I come from a background that instilled a strong sense of responsibility and leadership from a young age. Growing up in a single-parent household with my mom working tirelessly to provide for my younger brother and me, I quickly became the man of the house. This role required me to step up, care for my little brother, ensure he was well-fed and looked after, and even assist him with his schoolwork. It was a challenging but enriching experience that helped shape my understanding of leadership and responsibility. As a teenager, I continued to embrace my role as a leader within my family. I took on the responsibilities of getting my brother to school, helping him with his homework, and maintaining our home. I also sought ways to contribute financially, working odd jobs during the summer to support my mother and our household. The values of hard work, perseverance, and looking out for my family have been ingrained in me since those formative years. My leadership extended beyond my family as I became a role model for my younger brother. I noticed he was struggling academically in middle school, much like I did at his age. Drawing from my own experiences, I talked to him about the importance of doing his best in school. Through my guidance, he witnessed my transformation in high school, where I excelled academically. Today, he proudly holds straight A's, and I couldn't be prouder of his achievements. This journey has reinforced my belief in the power of positive influence and mentorship. Looking ahead, my educational and career goals are driven by my passion for becoming a software developer. I am deeply fascinated by the world of technology and software engineering. Working on projects within a collaborative team is the most effective way to enhance my skills and knowledge. Being part of a team with individuals who share similar interests motivates me and provides an environment where I can learn and grow as a developer. Recently, life has presented me with a new and exciting challenge. I received the news that my girlfriend is pregnant, and I am in the early stages of becoming a father. This revelation has added a new layer of motivation and responsibility to my life. It strengthens my commitment to pursuing a successful career in software development to provide the best possible future for my expanding family. My fascination with technological advancements fuels my aspiration to become a software engineer or developer. I am eager to acquire new skills and stay up-to-date with modern technology trends. I deserve this scholarship because I am a young man who always perseveres, regardless of the obstacles or challenges that life throws me. This resilience is exemplified in my journey to support my family, especially now that I am on the cusp of becoming a father. I am determined to provide a welcoming home and ensure that I can continue my education with the support of my loved ones, allowing me to complete my studies and achieve my goals. This scholarship will not only ease the financial burden but also allow me to invest in my future, making me better equipped to support my growing family and excel in my chosen field.

I come from a background that has instilled in me a strong sense of responsibility and leadership from a young age. Growing up in a single-parent household with my mom working tirelessly to provide for my younger brother and me, I quickly became the man of the house. This role required me to step up, take care of my little brother, ensure he was well-fed and looked after, and even assist him with his schoolwork. It was a challenging but deeply rewarding experience that helped shape my understanding of leadership and responsibility. As a teenager, I continued to embrace my role as a leader within my family. I took on the responsibilities of getting my brother to school, helping him with his homework, and maintaining our home. I also sought ways to contribute financially, working odd jobs during the summer to support my mother and our household. The values of hard work, perseverance, and looking out for my family have been ingrained in me since those formative years. My leadership extended beyond my family as I became a role model for my younger brother. I noticed that he was struggling academically in middle school, much like I did at his age. Drawing from my own experiences, I talked to him about the importance of doing his best in school. Through my guidance, he witnessed my transformation in high school, where I excelled academically. Today, he proudly holds straight A's, and I couldn't be prouder of his achievements. This journey has reinforced my belief in the power of positive influence and mentorship. Looking ahead, my educational and career goals are driven by my passion for becoming a software developer. I am deeply fascinated by the world of technology and software engineering, and I believe that working on projects within a collaborative team is the most effective way to enhance my skills and knowledge. Being part of a team with individuals who share similar interests not only motivates me but also provides an environment where I can learn and grow as a developer. Recently, life has presented me with a new and exciting challenge. I received the news that my girlfriend is pregnant, and I am in the early stages of becoming a father. This revelation has added a new layer of motivation and responsibility to my life. It strengthens my commitment to pursuing a successful career in software development to provide the best possible future for my expanding family. My aspiration to become a software engineer or developer is fueled by my fascination with the advancements in technology. I am eager to acquire new skills and stay up-to-date with modern technology trends. I believe I deserve this scholarship because I am a young man who always perseveres, regardless of the obstacles or challenges that life throws my way. This resilience is exemplified in my journey to support my family, especially now that I am on the cusp of becoming a father. I am determined to provide a welcoming home and ensure that I can continue my education with the support of my loved ones, allowing me to complete my studies and achieve my goals. This scholarship will not only ease the financial burden but also provide the opportunity to invest in my future, making me better equipped to support my growing family and excel in my chosen field.

I come from a background that has instilled in me a strong sense of responsibility and leadership from a young age. Growing up in a single-parent household with my mom working tirelessly to provide for my younger brother and me, I quickly became the man of the house. This role required me to step up, take care of my little brother, ensure he was well-fed and looked after, and even assist him with his schoolwork. It was a challenging but deeply rewarding experience that helped shape my understanding of leadership and responsibility. As a teenager, I continued to embrace my role as a leader within my family. I took on the responsibilities of getting my brother to school, helping him with his homework, and maintaining our home. I also sought ways to contribute financially, working odd jobs during the summer to support my mother and our household. The values of hard work, perseverance, and looking out for my family have been ingrained in me since those formative years. My leadership extended beyond my family as I became a role model for my younger brother. I noticed that he was struggling academically in middle school, much like I did at his age. Drawing from my own experiences, I talked to him about the importance of doing his best in school. Through my guidance, he witnessed my transformation in high school, where I excelled academically. Today, he proudly holds straight A's, and I couldn't be prouder of his achievements. This journey has reinforced my belief in the power of positive influence and mentorship. Looking ahead, my educational and career goals are driven by my passion for becoming a software developer. I am deeply fascinated by the world of technology and software engineering, and I believe that working on projects within a collaborative team is the most effective way to enhance my skills and knowledge. Being part of a team with individuals who share similar interests not only motivates me but also provides an environment where I can learn and grow as a developer. Recently, life has presented me with a new and exciting challenge. I received the news that my girlfriend is pregnant, and I am in the early stages of becoming a father. This revelation has added a new layer of motivation and responsibility to my life. It strengthens my commitment to pursuing a successful career in software development to provide the best possible future for my expanding family. My aspiration to become a software engineer or developer is fueled by my fascination with the advancements in technology. I am eager to acquire new skills and stay up-to-date with modern technology trends. I believe I deserve this scholarship because I am a young man who always perseveres, regardless of the obstacles or challenges that life throws my way. This resilience is exemplified in my journey to support my family, especially now that I am on the cusp of becoming a father. I am determined to provide a welcoming home and ensure that I can continue my education with the support of my loved ones, allowing me to complete my studies and achieve my goals. This scholarship will not only ease the financial burden but also provide the opportunity to invest in my future, making me better equipped to support my growing family and excel in my chosen field.

I come from a background that instilled a strong sense of responsibility and leadership from a young age. Growing up in a single-parent household with my mom working tirelessly to provide for my younger brother and me, I quickly became the man of the house. This role required me to step up, care for my little brother, ensure he was well-fed and looked after, and even assist him with his schoolwork. It was a challenging but enriching experience that helped shape my understanding of leadership and responsibility. As a teenager, I continued to embrace my role as a leader within my family. I took on the responsibilities of getting my brother to school, helping him with his homework, and maintaining our home. I also sought ways to contribute financially, working odd jobs during the summer to support my mother and our household. The values of hard work, perseverance, and looking out for my family have been ingrained in me since those formative years. My leadership extended beyond my family as I became a role model for my younger brother. I noticed he was struggling academically in middle school, much like I did at his age. Drawing from my own experiences, I talked to him about the importance of doing his best in school. Through my guidance, he witnessed my transformation in high school, where I excelled academically. Today, he proudly holds straight A's, and I couldn't be prouder of his achievements. This journey has reinforced my belief in the power of positive influence and mentorship. Looking ahead, my educational and career goals are driven by my passion for becoming a software developer. I am deeply fascinated by the world of technology and software engineering. Working on projects within a collaborative team is the most effective way to enhance my skills and knowledge. Recently, life has presented me with a new and exciting challenge. I received the news that my girlfriend is pregnant, and I am in the early stages of becoming a father. This revelation has added a new layer of motivation and responsibility to my life. It strengthens my commitment to pursuing a successful career in software development to provide the best possible future for my expanding family. My fascination with technological advancements fuels my aspiration to become a software engineer or developer. I deserve this scholarship because I am a young man who always perseveres, regardless of the obstacles or challenges that life throws me. This resilience is exemplified in my journey to support my family, especially now that I am on the cusp of becoming a father. I am determined to provide a welcoming home and ensure that I can continue my education with the support of my loved ones, allowing me to complete my studies and achieve my goals. This scholarship will not only ease the financial burden but also allow me to invest in my future, making me better equipped to support my growing family and excel in my chosen field.

I come from a background that has instilled in me a strong sense of responsibility and leadership from a young age. Growing up in a single-parent household with my mom working tirelessly to provide for my younger brother and me, I quickly became the man of the house. This role required me to step up, take care of my little brother, ensure he was well-fed and looked after, and even assist him with his schoolwork. It was a challenging but deeply rewarding experience that helped shape my understanding of leadership and responsibility. As a teenager, I continued to embrace my role as a leader within my family. I took on the responsibilities of getting my brother to school, helping him with his homework, and maintaining our home. I also sought ways to contribute financially, working odd jobs during the summer to support my mother and our household. The values of hard work, perseverance, and looking out for my family have been ingrained in me since those formative years. My leadership extended beyond my family as I became a role model for my younger brother. I noticed that he was struggling academically in middle school, much like I did at his age. Drawing from my own experiences, I talked to him about the importance of doing his best in school. Through my guidance, he witnessed my transformation in high school, where I excelled academically. Today, he proudly holds straight A's, and I couldn't be prouder of his achievements. This journey has reinforced my belief in the power of positive influence and mentorship. Looking ahead, my educational and career goals as a Linguistics and Computer Science major I am driven by my passion for becoming a software developer. I am deeply fascinated by the world of technology and software engineering, and I believe that working on projects within a collaborative team is the most effective way to enhance my skills and knowledge. Being part of a team with individuals who share similar interests not only motivates me but also provides an environment where I can learn and grow as a developer. Recently, life has presented me with a new and exciting challenge. I received the news that my girlfriend is pregnant, and I am in the early stages of becoming a father. This revelation has added a new layer of motivation and responsibility to my life. It strengthens my commitment to pursuing a successful career in software development to provide the best possible future for my expanding family. In conclusion, my background, personal experiences, and future aspirations have molded me into a dedicated and responsible individual. I am eager to continue my educational journey, further develop my skills as a software developer, and embrace the leadership roles that life presents. The prospect of becoming a father only fuels my determination to succeed in my career and create a bright future for my family.

I come from a background that has instilled in me a strong sense of responsibility and leadership from a young age. Growing up in a single-parent household with my mom working tirelessly to provide for my younger brother and me, I quickly became the man of the house. This role required me to step up, take care of my little brother, ensure he was well-fed and looked after, and even assist him with his schoolwork. It was a challenging but deeply rewarding experience that helped shape my understanding of leadership and responsibility. As a teenager, I continued to embrace my role as a leader within my family. I took on the responsibilities of getting my brother to school, helping him with his homework, and maintaining our home. I also sought ways to contribute financially, working odd jobs during the summer to support my mother and our household. The values of hard work, perseverance, and looking out for my family have been ingrained in me since those formative years. My leadership extended beyond my family as I became a role model for my younger brother. I noticed that he was struggling academically in middle school, much like I did at his age. Drawing from my own experiences, I talked to him about the importance of doing his best in school. Through my guidance, he witnessed my transformation in high school, where I excelled academically. Today, he proudly holds straight A's, and I couldn't be prouder of his achievements. This journey has reinforced my belief in the power of positive influence and mentorship. Looking ahead, my educational and career goals are driven by my passion for becoming a software developer. I am deeply fascinated by the world of technology and software engineering, and I believe that working on projects within a collaborative team is the most effective way to enhance my skills and knowledge. Being part of a team with individuals who share similar interests not only motivates me but also provides an environment where I can learn and grow as a developer. Recently, life has presented me with a new and exciting challenge. I received the news that my girlfriend is pregnant, and I am in the early stages of becoming a father. This revelation has added a new layer of motivation and responsibility to my life. It strengthens my commitment to pursuing a successful career in software development to provide the best possible future for my expanding family. In addition to my educational and career goals, I am deeply committed to leveraging my skills and expertise as a software developer to serve underserved communities. I believe that technology has the potential to bridge gaps and create opportunities for those who may not have easy access to resources. I aim to contribute to projects and initiatives that address the unique challenges faced by underserved populations, whether it's through educational applications, community outreach platforms, or innovative solutions to pressing issues. I see this as an integral part of my role as a responsible leader, and I am excited to make a positive impact on the lives of individuals and communities in need.

Perpetually failing, persistently growing, and evolving into my best self, each struggle and pain reshaped my mindset, nurturing growth and propelling me towards becoming a superior student, devoted son, loyal friend, and empowered man.

I come from a low-income family, and I will be the first person in my family to attend college. My parents were divorced when I was very young. My mother had to work double shift jobs, leaving us to babysitters, and eventually, I had to care for my younger brother. I didn’t spend much time with my father because he was an alcoholic, and he wouldn’t provide for us. I grew up in an environment where I wasn’t in the right emotional state, and I wasn’t doing well in school because of the difficulties that I faced at home caused by the arguments that my mother and father had about custody and child support. I would go to school to try to relieve my hopelessness. The added responsibility of being my brother’s caretaker while my mother worked pushed me to become better with time management in high school. I quickly learned how to compartmentalize my responsibilities. I wake up early to get my brother ready, walk him to school, and then make it to school before my first class starts. I then use the time before my first class to work on homework that I cannot finish the night before because I have to make sure my brother is taken care of first. After school, I have sports, and I start my workouts early and finish earlier than my other teammates to pick up my brother from school. When I get home, I prepare dinner for all of us and do my daily chores. After, I help my brother with homework and tutor him in academic areas that need improvement. It’s not until my brother is done with his tasks that I begin my homework and wait for my mother to get home. COVID-19 impacted my responsibilities at home. Not only did I have to adjust to distance learning, but I also had to mentor my brother through it. I live in an apartment, so I study in my room that I share with my brother while my brother is in the living room for his classes. It’s been a difficult situation because the wifi at home isn’t stable and my brother using the wifi also makes it slower. I consistently cut off and got kicked out of the Zooms. Sometimes while I’m in class, my brother asks me for help in his schoolwork, and I have to take time off my classes and help him since it’s difficult for him to ask for help with online learning. In December, I had to travel out of the country because my grandmother was diagnosed with diabetes, and no one could care for her. I did my classes out of the country having internet issues. Sometimes I couldn’t join the class because the wifi didn’t work the whole day. I would rely on my peers’ notes to keep up with the class. Despite being out of the country for 2 weeks, I still managed to finish finals and maintain my grades. It’s the challenges of my day-to-day routine that keep me motivated to pursue higher education. I envision a better future for myself and my family. The barriers that have made it difficult for me to focus in school have also prepared me to overcome future challenges. I want to pursue a career in computer engineering. I have taken on challenging coursework in preparation for the next step in my educational journey, and my dream is for that next step to be college. I plan to use this money to pay for tuition at UCLA. Thank you so much for this opportunity.

I am the eldest of a single mother. I come from a low-income family, and I will be the first person in my family to attend college. My parents were divorced when I was very young. My mother had to work double shift jobs, leaving us to babysitters, and eventually, I had to care for my younger brother. I didn’t spend much time with my father because he was an alcoholic, and he wouldn’t provide for us. I grew up in an environment where I wasn’t in the right emotional state, and I wasn’t doing well in school because of the difficulties that I faced at home caused by the arguments that my mother and father had about custody child support. I would go to school to try to relieve my hopelessness. The added responsibility of being my brother’s caretaker while my mother worked pushed me to become better with time management in high school. I quickly learned how to compartmentalize my responsibilities. I wake up early to get my brother ready, walk him to school, and then make it to school before my first class starts. I then use the time before my first class to work on homework that I cannot finish the night before because I have to make sure my brother is taken care of first. After school, I have sports, and I start my workouts early and finish earlier than my other teammates to pick up my brother from school. When I get home, I prepare dinner for all of us and do my daily chores. After, I help my brother with homework and tutor him in academic areas that need improvement. It’s not until my brother is done with his tasks that I begin my homework and wait for my mother to get home. COVID-19 impacted my responsibilities at home. Not only did I have to adjust to distance learning, but I also had to mentor my brother through it. I live in an apartment, so I study in my room that I share with my brother while my brother is in the living room for his classes. It’s been a difficult situation because the wifi at home isn’t stable and my brother using the wifi also makes it slower. I consistently cut off and got kicked out of the Zooms. Sometimes while I’m in class, my brother asks me for help in his schoolwork, and I have to take time off my classes and help him since it’s difficult for him to ask for help with online learning. In December, I had to travel out of the country because my grandmother was diagnosed with diabetes, and no one could care for her. I did my classes out of the country having internet issues. Sometimes I couldn’t join the class because the wifi didn’t work the whole day. I would rely on my peers’ notes to keep up with the class. Despite being out of the country for 2 weeks, I still managed to finish finals and maintain my grades. It’s the challenges of my day-to-day routine that keep me motivated to pursue higher education. I envision a better future for myself and my family. The barriers that have made it difficult for me to focus in school have also prepared me to overcome future challenges. I want to pursue a career in computer engineering. I have taken on challenging coursework in preparation for the next step in my educational journey, and my dream is for that next step to be college. Seeing how my mother came into this country to give us a better future has shown me that I must do my absolute best to help her provide her a house of her own for everything she's done for my brother and me. I spent countless hours in high school doing extracurricular activities, studying, taking all honors and AP classes. I would apply to my dream school in November 2020, and I got into UCLA. I had faith and got into UCLA, and I didn't just do this for myself but also for my mother to show her that all the difficulties weren't for nothing. I am proud to have such a hard-working mother that shows her love for me by actions. I am showing actions and would want to be helped financially in college to provide for her soon. I see myself in the future working in the field of computer engineering and hopefully buying my first home for my mother. I see her happily waking up and having her own garden and have her own family and show my children the importance of family. I believe I deserve this scholarship because I am going to a school where tuition is costly, and I wouldn't want my mother to worry or work even more to help pay for my tuition. I wouldn't want to worry either since this school is challenging, and I won't have much time outside of school to be working a part-time or full-time job. Being able to have a sufficient amount of money to pay for books and tuition would help me succeed in my dream school and get a Bachelor's in Computer Engineering. This means so much to me, and I do not have any thoughts on giving up on school just because I am a low-income student. I am doing my best and spending countless hours studying on top of that, applying for scholarships to help me financially when I begin college. If a person ever wants to grow, it's heavy sacrifice involved and heavy discomfort involved. Seeing the impact my mother had on me has made me achieve something many may doubt, but I believe it is possible with hard work and even difficulties. Thank you for this wonderful opportunity.

I come from a low-income family, and I will be the first person in my family to attend college. My parents were divorced when I was very young. My mother had to work double shift jobs, leaving us to babysitters, and eventually, I had to care for my younger brother. I didn’t spend much time with my father because he was an alcoholic, and he wouldn’t provide for us. I grew up in an environment where I wasn’t in the right emotional state, and I wasn’t doing well in school because of the difficulties that I faced at home caused by the arguments that my mother and father had about custody child support. I would go to school to try to relieve my hopelessness. The added responsibility of being my brother’s caretaker while my mother worked pushed me to become better with time management in high school. I quickly learned how to compartmentalize my responsibilities. I wake up early to get my brother ready, walk him to school, and then make it to school before my first class starts. I then use the time before my first class to work on homework that I cannot finish the night before because I have to make sure my brother is taken care of first. After school, I have sports, and I start my workouts early and finish earlier than my other teammates to pick up my brother from school. When I get home, I prepare dinner for all of us and do my daily chores. After, I help my brother with homework and tutor him in academic areas that need improvement. It’s not until my brother is done with his tasks that I begin my homework and wait for my mother to get home. COVID-19 impacted my responsibilities at home. Not only did I have to adjust to distance learning, but I also had to mentor my brother through it. I live in an apartment, so I study in my room that I share with my brother while my brother is in the living room for his classes. It’s been a difficult situation because the wifi at home isn’t stable and my brother using the wifi also makes it slower. I consistently cut off and got kicked out of the Zooms. Sometimes while I’m in class, my brother asks me for help in his schoolwork, and I have to take time off my classes and help him since it’s difficult for him to ask for help with online learning. In December, I had to travel out of the country because my grandmother was diagnosed with diabetes, and no one could care for her. I did my classes out of the country having internet issues. Sometimes I couldn’t join the class because the wifi didn’t work the whole day. I would rely on my peers’ notes to keep up with the class. Despite being out of the country for 2 weeks, I still managed to finish finals and maintain my grades. It’s the challenges of my day-to-day routine that keep me motivated to pursue higher education. I envision a better future for myself and my family. The barriers that have made it difficult for me to focus in school have also prepared me to overcome future challenges. I want to pursue a career in computer engineering. I have taken on challenging coursework in preparation for the next step in my educational journey, and my dream is for that next step to be college.

I want to pursue higher education because I am a first-generation student, which would be a huge accomplishment. I came to the US as an immigrant and adjusted to this country when the language was different. Especially I would want to have a BA to buy my mother her first house because she was a single mother fighting for us to stay in school and have shelter and food. Being able to graduate college with a Computer Science/Engineering degree is why I fight for higher education. I am passionate about computers and being around technology. Currently, I am doing sports. I am in cross country and track, and it helps me relax from the stress I get from school, especially with taking mainly all AP classes this year. I enjoy running as well. It is something that I've enjoyed doing my whole life especially doing adventure runs. As well during the weekends, I actually dog sit neighbors' dogs to earn some extra cash. I am also part of various clubs in my school remotely through online sessions; I am part of Jesus Club, where I am the vice president, I was part of giving sermons, and also I accomplished deep spiritual closeness with God. I also part of the AP Seminar Peer Advisor. It is a new club in my school, especially for the AP seminar students who will need support in their new experience and different AP class. It's a program that helps students with feedback in their research. It's extra support for any confusion. Since I am currently an AP Research student, I was willing to help those AP Seminar students who needed that extra support. I was willing to give feedback on their work and also be able to speak with them, and I would talk to them about my experience. I also made sure they were comfortable, making them feel like that class is unique. I am working on a research paper currently, and my research question is What effect does social distancing have on the number of hours that adolescent boys play video games from the age of 14-18 years old? Specifically in the region of Van Nuys. This research question is because I want to figure out the effects of social distancing on teenage boys by analyzing the number of hours they spent playing video games. This is actually new research that hasn't been done before because it is a natural experiment on social distancing. It is something important because males especially have a harder type adapting to social change. I am most passionate about becoming a computer engineering/science major because I have always been good with technology. My interest sparked from a class in took my sophomore year. It was digital media, and it was something I was always looking forwards to. Something that really caught my interest and helped other first-gen students with the same situation I had. Even tutor them or even provide a scholarship for upcoming students. We all deserve a chance at education, and finance shouldn't take away our dreams. I would go to other high schools and speak to first-gen students and be willing to help them in any way I could. I've always enjoyed helping others because, throughout my childhood, no one helped me, and I felt unloved because my mother was always working. This scholarship would help me achieve my goals, especially since I actually worked really hard and got accepted to UCLA and committed just recently. This scholarship would help me financially with tuition or books since it is expensive to attend this school.

I come from a low-income family, and I will be the first person in my family to attend college. My parents were divorced when I was very young. My mother had to work double shift jobs, leaving us to babysitters, and eventually, I had to care for my younger brother. I didn’t spend much time with my father because he was an alcoholic, and he wouldn’t provide for us. I grew up in an environment where I wasn’t in the right emotional state, and I wasn’t doing well in school because of the difficulties that I faced at home caused by the arguments that my mother and father had about custody child support. I would go to school to try to relieve my hopelessness. The added responsibility of being my brother’s caretaker while my mother worked pushed me to become better with time management in high school. I quickly learned how to compartmentalize my responsibilities. I wake up early to get my brother ready, walk him to school, and then make it to school before my first class starts. I then use the time before my first class to work on homework that I cannot finish the night before because I have to make sure my brother is taken care of first. After school, I have sports, and I start my workouts early and finish earlier than my other teammates to pick up my brother from school. When I get home, I prepare dinner for all of us and do my daily chores. After, I help my brother with homework and tutor him in academic areas that need improvement. It’s not until my brother is done with his tasks that I begin my homework and wait for my mother to get home. COVID-19 impacted my responsibilities at home. Not only did I have to adjust to distance learning, but I also had to mentor my brother through it. I live in an apartment, so I study in my room that I share with my brother while my brother is in the living room for his classes. It’s been a difficult situation because the wifi at home isn’t stable and my brother using the wifi also makes it slower. I consistently cut off and got kicked out of the Zooms. Sometimes while I’m in class, my brother asks me for help in his schoolwork, and I have to take time off my classes and help him since it’s difficult for him to ask for help with online learning. In December, I had to travel out of the country because my grandmother was diagnosed with diabetes, and no one could care for her. I did my classes out of the country having internet issues. Sometimes I couldn’t join the class because the wifi didn’t work the whole day. I would rely on my peers’ notes to keep up with the class. Despite being out of the country for 2 weeks, I still managed to finish finals and maintain my grades. It’s the challenges of my day-to-day routine that keep me motivated to pursue higher education. I envision a better future for myself and my family. The barriers that have made it difficult for me to focus in school have also prepared me to overcome future challenges. I want to pursue a career in computer engineering. I have taken on challenging coursework in preparation for the next step in my educational journey, and my dream is for that next step to be college. Seeing how my mother came into this country to give us a better future has shown me that I must do my absolute best to help her provide her a house of her own for everything she's done for my brother and me. I spent countless hours in high school doing extracurricular activities, studying, taking all honors and AP classes. I would apply to my dream school in November 2020, and I got into UCLA. I had faith and got into UCLA, and I didn't just do this for myself but also for my mother to show her that all the difficulties weren't for nothing. I am proud to have such a hard-working mother that shows her love for me by actions. I am showing actions and would want to be helped financially in college to provide for her soon. I see myself in the future working in the field of computer engineering and hopefully buying my first home for my mother. I see her happily waking up and having her own garden and have her own family and show my children the importance of family. I believe I deserve this scholarship because I am going to a school where tuition is costly, and I wouldn't want my mother to worry or work even more to help pay for my tuition. I wouldn't want to worry either since this school is challenging, and I won't have much time outside of school to be working a part-time or full-time job. Being able to have a sufficient amount of money to pay for books and tuition would help me succeed in my dream school and get a Bachelor's in Computer Engineering. This means so much to me, and I do not have any thoughts on giving up on school just because I am a low-income student. I am doing my best and spending countless hours studying on top of that, applying for scholarships to help me financially when I begin college. If a person ever wants to grow, it's heavy sacrifice involved and heavy discomfort involved. Seeing the impact my mother had on me has made me achieve something many may doubt, but I believe it is possible with hard work and even difficulties. Thank you for this wonderful opportunity.

I come from a low-income family and I will be the first person in my family to attend college. My parents were divorced when I was very young. My mother had to work double shift jobs, leaving us to babysitters, and eventually, I had to care for my younger brother. I didn’t spend much time with my father because he was an alcoholic and he wouldn’t provide for us. I grew up in an environment where I wasn’t in the right emotional state and I wasn’t doing well in school because of the difficulties that I faced at home caused by the arguments that my mother and father had about custody and child support. I would go to school to try to relieve my hopelessness. The added responsibility of being my brother’s caretaker while my mother worked pushed me to become better with time management in high school. I quickly learned how to compartmentalize my responsibilities. I wake up early to get my brother ready, walk him to school, and then make it to school before my first class starts. I then use the time before my first class to work on homework that I am not able to finish the night before because I have to make sure my brother is taken care of first. After school, I have sports and I start my workouts early and finish earlier than my other teammates to pick up my brother from school. When I get home, I prepare dinner for all of us and do my daily chores. After, I help my brother with homework and tutor him in academic areas that need improvement. It’s not until my brother is done with his tasks that I begin my homework and wait for my mother to get home. COVID-19 impacted my responsibilities at home. Not only did I have to adjust to distance learning, but I also had to mentor my brother through it. I live in an apartment so I study in my room that I share with my brother while my brother is in the living room for his classes. It’s been a difficult situation because the wifi at home isn’t stable and my brother using the wifi as well makes it slower. I consistently cut off and got kicked out of the Zooms. Sometimes while I’m in class my brother asks me for help in his schoolwork and I have to take time off my classes and help him since it’s difficult for him to ask for help with online learning. In December, I had to travel out of the country because my grandmother was diagnosed with diabetes and no one could care for her. I did my classes out of the country having internet issues. Sometimes I couldn’t join the class because the wifi didn’t work the whole day. I would rely on my peers’ notes to keep up with the class. Despite being out of the country for 2 weeks, I still managed to finish finals and maintain my grades. It’s the challenges of my day-to-day routine that keep me motivated to pursue higher education. I envision a better future for myself and my family. The barriers that have made it difficult for me to focus in school have also prepared me to overcome future challenges. I want to pursue a career in computer engineering. I have taken on challenging coursework in preparation for the next step in my educational journey and my dream is for that next step to be college.

Throughout my childhood and teenage years, my mom worked double shifts as a single mother. My father and mother were divorced, and he was not around since he was an alcoholic. It was basically just us three, so I was the man of the house and had to care for my little brother. When we were younger, my mother would take us to a babysitter, and I would make sure my little brother was fed and happy. An example of my leadership in my family is how I have contributed to raising my brother. As we continued to grow up, I would take my brother to school on the bus and pick him up and bring him home. I made food and helped my brother with homework after we ate. I would also do chores and make sure everything at home was clean, so when my mother would get home, she would eat the meal I prepared and rest. To make money during the summer, I walked dogs for neighbors that lived close by, and I washed cars. I gave the money I earned to my mother to help with anything she needed. I have been a role model for my brother because, in middle school, he wasn't doing well academically. I talked to him about doing his best in school and wasn't doing well in middle school. High school changed me, and he saw how well I was doing academically. He has straight A's because I have been helping him with schoolwork and showing him positivity when no one else could. I have displayed leadership by influencing my brother to follow in my footsteps and stepping up as the man of the house. Something that I have done to make my community a better place would be my commitment to my faith in God. I have learned to find value in the deeds I do that lead to the building of my faith. I value a life of truthfulness, and I have always liked to help solve other family members or friends. “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” Philippians 4:13. I was a leader in Jesus Club in my school. Not only does a student need to receive outstanding grades to feel significant, but understanding their true worth. I have shown positivity and have had a significant impact on those around me, and most believe I bring lots of laughs and joy, and I am always trying to help everyone with schoolwork or with other issues. I have shown thoughtfulness in my involvement in church and Jesus Club, that during my free time, I have volunteered to help neighbors with walking their dogs since most of them have dogs. I decided to do this act of kindness, and after I walked the dogs, I would give them treats and give them water. I have always tended to look at the bright side of things and encourage family members in challenging moments, for example, financial-wise. I was a leader of my household my commitment to my faith helped me grow. I was able to show all those around me compassion and persevering in every circumstance. From a broken family, Jesus showed me that no matter how deep the darkness, his love is more profound still. I grew up in a place where I didn't belong, yet this didn't stop me from fighting for that void to be filled. Before quarantine, I lived as I pleased and would still work hard for school, yet I would feel like I did it for no reason. Once quarantine started, I knew I was away from the Lord too long and prayed with all my heart to indeed send someone to come in his name. Months later, a young lady would reach out, inviting me to study out the Bible. Although I still struggle, I have grown, and Jesus is one of the reasons why I am here. I used to have depression, and studying out the Bible indeed showed me what the Cross means. It is a shame and ridicule that the Lord took for me to have another chance in life but with him. "But he was pierced for our sins; he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds, we are healed" Isaiah 53:5. I stayed faithful and continue and got into UCLA. God Bless you. This means so much to me. Thank you so much. Amen.

To me, being a leader means making an impact on those around you, and I've demonstrated my influence by being the man of my house. Throughout my childhood and teenage years, my mom worked double shifts as a single mother. My father and mother were divorced and he was not around since he was an alcoholic. It was basically just us three, so I was the man of the house and had to care for my little brother. When we were younger, my mother would take us to a babysitter and I would make sure my little brother was fed and happy. An example of my leadership in my family is how I have contributed to raising my brother. As we continued to grow up, I would take my brother to school on the bus as well as pick him up and bring him home. I made food and helped my brother with homework after we ate. I would also do chores and make sure everything at home was clean so when my mother would get home, she would eat the meal I prepared and rest. To make money during the summer, I walked dogs for neighbors that lived close by, and I washed cars. I gave the money I earned to my mother to help with anything she needed. I have been a role model for my brother because in middle school he wasn't doing well academically. I talked to him about doing his best in school and how I also wasn't doing well in middle school. High school changed me, and he saw how well I was doing academically. He has straight A's because I have been helping him with schoolwork and showing him positivity when no one else could. I have displayed leadership by influencing my brother to follow my footsteps and stepping up as the man of the house. Being able to be the first student in my family to graduate college would be an amazing accomplishment showing other Latinx members that it is possible. Being able to help other low income students as would be a priority with the major I intend to get which is computer engineering. With this major I will want to be able to reach out to many who were faced with the same circumstances I faced growing up. I would want to major in computer engineering to be able to also protect the privacy of those being targetted with their information being exposed. I as well would love to work as a white hacker to ensure the safety of the company I work in as well of those who use the media on a daily basis. The media platform is increasing and there is lack of privacy being able to help those from fraud would be the type of job I would enjoy working in. Being an expert in computers I would go to other schools and talk about my experience as well to those who are interest in this.