Being dyslexic, math is one of the few subjects I understand. Other school subjects are almost foreign to me, however, math is something that just makes sense in my mind. Due to the more structured nature of math, I find it easier to understand as a person with dyslexia. Dyslexia impacts my ability to process and understand language but it does not necessarily affect my ability to understand numerical concepts or spatial relationships. Because of this, it is easier for me since math is less reliant on language and reading comprehension skills, which is something I struggle with in other subjects such as English and History. Dyslexia impacts my ability to process and understand language but it does not necessarily affect my ability to understand numerical concepts or spatial relationships. I also have a tendency to think outside of the box and approach problems in unique ways, which is a vital aspect of mathematic skills. I am often top of my class in math because of this. Being easy for me to understand makes me love the subject even more. Math is not something I struggle with and I often look forward to it during my school day, while dreading my language-based courses.

My future career does not involve many people, since I am planning on going into veterinary care. Many may think it would be hard to benefit people with disabilities as a veterinarian but I have to disagree. Since the 1750s many people with disabilities have benefited from the use of service animals. I know how important it is for these life-saving animals to be in the best health. So in my future career as a veterinarian, I plan to offer any service animal user low-cost health care for their animal. I am also planning on eventually opening my own veterinary clinic. In doing so I would also like to use that platform to raise money for various service animal-related charities and raise money so that more people with disabilities can afford to own a service animal.

Fear. More than I would like to admit, fear has played a massive role in my life. Since I was very young, I have always had a near-debilitating fear of public speaking. At one point it was nearly impossible for me to speak in front of or to someone who was not part of my immediate family. I had people speak for me to family members that I wasn't close with or order my food for me in a restaurant just so I did not have to interact with anyone. I would hide away from people for fear of messing u my words in front of them. In school, I would cry if I was told I was required to do an oral presentation. There was a point when my parents thought I was just painfully shy and that I would simply grow out of it but the older I got the worse it got. My fear of public speaking stems from my dyslexia, which is a fairly common sign of the disorder. Both of my parents had jobs that involved constantly talking to people. My mother was a hairstylist in a high-end Manhattan salon, and my father was a small-town police officer detective. Despite having an extremely outgoing family I was still horribly afraid of speaking to people. Thankfully, my third-grade teacher noticed the signs that my parents had missed. Miss. Goldstein helped me to gain an IEP and helped me to begin to overcome my fear of public speaking. Before her help, I feared for the future. Miss. Goldstein was a wonderful and inspiring teacher. She was, and still very much is, willing to help me and all of her students by going the extra mile to help us succeed. In my case, she took time out of her day to help me overcome my fears and took time to understand my unique needs. She would practice speaking with me so that I was able to grow more comfortable with my public speaking. Miss. Goldstein often would pull me aside during lessons to have me read to her and help me become more comfortable speaking to her and eventually to others. It was really helpful to me to practice public speaking in a safe and supportive environment. I would also practice at home with family members and in a small group setting with friends. She also helped me to develop strategies for managing my anxiety and improving my speaking skills. Additionally, it was helpful to me when she provided me with positive feedback and praise for my efforts, rather than focusing solely on my mistakes or shortcomings. She was also extremely patient and understanding as overcoming my fear of public speaking was a long and challenging process, and this was very important for me. Miss. Goldstein also advocated to the school in order to help me gain an IEP so that I could continue to utilize the valuable resources she had provided to me in the future of my academic career. At one point, she actually pushed for the school to include in my IEP that I was not to be forced to read out loud in front of or to the class since this was something I struggled with the most due to being dyslexic. Miss. Goldstein inspired me to continue learning and to eventually pursue higher learning which, at this time, I am in the process of applying for. I still have a lot to work on with my fear of public speaking but thanks to Miss. Goldstein's help I feel more confident in pursuing higher learning since I know that I can utilize these skills in both a college setting and in my future career.

Leadership is much more than just having total control over others. It's about being a role model, taking a stand for what you believe in, and inspiring others to work towards a common goal. Being a caring and trustworthy person is crucial, in my opinion, to be a great leader. The ability to challenge the status quo, adapt to change, and take the time to understand everyone's strengths and weaknesses are also important. I have been fortunate enough to develop these skills through various experiences. In school, I am considered a fashion leader, always creating trends and being a positive influence on my peers. I often am proactive and take action when needed in school and I take the initiative to make positive changes in my school and community. A strong leader doesn't just tell others what to do. I empower my peers to take ownership of their own ideas and personal style. I am a firm believer in individuality and try my best to demonstrate this to my peers to empower them. By encouraging and supporting my peers, I can help them develop their own leadership skills and in turn, strengthen their individual identity. I am also extremely adaptable to change. I believe that an effective leader should be able to overcome obstacles and adapt to changing circumstances. I see how trends and my environment change and how I can change to better suit them and myself, By staying flexible and open-minded I show that I am capable of handling challenges and finding creative solutions. I also participate in Girl Scouts and an over-the-summer Catholic youth group program, where I help lead and inspire younger children. I try to use effective communication skills to communicate my ideas and goals clearly and effectively to a younger audience. I help them by participating in group debates, and public speaking events and even just teaching them to be active listeners with their friends and family. While leadership is a complex concept that requires many skills and positive qualities, one of my main goals is to use my leadership skills to open my own veterinary clinic. By doing so, I can use my leadership skills to maintain staff and client relations, organize community events, and provide low-income individuals with assistance to maintain their pets. Being passionate about what you're leading is essential to being a successful leader, and I'm extremely passionate about helping animals and others.

In January of 2020, right before the world fell apart, my world fell apart. After battling breast cancer for many years, my mother passed away. This was the worst year of my life. I was completely isolated from my friends and the rest of my family. I could barely even talk to my dad that year due to the global COVID-19 pandemic, since he had to stay distanced from me because he was still going to work during the pandemic. This was incredibly challenging for me because I had no distraction from the grief. Thankfully I found ways to take my mind off of it and when in-person schooling resumed I joined the Girl's Varsity Bowling team. I have now been bowling on a varsity level for three years. When I first started bowling, I used my mother's ball before getting my own. It was special to me because I would remember all of the times we would go bowling together when I was younger. Bowling has greatly enriched my life, especially when I was going through those difficult times. I love the community aspect of bowling and seeing my friends from other schools at our tournaments. During bowling, I feel better about myself and I am always looking to improve myself. I love going to practice and seeing my teammates. It is always nice to see them as I consider many of them my closest friends. I am proud of my team because we were the undefeated bowling champions of the 2022-2023 season and even went on to win the League II Championship that same season. I am hoping that during this season we will once again rank in the top ten again and that I will achieve MVP status. When I am bowling I feel better about myself despite still being depressed that I lost my mother. She was very close to me and sometimes it is really hard. I hope that in the future, I can continue to pay it forward as I have in the past. I am planning on majoring in veterinary medicine and later going into the veterinary industry. Because of this, I am hoping that I can create my own vet clinic that would offer low-cost services for those less fortunate than me. My mother grew up poor and had always taught me to pay it forward to those who need our help the most. She helped me to actively participate in volunteer events and I plan on continuing to do so in the future. I hope that when I am able to start my own veterinary clinic I can help others by creating low-cost treatments and services as well as hosting community events to raise money for those less fortunate and those of a low income. I am also hoping to continue to raise awareness for cancer research and hope to donate some of the profit I make as a vet to this cause as it is near to my heart. I also hope that this year I can participate in Relay for Life and raise more awareness to cancer research.

To many people, being a leader means the total control over others and yes, to a degree this is a small part of what being a leader is. However, in my opinion, being a leader is being a role model who is willing to take a stand for what they believe in. Throughout history, many of the leaders who sought only control over others contributed to their own downfall in doing so. To me, a truly great leader shows caring toward others and is someone who can be confided in in times of need. In other words, a good leader is a friend. There's a part of being a leader that is about creating a vision that inspires others to work toward a common goal, not just about giving orders and expecting them to be followed. I believe that leaders should challenge the status quo and have the courage to stand up for what they believe in. In this way, I am a leader. In school, I am considered a fashion leader. I create trends instead of following them and I always try to be a positive influence on my friends and peers. In regards to being a leader in style and trends, I have a strong ability to adapt and change to better suit myself and my environment. In my opinion, many leaders throughout history have failed due to the lack of acceptance of change. Times are changing, and they always will be. I also participate in Girl Scouts and often help lead the scouts of a lower age level and also try to effectively communicate to them in a way that inspires and motivates them towards success. When doing larger projects, I like to take the time to understand everyone's strengths and weaknesses to better move the group forward. I am also a peer leader for an over-the-summer Catholic youth group program. I help the instructors with the children and often must display leadership skills for the children to respect and like me. In situations with young children, they view me as an all-powerful figure. I believe that it is not a good thing to be viewed as "a god among men" and believe that it is important for myself and other leaders to be scrutinized like we would any other person. For example, if I do something incorrectly I should be held accountable in the same way the group that I lead would be. It is my opinion that no one is above the law even if they created the laws or enforce them. In the future, I hope that I can use these many leadership skills to open and run my own veterinary clinic. I will use these skills to maintain staff relations, maintain client relations, and organize community events. It is one of my main goals is to run various community events that would benefit low-income individuals to maintain their pets. I am hoping to become a community leader in this regard. Leadership comes from the heart, and leaders must be passionate about what they are leading. I am extremely passionate about animals and helping others which is why my goals are in line with this by opening a veterinary clinic and hosting community events to benefit those who are less fortunate. Leadership is a complex concept that requires a combination of many skills and positive qualities. I believe that I display many of these skills and qualities in my daily life and hope that I can contine to use these skills in the future to become a leader in the veterinary industry.

Having an Individualized Education Plan, or an IEP has come with many challenges. One of the main challenges I faced, besides actually having a learning disability, is bullying. I used to try and hide the fact that I had an IEP from my fellow classmates. The problem was the questions hiding it created. So many of my peers in school would ask me things like "Why are you pulled out of class to take tests," or "Why do you deserve extra time on assignments?" It was embarrassing in my mind to have to explain that I was dyslexic and needed my tests read to me or that I needed a little bit more time on assignments so that I could read them properly. Many of of peers would bully me due to seeing this as an unfair advantage. I hated it. Later in my academic career, I began to accept the fact that I had an IEP and a learning disability. I then began to use my extra time and resource room more effectively and in doing so actually brought my grade point average up. However, I still face the problem of teachers refusing my accommodation. It is against the law to refuse a child with disabilities accommodations and IEP, yet many of my teachers still do. Many of the teachers in my school district, and all over the country for that matter, view IEPs as an unfair advantage or they see it as a student not trying hard enough/being lazy. It is so frustrating when I have to battle the school just so that I am able to be accommodated for my dyslexia. Despite this, I still have teachers who try to help me with my learning disability and teach me skills that I can use outside of school and later in life. I am extremely grateful for the many teachers who actually chose to help me rather than hinder me throughout my academic career. My family is my biggest motivator through all of the challenges I have faced due to my learning disability. All throughout my life my family would help me improve my reading level. For example: my mother would read books with me, my dad would help me read signs, and my sister would help me read menus for me. Things like this really helped me in my daily life, especially when I was younger. It is hard being dyslexic. There's no cure or quick fix or even a medication to fix it. Knowing this only means that I have to work harder each and every day in order to better myself to achieve my goals.

In my belief, I think that if I could have everyone in the world read just one book it would be 'The Things They Carried' written by Tim O'Brien. I believe this because it demonstrates the effect war has on not only the soldiers but the innocent people involved. The book is a fictitious collection of short stories relating to the Vietnam War, a war that continues to affect people to this day. Many of the stories catalog the mental impact the Vietnam War had on the soldiers. I believe that it is an important book to read, even though It is hard to get through at points. In today's current world, we are still affected by past, current, and even future wars. I believe that by reading this book, many people would come to understand the horrific and disgusting effects that warfare has on all people not just the soldiers fighting on the front lines. War affects all people of all backgrounds; children, families, those who are innocent, and those who were never meant to fight. I think the message of the book not only is to stop wars but to also treat those affected by PTSD and other mental conditions better and shows how difficult the struggle is for people who suffer from these illnesses. I always recommend this book to fellow readers and hope that others will understand why I believe that 'The Things They Carried' written by Tim O'Brien should be the one book that everyone in the world reads just once.

Based on Neil Gaiman's 1999 novel of the same name, Stardust is a 2007 adventure fantasy film with a romantic element. It was directed by Matthew Vaughn and co-written by Vaughn and Jane Goldman. This film has a stacked ensemble cast including Charlie Cox, Clarie Danes, Michelle Pfeiffer, and Robert De Niro, with narration by Sir Ian McKellen. The film follows a young man named Tristan, who is from the fictus village of Wall located in England. The town serves as the border between the human realm and the magical fantasy land called the Kingdom of Stormhold. The story follows our lead Tristan as he vetures through the magical Kingdom of Stormhold trying to return a fallen star, a woman named Yvanie, to his village as he is pursued by selfish princes and evil witches. I have at this point watched this film several times, yet I have never met anyone else who has seen or even heard of this particular film. I remember it being a random movie my dad downloaded onto my iPod for long car trips. I became entranced by the weird and wonderful fae realm presented in the film. As I began to get older and mature I realized I connected deeply with the main character Tristan. He was a local nobody with a desire to leave his small village and see what lies beyond the wall of Wall. I too have a deep desire to travel and learn more about the world we live in and what lies beyond the metaphorical walls in my life. Tristan is also constantly berated throughout the scenes of the film that take place in Wall. He is looked down upon by his peers and only after he comes back to Wall as a better man he is seen with respect. Similarly, this has happened to me. I changed myself greatly after the COVID-19 pandemic, and after returning to school with a new look and added confidence, only then is when people decided to notice me. Much like how Tristan in the movie handles the way people begin to treat him after "becoming cool", I realize that people who only like me for my cool or pretty exterior are not deserving of my time. The movie ends with Tristan discovering that his future lies beyond the Wall. I too believe my future lies beyond the town I grew up in, beyond the only town I've ever known. I hope that I gain the ability to travel across the globe meeting amazing new people and seeing incredible new sights to behold.

Making a positive impact on the world is a dream that many seek to achieve. For me making a positive impact on the world will be through my career as a veterinarian. I will be attending college for veterinary medicine in order to gain the skills necessary to work my way up through the veterinary world. In doing so, I hope that in the future I can open my own veterinary clinic that would offer low-cost pet care for those who may not be able to afford high-quality veterinary care for their family pets. I believe that it is important to have affordable options for low-income individuals to care for their furry friends since this, in my opinion, would lead to fewer animals being abandoned or left at shelters. It is always so heartbreaking and sad to hear stories of families having to give up their family pets simply because they can no longer afford to care for them. I plan on hosting a variety of fund-raising events through my veterinary clinic in order to provide things such as food and bedding for families that are struggling to afford these things for their pets. There are a variety of fundraising ideas that my veterinary clinic would be able to utilize in order to help low-income pet owners. One idea is to host a charity walk or run that raises money to provide for the aforementioned low-cost pet care for low-income families. I would also host events such as charity raffles where all the proceeds would go to funding for these families as well. I would also like to set ou a donation box where clients can donate pet supplies or monetary donations to be used to support low-income families in caring for their pets. Finally, I would like for my future clinic to partner with local businesses to host a pet-friendly event, such as a dog walk or pet fair, with all of the proceeds going toward providing low-cost pet care for families in need. Coming from a low-income household myself, I see firsthand how difficult it is to afford quality pet care. I hope that in the future I will be able to provide the highest quality care for animals of all shapes and sizes through the experience and knowledge I gain by pursuing a degree in veterinary medicine and these skills will translate in a way that allows me to achieve my goal of providing low-cost high-quality care for animals.

When I began the third grade, I began to struggle. While many of my peers began reading chapter books, I struggled to read. The words on the page would scramble in my mind making it nearly impossible to read. My teacher took notice and decided to ask my parents if I needed to be evaluated for dyslexia. As it turns out, I was indeed dyslexic and my reading level was far behind the other kids my age. Miss. Goldstein was always a wonderful teacher who was, and still is, always willing to go the extra mile to help her students succeed. She quickly took notice that I was struggling with reading due to my now-diagnosed dyslexia, and she knew she had to step in and help. Miss. Goldstein took the time to understand my unique needs and found ways to make reading easier and more enjoyable for me. She used colorful visual aids, read aloud to me, and even gave me extra time on assignments so that I could take time to read them slowly. With Miss. Goldstein's help and encouragement, I began making progress and feeling more confident in my abilities. Seeing my improvement was the most rewarding part of Miss. Goldstein's job, and she knew she had made a difference in my life. As I got older she advocated for me to be put in a resource room to help further improve my reading level. She also pushed for the school to give me an Individualized Educational Plan, also known as an IEP, so that I could continue to be allowed the vaulable accommodations that I needed to succeed. To this day I use many of the skills she taught me to help read. I often find myself using these skills when I am in a situation outside of school and I do not have anyone to help me, like a teacher. Even after I finished elementary school, Miss. Goldstein kept in contact with my parents to make sure I was getting all that I needed in school. Miss. Goldstein also helped me gain accommodations for the New York State testing and for the SAT. I approach reading differently than before. No longer is reading a scary and difficult task I have to complete, but now something that is second nature to me and enjoyable. I no longer fear going to school and no longer feel shame in my reading abilities. Thanks to Miss. Goldstein I can read and I will always be grateful for her kindness and dedication to my education.

After having finally become cancer-free, in late 2019 my mother's cancer returned. This time it was even more aggressive and even led to her losing the use of her left arm. She quit her job and essentially moved into a hospital in Manhattan that was over an hour away from my house; that was only if there was no traffic. After months of battling the cancer, she passed in January of 2020. I greatly miss my mother and doing things with her. We were very close and we would do so many cool things together. We would often go to get pizza together or go shopping just to have a reason to hang out. To this day, I still miss her so much. She was such an inspiration to me. She taught me valuable lessons in life, like to embrace my weird and kooky personality. She let me experiment with my appearance, to this day I even still dye my hair firetruck red just like how she would style it for me. It was really hard watching her quit her thirty-year career due to the cancer spreading and not being able to continue her passion for hair styling. She was always in love with her job; she was a hair stylist in Manhattan. To make matters worse, a few weeks before my mother passed my maternal grandmother passed away from old age. In April of the same year, my paternal grandfather died from cancer. On top of all that, we had to put my childhood dog down. I quickly became overwhelmed with depression and grief, especially grief for my mother whom I was very close with. It was even more horrendous for me since the COVID-19 pandemic global lockdown began in the same year. I became isolated from my family and friends, which did not help the grieving process. It was hard to catch up on schoolwork after being absent from class for all of the funerals and having to switch to the new online style of learning. My life was turned inside out and I could not even go out to do things I love due to the lockdown. Thankfully now I can do the things I love, with my friends and family. Doing things with my family and friends has really helped me overcome the dark feelings I had during that horrible time in my life. I never want to feel like I did in 2020 ever again.

There are many inherent expenses in college, such as tuition and dorming, that scholarships cover. However, there are many costs in college life that are overlooked by scholarships. Things like textbooks, personal computers, and basic school supplies like pens and notebooks. These things aren't cheap. Coming from a low-income household with a single parent worries me, the thought of all these expenses causes me anxiety. I had to shorten the list of colleges I wanted to apply to since I could not afford the application fees. I feel bad that my dad has to save just for me to go to college when other kids never have to worry about it. I miss the days when my mom was alive. We would go on family trips and I would always have to newest and best school supplies. Now I often pick the off-brand versions of things and cheapest options for everything that my household is single income. It is hard sometimes since now I get bullied for being a "poor Hispanic" in a predominantly wealthy and white neighborhood. In college, I plan to study biomedical sciences and veterinary medicine. In short, I really want to be a vet. I hope that with this degree I can work my way up through the veterinary world and eventually open my own veterinary clinic. This would be a low-cost clinic for those who struggle to afford the utmost quality pet care. I believe that everyone is deserving of quality even if they cannot afford it. Pets are, in my opinion, really important for people's mental health. I have seen firsthand how animals can instantly improve the well-being of an individual. Another goal I have for my future veterinary clinic is to host community fundraising events that will help provide free pet products, such as food and toys, to low-income individuals and households so that they may better take care of their furry friends and fewer family pets will end up in shelters. It is heartbreaking to read stories of low-income families having to give up their furry friends simply because they can no longer afford to care for the animal. I am a firm believer in the idea that pets are part of the family. All in all my experience being low-income has greatly shaped the way I view my future career. I hope that with this scholarship I will be able to achieve these goals and succeed in college.

In January of 2020, my mother passed away from breast cancer after it came back even after having been cancer-free for nearly a year. It was the darkest time in my life and I will never forget how I felt trying to cope with feeling overwhelmed with dark emotions of depression and grief. It was even more horrendous for me since, within the same year, my paternal grandfather, maternal grandmother, and childhood dog died. And to boot the global COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown began. I quickly fell behind on my schoolwork after being pulled out of school to go through the long and grueling funeral process. I wanted nothing to do with any of my friends or family even though I was deeply struggling on the inside. However, many of my family members pushed me to open up to them and I realized that that is exactly what I needed, I needed to talk to someone. I quickly gained the new belief that it is important to take care of mental health and talk to others about the way we are feeling. Soon after realizing this, I reached out to friends and family for support. This support was vital to overcoming depression. After having struggled with depression and grief, I realized that society doesn't care as much as it should about these things. I believe that if people, especially young people, got more help dealing with complicated emotions they would fare better than those who bottle their feelings. I am now very open with my emotions to those I trust and seek support from loved ones when I am struggling. I am more motivated to pursue my dream career, as a veterinarian, to make my late mother proud of me. She was my biggest supporter in life before her sudden passing. No matter what she always helped me achieve dreams and goals. I know it's silly, but I feel her encouraging me from someplace beyond in my heart. Depression and grief are so difficult for teens and I hope no one will ever have to feel the way I feel. Often I encourage my friends to share their feelings with me when they are going through a rough patch in life. I will never judge them for feeling sad or unwell mentally, as they would never do that to me either. I am also very grateful to my teachers in school for understanding that I was struggling during that time. I am now doing extraordinarily better but sometimes I slip back into those dark emotions. When I slip back I will do things that make me happy. Things like playing my favorite games with my family or going out to the local mall with my friends. One of my greatest beliefs in life is that no one should ever have to be alone, everyone deserves a shoulder to cry on and someone to talk to. In the future, I have plans to open my own business, a low-cost veterinary clinic, and I will gladly offer mental health days and I will never penalize my employees if they ever need time off for a funeral or similar events.

Learning disabilities run in my family, and just as expected I was born with dyslexia. Dyslexic, as defined in the Merriam-Webster dictionary, is "....[a] learning disability involving difficulties in acquiring and processing language that is typically manifested by a lack of proficiency in reading, spelling, and writing". It has always been a struggle for me to keep up with schoolwork, especially when it involves a lot of reading and writing but I always manage to pull through. I have had a lot of help throughout my academic career and am grateful to my parents, sister, and teachers for helping me with difficult tasks. Thankfully I was granted an Individualized Education Program, or an IEP at a young age. This has been astronomical in helping me through my academic career, things like resource room and extra time on long assessments. I have also applied for accommodations through the college board and hope to be granted them. Dyslexia for me has also caused many social issues such as anxiety and a fear of public speaking. I am always afraid to read in front of the class or even read a birthday card out loud with my family. I feel embarrassed and ashamed about my reading and writing abilities. Overall, being dyslexic can present many challenges, but with proper support and accommodations, individuals with dyslexia such as myself can still achieve great success in their academic and personal lives. For me, there are many motivations for pursuing higher education. I have a massive desire to gain knowledge and skills in my field of study, which will be veterinary medicine. With the knowledge I gain, I hope that it will lead to advancing my career and improving my job prospects, as well as personal growth and development. A degree in veterinary medicine would be an excellent way to achieve my personal goal of opening my own vet clinic. With a degree in veterinary medicine, I will gain the knowledge and skills needed to provide high-quality care to animals, as well as the business understanding required to run a successful veterinary practice. I cannot wait to learn about animal anatomy and physiology, disease diagnosis, and treatment, as well as effective communication with pet owners and staff. This knowledge will help me to provide excellent care to all kinds of furry friends and build a strong reputation as a practicing vet. This will be invaluable when it comes to opening and running my own vet clinic. Overall, a degree in veterinary medicine will provide me with the education and experience needed to achieve my goal of opening my own vet clinic and making a positive impact on the lives of animals and their owners.

There have been many setbacks in my life, including losing my mother in early 2020 and my father retiring early due to a workplace accident. Despite this, I continue to work my hardest through the challenges. I have a passion for learning about the world around me, especially when it comes to animals. From a young age, I have been fascinated by the intricate workings of the animal world, and I have always been eager to learn more. One of my earliest memories was dressing as a vet for an elementary school career day while all the other girls in my class wore princess dresses and fairy wings. One of my community service projects for Girls Scouts was to build storage boxes for local animal shelters and raise money for the shelters as well. This passion for animals has led me to pursue a degree in biology and veterinary medicine, where I hope to gain valuable knowledge and skills to help me post-graduation. In the future, I hope to open a low-cost veterinary clinic. Opening a veterinary clinic has been a long-time dream of mine. As a passionate animal lover, I understand the importance of providing high-quality care to our furry friends. I believe that opening a low-cost veterinary clinic would not only allow me to fulfill my dream of working with animals but also enable me to make a positive impact on the lives of pet owners and their beloved pets. By providing personalized care and attention, I hope to create a welcoming and safe environment where pets can receive the best possible treatment. Ultimately, my goal is to make a difference in the lives of animals and their owners, one paw at a time. A scholarship would be incredibly helpful for me to achieve my academic and career goals. As a low-income female student in a scientific field, the cost of tuition and materials can be quite high. A scholarship would provide me with much-needed financial assistance, allowing me to focus on my studies and achieve the best possible academic outcomes. It would also offer me the opportunity to gain access to resources and opportunities that I may not have been able to access otherwise. Additionally, receiving a scholarship would be a tremendous boost to my confidence and motivation, as it would serve as recognition of my hard work and dedication. Overall, a scholarship would be a valuable investment in my future, enabling me to pursue my passion and make a meaningful contribution to the field of veterinary medicine.

Given the current state of the environment, living sustainably is even more important than ever before. Factors such as rapid climate change, deforestation, pollution of our waterways, and the overuse of single-use plastics have contributed greatly to the decline of biodiversity and the decline of the environment as a whole. As an individual, I recognize the impact of my daily activities on the environment and strive to make intentional choices that help reduce my carbon footprint. Currently, I am trying to reduce my use of single-use plastics. I use a reusable metal water bottle at school and sports, and at home, I use glass and ceramic dishes and drinkware. I avoid using plastic bags as much as possible. I switched from zipper bags, such as Ziplocs, to reusable food storage containers. I also like to use reusable metal straws as much as possible, or simply avoid straws altogether. I also try to purchase products with minimal packaging and recycle as much as I can. These small changes in my daily routine have helped reduce the amount of plastic waste I generate. The production of meat has a significant impact on the environment, so I try to reduce my consumption of meat which helps reduce my carbon footprint. This is the most difficult for me since many foods from my family's Colombian culture contain meat. To combat this I try to only eat meat during family dinners and special events, such as holidays or birthdays. At home, I also try to reuse my energy consumption. I turn off the lights in empty rooms and unplug unused devices, such as fans and charging cords. When buying new appliances for my family's home, I advised my father to purchase those that used less energy and less water. I also take showers that are shorter and I try to use cooler water to reduce my water usage. These choices not only help reduce my carbon footprint but also save my father money on his utility bills. In addition to these choices, I try to use public transportation or carpool whenever possible. Preserving the environment for future generations is essential to me which is why I take these steps towards reducing my carbon footprint. In conclusion, living sustainably is not just a personal choice; it's a necessity. By making intentional choices to reduce my carbon footprint, I can make a positive impact on the environment. I hope that my actions inspire others to make similar choices and work towards a more sustainable future for all.

According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, a leader is "a person who leads: such as...a person who has commanding authority or influence". Being a leader, in my opinion, is to be a role model and someone with the ability to take a stand. I believe that to others leadership means total control over others and, yes, I do agree that that is a small part of it. However, I believe that the leaders of history who sought only control contributed to their own downfall in doing so. A truly great leader is someone who can be confided in, a shoulder to lean on in times of need, and a friend. Leadership is not just about giving orders and expecting them to be followed, theres a part of it that is about creating a vision that inspires others to work to a common goal. Leaders should have the courage to stand up for what they believe in and challenge the status quo. A good leader, in my opinion should have the ability to effectively commuicate to those around them in a way that inspires and modivates them towars sucesses. Understand everyones strengths and weaknesses to better move the group foward. Another part of being a great leader is the abilty to adapt and cahnge. Many leaders throughout history have failed due to the lack of an acceptance of change. Times are changing, and they always will be. Leaders should also not be viewed as gods among men, rather leaders should be scrutinized like we would any other person. For example, if a leader does something wrong, they should be held accountable in the same way the group they lead would be. No one is above the law is what I mean in layman's terms. Being a great leader is important. If you want the group to succeed you need to have a great leader. If the leader fails, the people fail along with them. Looking back on history, what group has succeeded without their leader? Surely there is not one example. Leadership comes from the heart. Leaders need to be passionate about what they are leading. Why even lead a group if you would never be part of the group itself? In conclusion, leadership is a complex concept that requires a combination of skills and qualities. A true leader should be able to inspire, motivate, communicate, and adapt to change. They should be able to create a vision and work towards achieving it with their team. A great leader is not just someone who has authority or control but someone who is respected and admired by those around them.

Honestly, I think that it is hard to be a Gen Z kid. Life keeps trying to get in the way of itself for Gen Z kids. I have not had time to be a kid, I miss the days when it was simple. Due to the previous generations, we Gen Z kids needed to hurry up and grow up. I became an adult when at my age I should be hanging at the mall with my friends, not worrying that one day I may not be able to pay off my student loans or own my own home. I hope that the collective Gen Z, with help from the Millennials can fix the world for Gen Alpha and all of the generations to come. I pray and beg that we can fix the damage to the world. Fix nature, fix the financial instructions, and would I be silly if I said world peace? I do not believe that each generation should live like the last, which was touched upon in the Ode To Millennials-Gen Z. We have evolved passed writing letters, to using phones, to now using messages. Honestly, is texting not more similar to writing letters than phone calls are? I think the Ode To Millennials-Gen Z is an important piece, especially for older generations such as the boomers, to read and look back upon to realize that we need to set the future generations up for success not hinder them so that they need to clean up the elder's messes.

I have always believed that it is important that we work to better understand the nature of our universe. I think that it is important because the universe is the way of life. Our entire human existence exists within our universe. If we as a collective understood the strange and mysterious ways of our universe, then we could better live in harmony with it. I believe that some people are more in tune with the universe and nature than others. When I immerse myself in nature, I try to tune myself into the universe and listen to the world around me. Everything has meaning; from the blue whales, to the redwood forests, to the little plants growing between sidewalk cracks. Even man-made things can be harmonious with the universe. I try to look at architecture and how it interacts with nature. How birds nest between letters of neon signs, how vines reclaim old churches. I think it is vital to the future of the human race to understand why the universe continues to try and live harmoniously with us, despite many people trying to conquer nature and the universe. Our future depends on a stable relationship with the universe. Regardless, I do believe there are things about our beautiful universe that we with never come to understand. There are things that we may never evolve to see or feel and that may lead to our downfall. The desire to know too much. In my opinion, there is a difference between understanding and total knowledge. In my daily life, I will continue to practice mindfulness and meditation. I often recite three things I am grateful for each day. Things as great as meeting someone new to as mundane as a hot meal. I think these are important to our universe as they remind us that we can be content without answers. I also ask myself personal questions while I meditate. I ask "why am I happy today?", "how can I improve myself tomorrow?", "can I create a change to bring more joy into my life?". I do believe that in my lifetime, the answers we as a society seek will not be answered. Despite this, I am content with never knowing. This allows me to be creative in my own way trying to rationalize answers to our great big universe. I hope that in the future my descendants and the descendants of theirs will have the answers I will never be granted. Though are answers worth the loss of wonder? If we have answers will the universe lose its intrigue?

To put it simply, I'm a teenage girl starting her senior year of high school. To put it not simply, I am a lot of many things. I'm a Girl Scout, a sister, a girlfriend, a daughter. I love hanging out with my friends and volunteering my time. I was taught at a young age to always help others, and I promised my late mother to always uphold that value. I love helping others and helping animals. My love of helping animals is what influenced me to pursue a career in veterinary medicine. Ever since I was a kid I've wanted to be a veterinarian. One of my earliest memories is from when I was in elementary school, I was dressing up as a vet for career day while all the other little girls dressed as princesses. I've always had a passion for animals. My friends all think it's funny when random animals come up to me. I want to help all animals especially those that are looked down upon. Being a veterinarian would be an incredibly rewarding career, one that allows me to help animals and their owners on a daily basis. What many people don't realize is that being a veterinarian also means I have the ability to help others in different ways. For example, by providing education on proper pet care and nutrition, I can help prevent illnesses and injuries from occurring in the first place. I would love to help with shelter animals and those animals affected by hardship and abuse. I think it is important that all of the less fortunate animals get the help and love they deserve. In the future, I would love to open a low-cost veterinary clinic for those who may not have the financial stability to care for their furry friends. In doing this I hope that fewer animals will land up in kennels and shelters. Additionally, by offering advice and guidance on how to cope with the loss of a beloved pet, I can provide comfort and support during a difficult time. Overall, being a vet allows me to make a positive impact on the lives of both animals and their human companions. I would love for more people to be educated on animals and to be more open to the idea of adopting a shelter animal. My dog, Freya, was a shelter dog that was caught in a hurricane before ending up in the shelter. If not for the help of the veterinary staff at that particular shelter, she might not have been here today. But to put it simply, I just want to be the best I can be to achieve my goals.

If you can dream it, you can be it. When I was little, Barbie's Dreamhouse was the epitome of luxury to me. Now, as a high school senior, I realized a house with no walls was impractical. I have thought to myself, what would my dream house be like? I'd love to live somewhere close to my family, but still far enough to feel independent. I believe that a wonderful location for me would be a suburb outside of a big city. I wouldn't want to live in a huge house but not a small one either. Big enough that I had room for many pets. Pets are very important to me, especially since I am planning on going to college for veterinary. In my Dreamhouse, I would also have plenty of space for my family and friends to stay. I love hanging out with my close family and friends. I hope that in my future Dreamhouse I have plenty of outdoor space to host events for my family and friends to get together. Some of my greatest childhood memories are of my father hosting fun and exciting outdoor barbeques. We would all have fun, eating hotdogs, swimming in the pool, and ending the day roasting marshmallows for smores. I hope that one day I can create an environment in my Dreahouse to pass along equally wonderful and lasting memories for all. No matter where I end up living it will be my Dreamhouse. Why? Because it will be mine. My only goal is to just have my own place, just for me. No matter how much pink and glitter a Dreamhouse is, I'll be greatful for it to be mine.

Mental health will alway be of the utmost importance to me. In recent years I have struggled with my mental heath as a result of multiple family tragedies back to back. It started when my childhood dog died, quickly snowballing into the death of my maternal grandmother, paternal grandfather and my mother all in the same year as the beginning of the COVID-19 global pandemic. To make matters worst both my mother and paternal grandfather died of cancer, which was also affecting my uncle. Thankfully, my uncle survived and is doing very well today and is totally cancer free. I struggled balancing a new type of at home learning with a fight against depression. It was hard not being able to see family and friends or even go to the store. I was stuck at home, which felt empty and cold due to all the loss that had occurred. I leaned on my father and sister for support and often when to them on my worst days. I quickly learned the importance of mental health and began researching ways to better myself at home. I found new and exciting hobbies, such as painting and biking. I took time for myself to indulge in at home activities that helped me feel better as I battled depression. I also took time to meditate and find things in my current situation that made me feel grateful for what I still had in life. I believe that everyone should take time to do things that they enjoy, since it greatly improved my wellbeing. Now a days, I spend time with my etend family and my friends, doing activities that we all enjoy. I also take time to listen to the struggles of others, just as they did for me. I strive to be a shoulder to cry on for both my friends and family members. Balencing my mental health has not always been easy, but I hope that in the future I can continue to apply my knowledge of how to take car of myself to my college and adult life. It means a lot to me when others feel safe and trusting enough to share their mental health struggles with me and I will also never judge a friend of family member when they come to me for comfort, since they never judged me when I was at my lowest point in life.

"Sеarchin' 'how to start a conversation?' on a website," -Ballad of a Homeschooled Girl, Olivia Rodrigo Since I was a very young girl, I have struggled to start conversations with others. Being shy is an understatement, as I become completely closed off when faced with converting with others especially people whom I do not personally know. I would even, at times, be unable to speak to even my family members such as my aunts and cousins. This has greatly impacted my academic career, especially during my early high school years. I was terrified about starting high school with the idea that I would have to speak to others. I would come home crying to my family whenever I knew I had an upcoming presentation. This made making friends extremely difficult for me, especially when I had no idea how to talk to others. I have in the past looked at articles related to 'how to start a conversation'. Other students in my high school would bully me for being overly quiet and unable to speak up for myself. Most of my peers saw me as an easy target because of these reasons. Thankfully, I grew up in a household that valued alternative music. My father a new wave, my mother a punk, and my sister a metal head. They all taught me to live through music. Listening to Olivia Rodrigo's music, especially the 'GUTS' album, spoke to my own teenage experience. Themes such as a struggle to make friends and be social resonated with me due to my struggles with shyness. Rodrigo's words helped me understand that what I was going through was completely normal and that I wasn't alone. Now because of Rodrigo's relatable music, I am able to start conversations about my love of alternative music with others, discovering new and exciting songs and genres. I am also closer to my family members who are big into music and can share my opinions with them. If not for the relatable lyrics of Olivia Rodrigo's 'GUTS' album and previous music I would not be as confident as I am now. I will always struggle to overcome my fear of speaking and socializing with new people, however, I will always keep in mind that even people as cool and collected as Olivia Rodrigo have faced similar struggles and that I am not alone. If someone who grew up sеarching 'how to start a conversation?' on various websites can become a famous pop star then I can become whatever I want to be.

Kindness has always had a massive influence on my life. From a young age, my mother taught me to treat others with kindness. She told me that all people, no matter their race or background, are deserving of kindness, I will always treat others I saw how others treated me and my family, and despite all of this I continue to strive for kindness with all that I do. Whether it is volunteering at my local church or helping a fellow student at school I actively choose kindness. My mother showed me that with kindness you can achieve greatness. In her line of work as a cosmetologist she faced many rude and ungrateful clients, however, I never saw my mother treat them with any less kindness or respect. Because of this when I am faced with a difficult person in my life I will always strive to use the utmost kindness when interacting, even when said people do not treat me with the same level of kindness. While at my current high school, I am faced with many unkind characters, both student and teacher. I have faced racist remarks due to my Hispanic heritage and mixed racial background, as well as many remarks about having learning disabilities. All throughout my academic career, I have been bullied for these reasons and despite these many setbacks, I am still showing kindness to all no matter how they treat me in return. I believe that putting kindness in the world will yield kindness in return. Even when my mother was diagnosed with cancer, this didn't stop her from demonstrating kindness towards others. This showed me that even in a person's weakest state, that one can still display the utmost kindness towards others. Unfortunately, she passed away and in her final moments, my mother still continued to teach me how to be kind to others. Her kindness has continued to influence me 'til this day, as I volunteer with the Girl Scouts of Suffolk County, which she was an outstanding member of. I help with both my own troop and organizing events for the younger members of my county's sector. I will always continue to spread my mother's message of kindness to others and always practice this motto with my whole heart. I am forever grateful for these many life lessons of spreading kindness towards others and will happily pass down her message to many younger generations to come.

The dream version of my future self is running her own veterinary clinic that would support the entire community by giving the upmost best pet care for all pets.

My father has taught me to value family and to have a great work ethic. My father has also taught me to be greatly independent and to always push for my dreams. As a child of a Hispanic immigrant, I was taught from a young age to respect others no matter the color of their skin. He always showed me it was possible to achieve greatness no matter a person's background and I will always value my father's advice. Even though hard at times, I have always been taught to show empathy towards others no matter how they treat me. I love my father for instilling these affectionate values in me since I was a little child. Life has not always been easy for us, yet we will always show kindness and compassion to all. I am extremely proud to be the child of a Colombian immigrant who came to this country to allow for a better future for his family. I will always be grateful for that. I am so appreciative of my father since the sudden death of my mother. It was and continues to be an extremely challenging time in my life. My life was put on hold to care for my mother as she lay dying and then to immediately roll into the global COVID-19 pandemic. It was hard to watch my father's life fall apart so quickly, especially since shortly after this he was forced into an early retirement due to a severe work-related injury. I had lots of time to reflect on this, mostly during my multiple sports and clubs since I had to wait over an hour for my father to pick me up. In many ways having a single immigrant parent has shown me how to grow up, be independent for myself, and to work even harder to achieve greatness. I love my father and will forever to honored to be his daughter. I hope that my wonderful father will continue to teach me valuable lessons throughout my life and that one day in the future I will be able to pass these valuable life lessons down to my children and that they will continue to do the same for many more generations to come. I am extremely proud of my heritage and will always strive to represent my culture and to introduce others to my way of life. Even with all of this in my life, I find time to volunteer and to still have time to spend with my father and family. Family will always be so important to me, I love my family.