Math was not always my strongest subject in school. It was until my junior year, when I took Algebra II, that I started to enjoy math. It made sense to unlike some of the other subjects in school. It just makes sense. I've always been a practical person. Sometimes I am told that I am too practical. Too realistic. I believe that I am the right amount of practical and realistic. I guess this is why I never did too well when it came to figurative writing in my English classes. The only time I did good, without stressing myself out, was when it came to non-fiction or evidence-based writing. History was an alright subject until it came to ancient history. I always questioned how we knew what we were reading was true, especially since the authors of history books can always leave out information. I didn't do bad in these subjects, I just didn't enjoy them. Math was different. Much like science, it required evidence. You can see exactly why the answer is what it is. If you mess up, it is easy to see why you messed up, and how to fix it. I love the practicality of math. How easy it is to learn. How it can apply to real life. It may not apply directly, but the skills such as critical thinking and problem-solving apply to the real world. I love math because it just makes sense.

From a young age, always knew I wanted to help others in any way that I could. My mom would always tell me stories about how I loved giving money to those who needed it more than I did. She always told me that it seemed like I would rather go broke to help others. I am caring. I started my high school career wanting to be an immigration lawyer. This was because I felt like it was the best way I could help those who really needed it. Then I noticed how much school lawyers have to go through and how much that schooling costs. My family would help me the best they could, but coming from a single-parent household, I knew there was only so much they could do. I also learned that I did not too much care for a lot of reading and that I was instead a math and science person. I am self-aware. Throughout my high school years, I was a part of the color guard. This was the best decision I ever made. My mom was in color guard when she went to Winder-Barrow and she wanted me to do the same. Color guard was my home away from home. It was my safe space. I knew that I would have people there for me whenever I needed them, and they knew the same. I was co-captain my junior year and captain my senior year. Being captain taught me how to be myself no matter what. It taught me who I really was. Every day I made sure to talk to everyone on the team. I did not want anyone to feel as if they did not belong. This helped when it came time for me to teach routines. Because I invested so much into my individual relationships with them, they were willing to listen and learn. I am a leader. In the last semester of my senior year, I decided I wanted to be a civil engineer. It was too late for me to take an engineering class, but that did not deter me from my dreams. I knew it would be hard and I knew I would have to discipline myself, but it was the principles behind my decision that made me want to go on with being a civil engineer. I want to help people. I want to create more walkable areas so that we are not so car-dependent. I also have dreams of working in waste-water treatment where I can help keep water as clean as possible. I want to help give those without clean water a better way to live. I want to leave a positive impact on the world through civil engineering, and this scholarship will help me help others.

When I was a child, I loved looking at all of the buildings, bridges, roads, and other infrastructure in my town. I would constantly look out the window during road trips, not just because I was bored, but because I loved to see the interesting buildings, the curvy roads, and the long beautiful bridges. One thing I didn't enjoy seeing was sidewalks that were cut off for no reason. I didn't like the fact that there were structures made for the sole purpose of keeping the homeless away. I didn't like that my town was so car dependent. And I really didn't like that some intersections were constantly congested and no one would do anything about it. I wanted to be an immigration lawyer when I first entered high school. Then I learned how to drive and my love for all things infrastructure sprouted once again. I took a couple of physics classes and I loved them. I then learned how to love math. Because of this I thought that I should look for a career geared toward science and math. I started to search for STEM jobs that handled infrastructure and I came across civil engineering. The more I looked into it, the more I loved it. I am now applying to college in hopes of getting my bachelors degree in civil engineering. So I guess the reason as to why I am passionate about engineering is because of my childhood mind. Wondering how the roads work. Who decides where roundabouts and red lights go. Creating and connecting communities. All things infrastructure.