Experiences throughout my life have shaped me into the best version of myself. From being raised by Mexican immigrants to being taught the ethics of hard work at a very young age, my life has been a roller coaster filled with hills, each representing an important experience to me. On one particular hill, the roller coaster became stuck in place, allowing me to experience something that had a lasting impact on those around me in my community: seeing a family smile when I gave them a food donation for the first time. Bringing joy to others has always been something I sought to do. However, it wasn't at all easy. Being raised in a Hispanic household where food was scarce and there was barely enough to make ends meet, it was impossible to make someone happy when one's world was always devastating. Despite this, I became grateful for my family and their hardworking skills. Those skills taught me that making an inspiration is not about having everything placed in front of you; it is about finding and connecting chains to construct a powerful connection. With this, I went to my elementary school pastor, and we both co-founded a food drive to help those in need. The food drive became challenging as making food donations and distributing them was something unheard of. It felt like a food vendor making food to sell, and no one was buying because it was the first time people would see it. With the odds against me, I brought food cans, boxes, and vegetables to construct a donation. From there, I walked around the community until I stumbled upon a family in tears because they didn't have any food to eat. With the food in my hands, I walked to the family and gave them the donation. Immediately, they rushed to receive it and gave thanks to God. From there, they hugged me, thanking me for the food drive. I asked them if I were to start a food drive to help the community, if they could spread the word. They said that they would do it with a full heart. I walked to the church empty-handed, signifying that I was able to bless someone's day. I turn around, and I see numerous people walking towards the church. From there, I immediately started making food donations. When people doubted that the food drive would make a difference, I refused to give in. I walked around and asked God to bring someone my way to bless them with the food donation. God answered my prayers and directed me to a family in need. That same day, numerous individuals walked to the church to receive a food donation. While there were lots of people, the church employees and I quickly made the food donations and distributed them to the people. That moment was a sense of me understanding that at first it may seem like all hope is lost, but God has the perfect time for everything. I realized that the food drive would only become successful if God were placed first. From there, I started to pray for the food before it was made into donations, after it was made, and before I started distributing it. God listened to each prayer, and to this day, the food donations are given to people in need, giving people a smile on their faces. I learned that selfless acts are done through patience and hope. These qualities helped me understand my community as I strive to continue my goal of helping those in need, making the world better for everyone.

Growing up as a first-generation Mexican-American in a Spanish-speaking household where money was often tight, my identity has been both a challenge and a source of strength. My parents immigrated to the U.S. with little more than hope, working long hours in labor-intensive jobs to provide a better future for me. From a young age, I saw how hard work, faith, and community could overcome adversity. I even worked with them to experience what they have gone through, valuing the persistent sacrifices they have made for me. Within the work, I also saw how often Hispanic voices were overlooked in classrooms, leadership roles, and especially in STEM fields. This shaped my perspective: I don’t just want to achieve success; I want to represent the dreams of those who never got the chance. I view education not as an individual accomplishment, but as a communal victory. My identity has taught me empathy for others who feel unseen and has fueled my drive to serve, mentor, and uplift underrepresented students like myself. Being Mexican-American has also shown me the beauty of duality — of balancing cultures, languages, and expectations. It’s made me adaptable, resilient, and deeply appreciative of my roots. I know my place in the world isn’t just to occupy space, but to create it — space for voices like mine to thrive in places we’ve historically been excluded from, whether that’s in aerospace engineering or community leadership. God paved the way for me, and I intend to lift my perspective.

In a Hispanic household, there is barely enough to make ends meet and have food on the table. Often, I would go to bed with only a banana in my stomach. This is something no person, regardless of status, should experience in their lives. My family became part of the crowd to experience this. I would help my parents work during the weekends, but it still wasn't enough to provide food on the table. Despite growing up in a situation that felt like drowning, I decided to find a way for families not to experience what my family went through. From that moment, I decided to start a food drive at the church connected to my elementary school. During the summer of my 5th-grade year, I co-founded a food drive with the pastor of the church, and we distributed food across the community to those in need. I was able to place a smile on numerous people in need. During that experience, one particular individual who came to the food drive taught me the importance of placing others first over rules. When I was preparing the food distributions to pass one particular day with my fellow community members, a homeless person was lurking around the area. The food distribution time was from noon to 3 PM. At around 11 AM, the person rushed and stole food. Following a small chase, I apprehended the person. It broke my heart that I was taking what perhaps was their salvation, their hope, clearly out of his hands. It tore me up that I was taking the resources I promised to God I would donate with my heart. Regretting that moment, I stood him up and cleaned him up. From there, I gave him his food drive distribution, a set of hygienic utensils, and a new set of clothes so that he could change. From there, I had a conversation with him about how regretful I was about how I treated him. He talked to me about his life and how he was treated horribly. He said a paragraph that still gives me chills: "Human beings, regardless of what they've been through, deserve to have food full. While there are those who have sufficient and waste the food they have, there are others that go to lengths just to have a full belly for a day. Why is the world like this when everyone deserves to have food?" His words made me cry and reflect on the days I wished I had food when the table was empty. That was the part of the food drive that I was missing: it is not about giving food to make one feel good; its the evergrowing connections one creates and bonds that strengthen everyone. Following that conversation, I helped him prepare what I gave him and even set up his shopping cart. He said," Thank you and may God bless you". I told him," Whenever you wish to come again, please come whenever you wish and I will personally prepare your distribution. God bless you, sir". From there, I decided to ban the time rule I placed. What became rule turned to be a burden. God placed in my heart to use my experiecnce with that sir to remove it and help people who come to the food drive. I learned that time is useless when one can help immediately and make a difference in peoples' lives. To make a difference, don't wait for the right time; act immediately because if you decide to act on your own time, it may be too late.

My life has always been a roller coaster of ups and downs since I was a little kid. My life is not one with toys and vacations. Being born and raised in a Hispanic household, I was taught the discipline of working from a young age. From yarding to kitchen and construction, I would help my parents in an array of chores around the house, preparing me for the real world. My parents would always tell me, " En la vida, siempre va a ver trabajos que nos ensenara quien seremos. Siempre ayuda al necesitado, aun que tengas poco que dar, pero de corazon." Those words have sparked me into an experience that has affected me throughout the rest of my life to this day: starting a food drive across my community. In the summer of 2017, my community was in shambles; everyone barely had money to provide for their families. Often, they didn't have food to place on their tables. Using the words of advice from my parents, I went to my church pastor, and we co-founded a weekly food drive that has blessed the community, thanks to God. It impacted me as both a co-founder and a volunteer in the way that I am able to give to my community what little I have with my whole heart and inspire others to do the same. It made me inspired to continue, even in the most difficult times when the food drive faced challenges, especially during COVID-19. The world faced hardships as people lost their jobs. My community was affected by people not being able to provide for their families. Some were unable to make ends meet. Despite this, I always remembered the words and encouraged everyone not to give up, which ultimately strengthened the food drive to prosper with God's help. A selfless person will always carry out the mission they have, regardless of what is happening around them. I am grateful to God for allowing me to continue to do the correct things in life, shaping my aspirations to help those with my love of education. In high school, I loved AP classes so much that I became Valedictorian of my graduating class with AP. Despite this, a good number of AP classes were taken online since my school did not offer them. That became a burden for scholars who wished to take AP classes. Just like I started the food drive, I tutored scholars in whatever AP class they wished to learn. I used this to prepare scholars to succeed in whatever AP class they wished to take. It ultimately led to some AP classes being established in my school. My parents' advice became applicable to other endeavors I wished to do. Aspiring for the future, I am aiming to obtain a degree in aerospace engineering from Georgia Tech. At Georgia Tech, I wish to honor the influence of my parents' advice through the organizations I am involved in, through humility and service in every endeavor. Whether I’m leading a project or lending a hand, I want to lead with the same quiet strength I did when I mentored or volunteered in the food drive. My parents may never walk the halls of an aerospace engineering corporation, but through me, they will always walk those halls. Everything I achieve is built on the foundation they laid. Their impact isn’t measured in awards or degrees — it’s measured in the strength and advice they passed on to me. Without my parents, my life would have taken a different route. I'm thankful to God for their words.

Books have been a way for me to see the world around me, both mentally and literally. Growing up in a Spanish-speaking household where money was tight and college was a distant concept, I found guidance in pages through its rich content from start to finish. The Martian by Andy Weir taught me that science isn’t just equations; it’s problem-solving, resilience, and creativity under pressure. Reading Hidden Figures showed me that minorities, despite being overlooked, have always been central to history-making innovations. These stories helped me imagine a world where someone like me — a first-generation Mexican-American student — could contribute to something greater than myself. My love for reading shaped my goal: to become an aerospace engineer. I want to create, explore, and solve real-world problems through science, not just to reach the stars, but to build a bridge for others to follow. I’ve never seen someone from my neighborhood working at NASA or designing spacecraft. It became a rare commodity for someone of Hispanic descent who reaches the heights of college. Despite this, I believe change begins with someone willing to try. That’s who I want to be — not only for myself, but for my community. But my path hasn’t been without failure. My freshman year in high school, I struggled in a food drive I helped co-found when I was in 5th grade, and with school. I ended up with 2 B's, making the world around me shatter. I ineffectively led during the food drive and balanced my education. But instead of giving up, I reflected and learned. I began volunteering more consistently, especially through Key Club and Beta Club, where I observed how strong leaders communicated, delegated, and followed through. That failure taught me something no book could — that leadership takes more than passion. It takes preparation, humility, and the ability to grow. Since then, I’ve led food donation drives, packed health kits for the unhoused, and organized school supply giveaways for underserved families. I do this not for recognition, but because I remember how it felt to be on the receiving end. My family once relied on food donations and community kindness — now I get to give back what we were once given. Mentorship has played a powerful role in my growth. Whether it was my church leader who encouraged me to continue in God's path or seeking advice from my counselors, they saw something in me before I did. They reminded me that I wasn’t alone in my journey, even when I felt like I had to carry everything by myself. One day, I hope to be that same voice of encouragement for another student, especially someone from an underrepresented background who needs to know they belong in STEM. What makes me unique isn’t just my story — it’s how I’ve turned every hardship into motivation. Being the son of Mexican immigrants, growing up in a bilingual home, and balancing family responsibilities with academic excellence has taught me how to adapt, persist, and lead with compassion. I plan to use my education in aerospace engineering not only to innovate but to empower those around me. I aim to initiate STEM workshops in Hispanic communities, mentor first-generation students, and establish scholarship opportunities for students like myself. The limit of one's dreams does not exist as long as they strive with their heart to inspire change in their community. Books lit the spark in me that ignited my education. My community helped sustain my educational flame. Now, I’m ready to turn knowledge into action and make a difference that rises far beyond me.

Becoming fascinated about space from a young age, I was captivated by the idea that something built by human hands could break through Earth’s gravity. I always dreamed about contributing to the most advanced technologies to expand the aerospace engineering field. My field of study, aerospace engineering, wasn’t a casual choice. It was the product of years spent dreaming bigger than my circumstances and pushing against the boundaries placed on students who look like me. As a first-generation Hispanic student raised in a low-income household, I rarely saw anyone in science or engineering who shared my background. In fact, it was sincerely rare that a Hispanic descendant reached the heights of college. My parents, both Mexican immigrants, worked long hours in physically demanding jobs to provide for our family. They didn’t have college degrees; they never even completed grade school. Regardless, they passed on something just as valuable: grit, humility, and the belief that sacrifice is the price of progress. I internalized their work ethic and applied it to my academics, becoming valedictorian of my graduating class while also supporting my family on weekends and leading service projects for my community. My short-term goal is to attend Georgia Tech and earn my degree in aerospace engineering. In college, I hope to join undergraduate research teams and gain experience working on propulsion systems, satellite design, and flight dynamics. I wish to intern at Lockheed Martin, NASA, or Northrop Grumman, not only to contribute to cutting-edge aerospace work but also to bring those experiences back to my community through mentorship and outreach to aspiring Hispanic scholars. In the long term, I plan to work as an aerospace engineer developing innovative solutions for space exploration and defense. With that, I wish to give back to the community that enabled me to achieve my dreams. My ultimate goal is to create accessible STEM programs and workshops for Hispanic students in underserved communities. I want to be the mentor I never had — someone who understands the barriers of language, culture, and economic hardship, and who actively works to dismantle them. I envision a future where young Hispanic scholars don’t just dream of building rockets — they achieve it. Being an underrepresented minority in aerospace has shaped these goals. The lack of representation in this field isn’t just a statistic — it’s something I’ve felt in every classroom where I was the only student of my background. Often, I had to teach myself the content because my school was unable to offer certain AP classes. It’s a quiet isolation, but also a powerful motivator. It proves that excellence doesn’t come from privilege — it comes from perseverance. And I want to open the door wider for others to follow. This scholarship would relieve a significant financial burden on my family. Despite my academic achievements, paying for college remains a constant source of stress. I continue to work on weekends with my mother to help cover expenses, but tuition, housing, and materials are overwhelming. This scholarship would allow me to focus fully on my studies, immerse myself in research and leadership opportunities, and avoid the financial pitfalls that prevent many first-generation students from graduating. More than money, though, this scholarship represents belief — belief in students like me who come from overlooked neighborhoods, who grew up navigating two cultures, and who are ready to contribute to a world that often doubted them. I don’t take that belief lightly. I intend to live and honor it by achieving more than I thought possible — and by making sure I’m not the last one to do it.

Growing up in a household where every dollar counted, my earliest memories are not of toys or vacations but of food donation lines and working. My parents, Mexican immigrants who came to the United States in search of opportunity, worked tirelessly in low-paying jobs to provide a better life for me. On weekends, I helped my mom make food to sell to make ends meet and help my family. We made tamales and sold them to help pay for bills and rent. Despite everything, my parents never let hardship erase the value of hard work, love, and hope. My parents, along with my community, enabled me to become a beacon of hope, inspiring those around me. With this, my greatest achievement is becoming valedictorian of my graduation class - not because of the title, but because of what it symbolizes. I am the first in my family to graduate from high school. That accomplishment represents more than academic excellence; it reflects years of sacrifice, resilience, and an unwavering belief that education could break the generational cycle of struggle, and it all started with a selfless act that has helped my community. The summer of 2017 was one of hardships that ravaged my community. Food was scarce as families were barely able to make ends meet. Wishing to give my community the resources I lacked growing up, I teamed up with my elementary school church and co-founded a weekly food drive aimed at distributing food donations to affected families across my community through the word of God. It allowed me to continue giving back to my community in High School, where I joined Key Club and Beta Club, creating projects to distribute school supplies and health kits to families in need. These weren’t just extracurriculars — they were personal missions. I saw my younger self in every child who received a backpack, every family who walked away with a warm meal. Balancing school, work, and service taught me more about myself than any textbook could. I learned that my strength doesn’t come from talent alone, but from grit and support. I discovered that leadership isn’t about being the loudest voice in the room — it’s about lifting others when they can’t stand on their own. And most importantly, I realized that my past, no matter how difficult, is not something to hide — it’s the foundation of hope. At times, I wanted to give up on school and the food drive as times became difficult. However, I realized that the struggle isn't a bad thing; it's the necessary catalyst to push someone to greater lengths because success is something forged through struggle. That struggle allowed me to become valedictorian of my class, teaching me that the road to valedictorian is something impossible to achieve when done alone, but possible through the strength of the community. That experience taught me that life will always bring challenges that may be difficult to overcome, but if one allows everything to settle perfectly, the path to one's dreams becomes crystal clear, allowing one to blaze through easily. Setting my sights towards the future, I wish to obtain a degree from Georgia Tech in aerospace engineering. I have always been passionate about creating a positive impact on those around me. Now, I wish to combine that passion with my love of school to make a greater impact across the world. Pollution levels are at record levels throughout the world, affecting the air quality and damaging civilian health. Now, I have set my sights on something that will equate: creating aircraft that reduce the global carbon footprint, and just as importantly, I want to make sure that young Hispanic students, regardless of their backgrounds, know they belong in that mission too. Hispanics are both financially challenged and educationally underrepresented in STEM. With the experience I had with my food drive and becoming valedictorian, I wish to mentor the aspiring Hispanic scholars into achieving their dreams by creating STEM workshops for them, especially in underserved communities like the one I grew up in. My journey hasn’t been easy, but every late night studying after work, every volunteer hour, and every family meal made with love brought me here. Becoming valedictorian wasn’t the finish line — it was proof that I could defy expectations. Now, I’m ready to keep rising, not just for myself, but for my community. Anyone can achieve anything; it all takes a selfless act that paves the road to one's dreams.

The beauty of life is the resilience and determination one uses to overcome the obstacles hurled in one's path. Throughout my life, obstacles often brought me down, drowning me at a point where my body starts to shiver. However, the determination and resilience I utilized broke me free, allowing me to swim to the surface and continue my path. One way in which I lent a hand to the members of my community is through a food drive I helped co-found. When I graduated from the 5th grade, in the summer of 2017, my community went through adversity. With the lack of jobs, families across the community were barely able to make ends meet. Often, they had no food to provide for their families. Seeing the hardships they endured, I went to the elementary school church, where I met the pastor. Together, we co-launched/co-founded a food drive, created with one purpose: creating food donations to distribute across the community through the word of God. Within the food drive, members from the community, with water above their heads, were lent a hand, relieving them from the adversity they were experiencing. Additionally, community bonds were created as members came together to help create food donations, lending a hand to those in need. Within the community, individuals lacked the educational aid needed for academic scholars to become successful in their studies. Within the food drive, volunteers would bring their children with them. Once I lent a hand to the volunteers in their duties, I set aside time to teach the children how to read, do simple math, and exercise properly, lending a hand for them to be guided in the correct path. Oftentimes, it proved to be difficult as most of them were kindergarteners. With kindergarteners, they wanted to just run around and have fun. With the adversity I faced, I came up with an effective plan for them to have fun while teaching them the basics, preparing them for school. Draining them of the adrenaline they had was the key, as they listened when they were not hyper. From there, teaching them to read as a class enabled me to take my time and help them read and understand books, teaching them how to do simple math allowed me to expand my mind by presenting them with objects, and then adding/subtracting objects for them to understand math, and playing with them taught me how to disguise exercise by teaching them different sports for them to play everyday. Little kids are proven to be adversaries on their league, but with a prepared plan, lending them a hand is effective and fun at the same time. From my experiences in my community, I utilized them to further help my community within my school. AP classes are a burden to most who take them. Firsthand, I would take AP classes that weren't offered at my school online, enduring the challenge of the coursework by utilizing all of my resources available, allowing me to pass them with A's and pass the AP exams. From there, I lent a hand to my school community by tutoring scholars to be best prepared for the AP classes and the respective exams. That experience taught me to always lend a hand whenever I was able to. It allowed me to lend a hand to myself when I was at my lowest points in my studies. With my hand, I was able to, with God's help, become Valedictorian of my graduating class, becoming a beacon of help to everyone in my community. It all took a lending of hand to help.

To make a positive change in a community, one must take the initiative to start something. When I graduated from the 5th grade in the summer of 2017, my community was in desperate need of food donations; it was rough that summer for my community to work just to make ends meet. I wanted to foster change for the better, so I went to the elementary school church, where I met the pastor. I talked to him about the current situation, hoping he would help me start the necessary change for the better in the community. Together, we co-founded and co-launched a weekly food drive to foster change, bringing the community together for a common cause: creating food donations and distributing them to individuals in need across the community with the word of God. As a little kid, I wasn't always grateful for what I had on the table. Often, I would be furious for not getting what I wanted. Seeing how people in the community would wish for even a loaf of bread opened my eyes; it taught me to be appreciative for what I had, because, across the world, there are people who have nothing. From that moment, I became grateful for what I had at home, bringing hope to people in need. Seeing the positive I was able to do, I wished to further push myself, helping people through my favorite subjects: mathematics and science. Within high school, I tutored my peers in AP Calculus AB and Bc and AP Physics. As a scholar myself in high school, I had a mentor who deeply helped me in my high school journey; however, she was unable to take the AP classes I needed to take. Now that I have taken those classes, knowing firsthand the difficulty of the courses, I passed my knowledge of the classes to the underclassmen who needed help. It taught me to be the person I wished I had as a mentor when I was taking those classes. Since I was the first one in my school to take those classes, I used my love for the classes and the resources available to excel in the classes and AP exams. From there, I used my love of learning to help my school community excel in their AP studies. Using my love for those classes, I decided to pursue a career where I can implement my love for STEM while making the world a better place: aerospace engineering. With aerospace engineering, I can apply calculus with physical knowledge of aeronautics to create better, sustainable aircraft that emit less pollution across the sky, reduce spending on resources, and make air travel more efficient. Pollution levels are at record-high levels, which is devastating for human health on a global scale. To reduce the global carbon footprint, I wish to contribute to making the air breathable for the world while reducing the cost of manufacturing the aircraft. What, perhaps, is the most driving factor for me to help my community is giving back to the people who paved the way for me to reach my dreams. My community, at my most difficult times, encouraged me to never give up on my dreams. Upon graduating from college, I wish to further expand the food drive to help wherever I can, expanding my community outreach. Additionally, I wish to create educational workshops across my community to help aspiring scholars receive all the help necessary for them to be successful in their future endeavors. It takes a person to create an everlasting impact on the community, and I am ready.

"Math, a boring subject, a subject that is useless in the real world". While numerous individuals believe that mathematics is useless, especially Calculus, mathematics is essential for daily life. Without mathematics, we would not have the technological advancements we have today, especially in the STEM field. Within the ever-growing scope of mathematics, there is one aspect that is the backbone of everything STEM-related: Calculus. While people believe Calculus is a bane, it is essential to the STEM field as it is the fundamental study of change and optimization. From optimization and related rates to integration and infinite series, Calculus has been the mathematical aspect that bridges the gap between all STEM fields. From engineering to medicine, computing, or even data analysis, Calculus has been used to abstract data to solve problems, calculate rates of change, allowing for the advancements we have today. As a student majoring in Aerospace Engineering, I know firsthand the importance of Calculus in the engineering field of STEM. It is the essential backbone for the fabrication of aircraft, jet/rocket propulsion, and the maintenance of the components to make them work. Knowing this before I entered the STEM field, I pushed myself to take AP Calculus BC in high school. My route of mathematics was tarnished, however. When I was in 8th grade, I was taking Accelerated Algebra 1/Geometry A. Transitioning to high school, the next class in my route was Accelerated Geometry B/Algebra 2. Unfortunately, they didn't have that class at the high school I attended. Needing to find a way to derive a divisive plan to optimize the chances of taking AP Calculus BC, I pushed myself to learn the mathematical concepts for the classes before taking AP Calculus BC, allowing my optimization to be fulfilled. Apart from school, Calculus is an essential aspect of STEM. Regardless of simple calculus or more complex calculus, all versions are needed to impact the world of STEM and work together to find solutions. Differential Calculus is about finding derivatives of how things change, whereas Integral Calculus uses integration to find how quantities accumulate in time while calculating area within curves. While they are different, they are simultaneously used in aspects of STEM. They are embedded in the natural laws that govern the universe. In physics, for example, Newton’s laws of motion are fundamentally described using differential equations—equations that rely on derivatives to relate velocity, acceleration, and force. Additionally, to calculate work without a constant force, one must derive the work done given a specific time. Without calculus, modern physics would lack the mathematical language to describe phenomena such as gravity, electromagnetism, and quantum mechanics. In the engineering field, the field I am majoring in, calculus is indispensable for designing and optimizing structures, machines, and systems. Calculus is used to determine stress and strain on bridges and buildings. Engineers rely on calculus to model heat transfer, fluid dynamics, and the motion of mechanical systems. Even something as fun and simple as engineering rides for fairs, Calculus is used to optimize the rides that are both thrilling and safe while modeling the curvatures and forces required. To me, Calculus is the required step in the STEM field to fully understand the problems to solve them. Calculus is not just a subject reserved for mathematicians; it is a universal tool that underpins the entire STEM landscape. Whether designing spacecraft, analyzing data trends, simulating the human brain, or understanding climate change, calculus allows us to model the world with precision and creativity. While people may dislike it, it is the building block for most STEM jobs, therefore, we all should appreciate Calculus.

My name is Jesus Ortiz, and I have been a first-year aerospace engineering major at the Georgia Institute of Technology. I have attended there for a year, inspired to continue my studies in the Aerospace field. Having the privilege to major in Aerospace Engineering is more than just studying; it's about making sacrificial decisions in life to reach your dreams. I learned that growing up with my family, a family of Hispanic immigrants who immigrated to America for a better life for themselves and their future children. For 18 years, I have seen the challenges my parents went through. From providing food to the table to taking care of me due to my Autism diagnosis at an early age, lacking my ability to walk and talk until a later date, my parents became the backbone of support for me to value their sacrifices and aspire to become someone in life, something they wished to do, but abandoned it for me and my sister to aim for. Growing up, I have always loved school. I loved learning new subjects in classes and pushing myself to learn more. What piqued my interest was math. I would always have a calculator with me whenever I went with my parents grocery shopping, and I would calculate how many things they bought, how much they spent, and if everything was correct. Often, I helped my parents realize that the cashiers would sometimes scan items multiple times when in reality, only one item was purchased. Seeing how I was able to help my parents using the subject I love, I decided to pursue a field where I would be with the subject I love and help people, a life-changing decision that allowed me to create a weekly food drive in my community that, to this day, continues to thrive. In the years to come, providing food on the table became more challenging than ever, especially since I reached high school. To help my parents with the burden of making ends meet, I worked with my mom on cooking food to sell in the mornings while taking more Advanced Placement classes beyond my daily school classes to be better prepared for when I attended Georgia Tech. Initially, it was difficult as it was not just about waking up early anymore; it was about making the sacrifice of changing my entire daily schedule to make adjustments for me to help my parents in their jobs, uplifting my family in the process. Being Hispanic has taught me the process of hard-working ethics, a valuable trait that has allowed me to thrive in my school environment. My senior year was a year that truly taught me the importance of what it means to be Hispanic and leaving everything in God's hands. As a Hispanic descendant, applying for financial aid became challenging as my parents' identities couldn't be verified. It was sad as that was required for me to apply for scholarships, losing the privilege to potentially be awarded said scholarships. It taught me that life will come with challenges, but God will always be there for you. Eventually, I was able to verify my parents' identities, allowing me to apply for financial aid, removing the burden I felt in my senior year. My overall life taught me that the world will always experience difficulties in navigating life, but one will be able to overcome obstacles with God's help. Thanks to God, I was able to help provide for my family and become Valedictorian of my graduating class, teaching me to be proud of my roots and to always trust God.

Living in a Hispanic household brought numerous challenges in my life. My parents worked arduously to earn enough for family sustainability. Their persistent sacrifices allowed me to obtain an education, an aspect they could not receive. Thanks to their sacrifices, I graduated as Valedictorian of my graduating class, allowing me to attend Georgia Tech, and major in Aerospace Engineering, a major I wish to use to make a greater impact within my Hispanic community. My family was in a dire situation when I started school, like everyone in my community. Resources for survival were finite, causing people to take dire measures. Hoping to make a positive impact within my community, I went to the pastor of my elementary school church. I asked if there was a way to help the community out of its current predicament. The pastor started a food drive for underprivileged individuals, and I helped ever since, allowing the community to bond and further increase the aid for all. The creation of the food drive allowed me to become a beacon of hope for aspiring young Hispanic scholars. It encouraged me to become a tutor to individuals who volunteered at the food drive. It allowed me to become a greater leader for those in the community, both volunteers and Hispanic scholars. Thanks to this everlasting experience, I can get a higher form of education to achieve my overall goal of helping everyone in Georgia in any way I can. My biggest dream is to obtain my Aerospace Engineering degree from Georgia Tech to decrease the carbon footprint in the atmosphere, expand the food drive to the entire state, and create STEM workshops to mentor aspiring individuals in STEM-related fields, especially in the ever-growing umbrella of Aerospace Engineering. The road to making a positive impact on the world starts with an individual. Numerous people dream of creating an effect, but few dare to create it. I wish to become among the few and make the world a better place where everyone can achieve their goals and dreams. As a first-generation Latin-American student, my dreams shifted because I initially thought that I would not obtain an education. Numerous obstacles were in my path in school, making it difficult for a Hispanic student to become successful. When I helped create the food drive in my community, I felt accomplished because a person from an underrepresented group, like me, was able to accomplish such a feat and become a beacon of hope. My post-high school goals significantly shifted to further help those in need and train the next generation of aspiring scholars. My identity is something that I am proud of because, with my identity, I soared past my challenges, allowing me to obtain the highest SAT and ACT scores and become the Valedictorian of my graduating class. For one to become Valedictorian in a massive school, representing an underrepresented group is something never seen before. Thanks to God, I did the impossible and achieved my goals and dreams. With that experience, I wish to further expand on my goals and create a greater positive impact, and this scholarship serves as a step closer to allowing me to further advance in my academic journey to achieve this dream.

Coming from a Hispanic household, my parents sacrificed everything for me to obtain an education, an aspect in their lives they lacked due to insufficient resources available at their disposal. From working tireless hours to making meets end daily, their persistent sacrifices enabled me to soar past all obstacles and allowed me to receive the education they wished to obtain, allowing me to enter college as a first-generation Hispanic scholar. The idea of making my parents and Hispanic community proud motivated me to pursue college as a first-generation student. Within my community, it is arduously difficult for a Hispanic individual to graduate and become successful in life outside of school. Opportunities for Hispanics became limited within school, especially when one tried to obtain advance classes. In order to become successful, one had to worked three times harder than the normal student to obtain these classes. In high school, I was able to start my freshman year with honors and AP classes, and all was carried from the persistent work I did in middle school. As the days turned into years in high school, I worked tirelessly to turn my honor classes to AP classes, causing me to average less than five hours daily to make that dream a reality. During my senior year, I wanted nothing more than to value my parents' sacrifices by getting accepted to my dream school and becoming Valedictorian of my graduating class. The road to accomplish my goals was difficult from the start. With all AP classes each semester, I was averaging three hours daily, causing me to further work harder than my fellow class peers into becoming someone who values my parents' sacrifices and become an inspiration for my fellow classmates and the underclassmen who wish to make their parents proud of everything they have done for them. The path was difficult, but rewarding in the end when I became Valedictorian of my graduating class and made my parents proud. It made me feel accomplished as a scholar and as their child as I valued all their sacrifices and was able to graduate as Valedictorian. As I soared through my senior year, I was unsure about what I wished to study when I attended college. I would jump from profession to profession, trying to figure out what I wished to attend. As a little kid, I loved the field of mathematics. As a young person, I would learn advance math because I loved the difficulty of math and would have a curiosity of learning how to solve abstract mathematics more complex than what I learned in school. With AP Calculus BC, my love for the subject increased. Additionally, I love the aspect of space and always wondered how I could contribute to aerospace. Therefore, I wish to pursue my major in the STEM field: aerospace engineering. This major within the STEM field is everything I could ask for as a person who loves math and enjoys the abstract of space. Within the STEM field, I wish to greatly contribute my findings into best helping the world and my community as a whole by reducing the carbon footprint in our atmosphere and mentoring aspiring individuals in the STEM field. The road will be arduous, but, with God's help, I will be able to achieve this and more within the ever-growing STEM field.

Living in a Hispanic household brought numerous challenges in my life. My parents worked arduously to earn enough for family sustainability. Their persistent sacrifices allowed me to obtain an education, an aspect they could not receive. Thanks to their sacrifices, I graduated as Valedictorian of my graduating class, allowing me to attend Georgia Tech, and major in Aerospace Engineering, a major I wish to use to make a greater impact within my Hispanic community. When I started to attend school, my family was in a dire situation, like everyone in my community. Resources for survival were finite, causing people to take dire measures. Hoping to make a positive impact within my community, I went to the pastor of my elementary school church and asked if there was a way to help the community out of its current predicament. The pastor started a food drive for underprivileged individuals, and I helped ever since, allowing the community to bond and further increase the aid for all. The creation of the food drive allowed me to become a beacon of hope for aspiring young Hispanic scholars. It encouraged me to become a tutor to individuals who volunteered at the food drive. It allowed me to become a greater leader for those in the community, both volunteers and Hispanic scholars. Thanks to this everlasting experience, I can get a higher form of education to achieve my overall goal of helping everyone in Georgia in any way I can. My biggest dream is to obtain my Aerospace Engineering degree from Georgia Tech to decrease the carbon footprint in the atmosphere, expand the food drive to the entire state, and create STEM workshops to mentor aspiring individuals in STEM-related fields, especially in the ever-growing umbrella of Aerospace Engineering. The road to creating a positive impact on the world starts with an individual. Numerous people dream of creating an impact, but few dare to create it. I wish to become among the few and make the world a better place, a place where everyone can achieve their goals and dreams. As a first-generation Latin-American student, my dreams shifted because I initially thought that I would not obtain an education. Numerous obstacles were in my path in school, making it difficult for a Hispanic student to become successful. When I helped create the food drive in my community, I felt accomplished because a person from an underrepresented group, like me, was able to accomplish such a feat and become a beacon of hope. My post-high school goals significantly shifted to further help those in need and train the next generation of aspiring scholars. My identity is something that I am proud of because, with my identity, I soared past my challenges, allowing me to obtain the highest SAT and ACT scores and become the Valedictorian of my graduating class. For one to become Valedictorian in a massive school, representing an underrepresented group is something never seen before. Thanks to God, I did the impossible and achieved my goals and dreams. With that experience, I wish to further expand on my goals and create a greater positive impact, and this scholarship serves as a step closer to allowing me to further advance in my academic journey to achieve this dream.