I’ve been in church my whole life. I was raised in it. Specifically, Faith Coast Church, formally known as Winners Church. However, to be completely honest, I was a hypocrite. Serving in the church and then going home to sin. It wasn’t until the summer of 2019 that I fully committed myself to the Lord. It was an amazing experience. For the better part of my life, I thought my salvation would be a constant “state” of some sort of emotion that I could never figure out. But that night at that summer camp, they did an altar and I didn’t even go up. However, the Holy Spirit did work in me. It was as if a fog had lifted over my mind and I finally understood what it was to be saved and how I could be saved. Since that day, I’ve been faithfully walking with the Lord. There have been seasons of hardship, but He has never left my side. My faith has grown from that point and God has shaped me into a selfless person through HIs Spirit. One of the initial changes from that day was the way I worshiped. What was once before a stoic performance, became a passionate desire. I naturally have progressed throughout the years and God used many different struggles and shortcomings in my life in order to mold me into the person He wanted me to be. For example, God leading me through my overwhelming anxiety has given me the skills needed to lead those around me and to love them well. At my church, I was a part of the leadership team in my youth group, which forced me to make newcomers feel welcome. Because of my past social fears, I understood what they were going through. Additionally, when God raised my previous low confidence in soccer to a healthy level, it enabled me to become a reliable captain for my team. Most of the boys on my team witnessed my rise and fall, thus finding a reason to believe in me today. Later on in my walk, I was presented with the opportunity to help teach children how to play the guitar and to lead worship for them, all in a week. I reluctantly accepted this opportunity and served at the Reveal Fellowship School of the Arts Music Camp, overcoming my initial fear for a singular reason. Obedience. I knew this was something God called me to do, so I chose to comply. He was first. However, I did not anticipate the work it would require. The kids were funny and brought joy to my heart, but they also were demanding. I'm reminded of the times, us workers would have to miss most of our lunchtime or leave our classes to help meet these kids' needs. The emotional attention they required was also great. But throughout these struggles, I understood that it was not about making my life easier, but showing these children how to love and serve the Father, who was madly in love with them.

The sole income of my household is my mother’s income. The absence of my father could have turned me into a coward and a weak-minded boy, but my God had a different plan. He gave my Haitian mother the resolve to ensure that I would never turn out like my father. Some days my mother continued on less food, just so that I could have enough to eat. Even when she could barely hang on, my mother always made sure I was on top of my studies, that I went to church twice a week, and that I was active to stay healthy. I was her top priority. During high school, I worked occasionally to help pay for minor expenses but my mother wanted me to mainly focus on my academic career, which has paid off, seeing as how I got accepted into the University of Florida. In high school I learned about the wonders of technology and I took computer classes that opened my eyes to the possibilities electronics can offer. It was through these experiences that my passion was ignited. This same passion has followed me into my undergraduate studies as I currently pursue a degree in Computer Engineering. It has helped push me through these intense courses at the University of Florida because I know the end result will be worth my effort. With a future spot in the world of technology awaiting me, I will stand strong through these short years in order to make a difference in the world around me. That is why I am pursuing this field. I want to make a difference and better the world in the pursuit of truth. I intend to ask these questions and push the boundaries of society and the STEM world. I want to reveal humanity's purpose with this pursuit of truth. I believe purpose to be the most essential characteristic of a life well lived and the general lack of it is the issue society faces today. A life of purpose is placing others and the common good ahead of oneself. All of this division and arrogant hate we see in the world today is just a symptom of a failed understanding of purpose. Therefore, the remedy to the problem is leading others toward the love Christ offers and the salvation He provides. To accept His gift of salvation one must repent from their sin, which means to turn away from it and put their trust in Jesus, making Him Lord over their life. The ultimate goal of a Christian is to form relationships built on Christ's love with those around them and show them the Way of Truth. Therefore as a believer, I will be able to lead others into a life of purpose. With my career in Computer Science, I can help reveal purpose to the most influential people in society by introducing them to Jesus Christ.

The sole income of my household is my mother’s income. The absence of my father could have turned me into a coward and a weak-minded boy, but my God had a different plan. He gave my Haitian mother the resolve to ensure that I would never turn out like my father. Some days my mother continued on less food, just so that I could have enough to eat. Even when she could barely hang on, my mother always made sure I was on top of my studies, that I went to church twice a week, and that I was active to stay healthy. I was her top priority. During high school, I worked occasionally to help pay for minor expenses but my mother wanted me to mainly focus on my academic career, which has paid off, seeing as how I got accepted into the University of Florida. In high school I learned about the wonders of technology and I took computer classes that opened my eyes to the possibilities electronics can offer. It was through these experiences that my passion was ignited. This same passion has followed me into my undergraduate studies as I currently pursue a degree in Computer Engineering. It has helped push me through these intense courses at the University of Florida because I know the end result will be worth my effort. With a future spot in the world of technology awaiting me, I will stand strong through these short years in order to make a difference in the world around me. That is why I am pursuing this field. I want to make a difference and better the world in the pursuit of truth. I intend to ask these questions and push the boundaries of society and the STEM world. I want to reveal humanity's purpose with this pursuit of truth. I believe purpose to be the most essential characteristic of a life well lived and the general lack of it is the issue society faces today. A life of purpose is placing others and the common good ahead of oneself. All of this division and arrogant hate we see in the world today is just a symptom of a failed understanding of purpose. Therefore, the remedy to the problem is leading others toward the love Christ offers and the salvation He provides. To accept His gift of salvation one must repent from their sin, which means to turn away from it and put their trust in Jesus, making Him Lord over their life. The ultimate goal of a Christian is to form relationships built on Christ's love with those around them and show them the Way of Truth. Therefore as a believer, I will be able to lead others into a life of purpose. With my career in Computer Science, I can help reveal purpose to the most influential people in society by introducing them to Jesus Christ.

My first experience with coding was when I created my desktop assistant. I named it Jarvis, after the fictional artificial intelligence in Marvel Comics. I had downloaded the basic source code from the internet but the bulk of his current features and visuals came from my ingenuity as I consumed coding knowledge from school and the internet. I created something I am proud to not only show others but to use every single day in my personal life. Jarvis was designed to fit around my highly active school life and work patterns. As the years progressed, I designed more versions of Jarvis, such as Friday and Anakin, each with its unique visual set and slightly different underlying speech-to-text mechanisms. Additionally, I participated in a Computer Fundamentals course during my freshman year of high school, where we designed countless apps and programs. In our final project, we had to design an app that utilized a certain number of lists and other techniques. I designed an app that suggested a book or movie to read or watch based on one's age, mood, and time of day. It was through these experiences that my passion was ignited. This same passion has followed me into my undergraduate studies as I currently pursue a degree in Computer Engineering. It has helped push me through these intense courses at the University of Florida because I know the end result will be worth my effort. With a future spot in the world of technology awaiting me, I will stand strong through these short years in order to make a difference in the world around me. That is why I am pursuing this field. I want to make a difference and better the world in the pursuit of truth. With this pursuit of truth, I hope to ultimately reveal humanity's purpose. I believe purpose to be the most essential characteristic of a life well lived and the general lack of it is the issue society faces today. A life of purpose is placing others and the common good ahead of oneself. That is why society today is tentative in their viewpoints and their moral standard is declining rapidly. All of this division and arrogant hate we see in the world today is just a symptom of a failed understanding of purpose. Therefore, the remedy to the problem is leading others toward the love Christ offers and the salvation He provides. To accept His gift of salvation one must repent from their sin, which means to turn away from it and put their trust in Jesus, making Him Lord over their life. The ultimate goal of a Christian is to form relationships built on Christ's love with those around them and show them the Way of Truth, therefore as a believer, I will be able to lead others into a life of purpose. With my career in Computer Science, I can help reveal purpose to the most influential people in society by introducing them to Jesus Christ.

The sole income of my household is my mother’s income. The absence of my father could have turned me into a coward, but my God had a different plan. He gave my Haitian mother the resolve to ensure that I would never turn out like my father. Some days my mother continued on less food, just so that I could have enough to eat. Even when she could barely hang on, my mother always made sure I was on top of my studies, that I went to church twice a week, and that I was active to stay healthy. I was her top priority. I naturally have progressed throughout the years and God used many different struggles and shortcomings in my life in order to mold me into the person He wanted me to be. For example, God leading me through my overwhelming anxiety has given me the skills needed to lead those around me and to love them well. At my church, I was a part of the leadership team in my youth group, which forced me to make newcomers feel welcome. Because of my past social fears, I understood what they were going through. Additionally, when God raised my previous low confidence in soccer to a healthy level, it enabled me to become a reliable captain for my team. Most of the boys on my team witnessed my rise and fall, thus finding a reason to believe in me today. During high school, I worked occasionally to help pay for minor expenses, but my mother wanted me to mainly focus on my academic career, which has paid off, seeing as how I just finished my first year at the University of Florida. I am aware of the necessity of a stable income. As a man I should be able to support my family because it is one of my main responsibilities, and one cannot do this effectively without a stable income. The Bible teaches this principle as well. 1 Timothy 3 teaches the importance of ministers being able to manage their family. Therefore, my goal in college is to obtain a bachelor's in computer engineering in order to secure a stable job. In my journey towards this major, I plan on taking advantage of my education by pursuing the knowledge presented passionately. I plan on graduating with zero debt and a degree with which I can better participate in society, thus reducing the chances of me getting taken advantage of. Society is shifting towards a technological dependent way of life, so with a Computer Engineering degree I will be able to understand the world around me. I intend to contribute my passion into the STEM field. Specifically, my passion for good moral character. I have a strong inclination for justice, and I plan on spreading it wherever I go. My job should just be an extension of my internal character and therefore it will reflect it. Along with this passion for good moral character, comes my inquisitive personality. By asking the right questions, I believe we can all collectively move towards the truth. I intend to ask these questions and push the boundaries of society, as well as the STEM world. Above all else however, I want to be used by God in order to build His Kingdom. With this degree I believe I can make people’s lives better, ultimately revealing the character of God to the world.

I’ve been in church my whole life. I was raised in it. Specifically, Faith Coast Church, formally known as Winners Church. However, to be completely honest, I was a hypocrite. Serving in the church and then going home to sin. It wasn’t until the summer of 2019 that I fully committed myself to the Lord. It was an amazing experience. For the better part of my life, I thought my salvation would be a constant “state” of some sort of emotion that I could never figure out. But that night at that summer camp, they did an altar call and I didn’t even go up. However, the Holy Spirit did work in me. It was as if a fog had been lifted from over my mind and I finally understood what it was to be saved and how I could be saved. Since that day, I’ve been faithfully walking with the Lord. There have been seasons of hardship, but He has never left my side. My faith has grown from that point and God has shaped me into a selfless person through HIs Spirit. One of the initial changes from that day was the way I worshiped. What was once before a stoic performance, became a passionate desire. I naturally have progressed throughout the years and God used many different struggles and shortcomings in my life in order to mold me into the person He wanted me to be. For example, God leading me through my overwhelming anxiety has given me the skills needed to lead those around me and to love them well. At my church, I was a part of the leadership team in my youth group, which forced me to make newcomers feel welcome. Because of my past social fears, I understood what they were going through. Additionally, when God raised my previous low confidence in soccer to a healthy level, it enabled me to become a reliable captain for my team. Most of the boys on my team witnessed my rise and fall, thus finding a reason to believe in me today. Later on in my walk, I was presented with the opportunity to help teach children how to play the guitar and to lead worship for them, all in a week. I reluctantly accepted this opportunity and served at the Reveal Fellowship School of the Arts Music Camp, overcoming my initial fear for a singular reason. Obedience. I knew this was something God called me to do, so I chose to comply. He was and should always be first in my life. During high school, I worked occasionally to help pay for minor expenses, but my mother wanted me to mainly focus on my academic career, which has paid off, seeing as how I just finished my first year at the University of Florida. When I came to the University of Florida, I had no idea what to expect, but I knew God had a strategic plan for my time here. I could have never imagined the number of opportunities He laid out for me, causing me to grow as a person and as a man of God. I have met amazing friends that keep on pushing me to a deeper and more intimate relationship with the Father and I have had opportunities to lead others in the act of worship both on and off the stage. He is revealing His purpose for me more and more everyday. I believe that God revealing my purpose continually will lead me to be successful, because true success is fulfilling God’s plan for oneself. Success requires a plan but plans themselves require purpose to be effective. They are codependent. This principle is reflected in the life of Jesus. His whole life was planned out and predestined according to the will of God. From His birth to His ascension, each step along the way was unique and seemingly unavoidable. However, despite all of this, each step was built upon the ultimate purpose of saving humanity. His purpose never changed and He eventually fulfilled His plan, ultimately saving humanity. This scholarship would help keep attending this University of Florida so that I can root myself as the Father continues to grow me into who He wants me to be. One of the original reasons I chose to attend this university is because I am aware of the necessity of a stable income. As a man I should be able to support my family because it is one of my main responsibilities, and one cannot do this effectively without a stable income. The Bible teaches this principle as well. 1 Timothy 3 teaches the importance of ministers being able to manage their family. Therefore, my goal in college is to obtain a bachelor's in computer engineering in order to secure a stable job. In my journey towards this major, I plan on taking advantage of my education by pursuing the knowledge presented passionately. I plan on graduating with zero debt and a degree with which I can better participate in society, thus reducing the chances of me getting taken advantage of. Society is shifting towards a technological dependent way of life, so with a Computer Engineering degree I will be able to understand the world around me. I intend to contribute my passion into the STEM field. Specifically, my passion for good moral character. I have a strong inclination for justice, and I plan on spreading it wherever I go. My job should just be an extension of my internal character and therefore it will reflect it. Along with this passion for good moral character, comes my inquisitive personality. By asking the right questions, I believe we can all collectively move towards the truth. I intend to ask these questions and push the boundaries of society, as well as the STEM world. Above all else however, I want to be used by God in order to build His Kingdom. I know the Lord has called me into ministry, but I also believe that He has called me to attend the University of Florida for Computer Engineering in this season. With this degree I believe I can make people’s lives better, ultimately revealing the character of God to the world. But until I get my degree, I will continue being obedient, simultaneously revealing the character of God to those around me.

The sole income of my household is my mother’s income. The absence of my father could have turned me into a coward, but my God had a different plan. He gave my Haitian mother the resolve to ensure that I would never turn out like my father. Some days my mother continued on less food, just so that I could have enough to eat. Even when she could barely hang on, my mother always made sure I was on top of my studies, that I went to church twice a week, and that I was active to stay healthy. I was her top priority. I naturally have progressed throughout the years and God used many different struggles and shortcomings in my life in order to mold me into the person He wanted me to be. For example, God leading me through my overwhelming anxiety has given me the skills needed to lead those around me and to love them well. At my church, I was a part of the leadership team in my youth group, which forced me to make newcomers feel welcome. Because of my past social fears, I understood what they were going through. Additionally, when God raised my previous low confidence in soccer to a healthy level, it enabled me to become a reliable captain for my team. Most of the boys on my team witnessed my rise and fall, thus finding a reason to believe in me today. During high school, I worked occasionally to help pay for minor expenses, but my mother wanted me to mainly focus on my academic career, which has paid off, seeing as how I just finished my first year at the University of Florida. I am aware of the necessity of a stable income. As a man I should be able to support my family because it is one of my main responsibilities, and one cannot do this effectively without a stable income. The Bible teaches this principle as well. 1 Timothy 3 teaches the importance of ministers being able to manage their family. Therefore, my goal in college is to obtain a bachelor's in computer engineering in order to secure a stable job. In my journey towards this major, I plan on taking advantage of my education by pursuing the knowledge presented passionately. I plan on graduating with zero debt and a degree with which I can better participate in society, thus reducing the chances of me getting taken advantage of. Society is shifting towards a technological dependent way of life, so with a Computer Engineering degree I will be able to understand the world around me. I intend to contribute my passion into the STEM field. Specifically, my passion for good moral character. I have a strong inclination for justice, and I plan on spreading it wherever I go. My job should just be an extension of my internal character and therefore it will reflect it. Along with this passion for good moral character, comes my inquisitive personality. By asking the right questions, I believe we can all collectively move towards the truth. I intend to ask these questions and push the boundaries of society, as well as the STEM world. Above all else however, I want to be used by God in order to build His Kingdom. With this degree I believe I can make people’s lives better, ultimately revealing the character of God to the world.

The absence of my father could have turned me into a coward and a weak-minded boy, but my God had a different plan. He gave my Haitian mother the resolve to ensure that I would never turn out like my father. Some days my mother continued on less food, just so that I could have enough to eat. Even when she could barely hang on, my mother always made sure I was on top of my studies, that I went to church twice a week, and that I was active to stay healthy. I was her top priority. For example, during my soccer career, I was given a very limited amount of time on the field, leading to me having very low self-esteem. It was my mother who took me to the fields every day to train. She hated seeing me be less than what she knew I could be. With my mothers' hard work, the God I serve used these habits of mine to ensure I was surrounded by community and that I was competent. My community of family built up my social skills, enabling me to eventually conquer my overwhelming anxiety. My competence in school and athletics enabled me to build a valid confidence which was later rebuilt upon my identity in Christ. However, I must admit everything I have was given to me. My God gave me a strong mother and difficult circumstances. These are what made me who I am today. To anyone facing similar challenges, I would recommend intentionally living a life of purpose. I believe purpose to be the most essential characteristic of a life well lived and the general lack of it is the issue society faces today. A life of purpose is placing others and the common good ahead of oneself. All of this division and arrogant hate we see in the world today is just a symptom of a failed understanding of purpose.The remedy to the problem is leading others toward the love Christ offers and the salvation He provides. To accept His gift of salvation one must repent from their sin, which means to turn away from it and put their trust in Jesus, making Him Lord over their life. The ultimate goal of a Christian is to form relationships built on Christ's love with those around them and show them the Way of Truth. Therefore as a believer, I will be able to lead others into a life of purpose. With my career in Computer Engineering, I can help reveal purpose to the most influential people in society by introducing them to Jesus Christ.

Kalia’s life is a testament to the goodness of God. She represents the strength we all need when it comes to pursuing God’s purpose for our lives. I believe that Kalia and I share this strength, as made evident through my own life. I also believe God has placed this strength in the lives of those around me which has inadvertently built me up. The absence of my father could have turned me into a coward and a weak-minded boy, but my God had a different plan. He gave my Haitian mother the resolve to ensure that I would never turn out like my father. Some days my mother continued on less food, just so that I could have enough to eat. Even when she could barely hang on, my mother always made sure I was on top of my studies, that I went to church twice a week, and that I was active in order to stay healthy. I was her top priority. For example, during my soccer career, I was given a very limited amount of time on the field, leading to me having very low self-esteem. It was my mother who took me to the fields every day to train. She hated seeing me be less than what she knew I could be. With my mothers hard work, the God I serve used these habits of mine to ensure I was surrounded by community and that I was competent. My community of family built up my social skills, enabling me to eventually conquer my overwhelming anxiety. My competence in school and athletics enabled me to build a valid confidence which was later rebuilt upon my identity in Christ. However, I must admit everything I have was given to me. My God gave me a strong mother and difficult circumstances. These are what made me who I am today. I am also aware of the necessity of a stable income. As a man, I should be able to support my family because it is one of my main responsibilities, and one cannot do this effectively without a stable income. Therefore, my goal in college is to obtain a Bachelor's in Computer Engineering in order to secure a stable job. This scholarship can help me attain this goal. I intend to ask questions and push the boundaries of society, as well as the STEM world. With this pursuit of truth, I hope to ultimately reveal humanity's purpose. I believe purpose to be the most essential characteristic of a life well lived and the general lack of it is the issue society faces today. A life of purpose is placing others and the common good ahead of oneself. Kalia lived a life filled with purpose. Her story is marked by her putting others before herself. Her plan to join the military is evident of that. All of this division and arrogant hate we see in the world today is just a symptom of a failed understanding of purpose. Therefore, the remedy to the problem is leading others toward the love Christ offers and the salvation He provides. To accept His gift of salvation one must make Jesus Lord over their life. The ultimate goal of a Christian is to form relationships built on Christ's love with those around them and show them the Way of Truth, therefore as a believer, I will be able to lead others into a life of purpose. With my career in Computer Engineering, I can help reveal purpose to the most influential people in society by introducing them to Jesus Christ.

Andrew Garfield is my favorite Spider-Man actor and portrayed Spider-Man the best. The Amazing Spider-Man saga began when I was just six years old and I was obsessed. I bought all the coloring books, wore the costume everywhere, and even designed my superhero costume based on his. I would wear it under my clothes and bring the mask everywhere, similar to how Peter Parker would wear his suit under his civilian clothes in case of an emergency. It is safe to say The Amazing Spider-Man saga was a major contribution to my overwhelming love for the concept of Spider-Man. I knew of Spider-Man before and had a deep love for the concept already. I had been watching all the animated television shows and was aware of the Tobey Maguire portrayal, although I had never watched it at that point. When I finally did watch Tobey’s version, it never really connected with me as deeply as Andrew’s, most likely due to the older film style and the fact that Tobey’s portrayal was not as funny to me. Tom Holland’s portrayal was different than the rest. I had seen Tobey’s and Andrew’s portrayal as a young child when I was more malleable. But when Tom Holland came around I was pretty much a teenager. I had a strong knowledge of Spider-Man fiction and viewing his portrayal was purely for entertainment purposes. While I did connect to his portrayal, it was never at the level of Andrew’s. The reason I connected so well with Andrew is primarily because of the stage of life I was in. As all children do, I was figuring out who I wanted to be. When I saw Andrew’s portrayal, he was “cool” but smart. His comical expressions matched my personality. I wanted to grow up and be like Andrew’s portrayal of Spider-Man/Peter Parker and I have in some ways. I am my own unique person, there is no doubt about it, and my identity is now found in Christ, but when you look up to someone for so long, especially as a child, you can’t help but become like them, in small ways at the very least. Additionally, the romance between Andrew and Emma Stone connected deeply with me. It is human nature to want to love and be loved, but even so, I’ve always been a “hopeless romantic” at heart. Their love for each other and the wit that was present in their relationship seeped into my life and is still present in my relationships to this day. My father bought me the CD of The Amazing Spider-Man 2 and it was the first Spider-Man live-action film I watched in its entirety. I was so enamored by the film that when Gwen Stacey fell to her death, I cried, and not the same cry as a child does when they don’t get their way. It was the cry of someone who lost a loved one. I was sitting there and I caught a glimpse of true pain. I couldn’t reconcile the fact that Peter could never see Gwen again and it hurt my heart. Although I am fortunate that no one close to me has passed away, when someone else loses a loved one I now can empathize in a small way. I am not completely ignorant, although I know watching a movie is in no way the same as losing someone in reality. All of this to say, Andrew Garfield will forever be my Spider-Man. His portrayal of the character changed my life and partly shaped me into the person I am today.

The sole income of my household is my mother’s income. The absence of my father could have turned me into a coward and a weak-minded boy, but my God had a different plan. He gave my Haitian mother the resolve to ensure that I would never turn out like my father. Some days my mother continued on less food, just so that I could have enough to eat. Even when she could barely hang on, my mother always made sure I was on top of my studies, that I went to church twice a week, and that I was active to stay healthy. I was her top priority. During high school, I worked occasionally to help pay for minor expenses but my mother wanted me to mainly focus on my academic career, which has paid off, seeing as how I got accepted into the University of Florida. However, my mom has encountered some last-minute financial hardships that we did not expect which has significantly cut her income, and her bills have only increased. These are some of the reasons why I am requesting financial assistance. I am also aware of the necessity of a stable income. As a man, I should be able to support my family because it is one of my main responsibilities, and one cannot do this effectively without a stable income. Therefore, my goal in college is to obtain a Bachelor's in Computer Science to secure a stable job. This scholarship can help me attain this goal. In my journey towards this major, I plan on taking advantage of my education by pursuing the knowledge presented passionately. I plan on graduating with zero debt and a degree with which I can better participate in society, thus reducing the chances of me getting taken advantage of; another reason why this scholarship will help. I intend to ask these questions and push the boundaries of society and the STEM world. I want to reveal humanity's purpose with this pursuit of truth. I believe purpose to be the most essential characteristic of a life well lived and the general lack of it is the issue society faces today. A life of purpose is placing others and the common good ahead of oneself. All of this division and arrogant hate we see in the world today is just a symptom of a failed understanding of purpose. Therefore, the remedy to the problem is leading others toward the love Christ offers and the salvation He provides. To accept His gift of salvation one must repent from their sin, which means to turn away from it and put their trust in Jesus, making Him Lord over their life. The ultimate goal of a Christian is to form relationships built on Christ's love with those around them and show them the Way of Truth. Therefore as a believer, I will be able to lead others into a life of purpose. With my career in Computer Science, I can help reveal purpose to the most influential people in society by introducing them to Jesus Christ.

I embody selflessness because of and through my relationship with Jesus Christ. It is by Him that I exhibit good fruit. Jesus Christ is the Son of the Father, both equally being God, yet distinctly different Persons. Not only is He the Son of God, but He is also my Savior. He’s the one who made a way for me to be set free from my bondage of sin and shame. I’ve been in church my whole life. I was raised in it. Specifically, Faith Coast Church, formally known as Winners Church. However, to be completely honest, I was a hypocrite. Serving in the church and then going home to sin. It wasn’t until the summer of 2019 that I fully committed myself to the Lord. It was an amazing experience. For the better part of my life, I thought my salvation would be a constant “state” of some sort of emotion that I could never figure out. But that night at that summer camp, they did an altar and I didn’t even go up. However, the Holy Spirit did work in me. It was as if a fog had lifted over my mind and I finally understood what it was to be saved and how I could be saved. Since that day, I’ve been faithfully walking with the Lord. There have been seasons of hardship, but He has never left my side. My faith has grown from that point and God has shaped me into a selfless person through His Spirit. One of the initial changes from that day was the way I worshiped. What was once before a stoic performance, became a passionate desire. I naturally have progressed throughout the years and God used many different struggles and shortcomings in my life to mold me into the person He wanted me to be. For example, God leading me through my overwhelming anxiety has given me the skills needed to lead those around me and to love them well. At my church, I was a part of the leadership team in my youth group, which forced me to make newcomers feel welcome. Because of my past social fears, I understood what they were going through. Additionally, when God raised my previous low confidence in soccer to a healthy level, it enabled me to become a reliable captain for my team. Most of the boys on my team witnessed my rise and fall, thus finding a reason to believe in me today. Later on in my walk, I was presented with the opportunity to help teach children how to play the guitar and to lead worship for them, all in a week. I reluctantly accepted this opportunity and served at the Reveal Fellowship School of the Arts Music Camp, overcoming my initial fear for a singular reason. Obedience. I knew this was something God called me to do, so I chose to comply. He was first. However, I did not anticipate the work it would require. The kids were funny and brought joy to my heart, but they also were demanding. I'm reminded of the times, we workers would have to miss most of our lunchtime or leave our classes to help meet these kids' needs. The emotional attention they required was also great. But throughout these struggles, I understood that it was not about making my life easier, but showing these children how to love and serve the Father, who was madly in love with them.

My first experience with coding was when I created my desktop assistant. I named it Jarvis, after the fictional artificial intelligence in Marvel Comics. I had downloaded the basic source code from the internet but the bulk of his current features and visuals came from my ingenuity as I consumed coding knowledge from school and the internet. I created something I am proud to not only show others but to use every single day in my personal life. Jarvis was designed to fit around my highly active school life and work patterns. As the years progressed, I designed more versions of Jarvis, such as Friday and Anakin, each with its unique visual set and slightly different underlying speech-to-text mechanisms. Additionally, I participated in a Computer Fundamentals course during my freshman year of high school, where we designed countless apps and programs. In our final project, we had to design an app that utilized a certain number of lists and other techniques. I designed an app that suggested a book or movie to read or watch based on one's age, mood, and time of day. It was through these experiences that my passion was ignited. Therefore, I intend to contribute my passion to the STEM field. Specifically my passion for good moral character. I have a strong inclination for justice and I plan on spreading it wherever I go. My job should just be an extension of my internal character and therefore it will reflect it. Along with this passion for good moral character, comes my inquisitive personality. By asking the right questions, I believe we can all collectively move towards the truth. I intend to ask these questions and push the boundaries of society, as well as the STEM world. With this pursuit of truth, I hope to ultimately reveal humanity's purpose. I believe purpose to be the most essential characteristic of a life well lived and the general lack of it is the issue society faces today. A life of purpose is placing others and the common good ahead of oneself. That is why society today is tentative in their viewpoints and their moral standard is declining rapidly. All of this division and arrogant hate we see in the world today is just a symptom of a failed understanding of purpose. Therefore, the remedy to the problem is leading others toward the love Christ offers and the salvation He provides. To accept His gift of salvation one must repent from their sin, which means to turn away from it and put their trust in Jesus, making Him Lord over their life. The ultimate goal of a Christian is to form relationships built on Christ's love with those around them and show them the Way of Truth, therefore as a believer, I will be able to lead others into a life of purpose. With my career in Computer Science, I can help reveal purpose to the most influential people in society by introducing them to Jesus Christ.

The absence of my father could have turned me into a coward and a weak-minded boy, but my God had a different plan. He gave my Haitian mother the resolve to ensure that I would never turn out like my father. Some days my mother continued on less food, just so that I could have enough to eat. Even when she could barely hang on, my mother always made sure I was on top of my studies, that I went to church twice a week, and that I was active to stay healthy. I was her top priority. For example, during my soccer career, I was given a very limited amount of time on the field, leading to me having very low self-esteem. It was my mother who took me to the fields every day to train. She hated seeing me be less than what she knew I could be. With my mothers' hard work, the God I serve used these habits of mine to ensure I was surrounded by community and that I was competent. My community of family built up my social skills, enabling me to eventually conquer my overwhelming anxiety. My competence in school and athletics enabled me to build a valid confidence which was later rebuilt upon my identity in Christ. However, I must admit everything I have was given to me. My God gave me a strong mother and difficult circumstances. These are what made me who I am today. I am also aware of the necessity of a stable income. As a man, I should be able to support my family because it is one of my main responsibilities, and one cannot do this effectively without a stable income. Therefore, my goal in college is to obtain a Bachelor's in Computer Science to secure a stable job. This scholarship can help me attain this goal. In my journey towards this major, I plan on taking advantage of my education by pursuing the knowledge presented passionately. I plan on graduating with zero debt and a degree with which I can better participate in society, thus reducing the chances of me getting taken advantage of; another reason why this scholarship will help. I intend to ask these questions and push the boundaries of society and the STEM world. I want to reveal humanity's purpose with this pursuit of truth. I believe purpose to be the most essential characteristic of a life well lived and the general lack of it is the issue society faces today. A life of purpose is placing others and the common good ahead of oneself. All of this division and arrogant hate we see in the world today is just a symptom of a failed understanding of purpose. Therefore, the remedy to the problem is leading others toward the love Christ offers and the salvation He provides. To accept His gift of salvation one must repent from their sin, which means to turn away from it and put their trust in Jesus, making Him Lord over their life. The ultimate goal of a Christian is to form relationships built on Christ's love with those around them and show them the Way of Truth. Therefore as a believer, I will be able to lead others into a life of purpose. With my career in Computer Science, I can help reveal purpose to the most influential people in society by introducing them to Jesus Christ.

Living without a father is becoming a societal norm. Because of the frequency of this occurrence, many people tend to overlook the pain of single parenthood and forget the obstacles. However, I am simply here to tell you that it is only by the grace of God that I have overcome every obstacle in my life. The absence of my father could have turned me into a coward and a weak minded boy, but my God had a different plan. He gave my Haitian mother the resolve to ensure that I would never turn out like my father. Some days my mother continued on less food, just so that I could have enough to eat. Even when she could barely hang on, my mother always made sure I was on top of my studies, that I went to church twice a week, and that I was active in order to stay healthy. I was her top priority. For example, during my soccer career, I was given a very limited amount of time on the field, leading to me having a very low self-esteem. It was my mother who took me to the fields every day to train. She hated seeing me be less than what she knew I could be. With my mothers hard work, the God I serve used these habits of mine to ensure I was surrounded by community and that I was competent. My community of family built up my social skills, enabling me to eventually conquer my overwhelming anxiety. My competence in school and athletics enabled me to build a valid confidence which was later rebuilt upon my identity in Christ. However, I must admit everything I have was given to me. My God gave me a strong mother and difficult circumstances. These are what made me who I am today. Now, nearing the end of my youth, I realize everything I had gained from my adversities was meant to be shared with others. Overcoming my overwhelming anxiety has given me the skills needed to lead those around me and to love them well. At my church, I was a part of the leadership team in my youth group, which forced me to make newcomers feel welcome. Because of my past, I understood what they were going through. Additionally, overcoming my low confidence in soccer enabled me to become a reliable captain for my team. Most of the boys on my team witnessed my rise and fall, thus finding reason to believe in me today. I am truly the sum of my experiences and my future goals reflect that. Obviously, as a devoted follower of God, my ultimate calling is to know Christ and to make Him known. But I also know that the blood, sweat, and tears produced while cultivating my gifts will not go to waste. I know that I will do great things. Anything less is wasteful, irresponsible, and ungrateful. I plan on serving others and showing them Christ's love. My God has called me to be a pastor and I intend to give everything in my pursuit.

Living without a father is becoming a societal norm. Because of the frequency of this occurrence, many people tend to overlook the pain of single parenthood and forget the obstacles. However, I am simply here to tell you that it is only by the grace of God that I have overcome every obstacle in my life. The absence of my father could have turned me into a coward and a weak-minded boy, but my God had a different plan. He gave my Haitian mother the resolve to ensure that I would never turn out like my father. Some days my mother continued on less food, just so that I could have enough to eat. Even when she could barely hang on, my mother always made sure I was on top of my studies, that I went to church twice a week, and that I was active to stay healthy. I was her top priority. For example, during my soccer career, I was given a very limited amount of time on the field, leading to me having very low self-esteem. It was my mother who took me to the fields every day to train. She hated seeing me be less than what she knew I could be. With my mother's hard work, the God I serve used these habits of mine to ensure I was surrounded by community and that I was competent. My community of family built up my social skills, enabling me to eventually conquer my overwhelming anxiety. My competence in school and athletics enabled me to build a valid confidence which was later rebuilt upon my identity in Christ. However, I must admit everything I have was given to me. My God gave me a strong mother and difficult circumstances. These are what made me who I am today. Now, nearing the end of my youth, I realize everything I had gained from my adversities was meant to be shared with others. Overcoming my overwhelming anxiety has given me the skills needed to lead those around me and to love them well. At my church, I was a part of the leadership team in my youth group, which forced me to make newcomers feel welcome. Because of my past, I understood what they were going through. Additionally, overcoming my low confidence in soccer enabled me to become a reliable captain for my team. Most of the boys on my team witnessed my rise and fall, thus finding reason to believe in me today. I am truly the sum of my experiences and my future goals reflect that. Obviously, as a devoted follower of God, my ultimate calling is to know Christ and to make Him known. But I also know that the blood, sweat, and tears produced while cultivating my gifts will not go to waste. I know that I will do great things. Anything less is wasteful, irresponsible, and ungrateful. I plan on serving others and showing them Christ's love. My God has called me to be a pastor and I intend to give everything in my pursuit. However, I am aware of the necessity of a stable income. As a man, I should be able to support my family because it is one of my main responsibilities, and one cannot do this effectively without a stable income. The Bible teaches this principle as well. 1 Timothy 3 teaches the importance of ministers being able to manage their families. Therefore, my goal in college is to obtain a Bachelor's in Computer Science to secure a stable job. In my journey towards this major, I plan on taking advantage of my education by pursuing the knowledge presented passionately. I plan on graduating with zero debt and a degree with which I can better participate in society, thus reducing the chances of getting taken advantage of. Society is shifting towards a technological-dependent way of life, so with a Computer Science degree I will be able to understand what is happening around me better than the average person, ultimately proving why the chances of me getting taken advantage of are lessened. I intend to contribute my passion to the STEM field. Specifically my passion for good moral character. I have a strong inclination for justice and I plan on spreading it wherever I go. My job should just be an extension of my internal character and therefore it will reflect it. Along with this passion for good moral character, comes my inquisitive personality. By asking the right questions, I believe we can all collectively move towards the truth. I intend to ask these questions and push the boundaries of society, as well as the STEM world. With this pursuit of truth, I hope to ultimately reveal humanity's purpose. I believe purpose to be the most essential characteristic of a life well lived and the general lack of it is the issue society faces today. A life of purpose is placing others and the common good ahead of oneself. That is why society today is tentative in their viewpoints and their moral standard is declining rapidly. All of this division and arrogant hate we see in the world today is just a symptom of a failed understanding of purpose. Therefore, the remedy to the problem is leading others toward the love Christ offers and the salvation He provides. To accept His gift of salvation one must repent from their sin, which means to turn away from it and put their trust in Jesus, making Him Lord over their life. The ultimate goal of a Christian is to form relationships built on Christ's love with those around them and show them the Way of Truth, therefore as a believer, I will be able to lead others into a life of purpose. With my career in Computer Science, I can help reveal purpose to the most influential people in society by introducing them to Jesus Christ.

Living without a father is becoming a societal norm. Because of the frequency of this occurrence, many people tend to overlook the pain of single parenthood and forget the obstacles. However, I am simply here to tell you that it is only by the grace of God that I have overcome every obstacle in my life. The absence of my father could have turned me into a coward and a weak-minded boy, but my God had a different plan. He gave my Haitian mother the resolve to ensure that I would never turn out like my father. Some days my mother continued on less food, just so that I could have enough to eat. Even when she could barely hang on, my mother always made sure I was on top of my studies, that I went to church twice a week, and that I was active in order to stay healthy. I was her top priority. For example, during my soccer career, I was given a very limited amount of time on the field, leading to me having very low self-esteem. It was my mother who took me to the fields every day to train. She hated seeing me be less than what she knew I could be. With my mothers hard work, the God I serve used these habits of mine to ensure I was surrounded by community and that I was competent. My community of family built up my social skills, enabling me to eventually conquer my overwhelming anxiety. My competence in school and athletics enabled me to build a valid confidence which was later rebuilt upon my identity in Christ. However, I must admit everything I have was given to me. My God gave me a strong mother and difficult circumstances. These are what made me who I am today. I am also aware of the necessity of a stable income. As a man, I should be able to support my family because it is one of my main responsibilities, and one cannot do this effectively without a stable income. Therefore, my goal in college is to obtain a Bachelor in Computer Science in order to secure a stable job. This scholarship can help me attain this goal. In my journey towards this major, I plan on taking advantage of my education by pursuing the knowledge presented passionately. I plan on graduating with zero debt and a degree with which I can better participate in society, thus reducing the chances of me getting taken advantage of; another reason why this scholarship will help. I intend to ask these questions and push the boundaries of society, as well as the STEM world. With this pursuit of truth, I hope to ultimately reveal humanity's purpose. I believe purpose to be the most essential characteristic of a life well lived and the general lack of it is the issue society faces today. A life of purpose is placing others and the common good ahead of oneself. All of this division and arrogant hate we see in the world today is just a symptom of a failed understanding of purpose. Therefore, the remedy to the problem is leading others toward the love Christ offers and the salvation He provides. To accept His gift of salvation one must repent from their sin, which means to turn away from it and put their trust in Jesus, making Him Lord over their life. The ultimate goal of a Christian is to form relationships built on Christ's love with those around them and show them the Way of Truth, therefore as a believer, I will be able to lead others into a life of purpose. With my career in Computer Science, I can help reveal purpose to the most influential people in society by introducing them to Jesus Christ.

Living without a father is becoming a societal norm. Because of the frequency of this occurrence, many people tend to overlook the pain of single parenthood and forget the obstacles. However, I am simply here to tell you that it is only by the grace of God that I have overcome every obstacle in my life. The absence of my father could have turned me into a coward and a weak-minded boy, but my God had a different plan. He gave my Haitian mother the resolve to ensure that I would never turn out like my father. Some days my mother continued on less food, just so that I could have enough to eat. Even when she could barely hang on, my mother always made sure I was on top of my studies, that I went to church twice a week, and that I was active to stay healthy. I was her top priority. For example, during my soccer career, I was given a very limited amount of time on the field, leading to me having very low self-esteem. It was my mother who took me to the fields every day to train. She hated seeing me be less than what she knew I could be. With my mother's hard work, the God I serve used these habits of mine to ensure I was surrounded by community and that I was competent. My community of family built up my social skills, enabling me to eventually conquer my overwhelming anxiety. My competence in school and athletics enabled me to build a valid confidence which was later rebuilt upon my identity in Christ. However, I must admit everything I have was given to me. My God gave me a strong mother and difficult circumstances. These are what made me who I am today. Now, nearing the end of my youth, I realize everything I had gained from my adversities was meant to be shared with others. Overcoming my overwhelming anxiety has given me the skills needed to lead those around me and to love them well. At my church, I was a part of the leadership team in my youth group, which forced me to make newcomers feel welcome. Because of my past, I understood what they were going through. Additionally, overcoming my low confidence in soccer enabled me to become a reliable captain for my team. Most of the boys on my team witnessed my rise and fall, thus finding reason to believe in me today. I am truly the sum of my experiences and my future goals reflect that. Obviously, as a devoted follower of God, my ultimate calling is to know Christ and to make Him known. But I also know that the blood, sweat, and tears produced while cultivating my gifts will not go to waste. I know that I will do great things. Anything less is wasteful, irresponsible, and ungrateful. I plan on serving others and showing them Christ's love. My God has called me to be a pastor and I intend to give everything in my pursuit. However, I am aware of the necessity of a stable income. As a man, I should be able to support my family because it is one of my main responsibilities, and one cannot do this effectively without a stable income. The Bible teaches this principle as well. 1 Timothy 3 teaches the importance of ministers being able to manage their families. Therefore, my goal in college is to obtain a Bachelor's in Computer Science to secure a stable job. In my journey towards this major, I plan on taking advantage of my education by pursuing the knowledge presented passionately. I plan on graduating with zero debt and a degree with which I can better participate in society, thus reducing the chances of getting taken advantage of. Society is shifting towards a technological-dependent way of life, so with a Computer Science degree I will be able to understand what is happening around me better than the average person, ultimately proving why the chances of me getting taken advantage of are lessened. I intend to contribute my passion to the STEM field. Specifically my passion for good moral character. I have a strong inclination for justice and I plan on spreading it wherever I go. My job should just be an extension of my internal character and therefore it will reflect it. Along with this passion for good moral character, comes my inquisitive personality. By asking the right questions, I believe we can all collectively move towards the truth. I intend to ask these questions and push the boundaries of society, as well as the STEM world. With this pursuit of truth, I hope to ultimately reveal humanity's purpose. I believe purpose to be the most essential characteristic of a life well lived and the general lack of it is the issue society faces today. A life of purpose is placing others and the common good ahead of oneself. That is why society today is tentative in their viewpoints and their moral standard is declining rapidly. All of this division and arrogant hate we see in the world today is just a symptom of a failed understanding of purpose. Therefore, the remedy to the problem is leading others toward the love Christ offers and the salvation He provides. To accept His gift of salvation one must repent from their sin, which means to turn away from it and put their trust in Jesus, making Him Lord over their life. The ultimate goal of a Christian is to form relationships built on Christ's love with those around them and show them the Way of Truth, therefore as a believer, I will be able to lead others into a life of purpose. With my career in Computer Science, I can help reveal purpose to the most influential people in society by introducing them to Jesus Christ.

Living without a father is becoming a societal norm. Because of the frequency of this occurrence, many people tend to overlook the pain of single parenthood and forget the obstacles. However, I am simply here to tell you that it is only by the grace of God that I have overcome every obstacle in my life. The absence of my father could have turned me into a coward and a weak minded boy, but my God had a different plan. He gave my Haitian mother the resolve to ensure that I would never turn out like my father. Some days my mother continued on less food, just so that I could have enough to eat. Even when she could barely hang on, my mother always made sure I was on top of my studies, that I went to church twice a week, and that I was active in order to stay healthy. I was her top priority. For example, during my soccer career, I was given a very limited amount of time on the field, leading to me having a very low self-esteem. It was my mother who took me to the fields every day to train. She hated seeing me be less than what she knew I could be. With my mothers hard work, the God I serve used these habits of mine to ensure I was surrounded by community and that I was competent. My community of family built up my social skills, enabling me to eventually conquer my overwhelming anxiety. My competence in school and athletics enabled me to build a valid confidence which was later rebuilt upon my identity in Christ. However, I must admit everything I have was given to me. My God gave me a strong mother and difficult circumstances. These are what made me who I am today. Now, nearing the end of my youth, I realize everything I had gained from my adversities was meant to be shared with others. Overcoming my overwhelming anxiety has given me the skills needed to lead those around me and to love them well. At my church, I was a part of the leadership team in my youth group, which forced me to make newcomers feel welcome. Because of my past, I understood what they were going through. Additionally, overcoming my low confidence in soccer enabled me to become a reliable captain for my team. Most of the boys on my team witnessed my rise and fall, thus finding reason to believe in me today. I am truly the sum of my experiences and my future goals reflect that. Obviously, as a devoted follower of God, my ultimate calling is to know Christ and to make Him known. But I also know that the blood, sweat, and tears produced while cultivating my gifts will not go to waste. I know that I will do great things. Anything less is wasteful, irresponsible, and ungrateful. I plan on serving others and showing them Christ's love. My God has called me to be a pastor and I intend to give everything in my pursuit.

Living without a father is becoming a societal norm. Because of the frequency of this occurrence, many people tend to overlook the pain of single parenthood and forget the obstacles. However, I am simply here to tell you that it is only by the grace of God that I have overcome every obstacle in my life. The absence of my father could have turned me into a coward and a weak minded boy, but my God had a different plan. He gave my Haitian mother the resolve to ensure that I would never turn out like my father. Some days my mother continued on less food, just so that I could have enough to eat. Even when she could barely hang on, my mother always made sure I was on top of my studies, that I went to church twice a week, and that I was active in order to stay healthy. I was her top priority. For example, during my soccer career, I was given a very limited amount of time on the field, leading to me having a very low self-esteem. It was my mother who took me to the fields every day to train. She hated seeing me be less than what she knew I could be. With my mothers hard work, the God I serve used these habits of mine to ensure I was surrounded by community and that I was competent. My community of family built up my social skills, enabling me to eventually conquer my overwhelming anxiety. My competence in school and athletics enabled me to build a valid confidence which was later rebuilt upon my identity in Christ. However, I must admit everything I have was given to me. My God gave me a strong mother and difficult circumstances. These are what made me who I am today. Now, nearing the end of my youth, I realize everything I had gained from my adversities was meant to be shared with others. Overcoming my overwhelming anxiety has given me the skills needed to lead those around me and to love them well. At my church, I was a part of the leadership team in my youth group, which forced me to make newcomers feel welcome. Because of my past, I understood what they were going through. Additionally, overcoming my low confidence in soccer enabled me to become a reliable captain for my team. Most of the boys on my team witnessed my rise and fall, thus finding reason to believe in me today. I am truly the sum of my experiences and my future goals reflect that. Obviously, as a devoted follower of God, my ultimate calling is to know Christ and to make Him known. But I also know that the blood, sweat, and tears produced while cultivating my gifts will not go to waste. I know that I will do great things. Anything less is wasteful, irresponsible, and ungrateful. I plan on serving others and showing them Christ's love. My God has called me to be a pastor and I intend to give everything in my pursuit.

Living without a father is becoming a societal norm. Because of the frequency of this occurrence, many people tend to overlook the pain of single parenthood and forget the obstacles. However, I am simply here to tell you that it is only by the grace of God that I have overcome every obstacle in my life. The absence of my father could have turned me into a coward and a weak minded boy, but my God had a different plan. He gave my Haitian mother the resolve to ensure that I would never turn out like my father. Some days my mother continued on less food, just so that I could have enough to eat. Even when she could barely hang on, my mother always made sure I was on top of my studies, that I went to church twice a week, and that I was active in order to stay healthy. I was her top priority. For example, during my soccer career, I was given a very limited amount of time on the field, leading to me having a very low self-esteem. It was my mother who took me to the fields every day to train. She hated seeing me be less than what she knew I could be. With my mothers hard work, the God I serve used these habits of mine to ensure I was surrounded by community and that I was competent. My community of family built up my social skills, enabling me to eventually conquer my overwhelming anxiety. My competence in school and athletics enabled me to build a valid confidence which was later rebuilt upon my identity in Christ. However, I must admit everything I have was given to me. My God gave me a strong mother and difficult circumstances. These are what made me who I am today. Now, nearing the end of my youth, I realize everything I had gained from my adversities was meant to be shared with others. Therefore, the advice I would give to others facing difficult circumstances, is to allow adversity, no matter how painful, to help you grow into a better version of yourself. Overcoming my overwhelming anxiety has given me the skills needed to lead those around me and to love them well. At my church, I was a part of the leadership team in my youth group, which forced me to make newcomers feel welcome. Because of my past, I understood what they were going through. Additionally, overcoming my low confidence in soccer enabled me to become a reliable captain for my team. Most of the boys on my team witnessed my rise and fall, thus finding reason to believe in me today. I am truly the sum of my experiences and my future goals reflect that. Obviously, as a devoted follower of God, my ultimate calling is to know Christ and to make Him known. But I also know that the blood, sweat, and tears produced while cultivating my gifts will not go to waste. I know that I will do great things. Anything less is wasteful, irresponsible, and ungrateful. I plan on serving others and showing them Christ's love. My God has called me to be a pastor and I intend to give everything in my pursuit.

Living without a father is becoming a societal norm. Because of the frequency of this occurrence, many people tend to overlook the pain of single parenthood and forget the obstacles. However, I am simply here to tell you that it is only by the grace of God that I have overcome every obstacle in my life. The absence of my father could have turned me into a coward and a weak minded boy, but my God had a different plan. He gave my Haitian mother the resolve to ensure that I would never turn out like my father. Some days my mother continued on less food, just so that I could have enough to eat. Even when she could barely hang on, my mother always made sure I was on top of my studies, that I went to church twice a week, and that I was active in order to stay healthy. I was her top priority. For example, during my soccer career, I was given a very limited amount of time on the field, leading to me having a very low self-esteem. It was my mother who took me to the fields every day to train. She hated seeing me be less than what she knew I could be. With my mothers hard work, the God I serve used these habits of mine to ensure I was surrounded by community and that I was competent. My community of family built up my social skills, enabling me to eventually conquer my overwhelming anxiety. My competence in school and athletics enabled me to build a valid confidence which was later rebuilt upon my identity in Christ. However, I must admit everything I have was given to me. My God gave me a strong mother and difficult circumstances. These are what made me who I am today. Now, nearing the end of my youth, I realize everything I had gained from my adversities was meant to be shared with others. Overcoming my overwhelming anxiety has given me the skills needed to lead those around me and to love them well. At my church, I was a part of the leadership team in my youth group, which forced me to make newcomers feel welcome. Because of my past, I understood what they were going through. Additionally, overcoming my low confidence in soccer enabled me to become a reliable captain for my team. Most of the boys on my team witnessed my rise and fall, thus finding reason to believe in me today. I am truly the sum of my experiences and my future goals reflect that. Obviously, as a devoted follower of God, my ultimate calling is to know Christ and to make Him known. But I also know that the blood, sweat, and tears produced while cultivating my gifts will not go to waste. I know that I will do great things. Anything less is wasteful, irresponsible, and ungrateful. I plan on serving others and showing them Christ's love. My God has called me to be a pastor and I intend to give everything in my pursuit.

Jesus Christ is the Son of the Father, both equally being God, yet distinctly different Persons. Not only is He the Son of God, but He is also my Savior. He’s the one who made a way for me to be set free from my bondage of sin and shame. I’ve been in church my whole life. I was raised in it. Specifically, Faith Coast Church, formally known as Winners Church. However, to be completely honest, I was a hypocrite. Serving in the church and then going home to sin. It wasn’t until the summer of 2019 that I fully committed myself to the Lord. It was an amazing experience. For the better part of my life, I thought my salvation would be a constant “state” of some sort of emotion that I could never figure out. But that night at that summer camp, they did an altar and I didn’t even go up. However, the Holy Spirit did work in me. It was as if a fog had lifted over my mind and I finally understood what it was to be saved and how I could be saved. Since that day, I’ve been faithfully walking with the Lord. There have been seasons of hardship, but He has never left my side. Later on in my walk, I was presented with the opportunity to help teach children how to play the guitar and to lead worship for them, all in a week. I reluctantly accepted this opportunity and served at the Reveal Fellowship School of the Arts Music Camp, overcoming my initial fear for a singular reason. Obedience. I knew this was something God called me to do, so I chose to comply. He was first. However, I did not anticipate the work it would require. The kids were funny and brought joy to my heart, but they also were demanding. I'm reminded of the times us workers would have to miss most of our lunchtime or leave our classes to help meet these kids' needs. The emotional attention they required was also great. But throughout these struggles, I understood that it was not about making my life easier, but showing these children how to love and serve the Father, who was madly in love with them. I believe my time spent here was intentional but God has grown me into a leader whose nature is to love those around him and I could not do that without His constant help.

Prompt 2: My plans are simple yet require great focus. Due to my religious convictions, I plan on being an instrument of the God I serve; The God of the Bible. I believe He wants me to pursue a career in Christian ministry. I felt this call on my life one evening at a Christian summer camp. We were at a campfire and as I was reflecting on God’s goodness, I felt the call to be a pastor. Naturally, I resisted this call because I personally did not like the idea of being a pastor. But as the years have passed, I have slowly realized what it means to be a pastor. A true Christian pastor stands in the gap for those he is leading. He is not just a man who preaches from a pulpit. In fact, many pastors do not preach from the pulpit. The ultimate goal of a pastor is to form relationships with those under them and guide them in the same way. However, I am also aware of the necessity of a stable income. As a man, I should be able to support my family because it is one of my main responsibilities, and one cannot do this effectively without a stable income. The Bible teaches this principle as well. 1 Timothy 3 teaches the importance of ministers being able to manage their families. Therefore, my goal in college is to obtain a Bachelor's in Computer Science in order to secure a stable job. In my journey towards this major, I plan on taking advantage of my education by pursuing the knowledge presented passionately. I plan on graduating with zero debt and a degree with which I can better participate in society, thus reducing the chances of getting taken advantage of. Society is shifting towards a technological-dependent way of life, so with a Computer Science degree I will be able to understand what is happening around me better than the average person, ultimately proving why the chances of me getting taken advantage of are lessened. College is also a means to pursue my many passions. I plan on playing collegiate soccer due to the fact that I love soccer and have been playing for most of my life. I also would like to further study world history, Studying world history will also help in my religious studies because if I relate the historical context to Christian teachings, I can better understand those teachings.

Living without a father is becoming a societal norm. Because of the frequency of this occurrence, many people tend to overlook the pain of single parenthood and forget the obstacles. However, I am here to tell you that it is only by the grace of God that I have overcome every obstacle in my life. The absence of my father could have turned me into a coward and a weak-minded boy, but my God gave my Haitian mother the resolve to ensure that I would never turn out like my father. Some days my mother continued on less food, just so that I could have enough to eat. Even when she could barely hang on, my mother always made sure I was on top of my studies, that I went to church twice a week, and that I was active to stay healthy. I was her top priority. For example, during my soccer career, I was given a limited amount of time on the field, leading to me having low self-esteem. It was my mother who took me to the fields every day to train. She hated seeing me be less than what she knew I could be. With my mother's hard work, the God I serve used these habits of mine to ensure I was surrounded by community and that I was competent. My community of family built up my social skills, enabling me to eventually conquer my overwhelming anxiety. My competence in school and athletics enabled me to build a valid confidence which was later rebuilt upon my identity in Christ. However, I must admit everything I have was given to me. My God gave me a strong Haitian mother and difficult circumstances. These are what made me who I am today. Now, nearing the end of my youth, I realize everything I had gained from my adversities was meant to be shared with others. Overcoming my overwhelming anxiety has given me the skills needed to lead those around me and to love them well. In my youth group, I was a part of the leadership team, which forced me to make newcomers feel welcome. Because of my past, I understood what they were going through. Additionally, overcoming my low confidence in soccer enabled me to become a reliable captain for my team. Most of the boys on my team witnessed my rise and fall, thus finding reason to believe in me today. I am the sum of my experiences and my future goals reflect that. Obviously, as a devoted follower of God, my ultimate calling is to know Christ and to make Him known. But I also know that the blood, sweat, and tears produced while cultivating my gifts will not go to waste. I know that I will do great things. Anything less is wasteful, irresponsible, and ungrateful. I plan on serving others and showing them Christ's love. My God has called me to be a pastor and I intend to give everything in my pursuit.

Jesus Christ is the Son of the Father, both equally being God, yet distinctly different Persons. Not only is He the Son of God, but He is also my Savior. He’s the one who made a way for me to be set free from my bondage of sin and shame. I’ve been in church my whole life. I was raised in it. Specifically, Faith Coast Church, formally known as Winners Church. However, to be completely honest, I was a hypocrite. Serving in the church and then going home to sin. It wasn’t until the summer of 2019 that I fully committed myself to the Lord. It was an amazing experience. For the better part of my life, I thought my salvation would be a constant “state” of some sort of emotion that I could never figure out. But that night at that summer camp, they did an altar and I didn’t even go up. However, the Holy Spirit did work in me. It was as if a fog had lifted over my mind and I finally understood what it was to be saved and how I could be saved. Since that day, I’ve been faithfully walking with the Lord. There have been seasons of hardship, but He has never left my side. Later on in my walk, I was presented with the opportunity to help teach children how to play the guitar and to lead worship for them, all in a week. I reluctantly accepted this opportunity and served at the Reveal Fellowship School of the Arts Music Camp, overcoming my initial fear for a singular reason. Obedience. I knew this was something God called me to do, so I chose to comply. He was first. However, I did not anticipate the work it would require. The kids were funny and brought joy to my heart, but they also were demanding. I'm reminded of the times, us workers would have to miss most of our lunchtime or leave our classes to help meet these kids' needs. The emotional attention they required was also great. But throughout these struggles, I understood that it was not about making my life easier, but showing these children how to love and serve the Father, who was madly in love with them. Ironically, the theme for one of the years at camp was “J.O.Y”, Jesus, Others, Yourself. The prompt of the essay.

If everyone in the world could read just one book, I would have them read the Bible. Because there may be some trouble since it was written in multiple languages, I would have them read the original writings, assuming language is not an issue in this fictitious scenario. Regardless of one’s worldview, I can guarantee that reading the Bible only leads to profitable outcomes when done from an objective perspective for two primary reasons. First and foremost, I understand the Bible to be the inspired and inerrant Word of God. “Inspired” means that God “carried the authors along” as they wrote the Scriptures, guiding them, and inerrant means without error. Therefore, any information and revelation discovered in the original writings of Scripture can only lead to goodness, because “God” by definition is the standard for goodness. Secondly, the literary techniques and narrative of the Bible are amazingly complex and insightful. The Bible we have today was written over the course of 1400 years, by 40 authors from diverse backgrounds, in three different languages, and yet its unity of theme is incredible. It portrays the depths and heights of humanity and their relationship with the universe as well as the Divine. It addresses the major issues of life such as our Origin, our Purpose, our Predicament, the Solution, and our Destiny. These issues have been investigated for the better part of human history and all literature attempts to address at least one of these issues in a way. Regardless of one’s interpretation of the ideas presented, the original writings of Scripture serve to provoke questions for the person within and provide insight into the world around.