My name is Joey Mascarenas, I am a senior at Pine Richland Highschool and I attend A.W Beattie Career Center to learn Carpentry and Building Construction. I was made a part of the National Technical Honor Society as well as having the highest grade of my class last year. I am a dual enrollment student at the Community College of Allegheny County. I work most weekdays and try to work a full day on weekends to get as much experience as I can to develop my skills as an employee. I have two little brothers who mean the world to me and I do my best to be there for them and try to show them right from wrong as they grow up with me. I am a Native American/ Mexican from Denver, Colorado. I come from a low income family and grew up in a dysfunctional household that ultimately ended up with my father out of the picture. Without having a good father figure to raise me and with me being the oldest sibling I had to grow up quickly and become the man of the house. I always do what I can to help my family and I always prioritize them because they matter the most to me. I am choosing to pursue a degree in business at either Robert Morris University, Duquesne University, or Point Park University. I want to be able to combine my business degree with skills I develop from Carpentry. I have always been interested in making things with my own hands, and my grandpa was a construction worker and helped fuel this passion. We would work on construction sites before I moved to Pennsylvania and I have always enjoyed working with him. The way I plan on making an impact in my community is by using my business degree with my carpentry skills to make a construction company of my own to help people, whether its repairs, remodeling, or jobs that require something new to be made, I want to help people with their construction or building needs. I would try and be as flexible as I can for my community and provide discounts to people who are elderly, disabled, or others who need help but are not be able to afford to pay for these services. According to the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, about 0.5% of Business degree holders are Native American. the way I plan on inspiring the next generation to continue to increase the odds in the field of business is by showing future generations the pathways and opportunities that exist around us everyday and try to be a role model like how my grandfather was to me.