I joined wrestling my sophomore year of high school. I was walking through the line at school registration and the wrestling coach stopped me, asking if I'd heard of the school's wrestling team and if I would be interested in a challenge. I was intrigued, always keen on trying new things and ready to accept any challenge. I had been bullied in middle school and had never really felt like I fit in. A lot of what I do now stems from the motivation to prove wrong those who doubted me. He posed the statement: “Wrestling is so hard that everything in life after it will seem easy in comparison”. As the father to a child born with disabilities, Coach Tayt Tolman was very inspirational. He spoke often of his experiences and how wrestling helped him in almost every aspect of his life. These stories and challenges were what pushed me to join the wrestling team. At my high school, the wrestling team started at about 70 members; 9 of which were girls. This was daunting at first; we faced issues such as needing different people to do the skin checks before we went out onto the mat and the feeling of not being part of “the main team”. As in cross country, we were referred to by some as the “Lady Vikings,” while our peers (88% of the team) were referred to simply as the Vikings. This was frustrating as it didn’t contribute to an overall feeling of inclusivity. However, our female wrestlers were strong and didn’t back down when put up against the male wrestlers. I’m proud to have been on the same team as Isis France (who later moved to a high school that is famous for their wrestling team). My female teammates were inspirational because of their determination, hard work, and ability to remain focused on their schoolwork during the wrestling season. Personally, wrestling was the toughest sport I did in high school. I was in Varsity swim for 4 years, cross country for one, and track for two. I was a Varsity wrestler for 2 years. Coach Tolman’s statement is still true to this day. Wrestling shaped me into the person I am now. Rewatching videos of my matches is a reminder of what I can endure and overcome. Practices were brutal; I would come home with matted hair, covered in bruises, and saran-wrapped with bags of ice. I actually decided to shave my head for wrestling so I wouldn’t have to deal with having matted hair anymore. Luckily, the biggest injuries I faced were a hyper-extended elbow and multiple knee contusions. To those who have never joined a high school wrestling team, the sport may seem simple. This is far from the truth. Wrestling is a complex sport that requires peak physical shape and determination. It also has a positive community aspect. At the start of each season we had wrestling sleep-ins- staying overnight at the school, participating in team-building exercises, getting to know one another, playing many competitive games, and of course, staying up all night. I became close friends with several of the athletes on the team and formed bonds with the 5 coaches. As a female athlete with Anxiety and ADHD, wrestling really pushed me out of my shell. My confidence improved drastically as well as my capabilities for self-defence and overall passion for fitness. I’m forever grateful I pushed myself to join wrestling and proud of how long I stayed in the sport. Coach Tolman was right, wrestling has been the most challenging yet rewarding thing I’ve done yet.

I joined wrestling my sophomore year of high school. I was walking through the line at school registration and the wrestling coach stopped me, asking if I'd heard of the school's wrestling team and if I would be interested in a challenge. I was intrigued, always keen on trying new things and ready to accept any challenge. I had been bullied in middle school and had never really felt like I fit in. A lot of what I do now stems from the motivation to prove wrong those who doubted me. He posed the statement: “Wrestling is so hard that everything in life after it will seem easy in comparison”. As the father to a child born with disabilities, Coach Tayt Tolman was very inspirational. He spoke often of his experiences and how wrestling helped him in almost every aspect of his life. These stories and challenges were what pushed me to join the wrestling team. At my high school, the wrestling team started at about 70 members; 9 of which were girls. This was daunting at first; we faced issues such as needing different people to do the skin checks before we went out onto the mat and the feeling of not being part of “the main team”. As in cross country, we were referred to by some as the “Lady Vikings,” while our peers (88% of the team) were referred to simply as the Vikings. This was frustrating as it didn’t contribute to an overall feeling of inclusivity. However, our female wrestlers were strong and didn’t back down when put up against the male wrestlers. I’m proud to have been on the same team as Isis France (who later moved to a high school that is famous for their wrestling team). My female teammates were inspirational because of their determination, hard work, and ability to remain focused on their schoolwork during the wrestling season. Personally, wrestling was the toughest sport I did in high school. I was in Varsity swim for 4 years, cross country for one, and track for two. I was a Varsity wrestler for 2 years. Coach Tolman’s statement is still true to this day. Wrestling shaped me into the person I am now. Rewatching videos of my matches is a reminder of what I can endure and overcome. Practices were brutal; I would come home with matted hair, covered in bruises, and saran-wrapped with bags of ice. I actually decided to shave my head for wrestling so I wouldn’t have to deal with having matted hair anymore. Luckily, the biggest injuries I faced were a hyper-extended elbow and multiple knee contusions. To those who have never joined a high school wrestling team, the sport may seem simple. This is far from the truth. Wrestling is a complex sport that requires peak physical shape and determination. It also has a positive community aspect. At the start of each season we had wrestling sleep-ins- staying overnight at the school, participating in team-building exercises, getting to know one another, playing many competitive games, and of course, staying up all night. I became close friends with several of the athletes on the team and formed bonds with the 5 coaches. As a female athlete with Anxiety and ADHD, wrestling really pushed me out of my shell. My confidence improved drastically as well as my capabilities for self-defence and overall passion for fitness. I’m forever grateful I pushed myself to join wrestling and proud of how long I stayed in the sport. Coach Tolman was right, wrestling has been the most challenging yet rewarding thing I’ve done yet.

I received my ADHD diagnosis in the 6th grade. Since then, it’s been 8 long years of trial and error trying to find the right medication and dosage. I still have yet to find the perfect match. In addition to my ADHD, I also have generalized anxiety disorder. I had a rough time navigating middle school unmedicated with minimal structure due to a lack of academic accommodations. It was difficult to make and maintain friendships before my diagnosis and to this day it remains a challenge. My ADHD symptoms have created strains on my life both socially and academically. Time management has remained a persistent issue in my life. Throughout high school, I arrived late to my first class so many days that I was forced to serve detention multiple times and threatened with a 2-day in-school suspension due to my chronic tardiness. Through each academic year, it would become increasingly difficult to arrive on time in the morning. My time management skills were incredibly lacking throughout high school, even while I was on medication. It wasn’t just school. I would arrive to social events and even simple hang outs with a friend up to 20 minutes late because every time I knew I had an event coming up, I would underestimate the time it would take me to get ready. In my mind I feel that I could easily get ready and leave but I get distracted and lose track of time. Through the years, I’ve realized that some of my best preventative measures from being late are in my mentality. Focusing on the time I have to leave instead of the time that my first class started was one step I took to take back control of my time. I’ve realized that I need a sense of urgency to be able to leave the house on time. Cutting it so close to a deadline that I might be late was my sense of urgency for a long time. By reframing my mind to focus on the time I need to leave versus the time I should arrive was incredibly beneficial for me. Another difficult aspect of my lack of time management skills is that I would constantly push deadlines on assignments. I’ve had many late nights of procrastination-induced anxiety due to my ADHD, rushing to complete assignments. I’ve had many meetings with school counselors and my teachers to navigate 504s and accessibility accommodations. During my freshman year of college last year, it was a little jarring realizing that my accommodations would be decreasing. As my first year of college progressed, I became increasingly anti-social. It was challenging to navigate college life for me as I would self-isolate after taxing social interactions. This upcoming academic year I will be staying at home to regain social structure. It was a challenging decision to make as my house is a longer commute to school, but it is a decision that I believe will lead to the utmost success academically and socially. Though I experience challenges with my mental health, I am constantly working on bettering myself. As a determined worker with high goals, it is frustrating navigating lack of motivation and time management skills. It’s been a difficult journey navigating and mediating my symptoms. Despite the challenges, I will continue to grow through the hardships towards my academic and social goals. Receiving this scholarship money would help to alleviate my anxiety with college and assist me in affording the commute. Thank you for your time in reading my essay. I would be honored to be the recipient of this scholarship.

I joined wrestling my sophomore year of high school. I was walking through the line at school registration and the wrestling coach stopped me, asking if I'd heard of the school's wrestling team and if I would be interested in a challenge. I was intrigued, always keen on trying new things and ready to accept any challenge. I had been bullied in middle school and had never really felt like I fit in. A lot of what I do now stems from the motivation to prove wrong those who doubted me. He posed the statement: “Wrestling is so hard that everything in life after it will seem easy in comparison”. As the father to a child born with disabilities, Coach Tayt Tolman was very inspirational. He spoke often of his experiences and how wrestling helped him in almost every aspect of his life. These stories and challenges were what pushed me to join the wrestling team. At my high school, the wrestling team started at about 70 members; 9 of which were girls. This was daunting at first; we faced issues such as needing different people to do the skin checks before we went out onto the mat and the feeling of not being part of “the main team”. As in cross country, we were referred to by some as the “Lady Vikings,” while our peers (88% of the team) were referred to simply as the Vikings. This was frustrating as it didn’t contribute to an overall feeling of inclusivity. However, our female wrestlers were strong and didn’t back down when put up against the male wrestlers. I’m proud to have been on the same team as Isis France (who later moved to a high school that is famous for their wrestling team). My female teammates were inspirational because of their determination, hard work, and ability to remain focused on their schoolwork during the wrestling season. Personally, wrestling was the toughest sport I did in high school. I was in Varsity swim for 4 years, cross country for one, and track for two. I was a Varsity wrestler for 2 years. Coach Tolman’s statement is still true to this day. Wrestling shaped me into the person I am now. Rewatching videos of my matches is a reminder of what I can endure and overcome. Practices were brutal; I would come home with matted hair, covered in bruises, and saran-wrapped with bags of ice. I actually decided to shave my head for wrestling so I wouldn’t have to deal with having matted hair anymore. Luckily, the biggest injuries I faced were a hyper-extended elbow and multiple knee contusions. To those who have never joined a high school wrestling team, the sport may seem simple. This is far from the truth. Wrestling is a complex sport that requires peak physical shape and determination. It also has a positive community aspect. At the start of each season we had wrestling sleep-ins- staying overnight at the school, participating in team-building exercises, getting to know one another, playing many competitive games, and of course, staying up all night. I became close friends with several of the athletes on the team and formed bonds with the 5 coaches. As a female athlete with Anxiety and ADHD, wrestling really pushed me out of my shell. My confidence improved drastically as well as my capabilities for self-defence and overall passion for fitness. I’m forever grateful I pushed myself to join wrestling and proud of how long I stayed in the sport. Coach Tolman was right, wrestling has been the most challenging yet rewarding thing I’ve done yet.

I am very interested in becoming a pilot. I am highly skilled mathematically and desire to utilize my mathematic skills in my future career. I plan to double major in Aerospace Engineering and Business and minor in Spanish at ASU Barrett (The Honors College). As a female in high school, I've already heard the comment that "I shouldn't become a pilot if I want to have a family" and the question "Are you sure you don't want to be a flight attendant?". Because of the shortage of pilots, I believe anyone should be able to become a pilot if they have the required skills and training. I also have ADHD, meaning that I’ve spent my life overcoming specific challenges. From this, I have become confident in my autonomy and have increased empathy towards others. I am very dedicated: I love taking on challenges and succeeding at difficult tasks to prove my capabilities. This quality will absolutely motivate me on my journey to becoming a pilot. Currently, less than 5% of pilots are female. While this is a discouraging percentage, I will not let it prevent me from following my goals. In my community, I am a leader in several different activities. I am the treasurer of the Spanish Honors Society - a club dedicated to community service for our Spanish-speaking community. I became an officer this year to improve the club and practice my Spanish. I have taken Spanish every year since kindergarten, and am now taking French 3-4. My goal is to minor in Spanish and continue my language journey to increase my cultural reach and access to the world. I believe multilingualism is an important aspect to aviation: venturing to new places and experiencing different culture norms creates social opportunities that connects our societies on a deeper level. I also am the historian of the book club and have been a member since I started it during my freshman year. A further way I am a leader in my community is on the swim team. I have made the varsity team all four years of high school and continue to encourage and support my team. Another way I am involved in my community is through the Leadership Society of Arizona, which I joined in 2020. We learn how to become better leaders in our communities, how to socialize and treat others better, and how to help our communities. For example, for Thanksgiving, we go shopping for families in need and buy them Thanksgiving dinners. Because I am in such a varied array of activities, I help my community in many different ways. I was inspired to pursue aviation simply by flying and being in higher-level math. I became interested in aviation in calculus. Being able to see and calculate the path and behavior of aircraft was an exciting moment in my education. I love flying because it allows me to travel, explore new cultures and experiences, and meet new people. Becoming a pilot will increase all of these opportunities. With a major in Aerospace Engineering, I will be able to fully understand my plane and will be more connected with my career. I think aviation is the best career path for me because I desire a challenging yet rewarding career. From calculus to experiencing new cultures, aviation is a combination of everything I love. I hope that I will be able to set an example for my community by succeeding and accomplishing my goals despite the difficulties. I want to make my family and friends proud and set an example for them and my community.

I have used several online platforms to further my learning. During the pandemic, many of these platforms became crucial to my education. I began using Duolingo in middle school for Spanish, but could never get past a streak of a week. During COVID, however, I became motivated to have something to show from my time inside. I started learning French on Duolingo in 2020 and haven't stopped since. Today, my streak is 1187 days (almost 3 1/4 years!). I was able to completely test out of the first year of French and test into year 3-4 during my Senior year. I took Spanish 5-6 as a Freshman, AP Spanish Language and Culture as a Sophomore, and AP Spanish Literature and Culture as a Junior. Now, I will be graduating with 7 language credits out of the required 2! Duolingo has helped me be able to better communicate with other people, (I was able to successfully ask for directions in French when I was in Paris last summer!) learn more about other cultures, and get a head start on my education. Throughout middle school, I was always on Prodigy and XtraMath, both math games, improving my math while having fun. Beginning in elementary school, I've used ALEKS to advance in math and science. My fourth-grade math teacher pulled a group of successful students from the main class to help us get ahead in math. We used ALEKS to test our knowledge and learn more advanced math. In high school, it has helped me prepare for the SATs and the ACTs, on which I scored a 1420 and a 35, respectively. Throughout my childhood, I've been using programs to better my language skills. My mom started me on Rosetta Stone in early elementary school to get me ahead in Spanish and to learn Mandarin. Due to the early use of all of these applications, I have grown to love learning languages and am personally motivated to do so. The COVID-19 pandemic absolutely increased my use of online platforms. We would use Flip (formerly known as Flipgrid) to record videos and submit them so our class and teacher could see our respective progress. In class today, we use educational games such as Blooket, Kahoot, and Gimkit to encourage casual intellectual competition. I absolutely love using these platforms - especially Blooket - because I perform well under pressure and it is the most entertaining way to learn. It is basically rapid-fire multiple-choice questions with the winner at the end the player was able to both have the highest accuracy and the fastest time. Because I have ADHD, I tend to hyperfocus on these games and perform extremely well. I enjoy using online platforms to augment my knowledge because they allow me to learn on my own accord. I am not forced to follow set guidelines or learn specific things. It gives me personal freedom in my education to choose what I learn and even to advance in subjects to be able to focus on the subjects I love.

I have ADHD and anxiety. Throughout high school, I have been battling with the label of "disabled". It is difficult to realize that I am "disabled" because I want to be seen as normal, or "like everyone else". I am lucky to have an amazing support system through my mother who has done everything she can to help me. From medicine trials to 504s, my mother has helped me through it all. My sister has ADHD and autism, so I also have experience in that area. I see how people talk about people with disabilities around me and it is honestly appalling. I want to change this by being a leader in my community and getting rid of the stigma behind disabilities. While I want to become a pilot, I will still try to help other disabled individuals as much as I can. I can't say if I will be working directly with other people with disabilities, but I will fight for social equality through my own successes. By succeeding despite my disabilities, I hope to be an example to my community and others aspiring to do well in their fields.

I am very interested in becoming a pilot. I am highly skilled mathematically and desire to utilize my mathematical skills in my future career. I plan to double major in Aerospace Engineering and Business and minor in Spanish at ASU Barrett, The Honors College. As a female in high school, I've already heard the comment that I “shouldn't become a pilot if I want to have a family". I disagree with this statement; due to the shortage of pilots, I believe anyone should be able to become a pilot if they have the required skills and training. I am a very dedicated person. I love taking on challenges and succeeding at difficult tasks to prove my capabilities. This quality will certainly motivate me on my journey to becoming a pilot. Currently, less than 5% of pilots are female. While this is a discouraging percentage, I will not let it prevent me from following my dreams. It will serve as even more motivation towards my career goals. In my community, I am a leader in a variety of different aspects. I am the treasurer of the Spanish Honors Society - a club dedicated to bettering the Spanish-speaking community through community service. To be in this club, one must have taken at least 3 years of Spanish. I've been in the Spanish Honors Society since my sophomore year of high school. I wanted to run for treasurer this year to improve the club and practice my Spanish. As the treasurer of this club, I help manage finances and lead the club as an officer. I took AP Spanish Language & Culture in my Sophomore year and AP Spanish Literature in my Junior year, and now am taking French 3-4 in my Senior year. I've been taking Spanish since kindergarten, and I really want to get a minor in Spanish, so I must keep practicing toward my goal. I also am the historian of the book club and have been a part of this club since it started in my freshman year. A further way I am a leader in my community is on the swim team. I have made the varsity team all four years of high school and continue to encourage and support my team. Another way I am involved in my community is through the Leadership Society of Arizona, which I joined in 2020. We learn how to become better leaders in our communities, how to socialize and treat others better, and how to help our communities. For Thanksgiving, we volunteer our time and go shopping for families in need to buy them Thanksgiving dinners. We work together to accommodate their specific needs. Because I am in such a varied array of activities, I help my community in many different ways. I also have had the ability to meet many different types of people and succeed in different areas. Simply being in so many different activities sets an example for my younger sister. I want to show her what we are capable of accomplishing if we set our minds to it and are dedicated to our goals. I think aviation is the best career path for me because I desire a challenging yet rewarding career. I hope that I will be able to set an example for my community by succeeding and accomplishing my goals despite the difficulties. I want to make my family and friends proud. I also want to travel the world, using my Spanish and French skills to better communicate. I am excited to pursue my dreams and be able to be independent, responsible, and hard-working. I enjoy being a hard worker because it pays off. The best reward is the feeling of accomplishment after any difficult step in life. I am not afraid of a challenge: the more difficult the task, the greater the feeling of accomplishment. Becoming a pilot as a woman might seem overly daunting to some, but to me, it is even more encouragement to follow my dreams and be a leader for other women to follow their dreams.

I am very interested in becoming a pilot. I am highly skilled mathematically and desire to utilize my mathematical skills in my future career. I plan to double major in Aerospace Engineering and Business and minor in Spanish at ASU Barrett, The Honors College. As a female in high school, I've already heard the comment that I “shouldn't become a pilot if I want to have a family". I disagree with this statement; due to the shortage of pilots, I believe anyone should be able to become a pilot if they have the required skills and training. I am a very dedicated person. I love taking on challenges and succeeding at difficult tasks to prove my capabilities. This quality will certainly motivate me on my journey to becoming a pilot. Currently, less than 5% of pilots are female. While this is a discouraging percentage, I will not let it prevent me from following my dreams. It will serve as even more motivation towards my career goals. In my community, I am a leader in a variety of different aspects. I am the treasurer of the Spanish Honors Society - a club dedicated to bettering the Spanish-speaking community through community service. To be in this club, one must have taken at least 3 years of Spanish. I've been in the Spanish Honors Society since my sophomore year of high school. I wanted to run for treasurer this year to improve the club and practice my Spanish. As the treasurer of this club, I help manage finances and lead the club as an officer. I took AP Spanish Language & Culture in my Sophomore year and AP Spanish Literature in my Junior year, and now am taking French 3-4 in my Senior year. I've been taking Spanish since kindergarten, and I want to get a minor in Spanish, so I must keep practicing toward my goal. I also am the historian of the book club and have been a part of this club since it started in my freshman year. A further way I am a leader in my community is on the swim team. I have made the varsity team all four years of high school and continue to encourage and support my team. Another way I am involved in my community is through the Leadership Society of Arizona, which I joined in 2020. We learn how to become better leaders in our communities, how to socialize and treat others better, and how to help our communities. For Thanksgiving, we volunteer our time and go shopping for families in need to buy them Thanksgiving dinners. We work together to accommodate their specific needs. Because I am in such a varied array of activities, I help my community in many different ways. Just being in so many different activities sets an example for my younger sister. I want to show her what we are capable of accomplishing if we set our minds to it and are dedicated to our goals. I think aviation is the best career path for me because I desire a challenging yet rewarding career. I hope that I will be able to set an example for my community by succeeding and accomplishing my goals despite the difficulties. I want to make my family and friends proud. I also want to travel the world, using my Spanish and French skills to better communicate.

COVID-19 had a tremendous impact on my life. I was a pretty good student before the pandemic; I got mostly As and a few Bs. Throughout middle school, I was not very social. I had one good friend, Leah, with whom I would hang out every day. When she wasn’t at school, I was so anxious that instead of sitting alone at a table in the cafeteria, I would hide in the bathroom until lunch ended. In 8th grade, my history teacher joked about someone from ASU bringing COVID to Arizona; when he was right, we celebrated his lucky guess, not realizing how negatively COVID-19 would affect us. Saying goodbye for spring break was the last time we saw most of our middle school classmates. During online school, I felt completely isolated in my house- I hadn't made any freinds. We were also renovating, so I wasn’t even in my room - I was in the loft with a blow-up mattress. I became addicted to YouTube and rarely went outside. When I started my Freshman year of high school, my grades suffered. I got 2 Cs and a B in my first quarter. I was at a really low point mentally and had no motivation. I quit playing the violin, which I had been playing since I was 5. My mom encouraged me to join swim, but I didn’t make any friends. I was still anxious and depressed and didn’t talk to anyone. When we started hybrid in October, I socialized more, and my grades and mental health improved. After we were fully back in person, throughout my entire Sophomore year I got only one B (in AP Spanish Language & Culture). My Sophomore year was my favorite year. Because I had been at such a low point, I realized how much I had taken for granted. I started to enjoy life more and gained motivation to do things that made me happy. I started therapy to help with my anxiety. I joined fun classes and clubs, meeting a lot of new people along the way. I began to crochet and knit, gaining many customers. I joined Book club, Spanish Honors Society (which I am the now treasurer of), and Varsity Wrestling. I even retook Algebra 2 over the summer for an A. In my Junior year, I added Track & Field to my many clubs and got straight As. “Missing” a year of high school motivated me to try everything I wanted to do, especially in my Senior year, where I took completely different electives than previous years. I took French 3-4, Beginning Dance, and Advanced Orchestra. I picked up my violin again (for Orchestra) and through auditions, made it into the third chair of the first violins. Throughout middle school, (and my Freshman and Sophomore years) I had always had the same two electives- Spanish and Choir. Missing out on my first year of high school made me realize that life is short and that I should branch out to try everything I’m interested in. The pandemic that shut down the world changed my view of life completely. Because of COVID-19, I realized that life is short and that I didn’t want to waste it sitting alone staring at a screen forever, not making friends or memories. It changed me as a person. I am more social, confident, and driven because of the challenges I faced. COVID-19 motivated me to be the best version of myself. It took away the things in life that I enjoyed, which taught me to appreciate the things I had taken for granted.

Throughout my entire life, I’ve only ever had one parent- my mom. Whenever we would talk about our parents in school, I would always say “my parents” too. I never really noticed much difference between myself and my peers. My friends had a variety of parental situations. Some of them had divorced parents, and/or step-parents with multiple sets of grandparents. None of them, however, had single parents. I have only one grandma and one grandpa, on my mom’s side of course. I don’t have a dad. My “father” was a sperm donor, and I am the middle of 14 children. My mom never tried to keep that a secret from me, in fact, she helped me connect with some of my half-siblings. As a child, I was obsessed with finding out who my father was. Growing up, people started to ask why I said “my parents” when I only had one parent. It made me realize that I was different from them. It made me feel like I was missing a piece from the puzzle of my life. I became very interested in finding out anything I could about my father. I am not legally allowed to know him until I am 18. I had a poster board titled “The Mystery Man” with a map of all of the things I knew about him: his eyes are blue, his nose looks like ours, and he has brownish hair. As I grew older and realized just how lucky I was to have such a loving mother, the less I cared about finding him. My mom is an incredible person and provider. She started, ran, and worked at her own veterinary business, so we never had to worry about money growing up. We are part of a group called the Single Moms Club. Through this group I gained lifelong friendships and a greater appreciation for our mothers because they would plan, drive to, and pay for all of the activities we did. When we were young, my sister and I spent a lot of time with our grandparents because she worked weekends. Every Father’s Day we would go to our grandparents’ house to celebrate with our grandpa. Now, as a high school senior, when my mom is at work, I am responsible for my sister; I make her food and help her with her homework. My mom’s hard work allowed me to focus on my school and social life without worrying about needing to support my family financially. I am a diligent student. I am in many Honors & AP classes, as well as being in multiple clubs and sports, and simultaneously running a small knitting & crocheting business. I completed all 5 years of Spanish at my high school by my Junior year, learned a year of French on my own, and tested into the second year of French my senior year. With my mom as my role model, I understood from a young age that if you are determined enough and work hard enough you can find success in everything you do. My mom is a great example of a strong, independent woman. Her successes give me undeniable proof that I can follow my dreams and lead the life I want to live. Because she was so hard-working, it taught me that if I put my mind to it, I could accomplish anything. She taught me to love and to stand up for myself. She taught me to be strong and to be humble. She taught me perseverance and dedication. She taught me that the sky is the limit.

If I could have everyone in the world read a book, I would choose To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. This book has many great morals, it is an easy, captivating read, and it tells a great story. One of the morals in this book is to fight with your head, not with your fists, meaning to use words and talk instead of resorting to violence. If the entire world understood this message, we could be living much more peacefully, especially in today's world, where people often fight and yell instead of communicating peacefully through civil debates. Another message in To Kill a Mockingbird is to treat everyone with respect and kindness. While at first, Jean Louise & Jem Finch seem scared of the Radleys, they become curious about them and try to invite them to come out. The Finches also learn to respect others through Atticus’s determination to help his black client, Tom Robinson, despite backlash from the town. This book would be good for the world to read not only because of its morals but also because it tells an interesting story from the point of view of someone we don’t normally see. The point of view of Jean Louise Finch - a very young girl from Alabama in the 1930s - is equal parts relatable and unique so that the reader can empathize and understand her point of view and simultaneously hear a story from someone with a different view of the world. To Kill a Mockingbird is a great read for anyone and everyone. It teaches the reader important life lessons and has a captivating storyline.

Throughout my entire life, I’ve only ever had one parent- my mom. Whenever we would talk about our parents in school, I would always say “my parents” too. I never really noticed much difference between myself and my peers. My friends had a variety of parental situations. Some of them had divorced parents, and/or step-parents with multiple sets of grandparents. None of them, however, had single parents. I have only one grandma and one grandpa, on my mom’s side of course. I don’t have a dad. My “father” was a sperm donor, and I am the middle of 14 children. My mom never tried to keep that a secret from me, in fact, she helped me connect with some of my half-siblings. As a child, I was obsessed with finding out who my father was. Growing up, people started to ask why I said “my parents” when I only had one parent. It made me realize that I was different from them. It made me feel like I was missing a piece from the puzzle of my life. I became very interested in finding out anything I could about my father. I am not legally allowed to know him until I am 18. I had a poster board titled “The Mystery Man” with a map of all of the things I knew about him: his eyes are blue, his nose looks like ours, and he has brownish hair. As I grew older and realized just how lucky I was to have such a loving mother, the less I cared about finding him. My mom is an incredible person and provider. She started, ran, and worked at her own veterinary business, so we never had to worry about money growing up. We are part of a group called the Single Moms Club. Through this group I gained lifelong friendships and a greater appreciation for our mothers because they would plan, drive to, and pay for all of the activities we did. When we were young, my sister and I spent a lot of time with our grandparents because she worked weekends. Every Father’s Day we would go to our grandparents’ house to celebrate with our grandpa. Now, as a high school senior, when my mom is at work, I am responsible for my sister; I make her food and help her with her homework. My mom’s hard work allowed me to focus on my school and social life without worrying about needing to support my family financially. I am a diligent student. I am in many Honors & AP classes, as well as being in multiple clubs and sports, and simultaneously running a small knitting & crocheting business. I completed all 5 years of Spanish at my high school by my Junior year, learned a year of French on my own, and tested into the second year of French my senior year. With my mom as my role model, I understood from a young age that if you are determined enough and work hard enough you can find success in everything you do. My mom is a great example of a strong, independent woman. Her successes give me undeniable proof that I can follow my dreams and lead the life I want to live. Because she was so hard-working, it taught me that if I put my mind to it, I could accomplish anything. She taught me to love and to stand up for myself. She taught me to be strong and to be humble. She taught me perseverance and dedication. She taught me that the sky is the limit.