Throughout my high school years, I’ve strived to balance academics, leadership, and extracurricular activities while also planning for the future. Maintaining a 4.0 GPA has always been a priority, as I believe academic excellence is the foundation for achieving any goal. My passion for learning, coupled with my dedication to my studies, has driven me to excel in subjects ranging from math and science to literature and history. Each class I take brings me closer to my ultimate goal of becoming an environmental engineer, a field I’ve grown passionate about due to my desire to tackle the pressing environmental issues of our time. In addition to academics, I’ve taken on leadership roles that have shaped my character and skillset. As the captain of my varsity soccer team, I’ve learned the value of teamwork, communication, and resilience. Leading by example on the field has taught me how to inspire and motivate others, whether it’s helping teammates improve their skills or supporting them through challenges. The experience has not only deepened my love for the sport but also strengthened my ability to manage responsibility, make quick decisions under pressure, and foster a strong sense of community. Being a leader on the team has also reinforced the importance of perseverance, both in sports and in life. Outside of sports, I’ve also pursued extracurricular activities that align with my interests and provide an opportunity to develop new skills. As a member of the Cooking Club, I’ve learned the art of preparing healthy, delicious meals and the value of nutrition in maintaining overall well-being. Cooking has been a creative outlet for me, offering a way to unwind while learning something practical. Similarly, as part of the Ski Club, I’ve embraced the thrill of outdoor adventure and developed an appreciation for nature. Skiing has also taught me how to embrace challenges, push my limits, and enjoy the outdoors in ways that I hadn’t imagined before. Despite these diverse interests, my long-term goal is to pursue a career in environmental engineering. I’ve always been fascinated by the intersection of science, technology, and the environment, and I’m eager to contribute to sustainable solutions that protect our planet. As an environmental engineer, I hope to develop technologies that reduce pollution, conserve natural resources, and promote clean energy. The world faces urgent environmental challenges, from climate change to waste management, and I want to be part of the solution, creating innovative systems that make a meaningful impact on society and the environment. Beyond my academic and professional aspirations, I also want to start a charity that focuses on environmental education and community outreach. My idea for this charity is to teach young people the importance of sustainability through hands-on experiences, such as planting trees, cleaning up local parks, and learning about recycling. I want to inspire future generations to take responsibility for their environment and empower them with the knowledge to make a positive change. T Ultimately, I am committed to using my education, leadership experiences, and passion for the environment to make a lasting impact, both in my career and in my community. By combining my academic achievements, athletic pursuits, and personal values, I hope to create a future where sustainability is prioritized and everyone has the opportunity to contribute to a healthier planet.

Losing my soccer championship was, without a doubt, the hardest moment I’ve experienced in my sports journey. We had worked so hard all season—every practice, every match, every setback felt like a step closer to victory. As the championship game approached, the excitement and anticipation were palpable. We were ready. Our team had bonded over months of hard work, and we all believed that this would be our moment. But when the final whistle blew, signaling our loss, it felt like all the energy drained from me. I stood there in disbelief, surrounded by teammates who were equally crushed. The loss hit me hard because of how much we had invested in that moment. We had come so far, and yet it felt like we were so close, only to fall short. The disappointment was overwhelming, not just for the loss itself but for the dream we had all shared. I remember thinking, Was all that effort worth it if we couldn’t win when it mattered most? It felt like all of the hard work, sacrifices, and long practices had been erased in a single moment of defeat. In the days that followed, I struggled to come to terms with the loss, grappling with feelings of failure and doubt. However, the best moment of my soccer career came not long after—scoring my first goal. That moment, in contrast, felt like an eruption of pure joy and triumph. It had been a long time coming, and I had worked relentlessly to get there. I had always dreamed of the feeling of finding the back of the net, but nothing could prepare me for the rush when I finally did. When the ball hit the net, it was like everything around me stood still. My teammates erupted, cheering and celebrating as I felt a surge of pride and accomplishment. Scoring that goal was the culmination of all the hours spent practicing, learning, and pushing myself. It was more than just a goal; it was validation for all the effort, a reminder that setbacks are just part of the journey. It showed me that failure doesn’t define you; perseverance and dedication do. While the championship loss was tough, scoring my first goal taught me that the highs make the lows worth it, and every setback is an opportunity to grow and come back stronger. All in all soccer has thought me so much more about life then I ever thought it could.

Plan to Use Education to Impact My Community Through my education, I plan to contribute to my community by applying the knowledge, skills, and values I gain to tackle both immediate and long-term challenges faced by the people around me. Whether through direct involvement in local initiatives, collaboration with organizations, or personal efforts, I see education as a powerful tool for driving change. Here are some key ways I envision using my education to make a difference: Problem-Solving and Innovation: My education will allow me to better understand complex issues, such as poverty, healthcare, education disparities, or environmental sustainability. By gaining expertise in these areas, I hope to create or support innovative solutions—whether through research, new technologies, or by introducing new ways of thinking to existing problems. Community Empowerment: I believe in the power of empowering individuals with knowledge. I plan to share what I learn with others, whether through tutoring, workshops, or mentorship programs. I would love to help equip the next generation with the tools they need to succeed and think critically about issues that affect them. Collaboration and Advocacy: Education opens doors to connect with diverse groups and institutions. I aim to use this network to collaborate on initiatives that promote social justice, equality, and environmental responsibility. Advocating for policies that benefit underserved communities, whether in education, health, or employment, is another way I plan to leverage my learning. Building Local Infrastructure and Opportunities: Through my education, I aspire to play a role in developing projects that improve my community’s infrastructure, create jobs, or make resources more accessible to people. I envision using my skills in fields like urban planning, social work, or public health to address gaps that hinder local progress. Personal Responsibility and Example: Lastly, I aim to lead by example. The knowledge and experiences I acquire through education will shape my character and decision-making. I hope to model integrity, hard work, and the importance of lifelong learning, inspiring others to pursue their goals and contribute positively to the world around them. By utilizing education in these ways, I am confident I can help create a more informed, connected, and resilient community. Overall, I plan to use my education to empower my community by sharing knowledge, fostering critical thinking, and addressing local challenges. By applying what I've learned, I aim to create opportunities for growth, advocate for social change, and contribute to a more equitable, informed, and resilient community.

I love math because it is a definite subject. Everything you need to find the answer is right in front of you. Math requires us to think critically and logically, so it helps us develop problem-solving skills that can extend into other areas of our lives. Whether you're solving a math problem, cooking a meal, or trying to fix a leaky faucet, you're flexing those same methodical muscles. Compared to something like science you have to hypothesize things to find out if it is correct or not. Lots of science is studying the unknown. In math you study what is known and you are told how to do so. It gives us a way to understand patterns, to quantify relationships, and to predict the future. Math helps us understand the world — and we use the world to understand math. You use math everyday no matter how small or big it is. You may not even notice is but math is involved in everyday life. The real life applications of mathematics are endless. I love its qualities—it's so old and so new, it's so powerful and so humbling, and it builds strength and compassion. All in all math is my favorite subject, and it always will be.

What is something in life you need to reach your dreams, to keep going? It is an uncontrollable intense emotion. The topic of my choice is going to be the importance of passion in life. We all face adversity in our lives and we will all continue to do so. These things that happen to us do not make us who we are entirely. It is how we let these things affect us and how we overcome them. I have faced plenty of adversity in my life. My father left me when I was a little kid and would pop in and out when he decided he wanted to “play dad.” I had to face disappointment time and time again. Over the years I started to learn that I can't rely on the people around me as much as I thought I could when I was little. This allowed me to start to become my own person and have my own goals to strive for without the help of people around me. No matter how many times he would threaten my mom or me and my brother I would not let it distract me and kept working as hard as I could. Growing up without having a real dad was a struggle. My mom had a boyfriend who was in my life for years and I thought he was the person I could look up to. He is the father to my little brother and he was reliable for a long time. Everything started to go downhill when COVID was reaching its peak. He was let go from his job and started drinking every single day. Soon this became a major problem for my family, which included me and my five siblings. We had to listen to the daily and nightly arguing and it became mentally draining quickly. After a while of just arguing it became more than that. He would physically hurt my mom and there was nothing I could do about it because I was only 12. During the summer of 2020, he kicked us out of the house my mom paid for. After this, we had to live with my grandparents until she found a house. We finally found a house and it was hard for my single mother to get food on the table and afford the bills on her own. We lived in this house for a few months when her ex-boyfriend ended up coming to our house and breaking in. During this break in he violently laid his hands on me and our property. It’s very hard to have things like this that are traumatizing and it would be easy to have all motivation sucked out of me, but instead of feeling despair, it motivated me. With passion, I felt a bigger need to strive harder everyday to be successful in life. I have played as many sports as I can and worked my hardest in school to maintain a 4.0 GPA and be ranked number three in my class. I have 85 hours of community service and plan on continuing to help people in need. I want to help people in need because there were times when I was one of those people and didn’t have it. My goal in college is to continue to reach for my dreams because I know I have what it takes to achieve them. In 10 years I hope to see myself still helping people in my community. I know I want to be someone who helps keep our Earth clean and safe for our future generations. All in all I have what it takes in life to achieve what I want to because of passion. I reach deep down and keep going no matter what adversity tries to hold me back. I will be successful and I won’t let setbacks stop me.

When I originally sat down to write this essay the focus of it was the adversity I've faced in my life. I had two abusive fathers figures who made my single mother’s life so much more difficult than it already was. Although everyone said it was the best option, that is not what I wanted to write about. My eyes were opened to the fact that this is my essay and that I should write about what makes me feel the best and represents who I want to be in life, not what will appease people around me. Instead of it being about adversity I wanted it to be about passion. I didn’t want it to be about the two people who filled my life with setbacks but about the two people who motivated me to become the passionate person I am today. Since college is about the future, I want to show that I want to contribute to my community in the future and show who I want to be in life. During times of struggle people usually take the easy way out. I know there are people in my life who I needed to inspire me to become the person I am today but failed me. Instead of talking about them I want to talk about the people who were there for me when I needed them and continue to do so. My mother is among the most passionate individuals in my life. She is one of the main people who inspires me to succeed in what I do. She has made more sacrifices for my brothers and me than anyone else. She works tirelessly, every day, to make sure we have enough food on the table. Despite all that she has endured from the violent father figures in my life, she still makes sure that by the end of the day we are happy. One goal I aspire to achieve is to be so successful that all her hard work she puts into me pays off. The second most important person in my life is my grandfather. He has shaped me to be the passionate person I am today. He has been there for me my entire life, no matter what the situation was. He watched me every day after school while my mom was at work. He took us in if we had nowhere to live. He taught me how to ride a bike and how to tie a shoe. He showed me that spreading joy to others and putting a smile on peoples faces is something so small yet powerful. He has been a devoted husband for 50 years and showed me what true love means and looks like. Creating a happy, loving family together is one of the most passionate things one can do. I hope one day me and my significant other can be as passionate and devoted to each other as he and my grandma are. In college I want to further learn who I am as a person. I want to become an environmental engineer so I can help cleanse our earth and make it safer for future generations. I am dedicated to becoming an environmental engineer so I know I will see myself still helping my community when I am older. I am excited to learn about the things I can do to help keep the Earth we all share healthy. The passion they showed me in life is what has given me the motivation to do what I want in life. I have what it takes to achieve what I want to because of passion. The important people in my life will keep pushing me to reach my full potential. They give me the passion to overcome adversity.  I will be successful and I won’t let setbacks stop me.