I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to apply for this scholarship because, at 15 years old, I never imagined that I would be where I am today. I am now 21 , and the most significant day of my life was June 9th, 2019, when I gave my life to Jesus. This decision came after months of wrestling with faith because my parents had come to Christ in November of 2018. At the time, I was distracted by drugs, boys, and gangs. I thought that was all I needed to fill an empty void in my life. Over the next months of attending church with my family, I reached a low point in my life and gave my life to Christ. As I began walking with the Lord, I developed new dreams, hopes, and goals. No one in my family had ever graduated high school, so simply finishing high school felt like an achievement. But the Lord opened doors for me to apply to college, and I did. Though I applied to many Christian universities, financial constraints kept me close to home, and I chose Sonoma State University. I never thought college would be a reality for me, but by God’s grace, I am here today, learning in a place I once thought was out of reach. My faith and education journey have been intertwined with serving the Lord. Since I gave my life to Christ, I have volunteered at the Redwood Gospel Mission, spreading the gospel and serving at events. I have also served at my church, Decision Time, assisting with children’s classes and handling the Zoom and Facebook live streaming for our services. One of the most significant ministries I have been part of is the Bible class I started in my neighborhood. I live in a low-income community, and nearly two years ago, the Lord placed it on my heart to create a Bible class for the kids in my area. I obeyed, and every Monday at 7 p.m., you’ll find me at the community room with the kids, worshiping and learning about the Bible. We’ve named the group “Walking By Faith Kids". Since the start of this class, four children have given their lives to Christ, and parents returned to the Lord. On March 23rd, I had the privilege of witnessing their parents baptism. It was a moment where I saw how God was transforming families through this class. The Bible class has grown, and I currently have about eight kids attending regularly.My father saved up to buy a projector, and we watch Bible stories through the series Super book with the kids. We occasionally do crafts when I’m able to save money, and I make sure to always provide snacks. This class has been entirely funded through the grace of God, with no external support from anyone else but my parents, but we continue because God provides. The Lord has brought me so far, and I never imagined that I would have the privilege to attend college, help at my church, and serve the children in my community. This scholarship would not only help me finish my education but also allow me to invest some of the money in my Bible class, so we could reach more kids. I am the first in my family on both my mom’s and dad’s sides to attend college, and I want to be the first to graduate as well. I am incredibly thankful for all that God has done in my life, and I am excited about the opportunity to further my education and continue serving others.