When I served in the IDF as a combat infantry soldier, and later commander, I had the unfortunate experience of losing a friend to suicide. She was also in the army with me and all the right, and wrong, signs were just missed. She unfortunately took her own life at the ripe age of 20 years old with so much life ahead of her. It shook me to my core. I'd lost my grandparents earlier in my life and I have been surrounded by death, but this one sat in the depth of my stomach for so long—it changed me as a person. She wasn't someone I was particularly close to, but enough to feel the effects of her boisterous personality and happy self. She was a lone soldier like me, volunteering to serve, from Boca Raton, Florida. She came with all of the energy and motivation to enlist, but she was just not treated well enough in her surroundings to continue. Her life, and loss of, really sat with me as I mentioned and changed a lot of my perception on life. Before her death, I was a bit of a quieter person in public whereas at home I did not stop talking and being a go-getter. After her death, something clicked in me and I knew I needed to change and use the potential that I felt within myself to do good. After her death, I decided to become a commander as well (she had been on a path to lead), and along the way began to change the way I was to people and on the outside. I grew into myself, I became more outgoing, spoke out more, and filled the role of a leader. After finishing my service, I came back to America to start my undergraduate degree. I thought I wanted to study politics and enter the realm of international relations in high school. However, after I finished my service in the IDF and after the death of my friend, I realized that I needed something more meaningful—more personal. I wanted to be able to see the change that I'm putting the effort to make, to help people who cannot help themselves on an individual and community level. As a result, I decided to go into the medical field and become a Physician Assistant. I am still in my undergraduate degree and on this path and while it is not an easy one, I continue to think about people like Mika who would have still been around if they had the necessary compassion and help from the people around.

I grew up with the idea that you should take in order to give. This means that if you are receiving something or taking something from someone, you should take it with the mindset that you will be giving back to someone else. The idea of "paying it forward," to me, means that we are creating a world in which no one is alone and everyone will be helped at some point in their lives. My mom always told me that once you give a gift, you cannot tell the person what to do with that gift, you can only hope that they use it with the best of intentions. I believe that this is exactly what "paying it forward" means. It means that you must look outwardly in life and try to do good deeds—genuinely good deeds—so that people can believe that there is actually good in this world and so that they can go on and do good as well. This world is meant to be a place where we make our lives mean something greater than our own. This is why the concept, in Judaism, of Ma'aser, I believe, is so beautiful because it is already telling you that even if you give, you will still have enough for yourself. Even more so, the concept describes how if you give, you will receive ten times more than you give. However, the concept is not meant to be there so you can give in order to receive, but rather give and see how much you still have left to flourish. In college, I tend to drink a good amount of coffee (like any college student trying to pass all of their classes). However, there was one week when I stopped because the small five-dollar coffees were adding up and I needed to watch how much I was spending, especially in just a week on coffee. That same week, I was having a particularly rough time personally and with my classes and my best friend knew this. On Thursday of that week, I gave in and walked into a coffee shop on campus because coffee was my sweet nothing and my pleasure to take in. It was my moment of quietness where nothing could go wrong. I was about to suck it up to pay another five dollars and had texted my best friend that I was going into a coffee shop and right then and there is when five dollars popped into my Venmo account from my best friend. Now, it sounds silly, five dollars—that's it? That's what you consider "paying it forward?" But, it was more than just the money, it was the action and the thought behind making my life just a little easier in the way that she knew how. I didn't even use that money that day. It sat in my account until I found the chance to be able to send it to someone else, another friend who was having a bad day later on, just so that they could breathe a bit easier that day knowing that someone is thinking about them and trying to lift even a fraction of the weight off their heaviness in life.

As a future physician assistant, my ultimate goal is to provide high-quality healthcare to underserved communities and to make a positive impact on the lives of my patients. To accomplish this goal, I have made a number of steps toward my education and career development. Firstly, I am in the middle of my B.S. in Public Health, on a pre-PA track. This has already given me a strong foundation in the scientific principles and concepts that are essential for success in the physician assistant profession. In addition, I have gained hands-on experience through internships and volunteer work. I hope, in the future, to be accepted into a program that will provide me with the knowledge and skills necessary to succeed as a physician assistant. I am also actively seeking opportunities to gain additional experience in the healthcare field, such as shadowing physician assistants and participating in clinical rotations. As a low-income student, pursuing a college education has not been easy. I have had to work multiple part-time jobs while attending school full-time, which has often meant sacrificing free time and sleep in order to make ends meet. I have also had to take out student loans to cover the cost of tuition and other expenses, which will eventually need to be repaid. Coming from a single-parent household with two other siblings, one of which went through the college system and the other is currently also in the system, I have mostly been on my own in paying for my education. Despite these challenges, I am determined to achieve my goals and make a difference in the lives of others through my career as a physician assistant. I am confident that with hard work, dedication, and a commitment to ongoing learning and professional development, I will be able to make a positive impact as a healthcare provider. In addition to the challenges I have already mentioned, there are several other obstacles that I may face as I pursue my education and career as a physician assistant. One of these challenges is the competitive nature of the field. With a limited number of spots available in physician assistant programs and a high demand for qualified professionals, it can be difficult to stand out and be accepted into a program. Another challenge is the cost of education. As a low-income student, paying for tuition, books, and other expenses can be a significant burden. I have had to rely on financial aid and scholarships to help cover the cost of my education, but even with this assistance, I have had to take on a significant amount of debt in order to afford my education. Despite these challenges, I remain committed to my goals and am determined to succeed as a physician assistant. I know that it will not be easy, but I am willing to put in the hard work and dedication necessary to achieve my dreams. I believe that by focusing on my studies, gaining experience in the field, and staying up-to-date on the latest developments in healthcare, I will be well-prepared to make a positive impact as a physician assistant. Overall, my goal is to provide the highest level of care to my patients and to make a positive difference in their lives.

The phenomenon often referred to as "toxic behavior," can be a significant problem in online gaming forums and communities. It refers to the actions of individuals who engage in rude, aggressive, or disruptive behavior, often with the intention of causing harm or discomfort to others. This type of behavior can have a negative impact on the overall atmosphere of the community and can make it difficult for people to feel welcome and included. In my experience as a language model, I have not personally experienced toxic behavior in online gaming forums. However, I understand that this type of behavior can be damaging to individuals and communities and can have a spillover effect on real-life social interactions. It is important for people to be mindful of their behavior online and to try to maintain a sense of respect and kindness towards others, even when engaging in competitive or spirited discussions. Toxic behavior in online gaming forums can take many forms, including name-calling, threatening or intimidating language, harassment, and other forms of abusive or aggressive behavior. It can also involve ignoring or disrupting the rules of the forum or game or trying to ruin the experience of others through intentional sabotage or cheating. This type of behavior is often motivated by a desire to gain an advantage or to assert dominance over others, and it can create a negative and hostile environment for those who are targeted. It can also discourage people from participating in online communities or forums, which can have a negative impact on the overall health and vitality of those communities. It is important for individuals to be aware of their own behavior and to strive to be respectful and kind towards others, both online and in real life. It is also important for online communities to have clear guidelines and policies in place to help prevent toxic behavior and to address it when it does occur. By creating a positive and inclusive atmosphere, we can all work towards building healthier and more enjoyable online experiences for everyone. In addition to the negative impact that toxic behavior can have on individuals and communities, it can also have negative consequences for the individuals who engage in this type of behavior. For example, toxic behavior can lead to social isolation, as people may be less likely to want to interact with someone who is behaving in a rude or aggressive manner. It can also damage one's reputation and make it more difficult for one to build positive relationships with others. Furthermore, engaging in toxic behavior can also have legal consequences in some cases. Depending on the severity of the behavior, it may be considered harassment or even a criminal offense. It is important for people to be aware of the potential consequences of their actions and to strive to behave in a respectful and responsible manner online. Overall, toxic behavior in online gaming forums and communities can be a significant problem that can have negative impacts on individuals, communities, and society as a whole. It is important for individuals to be mindful of their behavior and to strive to create positive and inclusive online environments for everyone.

There are many changes that I would like to see in my community, country, and the world. One of the main changes that I would like to see is an increase in social and economic equality. I believe that everyone should have equal opportunities to succeed, regardless of their race, gender, religion, or socioeconomic status. On a global scale, I recognize that many of the challenges faced by marginalized communities are often the result of larger systemic issues, such as colonialism and globalization. As such, I believe that it is important for those of us who have the privilege to use our voices and platforms to speak out against injustice and work towards creating a more equitable world for all. This can include supporting organizations that work towards global social and economic justice and using our consumer power to support companies and products that align with our values. Ultimately, I believe that by working towards these changes locally and globally, we can create a world that is more just, equal, and fair for everyone.

I hope to pursue a career as a physician's assistant (PA) because it is a rewarding and challenging path that requires dedication, hard work, and a passion for helping others. As a PA, I will have the opportunity to make a positive impact on the lives of patients by providing high-quality medical care and serving as an important member of a healthcare team. One of the main ways that I can make an impact as a PA is by providing accessible and comprehensive medical care to underserved communities. PAs often work in areas where there is a shortage of physicians, such as rural or low-income neighborhoods, and are able to provide a wide range of medical services to help meet the needs of these communities. In addition to diagnosing and treating medical conditions, I'll also be able to play a vital role in educating patients about their health and helping them to make informed decisions about their care. Another way that I can make a positive impact is by collaborating with other healthcare professionals to provide the best possible care for their patients. PAs work closely with physicians and other members of the healthcare team to coordinate care, share information, and provide support to patients and families, so by working together, I'll be able to provide a more holistic and comprehensive approach to care that helps to improve patient outcomes and satisfaction. As a PA, I will also have the opportunity to make a positive impact by staying up-to-date on the latest medical advancements and techniques. By staying current on the latest research and best practices, I'll be able to provide the highest level of care to my patients and help to advance the field of medicine as a whole. To make the most positive impact as a PA, it is important to have a strong foundation in the medical sciences, excellent communication and interpersonal skills, and a dedication to lifelong learning and professional development. It is also important to be compassionate and empathetic towards your patients and to be able to work effectively as part of a team. In conclusion, pursuing a career as a physician's assistant will be a rewarding and challenging path that will allow me to make a positive impact on the lives of patients and the healthcare system as a whole. With dedication and hard work, I will hopefully be able to make my life bigger than myself and help those around me with the knowledge that I have gained.

As a future medical professional with a Master's Degree as a Physician's Assistant and an Undergraduate Degree in Public Health and Biology, there are numerous ways that I hope to help society through my work. Below are two specific ways that I plan to contribute to the betterment of my community and beyond: 1. The first way would be by providing high-quality medical care to underserved populations: I plan to help society with my advanced degree in the medical field by providing medical care to underserved populations. This could include working in a clinic or hospital in a low-income neighborhood, volunteering at a free or reduced-cost health clinic, or traveling to underserved areas on medical mission trips. These populations may have limited access to healthcare due to financial or logistical barriers, and as a result, they may not receive the medical care that they need. Coming from an immigrant background with most of my family coming from Israel, I know what it is like to make your way through the healthcare system and have to fend for yourself. By providing medical care to these populations, I hope to help bridge the gap in healthcare disparities and ensure that everyone has the opportunity to receive the medical attention they need. With my Public Health background, I hope to also bridge the gap between the medical science field and the social science field, showing that there is a connection between outside factors (social determinants of health) and physical science (diseases, sicknesses, etc). 2. In addition to providing medical care directly to patients, I also plan to use my advanced degree in the medical field to advocate for policy changes that improve the healthcare system as a whole. This could include working with policymakers and advocacy organizations to promote legislation that increases access to healthcare, reduces healthcare costs, and improves the quality of medical care. Many people do not have the ability to advocate for themselves and many other people are corrupted by all of the politics surrounding them. As someone who will have received a medical degree and will hold by an ethical standard, I believe that I can help change the field. By advocating for these changes, I hope to make a lasting impact on the healthcare system and create a more equitable and effective system for everyone. Overall, my advanced degree in the medical field will equip me with the knowledge and skills necessary to make a positive impact on society. Whether through direct patient care or policy advocacy, I am committed to using my education and training to help others and make a difference in the world.

As a Jewish student, I have always been curious about the world around me and how things work. I have always enjoyed asking questions and finding answers through experimentation and problem-solving. This curiosity and desire to understand the world ultimately inspired me to pursue a degree in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics). I never thought about pursuing a STEM track in high school because I was always so English, writing, and reading oriented. However, after high school, I enlisted in the Israel Defense Forces and received training, including medical training, that showed me the impact the STEM field can have. One of my primary motivations for studying STEM was my desire to impact the world positively. I have always been passionate about using my skills to help those around me and address issues such as health and social inequality. I believe that STEM has the power to provide solutions to these problems and make a difference in people's lives. As a commander in a combat infantry unit, I realized that I could learn the skills needed to be a positive impact on the world. Another reason I was inspired to pursue a STEM degree was my love of learning and discovery. I have always been an avid reader and learner, and I saw a degree in STEM as an opportunity to continue exploring and growing my knowledge. The constantly evolving and innovative nature of the field drew me in, and I knew that I would be able to continue learning and growing throughout my career. At my university, American University, I am pursuing a degree in Public Health and Biology on a pre-PA (Physician's Assistant) track to work in the field of STEM, expand my knowledge, and help those who might not necessarily be able to help themselves. As a Jewish student, I also feel strongly connected to the tradition of intellectual inquiry and the pursuit of knowledge within my community. From the Talmud to modern-day scientific research, Jews have always placed a strong emphasis on education and the pursuit of truth. This cultural value further inspired me to pursue a degree in STEM. In short, my desire to positively impact the world, my love of learning and discovery, and my connection to the Jewish tradition of intellectual pursuit all inspired me to pursue a degree in STEM. I am excited to be a part of this field and to use my education to make a difference.

When I think about the meaning of my life, I always think about making it bigger than myself. I always think about how I can help other people, make someone else's day, and make sure that I can help in improving the quality of life, even if in a small way. I have also realized in my thought process that in order to help people in a way that is meaningful to me, I have to have the knowledge to do so. Being someone with the knowledge and education to help beyond that of donations and money is so important to me which is why learning is important to me as well. My goal in life is to enter the medical field and be an essential part of many people's lives. I want to be able to help people live a better life whether it is fixing a broken hand, getting them through a diagnosis, or even making sure they know all of their rights to healthcare especially with so many health disparities among minorities nowadays. This is why I am so committed to my undergraduate degree now and taking all of the classes I can in order to soak up all of the information possible. I also plan on continuing on to higher education and getting a Master's and Doctorate as a Physician's Assistant. I had once considered becoming a doctor but realized that I can provide the same amount of help as a PA while living a life that feels healthy for me when looking at the work-life balance. However, because I love learning so much, I know that the Master's degree might not feel like enough for me which is why I plan on continuing on to get a Doctorate in Health Sciences so I can really make a difference even if just in one hospital, one patient at a time. Currently, I am focusing on my education and learning many different skills, one of them being cultural humility. It is this concept of always molding and being open-minded to the fact that you cannot possibly know everything there is to know about the cultures that exist in the world and you can always learn something new. On top of that, I am a public health major so I am always learning about the world and the different parts of social sciences that affect people on a day-to-day basis whether it is the aforementioned health disparities people face, diseases, food security, and many other things. Essentially, my goal is to keep molding and learning until I can turn around and help someone else do the same.

A legacy can mean a lot of different things to a lot of different people. To some, it means fame and fortune. To others, it means the reputation they left with their family. For me, it is the impact I make on not only the people around me but everywhere that I can. A legacy means that when I am gone, I left behind a feeling that I changed, helped, and did good for the world—if not the world, then the community at large. Legacy, at the end of the day, means that I didn't waste my life and I did something that was greater than myself. I am currently on a medical track to becoming a doctor and I realized long ago that the field is not for people who only look for money because there are so many other places to look it is for that reason. Becoming a doctor, to me, means that I will learn essential skills that can help people live a better life—or even just see another day. A legacy means making my life bigger than just myself because if it is only about you, what is left when you're gone. If you only helped yourself throughout your life and then you're gone, everything you did ends with you. I want my legacy to be everlasting and resonating. I want people to understand what I did, not because of the reputation I want to hold when I'm gone, but so that others can do the same and "be the change that they want to see in the world." My path in life was never steady until recently. I grew up in a single-parent household where my mom was both parents and my father was not reliant and abusive in every form of the word. However, my mom taught us to always see the good in the world, to take our luggage, and make sure other people never feel the same weight that we did. In my upbringing, I realized that my path, career, and legacy are made up of my choices and the people that I impact. As difficult of an upbringing that I had, I want to break the cycle that you can't move forward from a difficult past and continue to help other people throughout my life. We all have social determinants that are out of our hands, things that we couldn't control, but I know that with the right tools and mindset, I can break that cycle and persevere and leave a legacy that I will be proud of.

In all honesty, with this $1,000, I would split it 50/50. I'd put $500 towards my tuition costs while putting $500 towards my rent for this coming school year. Ideally, if I could I would put it all towards my tuition costs and loans so I can lower it as fast as I can, but I also have to keep in mind that I have to meet rent payments every month so that I can continue to go to school where I do. I go to a private university and as thankful as I am for the financial aid that I get, it still isn't enough. This summer, I am working three jobs to be able to cover my rent for the year, while I will still have to take out a loan for this year's education costs. I support myself entirely for my education since my mom is a single mom raising three kids. I appreciate everything she has done to get me to where I am, but I recognize that I have to work to continue to succeed and get myself further. With the $1,000, I think it would really, overall, ease my mind and financial situation at the moment.

"In a place where there is no love, there is only fear." I start with that because it is something I truly believe in. To me, living boldly and practicing bravery is making sure that people feel love and feel secure. It is, at times, difficult to live boldly because you are afraid to speak out and not only speak out but more challengingly, speak out for other people. In my life, I try to speak out for those who cannot. Those who are too afraid to do so. I used to be the shyest kid. All my teachers used to tell me to speak up because they know I have a lot to say. However, I was always so hesitant. As I grew up, I realized if I speak up, I can also help other people. So, I practice bravery and living boldly by helping other people, having their voices heard, even if it comes from me.

Over my years, which to be fair is not many, I've learned that education stems from many places. After high school, I needed a break, both mentally and financially. I knew I couldn't go straight to college without saving up first, but I also knew that I needed to gain some life skills, ones not taught in the classroom. So, I enlisted in the Israeli army as a combat infantry commander for two years. I spoke a different language, wore my body out, and reached a mental low and high that I didn't think could be possible. But, when all of that was said and done, there was one thing that I truly missed. I missed learning. I missed expanding my views on the world and not just on the sandy desert that I spent my service in. I missed picking up a book and discussing it with the person next to me who might have thought about the book in an entirely different way. So, when I finished my service, I wasted no time and put myself right back in school. I began my undergraduate degree at American University, also working part-time, and immersed myself right back into books and essays, and deadlines. In the army, I had pushed myself in every aspect. Mentally. Physically. Emotionally. You name it. Suddenly, in school, I was pushing myself in an entirely different way. I arrived at my education because I wanted to and not because someone was forcing me. I chose my classes and went to them because they interested me and not because it was the general curriculum that needed to be taught. And I learned that that is exactly what life is about. If you go into life, into the world with interest and curiosity, there is no way you won't succeed. When you find a passion and you run with it, it shows and it prospers. My education put faith in my worldview. It made me understand that the knowledge I gained and will continue to gain will allow me to change the world, even if just a little. Education has taught me that there is a potential to be reached and I am capable of reaching it with an open mind. It has taught me that the world is what I make of it and if I don't like it, I can actually do something about it and I don't need to sit back and watch the fire burn.

I spent two years as a combat infantry commander in the Israeli army. In the army, individuals come from every and all backgrounds. Rich, poor, strong, weak, black, white, etc. And as a commander, I oversaw many of these lives. A lot of their paths depended on how I acted and how I was there for them. If I wasn't, then nobody was. When I first entered the job, I was given eleven soldiers. Again, each one stemmed from a different background and each one had experienced the best and the worst of commanders as well. It just so happened to be that they experienced the worst of the worst before I came along. So, I received absolutely no faith. They thought I would be gone within the month. But, what they didn't know was that I wasn't their enemy. I came to help, strengthen and create a team. I knew that, as a commander, I should be expecting respect. However, I understood, that I still needed to gain it, just as they had to gain respect from me as well. Over the course of 8 months, we gained each other's respect and created not just a community, but a family to lean on. We got stuck on base for an extended period of time because of the lockdowns of COVID-19 and that was the family that we leaned on. There was one particular time when one of my soldiers came up to me and voiced his suicidal thoughts to me. Not something very new in the army. Hard times push limits. But, the way a commander handles it often determines the outcome of the soldier because I'd seen it happen. I'd seen a commander fail their soldier. And then I saw the soldier have nowhere to turn to and then it was too late, unfortunately. However, my case was different. I made sure he wasn't alone and that he knew he had an army (quite literally) standing behind him, but I knew I was the first step in helping that journey. So, I never left his side. I spent four-hour guard duties with him, even if it meant I'd be awake for the next 48 hours. I made sure other people were always with him, always supporting him. And I then made sure he had everything he needed at home. I showed up for him and as much as I thought I only impacted him, I impacted myself as well. I realized that the key to living life happily and successfully was to lean on the people around you. It isn't to get so ahead of everyone else, you can't see them anymore, but to use people as stepping stones and to let them do the same when they need. At the end of my service, I only then realized all of this and only then realized how much I impacted my soldiers. Many of them came up to me telling me they wouldn't have kept going otherwise. Telling me I was like a mother or a sister to them and they wouldn't have had it any other way.

My family is one built of immigrants. But being born in America, I can't be labeled with those hardships. However, my family, no matter how I'm looked at from the outside, has built who I am. My family is the source of my drive, motivation, and nagging need to help the people around me. My grandparents are all immigrants. On my mom's side, they fled Baghdad, Iraq during the Farhud and found solace in Israel. On my dad's side, my grandmother left Poland for a better life. In contrast, my grandfather left Morocco, made it to France then Israel, and finally, to America, seeking what everyone believed to be a more extraordinary life. I grew up, mainly, with an Israeli/Iraqi cultural background since my mom grew up in Israel with Jewish Iraqi parents and moved to America at the naive age of 19 years. Growing up, I heard the stories from my mom of how they were seven siblings who grew up with no money and little support, but they had each other and that, at the time was all that mattered. No one thought about it until later, but my grandparents were also immigrants in Israel. They didn't speak, read, or write the language and the only commonality they had with the country was that they were Jewish. And, surprisingly, that was enough. They built their community from nothing and became a sort-of household name in the area. Then, when my mom moved to America, she didn't plan on spending the rest of her life there. She went for a visit and stayed. She also had to build herself up just as her parents did. She learned and perfected a new language and became quick on her feet to build a career. However, she never forgot where she came from. She implemented her culture, values, and beliefs in the household and that is what we grew up with. I learned to be kind and caring and, most of all, always keep the door open. In my home, we never turn down a single soul. Each person arrives on your doorstep for a certain reason at certain times and, from my family, I've learned that if you are fortunate enough to help and give then always do so. I think that is where my passion to become a doctor comes from. I want to be able to see the immediate help I can give to someone and be the person that can better their lives, even if in a small way. I think that I can really make a change in the world, one person at a time, with the values and beliefs that my family has instilled in me.

On a daily basis, I just want to go back to bed. If I am being truly and humbly honest, I feel like giving up most days, but I don't. I don't because I consistently try to think about the long-term, about how worth it everything will be. I am on a pre-med track in the middle of my Bachelor's degree and I often feel like I am drowning in work and it is truly never ending. However, I stop and imagine myself sometimes walking into a hospital room, ready to treat a patient, anf change a life. And that is what motivates me every day. The thought and knowledge that with the work that I put in on a daily basis, I'll be able to soon make my life bigger than myself is all I need to continue with the day and be motivated to learn, work, and grind.

I've learned a lot about myself over the years. I've changed from what I've learned and I think, overall, I've improved. Something that I learned about myself that I have found to be valuable is that I am actually courageous. I used to be a shy child. I tried not to raise my hand in class, I tried to wear colors and outfits that didn't attract too much attention, and I was just generally quiet in public. Now, granted after finishing a two year army service, I learned that I am actually a very courageous and outgoing person. I let the fear of what other thought of me keep me from who I potentially could be and I've only recently learned how beautiful that person is. The value of learning this is indispensable and I have now become a leader in my community and someone that people can trust and rely on.

I want my life to be bigger than myself. Actually, I need my life to be bigger than myself. As a student on a pre-med track, I want to be able to say that I contributed to society and the world and I didn't just take for myself. I want my legacy to be of someone who helped and gave. I don't need it to be a legacy of fame and fortune, but rather kindness and gratitude. I want this to be my legacy because I find it important to make life bigger than your own and bigger than the material things that one can own. The impact I make on the lives of others is one of the most important things to me. I was once in a position of power that allowed me to keep someone from taking their own life and it was then that I truly realized the power I hold in my words and actions. I didn't need money to help them, in fact, it wouldn't have helped at all. However, I was there for them with whatever words I could muster and I was there to support them and that is what I want my entire legacy to be about. I want to be remembered as a woman who uplifted her community and gave back to society. I want my legacy to be remembered as someone who took only in order to give.

If there is one sentence that I could share with the world, it would be this: Courage is not the absence of fear, but the rather the judgement that something is more important that fear. I would share this with the world because I think that fear is an element that holds many people back from their dreams and goals. Nowadays, fears hardly stem from true dangers, but rather from embarrassment, judgement, and what other people think of them. To me, courage is something we all need to step outside the box of comfort, to take that leap and go for what we actually want. Often times, we forget that we can be courageous, but still have an element of fear. We feel as if it is black and white, either fearful or courageous, but never both. However, this sentence shows that you can have both, but one needs to realize that it truly is our own fear that holds us back and nothing else.

There are many people that I turn to in my life to be able to keep up a growth mindset and by turning to these people, I've been able to learn a few things and only strengthen the positive growth mindset that I have. Something that I always try to keep in mind is acknowledging and embracing the imperfections within myself and others because someone once told me, "it is the spice in us that makes us individuals." I take those imperfections and use them to my benefit, I work harder, I face my challenges bravely, and I try to take deeper step towards authenticity because I know that if I am true to myself then that's the only way I'll be able to grow and succeed in life. I always try to take these thoughts with me in every action I take so that I can get a degree in a healthy way and pursue every opportunity that comes my way.

I always think about my ethical impact that I have on the world. If I want to bring another generation into the world then I need to treat in a way that is deserving of my future children and the next generation. Although I do not think that I have the greatest impact on the world and climate as other people might have, but I think I do my part in helping the situation. First, I make sure to educate myself on the matter so that means sitting in on discussions, getting involved in the sustainability club on campus, and informing others about what they can do to be that small change within the world. I, personally, make sure to be as environmentally conscious as I can on a day to day by recycling properly, bringing my own containers to campus to keep the environment clean on my end, and lessening my carbon footprint within the world. By doing things like that, little by little, my actions will turn into big changes and other people will be able to follow accordingly.

When many people think about financial freedom, they think about being able to buy whatever they want without thinking twice or being completely debt-free. However, I think of financial freedom in a different way. When one looks at the reality of life, debt is now a part of it, there is no escaping it, for the most part. So, when you acknowledge that payments will always be a part of your life and will always be due, you can learn to work around it. Being financially free, for me, means that I am not living paycheck to paycheck and worrying about how I am going to pay my next bills whether it be rent, tuition, or even my next grocery store trip. In my eyes, financial freedom means I have my budgeting under control and I can live without worrying about finding gig jobs while in school and trying to "get by." As of right now, I do not think I have attained financial freedom, but I think I am on a path to achieving it. To be able to achieve it in the future, I think starting now with good budgeting skills and a realistic idea of how much I can spend on a day to day. By starting now and putting myself on the right track, it will allow me to have the money that I need to pay my bills and loans and completely pay it all off at an earlier age so that I can focus on the next payments that lie ahead. My goal is to be able to buy a home in the future without having the weight of my tuition loans hanging over my head and I think that all starts by being financially conscious at a young age. I think that many people take advantage of their time in college and because the payments for their loans are not due immediately, it seems as if they have money to spend. However, the bill will come at some point and I do not want that to tie me down or hold me from achieving other dreams. In addition, by budgeting now, I will be able to realistically see if getting another degree, Masters and the likes, will be attainable or even on option that sits on the table. Financial freedom is a goal and dream for many, including myself, but we all have our own individual and unique ways of getting there.

Coming from an Israeli family that stemmed from both Iraq and Morocco, I think that I have always had a strong passion to understand people and the world around me. I believe it to be important to be able to understand how other people think, live, and act to be able to better understand one's own life and way of living. There is definitely something amazing to be learned about cultures and even more amazing when different cultures come together and find another way of living. My background of cultures is very diverse and I've been fortunate enough to see this immersion of cultures under my own roof. Growing up seeing this immersion has giving me a great sense of passion to learn about other cultures and truly immerse myself in them. A country that I would feel very fortunate to study abroad in would be Thailand. Living in the Western World for most of my life as given me a pretty good view of how one side of the world works in regards to culture. Studying in Thailand would mean taking myself miles out of my comfort zone and learning how a different side of the world lives and acts. Everything there, from what I understand, is much different than in America and people live a more relaxed and family/value-oriented life. I had lived in Israel for about two years, however, it is a very modern country that acts like many Western world countries, so I was not able to immerse myself in what would be the Eastern world. I believe that a study abroad experience in Thailand would help me to better understand behaviors and traditions that I haven't experienced before and then be able to apply them to my own life back home in America. My belief is that we, as citizens of America, live in a bubble that revolves around ourselves and we do not take the moment, or even longer, that we need to understand and empathize with the world around us. Overall, I believe that such a study abroad experience will help me in my public health and medical career track to become a more understanding human with patience and a better perception of situations. I don't think that traveling the world is something that should be taken lightly, I see every travel experience as an opportunity to learn, grow, and become a better person.

Something that my mom has always instilled in my brain since I was little, was this one lesson on finance that has stuck with me to this day. She would always say, "count your pennies and the dollar will take care of itself." This has been something that I consciously think about every day. Sometimes, it affects whether I go out and buy a cup of coffee that day or make one at home. When you make these conscious decisions about the small expenses in life, it truly adds up and can impact your expenses later on. I've found that by thinking this way, I've been able to better budget to pay off my tuition, make rent on a monthly basis, and simply live a life that is not paycheck to paycheck, where I can live confidently and securely. This finance lesson has been one that has saved me on numerous occasions and one that I will never forget.

As someone who grew up in a spiritual household, I take the link between spirituality and science to run very deep. I grew up in a Jewish, but a more traditional and spiritual home. The philosophies we lived by often correlated with scientific theories and facts and could be applied both spiritually and scientifically. Personally, I believe that many scientific discoveries have stemmed from the spiritual and/or religious beliefs of people in history. For instance, many spiritual people believe in the Samadhi illusion of self, the belief that the universe is one and that there is a transcendent union at the root of all spirituality. This illusion makes people look into one's self, their inner source and the essence of their being, how they are made up, what they are made up of, etc. In the same way, scientists try to explain the same thing, but in a more physical sense, using quantum physics and other means to try to explain phenomenons and things that are of divine power. My philosophy about the relationship between the two is that they are interconnected, but the understanding of science and math is to make sense of everything spiritual, everything that has already existed in the universe. Samadhi plays into this idea of the unknown and science tries to make it all concrete and absolute. A quote I came across by Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj can practically put together the whole idea of the relationship between spirituality, science, and math and the quote is as follows: “Wisdom is knowing I am nothing, love is knowing I am everything, and between the two my life moves.” Life moves between feeling and knowledge and we try to make sense of them both, but we often cannot. So, we are always playing this game, trying to make sense of spiritual, or divine, things through the works of science. As I had mentioned in the beginning, scientific theories always lined up with my spiritual or religious traditions, but for me, the traditions came first and the science behind it always followed. There is a strong correlation between the different subjects and I believe that we can learn from or about one, but not without the other, and they go hand in hand to make sense of the world around us. People absorb information in different ways and if science makes more sense than spirituality to some than others then that is how they will learn, and vice versa. One is no greater than the other, but rather science and spirituality work hand in hand to strengthen each other.

Throughout my life, I've always been running towards that feeling. I'm sure you know that feeling, the one that makes you feel bubbly inside after you have done something good. The feeling that puts you on a high without actually taking something to get high. Early on, I realized this was the feeling that I wanted to have throughout my career. In November of 2020, I finished a two-year service in the Israeli army and those two years were filled with that exact feeling. I was a commander in the army, responsible for 11 soldiers and then, later on, 25 soldiers. Each one had their own issues, their own home problems, and they turned to me for help. Oftentimes, one issue stemmed from an underlying issue that wasn't seen at the surface immediately. If it was substance abuse then possibly they had a lot of pressure coming from their home or if it was a physical issue of not being able to run then they possibly had a mental or emotional blockage that they needed help with. Bottom line, throughout those two years, I was always trying to first educate myself and then help others in any way that I could. Now, I am out of the army and beginning my Bachelor's Degree and on a pre-med track in Public Health. I chose public health because although many can be on a pre-med track and become a doctor or a nurse, I wanted to educate myself through the lens of the human eye and not just the medical eye. One can learn about the different medications and drugs needed to be prescribed, but not everyone will question if it is the right drug for them considering the home they come from or the situation they are in. I want to be able to open people's eyes and show them that writing a prescription doesn't mean getting the appointment over with and moving on to the next patient. I want to educate people in the future and show them that that simple prescription that was written could have been the beginning of someone's substance use disorder and they may not have had a clue. I hope to help people feel the weight of giving out medications and prescribing them and along the way helping the ones who have already fallen down a hole. I'd like to help them the same way I did in the army which was by understanding their entire life situation and the whole scope of everything and then putting them on a track to recover and later on, to success.

Throughout my life, although not very long, I've heard people tell me that school is not for them. Then, after getting to know them and their lives, I began to realize that school is actually for them and they are actually intellectually brilliant. However, they simply weren't handed the proper deck of cards in life to be educated fairly. I believe that we should all be standing for the right for everyone to attend school and then go on to higher education. Personally, I took a couple of years off after high school to gain some life experience, but also I was not prepared or able to attend university right away without working first and saving some money. Even after I had finished my gap years, I heavily considered studying abroad, away from my family, because there was no financial burden there. In the end, I stayed in America to study, but I already have student debt within the first month of my freshman year and instead of worrying about my classes, I worry about how I'll be able to afford to pay off my debt or even get by in life. I went off on this tangent to talk about my own life because I don't consider myself or my family "poor" or "lower class," I come from a middle-class family that has been able to get by, but when money gets in the way of higher education, it gets in the way of having a life going forward.

My greatest achievement in life was enlisting in the Israeli Defense Forces. I enlisted in November of 2018 and took some time after high school to do so. I served in the IDF as a combat infantry soldier for two years. I began my training and after months on the line of Egypt, I was sent to commanders course and became a commander. I was a commander on 11 soldiers for four months and then after those four months, I became a commander on 25 soldiers, second to my officer. I finished the army as a First Sergeant and it has been my greatest struggle and achievement in my entire life. During this time, I was awarded the Most Outstanding soldier in the Southern Command. I went in as one person and I came out an entirely different person. I learned to be patient and listen to people, but on the other hand, I learned what true confidence was, confidence in myself and in other people. I also learned to be fierce, but subtle in my ways and to never back down from something that is truly important. Every day, I fought for the rights of my soldiers, and every day, I became a stronger person because of that. I learned that I was actually a stronger person than I gave myself credit for and any doubts that I had were doubts that I had given myself and nobody else. My time in the army was very difficult, with long nights in the fields and long hours on patrols. As a woman, it was also something that was less accepted by the civilians as it is something that is still being processed and in the works so I always had to prove myself, to show that I was capable. And that is exactly what I did. I left home for two years and became fully independent, in the army and off base. Off base, I learned to cook, clean, and finance for myself. I learned to do the simplest things, even taking the bus in a foreign country or opening a foreign bank account. Everything that I had done, I had done on my own and I will forever be grateful for the opportunity to have such an achievement in my life. In the future, I hope to inspire others with the same confidence that I now have in myself. I hope to make a lasting impact on people that may not have the same opportunities sitting in front of them. I want to begin university and take my knowledge and pass it on to others, whether it is within the United States, throughout the world, or even within my community. I hope to make a lasting change and become a leader so that I can go home every day, look in the mirror, and be proud of who I have become and what I have done. I want to make an impact so large that serving in the IDF will no longer be my greatest achievement, but a stepping stone to greater ones.

As cliche as it may sound, the greatest inspiration in my life is the people that surround me. I feed off of the energy and hard work that I see and feel from the people closest to me, my mom, my brothers, my mentors. Most often, people look towards a "higher being," someone famous, incredibly smart, successful, etc. However, my inspirations in life are the people that I see day to day. People such as my mom who works hard to make a living, but more importantly, help the people around her. The second question that is posed is what drives me and it simply is just a chain reaction from the previous question. The people that inspire me are the people that drive me, but the real question is why. The people that inspire me have shown me what it is to be a good person in this world, to make life matter, and to put others before you because as long as you can do that, everything else will follow. So, that is what drives me, striving to be someone that is always helping, always making a difference and touching people's lives, always trying to be like the ones that stand as my greatest inspirations in life.

I need this scholarship because I am planning on attending American University in the fall. Coming from a single-parent household where my mother works full time to support three children, she cannot afford the expense of all of our college tuition. I spent the past two years in the Israeli military where I did gain a lot of experience and knowledge, but I was not making nearly enough to be able to save for my college tuition. Now, I am faced with paying my tuition and taking out all the loans that I can to get an honest and good degree and education. My mom finished her degree only at the age of 47 being the only one out of her siblings (7 children) to get her degree and she finds it important, and I do too, to get a higher education and be successful in the world rather than trying to hustle all the time.

I consider Albert Einstein to be my favorite scientist. As someone who revolutionized much of the world, he kept a sense of humility and was always looking to learn more and provide more to the world.

Through the stories of my mom's upbringing and her dedication to us, her children, I've learned that things don't come easy, but when you work hard enough, they are worth it. My mom would always ask us when we would get down about school or something that felt too difficult, "do you want it to be hard now and easy later or easy now and hard later?" And I think that speaks volumes to the kind of person she is and the way she has helped shaped us to be. I begin my story by talking about my mom because she is most of the story. Without her, there would be no story. My mom comes from a family of seven, originally from Israeli where her parents immigrated from Iraq to have a better life in Israel. They spoke no Hebrew and left all their money behind to have a better life for what would be their seven children. Those seven children then all worked as a family to make a name for themselves with half of them having to either drop out of high school or never go to college in order to support the family. My mom, being the youngest, had more opportunities than her older siblings, but nonetheless, had worked hard to make a name for herself and a living. She moved to America at 20 years young, the age I am now, and started an entirely new life for herself, looking for more opportunities, for herself, but again in the footsteps of her parents, for her future children. She began her degree at Temple University in Philadelphia but had never finished because, well, life had gotten in the way. She needed to support herself full-time and her children and didn't get the chance to finish. For almost my entire life, my mom has raised my two brothers and me on her own making sure that we never steered away from the path of success, that we never fell to any negative influences, and thankfully, we haven't. In 2017, my siblings and I pushed my mom to go back to school and finish her degree. She had been so close to finishing when she had dropped out and with us being older, it would have been easier to finish her degree. She ended up going back and we helped her along the way. With English being her second language and still working a full-time job while being a full-time student, she had a full plate. We proofread papers for her, sat and read articles with her that she had for homework, and really anything that could help. She finished a year later in May of 2018, a first-generation college graduate and the only one in her family. Her story and abilities have pushed me to be dedicated, determined, and a complete go-getter. She taught me that the world will always close a door in your face, but will leave a window open for opportunity, you just have to be determined enough to find it. After high school, I drafted into the Israeli military and finished in November of 2020 after two years and plan to pursue a degree and career that will create ripples of change throughout the world so I can leave a lasting impact like my mom had, just this time on the whole world.

My experience in 2020 was hectic, to say the least. Even without the pandemic, I would have had an extremely interesting and limit-pushing year. I spent 2020 in the Israel Defense Forces as a commander. I only finished the course to certify me as a commander in February and I was assigned my soldier right at the start of the lockdown. Eleven soldiers and I. We were all stuck with each other, strangers to each other, and no one knew when the next time would be when we saw our families. I thought it was going to be a nightmare. From the bat, they all voiced their opinions that they didn't think I would last as their commander, that they've been through many like me and they'd go through many more. I had to get to know eleven different personalities. Eleven different medical situations. Eleven different household situations. And all while no one really knew what was going on outside of the base, in the outside world. But, I did my best to make light of a dark situation. I pushed and pushed. I never gave up on my soldiers. I cried a lot, but I know now that it was worth it. I ended up staying with them until I got released from the army in November. I stayed with them for almost 9 months and I didn't let them go. In the end, they cried when I left, but I learned so much from the year and the experience. I was put in one of the most intense situations you could ever imagine and I didn't know if I'd get through it with my sanity intact. However, I did and I learned this: if I am going to do something then I need to give it my all. If I am going to care for them then with 100% of what I have. If I am going to look out for them, make them stronger, understand them then with only everything I have and nothing less. And I learned that it applies to everything. Most of any difficulty in life starts in your head. If you think it is difficult, you've already made it 10x harder. By going through this experience and succeeding in making an impact on these soldiers, I am now able to see more clearly going into university. I plan things out, I study as if that one test is the final test to receive my degree and I give my everything, not only because of the weight of the tuition costs but also because I know I can only benefit from believing in my abilities and shaping my future.

Throughout my life, I've always had one consistent person I look up to, my mom, as cliche and typical as it may sound. As a single mom, she raised three children on her own while working a full-time job. She always managed to stay positive around us and she taught me to be the person I am today while still being able to squeeze in all the typical life lessons one would receive from their parents. She has been a large factor in shaping me into the person I am today. After high school, I enlisted in the Israeli Army into a combat infantry unit. I served in the army for two years and looking back, I would not have done such a thing without having a mother who is such a strong and prominent role model in my life. She always taught me to be strong, independent, and above all else, happy in whatever I am doing. She also always taught me to take opportunities and use them to my fullest and greatest advantage because even if I fail, I can only go up from there and I can only become more successful from learning. I see myself today as an independent and outgoing person. I've lived on my own for two years, paid bills, and have begun to understand the basics of an adult. This I could not have done on my own. Throughout my life, my mom always made sure I knew how things worked. If she had an issue with a credit card or bill, she would sit down and show me what the issue was and how she was going to fix it or go about fixing it. In turn, I was able to learn skills for my life and not enter adulthood with a confused and childish mindset. In the future, I would like to impact change, such as I had in the army. I would like to travel the world to help people in any way that I can and once I set myself into a steady career, I would like to impact change within the United States government. My mom always taught me, above all else, that if you want something and if you want to change something, you need to take action because "if not you then who?" That's what she would always emphasize, that if you want something to change then you need to change it or at least take the initiative and be the one to begin to change it. This is exactly why I want to become involved in politics and government. My mom was always there to show me that I can influence others and I can make a large impact and because of that, I am confident that this will be the right path for me and I will be making a lasting and effective change in the future within America and then hopefully within the world. I know it will take time and effort and lots of patience, however, I know how to be adamant and it has all stemmed from one specific person that I truly look up to in my life and always will, my mother.

My parents divorced when I was about six years old. My father moved out of the house and my mother stayed as a single mother to raise three children. I only saw my father about once or twice every two weeks, although he arrived at my soccer games, my mother was the one to raise my siblings and I all my life. Seeing my mother raising her children on her own gave me a sense of independence early on. I understood that dependency is comforting and helpful, however, not completely necessary in being successful in life. Of course, having married parents would have been preferable, but my mother always taught me to see the good and learn from what is given to you. Rather than becoming bitter about the situation, my mother took life's reigns by the horns and led. She gave us a life full of happiness and confidence. My mom is my best friend and I think because I was able to see her full potential throughout my life, I was able to connect to her so much more. I never had any doubts about taking risks in life because I had an example set right in front of my eyes. Two years ago, I drafted to the Israeli Army, into combat out of all things and I think that jump, that risk, that confidence to do something different all stems from watching and being raised by my single mother. It was a drastic change in the beginning, to be raised mainly by one parent and then slowly solely by that parent, but as I said, my mother taught me to take things for the better. However, as a child of a single parent, I grew up thinking about the future in a very independent way, especially being my mother's only daughter, I learned to become an independent woman. As amazing and skillful this proved to be, I soon understood that it doesn't have to be this way, it was only the model in my life that made me see this way. About a year ago, my mother found someone that fits her perfectly. They have been together now for over a year and I am able to see the balance between her independence and her want to be dependent on him. She chooses when to be dependent because she can fully support herself which is a trait I will always admire and I was only able to admire it because she was a single mother for so long. Now, as a 20-year-old, I am planning my future and what it holds and because of my mother, I dream of becoming a leader in America and implementing the change that I want to see in the world. I have already gained a firm foundation from being in the army and experiencing it before college and now I am ready to enter college with the mindset that I will take advantage of every opportunity that is available to me without being held down by anyone or any judgment. I have learned over the years that the only person from ever stopping me from achieving my goals is myself. And we are being honest, not a person, but money can be a setback as well at times. Since I delayed beginning college by two years, I am now beginning college at the same time as my younger brother which creates a financial burden to our family. This scholarship would help to take the load off my personal tuition which in turn allows my mother to put more of an investment into my younger brother's tuition. Looking back, I wouldn't change my situation, as cliche as it sounds. Could I wish for "happily married parents?" I could and I could also keep dwelling, but instead, I choose only to learn from the life I was given and instead wish for my own happy life and in the future, my own version of my happily ever after, whatever that may be.

As humans, we all want to be remembered by something, by someone. As we continue to live life and work and pay bills and try to make a living, we strive to do something memorable so that we don't live and die for nothing. Legacies allow our names and lives to continue on and not be taken with us to the grave. Steve Jobs has a name that will live on for years, he left a legacy that has turned into a capitalistic empire and although Apple has revolutionized since his passing, he will always be the start of Apple, that is his legacy. Martin Luther King Jr. is celebrated not only observed on the third Monday of January every year, but he is commemorated and valued almost every single day through movements and protests and 5th-grade projects. He left a legacy for generations and generations to come. To me, a legacy means that you have given in your life and not only taken. You have given time, energy, money, or whatever it may be, but you lived a life with selflessness so that other people could benefit from it later on. I want to leave behind a legacy so grand that it creates ripples within mankind. Now, I know this is a bit of a grand idea, but I truly would like to give from myself and my potential. I know that my efforts can create ripple effects if I just take the time and devotion to make the world a better place. I would like to do this through policies and development and my start will be right in my university where I am studying Interdisciplinary Studies and International Development.

Throughout my life, I've always had one consistent role model, my mom. As a single mom, she raised three children on her own while working a full-time job. She always managed to stay positive around us and she taught me to be the person I am today while still being able to squeeze in all the typical life lessons one would receive from their parents. She has been a large factor in shaping me into the person I am today. After high school, I enlisted in the Israeli army into a combat infantry unit. I served in the army for two years and looking back, I would not have done such a thing without having my mother as such a strong and prominent role model in my life. She always taught me to be strong and independent. She also always taught me to take opportunities and use them to my fullest and greatest advantage because even if I fail, I can only go up from there and I can only become more successful from learning. I see myself today as an independent and outgoing person. I've lived on my own for two years, paid bills, and understood the life of an adult. This I could not have done on my own. Throughout my life, my mom always made sure I knew how things worked. If she had an issue with a credit card or bill, she would sit down and show me what the issue is and how she is going to fix it or go about fixing it. In turn, I was able to learn skills for my life and not enter adulthood with a confused and childish mindset. In the future, I would like to impact change, such as I had in the army. I would like to travel the world to help people in any way that I can and once I set myself into a steady career, I would like to impact change within the United States government. My mom always taught me, above all things, that if you want something and if you want to change something, you need to take action because "if not you then who?" That's what she would always emphasize, that if you want something to change then you need to change it or at least take the initiative and begin to change it. This is exactly why I want to become involved in politics and government. My mom was always there to show me that I can influence others and I can make a large impact and because of that, I am confident that this will be the right path for me and I will be making a lasting and effective change in the future within America and then hopefully within the world. I know it will take time and effort and lots of patience, however, I know how to be adamant and it has all stemmed from one specific person that I truly look up to in my life and always will, my mother.

If money was not an issue in my life, I would accomplish so much. If money wasn't an issue in life, ironically, I don't think I would be writing this essay or applying to this scholarship. Generally, I would still apply for scholarships, but I wouldn't spend hours on end trying to find ways to pay my tuition. I would travel the world to the most and least visited places on Earth. I would discover every single twist and turn of the world and learn about all different kinds of cultures right in front of my eyes. I wouldn't think twice about traveling business class or even trying to budget my trip. I would take every opportunity possible. I would also travel the world to help people. As much as I would discover, I would also volunteer in every place that I can. As someone who loves to give back, it is something that I am aching to do, but it still costs a load of money to volunteer with costs of food and travel and such. If money was not an issue, I would go on to study for my Master's degree and pursue higher education. Since money is generally tight and one has to work in order to get by, getting a Master's degree is not something that is currently realistic if it were then only part-time. Generally, if money were not an issue, I wouldn't be spending so much time in front of a computer screen, working.

Life experiences outside of schooling are arguably just as important as receiving a traditional American education. They teach you the skills that are not usually taught in school and help you get ahead in life. For this exact reason, after high school, I took a break from all the traditional schooling and enlisted in the Israel Defense Forces. I still applied to university but deferred my enrollment in order to embark on this journey. I felt that I needed to gain these outside experiences in order to fully succeed in college and then in my future career. I enlisted in the Israeli Army as a combat infantry soldier. I went into basic training and then advanced training and then spent four months on the Egyptian border. After those four months, I went out to a course to become a commander. I successfully finished the course and went on to command eleven soldiers for four months and then I commanded another fourteen, totaling 25 soldiers. In this time, I gave commands, but also made crucial decisions that impacted each and every one of their lives. I helped them with situations at home and on-base and made sure that everything ran smoothly. Through this experience, I gained, not only leadership skills, but I understood what it is to truly listen and be patient, to assess an entire situation, and then make my decisions through thorough analysis. On the other hand, I also had to learn to make quick decisions and think on my feet. This came from all the drills and exercises we would do on the border of Egypt and in training where I would only have a quick second to make a decision that could if in a real situation, mean life or death. I understood what it meant to pick my battles, that not everything needs to be fought or argued, but if it is important enough then I'd fight tooth and nail for it which is exactly what I did. Every day, I fought for the rights of my soldiers to make sure they received what they deserved and were not being taken advantage of, and in the end, I finished my service with honor and with an award of Excellence. As a result of my time "outside of the classroom," I feel ready and prepared to take on my Bachelor's degree and college experience. To take on every opportunity that comes my way and be a leader along the way. This experience enhanced my skills and sculpted my personality for college and my future career. After my four years in college or less, I want to enter the US government and contribute in the special way that I can, through dedication, perseverance, and strong leadership. I want to be able to make a difference in the country and eventually throughout the world. Whether it is quietly or publicly, I want my experiences to impact more people than myself and the only way to do so is to use those skills and apply them throughout college and throughout my career.

I am currently working on a TEFL course to be certified to teach English as a Foreign Language. I want to be able to travel the world (after Corona) and teach people English in less fortunate countries. This will enable them to go on and be successful since they have a universal language under their belts. I want to take this skill and use it throughout my college degree as well, however, the course costs a hefty amount of money as well as course material to teach people. I would use this grant to further my teaching education so that I can, in turn, teach other people and give them the skills they need to succeed in life.

In the picture, I am after a drill in the Israeli Army. I served in a combat infantry unit called Caracal for two years and was released last week. In the drill, we had "terrorists" and "injured people," and they opened two of my veins. This was just a weekly exercise we do, but it was my daily life generally.

In November of 2018, I took a big step in my life. I enlisted into the Israeli Defense Forces as a combat infantry soldier. I began basic training and passed and continued on to advanced training. I served for four months on the border of Egypt before I went out to commander course and became a commander on a group of eleven soldiers. After the course, I went back to serve on the border of Egypt, but this time as a commander. Throughout my service after the course, I had to make critical decisions in the field that would truly affect the outcome of situations. One night, I was on-call. I was the commander in charge if something urgent happened and they needed first responders. I went to sleep around midnight and around two o'clock in the morning, gunshots. Not one or two, but forty or fifty at a time. Automatic guns. I rushed outside knowing I needed to be the first to understand what was going on and get down to the field. I ran outside and saw the gunshots flying above our heads. Nonstop and the ringing just kept getting louder. I jumped in the army car with all my gear, waited another minute for my soldiers to run in and we jumped to the scene. Driving down the restricted army road, the gunshots continued, there were people shooting from the Egyptian border and they weren't going to stop. For the sake of security, why they were shooting cannot be disclosed, however, it was an event that I will never forget. I needed to make the decision of whether to continue driving or not because a couple more feet forward and we may not have returned with the same amount of people back to base. However, when everything was said and done, we all returned back safe, but I couldn't seem to fall back to sleep that night. I suddenly realized my life could have ended that night. I could have finished right then and there at the ripe age of 19. As cliche as it may sound, it made me realize the value of my life and how I could be living it to a greater potential. I could be giving more of myself to others and be more impactful within the community and within the world. From that day, I had more energy in my movements, more meaning in what I was doing. Suddenly, I had found a purpose for doing things before I did them instead of simply going through the motions because I was told to do so. All at once, I found this new perception in life that helped me connect to people on a more meaningful level and, more importantly, become a better commander to my soldiers. I would like to think that as a result, I was promoted. I suddenly had double the soldiers to look after. 25 soldiers under my wing and I could not have been happier. I understood the impact I could make on my soldiers and the people around me if I just gave it purpose and I did. I got released from the army not too long ago and I plan on taking this attitude and new perception of life and bring it to other people in my next stages in life. I was given an opportunity to see things differently and I won't let it go to waste.

Pandemics open eyes. They affect the world, but they make people realize. At least, this one has made me realize some new things. Throughout my life, I only knew pandemics from the history books and once you closed the book it was no longer relevant. However, suddenly, I close the book and I am still living in some warped fairytale story that never seems to end. When COVID-19 began to take reign on the whole world, I was on my army base. I was serving in the Israel Defense Forces and just finished my commander's course. I received eleven soldiers to command over, they didn't know who I was and I didn't know who they were and suddenly we were all locked down on base for an indefinite amount of time. We had to learn about each other quickly, but not without a large amount of frustration. They did not want to accept a new commander and I was trying to absorb eleven different personalities all while the whole army was trying to adjust to the fact that they were not going to see their home anytime soon. COVID-19 in no time had made my life more difficult than I could have ever imagined, but I could also not have been more thankful. Although we are still dealing with COVID-19 on a daily basis, I am able to better cope with how I now live my life because I learned to slow down. In the time that I was stuck on base, I realized that I had all the time in the world to get to know my soldiers and be the best person I could be for them. I understood that I could take my time and learn them, learn about their quirks and hobbies, what bothers them, and who they truly are. This is not to say that it was not a difficult time, however, I learned about myself as well in an unimaginable way. I learned how strong of a person I could be and it has simply been sitting inside me waiting to come out. I learned that can work well under stress when I know that the stress is for a good cause. And I learned that all this time, the world, people, have just been waiting for the next thing. They were never able to appreciate the moment because they were always waiting for the next big thing to happen. So, I learned to take that moment and understand where I am, understand my situation, and take it with the greatest amounts of love as possible because there is no point in being bitter about a situation that is hardly in your own hands.

I spent two years in the Israel Defense Forces. In that time, I learned and grew and became a stronger person, but not without failure or rejection. Towards the beginning of my service, during basic training, there was an opportunity for tryouts for the K-9 unit. An elite unit that only took about six people every tryout and they only occurred every four to five months. I decided to try out seeing that it was an opportunity of a lifetime. I trained and prepared for the tryout for weeks before and then the tryouts came. There was a basic evaluation run that I needed to pass to pass the first round. So, three kilometers later and a solid run time later, I passed the first round. I made it into the real tryout. A week later, the day came for the tryout. It was an intense two-day tryout with minimal sleep, freezing weather, and limited time to show off the skills that I had. I gave my absolute all. I was one of the smallest and shortest in the group so carrying around sacks of sand for hours proved to be a bit harder for me than most, but I carried on and truly gave my all. After hours of running and crawling in the mud and being pushed to my physical and mental limit, I finished the tryout. Some did not make it to the end, quitting in the middle, but I needed to at least make it to the end, so I did. I was confident and excited for the end. The tryouts ended with interviews with the head commanders, basic questions so they could get to know the person better, and then finally, we were officially done. I headed back with all the girls to my main base and we awaited results. The next day, we gathered together for the results and our commander began calling out names. One name after the other, I began to realize my name was not going to be called and I needed to come to terms with it. Six names later and my name was officially not called. I was as disappointed as could be and I needed to somehow quickly come to terms because basic training continued whether I was ready or not. Slowly, I began to only focus on the training and not on my earlier failure. I finished basic and advanced training and soon joined the unit on the border of Egypt for patrols and guarding. I still had a small inkling of disappointment lingering in the back of my head that I couldn't get rid of, however, after four months of being on the Egyptian border, a different opportunity presented itself. I could become a commander. I could have a chance to lead. It wasn't an elite unit, but it would give me the chance to make a change and become an impact on people. So, there I was again. I needed to pass evaluation tests and I trained better and harder than I ever had before, knowing that this was an opportunity of a lifetime. I passed all the evaluations and was accepted into the course. Four months and a course later, I became a commander. I was given a group of eleven soldiers who were unmotivated and tired. After four months with them and lots of energy and motivation, I was able to lift them up. I was able to remind them of their purpose and reason for enlisting into combat. And at the end, I realized that without being rejected from the K-9 unit, I would never have been able to help these eleven soldiers succeed and not give up. I would never have been able to be the center of somebody's world for a bit and change it entirely. I understood, at the end of my service, that what I had done was ten times as better and influential than what I could have done if I had been accepted to the unit and I will be forever grateful.

When I was in the Israeli Army, I was a commander. I had eleven soldiers under my wing when I began and I couldn't have been happier. It was one of the most challenging things I had ever done in my life, but also one of the most exciting. I was ready to make an impact, to help these soldiers, and to begin changing a system that has failed these soldiers time and time again. The army was a place that gave and took care of soldiers, but its main goal was the defense of the country, Israel, as it should be. So, as a natural result, sometimes the needs of soldiers was brushed under the rug or pushed off for a later time even though it was urgent for them. I, as a commander, thought that I could begin to change that process and mindset and really give the soldiers the attention they needed. If not within the army then at least within my unit. I was a commander for eight months, for four months I had eleven soldiers, and for the other four, I had 25 soldiers. After those eight months, I had not been able to implement any permanent change within the unit as hard as I tried. I fought and fought for rights and basic needs, but the unit stayed the way it was. At the end of my service, I had thought that I failed, that I had failed myself and my soldiers. I thought that I had wasted two years of my life as a soldier and commander because I had implemented no change and hadn't reached my goal. However, at the end of my service, a few of my soldiers took me to the side, sat me down, and told me exactly how influential I had been in their lives and how much I truly impacted them. At that moment, I realized that my failures can sometimes lead to the success of others because not always are our failures complete. Sometimes they are only small failures because we didn't reach our ultimate goals, but we reached smaller goals along the way. It showed me that I do not need to make large impacts on large institutions in order to make a change, but I can in a smaller way and that it only takes one person to make that change. It redirected my life and humbled me. It made me understand that, first, I can only see my successes in life at the end of each milestone, and second, that I can be a strong and influential change and impact on people even if it is on the level of a couple of people, but that I should never for a moment believe that I wasted my time doing something because I can learn and grow from every experience in life.

Throughout my life, I have always been surrounded by small businesses. My mom, as one of seven children, was part of a family auto repair shop business that was built up in the 1960s and is around up until this day. The shop was an integral part of the whole family especially since everyone in the city knew who they were and what they stood for. Now, I was not around when the shop was in its prime, but as I said, the shop still stands today, and although not as busy as it used to be, people still come around for the quality of the business. One of my uncles still runs it today while another uncle branched off of the shop and opened a print shop right above it. And while those two uncles run those businesses, another one of the seven children (another uncle) took the business and expanded it to Miami. He now runs a very successful store in Miami all while basing his credit on his roots and skills that he received right in that little shop. Growing up with this store as a proud achievement of my family, I know how important it is to support small businesses and to give wherever possible to the small shops rather than the big corporations. Having the little shops around keeps people humble and allows a community to stay how it exactly is, a family. It allows people to support one another without giving in to greed and fame. Having said that, I do not plan on opening my own business, but I do plan on helping the current ones in my family stay open, expand, and continue to succeed because, at the end of the day, the success of my family is essentially my own success as well.

The problem that interests me the most with climate change is the changes in precipitation patterns and temperatures throughout the world. Growing up in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, I have always been prepared for and have known what a cold winter is. Recently, that winter has been pushing into later months. Winter used to begin around mid-October and now begins in mid-November with snow only arriving in late December. And now the winter can last until even April in some years! Although I am a fan of the warm weather, the problems in climate change are fairly concerning. I want my own children, in the future, to grow up in a safe and stable environment where I do not have to worry about the safety of their wellbeing because of the weather and temperatures. I plan on working on this problem by becoming more aware of the issue and studying it throughout my Political Science degree. By becoming educated and receiving a successful degree, I can later enter the United States Government and begin to implement changes from within. It is no secret that humans are the ones creating these awful changes with all the fossil fuels and emissions rising up into the air, so we as humans need to be the ones to fix that as well.

Throughout my life, I've always had one consistent role model, my mom. As a single mom, she raised three children on her own while working a full-time job. She always managed to stay positive around us and she taught me to be the person I am today while still being able to squeeze in all the typical life lessons one would receive from their parents. She has been a large factor in shaping me into the person I am today. After high school, I enlisted in the Israeli army into a combat infantry unit. I served in the army for two years and looking back, I would not have done such a thing without having my mother as such a strong and prominent role model in my life. She always taught me to be strong and independent. She also always taught me to take opportunities and use them to my fullest and greatest advantage because even if I fail, I can only go up from there and I can only become more successful from learning. I see myself today as an independent and outgoing person. I've lived on my own for two years, paid bills, and understood the life of an adult. This I could not have done on my own. Throughout my life, my mom always made sure I knew how things worked. If she had an issue with a credit card or bill, she would sit down and show me what the issue is and how she is going to fix it or go about fixing it. In turn, I was able to learn skills for my life and not enter adulthood with a confused and childish mindset. In the future, I would like to impact change, such as I had in the army. I would like to travel the world to help people in any way that I can and once I set myself into a steady career, I would like to impact change within the United States government. My mom always taught me, above all things, that if you want something and if you want to change something, you need to take action because "if not you then who?" That's what she would always emphasize, that if you want something to change then you need to change it or at least take the initiative and begin to change it. This is exactly why I want to become involved in politics and government. My mom was always there to show me that I can influence others and I can make a large impact and because of that, I am confident that this will be the right path for me and I will be making a lasting and effective change in the future within America and then hopefully within the world. I know it will take time and effort and lots of patience, however, I know how to be adamant and it has all stemmed from one specific person that I truly look up to in my life and always will, my mother.

I discovered my love for yoga when I first signed up for a gym membership at LA Fitness. They had yoga classes going on a couple of times a week and I decided to try it out. The first time I took a class, I absolutely crashed on the ground. I could barely hold myself up and all I looked forward to was the last ten minutes of laying on the ground and just being with myself. I took a break and a month later, I decided to give it another shot and I absolutely loved it. I felt myself becoming stronger and more flexible. Later on, after high school when I enlisted in the Israeli army, I really found myself finding my time to do yoga because of all the stressful training. I began using the Nike Training app and doing twenty minutes of yoga before I went to sleep a couple of times a week. It helped me not only become stronger in my training but also more relaxed from day to day through all the stressful drills and training periods. From my love for yoga, I have discovered that I can pass on that feeling as well. I can show people what it is to feel relaxed, reenergized, and renewed through their works of yoga. I did this all throughout my army service by having people join me in my lessons and I hope to continue it outside of the army and spread that positivity that the world so needs right now.

With divorced parents growing up, it was hard to believe in love, period. As I grew up, I began to realize that it wasn't the most important thing to focus on in my day to day or in life in general. As soon as I began to focus on loving myself and understanding myself as a person, I realized that everything else would come together eventually. It wasn't a mathematic equation where the love of another person would make me love myself more, but rather that the love that I give myself allows me to live a healthy and happy life. In high school, I always looked at myself in comparison to others, do I look alright? Are my grades better or worse than his/hers? Was her presentation better than mine? Can I outrun her on the soccer field? These questions filled my mind for years and it wasn't until I enlisted in the Israeli army did I realize that I needed to start looking at myself and start beating my own personal records rather than somebody else's. In the army, everyone starts as equals, same clothing, same workouts, same everything. As our training continued, we began helping each other to become better and faster and stronger rather than letting somebody fall short or fall behind. I began to love myself and accept the way that I am more and more just so that I could help somebody else succeed because if I was faster, it meant that I could help pull somebody along. It no longer meant that I could finish first, but rather circle back and help my peers. Slowly, my relationships started strengthening and had meaning and I was able to aspire to be a healthier and more positive person because I was learning to love myself in order to help others. I am still on my journey and learning about myself, accepting myself, but my time in the army definitely made an impact on the love I give to myself.

The photo I chose to submit is of my mom and me. My mom, as cliche as it may sound, is someone who I have grown up being thankful for and will always be thankful for. I enlisted in the Israeli army two years ago and am now finishing my two-year service. I enlisted into a combat infantry unit on the other side of the world (Israel) leaving my family back in America. Nearing towards the end of my service, I can say with full confidence that I was able to get through my service because of my mom. She was my rock and cheerleader during my service and always showed me the importance of what I was doing even if sometimes I couldn't see it. The picture that I am submitting is one of my mother and me at my ceremony marking the end of my commanders' course. She flew across the world just to watch me receive my pin and be able to be a proud mother then and there. However, it is not the first time she has flown across the world for me. When I had my swearing-in ceremony, four months into enlisting, and after my grueling basic training, I thought I was going to go through it alone. I thought that after all that training I would swear-in with no one sitting in the crowd, which was understandable since I chose to enlist so far from my family, but I wasn't alone. My mom flew in the night before and surprised me right at the ceremony. She didn't let me face it alone and throughout my life, she has always been there for me just like she was that day. She is constantly there to teach me the life lessons that need to be taught, to be a woman, and to just live life in the happiest way possible and I could not be more grateful and thankful for the woman I call my mother.

Education is one of the essential foundations of my life. Everything I do, I do in order to learn and evolve and become a better and more intelligent person. For the first eighteen years of my life, I had a formal education. One that most American students have, preschool, kindergarten, elementary/middle school, and then high school. A formal education at a public school with all the basic learning elements, science, math, history, etc. However, it was never that simple. I always saw education as a broader idea, something that held more importance. It could have been based off the foundations of my mother's teachings where she always strived for greatness, for us to be greater. As a child, I learned Hebrew first and then I learned in English through school and home learning, but it was more essential and important for my mom to teach us Hebrew because it was a language that we wouldn't be able to learn in school and if we could have learned it then she preferred to do so. This is something that has resonated with me throughout my life and because of this, I took two years after high school and joined the Israel Defense Forces. Many would say I had done it for the experience, however, I saw it as something more powerful. I was in an active combat infantry unit where I learned things I could have never learned in a formal education setting. I received the education of my life, how to be independent, setting my own standards for life, and many other things. It has set me up for life in a way that I could never have imagined. I know now that I am going to be entering college with the mindset that I need to take advantage of every educational opportunity that is handed to me because that is what will ultimately lead me to live a successful and happy life. I saw bits of it in the army and I now fully believe that education truly is the secret to reaching one's full potential and deciding what to do with that education is all the more powerful.

Staying fit is something that has always been important to me. My mom always made sure it was ingrained in our brains to have a balance in life, to eat well, and make sure to stay healthy and fit. All throughout high school, if you needed to find me then you would look on the soccer field or the gym or the track (or even running loops around my neighborhood). The point being I began taking care of my fitness at a young age and then when I graduated high school, I enlisted in the Israeli Army. I enlisted as a combat infantry soldier which went perfectly with my mindset and need to stay on top of my game. In the army, I proved myself to be physically fit, even among the men, and only pushed myself during those two years even harder. Every day was more and more of a challenge whether it was mentally or physically, but the training is what I really focused on. The long runs in the burning desert heat or the extra couple of pull-ups so I could build up my strength for later, all this to strengthen myself as a whole. I believe that by becoming physically fit and strong, I can strengthen my mind as well to become more determined and successful. When you don't feel like a couch potato, you can achieve almost anything you set your mind to. As a result, I feel healthier and lighter on my feet. I have more cravings for better foods because I want to continue feeling that way and pushing my limits. I still continue to push my limits out of the army (I was released a couple of weeks ago) and see what my body can truly do.

My parents divorced when I was about six years old. My father moved out of the house and my mother stayed as a single mother to raise three children. I only saw my father about once or twice every two weeks, although he arrived at my soccer games, my mother was the one to raise my siblings and I all my life. Seeing my mother raising her children on her own gave me a sense of independence early on. I understood that dependency is comforting and helpful, however, not completely necessary in being successful in life. Of course, having married parents would have been preferable, but my mother always taught me to see the good and learn from what is given to you. Rather than becoming bitter about the situation, my mother took life's reigns by the horns and led. She gave us a life full of happiness and confidence. My mom is my best friend and I think because I was able to see her full potential throughout my life, I was able to connect to her so much more. I never had any doubts about taking risks in life because I had an example set right in front of my eyes. Two years ago, I drafted to the Israeli Army, into combat out of all things and I think that jump, that risk, that confidence to do something different all stems from watching and being raised by my single mother. It was a drastic change in the beginning, to be raised mainly by one parent and then slowly solely by that parent, but as I said, my mother taught me to take things for the better. However, as a child of a single parent, I grew up thinking about the future in a very independent way, especially being my mother's only daughter, I learned to become an independent woman. As amazing and skillful this proved to be, I soon understood that it doesn't have to be this way, it was only the model in my life that made me see this way. About a year ago, my mother found someone that fits her perfectly. They have been together now for over a year and I am able to see the balance between her independency and her want to be dependent on him. She chooses when to be dependent because she can fully support herself which is a trait I will always admire and I was only able to admire it because she was a single mother for so long. Now, as a 20 year old, I am planning my future and what it holds and because of my mother I dream of becoming a leader in America and implementing the change that I want to see in the world. I have already gained a firm foundation from being in the army and experiencing it before college and now I am ready to enter college with the mindset that I will take advantage of every opportunity that is available to me without being held down by anyone or any judgement. I have learned over the years that they only person from ever stopping me from achieving my goals is myself. And we are being honest, not a person, but money can be a setback as well at times. Since I delayed beginning college by two years, I am now beginning college at the same time as my younger brother which creates a financial burden to our family. This scholarship would help to take the load off my personal tuition which in turn allows my mother to put more of an investment into my younger brother's tuition. Looking back, I wouldn't change my situation, as cliche as it sounds. Could I wish for "happily married parents?" I could and I could also keep dwelling, but instead I choose only to learn from the life I was given and instead wish for my own happy life and in the future, my own version of my happily ever after, whatever that may be.

My greatest achievement in life was enlisting in the Israeli Defense Forces. I enlisted in November of 2018 and took some time after high school to do so. I served in the IDF as a combat infantry soldier for two years. I began my training and after months on the line of Egypt, I was sent to commanders course and became a commander. I was a commander on 11 soldiers for four months and then after those four months, I became a commander on 25 soldiers, second to my officer. I finished the army as a First Sergeant and it has been my greatest struggle and achievement in my entire life. During this time, I was awarded the Most Outstanding soldier in the Southern Command. I went in as one person and I came out an entirely different person. I learned to be patient and listen to people, but on the other hand, I learned what true confidence was, confidence in myself and in other people. I also learned to be fierce, but subtle in my ways and to never back down from something that is truly important. Every day, I fought for the rights of my soldiers and everyday, I became a stronger person because of that. I learned that I was actually a stronger person than I gave myself credit for and any doubts that I had were doubts that I had given myself and nobody else. My time in the army was very difficult, long nights in the fields and long hours on patrols. As a woman, it was also something that was less accepted by the civilians as it is something that is still being processed and in the works so I always had to prove myself, to show that I was capable. And that is exactly what I did. I left home for two years and became fully independent, in the army and off base. Off base, I learned to cook, clean, and finance for myself. I learned to do the simplest things, even taking the bus in a foreign country or opening a foreign bank account. Everything that I had done, I had done on my own and I will forever be grateful for the opportunity to have such an achievement in my life. In the future, I hope to inspire others with the same confidence that I now have in myself. I hope to make a lasting impact on people that many not have the same opportunities sitting in front of them. I want to begin university and take my knowledge and pass it on to others, whether it is within the United States, throughout the world, or even within my community. I hope to make a lasting change and become a leader so that I can go home everyday, look in the mirror, and be proud of who I have become and what I have done. I want to make impacts so large that serving in the IDF will no longer be my greatest achievement, but a stepping stone to greater ones.