My name is Juelz Carrasco-Silva and I am pursuing an auto body collision repair career. I find myself cable and determined In this field. I had an auto body class In my junior year of high school and it taught me the basics and the fundamentals of what’s it like in this field. I am now a senior and will be heading to Lincoln technical college of technology in Indianapolis to pursue my dream as becoming a certified technician. When I was a little kid, my mother was a single mother of two. It was a financial struggle for my mom as my grandmother and grandfather will help her out sometimes. My mother would do anything in her power to keep us cared for, and I want to thank her for always being there and not have her pay for so much expenses my school leads too. Growing up was a financial problem for us, some kids out there don’t recognize how much effort their parents put into them, and I want to show that to my parents and make them proud for who I will become. It’s crazy on who I am today, a senior in high school about to graduate and go into the real world. Life goes by really fast. As I continue on my career, my goal is to eventually own my own body shop as I want to help out people who just want to have their life (their car) back together. Collision repair can do that because looking and telling the customer that their ride is ready to be picked up can be the best feeling out there even though it’s just putting Bondo on some car fender. I just want to show people that they really can beat the game of life, doesn’t matter who they are or where they have come from. Overall, my career goal is to become a skilled auto body technician. This scholarship will help me with a lot of things, such as the cost of tuition and especially the cost of housing, as I will be moving to a different state and I’ll be working only so much hours everyday. This will help a lot, as I don’t have to worry and stress about money all the time during school, and especially my family. Just to think about paying for food and general supplies for me gets me real nervous, but hey, that’s life I’ll just have to believe In myself to keep pushing forward when hardships come my way.

What makes me smile is when I coach and teach someone something. It feels nice to help people. Improve someone's learning skills. When I take the time to explain something, break it down step by step, and then see it finally click for them, it feels incredibly rewarding. I enjoy watching people grow more confident in their abilities because I know I played a small part in that progress. I was a team Captain in wrestling and rugby for my school at West Ottawa High School, and when I see someone struggling with something, it makes me want to help correct them in the best way possible. I'm a bit of a perfectionist, even though that can possibly be a bit of a problem at times, but it shows who I am and my willingness to help people out. Another thing that makes me smile is hanging out with my friends. They have a way of turning even the most ordinary or stressful days into moments I will never forget. My friends, I say, are people who really know me as a person more than the average person. Around them, I do not have to pretend to be someone I am not. I can laugh loudly and share my ideas about stuff. Knowing that I have people who care about me and want to see me succeed brings a kind of happiness that is hard to describe. My friends remind me that I am never alone, and that feeling alone can turn a bad day into a better one. Just thinking about the memories we have made together is enough to make me smile. Food is another thing that instantly makes me smile. The smell of my favorite foods cooking can change my whole mood, especially after a long or stressful day. Whether it is a home-cooked meal, a favorite snack, or going out to eat with friends, food brings people together. Having something to eat after wrestling weigh-ins is the best thing ever, because you've been waiting to open the food you brought until you got there. On vacation has the best food and new types of food you can have. There's always something new you eat when going on vacation. I think breakfast is the best meal of the day if you actually put the time to make something good. My end of the year freshmen GPA was a 2.3; my current GPA is a 3.0.