. In the Pre-Med Honor Society, I educate on medical health topics. I made Breast Cancer, Lung Cancer, and AIDS/HIV Awareness poster. During the Pre-Med fright night Shift, I set up a game where the kids had to dig through Orbeez to find prizes. I donated to Toys for Tots and Thanksgiving food drives. For Christmas, we made cards for the kids at St. Judes. Since I am double majoring in veterinary and nursing assisting, I was a biomedical representative for my school during the Magnetic Fair. During the Magnetic Fair, I explained to future high school students why they should come to my school. I explained what my high school has to offer and the medical programs. I like to help people cause I know other people might not have as much as me. I am so grateful that I can live and go to school. I am low-income, and I want to attend college at FIU. So as you can tell, in my spare time, I apply for scholarships. My parents work hard, but I need a little more help to get a bachelor's degree in Psychology without putting myself in financial debt. Thank you for this opportunity!

I grew up in a home where my mother was hesitant to take me to the hospital when I broke my arm because she didn't know if she could afford a cast. The day I fractured my arm, I slept the night without a splint until she couldn't bear to see me in agony. Seeing the panic in my mother's eyes broke my heart. I felt guilty for playing and breaking my arm, although I was only in the second grade. Since then, I've never been more dedicated to ensuring that families in poverty have access to affordable healthcare. Being a teenage girl of divorced, low-income immigrants led me to develop my own experiences with mental illness. Depression, bipolar disorder, alcoholism, substance abuse, and suicide occur in my ancestry. I am passionate about treating people because I have first-hand experience with losing loved ones to mental illness. I want nothing more than for people to recognize when they need help and have someone they trust to aid them. As a psychiatrist, I want to provide my patients with the highest quality of life and low-cost wellness care. To achieve my goal of becoming a psychiatrist, I must be college educated. A psychiatrist must earn a bachelor's degree, four years of medical school, and a four-year residency. Some psychiatrists also complete fellowship programs and additional training. It takes approximately twelve years to become a psychiatrist. I love psychology and study it in my free time. Becoming a psychiatrist is undoubtedly a difficult task to complete. However, I feel I can accomplish this ambition. I discovered I desired a career in psychology when I enjoyed being attentive to my friend's struggles and offering them a list of solutions to improve their mood. I appreciate taking the time to create a comfortable environment for my peers. When I grow up, I want to observe my patients and develop precise treatment plans to alleviate my patient's mental distress. I passed the AP Psych exam and am part of the Psychology Honor Society. According to Prevalence Data 2022- Mental Health America, 19.86% of adults are experiencing mental illness. Equivalent to nearly 50 million Americans, and 4.91% are experiencing severe mental illness. 7.74% of adults reported having a substance abuse disorder. 5.71% of adults reported having an alcohol use disorder. 4.58% of Americans have thoughts of suicide, an estimated 11.4 million people- an increase of 664,000 people from last year's data set. 15.08% of youth (ages 12-17) report suffering from at least one major depressive episode. 10.6% of youth (over 2.5 million) cope with severe major depression. Mental health awareness is essential for patients because they deserve care, understanding, and compassion. They need rehabilitation. Caring for patients as they recover and assisting families through difficult times provide me with optimism for the future. I suffer from mental illness and understand how strenuous it is to cope. However, it is possible to recover and live a healthy life. Our job as medical professionals is to deconstruct the stigma of mental illness and support others in need. I desire to achieve this in my medical career. Thank you for this opportunity!

I grew up in a home where my mother was hesitant to take me to the hospital when I broke my arm because she didn't know if she could afford a cast. The day I fractured my arm, I slept the night without a splint until she couldn't bear to see me in agony. Seeing the panic in my mother's eyes broke my heart. I felt guilty for playing and breaking my arm, although I was only in the second grade. Since then, I've never been more dedicated to ensuring that families in poverty have access to affordable healthcare. Being a teenage girl of divorced, low-income immigrants led me to develop my own experiences with mental illness. Depression, bipolar disorder, alcoholism, substance abuse, and suicide occur in my ancestry. I am passionate about treating people because I have first-hand experience with losing loved ones to mental illness. I want nothing more than for people to recognize when they need help and have someone they trust to aid them. As a psychiatrist, I want to provide my patients with the highest quality of life and low-cost wellness care. I discovered I desired a career in psychology when I enjoyed being attentive to my friend's struggles and offering them a list of solutions to improve their mood. I appreciate taking the time to create a comfortable environment for my peers. When I grow up, I want to observe my patients and develop precise treatment plans to alleviate my patient's mental distress. I passed the AP Psych exam and am part of the Psychology Honor Society. According to Prevalence Data 2022- Mental Health America, 19.86% of adults are experiencing mental illness. Equivalent to nearly 50 million Americans, and 4.91% are experiencing severe mental illness. 7.74% of adults reported having a substance abuse disorder. 5.71% of adults reported having an alcohol use disorder. 4.58% of Americans have thoughts of suicide, an estimated 11.4 million people- an increase of 664,000 people from last year's data set. 15.08% of youth (ages 12-17) report suffering from at least one major depressive episode. 10.6% of youth (over 2.5 million) cope with severe major depression. Mental health awareness is essential for patients because they deserve care, understanding, and compassion. They need rehabilitation. Caring for patients as they recover and assisting families through difficult times provide me with optimism for the future. I suffer from mental illness and understand how strenuous it is to cope. However, it is possible to recover and live a healthy life. Our job as medical professionals is to deconstruct the stigma of mental illness and support others in need. I desire to achieve this in my medical career. Right now, I'm in high school. I am majoring in nursing and veterinary assisting because I love medicine. I am also a part of the Environmental Club, FFA Vegetable Judging Team, Psychology Honor Society, and Pre-Med Honor Society. I am an FFA (Future Farmers of America) and SkillsUSA member. I also got the 2022 Allied Health Assisting Student of the Year award from John A. Ferguson. I am BLS, CMAA, and OSHA certified. So, as you can see, I love what I do. Thank you for this opportunity!

I would like to see people work together to make the world a better place. Humans are social. We need social interaction to survive and grow. Working together in teams to tackle problems can provide people with lifelong friendships and aid different causes. There are lots of issues in this world that need attention. I don't think we should force people to help if they don't want to help. Instead, we need to encourage people to have passions. When there is an issue someone is passionate about, that person is more likely to make a change. For instance, I am passionate about the Earth and health. In school, I do my part by being in four clubs. I am a part of the Vegetable Judging Team, Environmental Club, Psychology Honor Society, and Pre-Med Honor Society. In the Vegetable Judging Team, we've planted the school's garden from scratch. The produce we receive from the garden goes to fundraisers and programs that help people in need. In 2019, I took the FFA preliminaries and placed within the top 20. My team and I were going to travel to Gainesville for a competition. We couldn't compete due to Covid. This year my team took the preliminaries. We placed 4th out of all the teams across the US who competed. This year I'm going to the FFA Vegetable competition with my team! In the Environmental Club, I've participated in environmental cleanups. At one event, I spent two hours picking up trash from the streets of the Steinburg Nature Center. I was surprised at the amount of garbage I found. That's when I realized how badly I wanted to help clean the planet. In the Psychology Honor Society, I spread mental health awareness through education. In PHS, we create activities for other students, like giving out goodie bags of positive messages, speed friending, fright night, etc. I've made a Start with Hello/ Suicide Prevention and Alzheimer's Awareness Poster. The posters are located throughout the school so other students can learn about mental awareness. In PHS, I went on an Alzheimer's awareness walk with the club. It was very informative. The Pre-Med Honor Society spreads medical awareness through education and participates in biomedical activities. In Pre-Med, I participated in biomedical activities such as Fright Night, Toys for Tots, Thanksgiving Food Drive, creating medical posters, and helping the medical teachers. In Pre-Med, I made a Breast and Lung Cancer awareness poster. Currently, I'm working on making an AIDs/HIV awareness poster. The extracurriculars I'm in reflect my interest. I am always concerned about putting my health and happiness first. I've learned a lot while volunteering with my school. I aid different causes but also have the opportunity to get additional education. I've also learned about myself. I am dependable and determined. Volunteering has led me to meet lots of great people and increase my confidence in my ability to benefit others. Thank you for this opportunity.

I think it's important to understand the nature of the universe so we can utilize the resources it has given us. Our universe started with the big bang- an explosion of space itself. The universe has left behind a trail of clues of how we got from the earliest life forms of microbes to developing intelligent humans. Abiogenesis is the idea that attempts to figure out how life originated. Geologist state the Earth formed roughly 4.5 billion years ago. They estimated this by measuring the oldest rocks on Earth: moon rocks, and meteorites, by radiometric dating (determining the proportions of particular radioactive isotopes present in the sample). For millions of years, the early Earth got hit by meteoroids and other celestial bodies. The temperature of the Earth was very high, and water was so hot it would take the form of gas. Between 4.4 and 4.0 billion years ago, the first forms of life might have emerged. During this time, there was a break in the asteroid bombardment. The water was cool enough to condense into oceans. After that, there was a second bombardment of asteroids around 3.9 billion years ago. During this time, the Earth became capable of sustaining life. The earliest evidence of life on Earth came from fossils discovered in Western Australia. The fossils date back to about 3.5 billion years ago. They were fossils known as stromatolites, formed by the growth of layers of single-celled microbes, such as cyanobacteria. The earliest microbes preserve the remains of sulfur-metabolizing bacteria. Bacteria are relatively complex, suggesting life could have begun way before 3.5 billion years ago. However, the lack of fossils makes understanding the timeline of life's origin difficult. But how did life arise? In the 1920s, Russian scientist Aleksandr Oparin and English scientist J.B.S. Haldane both separately proposed the Oparin-Haldane hypothesis: This hypothesis states that life on Earth could have arisen step by step from non-living matter through the process of "gradual chemical evolution." They thought the Earth had an oxygen-poor atmosphere where molecules tend to donate electrons. They suggested that simple inorganic molecules could've reacted to form amino acids and nucleotides that accumulated in the oceans, making a "primordial soup." The primordial soup could've combined further reactions to create more complex molecules (polymers) like proteins and nucleic acids. The polymers could have assembled structures of life. Oparin thought these colonies of protein together could carry out metabolism. Haldane suggests that macromolecules became enclosed in membranes to create cell-like structures. However, geologists don't think the atmosphere was oxygen-poor. So, the Oparin-Haldane hypothesis is probably not accurate. The basic idea- a stepwise, spontaneous formation of simple, then more complex, then self-sustaining biological molecules or assemblies is still the core of most origin of life hypotheses. In 1953, Stanely Miller and Harold Urey's experiment tested the Oparin-Haldane hypothesis. They discovered that organic molecules spontaneously produce under reducing conditions that resemble the early Earth. Miller and Urey built a closed system containing a heated pool of water and a mixture of gases to mimic the early Earth's atmosphere (H2O, NH4, CH4, and N2). To simulate lighting that might have provided energy for chemical reactions in the atmosphere, Miller and Urey sent sparks of electricity through their experimental system. After a week, Miller and Urey found various types of amino acids, sugars, lipids, and other organic molecules had formed. Large, complex molecules like protein and DNA were missing, but their experiment showed that at least some of the building blocks for these molecules could form spontaneously from simple compounds. However, scientists now think the atmosphere was different than in the Miller-Urey experiment atmosphere (it is not oxygen-poor and is not rich in ammonia and methane). So, the Miller-Urey experiment was not accurate. Other similar experiments show that it is reasonable to believe that some of life's building blocks could have formed abiotically on early Earth. How could monomers like amino acids or nucleotides on early Earth assemble into polymers or actual biological macromolecules? Cells today are put together by enzymes. But, since enzymes are polymers, this is a kind of chicken-and-egg problem! Monomers might have been able to form polymers under early Earth conditions. In the 1950s, biochemist Sidney Fox and his colleagues found that if amino acids got heated without water, they could link together to form proteins. Sidney Fox suggested that, on early Earth, ocean water carrying amino acids could have splashed onto a hot surface such as lava, boiling the water away and leaving protein behind. Additional experiments in the 1990s showed that RNA nucleotides link together when exposed to a clay surface. The clay acts as a catalyst to form an RNA polymer. Clay and other mineral surfaces may have played a key role in assembling the polymers, acting as catalysts. Polymers floating in solution might have hydrolyzed (broken down) quickly, supporting a surfaced attached model. A type of clay known as montmorillonite is crucial. Montmorillonite has catalytic and organizing properties that may have been important in the origins of life, such as the ability to catalyze the formation of RNA polymers and assemble cell-like lipid vesicles. If polymers were able to form on early Earth, this still leaves the question of how polymers could self-replicate or self-perpetuate, meeting the criteria for life. One possibility is the genes-first hypothesis, the first life forms were self-replicating nucleic acids, such as RNA or DNA, and other elements (like metabolic networks) were a later add-on to this basic system. Many scientists think RNA, not DNA, was likely the first genetic material, known as the RNA world hypothesis. Scientists favor RNA over DNA as the first genetic molecule for several reasons. Most important is that RNA can carry information and act as a catalyst. We do not know of any naturally occurring catalytic DNA molecules. RNA catalysts called ribozymes play vital roles in the RNA world. A catalytic RNA could potentially catalyze a chemical reaction to copy itself. Such a self-replicating RNA could pass genetic material from generation to generation, fulfilling the criteria for life and, potentially, undergoing evolution. RNA maybe not be the first information-carrying molecule to serve as genetic material. Some scientists think that an even simpler RNA-like molecule with catalytic and information-carrying capacity might have come first and have catalyzed or acted as a template for RNA synthesis, called the pre-RNA world hypothesis. An alternative is a metabolism-first hypothesis, which suggests that self-sustaining networks of metabolic reactions may have been the first simple life (predating nucleic acids). These networks might have formed near undersea hydrothermal vents that provided a continual supply of chemical precursors that have been self-sustained and persistent (meeting the criteria for life). In this scenario, simple pathways might have produced molecules that acted as catalysts to form more complex molecules. Eventually, the metabolic networks might have been able to build large molecules such as proteins and nucleic acids. Forming individuals enclosed by membranes (separate from the communal network) would have been a late step. How did the early cells appear? One of the properties of a cell is the ability to maintain an internal environment different from the surrounding environment. Today, cells are separated from their environment by a phospholipid bilayer. It is unlikely that phospholipids would have been present under the conditions in which the first cells formed other lipids (ones that would have more likely been available) have spontaneously formed bi-layered compartments. This type of compartment could surround a self-replicating ribozyme or the components of a metabolic pathway to make a cell. This type of idea is not supported by experimental evidence yet. No experiment has created self-replicating cells from abiotic (non-living) components. Organic molecules might have formed spontaneously from inorganic ones on early Earth, à la Miller-Urey. But could they instead have come from space? Scientists have found that organic molecules can produce from simple chemical precursors present in outer space under conditions that could exist in space (high UV irradiation and low temperature). Most importantly, various meteorites have turned out to contain organic compounds (derived from outer space, not from Earth). One meteorite, ALH84001, came from Mars and contained organic molecules with multiple ring structures. Another meteorite, the Murchison meteorite, carried nitrogenous bases (like those found in DNA and RNA) and amino acids. One meteorite that fell in 2000 in Canada contained tiny organic structures dubbed "organic globules." NASA scientists think this meteorite might have fallen onto Earth's early history, seeding it with organic compounds. Earth is the most accessible habitable planet for study. Studying the origin and earliest evolution of life, along with the long-term development of Earth's environments, helps us understand why the Earth became habitable and why terrestrial life has persisted for billions of years. I hope to employ an understanding of life's origin to understand the meaning of life and what I can do to improve it. It's important to me to understand life because I want to be a psychiatrist who understands how humans came to be and how our minds function. Thank you for this opportunity!

When I was a baby, I had a beagle named Luigi. As a baby, I used to sit in a hammock, and Luigi would come and jump all over me and knock me down from the hammock. So, my parents gave Luigi away. When I was little, my sister and I had two dogs. We had one dog for each of us so we wouldn't fight. My dog was named Lucky, and hers was named Lewy. But sadly, Lucky died of an infection, and Lewy ran away when we were young. I'm 17 years old now. I can still remember the moment Lucky died on the veterinarian's table. I was a little girl, but I remember. The veterinarian had a needle and inserted it through Lucky's rectum, and blood came out. I didn't understand what it meant, but that was the moment I knew Lucky was sick. I don't know how I knew, but I knew that would be the last time I'd see him. I patted him as I cried. After Lucky died, I cried for six months. Then I went for a while without having a dog. When I was six years old, my parents split up. Then when I was nine, my parents divorced. My parents had a rocky divorce, and my sister and I were always in the middle. I don't remember good memories then, but it did feel better. It felt better for them to be apart than together and unhappy. My sister and I didn't like going to our dad's house after because we felt like he had given up on us, and he started meeting new people. My dad had a bit of a hoe phase after mom. For a while, there was only one reason we would go to his house. That reason was Max. Max is my Maltese. He is the sweetest dog. When my sister and I weren't getting attention from our dad, there was only one dog for the job, Max. Every time we rang the doorbell to come to our dad's house, Max was there barking, licking, and jumping all over us. Max was always there for us. My sister and I used to sit in his play pen and play with him for hours so that he wasn't lonely. We were his advocates. We begged our dad to let him go to the park, meet friends, and play outside the pen. All of which Max got to do with our help. It was a friendship. Max gave us his company, and we gave him ours. Max was one of the reasons my sister and I stayed in touch with our dad. Max doesn't know it, but he's the glue of the family. Sometimes it can be months before I see my dad because I go to school with my mom. In high school, I am majoring veterinary and nursing assisting. One day in my vet class, a Maltese ran up to me, and for a split second, I thought it was Max. I almost cried. I held that dog the entire time I was working in vet class. My friend told me I probably did that because that dog reminded me of my own. Max is still alive, but he is old now. He is the best dog I've ever had, and I'm so grateful I got to experience his companionship. Max has gotten me through a lot of tough times. Every time he sees me, he jumps up from his pen to get my attention. He makes me feel appreciated. Thank you for this opportunity!

Psychology is the scientific study of the human mind and its functions, especially mental health. In the summer of 2023, I will attend Florida International University to obtain a bachelor's in Psychology. Psychology has always been a subject of interest to me because I've dealt with symptoms of depression and other mental disorders. I come from a low-income family, and I've had therapy, but I couldn't get diagnosed because we couldn't afford sessions. Depression, bipolar disorder, alcoholism, substance abuse, and suicide occur in my ancestry. Therefore, I am passionate about treating people because I have first-hand experience with losing loved ones to mental illness. My dream job is to become a psychiatrist. Psychiatry is a science STEM career. I want to become a psychiatrist because I want to challenge myself. I've always been interested in human behavior and how the mind works. To achieve my goal of becoming a psychiatrist, I must be college educated. I must earn a bachelor's degree, four years of medical school, and a four-year residency. Some psychiatrists also complete fellowship programs and additional training. It takes approximately twelve years to become a psychiatrist. Becoming a psychiatrist is undoubtedly a difficult task to complete. However, I feel I can accomplish this ambition. I discovered I desired a career in psychology when I enjoyed being attentive to my friend's struggles and offering them a list of solutions to improve their mood. I appreciate taking the time to create a comfortable environment for my peers. When I grow up, I want to observe my patients and develop precise treatment plans to alleviate my patient's mental distress. Another part I like about being a psychiatrist is spreading awareness. At school, I am a part of four clubs, and two are honor societies. I am a part of the Psychology Honor Society and Pre-Med Honor Society. In the Psychology Honor Society, I made a Start with Hello and Alzheimer's awareness poster, went on an Alzheimer's awareness walk, donated to mental causes, and improved the school environment. In the Pre-Med Honor Society, I made a Breast and Lung Cancer awareness poster, donated to food drives for the less fortunate and toys for tots, and assisted the John A. Ferguson Biomedical program. I try to aid others because I want to be involved in my community and help people in need. Being in these clubs has shown me the importance of spreading awareness. According to Prevalence Data 2022- Mental Health America, 19.86% of adults are experiencing mental illness. Equivalent to nearly 50 million Americans, and 4.91% are experiencing a severe mental illness. 7.74% of adults reported having a substance abuse disorder. 5.71% reported having an alcohol use disorder. 4.58% of American adults reported thoughts of suicide, estimated at 11.4 million people- an increase of 664,000 people from last year's data set. 15.08% of youth (ages 12-17) report suffering from at least one major depressive episode. 10.6% of youth (over 2.5 million) cope with severe major depression. Mental health awareness is essential for patients because they deserve care, understanding, and compassion. They need rehabilitation. Caring for patients as they recover and assisting families through difficult times provide me with optimism for the future. I suffer from mental illness and understand how strenuous it is to cope. However, it is possible to recover and live a healthy life. Our job as medical professionals is to deconstruct the stigma of mental illness and support others in need. I desire to achieve this in my medical career. My goal is to be a person who uses her opportunities to help others. I'm thankful for this opportunity!

Mental health is vital because it affects your whole body. It affects your ability to think, cope, adapt, and strategize. Psychology is the scientific study of the human mind and its functions, especially mental health. In the summer of 2023, I will attend Florida Internal University to obtain a bachelor's in Psychology. Psychology has always been a subject of interest to me because I've dealt with symptoms of depression and other mental disorders. I come from a low-income family, and I've had therapy, but I couldn't get diagnosed because we couldn't afford sessions. Depression, bipolar disorder, alcoholism, substance abuse, and suicide occur in my ancestry. Therefore, I am passionate about treating people because I have first-hand experience with losing loved ones to mental illness. When I first started high school, I used to sleep for two hours a day. I barely ate, and when I did eat, I ate junk food. I was dehydrated and couldn't function. I didn't realize how destructive these habits were until one day in my Allied Health Assisting class. A nutritionist walked in. He informed us about the food we ate from the grocery store. I learned that the animal products I consumed could potentially put me at risk for heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. Animal products contain large quantities of saturated fat, cholesterol, lactose, estrogen, and pathogenic microorganisms. I was horrified. But the nice man told us not to worry because he was here to discuss an alternative lifestyle. He started educating us on the benefits of going vegan. Going vegan reduces your risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and certain cancers and lowers cholesterol. Veganism also reduces greenhouse gas emissions and puts less stress on our fossil fuels. So as of 2021, I went vegan. I've never felt better. I was consuming more nutrients, vitamins, and minerals. But what I love the most about being vegan is being educated. Since being vegan, I researched the foods I ate and their benefits. Learning about the benefits of the food I consumed made me want to be even healthier. I started working out in late July of 2022. I work out five times a week with two rest days. Currently, I'm seeing results but nothing too drastic. However, I've noticed I'm getting stronger. Working out has forced me to consume more food, plant protein, and water to hydrate. Since I was born, I've always been underweight. Now for the first time, I'm starting to gain weight which is what I desire. Eating right and working out have made me feel more comfortable with myself. It has created a butterfly effect of holistic practices. Every time I consume food from the store, I look at the ingredient list and nutrition facts. If I don't like the nutrition facts, then I don't eat it. Now I do the same with all products I use. I apply sunscreen every two hours every day. I refuse to use sunscreen that contains harmful carcinogens and that are harmful to coral reefs. I don't eat foods with dyes such as Red 40, Yellow 5, and Yellow 6. I don't drink or smoke. I try to practice mindfulness and meditation as much as I can. Something that also makes me feel better is hanging out with my dog Max. I aspire to be a psychiatrist. A big part of being a psychiatrist is maintaining your physical and mental well-being. Your mind must be sharp and focused. Mental health practices keep me healthy and strong, so I can learn in school and provide for my patients. Thank you for this opportunity!

My mom has been the most significant driving force in my life. My mom grew up on a farm in Guyana. Every morning since she was little, she had to sweep the house, do the dishes, take out the trash, get ready for school, and walk to and back from school. My mom grew up poor. I don't recall how many siblings she had, but she had a lot. They all had to share every meal they had. I remember a story about how her family was grateful because they all got to share a single Pepsi on Christmas. My mom's family was very hard on her. My mom would get beat if she didn't bring home exceptional grades. My grandma and grandfather left Guyana to immigrate to America. But they couldn't take their kids with them yet. My mom had to stay with her uncle and aunt. They abused her. She told me they made her do many chores. If she messed up, she would get beaten profusely. She was not allowed to speak unless given permission, and they made her do things they didn't even make their children do. I won't discuss those things because they are personal to my mom. So, my mom did what she had to do until my grandma could bring her to the US. When my mom came to the United States, she got her citizenship and started to attend high school. My mom could speak English. But, she had a heavy Guyanese accent and used different terms and phrases. She used to call a backpack half a sack, and everyone laughed at her. My mom went to school in Manhattan, New York. She told me lots of people were in gangs at her school. But no one ever messed with her because she was quiet, shy, and didn't mess with anyone. She just wanted to get an education. My mom's first job was at McDonald's, and on her first night, they made her mop the floors. My mom eventually moved to Miami, Florida, after she graduated. My mom went to Miami-Dade college but dropped out because she was pregnant with my sister and me. My mom was already married to my dad, but their marriage went sour. They both had a lot of financial issues, and my dad wasn't good for her mentally. During my parent's divorce, my mom had to move us in with our grandma because my mom and dad lost their house together. When my parents divorced, my dad paid little in child support, so my mom stepped up for us. My mom was always my greatest supporter. She never wanted us to know how hard she worked because she didn't want us to feel guilty for her. I was a sensitive kid, I knew my mom worked hard, and it did make me feel guilty. But she always told us to love and appreciate our dad. She never spoke ill of him, no matter what he did to her because she didn't want us to view him differently. My mom worked a minimum wage job, put my sister and me through school, and motivated us throughout life. My mom is a prime example of doing whatever it takes to survive. Knowing what I know about my mom makes me want to succeed more than ever. A goal of mine for the future is to repay my mom for everything she has done for me. I would take that opportunity to thank her so that she knows all her hard work didn't go unnoticed. Thank you for this opportunity!

Since I was a little girl, I've always wanted to go to Florida International University. My parents never went to college, so I want to make them proud by being the first to finish college with a degree. I got accepted to FIU to major in psychology in the Summer. Soon after I graduate high school, I will be attending FIU. I will only have about a week and a half of summer break before I go to school again. That's scary. A goal of mine is to try to approach college calmly because I don't want to overwhelm myself. I'm glad I got into FIU, but I have to say I'm worried. Their terms are expensive. I got accepted, but that doesn't guarantee me a seat. To enroll, you have to pay a 200 dollar nonrefundable tuition fee. My family doesn't have that kind of money. My mom works for minimum wage, and her job lets her stay til Thanksgiving. After that, they're letting their employees go. My parents are divorced, and I don't know if my dad will be able to help because he already has to pay off debt. My mom has money to pay off, but she's trying to help me. I want to attend college but worry about how far I can get without putting myself in a bad financial situation. Currently, I am majoring in veterinary and nursing assisting. I am BLS-certified (Basic Life Support) and CMAA-certified (Certified Medical Administrative Assistant). I'm working on CNA, CVA, and OSHA certifications. I also got the opportunity to get certified in Neuroscience at Miami Dade as a high school senior. I still have to look into Neuroscience because I just discovered that yesterday during an Alzheimer's awareness walk at FIU. My goal is to try to get many certifications. Having those qualifications will allow me to get a job. I need an occupation to help me pay for college. Other than college, another goal of mine is to be highly educated. In school, I need to have good grades. I would say I've exceeded my expectations as I have a 4.7 weighted and 3.9 unweighted GPA. I'm also involved in school very much. In school, I am part of the Vegetable Judging Team, Environmental Club, JAF Psychology Honor Society, and Pre-Med Honor Society. I am a member of the FFA (Future Farmers of America) and SkillsUSA. In the Veggie Team, I judge vegetables on whether they are appropriate for consumers. My team has grown the school garden, and we donate the produce to struggling people. In the Environmental Club, I spent two hours picking up trash from the street of the Steinburg Nature Center because I love the environment. These clubs make me well-rounded because they make me aware of how I can do my part to help different causes. In the Psychology Honor Society, I made a Start with Hello and Alzheimer's awareness poster, went on an Alzheimer's awareness walk, donated to mental causes, and improved the school environment. In the Pre-Med Honor Society, I made a Breast and Lung Cancer awareness poster, donated to food drives for the less fortunate and toys for tots, and assisted the John A. Ferguson Biomedical program. I try to aid others because I want to be involved in my community and help people in need. The most important goal I have is to be healthy and happy. I went vegan in 2021 and started weightlifting in July 2022. My main goal is to be a well-rounded person who uses her opportunities to help others. Thank you for this opportunity!

My favorite Disney character growing up was Jasmine. I am Western Indian. My mom is from Guyana, and my dad is from Trinidad and Tobago. Also, my family has descended from India. Growing I used to admire Jasmine for her feminine beauty and intelligence. She was brown, just like me. Now that I'm older, I realize she may not be Indian, but as a child, it didn't matter. She was the only representation I had. Just like Jasmine, I love nature and animals. In school, I am double majoring in nursing and veterinary assisting. I teach a veterinary lesson to sophomores, and I groom animals. When I used to watch Aladdin as a kid, I wanted to be like Jasmin because she was generous to the people who didn't have anything. Now, I want to do the same. But I don't want to wait til college to help people. I want to have an impact now. I am part of the FFA Vegetable Judging Team, Environmental Club, Psychology Honor Society, and Pre-Med Honor Society. In the Veggie Team, I judge vegetables on whether they are appropriate for consumers. My team has grown the school garden, and we donate the vegetables to struggling people. In the team, I was going to go to a competition in Gainesville as a Freshman. I couldn't go eventually due to Covid. This year, I took the veggie preliminaries, and my team placed 4th out of all the veggie teams that took the test across the US. So, I am going to compete this year. In the Environmental Club, I recently spent two hours picking up trash from the street of the Steinburg Nature Center because I love the environment. These clubs make me well-rounded because they make me aware of how I can do my part to help the planet. I make mental health awareness posters, donate to mental causes, and improve the school environment in the Psychology Honor Society. In the Pre-Med Honor Society, I make medical awareness posters, give to the hungry and toys for tots, and assist the John A. Ferguson Biomedical program. I try to aid others because I want to be involved in my community and help people in need. Jasmine has qualities I admire, like, her intelligence and strong will. College is a goal of mine. I am attending FIU in the summer to obtain a bachelor's in psychology!

My dream goal in life is to be happy and content. I want to feel like I did something meaningful to help others. I want to make the world a better place by volunteering and education. I want to travel the world and learn about different cultures. My career goal is to become a psychiatrist. I want to be involved in my community and give back to the people before me. I want to be able to provide my mother with her own house. Most importantly, I want to be healthy and obtain my bachelor's degree in psychology. Thank you!

College is important to me because I want to continue my learning. My dream job is to be a psychiatrist because I want to help people. Psychology has always been a subject of interest to me because I've dealt with symptoms of depression and other mental disorders. I come from a low-income family, and I've had therapy, but I couldn't get diagnosed because we couldn't afford any more sessions. Depression, bipolar disorder, alcoholism, substance abuse, and suicide occur in my ancestry. Therefore, I am passionate about treating people because I have first-hand experience with losing loved ones to mental illness. I got accepted to my dream college FIU and will attend there in the summer soon after I graduate high school. I'm glad I got into FIU, but I have to say I'm worried. Their terms are expensive. Even though I got accepted, that doesn't guarantee me a seat. To enroll, you have to pay a 200 dollar nonrefundable tuition fee. My family doesn't have that kind of money. My mom works for minimum wage, and her job lets her stay for about two weeks. After that, they're letting their employees go. My parents are divorced, and I don't know if my dad will be able to help because he already has to pay off debt. My mom has money to pay off, but she's trying to help me. Winning this scholarship would lift some weight off my shoulder. It sucks because I want to attend college but worry about how far I can get without putting myself in a bad financial situation. In school, I am majoring in veterinary and nursing assisting. I am BLS-certified and CMAA-certified. Currently, I'm working on CNA, CVA, and OSHA certifications. My goal is to try to get many certifications. Being certified allows me to be qualified for jobs. I need those jobs to help me pay off college fees. Since I am low-income, I know what it's like to struggle. I want to help people, but I don't want to wait til I have a job to help people. I want to help people now. I am part of the FFA Vegetable Judging Team, Environmental Club, Psychology Honor Society, and Pre-Med Honor Society. In the Veggie Team, I judge vegetables on whether they are appropriate for consumers. My team has grown the school garden, and we donate the vegetables to struggling people. In the team, I was going to go to a competition in Gainesville as a Freshman. I couldn't go eventually due to Covid. This year, I took the veggie preliminaries, and my team placed 4th out of all the veggie teams that took the test across the US. So, I am going to compete this year. Only the top 20 teams get to compete. In the Environmental Club, I spent two hours picking up trash from the street of the Steinburg Nature Center because I love the environment. These clubs make me well-rounded because they make me aware of how I can do my part to help different causes. In the Psychology Honor Society, I make mental health awareness posters, donate to mental causes, and improve the school environment. In the Pre-Med Honor Society, I make medical awareness posters, give to the hungry and toys for tots, and assist the John A. Ferguson Biomedical program. I try to aid others because I want to be involved in my community and help people in need. Completing college is a goal of mine. Florida International University will guide me into being an educated, independent, and strong woman. Thank you for this opportunity!

The Covid-19 pandemic presented unique challenges for people with substance use issues. The pandemic made it harder for people suffering from substance abuse to cope in quarantine. Also, if you had experience with substances, you're Covid symptoms could have been worse and harder to overcome. Substance abuse may cause people to have underlying conditions that affect their ability to get better with Covid. Substance use could cause people to become severely ill. People suffering from substance abuse are more susceptible to mental health issues that make it difficult to cope during isolation. Over the pandemic, the number of overdoses increased. The pandemic made it difficult for people suffering from substance abuse to get treatment. People were afraid to go out because everyone was afraid of getting sick. I feel like some of the causes for substance abuse disorders are underlying mental health disorders. When I'm older, I would like to pursue being a psychiatrist. Psychology has always been a subject of interest because mental illness affects my family and me. Depression, bipolar disorder, alcoholism, substance abuse, and suicide occur in my ancestry. Therefore, I am passionate about treating people because I have first-hand experience with losing loved ones to mental illness. With the resource, I would create an online treatment center specializing in mental health and holistic care treatment to help people from overdosing. My online treatment center would be affordable and help my patients live the highest quality of life. To achieve my goal of becoming a psychiatrist, I must be college educated. A psychiatrist must earn a bachelor's degree, four years of medical school, and a four-year residency. Some psychiatrists also complete fellowship programs and additional training. It takes approximately twelve years to become a psychiatrist. I love psychology and study it in my free time. Becoming a psychiatrist is undoubtedly a difficult task to complete. However, I feel I can accomplish this ambition. Apart pf being a psychiatrist is spreading awareness. Signs of an overdose include anxiety and paranoia, restlessness, agitation, hallucinations, high temperature, chest pain, rapid breathing, and an irregular or fast heartbeat. The best treatment for an overdose is naloxone. Naloxone can reverse the effects of an opioid overdose, and it is over the counter. To give naloxone, insert the tip of the nozzle into one nostril. Push gently until your fingers on the side of the nozzle are against the bottom of the person's nose. Press the plunger firmly to give the dose of Narcan® Nasal Spray. Remove the Narcan® Nasal Spray from the nostril. Spreading awareness and teaching everyday people how to recognize the signs of substance abuse and how to treat it can save lives. If we are ever in another pandemic and medical personnel can't reach people in person, my online center would teach people what to do in an emergency. I would create videos that inform people about substance use disorder treatment and how to handle certain situations. The ideal online treatment center would be one that is affordable and educational. So if money were not a problem, my online center would be free and accessible to everyone. Thank You for this opportunity!

Learning keeps me healthy and has changed my life. When I first started high school, I used to sleep for two hours a day. I barely ate, and when I did eat, I ate junk food. I was dehydrated and couldn't function. I didn't realize how destructive these habits were until one day in my Allied Health Assisting class. This day, a nutritionist walked in. He informed us about the food we ate from the grocery store. I learned that the animal products I consumed daily could potentially put me at risk for heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. Animal products contain large quantities of saturated fat, cholesterol, lactose, estrogen, and pathogenic microorganisms. I was horrified. But the nice man told us not to worry because he was here to discuss an alternative lifestyle. He started educating us on the benefits of going vegan. Going vegan reduces your risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and certain cancers and lowers cholesterol. Veganism also reduces greenhouse gas emissions and puts less stress on our fossil fuels. So as of 2021, I went vegan. I've never felt better. I was consuming more nutrients, vitamins, and minerals. But what I love the most about being vegan is being educated. Since being vegan, I researched the foods I ate and their benefits. Learning about the benefits of the food I consumed made me want to be even healthier. I started working out in late July of 2022. I work out five times a week with two rest days. Currently, I'm seeing results but nothing too drastic. However, I've noticed I'm getting stronger. Working out has forced me to consume more food, plant protein, and water to hydrate. Since I was born, I've always been underweight. Now for the first time, I'm starting to gain weight which is what I desire. Eating right and working out have made me feel more comfortable with myself. It has created a butterfly effect of learning opportunities. Every time I consume food from the store, I look at the ingredient list and nutrition facts. If I consider the product unhealthy, then I don't eat it. Now I do the same with all products I use. I apply sunscreen every two hours every day. I refuse to use sunscreen that contains harmful carcinogens and that are harmful to coral reefs. I don't eat foods with dyes such as Red 40, Yellow 5, and Yellow 6. I don't drink or smoke. I try to practice mindfulness and meditation as much as I can. I am a senior attending John A. Ferguson High School. I am part of the Vegetable Judging Team, Environmental Club, JAF Psychology Honor Society, and Pre-med Honor Society. The extracurriculars I'm in reflect my interest. I am always concerned about putting my health and happiness first. When I grow up, I want to be a psychiatrist. Psychiatry has always been a subject of interest because I grew up with mental illness in my family. Depression, bipolar disorder, alcoholism, substance abuse, and suicide occur in my ancestry. Therefore, I am passionate about treating people because I have first-hand experience with losing loved ones to mental illness. Learning psychology teaches me how to control my emotions and explains why I feel the way I do. In psychology, learning how to focus, time management, and emotion control is how I incorporate learning into my daily life. Throughout my life, I will continue to learn, whether in class or on my own. Being smart allows me to be self-reliant and independent. I'm thankful for this opportunity and hope to become a successful psychiatrist!

I grew up in a home where my mother was hesitant to take me to the hospital when I broke my arm because she didn't know if she could afford a cast. The day I fractured my arm, I slept the night without a splint until she couldn't bear to see me in agony. Seeing the panic in my mother's eyes broke my heart. I felt guilty for playing and breaking my arm, although I was only in the second grade. Since then, I've never been more dedicated to ensuring that families in poverty have access to affordable healthcare. Being a teenage first-generation girl of divorced, low-income immigrants led me to develop my own experiences with mental illness. Depression, bipolar disorder, alcoholism, substance abuse, and suicide occur in my ancestry. I am passionate about treating people because I have first-hand experience with losing loved ones to mental illness. I want nothing more than for people to recognize when they need help and have someone they trust to aid them. As a psychiatrist, I want to provide my patients with the highest quality of life and low-cost wellness care. To achieve my goal of becoming a psychiatrist, I must be college educated. A psychiatrist must earn a bachelor's degree, four years of medical school, and a four-year residency. Some psychiatrists also complete fellowship programs and additional training. It takes approximately twelve years to become a psychiatrist. I love psychology and study it in my free time. Becoming a psychiatrist is undoubtedly a difficult task to complete. However, I feel I can accomplish this ambition. I discovered I desired a career in psychology when I enjoyed being attentive to my friend's struggles and offering them a list of solutions to improve their mood. I appreciate taking the time to create a comfortable environment for my peers. When I grow up, I want to observe my patients and develop precise treatment plans to alleviate my patient's mental distress. I passed the AP Psych exam and am part of the Psychology Honor Society. According to Prevalence Data 2022- Mental Health America, 19.86% of adults are experiencing mental illness. Equivalent to nearly 50 million Americans, and 4.91% are experiencing severe mental illness. 7.74% of adults reported having a substance abuse disorder. 5.71% of adults reported having an alcohol use disorder. 4.58% of Americans have thoughts of suicide, an estimated 11.4 million people- an increase of 664,000 people from last year's data set. 15.08% of youth (ages 12-17) report suffering from at least one major depressive episode. 10.6% of youth (over 2.5 million) cope with severe major depression. Mental health awareness is essential for patients because they deserve care, understanding, and compassion. They need rehabilitation. Caring for patients as they recover and assisting families through difficult times provide me with optimism for the future. I suffer from mental illness and understand how strenuous it is to cope. However, it is possible to recover and live a healthy life. Our job as medical professionals is to deconstruct the stigma of mental illness and support others in need. I desire to achieve this in my medical career. In the medical field, diversity is crucial because representation matters. Patients develop deeper trust when they feel like they can relate to the people treating them. Racial, gender, disability, and age representation in the workplace shows that everyone matters. No one's struggles would be left unheard. If patients see people that look like them and can relate to them, they will feel more comfortable letting that person treat them. We can create more diversity in workplaces by giving everyone equal opportunities!

I grew up in a home where my mother was hesitant to take me to the hospital when I broke my arm because she didn't know if she could afford a cast. The day I fractured my arm, I slept the night without a splint until she couldn't bear to see me in agony. Seeing the panic in my mother's eyes broke my heart. I felt guilty for playing and breaking my arm, although I was only in the second grade. Since then, I've never been more dedicated to ensuring that families in poverty have access to affordable healthcare. I want to pursue a STEM major in Health Science. At Florida International University, I will major in psychiatry. Science was always my favorite subject in school. Science is crucial to society because its contributions save lives. Not only does it saves lives, but it makes the world easier to live in. Being a teenage girl of divorced, low-come immigrants led me to develop my own experiences with mental illness. Depression and substance abuse affects both sides of my family and myself. Being a psychiatrist would provide me with the opportunity to change lives. I want nothing more than for people to recognize when they need help and have someone they trust to aid them. As a psychiatrist, I want to provide my patients with the highest quality of life and low-cost wellness care. To achieve my goal of becoming a psychiatrist, I must be college educated. A psychiatrist must earn a bachelor's degree, four years of medical school, and a four-year residency. Some psychiatrists also complete fellowship programs and additional training. It takes approximately twelve years to become a psychiatrist. I love psychology and study it in my free time. Becoming a psychiatrist is undoubtedly a difficult task to complete. However, I feel I can accomplish this ambition. I discovered I desired a career in psychology when I enjoyed being attentive to my friend's struggles and offering them a list of solutions to improve their mood. I appreciate taking the time to create a comfortable environment for my peers. I will observe my patients and develop precise treatment plans to alleviate my patient's mental distress. According to Prevalence Data 2022- Mental Health America, 19.86% of adults are experiencing mental illness. Equivalent to nearly 50 million Americans, and 4.91% are experiencing a severe mental illness. 7.74% of adults reported having a substance abuse disorder. 5.71% reported having an alcohol use disorder. 4.58% of American adults reported thoughts of suicide estimated 11.4 million people- an increase of 664,000 people from last year's data set. 15.08% of youth (ages 12-17) report suffering from at least one major depressive episode. 10.6% of youth (over 2.5 million) cope with severe major depression. Mental health awareness is essential for patients because they deserve care, understanding, and compassion. They need rehabilitation. Caring for patients as they recover and assisting families through difficult times provide me with optimism for the future. I suffer from mental illness and understand how strenuous it is to cope. However, it is possible to recover and live a healthy life. Our job as medical professionals is to deconstruct the stigma of mental illness and support others in need. I desire to achieve this in my medical career. Thank you for this opportunity!

Every occupation requires math. At an early age, I knew I wanted to be a psychiatrist. Psychiatry falls under medicine which comes under Health Scince. I want to be a psychiatrist to treat patients by prescribing medication. Psychiatry has always been a subject of interest because I grew up with mental illness in my family. Depression, bipolar disorder, alcoholism, substance abuse, and suicide occur in my ancestry. Therefore, I am passionate about treating people because I have first-hand experience with losing loved ones to mental illness. However, I cannot achieve this goal without the knowledge of math. To be a psychiatrist, you must be firm with statistics and quantitative analysis. During school, I was fascinated with the mathematical modeling of psychological theories and experimental phenomena. I then discovered psychometrics. Psychometrics is a field of psychology specializing in testing, measurement, assessment, and related activities. In my spare time, I studied the psychometrics of personality and aptitude tests which measure the applicant's ability to function in a specific role. I'd psychoanalyze to determine different occupations based on characteristics I found in my peers. Due to the growing population, my calculations state healthcare will be the largest U.S. employer. Math improves my thinking by stimulating the region of my brain called the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. Math provides me with the information to make inferences based on circumstances. For example, according to Bold.Org, every 100 Bold points makes me 30% more likely to win scholarships. Now I can hypothesize how many scholarships to submit. The probability of me earning a scholarship increases each time I apply for a new one. My family's low income. My mom makes less than $30,000 annually. According to a net price calculator, we'll have to pay $6,594 per semester after aid to attend FIU. FIU is my dream university. My total estimated cost of attendance is $17,294. That's about 69.2% of my mom's income for attendance costs. My estimated tuition is $6,558 per year for 30 credits per year. I estimated $26,232 for four years of teaching if I want to obtain my bachelor's. The math of estimation and accuracy are crucial to me as an upcoming first-generation college student. I must know my expenses and determine the most cost-effective plan to pay my dues. I am thankful for this opportunity and hope to pursue statistics in college so I can become a successful psychiatrist!

When I attend FIU in the fall of 2023, being active in school excites me the most. I can't wait to join clubs and take the courses I want. I love holistic practices because they keep me healthy and strong. When I started high school, I used to sleep for two hours a day. I barely ate, and when I did eat, I ate junk food. I was dehydrated and couldn't function. I didn't realize how destructive these habits were until one day in my Allied Health Assisting class. That day, a nutritionist walked in. He informed us about the food we ate from the grocery store. I learned that the animal products I consumed daily could potentially put me at risk for heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. Animal products contain large quantities of saturated fat, cholesterol, lactose, estrogen, and pathogenic microorganisms. I was horrified. But the nice man told us not to worry because he was here to discuss an alternative lifestyle. He started educating us on the benefits of going vegan. Going vegan reduces your risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and certain cancers and lowers cholesterol. Veganism also reduces greenhouse gas emissions and puts less stress on our fossil fuels. So as of 2021, I went vegan. I was consuming more nutrients, vitamins, and minerals. But what I love the most about being vegan is being educated. Since being vegan, I researched the foods I ate and their benefits. Learning about the benefits of the food I consumed made me want to be even healthier. I started working out in late July of 2022. I work out five times a week with two rest days. Currently, I'm seeing results but nothing too drastic. However, I've noticed I'm getting stronger. Working out has forced me to consume more food, plant protein, and water to hydrate. Since I was born, I've always been underweight. Now for the first time, I'm starting to gain weight which is what I desire. Eating right and working out have made me feel more comfortable with myself. It has created a butterfly effect of holistic practices. Every time I consume food from the store, I look at the ingredient list and nutrition facts. If I don't like the product, then I don't eat it. Now I do the same with all products I use. I apply sunscreen every two hours every day. I refuse to use sunscreen that contains harmful carcinogens and that are harmful to coral reefs. I don't eat foods with dyes such as Red 40, Yellow 5, and Yellow 6. I don't drink or smoke. Practice mindfulness and meditation as much as I can. I am a senior attending John A. Ferguson High School. I am part of the Vegetable Judging Team, Environmental Club, Psychology Honor Society, and Pre-med Honor Society. The extracurriculars I'm in reflect my interest. I am always concerned about putting my health and happiness first. Being in these clubs taught me time management and patience when school becomes overwhelming. Environmental has taught me how therapeutic nature is. During weekdays my mom and I go on late-night walks to get fresh air and exercise. Now that it's October, we like to walk around and see everyone's Halloween decorations. Holistic practices changed my perspective on life. I aspire to be a psychiatrist. A big part of being a psychiatrist is maintaining your physical and mental well-being. Your mind must be sharp and focused. Holistic practices keep me healthy and strong, so I can continue to learn in school and provide for my patients. Thank you for this opportunity!

I love holistic practices because they keep me healthy and strong. However, I wasn't always like this. When I first started high school, I used to sleep for two hours a day. I barely ate, and when I did eat, I ate junk food. I was dehydrated and couldn't function. Coming from a low-income family, I didn't realize how destructive these habits were until one day in my Allied Health Assisting class. That day, a nutritionist walked in. He informed us about the food we ate from the grocery store. I learned that the animal products I consumed daily could potentially put me at risk for heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. Animal products contain large quantities of saturated fat, cholesterol, lactose, estrogen, and pathogenic microorganisms. I was horrified. But the nice man told us not to worry because he was here to discuss an alternative lifestyle. He started educating us on the benefits of going vegan. Going vegan reduces your risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and certain cancers and lowers cholesterol. Veganism also reduces greenhouse gas emissions and puts less stress on our fossil fuels. So as of 2021, I went vegan. I've never felt better. I was consuming more nutrients, vitamins, and minerals. But what I love the most about being vegan is being educated. Since being vegan, I researched the foods I ate and their benefits. Learning about the benefits of the food I consumed made me want to be even healthier. I started working out in late July of 2022. I work out five times a week with two rest days. Currently, I'm seeing results but nothing too drastic. However, I've noticed I'm getting stronger. Working out has forced me to consume more food, plant protein, and water to hydrate. Since I was born, I've always been underweight. Now for the first time, I'm starting to gain weight which is what I desire. Eating right and working out have made me feel more comfortable with myself. It has created a butterfly effect of holistic practices. Every time I consume food from the store, I look at the ingredient list and nutrition facts. If I don't like the product, then I don't eat it. Now I do the same with all products I use. I apply sunscreen every two hours every day. I refuse to use sunscreen that contains harmful carcinogens and that are harmful to coral reefs. I don't eat foods with dyes such as Red 40, Yellow 5, and Yellow 6. I don't drink or smoke. I try to practice mindfulness and meditation as much as I can. I am a senior attending John A. Ferguson High School. I am part of the Vegetable Judging Team, Environmental Club, JAF Psychology Honor Society, and Pre-med Honor Society. The extracurriculars I'm in reflect my interest. I am always concerned about putting my health and happiness first. Being in these clubs taught me time management and patience when school becomes overwhelming. Environmental has taught me how therapeutic nature is. During weekdays my mom and I go on late-night walks to get fresh air and exercise. Now that it's October, we like to walk around and see everyone's Halloween decorations. Holistic practices changed my perspective on life. I aspire to be a psychiatrist. A big part of being a psychiatrist is maintaining your physical and mental well-being. Your mind must be sharp and focused. Holistic practices keep me healthy and strong, so I can continue to learn in school and provide for my patients. Thank you for this opportunity!

I love eating healthy because it keeps me fit and strong. However, I wasn't always like this. Coming from a low-income family, I mostly used to eat junk food until one day in my Allied Health Assisting class. That day, a nutritionist walked in. He informed us about the food we ate from the grocery store. I learned that the animal products I consumed daily could potentially put me at risk for heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. Animal products contain large quantities of saturated fat, cholesterol, lactose, estrogen, and pathogenic microorganisms. I was horrified. But the nice man told us not to worry because he was here to discuss an alternative lifestyle. He started educating us on the benefits of going vegan. Going vegan reduces your risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and certain cancers and lowers cholesterol. Veganism also reduces greenhouse gas emissions and puts less stress on our fossil fuels. So as of 2021, I went vegan. I've never felt better. I was consuming more nutrients, vitamins, and minerals. But what I love the most about being vegan is being educated. Since being vegan, I researched the foods I ate and their benefits. Learning about the benefits of the food I consumed made me want to be even healthier. I started working out in late July of 2022. I work out five times a week with two rest days. Currently, I'm seeing results but nothing too drastic. However, I've noticed I'm getting stronger. Working out has forced me to consume more food, plant protein, and water to hydrate. Since I was born, I've always been underweight. Now for the first time, I'm starting to gain weight which is what I desire. Eating right and working out have made me feel more comfortable with myself. Before I was vegan, in 2018, I suffered a three-month irregular period and was diagnosed with iron-deficiency anemia. My doctors had to put me on birth control to regulate my period since I lost a lot of blood. Birth control worked, and the period ended. However, I experienced hormonal changes in 2019 and suffered another month-long period. Only this time, I used my final dose of birth control. My mom worked a minimum-wage job and couldn't afford to purchase any more birth control. So I had to resort to natural remedies to increase my hemoglobin (protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen). During this time, my mother incorporated dark leafy greens and lentils into my meals to balance my iron. I ate plenty of kale and spinach cause they were my favorites and were affordable. Over time my iron levels increased. So I wanted to start focusing on a new goal: balancing my hormones so that the extensive period never came again. I did my research and found that spearmint tea may aid women with hormonal imbalances. Studies have shown that it can increase female hormones. So I drank two cups of spearmint tea every day for five months. With the spearmint tea, kale, and spinach, I never had a month-long period again. With the help of my diet, I stabilized my iron and hormones. Eating healthy has changed my life. I no longer feel drained of energy or moody, and I noticed I fight off sickness more effectively. I aspire to be a psychiatrist. A big part of being a psychiatrist is maintaining your physical and mental well-being. Your mind must be sharp and focused. Healthy food keeps me functioning, so I can continue to learn in school and provide for my patients. Thank you for this opportunity!

I love clean living practices because they keep me healthy and strong. However, I wasn't always like this. When I first started high school, I used to sleep for two hours a day. I barely ate, and when I did eat, I ate junk food. I was dehydrated and couldn't function. Coming from a low-income family, I didn't realize how destructive these habits were until one day in my Allied Health Assisting class. That day, a nutritionist walked in. He informed us about the food we ate from the grocery store. I learned that the animal products I consumed daily could potentially put me at risk for heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. Animal products contain large quantities of saturated fat, cholesterol, lactose, estrogen, and pathogenic microorganisms. I was horrified. But the nice man told us not to worry because he was here to discuss an alternative lifestyle. He started educating us on the benefits of going vegan. Going vegan reduces your risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and certain cancers and lowers cholesterol. Veganism also reduces greenhouse gas emissions and puts less stress on our fossil fuels. So as of 2021, I went vegan. I've never felt better. I was consuming more nutrients, vitamins, and minerals. But what I love the most about being vegan is being educated. Since being vegan, I researched the foods I ate and their benefits. Learning about the benefits of the food I consumed made me want to be even healthier. I started working out in late July of 2022. I work out five times a week with two rest days. Currently, I'm seeing results but nothing too drastic. However, I've noticed I'm getting stronger. Working out has forced me to consume more food, plant protein, and water to hydrate. Since I was born, I've always been underweight. Now for the first time, I'm starting to gain weight which is what I desire. Eating right and working out have made me feel more comfortable with myself. It has created a butterfly effect of clean living practices. Every time I consume food from the store, I look at the ingredient list and nutrition facts. If I don't like the product, then I don't eat it. Now I do the same with all products I use. I apply sunscreen every two hours every day. I refuse to use sunscreen that contains harmful carcinogens and that are harmful to coral reefs. I don't eat foods with dyes such as Red 40, Yellow 5, and Yellow 6. I don't drink or smoke. I try to practice mindfulness and meditation as much as I can. I am a senior attending John A. Ferguson High School. I am part of the Vegetable Judging Team, Environmental Club, JAF Psychology Honor Society, and Pre-med Honor Society. The extracurriculars I'm in reflect my interest. I am always concerned about putting my health and happiness first. Being in these clubs taught me time management and patience when school becomes overwhelming. Environmental has taught me how therapeutic nature is. During weekdays my mom and I go on late-night walks to get fresh air and exercise. Now that it's October, we like to walk around and see everyone's Halloween decorations. Clean-living practices changed my perspective on life. I aspire to be a psychiatrist. A big part of being a psychiatrist is maintaining your physical and mental well-being. Your mind must be sharp and focused. Clean-living practices keep me healthy and strong, so I can continue to learn in school and provide for my patients. Thank you for this opportunity!

My dad never went to college. My mom never completed college. My mom had to drop out of college when she had my sister and me. Being the only person in my family to have the opportunity to complete college is scary. Of course, I want to do well, but I'm the guinea pig. I have this overwhelming pressure to succeed. I come from a low-income divorced family of immigrants, so I don't want to disappoint anyone. Being a first-generation college student means having the overwhelming feeling of either success or failure. I am a Western Indian girl. My mom is from Guyana, and my dad is from Trinidad and Tobago. I grew up in Miami where it's a predominantly Hispanic and African population. So I was a minority even with the other minorities. Currently, I'm 17 years old. Throughout my childhood, I suffered from depression. Seeing my parents struggle financially throughout my childhood and eventually, divorce was hard on me. But, it made me the perfect kid. I had to earn the affection my parents weren't giving me because of their bittersweet divorce. I earned their validation through good grades and good deeds. My parents created a perfectionist. Being a perfectionist made me want to be the best student I could be. I like to be prepared and have plans. However, when things don't go as planned, I tend to lose control of my emotions and have meltdowns. I am fond of psychology because it helps me discover who I am and why I do certain things. My dream job is to help others overcome their mental struggles. As a psychiatrist, I want to provide my patients with the highest quality of life and low-cost wellness care. My whole life, my parents taught me about the struggles they went through for my siblings and me to have a stable future. College is coming around, and I'm starting to feel the pressure. I've done a lot in high school, but it never feels like enough for college. I feel like there's always going to be another better kid. So I have to step up my game. My main goal in college is to obtain my bachelor's degree in psychiatry. At John A. Ferguson High School, I am double majoring in nursing and veterinary assisting. I am BLS certified and a Certified Medical Administrative Assistant. I am working on my CNA, CVA, and OSHA certifications next. In school, I'm a part of the Vegetable Judging team, Environmental Club, JAF Psychology Honor Society, and JAF Pre-Med Honor Society. I am John A. Ferguson's 2022 Allied Health Assisting Student of the Year. In my clubs, I have recently participated in making a Start with Hello banner for my school, and I have made two posters for my school: a Start with Hello and a Breast Cancer Awareness Poster for the 2022 school year. I have gotten 5's on every EOC I've taken and have a 4.691 weighted/ 3.927 unweighted GPA. I love the environment, and I am vegan. I want to utilize what I've learned in high school to have a successful college career. Being a first-generation college student made me a better student. It made me realize I could do better than my parents did, and I should. I can make my parents proud and do what they couldn't. I want to inspire my siblings to try their best and overcome their struggles. College may not be easy but getting a degree is worth it. In college, I want to do the best that I possibly can. Thank you for this opportunity!

Trying to juggle school while applying for scholarships is strenuous and time-consuming. I've applied for 66 scholarships using Bold.org. I like the website and how it has scholarships lined up for you. But I haven't won one yet. I currently have 4305 bold points. I only started using Bold about two months ago. So I feel like I have a decent amount of Bold points. Using Bold has taught me many tricks when writing scholarship essays. I've improved my grammar and punctuation, and engagement skills. You can see my improvement with every new scholarship essay I write. I check my profile daily to obtain more points. But, that's writing skills. I think I've cracked the code to scholarship essays. I've read many of the winning applicants on Bold. They all have several things in common. Scholarship donors love it when you get personal. They don't want to hear the standard dot dot dot what you've done. They want to know what it feels like when you're doing it. They want to understand how what you're doing changes you're life. They want heartwarming and gut-wrenching stories. They want to know that what you're doing is going to have a positive impact on the future. I'll give you an example: me. My name is Jada Sinanan. I am a senior attending John A. Ferguson High School. I am double majoring in nursing and veterinary assisting. I am BLS certified and a Certified Medical Administrative Assistant. I am working on my CNA, CVA, and OSHA certifications next. In school, I'm a part of the Vegetable Judging team, Environmental Club, JAF Psychology Honor Society, and JAF Pre-Med Honor Society. I am John A. Ferguson's 2022 Allied Health Assisting Student of the Year. In my clubs, I have recently participated in making a Start with Hello banner for my school, and I have made two posters for my school: a Start with Hello and a Breast Cancer Awareness Poster for the 2022 school year. I have gotten 5's on every EOC I've taken and have a 4.691 weighted/ 3.927 unweighted GPA. I love the environment, and I am vegan. I love the environment because it brings me peace and serenity. I am a part of the Vegetable Judging Team and Environmental club because I enjoy being in nature. In these clubs, I love to do environmental cleanups and grow gardens. I am also vegan because I care about my health and the environment. My health is crucial because I want to live a productive life. That's why I enjoy being in the Pre-Med and Psychology Honor Societies, where I can spread medical awareness information. My favorite club is the Psychology Honor Society because psychology is my favorite subject to learn. In the future, I want to be a psychiatrist. Psychology has always been a subject of interest because I grew up with mental illness in my family. Depression, bipolar disorder, alcoholism, substance abuse, and suicide occur in my ancestry. Therefore, I am passionate about treating people because I have first-hand experience with losing loved ones to mental illness. I want to learn as much as I can. I want to attend FIU in the fall of 2023 to major in psychology. I am a low-income student, and neither of my parents graduated college. I want to be the first in my family to graduate college and obtain my bachelor's degree. Winning a scholarship would relieve my financial burden and boost my confidence in entering college. I want to attend medical school and then complete my residency. Thank you for this opportunity!

My name is Jada Sinanan. I am a senior attending John A. Ferguson High School. I am double majoring in nursing and veterinary assisting. I am BLS certified and a Certified Medical Administrative Assistant. I am working on my CNA, CVA, and OSHA certifications next. In school, I'm a part of the Vegetable Judging team, Environmental Club, JAF Psychology Honor Society, and JAF Pre-Med Honor Society. I am John A. Ferguson's 2022 Allied Health Assisting Student of the Year. In my clubs, I have recently participated in making a Start with Hello banner for my school, and I have made two posters for my school: a Start with Hello and a Breast Cancer Awareness Poster for the 2022 school year. I have gotten 5's on every EOC I've taken and have a 4.691 weighted/ 3.927 unweighted GPA. I love the environment, and I am vegan. I am a Western Indian girl. My mom is from Guyana, and my dad is from Trinidad and Tobago. I grew up in Miami where it's a predominantly Hispanic and African population. So I was a minority even with the other minorities. Nonetheless, everyone was still kind. Currently, I'm 17 years old. Throughout my childhood, I suffered from depression. Seeing my parents struggle financially throughout my childhood and eventually, divorce was hard on me. But, it made me the perfect kid. I had to earn the affection my parents weren't giving me because of their bittersweet divorce. I earned their validation through good grades and good deeds. Then later, on this turned into a huge problem. My parents created a perfectionist. Being a perfectionist made me want to be the best student I could be. I like to be prepared and have plans. However, when things don't go as planned, I tend to lose control of my emotions and have meltdowns. I am fond of psychology because it helps me discover who I am and why I do certain things. My dream job is to help others overcome their mental struggles. As a psychiatrist, I want to provide my patients with the highest quality of life and low-cost wellness care. To achieve my goal of becoming a psychiatrist, I must be college educated. A psychiatrist must earn a bachelor's degree, four years of medical school, and a four-year residency. Some psychiatrists also complete fellowship programs and additional training. It takes approximately twelve years to become a psychiatrist. Becoming a psychiatrist is undoubtedly a difficult task to complete. However, I feel I can accomplish this ambition. According to Prevalence Data 2022- Mental Health America, 19.86% of adults are experiencing mental illness. Equivalent to nearly 50 million Americans, and 4.91% are experiencing a severe mental illness. 7.74% of adults reported having a substance abuse disorder. 5.71% reported having an alcohol use disorder. 4.58% of American adults reported thoughts of suicide which estimated 11.4 million people- an increase of 664,000 people from last year's data set. 15.08% of youth (ages 12-17) report suffering from at least one major depressive episode. 10.6% of youth (over 2.5 million) cope with severe major depression. Mental health awareness is essential for patients because they deserve care, understanding, and compassion. They need rehabilitation. Caring for patients as they recover and assisting families through difficult times provide me with optimism for the future. I suffer from mental illness and understand how strenuous it is to cope. However, it is possible to recover and live a healthy life. Our job as medical professionals is to deconstruct the stigma of mental illness and support others in need. I desire to achieve this in my medical career.

When I was in the second grade, I fractured my left arm. I was riding my scooter when my sister left her scooter in the middle of the sidewalk. I hit her scooter and fell on my left arm. My grandma saw everything. She knew I had broken my arm. However, my mom didn't see this happen because she was at work. When she came to my grandma's house, my grandma told my mom everything. My mom didn't think I had broken my arm. She thought I was being dramatic. My grandma urged my mom to take me to the doctor. My mom was working a minimum wage job and couldn't afford to take me to the doctor unless she was sure something was wrong. So, I spent that night without a cast. I had to hold my arm in the same position while I showered and slept. If I had moved it even, just a bit out of place, I would feel excruciating pain. The next day, my mom noticed I was in extreme pain and took me to the doctor. I will never forget that day. My mom told me as a joke, "If your arm's not broken and I take you to the doctor, I'll break it for you." Trust me, that was a joke. My mom has weird humor. When my mom took me to the doctor, he showed me my fractured arm using an X-ray. I thought it was so cool. My doctor showed me where I fractured my arm and how big the fracture was. I loved the blue color of the x-ray. Since that day, I've realized that x-rays have many purposes. X-rays use electromagnetic energy to produce images of internal tissues, bones, and organs on film and digital media. X-rays can diagnose tumors and bone injuries. X-rays show bones and joints but can be used to detect soft tissue problems. There are several types of x-rays, such as plain radiography, CT scanning, fluoroscopy, mammography, and angiography. When I become a doctor, X-rays will be a great tool that I will utilize to diagnose my patients. I will use x-rays to create an effective care plan that maximizes the desired outcome of my patient's condition. When I attend medical school, I can learn more about x-rays and will provide my patients with the best quality of life! Thank you for this opportunity!

At an early age, I knew I had aspirations in psychology. I want to understand many aspects of human behavior and what I can do to make life easier for the people around me. Psychology has always been a subject of interest because I grew up with mental illness in my family. Depression, bipolar disorder, alcoholism, substance abuse, and suicide occur in my ancestry. Therefore, I am passionate about treating people because I have first-hand experience with losing loved ones to mental illness. I have an interest in being a computer psychologist. Nowadays, more people are switching to technology rather than by-hand tasks. Computer psychologists assess the personalities of intelligent computer systems. As a computer psychologist, I want computers to function more appropriately when interacting with people. To become a computer psychologist, I must have a background in human psychology, artificial intelligence, computer interfaces, self-project technology, and possibly robotics. To be a computer psychologist, you must have a Ph.D. in computer psychology or a closely related field. I am a high school senior attending John A. Ferguson. Next year I will attend college. I want to pursue a degree in psychiatry and a Ph.D. in computer psychology. My goal is to create an intelligent system with a personality that gives the most customer satisfaction. Every person has different characteristics, and so do computers. Utilizing computer personalities will help me vastly in college. Neither of my parents completed college. I want to attend college, but college is expensive. I come from a low-income family of divorced immigrant parents. Growing up was hard, but living that life taught me many lessons. My parents might not make a lot of money, but they pursued what they wanted to do. I want to pursue psychology. Times are modernizing, and more people are going to utilize technology. Knowing how technology affects people and how to improve it will change the game of psychology. Thank you for this opportunity!

During the seventh grade, I developed iron-deficiency anemia. I lost blood every day for three months due to my irregular period. With my condition, I experienced fatigue, weakness, and pain. I've never dealt with sickle cell anemia. Having iron-deficiency anemia, I can't even fathom what it's like to endure sickle cell anemia. My doctors had to put me on birth control. When I finished my birth control, my period ended. Then later in the eighth grade, the period came again. It lasted a month, but I ran out of birth control because my mother couldn't afford it. I never what anyone to suffer from a medical condition because they can't afford treatment. From my understanding, sickle cell anemia is a disorder that causes red blood cells to shape into a sickle, causing them to die and leaving a shortage of blood. Symptoms can include infections, pain, and fatigue. Sickle cell is most common among people of African descent. I want to aid patients with sickle cell anemia by providing affordable treatment and raising awareness. Approximately 100,000 Americans suffer from sickle cell anemia. It affects 1 out of 365 Black or African American births, according to the Data & Statistics of Sickle Cell Disease. To treat sickle cell anemia, we need to provide better devices and medicine to patients. We need to increase devices such as Patient-controlled analgesia, which allows patients to receive pain medication by pushing a button through an IV. When treating patients with sickle cell, hematologists should offer medications, such as narcotics, chemotherapy, vitamins, and blood transfusions. Morphine treats severe pain in sickle cell anemia. Hydroxyurea is a form of chemotherapy that treats pain and reduces the need for blood transfusions and hospitalizations. Vitamins like folate promote normal body function and treat anemia. Blood transfusions remove abnormal cells with the donor's blood to treat the disease. September is sickle cell awareness month. By educating ourselves more on sickle cell, we can find solutions to aid those suffering from the disease. Some tips to help people avoid complications with sickle cell anemia are taking folic supplements daily and choosing a healthy diet. It helps to drink plenty of water and avoid extreme temperatures. Exercise regularly, but don't overdo it. Use nonprescription drugs with caution and try not to smoke. Right now, I'm a senior in high school. I have an internship in nursing assisting. When I go to hospitals for volunteer hours, I want to provide my patients with the highest quality care. Being familiar with sickle cell allows me to understand what I should and shouldn't do with a patient who suffers from it. I hope we can unite each other to find a cure for this disease. My name is Jada Sinanan. I would be honored to work with patients with diseases and conditions. Being a doctor would provide me with the opportunity to change lives. I want to help people in hospitals by returning normality to them. To give them a chance to do what they love. Thank you for this opportunity!

My name is Jada Kateland Sinanan. My last name is a surname mostly commonly found in Trinidad and Tobago. Other than that, there is nothing else known of my last name. I can't pinpoint the area it's from or anything culturally crazy about it. So I guess the rest of my ancestry with it remains a mystery. I am Western Indian. My mom is from Guyana in South America. My dad is from Trinidad and Tobago in the Caribbean and both my families have descents from India. My last name signifies hard work to me. Every person I know with my last name has worked hard to uphold its prestige heritage. My parents were immigrants. When they arrived in the United States, they had nothing. My parents spoke English with a heavy accent that no one could understand. My mother used to tell me stories of how others kids would laugh at her because she couldn't speak properly. They both tried their best to get an education in school. They had to go to school, complete their chores, and work jobs to provide for their families. My mother's first job was at McDonald's and on her first night, they made her mop the floors. It wasn't the most glamorous life, but they worked for everything they had. I want to follow the same pattern. I want to earn my accomplishments so no one can take them from me. My dad never went to college. My mom never finished college. My dream is to finish college with a bachelor's in psychiatry. My parents heavily influenced my career of wanting to be a psychiatrist. Being a teenage girl of divorced, low-income immigrants led me to develop my own experiences with mental illness. Therefore, I want to help others overcome their experiences with mental illness. My mom and I have an inside joke. My mom told me she's going to print shirts saying, "My favorite doctor calls me Mom," when I become a doctor. Thank you for this opportunity and I hope to pursue psychology in college so I can become a successful psychiatrist!

Throughout my high school experience, the biggest problem I faced was motivation. Of course, I wanted to get the grades and succeed, but school drained me. I remember moments in my life when school was overwhelming to the point where I pondered why am I continuing school if it caused me so much stress. I remember crying for hours after receiving a B in a class where I knew I could bring it up. It, later on, became an A because I didn't rest until it changed. I understand now that grades don't matter if I'm discouraged. As a student, my priority should've been me. There's nothing wrong with trying your best in school, but don't let it be your only goal. The tip I offer is always to be content with yourself no, matter the outcome. In school, it's easy to be mad at ourselves for not achieving the desired results. Mistakes are growth opportunities. Your health and well-being should be the aspect of your life. Always take breaks, hydrate, eat well, rest, and exercise. High functioning is the key to a successful school experience. Thank you for this opportunity! My Instagram is @vaniebeni

Generosity and kindness are all we need to impact our lives. I remember several times when someone unexpectedly did something nice for me and made my day. So I want to carry that message and pass it on to others. My mom is my biggest supporter and the kindest person I know. She's always thinking of others. I remember she picked me up from school and just bought groceries. I had a tough day at school and was excited to find out she bought cookies for my sister and me. When we drove home, we saw a homeless man begging for food. My mom called out to him and gave him a jug of Gatorade and a couple of snacks. She then said, "would you like some cookies" and he looked back to see my sister and me devouring them. He looked at us and smiled. He thanked us and said, God Bless. He then told her no ms to let her children have the cookies, and said goodbye. Since I've never been more dedicated to making sure no one goes hungry. At my school, I'm on the Vegetable team. I've been on the Vegetable Team since 2019. My team and I have grown several of our school's gardens from scratch and produced many vegetables. The vegetables we develop go to fundraisers and our school's culinary program. Working in a team and gardening have helped me to develop responsibility, understanding, teamwork, confidence, and leadership skills. I've devoted 120 hours to this team. I also have a garden at my grandma's and mom's house. We used the fruits and vegetables from my grandma's house to bond. She teaches me to make traditional Indian food with our produce. The other day we made roti with potatoes and okra. My allyship is to provide my community with fresh fruits and vegetables. The food from the Vegetable Team feed people in need. We host fundraisers like Fright Night to feed people in our local community. The food we produce goes to non-profit organizations and hurricane relief programs. We have also donated plenty of food and materials during hurricanes Michael and Harvey. I like to garden because it benefits the Earth. Gardens cleanse the air, absorb carbon dioxide and air pollutants, and release clean oxygen for us to breathe. Plant roots stabilize soil and filter water. Gardens tackle climate change, reduce flooding, and help keep you cool during the summertime. I love gardening. Hopefully, I've inspired others to start their allyship with the planet. I also give back to the Earth by supporting the vegan movement. In 2021 I went vegan. Being vegan not only has health benefits but environmental and livestock benefits as well. Veganism reduces greenhouse gas emissions and puts less stress on our fossil fuels. Veganism is also an alternative to factory farming which exhibits severe animal cruelty for food production. In other words, being vegan is healthy for our bodies puts less stress on our natural resources, reduces animal cruelty, is safer for the environment, and reduces climate change by eliminating animal consumption. I also love to protect the Earth by practicing safe techniques like recycling and purchasing from eco-friendly companies I encourage. In the future, I want to be a psychiatrist that specializes in mental health. Coming from a divorced, low-income immigrant family led me to develop my own experiences with mental illness. Therefore, I want to utilize my abilities to aid as many people as possible. Thank you for this opportunity. I hope to pursue psychology in college to become a successful psychiatrist!

In college, I want to major in psychology to become a psychiatrist. Psychology has always been a subject of interest because mental illness affects my family and me. Depression, bipolar disorder, alcoholism, substance abuse, and suicide occur in my ancestry. Therefore, I am passionate about treating people because I have first-hand experience with losing loved ones to mental illness. I grew up in an unstable home with financially unstable parents. My parents split when I was six and divorced when I was nine. I didn't know how to cope with this situation. Being a teenage girl of divorced, low-income immigrants led me to develop my own experiences with mental illness. Throughout my life, I've dealt with depression and anxiety. I always felt like I wasn't doing enough even when I worked my hardest. I became self-destructive and extremely distant. I stopped eating properly and suffered from fatigue and headaches. I was constantly working on schoolwork and had little time to eat and sleep. I would wake up feeling sick and dizzy. My therapist told me I had symptoms of mental illness. I wanted to get diagnosed because I wanted to feel valid but my parents couldn't afford any sessions. I was disappointed but couldn't live like this. So as of 2021, I went vegan. Being vegan allowed me to take control of my eating habits to obtain better nutrition. I learned that being vegan could reduce my risk of heart disease, certain cancers, and diabetes. It was my way of making an active change in my life. Being vegan gave me more energy, improved my moods, and cleansed me physically. After, I started working out. I work out five times a week with two rest days. With the addition of a healthier diet and exercise, I've never been happier. Helping people deal with mental illness is my passion. I never want anyone to feel the way I felt. I discovered I desired a career in psychology when I enjoyed being attentive to my friends' struggles and offering them a list of solutions to improve their moods. In my medical career, I will observe my patients and develop precise treatment plans to alleviate my patient's mental distress. My goal as a psychiatrist is to provide my patients with the highest quality of life and low-cost wellness care. My treatment will be accessible to everyone. Families in poverty must have access to medicare. To achieve my goal of becoming a psychiatrist, I must be college educated. A psychiatrist must earn a bachelor's degree, four years of medical school, and a four-year residency. Some psychiatrists also complete fellowship programs and additional training. It takes approximately twelve years to become a psychiatrist. I love psychology and study it in my free time. Becoming a psychiatrist is undoubtedly a difficult task to complete. However, I feel I can accomplish this ambition. As a psychiatrist, a part of my job is raising awareness. According to Prevalence Data 2022- Mental Health America, 19.86% of adults are experiencing mental illness. Equivalent to nearly 50 million Americans and 4.91% are experiencing a severe mental illness. Mental illness is a huge problem in America. Most people don't take their mental health as seriously as their physical health. With this mindset, it becomes easy to neglect ourselves and our needs. As a psychiatrist, I want to encourage healthy habits such as consuming a healthy diet, getting rest, exercise, relaxation, and self-care. Thank you for this opportunity and I hope to pursue psychology in college so I can become a successful psychiatrist!

My name is Jada Sinanan. I am a high school senior attending John A. Ferguson Senior High. I am double majoring in veterinary and nursing assisting. During my CNA journey, I am BLS and CMAA certified. I am Ferguson's 2022 Allied Heath Assisting student of the year. During my nursing assisting class, I learned that nurses are the backbones of healthcare. Nurses provide care and treatment for their patients. In college, I aspire to major in psychology. I'm interested in being a psychiatric mental health nurse. As a psychiatric nurse, I want to assess, address, and monitor my patient's mental health conditions. Psychology has always been a subject of interest because mental illness affects my family and me. Depression, bipolar disorder, alcoholism, substance abuse, and suicide occur in my ancestry. Therefore, I am passionate about treating people because I have first-hand experience with losing loved ones to mental illness. Being a psychiatric nurse would provide me the opportunity to change lives. I want nothing more than for people to recognize when they need help and have someone they can trust to aid them. As a psychiatric nurse, I want to provide my patients with the highest quality of life and low-cost wellness care. My mental health treatment will be accessible to anyone who needs it. I grew up in a home where my mother was hesitant to take me to the hospital when I broke my arm because she didn't know if she could afford a cast. The day I fractured my arm, I slept the night without a splint until she couldn't bear to see me in agony. Seeing the panic in my mother's eyes broke my heart. I felt guilty for playing and breaking my arm, although I was only in the second grade. Since then, I've never been more dedicated to ensuring that families in poverty have access to affordable healthcare. My mom has worked in healthcare since I was a kid and she's my biggest inspiration. I can appreciate the things she does for people. That's why I want to be a psychiatric nurse. I want to observe my patients and develop precise treatment plans to alleviate my patient's mental distress. Mental health awareness is essential because people deserve care, understanding, and compassion. Caring for patients as they recover and assisting families through difficult times provide me with optimism for the future. According to Prevalence Data 2022- Mental Health America, 19.86% of adults are experiencing mental illness. Equivalent to nearly 50 million Americans and 4.91% are experiencing a severe mental illness. 7.74% of adults reported having a substance abuse disorder. 5.71% reported having an alcohol use disorder. 4.58% of American adults reported thoughts of suicide which estimated 11.4 million people- an increase of 664,000 people from last year's data set. 15.08% of youth (ages 12-17) report suffering from at least one major depressive episode. 10.6% of youth (over 2.5 million) cope with severe major depression. In my medical career, I want to educate people on mental illness. I want to teach people how to properly deal with their emotions to achieve the best possible outcome from their situation. Educating children on mental health can increase academic performance and prepare children for successful adulthood. I will advocate for mental health and create a safe environment for my patients to express themselves. I will teach my patients the importance of a healthy diet. Lifestyle is a huge factor in mental stability. I will promote healthy habits such as self-care, sleep, exercise, meditation, and relaxation. I am thankful for this opportunity and hope to become a successful psychiatric nurse!

Every occupation requires math. At an early age, I knew I wanted to be a psychiatrist. I want to be a psychiatrist to treat patients by prescribing medication. Psychiatry has always been a subject of interest because I grew up with mental illness in my family. Depression, bipolar disorder, alcoholism, substance abuse, and suicide occur in my ancestry. Therefore, I am passionate about treating people because I have first-hand experience with losing loved ones to mental illness. However, I cannot achieve this goal without the knowledge of math. To be a psychiatrist, you must be firm with statistics and quantitative analysis. During school, I was fascinated with the mathematical modeling of psychological theories and experimental phenomena. I then discovered psychometrics. Psychometrics is a field of psychology specializing in testing, measurement, assessment, and related activities. In my spare time, I studied the psychometrics of personality and aptitude tests which measure the applicant's ability to function in a specific role. I'd psychoanalyze to determine different occupations based on characteristics I found in my peers. Due to the growing population, my calculations state healthcare will be the largest U.S. employer. Math improves my thinking by stimulating the region of my brain called the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. Math provides me with the information to make inferences based on circumstances. For example, according to Bold.Org, every 100 Bold points makes me 30% more likely to win scholarships. Now I can hypothesize how many scholarships to submit. The probability of me earning a scholarship increases each time I apply for a new one. My family's low income. My mom makes less than $30,000 annually. According to a net price calculator, we'll have to pay $6,594 per semester after aid to attend FIU. FIU is my dream university. My total estimated cost of attendance is $17,294. That's about 69.2% of my mom's income for attendance costs. My estimated tuition is $6,558 per year for 30 credits per year. I estimated $26,232 for four years of teaching if I want to obtain my bachelor's. The math of estimation and accuracy are crucial to me as an upcoming first-generation college student. I must know my expenses and determine the most cost-effective plan to pay my dues. I am thankful for this opportunity and hope to pursue math in college so I can become a successful psychiatrist!

Every occupation requires math. At an early age, I knew I wanted to be a psychiatrist. I want to be a psychiatrist to treat patients by prescribing medication. Psychiatry has always been a subject of interest because I grew up with mental illness in my family. Depression, bipolar disorder, alcoholism, substance abuse, and suicide occur in my ancestry. Therefore, I am passionate about treating people because I have first-hand experience with losing loved ones to mental illness. However, I cannot achieve this goal without the knowledge of math. To be a psychiatrist, you must be firm with statistics and quantitative analysis. During school, I was fascinated with the mathematical modeling of psychological theories and experimental phenomena. I then discovered psychometrics. Psychometrics is a field of psychology specializing in testing, measurement, assessment, and related activities. In my spare time, I studied the psychometrics of personality and aptitude tests which measure the applicant's ability to function in a specific role. I'd psychoanalyze to determine different occupations based on several characteristics I found in my peers. Due to the growing population, my calculations state healthcare will be the largest U.S. employer. Math improves my thinking by stimulating the region of my brain called the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. During school, I utilize geometry to create the perfect size for our garden because I am on the Vegetable Judging Team. I calculated that 100 square feet of space per person allows production to feed people year-round. During this time, I used math to count seeds for the appropriate amount of square feet. With 3-inch plants, my team could plant 16 plants per square foot area. My team and I used line graphs to determine how long different plants would grow over time. We concluded radishes were the fastest growing vegetable compared to spinach, carrots, beans, peas, and onion. The radishes took 20 to 30 days to harvest. We used this information to plan which vegetables to produce in time for different events when we needed them fast. I've adapted to the use of math in my daily life. I use math to manage my money and shop for the best prices. During grocery shopping, I help my mom calculate how much percentage sales save her. I calculated Original Price x ((100 - %OFF)/100) = Final Price. Just little things like that make me more prepared for adulthood. Or by calculating the probability of me earning a scholarship increases each time I apply for a new one. The more scholarships I apply for, the higher the percentage of me earning one. Math is useful because it provides the information to make inferences based on circumstances. For example, according to Bold.Org, every 100 Bold points makes me 30% more likely to win scholarships. Now I can hypothesize how many scholarships to submit. My family's low income. My mom makes less than $30,000 annually. According to a net price calculator, we'll have to pay $6,594 per semester after aid to attend FIU. My dream university is FIU. My total estimated cost of attendance is $17,294. That's about 69.2% of my mom's income for attendance costs. My estimated tuition is $6,558 per year for 30 credits per year. I estimated $26,232 for four years of teaching if I want to obtain my bachelor's. The math of estimation and accuracy are crucial to me as an upcoming first-generation college student. I must know my expenses and determine the most cost-effective plan to pay my dues. I am thankful for this opportunity and hope to pursue math in college so I can become a successful psychiatrist!

May is Mental Health Awareness month. Understanding mental health conditions increase access to healthcare for those who need it. We can help others in need increase mental awareness by talking about our own experiences and staying educated. My parents separated when I was six and divorced when I was nine. It was a rough process that I felt could've been handled better but I learned from it. My parents still had anger toward each other which made it difficult to have a stable environment. So I spent the rest of my life trying to prove myself. I grew up seeing my parents struggle with money. They always told me to get a good education so I would never be in their position. I took that literally. None of my parents completed college or had great jobs with a steady income. So the pressure for me to do better was gut-wrenching. Nonetheless, I did what I was told. I was an A student with a 4.7 weighted and 3.9 unweighted GPA. I got 5's on every EOC I took and passed my AP Psych Exam. I attend John A. Ferguson Senior High School and double major in vet and nursing. I am BLS and CMAA certified. I'm John A. Ferguson's 2022 Allied Health Assisting Student of the Year. Everyone thinks school is a breeze for me. However, that's not the case. During those years I suffered extreme anxiety and depression. Being a perfectionist took a toll on me. I had to find an outlet. So I joined the Vegetable Judging Team in 2019. In this team, we grow gardens from scratch and donate food to impoverished people. The food we produce goes to non-profit organizations and hurricane relief programs. We donated food and materials during hurricanes Michael and Harvey. We host fundraisers like Fright Night to also feed people in our local community. Gardening relieved my stress. We have a daycare center at my school for students pursuing early childcare. One day I found the little kids had a lesson plan where they made pizza with vegetables from our garden. My friend showed me a picture and my heart melted. They all looked so cute and happy in their mini aprons. Helping people had a positive impact and elevated my mood. But helping people is not all I did. Gardening benefits the Earth. Gardens cleanse the air, absorb carbon dioxide and air pollutants, and release clean oxygen for us. Plant roots stabilize soil and filter water. Plants tackle climate change, reduce flooding, and keep you cool during the summer. I've always loved nature and wanted to protect it so in 2021 I went vegan. Veganism reduces greenhouse gas emissions and puts less stress on our fossil fuels. Veganism is also an alternative to factory farming which exhibits severe animal cruelty for food production. Being vegan is healthy for our bodies puts less stress on our natural resources, reduces animal cruelty, is safer for the environment, and reduces climate change by eliminating animal consumption. I want to make a change in my community by being kinder to the environment and providing healthy food options for consumption. I've dedicated 120 hours to my Vegetable Team and have a garden at my grandma's and mom's house. It goes to show that despite facing challenges we can still find a way to contribute to a better society. Many people who experience mental illness feel like the world would be better without them. However, that's not true. We can all find ways to help each other and most importantly love ourselves. Thank you for this opportunity!

Generosity and kindness are all we need to impact our lives. I can remember several times when someone unexpectedly did something nice for me and it made my day. So I want to carry that message and pass it on to others. My mom is my biggest supporter and the kindest person I know. She's always thinking of others. I remember one day she picked me up from school and just bought groceries. I had a tough day at school and was elated to find out she bought cookies for my sister and me. As were driving home we came across a homeless man begging for food. My mom called out to him and gave him a huge jug of Gatorade and a couple of snacks. She then told him "would you like some cookies" and he looked back to see my sister and me devouring them. He looked at us and smiled. He thanked us and said, God Bless. He then told her no ma'am let your children have the cookies and he said goodbye. Since then I've been more dedicated to making sure no one goes hungry. At my school, I'm on the Vegetable team. My team and I have grown several of our school's gardens from scratch and produced many vegetables. The vegetables we develop go to fundraisers and our school's culinary programs. Working in a team and gardening have helped me to develop responsibility, understanding, teamwork, confidence, and leadership skills. I've devoted 120 hours to my school's Vegetable Team. I also have a garden at my grandma's and mom's house. We use the fruits and vegetables from my grandma's house to bond. She teaches me to make traditional Indian food with our produce. The other day we made roti with potatoes and okra. My allyship is to provide my community with fresh fruits and vegetables. Our school uses the food from the Vegetable Team and Culinary program to feed people in need. We host fundraisers like Fright Night to also feed people in our local community. The food we produce goes to non-profit organizations and hurricane relief programs. We have also donated plenty of food and materials during hurricanes Michael and Harvey. Other than the community I like to garden because it benefits the Earth. Gardens cleanse the air, absorb carbon dioxide and air pollutants, and release clean oxygen for us to breathe. Plant roots stabilize soil and filter water. Gardens tackle climate change, reduce flooding, and help keep you cool during the summertime. I love gardening and hopefully, I've inspired others to start their allyship with the planet too. I also give back to the Earth by supporting the vegan movement. In 2021 I went vegan. Being vegan not only has health benefits but environmental and livestock benefits as well. Veganism reduces greenhouse gas emissions and puts less stress on our fossil fuels. Veganism is also an alternative to factory farming which exhibits severe animal cruelty for food production. In other words, being vegan is healthy for our bodies puts less stress on our natural resources, reduces animal cruelty, is safer for the environment, and reduces climate change by eliminating animal consumption. I also love to protect the Earth by practicing safe techniques like recycling and purchasing from eco-friendly companies which I encourage. In the future, I want to be a psychiatrist that specializes in mental health. Coming from a divorced low-income immigrant family lead me to develop my own experiences with mental illness. Therefore, I want to utilize my abilities to aid as many people as I can. Thank you for this opportunity!

I love healthy foods because they keep me strong and able to function. However, eating healthy in America is undoubtedly a difficult challenge. There's fast food and junk everywhere you turn. Not to mention, healthy food is so expensive. Coming from a low-income family, I used to eat mostly junk until my Allied Health Assisting class changed my perspective on food. On that day, a nutritionist walked in. He started informing us about the food we ate from the grocery store. As I was listening to his presentation, I was shocked and horrified. I learned the animal products I consumed daily could potentially land me in the hospital. The highest cause of death in the United States are heart disease and cancer. Heart disease and cancer can be caused by eating excessive amounts of processed meats, red meat, alcohol, sugar, salt, and animal products. I was disgusted. However, the presenter told us not to worry because he was here to discuss an alternative lifestyle. He started educating us on the benefits of going vegan. Going vegan can reduce your risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, certain cancers, and lower cholesterol. So as of 2021, I went vegan. Being vegan not only has health benefits but environmental and livestock benefits as well. Veganism reduces greenhouse gas emissions and puts less stress on our fossil fuels. Veganism is also an alternative to factory farming which exhibits severe animal cruelty for food production. In other words, being vegan is healthy for our bodies puts less stress on our natural resources, reduces animal cruelty, is safer for the environment, and reduces climate change by eliminating the consumption of animal products. So I went vegan because I love myself and the environment. But going vegan wasn't enough for me. I wanted to give the Earth more. Therefore, my love for the planet started my passion for gardening. I started gardening in 2019 and loved it. At my school, I'm on the Vegetable Judging team. My team and I have grown several of our school's gardens from scratch and produced many vegetables. The vegetables we develop go to fundraisers and our school's culinary programs. Working in a team and gardening have helped me to develop responsibility, understanding, teamwork, confidence, and leadership skills. I also have a garden at my grandma's and mom's house. We use the fruits and vegetables from my grandma's garden to bond. She teaches me to make traditional Indian food with our produce. The other day we made roti with potatoes and okra. At my mom's house, I plant vegetables and flowers. In the spring, I like to grow lettuce, turnips, potatoes, tomatoes, carrots, collards, okra, beets, sweet corn, squash, green tea, zucchini, and cucumbers. In school, my team and I plant beans, Swiss chard, beets, kale, leeks, parsnips, cauliflower, garlic, and endive from October to November. During winter, it's easy to plant onions, potatoes, English pea, cabbage, broccoli, herbs, and carrots. Sometimes we even get to eat our produce. I've devoted 120 hours to my school's Vegetable Judging Team (Garden Team). I love gardening because it is healthy for me and the environment. Gardening can provide cardiovascular benefits, reduce stress, increase serotonin levels, improve strength, boost vitamin D, and provide people with healthier food options. Gardens cleanse the air, absorb carbon dioxide and air pollutants, and release clean oxygen for us to breathe. Plant roots stabilize soil and filter water. Gardens tackle climate change, reduce flooding, and help keep you cool during the summertime. I love gardening and hopefully, I've inspired others to start their passion for gardening too. Thank you.

I love superfoods because they keep me healthy and strong. However, I wasn't always like this. Coming from a low-income family, I mostly used to eat junk until one day in my Allied Health Assisting class. That day, a nutritionist walked in. He was informing us about the foods we ate from the grocery store. I learned that the animal products I consumed daily could potentially put me at risk for heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. Animal products contain large quantities of saturated fat, cholesterol, lactose, estrogen, and pathogenic microorganisms. I was horrified. But the nice man told us not to worry because he was here to discuss an alternative lifestyle. He started educating us on the benefits of going vegan. Going vegan reduces your risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and certain cancers and lowers cholesterol. Veganism also reduces greenhouse gas emissions and puts less stress on our fossil fuels. So as of 2021, I went vegan. I've never felt better. I was consuming more nutrients, vitamins, and minerals. But what I love the most about being vegan is being educated. Since being vegan, I researched the foods I ate and their benefits. To my benefit, I discovered superfoods. Superfoods refer to foods that offer maximum nutritional benefits for minimal calories. The most common superfoods are berries, soy, tea, leafy greens, salmon, dark chocolate, etc. My favorite superfoods are kale, spinach, and spearmint tea. In 2018, I suffered a three-month irregular period and was diagnosed with iron-deficiency anemia. My doctors had to put me on birth control to regulate my period since I lost a lot of blood. The birth control worked, and the period ended. However, I experienced hormonal changes in 2019 and suffered another month-long period. Only this time, I used my final dose of birth control. My mom worked a minimum wage job and couldn't afford to purchase any more birth control. So I had to resort to natural remedies to increase my hemoglobin (protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen). During this time, my mother incorporated dark leafy greens and lentils into my meals to balance my iron. I ate plenty of kale and spinach cause they were my favorites and were affordable. Over time my iron levels increased. So I wanted to start focusing on a new goal: balancing my hormones so that the extensive period never came again. I did my research and found that spearmint tea may aid women with hormonal imbalances. Studies have shown that it can increase female hormones, such as (LH), (FSH), and estradiol. So I drank two cups of spearmint tea every day for five months. With the spearmint tea, kale, and spinach, I never had a month-long period again. With the help of my diet, I stabilized my iron and hormones. As a vegan, I like to incorporate the main food groups into my diet. Daily I try to consume many fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and protein. I enjoy kale, spinach, and spearmint tea because they provide many health benefits. Kale because it boosts immunity, bones, and eye health, and protects against cancer and heart disease. Spinach lowers blood pressure, supports bones, eyes, skin, and blood health, and improves cognition. Spearmint tea is good for digestion, antioxidants, hormonal imbalances, memory, and bacterial infections. When I grow up, I want to be a psychiatrist. A big part of being a psychiatrist is maintaining your physical and mental well-being. Your mind must be sharp and focused. These foods keep me healthy and strong, so I can continue in school and provide for my patients.

The United States is globally the unhealthiest country in the world. Only 28% of Americans state they have access to healthy foods. In America, fast foods and junk are available everywhere. Not to mention, healthy food is expensive. Growing up in a low-income family, I never noticed how poor my eating habits were until one day in my nursing class. That day there was nothing on the board for us. I was exhilarated. I thought I had a free day until an unfamiliar man appeared. He was performing a presentation. I was sleepy that morning but still wanted to listen to him because I was curious about what he was going to say. He started talking about the food in the grocery store. As I was listening to his presentation, I was horrified. I learned the food I ate daily could send me to the hospital, specifically the oncology department. The highest cause of death in the United States are heart disease and cancer. These can be caused by eating processed meats, red meat, alcohol, sugar, salt, and fast foods excessively. As Americans, that's what we eat. This new information scared me. But he told us not to worry because he was here to discuss an alternative lifestyle. He started educating us on the benefits of going vegan. They were appealing. But I always struggled with food. I've been underweight my whole life and only ate junk. But I was determined to change. I tried being vegan. It was easier than I thought. At first, eating healthy was effortless have I kept craving sweets and animal products. However, after months of perseverance, my longing for animal products diminished. My diet contained nutrients, minerals, and vitamins. I felt nourished and energized. I grew stronger and felt more relaxed so I began working out. After school, I went on walks and started practicing calisthenics. I added more portions to my diet to gain weight. Eating a balanced diet, working out, and staying hydrated made me gain muscle and confidence. I fell in love with my new routine and started informing my family and friends about my discovery. Most of them were skeptical, but some of them were eager to try. Most of them gave up. However, I did convert a few, including my sister. The best way to grow the vegan movement is to spread awareness. Educating that animal products could lead to health consequences later on and informing people about the ethical and environmental impact of animal agriculture. Discovering the benefits of veganism will cause others to consider that being vegan is a healthier alternative for themselves and for the planet. Like any product, we have to appeal to the interest of our consumers. We must market off that a plant-based diet can reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, ischemic heart disease, hypertension, stroke, obesity, and certain cancers. Veganism contributes to less air pollution and requires less land, water, and fossil fuels. Breeding and feeding animals for food is an ineffective use of our natural resources. Our environment won't be able to support our level of food production due to population growth and the increasing consumption of animal products. Veganism is also an alternative to factory farming which exhibits severe animal cruelty for food production. In other words, being vegan is healthy for our bodies, puts less stress on our natural resources, does not require animal products, reduces animal cruelty, and is safer for the environment. I am Jada Sinanan and this is how I plan to grow the vegan movement.

I grew up in a home where my mother was hesitant to take me to the hospital when I broke my arm because she didn't know if she could afford a cast. The day I fractured my arm, I slept the night without a splint until she couldn't bear to see me in agony. Seeing the panic in my mother's eyes broke my heart. I felt guilty for playing and breaking my arm, although I was only in the second grade. Since then, I've never been more dedicated to ensuring that families in poverty have access to affordable healthcare. I enjoy being a first-generation college student. I'm thrilled to attend college and proud of where I stand. Currently, I attend John A. Ferguson Senior High school. I am double majoring in veterinary science and nursing. I am BLS and CMAA certified and on my way to being CNA and CVA certified. I am John A. Ferguson's 2022 Allied Health Assisting student of the year. I hope to become a better version of myself with time. Therefore, I want to be an aspiring psychiatrist. Being a teenage girl of divorced, low-come immigrants led me to develop my own experiences with mental illness. Depression and substance abuse affects both sides of my family and myself. Being a psychiatrist would provide me the opportunity to change lives. I want nothing more than for people to recognize when they need help and have someone they trust to aid them. As a psychiatrist, I want to provide my patients with the highest quality of life and low-cost wellness care. To achieve my goal of becoming a psychiatrist, I must be college educated. A psychiatrist must earn a bachelor's degree, four years of medical school, and a four-year residency. Some psychiatrists also complete fellowship programs and additional training. It takes approximately twelve years to become a psychiatrist. I love psychology and study it in my free time. Becoming a psychiatrist is undoubtedly a difficult task to complete. However, I feel I can accomplish this ambition. I discovered I desired a career in psychology when I enjoyed being attentive to my friend's struggles and offering them a list of solutions to improve their mood. I appreciate taking the time to create a comfortable environment for my peers. When I grow up, I want to observe my patients and develop precise treatment plans to alleviate my patient's mental distress. According to Prevalence Data 2022- Mental Health America, 19.86% of adults are experiencing mental illness. Equivalent to nearly 50 million Americans and 4.91% are experiencing a severe mental illness. 7.74% of adults reported having a substance abuse disorder. 5.71% reported having an alcohol use disorder. 4.58% of American adults reported thoughts of suicide which estimated 11.4 million people- an increase of 664,000 people from last year's data set. 15.08% of youth (ages 12-17) report suffering from at least one major depressive episode. 10.6% of youth (over 2.5 million) cope with severe major depression. Mental health awareness is essential for patients because they deserve care, understanding, and compassion. They need rehabilitation. Caring for patients as they recover and assisting families through difficult times provide me with optimism for the future. I suffer from mental illness and understand how strenuous it is to cope. However, it is possible to recover and live a healthy life. Our job as medical professionals is to deconstruct the stigma of mental illness and support others in need. I desire to achieve this with my medical career.

I grew up in a home where my mother was hesitant to take me to the hospital when I broke my arm because she didn't know if she could afford a cast. The day I fractured my arm, I slept the night without a splint until she couldn't bear to see me in agony. Seeing the panic in my mother's eyes broke my heart. I felt guilty for playing and breaking my arm, although I was only in the second grade. Since then, I've never been more dedicated to ensuring that families in poverty have access to affordable healthcare. I enjoy being a first-generation college student. I'm thrilled to attend college and proud of where I stand. Currently, I attend John A. Ferguson Senior High school. I am double majoring in veterinary science and nursing. I am BLS and CMAA certified and on my way to being CNA and CVA certified. I am John A. Ferguson's 2022 Allied Health Assisting student of the year. I hope to become a better version of myself with time. Therefore, I want to be an aspiring psychiatrist. Being a teenage girl of divorced, low-come immigrants led me to develop my own experiences with mental illness. Depression and substance abuse affects both sides of my family and myself. Being a psychiatrist would provide me the opportunity to change lives. I want nothing more than for people to recognize when they need help and have someone they trust to aid them. As a psychiatrist, I want to provide my patients with the highest quality of life and low-cost wellness care. To achieve my goal of becoming a psychiatrist, I must be college educated. A psychiatrist must earn a bachelor's degree, four years of medical school, and a four-year residency. Some psychiatrists also complete fellowship programs and additional training. It takes approximately twelve years to become a psychiatrist. I love psychology and study it in my free time. Becoming a psychiatrist is undoubtedly a difficult task to complete. However, I feel I can accomplish this ambition. I discovered I desired a career in psychology when I enjoyed being attentive to my friend's struggles and offering them a list of solutions to improve their mood. I appreciate taking the time to create a comfortable environment for my peers. When I grow up, I want to observe my patients and develop precise treatment plans to alleviate my patient's mental distress. According to Prevalence Data 2022- Mental Health America, 19.86% of adults are experiencing mental illness. Equivalent to nearly 50 million Americans and 4.91% are experiencing a severe mental illness. 7.74% of adults reported having a substance abuse disorder and 5.71% reported having an alcohol use disorder. 4.58% of adults reported thoughts of suicide which estimated 11.4 million people- an increase of 664,000 people from last year's data set. 15.08% of youth (ages 12-17) report suffering from at least one major depressive episode and 10.6% of youth (over 2.5 million) cope with severe major depression. Mental health awareness is essential for patients because they deserve care, understanding, and compassion. We are worthy of hope, healing, and rehabilitation. Caring for patients as they recover and assisting families through difficult times provide me with optimism for the future. I suffer from mental illness and understand how strenuous it is to cope. However, it is possible to recover and live a healthy life. Our job as medical professionals is to deconstruct the stigma of mental illness and support others in need. This is what I desire to achieve with my medical career.

I grew up in a home where my mother was hesitant to take me to the hospital when I broke my arm because she didn't know if she could afford a cast. The day I fractured my arm, I slept the night without a splint until she couldn't bear to see me in agony. Seeing the panic in my mother's eyes broke my heart. I felt guilty for playing and breaking my arm, although I was only in the second grade. Since then, I've never been more dedicated to ensuring that families in poverty have access to affordable healthcare. Therefore, I want to be an aspiring psychiatrist. Being a teenage girl of divorced, low-come immigrants led me to develop my own experiences with mental illness. Depression and substance abuse affects both sides of my family and myself. Being a psychiatrist would provide me the opportunity to change lives. I want nothing more than for people to recognize when they need help and have someone they can trust to aid them. As a psychiatrist, I want to provide my patients with the highest quality of life and low-cost wellness care. To achieve my goal of becoming a psychiatrist, I must be college educated. A psychiatrist must earn a bachelor's degree, four years of medical school, and a four-year residency. Some psychiatrists also complete fellowship programs and additional training. It takes approximately twelve years to become a psychiatrist. I love psychology and study it in my free time. Becoming a psychiatrist is undoubtedly a difficult task to complete. However, I feel I can accomplish this ambition. I discovered I desired a career in psychology when I enjoyed being attentive to my friend's struggles and offering them a list of solutions to improve their mood. I appreciate taking the time to create a comfortable environment for my peers. When I become a psychiatrist, I want to observe my patients and develop precise treatment plans to alleviate my patient's mental distress. Mental health awareness is essential to people because they deserve care, understanding, and compassion. We are all deserving of hope, healing, recovery, and fulfillment. Caring for patients as they recover and assisting families through difficult times provide me with optimism for the future. I suffer from mental illness, and I understand how strenuous it is to experience it. It brings me great joy when others confide in me. It contributes to my confidence to support and lead. I enjoy the title of being a first-generation college student. I am elated to attend college and proud of where I stand today. My confidence continues to grow and I can only hope to become a better version of myself with time.

The United States is far from the healthiest country. Only 28% of Americans state they have access to healthy foods. It is globally the unhealthiest country in the world because of its high rate of obesity, heart disease, diabetes, and other illnesses. But this is hardly our fault. As an American, you're constantly surrounded by fast food and junk. Saturated fats and cholesterol are inescapable. Not to mention healthy food is so expensive. As a teenage girl of a low-income family, I never noticed how poor my eating habits were until one day in my Allied Health Assisting class. It was early morning and my nursing teacher had nothing on the board for us. Everyone was exhilarated. We thought we had a free day until an unfamiliar man walked into the class. Then we knew he was performing a presentation. I was sleepy that morning but still wanted to listen to him because I didn't want to make him think I wasn't interested in what he had to say. He started talking about the food we ate every day. As I was listening to his presentation I was horrified. Turns out the food I consumed on a daily basis could potentially land me in the hospital specifically the oncology department. The highest cause of death in the United States is heart disease and cancer. These can be caused by eating processed meat, red meat, alcohol, sugar, salt, and fast processed foods excessively. As Americans, that's all we ever eat. This new information freaked me out. All I could think was my whole life all I've ever eaten was gruesome food and how can I change? But he told us not to worry because he was here to discuss an alternative lifestyle. He started educating us on the benefits of going vegan. The benefits sounded extremely appealing but I've always struggled with eating food. I ate food I just didn't eat enough or the proper foods. I've been underweight my whole life and when I did eat it was junk food. I ate junk food whenever I was stressed and I was a high school student in America that's like all the time. I thought I should give being vegan a shot. I learned that being vegan could reduce my risk of heart disease, certain cancers, and diabetes. Being vegan was actually easier than I thought. I could live with eating the leafy greens and vegetables the only problem have I kept craving sweets and animal products and getting my parents to accept my new lifestyle. However, after months of perseverance, my parents could no longer fight me on it and my cravings for animal products slowly diminished. I never felt better. After I became vegan, I felt more nourished and energized. My diet contained more nutrients, minerals, and vitamins. I felt more content with myself and my mental health improved as well. I went from being irritable and moody to delightful. I felt like I was making an active change in my life and soon after I started working out. After I was done with my school work, I would take the time to go on walks and practice calisthenics at home. I started adding more portions of food when I worked out to gain weight. Eating a balanced diet, working out, and staying hydrated lead me to gain more weight and muscle. I fell in love with this routine and my self-confidence continues to grow. I'm extremely proud of myself and I hope I can only get better with time.

Eating healthy as an American is undoubtedly a hard thing to do. You are constantly surrounded by fast food and junk everywhere you go. The saturated fats and cholesterol are inescapable. Not to mention healthy food is so expensive. As a teenage girl of a low-income family, I never noticed how poor my eating habits were until I got educated. One day in my Allied Health Assisting class changed everything. It was early morning and my nursing teacher had nothing on the board for us today. Everyone was exhilarated. We thought we had a free day until an unfamiliar man walked into the class. Then we knew he was performing a presentation of some kind. I was sleepy that morning but still wanted to listen to him because I didn't want to be rude and make him think I wasn't interested in what he had to say. He started talking about the food we ate every day. As I was listening to his presentation I was horrified and disgusted. Turns out the food I consumed on a daily basis could potentially land me in the hospital specifically the oncology department. The highest cause of death in the United States is heart disease and cancer. These can be caused by eating processed meat, red meat, alcohol, sugar, salt, and fast processed foods excessively. As Americans, that's all we ever eat. This new information freaked me out. All I could think was my whole life all I've ever eaten was gruesome food and how can I change? But he told us not to worry because he was here to discuss an alternative lifestyle. He started educating us on the benefits of going vegan. The benefits sounded extremely appealing but I've always struggled with eating food. I ate food I just didn't eat enough or the proper foods. I've been underweight my whole life and when I did eat it was junk food. I ate junk food whenever I was stressed and I was a high school student in America that's like all the time. I thought I should give being vegan a shot. I learned that being vegan could reduce my risk of heart disease, certain cancers, and diabetes. Being vegan was actually easier than I thought. I could live with eating the leafy greens and vegetables the only problem have I kept craving sweets and animal products and getting my parents to accept my new lifestyle. However, after months of perseverance, my parents could no longer fight me on it and my cravings for animal products slowly diminished. I never felt better. After I became vegan, I felt more nourished and energized. My foods contained more nutrients, minerals, and vitamins. I felt more content with myself and my mental health improved as well. I went from being irritable and moody to elated and delightful. I felt like I was making an active change in my life and soon after I started working out. After I was done with my school work, I would take the time to go on walks and practice calisthenics at home. I started adding more portions of food when I worked out to gain weight. Eating a balance diet, working out, and staying hydrated lead me gaining more weight and muscle. I fell in love with this routine and my self-confidence continues to grow. I'm extremely proud of myself and I hope I can only get better with time.

Denis Waitley once said, " Time and health are two precious assets that we don't recognize and appreciate until they have been depleted." Our bodies give us the strength and energy we need to pursue our goals and make the world a better place. As a child of a divorced immigrant low-income family, I developed a sense of responsibility at an early age. My parents worked hard to provide for my siblings and me. Growing up seeing them struggle instilled this mindset in me. A mindset that has carried me into the woman I am today. My parents always taught me to be kind to others not because if I were in the same situation, I would want someone to be kind to me but just because it is the right thing to do. Therefore, I want to pursue a career in psychiatry. I want to give my patients the highest quality of life and assist them in affordable healthcare. It is crucial to me that families in poverty have access to affordable healthcare. I grew up in a house where my mother was hesitant to take me to the hospital when I broke my arm because she didn’t know if she could afford a cast. The day I broke my arm I had to sleep the night without a cast until she couldn’t bear to see me in any more pain. Seeing the worry in my mother's eyes broke my heart. I felt guilty for playing around and breaking my arm although I was only in the second grade. That moment changed my life forever. Since I was little, I have always wanted to help people whether it was washing the dishes for my mom after a long day of work or listening to my friends when they had a rough day so they felt like they were being heard. I noticed I had huge aspirations in psychology when after listening to my friend's struggles I would offer a list of tips and solutions to make them feel better. Or sometimes I would not offer any tips because I knew they didn’t want a solution they just wanted to be heard. Mental health includes our psychological, emotional, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, eat, sleep, and act. Mental health awareness is essential to people suffering from mental illness because they are deserving of care, understanding, and compassion. This is what I want for all my peers and patients. We are all deserving of hope, healing, recovery, and fulfillment. As a psychiatrist, I want to listen to and observe my patients on a deep and personal level to develop treatment plans to alleviate my patient's mental distress. I have suffered from mental illness as well so I know how hard it is to live with. I feel proud when other people are comfortable with me when they speak. It makes me feel happy that people trust me enough to confide in me and let me hear them. It goes both ways. Other people letting me help makes me a better happier person. I want nothing more than for people to recognize when they need help and have someone who they can trust and feel safe with to help them. My name is Jada Sinanan I'm 17 years old and that is how I want to impact my patients.

My name is Jada Sinanan and antibiotics were the greatest scientific discovery ever made. Antibiotics are medicines that fight infections caused by bacteria by either killing the bacteria or preventing the bacteria from growing and multiplying. In 1928, Alexander Fleming discovered the first antibiotic, penicillin when he returned from a holiday to find mold growing on a Petri dish of Staphylococcus bacteria. He noticed the mold prevented the bacteria around it from growing and the mold produced a self-defense chemical that killed the bacteria. He determined that penicillin had antibacterial effects. Antibiotics revolutionized medicine in the twentieth century and completely eradicated many once-common diseases such as tuberculosis. Antibiotics are used to treat ear, sinus, dental, and skin infections, meningitis, strep throat, bladder and kidney infections, bacterial pneumonia, and whooping cough. In addition to treating infectious diseases, antibiotics made many modern-day medical procedures possible, including autoimmune disease and cancer treatment, organ transplants, and open-heart surgery. There are seven main classes of antibiotics called Penicillins, Cephalosporins, Macrolides, Fluoroquinolones, Sulfonamides, Tetracyclines, and Aminoglycosides. Today there are over 100 different antibiotics available to cure minor and life-threatening infections. Data from the U.S. government shows that antibiotics save over 200,000 Americans annually and add 5-10 years to the U.S. life expectancy from birth. Antibiotics are my favorite scientific discovery because when I grow up I want to be a doctor. As I doctor I want to use antibiotics to treat and cure my patients and give them the highest quality of life. I research lots of medicines and treatments in my spare time and antibiotics seem to be one of the most important medical discoveries ever made!

My name is Jada Sinanan and I've been struggling with my mental health for years. During my freshman year of high school I had a hard adjusting to school since it was such a drastic change from middle school. I had great grades because I was a perfectionist. But being a perfectionist took a toll on me. If I didn't get all A's, I would have huge meltdowns and feel deeply disappointed within myself. I did often contemplate suicide. I spent my entire sophomore year attending online school. Completing school at home wasn't easy and family problems were starting to emerge. I felt drained, I couldn't socially interact with my friends but I had to keep pretending every was fine to get the grades I wanted. I completely put my grades over my mental health. I neglected my health and needs. I came from an immigrant family who didn't believe in mental illness and my family constantly invalided me. I started to become self-destructive and extremely distant. I stopped eating properly and suffered from fatigue and headaches. During junior year my classes were getting harder and I couldn't cope. I felt like I was trying so hard but nothing changed. I knew due to the pandemic and school that many people were suffering but I still felt alone. I started biting off more than I could chew. I was constantly spending time on schoolwork and had little time to eat and sleep. I would wake up the next day feeling sick and dizzy. Since I was so stressed I had a hard time falling asleep. When I woke up for school I was always be late and hustled for class. I tried to make it on time everyday and I did. But this meant that I didn't eat breakfast in the morning. Being in class was a nightmare. I was hungry and tired, it made my head hurt. I wanted to succeed and I tried hard but my body was failing and undernourished. Even though I felt this terrible during class when I got to lunch, I wanted to eat but still had no appetite. Since I was a little girl mental illness fascinated me. I always either wanted to be a psychiatrist or forensic psychiatrist. Depression, substance abuse, and alcoholism runs on both sides of my family. My uncle committed suicide and since that day my dad's never been the same. My dad is now a chain smoker and my aunt on my dad's side suffers from depression as well. Mental illness is very personal to me. My parents divorced when I was nine. It was a messy divorce and I struggled a lot. I did feel like I was depressed but I never got diagnosed cause my parents didn't believe I was. Later on during high school I went to family counseling with mom and stepdad. My stepdad and I never really got along so we went to a therapist. My therapist told me I had many signs of generalized anxiety and paranoia. He told me I had many symptoms of depression but he couldn't diagnose me because he needed more sessions to confirm. But my parents couldn't afford any more sessions. My doctors told me I had hormonal problems and placed me on birth control. Ever since the birth control I've always felt weird but couldn't put my finger on it. Due to my unhealed trauma I took it upon my self to get better and get educated. I deserve the Elevate Mental Health Awareness Scholarship because I want to help as many people as I can with what I've struggled with. My dream as a psychiatrist is to help people live the highest quality of life and assist them in affordable health care. I come from a low-income family and I will be the first in my family to attend college. The money I earn will be used for my prerequisite classes of being a psychiatrist and will go toward my college fund. I believe everyone deserves to be heard and understood. Thank you for your time and this opportunity!