My parents didn't have the chance to pursue higher education. While I'm positive, they're happy with the lives they live, the impact they've had on their friends, family, and world as a whole, we as a family still struggle a bit. Now that me and two of my siblings have jobs, we all pitch in where we can, while still pursuing education in university. I'm sure that even my youngest brother, who's now graduated from High School, will hope to pursue his education even further, and even search for a part-time job, as he does so. It is my hope that, by pursuing a higher education, I might be able to have greater opportunities open up to me in the career of my choice. Art is something that has always inspired me, and something I have seen leave a huge impact on the world at large, through the messages conveyed, the stories told, and the discussions it inspires. From animated movies to television, from comic books to manga, from short stories to graphic novels, I have seen intense topics presented to the masses, and the insightful discussions that came from all those projects and works. I have seen murals speak to the culture of a small community, and I have seen work placed in museums that generate discussions, and inspire day in and day out, and I know that pursuing a higher level of education will allow me the chance to do the very same; to tell my own stories, to inspire more discussions, that could lead to positive change! And positive change is something the world desperately needs, in my opinion. In my first year of Community College, the idea of continuing my education any further had me nervous-- stuck in this, anxious mindset that I would only ever be a student, stuck in a cycle of waking up early, going to classes, fretting about homework and mid-terms and finals for most of my life. But my time there has shown me just how much more I could do, how much more I could learn! I experienced things I wouldn't have, if I didn't pursue a higher education in community college, made connections and learned things that I might have missed out on, had I not taken that leap. I may still get nervous, or even doubt myself, from time to time. But I trust that by pursuing my education further, more doors will open up for me, new experiences await, and that I'll get my chance to leave my mark on the world, as so many others have done before me.

Coming from a low-income household means, seizing every opportunity that came our way. My mother was especially adamant about my siblings and I applying to any and all scholarships we could, to take advantage of the resources being presented to us. While I admit, it's only something I've /recently/ been putting into practice, I do believe it is a lesson I will carry forward: Don't Let Opportunity Pass You By. I'm taking advantage of the opportunities that present themselves to me, whether they be in my personal or academic lives. And by walking through the doors that open up to me, I intend on creating things that will leave a positive mark in my community, and the world at large. I want to make use of the chances and resources presented to me, and hopefully, encourage others to do the same.

I'm unsure if this is allowed, but I chose three dinosaurs to submit to you, today; the Triceratops, the Pachycephalosaurus, and the Ankylosaurus. I used to be quite obsessed with dinosaurs when I was a child, as were my other brothers, when we were younger. We even had a huge plastic bucket filled with tiny dinosaur figures, complete with tiny plastic rocks and trees, to recreate the ancient times when Dinosaurs ruled the Earth! Back then, my favorite was the Triceratops, and to an extent, the Pachycephalosaurus. The Triceratops seems self-explanatory, but the Pachycephalosaurus had my favor because of the interesting dome-like head. It seemed a little silly to me, but in a fun way! Nowadays, my favored dinosaur is the Ankylosaurus. I always enjoyed how strong and sturdy they were, and how fascinating their natural armor plating was! Plus, having a giant mace for a tail always seemed cool. All this love of dinosaurs was fueled by a show called "Dinosaur Train": a show that aired on PBS Kids, and taught children (like me) the different species of dinosaurs, the eras they came from, and how they may have lived and interacted with each other. It was incredibly educational and had plenty of fun characters for young minds to latch onto. Another show that certainly kept mt love for those fascinating creatures alive was "Dino Dan". It was a show about a young boy who could see Dinosaurs, roaming about in the 21st Century while nobody else could. It covered species big and small, from the lesser-known species like Psittacosaurus, to the popular Tyrannosaurus Rex. I often imagined what it would be like to see dinosaurs, to have my own amazing adventures with these prehistoric beasts... I still think about that, to be honest. Though, films like Jurassic Park have pushed me to the side of caution, in regard to that dream. The medium I used was Mixed Media Medium Grain Paper, drawn with a lead pencil... a Spider-Man themed Led Pencil.