My adopted mom is the most selfless person. She made sure that her 3 adopted sons were raised on the right path. Though there have been times when I felt my life has just been filled with unfortunate events, having my adoptive mother has been the biggest blessing that could have ever happened. My oldest brother demanded and needed the most attention from my mom. He was diagnosed with Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD) which made it difficult for him to be a productive member in our family. He often did what he wanted and did not care about the guidance which my mom or I were trying to give. There seemed to be a crisis in our family multiple times a week. To ensure our safety, mom would lock up all sharp objects and tools, install locks on bedroom doors so that if needed, we could go into a room, she advocated for his needs. I was amazed by her understanding, compassion, patience, optimismc, flexible, and empathy. I either heard or saw my brother's verbal and physical abuse towards mom multiple times a day. I often sat in my room wanting to help mom but realized hugging her before bed was the safest and most loving action I thought to do. My adopted mother is the most influential person in my life. She remains positive and happy despite any life situation which is thrown at her. She is dedicated to helping children receive the skills they need to be a successful adult. She is a special education teacher and the kids in her class are the luckiest kids. Mom will shop for us and her class at the same time. She doesn't even make 70,000 but has raised 3 boys and has taught over 25 years. Mom makes sure her children and her students feel special, loved, and supported. My mom will not give up on any student or child. She has the belief that all of us can have bright futures if given the skills. I would like to show my mom that the skills she taught me will allow me to succeed. I would like to attend a 4 year college, major in Engineering-Physics, obtain a rewarding job, pay off student debt, and be able to live life as happy and joyful as my mom. I want to be as amazing as my mom but with a higher salary. I want to enjoy going to work everyday, be happy, use positive problem solving skills, maintain a peaceful environment wherever I go, and make a lasting impression on those around me. I want the world to know that being in foster care and adopted does not dictate your destiny. My mom loved me and taught me more than I could ever explain. My future will be bright because of the obstacles I overcame and my amazing mom.

I entered the foster care system at the age of 3 with my 5 week old brother. It was a scary experience but we were blessed to find a home that adopted us. I recall being removed grom my birth mom and sitting in an office building scared. The lady came out and tokd me she found a nice family that i will stay with for awhile. Visitation with my birth parents felt weird since I connected with my foster family so well. After 3 years in foster care, my foster mom became my adopted mom. My mom raised us as a single mother and did a fantastic job. She made a lot of sacrifices and loved us unconditionally. Based on biological tendencies of addiction, mom didn't have any alcohol in the house as we grew up. She chose not to date to avoid us getting attached to someone who may or may not stay. As a teacher herself, my mom valued a solid education and ensured we attended schools which would meet our needs. Milwaukee College Prep prepared me at a young age to excel academically, accept diversity, and develop positive character while incorporating joy into everyday. Having adopted 3 boys, my mom had very little time for herself. Her goal was to focus on family and not relationships. Mom knew the importance of having a positive male role model. She sent us to summer camps and we also had a big brother through BIG Brothers BIG Sister's program. (BBBS) I would use the scholarship funds I receive to pay for college. The one thing mom could not afford was to set up a college fund and the price for college is overwhelming. The day I attended my orientation and chose my classes, I contemplated the reality of following my dream of becoming an engineer or getting a full time job where the possibility of advancement is high. The thought of being in debt does not sound good to me. Once I become an engineer and setle into adulthood, I look forward to becoming a mentor myself. The impact my mentor made on my life helped me develop my interests, establish college goals, and experience outdoor activities which I never had done before. I am ready to show the world that being in foster care does NOT dictate your destiny. People can not dwell on negativity and good things do happen to those who overcome adversities.

At the age of 3, I was removed from my birth mom and dad. I was taken to an "office" where I stayed until my foster parent came and picked me up. I was scared and missing my 5 week old brother who was not able to be located at the time. My foster mother picked me up and I went to her house with her other adopted son. It was a nice place and I was comfortable but felt much better hours later when my baby brother came. My foster mother was also a teacher and she had a retired teacher assistant become her nanny so that we did not have to go to a daycare. I spent 3 years in foster care. Luckily, it was with the same person who eventually did adopt my brother and I. While in foster care, I remember supervised visits with my parents. I would spend time crying and confused especially when we waited and they never showed up. I was in therapy and had a tough time working through and understanding everything that was going on. I called my birth mom "mom" and my foster mom "Michelle". This was all very confusing. I was raised by my adopted mom and have been able to overcome adversities. I often thought my life was filled with unfortunate circumstances. I now realize I am a stronger and more confident person with a global mind. My mom did everything she could for us kids. She put us first and made sure we had good schools, appropriate clothes and supplies, took us to therapy appointments and raised 3 adopted boys on a lower than it should be teacher salary. The adoption was final in 2012. 2016 we moved to be closer to my grandpa after my grandma passed. Leaving my friends and school were hard for me but I settled in the new area. Then, in 2020, my grandpa passed. My heart broke that day as I admired him and learned so much from him. Being in the foster care system for 3 years was not a negative experience for me since I was placed with my adopted mom initially. There were a lot of obstacles to overcome which was the reason it took so long for adoption to be finalized. I have the strong drive to show the world that being in foster care and being adopted is not a negative stereotype. I am ready to show the world that unfortunate circumstances in life does not chose your destiny. When you are surrounded with a loving and supportive family and have a strong work ethic and desire to be successful; you will be successful.

I am looking forward to continuing my education and becoming an Engineer. As a young child, I looked forward to building and programming various robots. I participated in Vex Robotics in middle school. I knew for sure after that experience that I was interested in becoming an engineer. I was paired with a big brother who was a retired engineer through Big Brothers and Big Sisters (BBBS) program. We looked at high school courses and I chose advanced math, science, and technology courses while in high school. I even have earned several college credits in the process. Being a part of the FIRST Robotics in high school has been a learning experience. During study halls and my lunch period, you would find me in the class working on robotics above and beyond the after school meeting times. It often frustrated me when peers would come to meetings to just socialize while I tried hard to plan, build, and program the robot. Last year, while at a tournament, one member choose to drop out and that really made the team pull together even more. Overcoming challenges, especially with STEM activities has always been my strong suit. I was able to show my leadership skills and encourage the team to complete various tasks which would benefit the performance of the robot. I did learn that when you work as a team, it is important to listen to and respect all team members. My long term goal is to work at a well known company as a senior Engineer. I will use the learned skills to continue to be an innovative electrical engineer for the demands of the developing world. I do believe as a leader my team will feel empowered to use talents and abilities to develop and create new products to make the world slightly easier. One of my greatest assets while being a leader will be my ability to see assets in each person despite their ethnicity, age, political views, or religion. American was founded on the believe that ALL people can succeed. I respect diversity and will do my part to give back to the community. I would enjoy a team building experience of helping with a food program, school, or other needs based organization. Engineers do make a reasonable salary but we are no better than anyone else. I would remain humble and do my part to support those who are not as fortunate.

My uncle spent his entire life serving our country. Not only did he serve multiple terms in various wars, he was the Dean of dentistry at a VA hospital. He was a strong man that our country could rely on to provide medical services or combat during the wars. When he got the call, he was ready to accept and serve. He was humble and never talked negative about any experiences he went through. He was dedicated to our country. He taught me that through all battles we face in life, staying calm and focused will allow us to confidently overcome. He was a compassionate man who went above and beyind for other veterans at his job. He enjoyed sharing stories, memories, and triumps with his clients. He was a skilled dentist and also recommended the most appropriate dental care wirh the least amount of pain. After my experiences at the dentist I sure wished I I could have him care for my teeth. My uncle enjoyed going to work every day. I learned that it is important to choose a career parh which will be enjotable. Though I will be going into Engineering, I am hoping I can follow the path of my uncle. He did not expect to retire when he did. However, he retired after he was diagnosed with ALS. He was able to go on one cruise to enjoy retirement before his body became to weak and needed more equipment which made travel difficult. I admired his hard work and always looked forward to seeing him. The later years were tough to watch such an inspirational man's body muscles suffer. To see a fly on his arm and him not be able to swat it away was tough. He accepted the disease with dignity and did appreciate all the supoorts he was fortunate to get. An elevator was installed in the home, wheelchair accessible vehicle was purchased, and his wife was a profeasional nurse and took loving care of him. This is not the ideal retirement for anyone. His military honors ceremony was moving as we laid to rest my uncle Col. Eugene Riehle. A true "American man". The service men and women who came were sincere and somber. Their actions, moves, and salutes were felt by all in attendance. The 21 gun salute made me reflect on his dedication to the military throughout his entire life. He was an incredible, humble, strong, and kind service man. Though my career path will be different, I hope to have the same outlook on life. Serve others, be kind, work hard, enjoy what you do, and accept all battles humbilly and be strong enough to focus and overcome them.