Joshua Perez Hagerstown Community College-MD I am an undergraduate at Hagerstown Community College. I grew up around the small blue-collar town of Smithsburg. My father served in the military and then the police force; my mother is in the nursing field. Throughout high school, I struggled to find myself. I didn't know what career path I wanted to go down. I knew I couldn't afford to go to college like everyone else. They offer a technical high school in my area, which piqued my interest. I chose the course ‘Electrical Construction.’ For the next three years, I spent full time going to school and working trying to succeed in this career path. This choice took a toll on my physical and mental self. I started looking up alternate schooling/career paths. I found one that I would enjoy, CRNA (certified registered nurse anesthetist). A certified registered nurse anesthetist is a registered nurse that specializes in anesthesia. Hours were spent researching this career and I quickly fell in love with this path. After I finish college and become a registered nurse, I have to go to a specialized school to become a certified registered nursing anesthetist. When I am a CRNA, I plan on bringing joy to my place of employment and patients. When patients are scared and not treated well, they don't like coming to be treated. That leads to more illness and complications. The patients need someone to put their needs first, I want to be that person. I plan on learning as much as possible to give as best service I can to the patients. With anesthesia, patients are and feel extremely vulnerable. The doctors' and nurses' jobs make them feel safe and comfortable. A lot of patients don't think that way nowadays, I want to change that. A nurse is the patient's caregiver when they can't care for themselves. They need to be trained properly and have the right mindset for their career. Facilities worldwide need help with staffing and training all healthcare. It takes everyone to help change the way we run these medical facilities. It's not just medical and books, but hospitality. You have to treat the patients and families kindly. I am just one person on the totem pole but I plan on advocating more for patients and families in the future. The healthcare system in the Caribbean is severely underdeveloped and lacks great amounts of funding. This has taken a large toll on my family. My grandparents in Puerto Rico have faced this struggle as they are facing serious health conditions, including cancer. I want to make a difference in the healthcare system in honor of the pain and loss that my family has experienced. Thank you for this opportunity.

Joshua Perez Hagerstown Community College-MD I am an undergraduate at Hagerstown Community College. I grew up around the small blue-collar town of Smithsburg. My father served in the military and then the police force; my mother is in the nursing field. Throughout high school, I struggled to find myself. I didn't know what career path I wanted to go down. I knew I couldn't afford to go to college like everyone else. They offer a technical high school in my area, which piqued my interest. I chose the course ‘Electrical Construction.’ I graduated from this technical high school and then started at a local trade school. I went full-time for the next two years aiming for my Journeyman's license. Since my senior year of high school, I’ve also been working as an electrician. This took a major toll on my physical and mental self. I started looking up alternate schooling/career paths. I found one that I would enjoy, CRNA (certified registered nurse anesthetist). A certified registered nurse anesthetist is a registered nurse that specializes in anesthesia. Hours were spent researching this career and I quickly fell in love with this path. After I finish college and become a registered nurse, I have to go to a specialized school to become a certified registered nursing anesthetist. When I am a CRNA, I plan on bringing joy to my place of employment and patients. When patients are scared and not treated well, they don't like coming to be treated. That leads to more illness and complications. The patients need someone to put their needs first, I want to be that person. I plan on learning as much as possible to give as best service to the patients. With anesthesia, patients are and feel highly vulnerable. It is the doctors' and nurses' jobs to make them feel safe and comfortable. A lot of patients don't think that way nowadays, I want to change that. A nurse is the patient's caregiver when they can't care for themselves. They need to be trained properly and have the right mindset for their career. Facilities worldwide are struggling with staffing and training all healthcare. It takes everyone to help change the way we run these medical facilities. It's not just medical and books, but hospitality. You have to treat the patients and families kindly. I know that I am just one person on the totem pole but I plan on trying to advocate more for patients and families in the future. The healthcare system in the Caribbean is severely underdeveloped and lacks great amounts of funding. This has taken a large toll on my family. My grandparents in Puerto Rico have faced this struggle as they are facing serious health conditions, including cancer. I want to make a difference in the healthcare system in honor of the pain and loss that my family has experienced. I consider myself a non-traditional student because I’ve done a complete 360. I started in construction which I didn’t enjoy, and I am now going into the medical field. Thank you for this opportunity.

Joshua Perez Hagerstown Community College-MD I am an undergraduate at Hagerstown Community College. I grew up around the small blue-collar town of Smithsburg. My father served in the military and then the police force; my mother is in the nursing field. Throughout high school, I struggled to find myself. I didn't know what career path I wanted to go down. I knew I couldn't afford to go to college like everyone else. They offer a technical high school in my area, which piqued my interest. I chose the course ‘Electrical Construction.’ For the next three years, I spent full time going to school and working trying to succeed in this career path. This choice took a toll on my physical and mental self. I started looking up alternate schooling/career paths. I found one that I would enjoy, CRNA (certified registered nurse anesthetist). A certified registered nurse anesthetist is a registered nurse that specializes in anesthesia. Hours were spent researching this career and I quickly fell in love with this path. After I finish college and become a registered nurse, I have to go to a specialized school to become a certified registered nursing anesthetist. As a CRNA, I plan to bring joy to my workplace and patients. When patients are scared and not treated well, they don't like coming to be treated. That leads to more illness and complications. The patients need someone to put their needs first, I want to be that person. I plan on learning as much as possible to give the patients the best service possible. With anesthesia, patients are and feel extremely vulnerable. The doctors' and nurses' jobs make them feel safe and comfortable. A lot of patients don't think that way nowadays, I want to change that. A nurse is the patient's caregiver when they can't care for themselves. They need to be trained properly and have the right mindset for their career. Facilities worldwide need help with staffing and training all healthcare. It takes everyone to help change the way we run these medical facilities. It's not just medical and books, but hospitality. You have to treat the patients and families kindly. I am just one person on the totem pole but I plan on advocating more for patients and families in the future. The healthcare system in the Caribbean is severely underdeveloped and lacks excellent amounts of funding. This has taken a large toll on my family. My grandparents in Puerto Rico have faced this struggle as they are facing serious health conditions, including cancer. I want to make a difference in the healthcare system in honor of the pain and loss that my family has experienced. Currently, I have no medical experience in the field but I have to start somewhere. I am in school studying to be a nurse and I am applying to a couple of entry-level jobs to start. I aspire to one day make an impact in the world and change healthcare and the nursing industry for the better! Thank you for this opportunity.

Joshua Perez Hagerstown Community College-MD I am an undergraduate at Hagerstown Community College. I grew up around the small blue-collar town of Smithsburg. My father served in the military and then the police force; my mother is in the nursing field. Throughout high school, I struggled to find myself. I didn't know what career path I wanted to go down. I knew I couldn't afford to go to college like everyone else. They offer a technical high school in my area, which piqued my interest. I chose the course ‘Electrical Construction.’ For the next three years, I spent full time going to school and working trying to succeed in this career path. This choice took a toll on my physical and mental self. I started looking up alternate schooling/career paths. I found one that I would enjoy, CRNA (certified registered nurse anesthetist). A certified registered nurse anesthetist is a registered nurse that specializes in anesthesia. Hours were spent researching this career and I quickly fell in love with this path. After I finish college and become a registered nurse, I have to go to a specialized school to become a certified registered nursing anesthetist. When I am a CRNA, I plan on bringing joy to my place of employment and patients. When patients are scared and not treated well, they don't like coming to be treated. That leads to more illness and complications. The patients need someone to put their needs first, I want to be that person. I plan on learning as much as possible to give as best service I can to the patients. With anesthesia, patients are and feel extremely vulnerable. The doctors' and nurses' jobs make them feel safe and comfortable. A lot of patients don't think that way nowadays, I want to change that. A nurse is the patient's caregiver when they can't care for themselves. They need to be trained properly and have the right mindset for their career. Facilities worldwide need help with staffing and training all healthcare. It takes everyone to help change the way we run these medical facilities. It's not just medical and books, but hospitality. You have to treat the patients and families kindly. I am just one person on the totem pole but I plan on advocating more for patients and families in the future. The healthcare system in the Caribbean is severely underdeveloped and lacks great amounts of funding. This has taken a large toll on my family. My grandparents in Puerto Rico have faced this struggle as they are facing serious health conditions, including cancer. I want to make a difference in the healthcare system in honor of the pain and loss that my family has experienced. Thank you for this opportunity.

Joshua Perez Hagerstown Community College-MD I am an undergraduate at Hagerstown Community College. I grew up around the small blue-collar town of Smithsburg. My father served in the military and then the police force; my mother is in the nursing field. Throughout high school, I struggled to find myself. I didn't know what career path I wanted to go down. I knew I couldn't afford to go to college like everyone else. They offer a technical high school in my area, which piqued my interest. I chose the course ‘Electrical Construction.’ For the next three years, I spent full time going to school and working trying to succeed in this career path. This choice took a toll on my physical and mental self. I started looking up alternate schooling/career paths. I found one that I would enjoy, CRNA (certified registered nurse anesthetist). A certified registered nurse anesthetist is a registered nurse that specializes in anesthesia. Hours were spent researching this career and I quickly fell in love with this path. After I finish college and become a registered nurse, I have to go to a specialized school to become a certified registered nursing anesthetist. When I am a CRNA, I plan on bringing joy to my place of employment and patients. When patients are scared and not treated well, they don't like coming to be treated. That leads to more illness and complications. The patients need someone to put their needs first, I want to be that person. I plan on learning as much as possible to give as best service I can to the patients. With anesthesia, patients are and feel extremely vulnerable. The doctors' and nurses' jobs make them feel safe and comfortable. A lot of patients don't think that way nowadays, I want to change that. A nurse is the patient's caregiver when they can't care for themselves. They need to be trained properly and have the right mindset for their career. Facilities worldwide need help with staffing and training all healthcare. It takes everyone to help change the way we run these medical facilities. It's not just medical and books, but hospitality. You have to treat the patients and families kindly. I am just one person on the totem pole but I plan on advocating more for patients and families in the future. The healthcare system in the Caribbean is severely underdeveloped and lacks great amounts of funding. This has taken a large toll on my family. My grandparents in Puerto Rico have faced this struggle as they are facing serious health conditions, including cancer. I want to make a difference in the healthcare system in honor of the pain and loss that my family has experienced. Thank you for this opportunity.

Joshua Perez Hagerstown Community College-MD I am an undergraduate at Hagerstown Community College. I grew up around the small blue-collar town of Smithsburg. My father served in the military and then the police force; my mother is in the nursing field. Throughout high school, I struggled to find myself. I didn't know what career path I wanted to go down. I knew I couldn't afford to go to college like everyone else. They offer a technical high school in my area, which piqued my interest. I chose the course ‘Electrical Construction.’ For the next three years, I spent full time going to school and working trying to succeed in this career path. This choice took a toll on my physical and mental self. I started looking up alternate schooling/career paths. I found one that I would enjoy, CRNA (certified registered nurse anesthetist). A certified registered nurse anesthetist is a registered nurse that specializes in anesthesia. Hours were spent researching this career and I quickly fell in love with this path. After I finish college and become a registered nurse, I have to go to a specialized school to become a certified registered nursing anesthetist. As a CRNA, I plan on bringing joy to my place of employment and patients. When patients are scared and not treated well, they don't like coming to be treated. That leads to more illness and complications. The patients need someone to put their needs first, I want to be that person. I plan on learning as much as possible to give the patients the best service possible. With anesthesia, patients are and feel extremely vulnerable. It is the doctors' and nurses' jobs to make them feel safe and comfortable. A lot of patients don't think that way nowadays, I want to change that. A nurse is the patient's caregiver when they can't care for themselves. They need to be trained properly and have the right mindset for their career. Facilities worldwide are struggling with staffing and training all healthcare. It takes everyone to help change the way we run these medical facilities. It's not just medical and books, but hospitality. You have to treat the patients and families kindly. I know that I am just one person on the totem pole but I plan on trying to advocate more for patients and families in the future. The healthcare system in the Caribbean is severely underdeveloped and lacks great amounts of funding. This has taken a significant toll on my family. My grandparents in Puerto Rico have faced this struggle as they are facing serious health conditions, including cancer. I want to make a difference in the healthcare system in honor of the pain and loss that my family has experienced. My Caribbean descent has taught me to be bold in my actions because everything is possible. I plan to break through the stereotypes of my ethnicity and make my dreams come true. Being Puerto Rican has developed my purpose throughout my life. I am proud of my descent, and I am proud of the life that I am working to achieve. Earning this scholarship would be part of my path to making my aspirations a reality. I will channel this gift into my future to help others in need. I will break through the barriers of my descent. I will make my dreams come true. This scholarship will assist in my college tuition through my undergraduate, degree in nursing, and specialty training to become a certified registered nurse anesthetist. Thank you for this opportunity.

Joshua Perez Hagerstown Community College-MD I am an undergraduate at Hagerstown Community College. I grew up around the small blue-collar town of Smithsburg. My father served in the military and then the police force; my mother is in the nursing field. Throughout high school, I struggled to find myself. I didn't know what career path I wanted to go down. I knew I couldn't afford to go to college like everyone else. They offer a technical high school in my area, which piqued my interest. I chose the course ‘Electrical Construction.’ For the next three years, I spent full time going to school and working trying to succeed in this career path. This choice took a toll on my physical and mental self. I started looking up alternate schooling/career paths. I found one that I would enjoy, CRNA (certified registered nurse anesthetist). A certified registered nurse anesthetist is a registered nurse that specializes in anesthesia. Hours were spent researching this career and I quickly fell in love with this path. After I finish college and become a registered nurse, I have to go to a specialized school to become a certified registered nursing anesthetist. When I am a CRNA, I plan on bringing joy to my place of employment and patients. When patients are scared and not treated well, they don't like coming to be treated. That leads to more illness and complications. The patients need someone to put their needs first, I want to be that person. I plan on learning as much as possible to give as best service I can to the patients. With anesthesia, patients are and feel extremely vulnerable. It is the doctors' and nurses' jobs to make them feel safe and comfortable. A lot of patients don't think that way nowadays, I want to change that. A nurse is the patient's caregiver when they can't care for themselves. They need to be trained properly and have the right mindset for their career. Facilities worldwide are struggling with staffing and training all healthcare. It takes everyone to help change the way we run these medical facilities. It's not just medical and books, but hospitality. You have to treat the patients and families kindly. I know that I am just one person on the totem pole but I plan on trying to advocate more for patients and families in the future. Perseverance means never giving up and always pushing ahead no matter the struggles. In my current job as an electrician, I have experienced extreme physical and mental health conditions along with financial problems, but I will not let the pressure of my current career hold me down. I have aspirations for my future as a nurse anesthetist, and it is the light at the end of my tunnel. To me, perseverance is to push through my pains and make my dreams a reality. Thank you for this opportunity.

Joshua Perez Hagerstown Community College-MD I am an undergraduate at Hagerstown Community College. I grew up around the small blue-collar town of Smithsburg. My father served in the military and then the police force, and my mother is in the nursing field. Throughout high school, I struggled to find myself. I didn't know what career path I wanted to go down. I knew I couldn't afford to go to college like everyone else. But in my area, they offer a technical high school, which piqued my interest. I chose the course ‘Electrical Construction.’ For the next three years, I spent full time going to school and working trying to succeed in this career path. This choice took a toll on my physical and mental self. I started looking up alternate schooling/career paths. I found one that I would enjoy, CRNA (Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist). A CRNA is a Registered Nurse that specializes in anesthesia. Hours were spent researching this career and I quickly fell in love with this path. After I finish college and become a Registered Nurse, I have to go to a specialized school to become a Certified Registered Nursing Anesthetist. When I am a CRNA, I plan on bringing joy to my place of employment and patients. When patients are scared and not treated well, they don't like coming to be treated. That leads to more illness and complications down the road. The patients need someone to put their needs first. I plan on learning as much as possible to give as best service that I can to the patients that I have. With anesthesia, patients are and feel vulnerable. It is the doctors' and nurses' jobs to make them feel safe and comfortable. A lot of patients don't feel that way nowadays, I want to change that. A nurse is the patient's caregiver when they can't care for themselves. They need to be trained properly and have the right mindset for their career. Facilities worldwide are struggling with staffing and training all healthcare. It takes everyone to help change the way we run these medical facilities. It's not just medical and books, but hospitality. You have to treat the patients and families kindly. When you do that, they are calmer and more cooperative. It's not that medical facilities are wrong, but everything always has room for improvement. I know I am just one person on the totem pole, but I plan to advocate more for patients and families.

Joshua Perez Hagerstown Community College-MD I am an undergraduate at Hagerstown Community College. I grew up around the small blue-collar town of Smithsburg. My father served in the military and then the police force, and my mother is in the nursing field. Throughout high school, I struggled to find myself. I didn't know what career path I wanted to go down. I knew I couldn't afford to go to college like everyone else. But they offer a technical high school in my area, which piqued my interest. I chose the course ‘Electrical Construction.’ For the next three years, I spent full time going to school and working trying to succeed in this career path. This choice took a toll on my physical and mental self. I started looking up alternate schooling/career paths. I found one that I would enjoy, CRNA (Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist). A CRNA is a Registered Nurse that specializes in anesthesia. Hours were spent researching this career and I quickly fell in love with this path. After I finish college and become a Registered Nurse, I have to go to a specialized school to become a Certified Registered Nursing Anesthetist. When I am a CRNA, I plan on bringing joy to my place of employment and patients. When patients are scared and not treated well, they don't like coming to be treated. That leads to more illness and complications down the road. The patients need someone to put their needs first. I plan on learning as much as possible to give as best service that I can to the patients that I have. With anesthesia, patients are and feel vulnerable. It is the doctors' and nurses' jobs to make them feel safe and comfortable. A lot of patients don't feel that way nowadays, I want to change that. A nurse is the patient's caregiver when they can't care for themselves. They need to be trained properly and have the right mindset for their career. Facilities worldwide are struggling with staffing and training all healthcare. It takes everyone to help change the way we run these medical facilities. It's not just medical and books, but hospitality. You have to treat the patients and families kindly. When you do that, they are calmer and more cooperative. It's not that medical facilities are wrong, but everything always has room for improvement. I know that I am just one person on the totem pole, but I plan to advocate more for patients and families in the future. I need this scholarship award so I can pursue my career. With this scholarship, I can pay for a great portion of my college. My parents don’t make the highest income right now and they are focusing on paying bills and such. I need to let them focus on that and I need to figure this out on my own so they don’t go into debt by helping me. I plan on paying for my college and schooling with scholarships and grants. There are many ways to help students pay for schooling, but scholarships can help pay for a large amount. To me, this scholarship means my future. I can pursue my medical dreams and career if I get this scholarship. Heavy Metal Music to me means to express yourself with something you cannot just say or do. When most people hear heavy metal, they hear a dark and gloomy song. These artists use thought-out lyrics and rhythms that tell a story. The heavy metal music genre is one of the most creative music genres out there. It’s hard to duplicate a heavy metal song, they are unique. The music also gives off a therapeutic sense and can help with stress and anxiety. Thank you for your time.

Joshua Perez Hagerstown Community College-MD I’m an undergraduate at Hagerstown Community College. I grew up around the small blue-collar town of Smithsburg. My father served in the military and the police force, and my mother is in the nursing field. Throughout high school, I struggled to find myself. I didn't know what career path I wanted to go down. I knew I couldn't afford to go to college like everyone else. But in my area, they offered a technical high school. I chose the course ‘Electrical Construction.’ For the next three years, I spent full time going to school and working trying to succeed in this career path. This choice took a toll on my physical and mental self. I started looking up alternate schooling/career paths. There’s one I would enjoy, CRNA (Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist). A CRNA is a Registered Nurse that specializes in anesthesia. Once I’m a CRNA, I plan on bringing joy to my occupation and patients. The patients need someone to put their needs first. I plan on learning as much as possible to ensure the best patient care. With anesthesia, patients are and feel vulnerable. It is the doctors' and nurses' jobs to make them feel safe and comfortable. They need proper training and have the right mindset for their career. Facilities globally are scrambling with staff and training healthcare workers. It takes everyone to help change the way we run these facilities. It's not just medical and book-smart, but hospitality. You have to treat the patients and families kindly. When you do that, they’re calmer and more cooperative. I know I’m just one person on the totem pole, but I plan to advocate more for patients and families. I am passionate about fulfilling my dreams for many reasons. For starters, to be happy in life. I have learned that happiness and mental health play a huge role in life. I never thought about when what I felt inside. I know now that mental health is an underrated subject, especially in men. In my most recent career choice of Electrical Construction, I was always told to “suck it up or else you weren’t a man,” or “quit complaining and work harder.” My choice to end this career path was one of the best choices in my life. It has made me happier and more successful already. Another thing that I’m passionate about is family. Family is the most important to me. Since I was nine years old, I have been an uncle to amazing children. To some of my nieces and nephews, I’m a “fun uncle”, but to others, they see me more as a father figure since theirs was never around. I will always be there for my family no matter what. I want to fulfill my dreams to be an inspiration to the children and individuals that may look up to me. We should look to the future generation and hope to inspire them to be great. It doesn’t matter who you are or what your limitations are, you can fulfill your dreams if you believe in them enough; as long as you’re in it for the right reasons. Thank you for your time.

Joshua Perez Hagerstown Community College-MD I’m an undergraduate at Hagerstown Community College. I grew up around the small blue-collar town of Smithsburg. My father served in the military and the police force, and my mother is in the nursing field. Throughout high school, I struggled to find myself. I didn't know what career path I wanted to go down. I knew I couldn't afford to go to college like everyone else. But in my area, they offered a technical high school. I chose the course ‘Electrical Construction.’ For the next three years, I spent full time going to school and working trying to succeed in this career path. This choice took a toll on my physical and mental self. I started to develop depression and had a lot of stress in my life. That was my biggest setback so far and I knew that I needed a fresh start. I started looking up alternate schooling/career paths. Even though I knew that I couldn’t afford college, I was intrigued by the opportunity. I learned that a lot of financial support is available for people like me. Even though the battle with depression, I decided enough was enough. I determined that I was done with construction and focus on my health. I discovered a career path that changed my life for the better. Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist, CRNA, is a Registered Nurse that specializes in anesthesia. I “turned it up to 11” by enrolling in college even though I thought that I never was going to be able to. I have to go to college to become a Registered Nurse, then specialized schooling to become a CRNA. Once I’m a CRNA, I plan on bringing joy to my occupation and patients. The patients need someone to put their needs first. I plan on learning as much as possible to ensure the best patient care. With anesthesia, patients are and feel vulnerable. It is the doctors' and nurses' jobs to make them feel safe and comfortable. They need proper training and have the right mindset for their career. Facilities globally are scrambling with staff and training healthcare workers. It takes everyone to help change the way we run these facilities. It's not just medical and book-smart, but hospitality. You have to treat the patients and families kindly. When you do that, they’re calmer and more cooperative. I know I’m just one person on the totem pole, but I plan to advocate more for patients and families. I learned so much already and I have barely started college. I learned that there are unlimited possibilities in life. I know it is cliche, but I won't let financial limitations define your life. Another accomplishment is that I am trying so hard to be successful in life but also happy. To me, learning how to be happy is so important in life. I also learned that I enjoy school. Throughout high school, I only gave about 75% effort toward academics. Now I’m giving it my all. I'm excited about school now. The setback of construction and depression was tough, but it improved my life. I am grateful for all the opportunities and experiences I have had in my 20 years. Thank you for your time.

Joshua Perez Hagerstown Community College-MD I’m an undergraduate at Hagerstown Community College. I grew up around the small blue-collar town of Smithsburg. My father served in the military and the police force, and my mother is in the nursing field. Throughout high school, I struggled to find myself. I didn't know what career path I wanted to go down. I knew I couldn't afford to go to college like everyone else. But in my area, they offered a technical high school. I chose the course ‘Electrical Construction.’ For the next three years, I spent full time going to school and working trying to succeed in this career path. This choice took a toll on my physical and mental self. I started looking up alternate schooling/career paths. There’s one I would enjoy, CRNA (Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist). A CRNA is a Registered Nurse that specializes in anesthesia. Once I’m a CRNA, I plan on bringing joy to my occupation and patients. The patients need someone to put their needs first. I plan on learning as much as possible to ensure the best patient care. With anesthesia, patients are and feel vulnerable. It is the doctors' and nurses' jobs to make them feel safe and comfortable. They need proper training and have the right mindset for their career. Facilities globally are scrambling with staff and training healthcare workers. It takes everyone to help change the way we run these facilities. It's not just medical and book-smart, but hospitality. You have to treat the patients and families kindly. When you do that, they’re calmer and more cooperative. I know I’m just one person on the totem pole, but I plan to advocate more for patients and families. To me, being a mentor means being there for someone. It’s not always teaching or advising, as long as you show up for that person when they need you. I have been a mentor in many ways during my short 20-year journey, whether family-related, work, or just a stranger needing a helping hand. For example, I have been an uncle since I was nine. I have seven older siblings; my family is very close and loving. My sister has two amazing boys. The father unfortunately was never in the picture. This sister is my nearest sibling; we have an unbreakable bond. While her sons were growing up, I was always there for them. Most of my nieces and nephews' first words were “Josh.” I became “Uncle Josh” and “the Fun Uncle.” Currently, my sister is living with us again with her children. They always want to spend time with “Uncle Josh.” They told me one time that they want to stay with me. I always try to stay positive for them and be a good influence on them. They sometimes accidentally call me “Dad,” which I take as a complement. That means that I’m doing a good job helping raise these boys. They even said that they wanted to be as big, strong, and brave as “Uncle Josh” one day. I love these boys so much; I wouldn’t trade it for the world. This motivates me in many ways. Primarily, it motivates me to be successful. I want them to be able to be proud of me. To look up to “strong Uncle Josh.” I want to be there for them always and forever. By going into a successful medical career, I can learn practical skills while having a steady schedule to have time for family. That is what is most important to me. To be there for “my boys.” Thank you for your time.

Joshua Perez Hagerstown Community College-MD I am an undergraduate at Hagerstown Community College. My father was born and raised in Puerto Rico. He served in the military and the police force, and my mother is in the nursing field. It's hard sometimes because I never learned Spanish to communicate with my father's side fully. They know enough English to get by, but in Puerto Rico, the main language is Spanish. When I was young, we took trips down to visit them at least every other year. I cherish those memories. It is beautiful there, from the culture to the scenery. Around fifth grade, my parents started to go through financial problems and we started jumping from house to house. We stopped visiting my grandparents because we couldn't afford plane tickets. We would still call them all the time but my dad would mostly talk since he speaks Spanish. I miss the time we spent together and the memories we made. My grandparents in Puerto Rico haven't seen me since I was 10; I am 20 now. In late 2021, my grandfather in Puerto Rico had gotten diagnosed with stage 2 kidney cancer. This was hard to hear since I haven't seen him for so long and haven't been there for him. My family got together and worked extra overtime and eventually forked up enough money to buy just my father a plane ticket to go see his parents and take care of them. His mother, my grandmother, is not in the greatest health either. Puerto Rico does not have good a good healthcare system. This was hard on everyone. When my dad visited, he was told that his father had a couple days to weeks to live. He then had to process that news and relay it back to us. We were heartbroken and couldn't see him. We just prayed and waited. Miraculously, he survived. He was still very ill, but home. My grandmother is taking care of him full time because he is too stubborn for a home-aid. But the good news is he is alive. We are currently saving up to see them soon. This affected me greatly because I struggled to find myself throughout high school. I didn't know what career path I wanted to go down. I knew I couldn't afford to go to college like everyone else. In my area, they offer a technical high school, which piqued my interest at the time. I chose the course ‘Electrical Construction.’ For the next three years, I spent full time going to school and working trying to succeed in this career path. This took a toll on my physical and mental health. I graduated high school in 2021 and went to a paid trade school I didn't feel I belonged in. I started looking up alternate career paths. I found one that I would enjoy, CRNA (certified registered nurse anesthetist). A CRNA is a registered nurse that specializes in anesthesia. Hours were spent researching this career and I quickly fell in love with this path. My grandfather's cancer has helped me realize that I can do anything as long as I work for it. I am trying to succeed in this new career that I never thought was possible for me. I thank him for my little victories. Another thing I thank him for is my family is closer than ever, I know it might be sad to say it took cancer to bring a family closer, but it did. I love my family and I'm grateful for every one of them. Thank you for your time.

Joshua Perez Hagerstown Community College I am an undergraduate at Hagerstown Community College. My mother is a nurse and my father is a marine corp. Veteran. Growing up, we lived on a military base which I thought was normal as a kid. I had many friends around the base that I grew up with and cherished. We explored the base, even if we weren't supposed to. It was an older base so there were some abandoned buildings and parking lots that we would sometimes explore and hang out at. The base had two lakes that my family and I would always go fishing at. I cherish all the memories that I have growing up at this one-of-a-lifetime location. Around age eight, the base dilapidated and the owners decided to sell the property. They evicted everyone in the housing. We had nowhere to go. My family and I moved in with my grandparents. We lived with them for a couple of years while we got back on our feet. They were very understanding and supportive. That is one thing about my family, we love and support one another no matter what. My veteran father has taught me many things. Growing up, I had perfect manners and respect. I always admired him for being such a big brave man. I wanted to be like him when I grew up. He taught me not to be afraid and to face my fears. That family means forever and is always there for you. He taught me to love and comfort. Now would he be the father he is/was without being in the military? Probably, he is a good man. Regardless, the military “shaped” him into a respectful, loving man. As I got older into middle and high school, he was always there for me. He showed up to all my sports games and practices, my band concerts and performances, and hung out with my friends and I. I couldn't ask for a better dad. Throughout high school, I struggled to find myself. I didn't know what career path I wanted to go down. I knew I couldn't afford to go to college like everyone else. But in my area, they offer a technical high school, which piqued my interest. I chose the course ‘Electrical Construction.’ For the next three years, I spent full time going to school and working trying to succeed in this career path. This choice took a toll on my physical and mental self. I started looking up alternate schooling/career paths. I found one that I would enjoy, CRNA (certified registered nurse anesthetist). A CRNA is an RN (registered nurse) that specializes in anesthesia. Hours were spent researching this career and I quickly fell in love with this path. After I finish college and become an RN, I have to go to a specialized school to become a CRNA. When I am a CRNA, I plan on bringing joy to my place of employment and patients. When patients are scared and not treated well, they don't like coming to be treated. That leads to more illness and complications down the road. The patients need someone to put their needs first, I want to be that person. I plan on learning as much as possible to give the best service I can to the patients that I have. With anesthesia, patients are and feel vulnerable. It is the doctors' and nurses' jobs to make them feel safe and comfortable. I want to do that for the patients and families, they deserve that. Thank you for your time.

Joshua Perez Hagerstown Community College I am an undergraduate at Hagerstown Community College. I grew up around the small blue-collar town of Smithsburg. My father served in the military and then the police force, and my mother is in the nursing field. I grew up with seven older siblings. One of them always had farm animals like goats and horses. As I got older, I helped more with the medical part such as oral medications and administering intramuscular medications. I also assisted in multiple goat-birthing deliveries throughout the years. At first, I wanted to become a veterinarian, but that idea soon died due to the idea of seeing animals getting sick. Throughout high school, I struggled to find myself. I didn't know what career path I wanted to go down. I knew I couldn't afford to go to college like everyone else. But in my area, they offer a technical high school, which piqued my interest. I chose the course ‘Electrical Construction.’ For the next three years, I spent full time going to school and working trying to succeed in this career path. This choice took a toll on my physical and mental self. I started looking up alternate schooling/career paths. I found one that I would enjoy, CRNA (certified registered nurse anesthetist). A certified registered nurse anesthetist is a registered nurse that specializes in anesthesia. Hours were spent researching this career and I quickly fell in love with this path. After I finish college and become a registered nurse, I have to go to a specialized school to become a certified registered nursing anesthetist. When I am a CRNA, I plan on bringing joy to my place of employment and patients. When patients are scared and not treated well, they don't like coming to be treated. That leads to more illness and complications down the road. The patients need someone to put their needs first, I want to be that person. I plan on learning as much as possible to give as best service I can to the patients that I have. With anesthesia, patients are and feel vulnerable. It is the doctors' and nurses' jobs to make them feel safe and comfortable. A lot of patients don't feel that way nowadays, I want to change that. A nurse is the patient's caregiver when they can't take care of themselves. They need to be trained properly and have the right mindset for their career. Facilities worldwide are struggling with staffing and training all healthcare. It takes everyone to help change the way we run these medical facilities. It's not just medical and books, but hospitality. You have to treat the patients and families kindly. When you do that they are calmer and more cooperative. It's not that medical facilities are wrong, but everything always has room for improvement. I know that I am just one person on the totem pole but I plan on trying to advocate more for patients and families in the future. Thank you.

Joshua Perez Hagerstown Community College I am an undergraduate at Hagerstown Community College. I grew up around the small blue-collar town of Smithsburg. My father served in the military and then the police force, and my mother is in the nursing field. I grew up with seven older siblings. One of them always had farm animals like goats and horses. As I got older, I helped more with the medical part such as oral medications and administering intramuscular medications. I also assisted in multiple goat-birthing deliveries throughout the years. At first, I wanted to become a veterinarian, but that idea soon died due to the idea of seeing animals getting sick. But now I see all the similarities between human healthcare and livestock healthcare. Throughout high school, I struggled to find myself. I didn't know what career path I wanted to go down. I knew I couldn't afford to go to college like everyone else. But in my area, they offer a technical high school, which piqued my interest. I chose the course ‘Electrical Construction.’ For the next three years, I spent full time going to school and working trying to succeed in this career path. This choice took a toll on my physical and mental self. I started looking up alternate schooling/career paths. I found one that I would enjoy, CRNA (certified registered nurse anesthetist). A certified registered nurse anesthetist is a registered nurse that specializes in anesthesia. Hours were spent researching this career and I quickly fell in love with this path. There are a couple of similarities between Electrical Construction (E.C.) and nursing/healthcare. Problem-solving is one of the biggest shared skills throughout all careers. In E.C. you are installing and troubleshooting every day to perform a certain task. In healthcare, you have a patient that you are taking care of and you are in charge of finding and fixing the problem within the patient. Alongside problem-solving is of course critical thinking, those two skills work side-by-side every day. With troubleshooting, you are thinking about how to fix the problem and why it is doing what it's doing and how to prevent it. That ties both careers together in two just two ways. After I finish college and become a registered nurse, I have to go to a specialized school to become a CRNA. When I am a CRNA, I plan on bringing joy to my place of employment and patients. The patients need someone to put their needs first, I want to be that person. I plan on learning as much as possible to give as best service I can to the patients that I have. With anesthesia, patients are and feel vulnerable. It is the doctors' and nurses' jobs to make them feel safe and comfortable. A lot of patients don't feel that way nowadays, I want to change that.

Joshua Perez Hagerstown Community College My mental health has caused me a substantial amount of suffering for multiple parts of my life. The decline began in my freshman year of high school. I had just had a falling out with almost every friend in my life without reason. It caused me to question what was wrong with me. Was it the way I looked? Was it the way I dressed? Am I annoying? What was wrong with me? Throughout my high school experience, I never was able to have consistent friends. My friends grew and faded within months. I never felt trust in my friendships. This caused me to fall into a deep depression as well as anxiety. The noticeable decline began in my freshman year. The sudden and abrupt changes that I was experiencing opened a dark hole in my life. I went from a straight-A student to a student who was struggling to turn in work on time. I found support from my parents with my school work, but I never confided in them about the struggle I was experiencing. During this year, I began self-harming with the excuse that I just wanted to feel something, but now looking back on this period in my life, it was a cry for help. I never received the help and support that I needed. My friends that came and went noticed the wounds that I had, but they would make comments that were far from supportive. One person that I perceived as a friend at the time said smirked, "You are going to hell for hurting yourself." This only made me feel worse. With the downfall of my mental health through school, my motivation declined as well. I was struggling to pay attention in class and turn work in on time. I excluded myself from everyone in my classes. I went from an attentive student that sat at the front of the class that was able to answer every question the teacher asked, to the student in the back of the class struggling to pay attention. I began to notice myself losing my intelligence. Math was one of my strongest subjects, and I noticed very quickly that I was losing my quick understanding of the subject. In class, tears would well up in my eyes as I stared at the blank test pages. I managed to make my way through school with a decent GPA, but not one that I was proud of. Thoughts of suicide lingered in my mind. Once, I researched interviews with survivors of attempted suicide. I thought I could compare myself to their experience to see if I was depressed enough to justify suicide. Sadly I realized that my depression was comparable to the survivors' stories. I was convinced that I was depressed enough to commit suicide. I lost all purpose in my life. Everything that I longed for had slipped through my fingers. I lost purpose. I was worthless. I was empty. My depression had fallen to the point that my once oblivious parents had become concerned. They recommended beginning a job. Little did I know that by getting this job, my life would turn around. By beginning my job, I finally found something that I was good at. I finally had purpose again. Through my job, I was able to find counseling and have been able to manage my depression and anxiety. I am in school to become a nurse in the hopes that I could use my battles with mental health to relate and help others around me.

Joshua Perez Hagerstown Community College My mental health has caused me a substantial amount of suffering for multiple parts of my life. The decline began in my freshman year of high school. I had just had a falling out with almost every friend in my life without reason. It caused me to question what was wrong with me. Was it the way I looked? Was it the way I dressed? Am I annoying? What was wrong with me? Throughout my high school experience, I never was able to have consistent friends. My friends grew and faded within months. I never felt trust in my friendships. This caused me to fall into a deep depression as well as anxiety. The noticeable decline began in my freshman year. The sudden and abrupt changes that I was experiencing opened a dark hole in my life. I went from a straight-A student to a student who was struggling to turn in work on time. I found support from my parents with my school work, but I never confided in them about the struggle I was experiencing. During this year, I began self-harming with the excuse that I just wanted to feel something, but now looking back on this period in my life, it was a cry for help. I never received the help and support that I needed. My friends that came and went noticed the wounds that I had, but they would make comments that were far from supportive. One person that I perceived as a friend at the time said smirked, "You are going to hell for hurting yourself." This only made me feel worse. With the downfall of my mental health through school, my motivation declined as well. I was struggling to pay attention in class and turn work in on time. I excluded myself from everyone in my classes. I went from an attentive student that sat at the front of the class that was able to answer every question the teacher asked, to the student in the back of the class struggling to pay attention. I began to notice myself losing my intelligence. Math was one of my strongest subjects, and I noticed very quickly that I was losing my quick understanding of the subject. In class, tears would well up in my eyes as I stared at the blank test pages. I managed to make my way through school with a decent GPA, but not one that I was proud of. Thoughts of suicide lingered in my mind. Once, I researched interviews with survivors of attempted suicide. I thought I could compare myself to their experience to see if I was depressed enough to justify suicide. Sadly I realized that my depression was comparable to the survivors' stories. I was convinced that I was depressed enough to commit suicide. I lost all purpose in my life. Everything that I longed for had slipped through my fingers. I lost purpose. I was worthless. I was empty. My depression had fallen to the point that my once oblivious parents had become concerned. They recommended beginning a job. Little did I know that by getting this job, my life would turn around. By beginning my job, I finally found something that I was good at. I finally had purpose again. Through my job, I was able to find counseling and have been able to manage my depression and anxiety. I am in school to become a nurse in the hopes that I could use my battles with mental health to relate and help others around me.

Joshua Perez Hagerstown Community College I am an undergraduate at Hagerstown Community College. I grew up around the small blue-collar town of Smithsburg. My father served in the military and then the police force, and my mother is in the nursing field. I grew up with seven older siblings. My sister always had farm animals like goats and horses. As I got older, I helped more with the medical part such as oral medications and administering intramuscular medications. I also assisted in multiple goat-birthing deliveries throughout the years. At first, I wanted to become a veterinarian, but that idea soon died due to the idea of seeing animals getting sick. But now I see all the similarities between human healthcare and livestock healthcare. Throughout high school, I struggled to find myself. I didn't know what career path I wanted to go down. I knew I couldn't afford to go to college like everyone else. But in my area, they offer a technical high school, which piqued my interest. I chose the course ‘Electrical Construction.’ For the next three years, I spent full time going to school and working trying to succeed in this career path. This choice took a toll on my physical and mental self. I started looking up alternate schooling/career paths. I found one that I would enjoy, CRNA (certified registered nurse anesthetist). A certified registered nurse anesthetist is a registered nurse that specializes in anesthesia. Hours were spent researching this career and I quickly fell in love with this path. There are a couple of similarities between Electrical Construction (E.C.) and nursing/healthcare. Problem-solving is one of the biggest shared skills throughout all careers. In E.C. you are installing and troubleshooting every day to perform a certain task. In healthcare, you have a patient that you are taking care of and you are in charge of finding and fixing the problem within the patient. Alongside problem-solving is of course critical thinking, those two skills work side-by-side every day. With troubleshooting, you are thinking about how to fix the problem and why it is doing what it's doing and how to prevent it. That ties both careers together in two just two ways. After I finish college and become a registered nurse, I have to go to a specialized school to become a CRNA. When I am a CRNA, I plan on bringing joy to my place of employment and patients. The patients need someone to put their needs first, I want to be that person. The nurses and doctors are the people that the patients and families rely on in times of intense struggle. You need to have hospitality and be there for them, not just administer medical needs. I plan on learning as much as possible to give as best service I can to the patients that I have. With anesthesia, patients are and feel vulnerable. It is the doctors' and nurses' jobs to make them feel safe and comfortable. A lot of patients don't feel that way nowadays, I want to change the way patients and families are treated.

Joshua Perez Hagerstown Community College My mental health has caused me a substantial amount of suffering for multiple parts of my life. The decline began in my freshman year of high school. I had just had a falling out with almost every friend in my life without reason. It caused me to question what was wrong with me. Was it the way I looked? Was it the way I dressed? Am I annoying? What was wrong with me? Throughout my high school experience, I never was able to have consistent friends. My friends grew and faded within months. I never felt trust in my friendships. This caused me to fall into a deep depression as well as anxiety. The noticeable decline began in my freshman year. The sudden and abrupt changes that I was experiencing opened a dark hole in my life. I went from a straight-A student to a student who was struggling to turn in work on time. I called myself "the master procrastinator." My schoolwork was never good enough for me. I found support from my parents with my school work, but I never confided in them about the struggle I was experiencing. During this year, I began self-harming with the excuse that I just wanted to feel something. Now looking back on this period in my life, it was a cry for help. I never received the help and support that I needed. My friends that came and went noticed the wounds that I had, but they would make comments that were far from supportive. One person that I perceived as a friend at the time said smirked, "You are going to hell for hurting yourself." This only made me feel worse. With the downfall of my mental health through school, my motivation declined as well. I was struggling to pay attention in class and turn work in on time. I excluded myself from everyone in my classes. I went from an attentive student that sat at the front of the class that was able to answer every question the teacher asked, to the student in the back of the class struggling to pay attention. I began to notice myself losing my intelligence. Math was one of my strongest subjects, and I noticed very quickly that I was losing my quick understanding of the subject. In class, tears would well up in my eyes as I stared at the blank test pages. I managed to make my way through school with a decent GPA, but it was not something I was proud of. Thoughts of suicide lingered in my mind. Once, I researched interviews with survivors of attempted suicide. I thought I could compare myself to their experience to see if I was depressed enough to justify suicide. Sadly I realized that my depression was comparable to the survivors' stories. I was convinced that I was depressed enough to commit suicide. After high school, I began my first job. I finally found purpose Through my job, I was able to find counseling and have been able to manage my depression and anxiety. Writing this essay, it was difficult for me to reflect on my past struggles. I guess that I never accepted my depression, but I am now able to see that I have a future. I am in school to become a nurse in the hopes that I could use my battles with mental health to relate to and help others around me. I still struggle with my depression, but I can say it proudly. I am proud of the person that I have become.

Joshua Perez Hagerstown Community College My mental health has caused me a substantial amount of suffering for multiple parts of my life. The decline began in my freshman year of high school. I had just had a falling out with almost every friend in my life without reason. It caused me to question what was wrong with me. Was it the way I looked? Was it the way I dressed? Am I annoying? What was wrong with me? Throughout my high school experience, I never was able to have consistent friends. My friends grew and faded within months. I never felt trust in my friendships. This caused me to fall into a deep depression as well as anxiety. The noticeable decline began in my freshman year. The sudden and abrupt changes that I was experiencing opened a dark hole in my life. I went from a straight-A student to a student who was struggling to turn in work on time. I called myself "the master procrastinator." My schoolwork was never good enough for me. I found support from my parents with my school work, but I never confided in them about the struggle I was experiencing. During this year, I began self-harming with the excuse that I just wanted to feel something, but now looking back on this period in my life, it was a cry for help. I never received the help and support that I needed. My friends that came and went noticed the wounds that I had, but they would make comments that were far from supportive. One person that I perceived as a friend at the time said smirked, "You are going to hell for hurting yourself." This only made me feel worse. With the downfall of my mental health through school, my motivation declined as well. I was struggling to pay attention in class and turn work in on time. I excluded myself from everyone in my classes. I went from an attentive student that sat at the front of the class that was able to answer every question the teacher asked, to the student in the back of the class struggling to pay attention. I began to notice myself losing my intelligence. Math was one of my strongest subjects, and I noticed very quickly that I was losing my quick understanding of the subject. In class, tears would well up in my eyes as I stared at the blank test pages. I managed to make my way through school with a decent GPA, but not one that I was proud of. I began to question every element of my life, but especially religion. I wondered if there was a god out there, why would they allow me to suffer and struggle with my depression? To this day, I still question if I believe in religion. I still go to church weekly, but each time I sit in the service, my mind wanders to question, "why would a god let me feel this pain?" I lost all purpose in my life. Everything that I longed for had slipped through my fingers. I lost purpose. I was worthless. I was empty. My depression had fallen to the point that my once oblivious parents had become concerned. They recommended beginning a job. Little did I know that by getting this job, my life would turn around. By beginning my job, I finally found something that I was good at. I finally had purpose again. Through my job, I was able to find counseling and have been able to manage my depression and anxiety. Writing this essay, it was difficult for me to reflect on my past struggles. I guess that I never really accepted my depression, but I am now able to see that I have a future. I am in school to become a nurse in the hopes that I could use my battles with mental health to relate to and help others around me. I still have depression, but I can say it proudly. I have finally found myself.

Joshua Perez Hagerstown Community College My mental health has caused me a substantial amount of suffering for multiple parts of my life. The decline began in my freshman year of high school. I had just had a falling out with almost every friend in my life without reason. It caused me to question what was wrong with me. Was it the way I looked? Was it the way I dressed? Am I annoying? What was wrong with me? Throughout my high school experience, I never was able to have consistent friends. My friends grew and faded within months. I never felt trust in my friendships. This caused me to fall into a deep depression as well as anxiety. The noticeable decline began in my freshman year. The sudden and abrupt changes that I was experiencing opened a dark hole in my life. I went from a straight-A student to a student who was struggling to turn in work on time. I called myself "the master procrastinator." My schoolwork was never good enough for me. I found support from my parents with my school work, but I never confided in them about the struggle I was experiencing. During this year, I began self-harming with the excuse that I just wanted to feel something, but now looking back on this period in my life, it was a cry for help. I never received the help and support that I needed. My friends that came and went noticed the wounds that I had, but they would make comments that were far from supportive. One person that I perceived as a friend at the time said smirked, "You are going to hell for hurting yourself." This only made me feel worse. With the downfall of my mental health through school, my motivation declined as well. I was struggling to pay attention in class and turn work in on time. I excluded myself from everyone in my classes. I went from an attentive student that sat at the front of the class that was able to answer every question the teacher asked, to the student in the back of the class struggling to pay attention. I began to notice myself losing my intelligence. Math was one of my strongest subjects, and I noticed very quickly that I was losing my quick understanding of the subject. In class, tears would well up in my eyes as I stared at the blank test pages. I managed to make my way through school with a decent GPA, but not one that I was proud of. I began to question every element of my life, but especially religion. I wondered if there was a god out there, why would they allow me to suffer and struggle with my depression? To this day, I still question if I believe in religion. I still go to church weekly, but each time I sit in the service, my mind wanders to question, "why would a god let me feel this pain?" I lost all purpose in my life. Everything that I longed for had slipped through my fingers. I lost purpose. I was worthless. I was empty. My depression had fallen to the point that my once oblivious parents had become concerned. They recommended beginning a job. Little did I know that by getting this job, my life would turn around. By beginning my job, I finally found something that I was good at. I finally had purpose again. Through my job, I was able to find counseling and have been able to manage my depression and anxiety. Writing this essay, it was difficult for me to reflect on my past struggles. I guess that I never really accepted my depression, but I am now able to see that I have a future. I am in school to become a nurse in the hopes that I could use my battles with mental health to relate to and help others around me. I still have depression, but I can say it proudly. I have finally found myself.

Joshua Perez Hagerstown Community College My mental health has caused me a substantial amount of suffering for multiple parts of my life. The decline began in my freshman year of high school. I had just had a falling out with almost every friend in my life without reason. It caused me to question what was wrong with me. Was it the way I looked? Was it the way I dressed? Am I annoying? What was wrong with me? Throughout my high school experience, I never was able to have consistent friends. My friends grew and faded within months. I never felt trust in my friendships. This caused me to fall into a deep depression as well as anxiety. The noticeable decline began in my freshman year. The sudden and abrupt changes that I was experiencing opened a dark hole in my life. I went from a straight-A student to a student who was struggling to turn in work on time. I called myself "the master procrastinator." My schoolwork was never good enough for me. I found support from my parents with my school work, but I never confided in them about the struggle I was experiencing. During this year, I began self-harming with the excuse that I just wanted to feel something, but now looking back on this period in my life, it was a cry for help. I never received the help and support that I needed. My friends that came and went noticed the wounds that I had, but they would make comments that were far from supportive. One person that I perceived as a friend at the time said smirked, "You are going to hell for hurting yourself." This only made me feel worse. With the downfall of my mental health through school, my motivation declined as well. I was struggling to pay attention in class and turn work in on time. I excluded myself from everyone in my classes. I went from an attentive student that sat at the front of the class that was able to answer every question the teacher asked, to the student in the back of the class struggling to pay attention. I began to notice myself losing my intelligence. Math was one of my strongest subjects, and I noticed very quickly that I was losing my quick understanding of the subject. In class, tears would well up in my eyes as I stared at the blank test pages. I managed to make my way through school with a decent GPA, but not one that I was proud of. I began to question every element of my life, but especially religion. I wondered if there was a god out there, why would they allow me to suffer and struggle with my depression? To this day, I still question if I believe in religion. I still go to church weekly, but each time I sit in the service, my mind wanders to question, "why would a god let me feel this pain?" I lost all purpose in my life. Everything that I longed for had slipped through my fingers. I lost purpose. I was worthless. I was empty. My depression had fallen to the point that my once oblivious parents had become concerned. They recommended beginning a job. Little did I know that by getting this job, my life would turn around. By beginning my job, I finally found something that I was good at. I finally had purpose again. Through my job, I was able to find counseling and have been able to manage my depression and anxiety.

Joshua Perez Hagerstown Community College I am an undergraduate at Hagerstown Community College. I grew up around the small blue-collar town of Smithsburg. My father served in the military and then the police force, and my mother is in the nursing field. I grew up with seven older siblings. One of them always had farm animals like goats and horses. As I got older, I helped more with the medical part such as oral medications and administering intramuscular medications. I also assisted in multiple goat-birthing deliveries throughout the years. At first, I wanted to become a veterinarian, but that idea soon died due to the idea of seeing animals getting sick. Throughout high school, I struggled to find myself. I didn't know what career path I wanted to go down. I knew I couldn't afford to go to college like everyone else. But in my area, they offer a technical high school, which piqued my interest. I chose the course ‘Electrical Construction.’ For the next three years, I spent full time going to school and working trying to succeed in this career path. This choice took a toll on my physical and mental self. I started looking up alternate schooling/career paths. I found one that I would enjoy, CRNA (certified registered nurse anesthetist). A certified registered nurse anesthetist is a registered nurse that specializes in anesthesia. Hours were spent researching this career and I quickly fell in love with this path. After I finish college and become a registered nurse, I have to go to a specialized school to become a certified registered nursing anestisist. When I am a CRNA, I plan on bringing joy to my place of employment and patients. When patients are scared and not treated well, they don't like coming to be treated. That leads to more illness and complications down the road. The patients need someone to put their needs first, I want to be that person. I plan on learning as much as possible to give as best service I can to the patients that I have. With anesthesia, patients are and feel vulnerable. It is the doctors' and nurses' jobs to make them feel safe and comfortable. A lot of patients don't feel that way nowadays, I want to change that. A nurse is the patient's caregiver when they can't take care of themselves. They need to be trained properly and have the right mindset for their career. Facilities worldwide are struggling with staffing and training all healthcare. It takes everyone to help change the way we run these medical facilities. It's not just medical and books, but hospitality. You have to treat the patients and families kindly. When you do that they are calmer and more cooperative. It's not that medical facilities are wrong, but everything always has room for improvement. I know that I am just one person on the totem pole but I plan on trying to advocate more for patients and families in the future. Thank you.

Joshua Perez Hagerstown Community College I am an undergraduate at Hagerstown Community College. I grew up around a big, loving family. Now technically I don't have any full siblings. But I have seven older half-siblings. Most of them have been there my whole life. My mother has taught us to be there for one another. That is the most important thing to do. My mother has been and is always there for me no matter what. She grew up in a bigger family also and grew up to become a nurse. She is basically like the doctor of the house. This is another reason why she is always there for me and taking care of me and everyone around the house. She supports me in every single decision I make good or bad because she knows I will learn from it. But she is right beside me the whole time loving me and supporting me and I cannot thank her enough. Ironically my final career path choice is CRNA (certified registered nursing anesthetist). So she might've influenced me subconsciously on this path but she never forced me to do anything. I think I will thoroughly enjoy this career and enjoy the benefits it has for other people. As I said earlier, I have multiple siblings. Which means my mother has multiple children. She loves all of us and supports us equally and fully. She has done so much for each of us even though we all are completely different. I thank her so much for all she does for me and for how much she loves and supports me every day. It doesn't matter whether the subject is school or dating she's always supporting and congratulating me on my accomplishments. One big thing about parents is showing up. That is one thing she did throughout my life. Between baseball and football games, concerts, graduations, you name it she was there cheering my name. I am very grateful to her and all of my family for supporting me throughout the ups and downs of my life. I don't know what I would do if I didn't have her in my life, she has been probably the biggest influence in my life. I am just starting college and I know I couldn't afford it and neither could she. But if it was up to her she would try to figure out a way to pay for it which would end up putting her into bankruptcy. I love her so much and I am extremely thankful that she is in my life.

Joshua Perez Hagerstown Community College I am an undergraduate at Hagerstown Community College. I grew up around the small blue-collar town of Smithsburg. My father served in the military and then the police force, and my mother is in the nursing field. I grew up with seven older siblings. One of them always had farm animals like goats and horses. As I got older, I helped more with the medical part such as oral medications and administering intramuscular medications. I also assisted in multiple goat-birthing deliveries throughout the years. At first, I wanted to become a veterinarian, but that idea soon died due to the idea of seeing animals getting sick. But now I see all the similarities between human healthcare and livestock healthcare. Throughout high school, I struggled to find myself. I didn't know what career path I wanted to go down. I knew I couldn't afford to go to college like everyone else. But in my area, they offer a technical high school, which piqued my interest. I chose and explored the course ‘Electrical Construction.’ For the next three years, I spent full time going to school and working trying to succeed in this career path. This choice took a toll on my physical and mental self. I started looking up alternate schooling/career paths. I found one that I would enjoy, CRNA (certified registered nurse anesthetist). A certified registered nurse anesthetist is a registered nurse that specializes in anesthesia. Hours were spent researching this career and I quickly fell in love with this path. There are a couple of similarities between Electrical Construction (E.C.) and nursing/healthcare. Problem-solving is one of the biggest shared skills throughout all careers. In E.C. you are installing and troubleshooting every day to perform a certain task. In healthcare, you have a patient that you are taking care of and you are in charge of finding and fixing the problem within the patient. Alongside problem-solving is of course critical thinking, those two skills work side-by-side every day. With troubleshooting, you are thinking about how to fix the problem and why it is doing what it's doing and how to prevent it. That ties both careers together in two just two ways. After I finish college and become a registered nurse, I have to go to a specialized school to become a CRNA. When I am a CRNA, I plan on bringing joy to my place of employment and patients. The patients need someone to put their needs first, I want to be that person. I plan on learning as much as possible to give as best service I can to the patients that I have. With anesthesia, patients are and feel vulnerable. It is the doctors' and nurses' jobs to make them feel safe and comfortable. A lot of patients don't feel that way nowadays, I want to change that and that would fulfill me.

Joshua Perez Hagerstown Community College I am an undergraduate at Hagerstown Community College. I grew up around the small blue-collar town of Smithsburg. My father served in the military and then the police force, and my mother is in the nursing field. I grew up with seven older siblings. One of them always had farm animals like goats and horses. As I got older, I helped more with the medical part such as oral medications and administering intramuscular medications. I also assisted in multiple goat-birthing deliveries throughout the years. At first, I wanted to become a veterinarian, but that idea soon died due to the idea of seeing animals getting sick. But now I see all the similarities between human healthcare and livestock healthcare. Throughout high school, I struggled to find myself. I didn't know what career path I wanted to go down. I knew I couldn't afford to go to college like everyone else. But in my area, they offer a technical high school, which piqued my interest. I chose the course ‘Electrical Construction.’ For the next three years, I spent full time going to school and working trying to succeed in this career path. This choice took a toll on my physical and mental self. I started looking up alternate schooling/career paths. I found one that I would enjoy, CRNA (certified registered nurse anesthetist). A certified registered nurse anesthetist is a registered nurse that specializes in anesthesia. Hours were spent researching this career and I quickly fell in love with this path. There are a couple of similarities between Electrical Construction (E.C.) and nursing/healthcare. Problem-solving is one of the biggest shared skills throughout all careers. In E.C. you are installing and troubleshooting every day to perform a certain task. In healthcare, you have a patient that you are taking care of and you are in charge of finding and fixing the problem within the patient. Alongside problem-solving is of course critical thinking, those two skills work side-by-side every day. With troubleshooting, you are thinking about how to fix the problem and why it is doing what it's doing and how to prevent it. That ties both careers together in two just two ways. After I finish college and become a registered nurse, I have to go to a specialized school to become a CRNA. When I am a CRNA, I plan on bringing joy to my place of employment and patients. The patients need someone to put their needs first, I want to be that person. I plan on learning as much as possible to give as best service I can to the patients that I have. With anesthesia, patients are and feel vulnerable. It is the doctors' and nurses' jobs to make them feel safe and comfortable. A lot of patients don't feel that way nowadays, I want to change that.

Joshua Perez Hagerstown Community College I am an undergraduate at Hagerstown Community College. I grew up around the small blue-collar town of Smithsburg. My father served in the military and then the police force, and my mother is in the nursing field. I grew up with seven older siblings. One of them always had farm animals like goats and horses. As I got older, I helped more with the medical part such as oral medications and administering intramuscular medications. I also assisted in multiple goat-birthing deliveries throughout the years. At first, I wanted to become a veterinarian, but that idea soon died due to the idea of seeing animals getting sick. But now I see all the similarities between human healthcare and livestock healthcare. Throughout high school, I struggled to find myself. I didn't know what career path I wanted to go down. I knew I couldn't afford to go to college like everyone else. But in my area, they offer a technical high school, which piqued my interest. I chose the course ‘Electrical Construction.’ For the next three years, I spent full time going to school and working trying to succeed in this career path. This choice took a toll on my physical and mental self. I started looking up alternate schooling/career paths. I found one that I would enjoy, CRNA (certified registered nurse anesthetist). A certified registered nurse anesthetist is a registered nurse that specializes in anesthesia. Hours were spent researching this career and I quickly fell in love with this path. There are a couple of similarities between Electrical Construction (E.C.) and nursing/healthcare. Problem-solving is one of the biggest shared skills throughout all careers. In E.C. you are installing and troubleshooting every day to perform a certain task. In healthcare, you have a patient that you are taking care of and you are in charge of finding and fixing the problem within the patient. Alongside problem-solving is of course critical thinking, those two skills work side-by-side every day. With troubleshooting, you are thinking about how to fix the problem and why it is doing what it's doing and how to prevent it. That ties both careers together in two just two ways. After I finish college and become a registered nurse, I have to go to a specialized school to become a CRNA. When I am a CRNA, I plan on bringing joy to my place of employment and patients. The patients need someone to put their needs first, I want to be that person. I plan on learning as much as possible to give as best service I can to the patients that I have. With anesthesia, patients are and feel vulnerable. It is the doctors' and nurses' jobs to make them feel safe and comfortable. A lot of patients don't feel that way nowadays, I want to change that.