That very moment when a child or first time glasses wearer puts on a pair of specs is what made me realize the beauty behind not only seeing clearly, but the process of picking a frame that is perfect for the patient. By definition, Google states that an optician is “a person qualified to make and supply eyeglasses and contact lenses for correction of vision”. As simple as that definition is, there is a lot more that goes into doing the job of an optician. By incorporating style and trust, patients are able to work with opticians to find the best option suitable for them. Since people come in a variety of different eye sizes, head shapes, prescriptions, etc. were always met with the exciting task of walking them through the process of picking out frames and contacts. By utilizing the James Michael Morris Family Scholarship, I aspire to use it to help me advance my education in this career field and become a licensed optician. Growing up I always knew I wanted to go to college. The issue was deciding what I specifically wanted to go for. My passion for helping people never went away the older I got which made my decision for a career choice more difficult. Should I become a nurse? Or what about a teacher ? These were thoughts that constantly invaded my head my senior year of high school as the college application deadline was slowly creeping up. Being raised in a single family household was challenging at times, and the pressure to find a decent paying job seemed to get heavier as my high school career slowly got shorter. Between choosing the bills or my education I knew what was priority for my mother. After a failed attempt of putting myself through college with the help of some loans, my only option at the time was to stop and start looking for jobs. Despite growing up in a low-income household, I still managed to thrive academically in high school. With straight A’s all four years, I was able to graduate with a 3.8 gpa and receive multiple certificates of academic success. Knowing that I had control over my grades made me want to be successful academically in school. It gave me a sense of achievement and it motivated me to keep doing well. As time passed I was encouraged to get involved with extracurricular activities and decided on track and field. Track shortly became my escape from reality my first two years of high school. Not only did it help me physically get stronger, but it improved my overall mental health. That lingering thought of what I wanted to do in life always stayed in the back of my mind as adulthood crept up. Several years later, working in an eye care practice as an optician, I discovered a passion for helping patients one on one. After taking a risk and moving out of state to get a taste of a new environment, this opportunity came to me while spontaneously applying for jobs. The student I was in my junior and senior year would've never guessed this is what I would love doing. Hearing the excitement of patients over the phone when I call to let them know their new glasses are ready is something I’ll never get tired of. My goal is to use the James Michael Morris Family Scholarship to not only help financially, but help me successfully get through my ophthalmic dispensing and design program and reach my goal of being college educated.