How did I go above and beyond? I went above and beyond by pushing myself to do better and by maintaining a strong image of who I wanted to be. In other words, I am a student-athlete who managed to maintain all A’s throughout high school while also participating in extracurricular activities such as soccer and volleyball. In addition, I held three jobs and still attended school clubs like Student Council and the National Honor Society. Despite what others say is impossible, I managed to make the impossible possible. “How did I do it?” they ask. Well, I managed my time, stayed organized, and kept my priorities straight. Don’t get me wrong—it definitely wasn’t easy. But hey, it was worth it. Did I know what to expect when I started high school? No. I am the oldest daughter and have two younger brothers. I had no one to show me the way, so I had to take it step by step. When I entered my freshman year, my only goal was to get all A’s. That’s all I knew. Fun fact: when I started, I thought freshmen were called “sophomores.” That just shows how little I knew! Furthermore, as I mentioned, I was involved in sports like soccer and volleyball. I was a student-athlete throughout all four years. Did I really know what I was getting into? At first, I thought I did—but in reality, I didn’t. I thought I would just play sports, bond with teammates, and compete. That wasn’t the case. There were time sacrifices, missed school days, mental challenges, and a whole lot of hard work. There were levels to it. Levels to help make our school successful and known. It wasn’t just for fun—it was for a purpose. I had to stay organized, do extra work on the side to stay caught up, and always stay on my toes. I was dedicated to never falling behind. Most importantly, I wanted to be a role model to my younger brothers—to show them that you can do it all, as long as you’re willing to put in the extra work. For example, I played varsity soccer my freshman year. I was the top scorer, named District MVP, received Honorable Mention, and was selected for First Team All-District. Volleyball was a bit harder for me since it wasn’t my main sport, but I still made the JV A team and eventually made varsity by my junior year. On top of that, I participated in Student Council and attended meetings after practice. I was also nominated for the National Honor Society at the end of junior year. At that moment, I realized—I can do it. I can do it all. I ended up in the top 10% of my class. And the best part? I got into every college I applied to. In conclusion, the impossible is possible—I made it possible. I started out knowing nothing, and that’s okay. There were many ups and downs, many learning moments, and many obstacles to overcome. Life comes with risks and sacrifices. Sometimes things get harder before they get better. But I managed. And I’m still not done, because life keeps going.