One of my most cherished early childhood memories is playing teacher with my stuffed animals. Although my students were mere imagination, sharing my knowledge brought me a sense of nurturing fulfillment, one that continues to guide me today. This early connection for providing service and support has evolved into a passion for impacting the lives of others within the healthcare setting. During my first year of high school, eager to fulfill this passion, I researched non-profit organizations I could participate in during the pandemic. I joined an online program, Meaningful Teens, which focused on helping immigrant children improve their English skills. This experience connected with my own childhood because, similar to the students I was teaching, I struggled to learn English without any guidance at home. Through virtual activities and lessons, I witnessed the vast progress of the children and their growing affection for books, which I found incredibly inspiring. Upon the transition back to on-campus school, I joined the Library Club, which offered a volunteer opportunity with elementary school kids. Using my prior experience, I was able to collaborate and create an engaging lesson plan within the limited amount of time given in the classroom. This opportunity helped shape my storytelling skills, which I have found useful in my babysitting job. Whether it’s as simple as enacting picture books or making art projects, I continually strive to create a positive learning environment for the children in my care. At the age of five, one of my twin cousins was diagnosed with lupus. Oftentimes, she had no motivation to play and experienced a loss of appetite. She would be rushed into the emergency room in the middle of the night, and due to her condition, would spend weeks hospitalized. Being left to care for her twin sibling, I relied on my emotional intelligence skills to help comfort and empathize with him. After my cousin came home, she fell very behind in school and was not able to leave the house. Even though her school was aware of her medical conditions, they took no extensive measures to help her get back on track. Seeing her in such a deteriorated state, I took the initiative to restore her educational setbacks. Using previous lesson plans from my volunteer program, Meaningful Teens, I was able to not only catch her up, but also significantly improve her energy. Although I did not provide my cousin with medical support, this experience contributed to my nursing career decision as it taught me that healthcare provision goes beyond medicine. My experience visiting my mother's hometown in Guatemala also greatly affected my career decision. Upon my arrival, I witnessed the lack of medical access many faced. Even a simple checkup was barely affordable, leading to late detection of diseases. Medical facilities consisted of outdated equipment and inadequate medical supplies, which led to an even increased infection rate during the COVID outbreak. Many people, including family friends, would be diagnosed with detrimental health issues, such as cancer, and would not be able to afford medication and treatments. In rural areas, many mothers facing poverty could not afford transportation needs and received poor prenatal care. Even in my own family, children had died from malnutrition and starvation. As I begin my journey in nurse anesthesiology, I aspire to make an impact on the lives of those who have been medically neglected. My ultimate goal in the nursing profession is to provide children in poverty surgeries and procedures free of cost. Through volunteering abroad, I hope to help communities who have long been underserved, starting with the youngest and most vulnerable members.

One of my most cherished early childhood memories is playing teacher with my stuffed animals. Although my students were mere imagination, sharing my knowledge brought me a sense of nurturing fulfillment, one that continues to guide me today. This early connection for providing service and support has evolved into a passion for impacting the lives of others within the healthcare setting. During my first year of high school, eager to fulfill this passion, I researched non-profit organizations I could participate in during the pandemic. I joined an online program, Meaningful Teens, which focused on helping immigrant children improve their English skills. This experience connected with my own childhood because, similar to the students I was teaching, I struggled to learn English without any guidance at home. Through virtual activities and lessons, I witnessed the vast progress of the children and their growing affection for books, which I found incredibly inspiring. Upon the transition back to on-campus school, I joined the Library Club, which offered a volunteer opportunity with elementary school kids. Using my prior experience, I was able to collaborate and create an engaging lesson plan within the limited amount of time given in the classroom. This opportunity helped shape my storytelling skills, which I have found useful in my babysitting job. Whether it’s as simple as enacting picture books or making art projects, I continually strive to create a positive learning environment for the children in my care. At the age of five, one of my twin cousins was diagnosed with lupus. Oftentimes, she had no motivation to play and experienced a loss of appetite. She would be rushed into the emergency room in the middle of the night, and due to her condition, would spend weeks hospitalized. Being left to care for her twin sibling, I relied on my emotional intelligence skills to help comfort and empathize with him. After my cousin came home, she fell very behind in school and was not able to leave the house. Even though her school was aware of her medical conditions, they took no extensive measures to help her get back on track. Seeing her in such a deteriorated state, I took the initiative to restore her educational setbacks. Using previous lesson plans from my volunteer program, Meaningful Teens, I was able to not only catch her up, but also significantly improve her energy. Although I did not provide my cousin with medical support, this experience contributed to my nursing career decision as it taught me that healthcare provision goes beyond medicine. My experience visiting my mother's hometown in Guatemala also greatly affected my career decision. Upon my arrival, I witnessed the lack of medical access many faced. Even a simple checkup was barely affordable, leading to late detection of diseases. In rural areas, many mothers facing poverty could not afford transportation needs and received poor prenatal care. Even in my own family, children had died from malnutrition and starvation. Medical facilities consisted of outdated equipment and inadequate medical supplies, which led to an even increased infection rate during the COVID outbreak. As I begin my journey to nurse anesthesiology, I aspire to make an impact on the lives of those who have been medically neglected. Through health education and promotion, I can spread awareness on infectious diseases, hygiene, and vaccinations, to prevent future pandemics. My ultimate goal in the nursing profession is to provide surgeries and procedures for children in poverty. Through volunteering abroad, I hope to help communities who have long been underserved, starting with the youngest and most vulnerable members.

One of my most cherished early childhood memories is playing teacher with my stuffed animals. Although my students were mere imagination, sharing my knowledge brought me a sense of nurturing fulfillment, one that continues to guide me today. This early connection for providing service and support has evolved into a passion for impacting the lives of others within the healthcare setting. During my first year of high school, eager to fulfill this passion, I researched non-profit organizations I could participate in during the pandemic. I joined an online program, Meaningful Teens, which focused on helping immigrant children improve their English skills. This experience connected with my own childhood because, similar to the students I was teaching, I struggled to learn English without any guidance at home. Through virtual activities and lessons, I witnessed the vast progress of the children and their growing affection for books, which I found incredibly inspiring. Upon the transition back to on-campus school, I joined the Library Club, which offered a volunteer opportunity with elementary school kids. Using my prior experience, I was able to collaborate and create an engaging lesson plan within the limited amount of time given in the classroom. This opportunity helped shape my storytelling skills, which I have found useful in my babysitting job. Whether it’s as simple as enacting picture books or making art projects, I continually strive to create a positive learning environment for the children in my care. At the age of five, one of my twin cousins was diagnosed with lupus. Oftentimes, she had no motivation to play and experienced a loss of appetite. She would be rushed into the emergency room in the middle of the night, and due to her condition, would spend weeks hospitalized. Being left to care for her twin sibling, I relied on my emotional intelligence skills to help comfort and empathize with him. After my cousin came home, she fell very behind in school and was not able to leave the house. Even though her school was aware of her medical conditions, they took no extensive measures to help her get back on track. Seeing her in such a deteriorated state, I took the initiative to restore her educational setbacks. Using previous lesson plans from my volunteer program, Meaningful Teens, I was able to not only catch her up, but also significantly improve her energy. Although I did not provide my cousin with medical support, this experience contributed to my nursing career decision as it taught me that healthcare provision goes beyond medicine. My experience visiting my mother's hometown in Guatemala also greatly affected my career decision. Upon my arrival, I witnessed the lack of medical access many faced. Even a simple checkup was barely affordable, leading to late detection of diseases. Medical facilities consisted of outdated equipment and inadequate medical supplies, which led to an even increased infection rate during the COVID outbreak. Many people, including family friends, would be diagnosed with detrimental health issues, such as cancer, and would not be able to afford medication and treatments. In rural areas, many mothers facing poverty could not afford transportation needs and received poor prenatal care. Even in my own family, children had died from malnutrition and starvation. As I begin my journey in nurse anesthesiology, I aspire to make an impact on the lives of those who have been medically neglected. My goal in the nursing profession is to provide surgeries and procedures for children in poverty. Through volunteering abroad, I hope to help communities who have long been underserved, starting with the youngest and most vulnerable members.

The dismissal bell rings. I hurry to the train stop. I'll have to miss tennis practice this week. I go through my mental to-do list: pick up my siblings from school, buy milk, make food, clean up the kitchen, bathe my sister, and start on homework. My schedule heavily revolves around my family’s demanding work schedules, with my mother often working extended shifts, ranging from 12 to 24 hours. As the eldest child, I take on the responsibility of looking after my younger siblings. This means assisting them with homework, preparing meals, and maintaining our household. Although these responsibilities have at times restricted me from actively participating in after-school extracurricular opportunities, they have played a significant role in both my academic and personal growth. My passion for caretaking and education is one that has carried on throughout my high school academic career. During my first year of high school, eager to fulfill this passion, I researched non-profit organizations I could participate in during the pandemic. I joined an online program, Meaningful Teens, which focused on helping immigrant children improve their English skills. This experience connected with my own childhood because, similar to the students I was teaching, I struggled to learn English without any guidance at home. Through virtual activities and lessons, I witnessed the vast progress of the children and their growing affection for books, which I found incredibly inspiring. As I begin my journey in pursing higher education, I aspire to positively impact the lives and health of those who have long been underserved through the nursing profession. At seven years old, I began helping in the nursing home where my mother worked. When my mother first acquired her Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) license, she had no babysitter for me on the weekends, so she would bring me along to work. I first started observing how staff collaborated to provide care for the patients, and got to help with the distribution of food and medicine. As time progressed, I even formed connections with the elderly, which developed my understanding of the importance of compassionate care. As I grew older and visited my mother's hometown in Guatemala, I witnessed the lack of medical access many people faced. Even a simple checkup was barely affordable, which led to the late detection of diseases after they had significantly progressed. Medical facilities consisted of outdated equipment and inadequate medical supplies, which led to an even increased infection rate during the COVID outbreak. Many people, including family friends, would be diagnosed with detrimental health issues, such as cancer, and would not be able to afford medication and treatments. In rural areas, many mothers facing poverty could not afford transportation needs and received poor prenatal care. Even in my own family, children had died from malnutrition and starvation. Providing childcare for nearly four years, my passion for pediatric nursing has grown extensively, combining my devotions for childcare, education, and healthcare. Through volunteering abroad, I aspire to help those communities who have long been underserved, starting with the youngest and most vulnerable members.