Financial freedom is the most important thing to me. Sixteen years ago I was born into this world to two teen parents. My Dad was fifteen and my mom was sixteen. My grandma and my aunts stepped in and raised me because my parents made horrible choices over the years and they weren’t ready to raise a child. It was tough to accept and sometimes difficult to understand this concept but with therapy, the love, support of my grandma, aunts, and coaches I think I’m doing pretty good. Growing up in such a divided diverse family can feel overwhelming. At times I felt like a financial burden watching my aunts struggle to make sure I have school clothes, and supplies. Though we didn’t have much, my aunts signed me up for sports and activities through the city to keep me busy but it was the softball field that brought me peace. It’s where I learned how to be on time, not buckle under pressure and team work. My aunt says these are the skills that I’ll need to be successful in life. My aunts taught me to have a good work ethic from a young age. I know I always have my aunts to depend on but because I want to be financially independent I got a job at a young age. I started off by volunteering with my pitching coach at her pitching clinics, then worked for my aunts a couple times serving the elderly community at a catering company and finally at sixteen got my first job on my own. I work for the YMCA Part-time as a sports instructor for Track, T-Ball, Basketball and Soccer. It’s only a few hours a month but I love working with kids and seeing their face light up when they learn something new. I’m a student athlete at Buena Park High School so my schedule and age don’t allow me to work as much as I’d like. I have my very own checking account and have saved all my birthday money and ninety percent of my checks from work knowing one day I’ll need a car. So far I’m doing pretty good based off the basic knowledge my aunts taught me but do plan on taking business classes and investment classes to learn how to use my money correctly. It’s been tough not having what others do but it has just made me stronger and more resilient to adversity. Since I was little my aunts taught me education ,perseverance , and hard work is the way to a better life and are the first steps to become financially independent. If Im awarded this scholarship I plan on using it to pay for tuition, books, and school supplies to support my dream of helping children like me who don’t come from traditional families and being a support system the way my aunts, and coaches have been for me. Thank you for the opportunity and considering me for this scholarship.

Have you ever heard the saying, “It takes a village to raise a child?”Sixteen years ago I was born into this world to two Latino American teen parents. My Dad was fifteen and my mom was sixteen. My grandma and my aunts stepped in and raised me because my parents made horrible choices over the years and they weren’t ready to raise a child. It was tough to accept and sometimes difficult to understand this concept but with therapy, the love, support of my grandma, aunts, and coaches I think I’m doing pretty good. Growing up in such a divided diverse family can feel overwhelming. At times I felt alone because I didn’t feel like I belonged anywhere. My Grandma was a daycare teacher and took me to daycare everyday and then my aunts would come to take care of me the rest of the time and buy all my school clothes and supplies. My Grandma became handicap and I started helping her in her classroom with younger students. I helped set up arts and crafts. I graded papers for my peers in the school age class and felt like I was helping. I believe this is where I fell in love with the idea of teaching. When I started first grade my aunts took over completely and I lived with them. Though we don’t have much . My aunts signed me up for sports and activities through the city to keep me busy but it was the softball field that brought me peace. It’s where I learned how to be on time, not buckle under pressure and team work. My coaches were also part of my village and taught me it was ok to let my walls down and develop connections with them and my teammates. I learned how to pitch and even volunteered to help my pitching coach teach younger kids last fall. I also work for the YMCA Part-time as a sports instructor for Track, T-Ball, Basketball and Soccer. I love working with kids and seeing their face light up when they learn something new. I’m a student athlete at Buena Park High School. Growing up here was hard but I wouldn’t change it for anything. Since I was little my aunts taught me education ,perseverance , and hard work is the way to a better life. I plan on using this scholarship to pay for tuition, books, and school supplies to support my dream of helping children like me who don’t come from traditional families and being a support system the way my Grandma, aunts, and coaches have been for me. Thank you for the opportunity and considering me for this scholarship.

Have you ever heard the saying, “It takes a village to raise a child?”Sixteen years ago I was born into this world to two teen parents. My Dad was fifteen and my mom was sixteen. My grandma and my aunts stepped in and raised me because my parents made horrible choices over the years and they weren’t ready to raise a child. It was tough to accept and sometimes difficult to understand this concept but with therapy, the love, support of my grandma, aunts, and coaches I think I’m doing pretty good. Growing up in such a divided diverse family can feel overwhelming. At times I felt alone because I didn’t feel like I belonged anywhere. My Grandma was a daycare teacher and took me to daycare everyday and then my aunts would come to take care of me the rest of the time and buy all my school clothes and supplies. My Grandma became handicap and I started helping her in her classroom with younger students. I helped set up arts and crafts. I graded papers for my peers in the school age class and felt like I was helping. I believe this is where I fell in love with the idea of teaching. When I started first grade my aunts took over completely and I lived with them. Though we don’t have much . My aunts signed me up for sports and activities through the city to keep me busy but it was the softball field that brought me peace. It’s where I learned how to be on time, not buckle under pressure and team work. My coaches were also part of my village and taught me it was ok to let my walls down and develop connections with them and my teammates. I learned how to pitch and even volunteered to help my pitching coach teach younger kids last fall. I also work for the YMCA Part-time as a sports instructor for Track, T-Ball, Basketball and Soccer. I love working with kids and seeing their face light up when they learn something new. I’m a student athlete at Buena Park High School. Growing up here was hard but I wouldn’t change it for anything. Since I was little my aunts taught me education ,perseverance , and hard work is the way to a better life. I plan on using this scholarship to pay for tuition, books, and school supplies to support my dream of helping children like me who don’t come from traditional families and being a support system the way my Grandma, aunts, and coaches have been for me. Thank you for the opportunity and considering me for this scholarship.

Have you ever heard the saying, “It takes a village to raise a child?”Sixteen years ago I was born into this world to two Latino American teen parents. My Dad was fifteen and my mom was sixteen. My grandma and my aunts stepped in and raised me because my parents made horrible choices over the years and they weren’t ready to raise a child. It was tough to accept and sometimes difficult to understand this concept but with therapy, the love, support of my grandma, aunts, and coaches I think I’m doing pretty good. Growing up in such a divided diverse family can feel overwhelming. At times I felt alone because I didn’t feel like I belonged anywhere. My Grandma was a daycare teacher and took me to daycare everyday and then my aunts would come to take care of me the rest of the time and buy all my school clothes and supplies. My Grandma became handicap and I started helping her in her classroom with younger students. I helped set up arts and crafts. I graded papers for my peers in the school age class and felt like I was helping. I believe this is where I fell in love with the idea of teaching. When I started first grade my aunts took over completely and I lived with them. Though we don’t have much . My aunts signed me up for sports and activities through the city to keep me busy but it was the softball field that brought me peace. It’s where I learned how to be on time, not buckle under pressure and team work. My coaches were also part of my village and taught me it was ok to let my walls down and develop connections with them and my teammates. I learned how to pitch and even volunteered to help my pitching coach teach younger kids last fall. I also work for the YMCA Part-time as a sports instructor for Track, T-Ball, Basketball and Soccer. I love working with kids and seeing their face light up when they learn something new. I’m a student athlete at Buena Park High School. Growing up here was hard but I wouldn’t change it for anything. Since I was little my aunts taught me education ,perseverance , and hard work is the way to a better life. I plan on using this scholarship to pay for tuition, books, and school supplies to support my dream of helping children like me who don’t come from traditional families and being a support system the way my Grandma, aunts, and coaches have been for me. Thank you for the opportunity and considering me for this scholarship.

Have you ever heard the saying, “It takes a village to raise a child?”Sixteen years ago I was born into this world to two teen parents. My Dad was fifteen and my mom was sixteen. My grandma and my aunts stepped in to raise me because my parents weren’t ready to raise a child. This was tough to accept and sometimes difficult to understand but with therapy, the love, and support of my grandma and aunts I think I’m doing pretty good. My Grandma was a daycare teacher and took me to daycare everyday and then my aunts would come to take care of me the rest of the time and buy all my school clothes and supplies. My Grandma became handicap and I started helping her in her classroom with younger students. I helped set up arts and crafts. I graded papers for my peers in the school age class and felt like I was helping. I believe this is where I fell in love with the idea of teaching. When I started first grade my aunts took over completely and I lived with them. My aunts signed me up for sports and activities through the city to keep me busy but it was the softball field that brought me peace. It’s where I learned how to be on time, not buckle under pressure and team work. I learned how to pitch and even volunteered to help my pitching coach teach younger kids last fall and just started working part-time as a youth coach for the YMCA in Anaheim,Ca. I love working with kids and seeing their face light up when they learn something new. I was even playing travel ball but my aunt got Cancer and couldn’t travel anymore. Shes not cancer free but finally doing a lot better and is back to work. My aunts and I live in a small upstairs apartment on the border of Buena Park and Fullerton, Ca. I’m a Junior student athlete at Buena Park High School. Growing up here was hard but I wouldn’t change it for anything. Since I was little my aunts taught me education ,perseverance , and hard work is the way to a better life. I plan on using this scholarship money to pay for college classes, books, and school supplies to support my dream of helping children like me and be a support system the way my Grandma and aunts have been for me. Thank you for the opportunity and considering me for this scholarship.

Sixteen years ago I was born into this world to two teen parents. My Dad was fifteen and my mom was sixteen. My aunts stepped in and raised me because my parents made horrible choices over the years and they weren’t ready to raise a child. It was tough to accept and sometimes difficult to understand this concept but with therapy, the love, support of my grandma and aunts I think I’m doing pretty good. My aunts are the ones who inspired me to pursue a business degree after I graduate high school. My aunt Angie got diagnosed with Cancer in 2023 and even though she is not Cancer free yet she continues to work hard everyday. While she was recovering from multiple surgeries she realized how short life is and wanted to open a family catering business as she always wondered if her cooking was as good as everyone said it was. So her and my aunt Drea put their heads together and started Mi Tia’s Catering. I got to see them start a business from the ground up. I saw the struggles of them having to figure out how to legally set-up their business and make sure they have the correct permits. I got to help with food budgets, made social media videos, spread sheets, logistics, and served customers at city events. This is when I knew I could run my own business one day. It was really exciting to be apart of something so special. Though we were quickly successful my aunt Angie couldn’t keep up with the physical demands because Cancer takes a toll on her day to day health but I’m very thankful I got the opportunity to help my aunts even if it was for a short amount of time. Being apart of the Mi Tia’s start-up showed me that having a business degree is important. You can have experience and a good work ethic but a business degree will teach me the legalities of set-up, marketing, and introduce me to other opportunities. I plan on using this scholarship for tuition, books and school supplies. My dream is to find a way to use my degree in business to help children like me who don’t come from traditional families and being a support system for them the way my aunts have been for me. Thank you for the opportunity and considering me for this scholarship.

Have you ever heard the saying, “It takes a village to raise a child?”Sixteen years ago I was born into this world to two Latino/American teen parents. My Dad was fifteen and my mom was sixteen. My grandma and my aunts stepped in and raised me because my parents made horrible choices over the years and they weren’t ready to raise a child. As I got older I learned in my community this was not uncommon. It was tough to accept and sometimes difficult to understand this concept but with therapy, the love, support of my grandma and aunts I think I’m doing pretty good. Growing up in such a divided diverse family can feel overwhelming. At times I felt alone because I didn’t feel like I belonged anywhere. My Grandma was a daycare teacher and took me to daycare everyday and then my aunts would come to take care of me the rest of the time and buy all my school clothes and supplies. My Grandma became handicap and I started helping her in her classroom with younger students. I helped set up arts and crafts. I graded papers for my peers in the school age class and felt like I was helping. I believe this is where I fell in love with the idea of teaching. When I started first grade my aunts took over completely and I lived with them. Over the years my mom has came around but it has always had a negative impact on my life and bad things have happened. These experiences makes me want to become a child advocate of some sort for Latino children to make sure children are being taken care of and have a voice. My dad has also tried to be apart of my life over the years but he just is incapable of being a father and struggles with maintaining any normal lifestyle for himself. Though we don’t have much . My aunts signed me up for sports and activities through the city to keep me busy but it was the softball field that brought me peace. It’s where I learned how to be on time, not buckle under pressure and team work. I learned how to pitch and even volunteered to help my pitching coach teach younger kids last fall and just started working part-time as a youth coach for the YMCA in Anaheim,Ca. I love working with kids and seeing their face light up when they learn something new. I was even playing travel ball but my aunt got Cancer and couldn’t travel anymore. Shes not cancer free but finally doing a lot better and is back to work. My aunts and I live in a small upstairs apartment on the border of Buena Park and Fullerton, Ca. I’m a Junior student athlete at Buena Park High School. Growing up here was hard but I wouldn’t change it for anything. Since I was little my aunts taught me education ,perseverance , and hard work is the way to a better life. I plan on using any scholarship money I get to pay for college classes, books, and school supplies to support my dream of helping children like me who don’t come from traditional families and being a support system the way my Grandma and aunts have been for me. Thank you for the opportunity and considering me for this scholarship.

Have you ever heard the saying, “It takes a village to raise a child?”Sixteen years ago I was born into this world to two Latino/American teen parents. My Dad was fifteen and my mom was sixteen. My grandma and my aunts stepped in and raised me because my parents made horrible choices over the years and they weren’t ready to raise a child. As I got older I learned in my community this was not uncommon. It was tough to accept and sometimes difficult to understand this concept but with therapy, the love, support of my grandma and aunts I think I’m doing pretty good. Growing up in such a divided diverse family can feel overwhelming. At times I felt alone because I didn’t feel like I belonged anywhere. My Grandma was a daycare teacher and took me to daycare everyday and then my aunts would come to take care of me the rest of the time and buy all my school clothes and supplies. My Grandma became handicap and I started helping her in her classroom with younger students. I helped set up arts and crafts. I graded papers for my peers in the school age class and felt like I was helping. I believe this is where I fell in love with the idea of teaching. When I started first grade my aunts took over completely and I lived with them. Over the years my mom has came around but it has always had a negative impact on my life and bad things have happened. These experiences makes me want to become a child advocate of some sort for Latino children to make sure children are being taken care of and have a voice. My dad has also tried to be apart of my life over the years but he just is incapable of being a father and struggles with maintaining any normal lifestyle for himself. Though we don’t have much . My aunts signed me up for sports and activities through the city to keep me busy but it was the softball field that brought me peace. It’s where I learned how to be on time, not buckle under pressure and team work. I learned how to pitch and even volunteered to help my pitching coach teach younger kids last fall and just started working part-time as a youth coach for the YMCA in Anaheim,Ca. I love working with kids and seeing their face light up when they learn something new. I was even playing travel ball but my aunt got Cancer and couldn’t travel anymore. Shes not cancer free but finally doing a lot better and is back to work. My aunts and I live in a small upstairs apartment on the border of Buena Park and Fullerton, Ca. I’m a Junior student athlete at Buena Park High School. Growing up here was hard but I wouldn’t change it for anything. Since I was little my aunts taught me education ,perseverance , and hard work is the way to a better life. I plan on using any scholarship money I get to pay for college classes, books, and school supplies to support my dream of helping children like me who don’t come from traditional families and being a support system the way my Grandma and aunts have been for me. Thank you for the opportunity and considering me for this scholarship.

Have you ever heard the saying, “It takes a village to raise a child?”Sixteen years ago I was born into this world to two Latino/American teen parents. My Dad was fifteen and my mom was sixteen. My grandma and my aunts stepped in and raised me because my parents made horrible choices over the years and they weren’t ready to raise a child. As I got older I learned in my community this was not uncommon. It was tough to accept and sometimes difficult to understand this concept but with therapy, the love, support of my grandma and aunts I think I’m doing pretty good. Growing up in such a divided diverse family can feel overwhelming. At times I felt alone because I didn’t feel like I belonged anywhere. My Grandma was a daycare teacher and took me to daycare everyday and then my aunts would come to take care of me the rest of the time and buy all my school clothes and supplies. My Grandma became handicap and I started helping her in her classroom with younger students. I helped set up arts and crafts. I graded papers for my peers in the school age class and felt like I was helping. I believe this is where I fell in love with the idea of teaching. When I started first grade my aunts took over completely and I lived with them. Over the years my mom has came around but it has always had a negative impact on my life and bad things have happened. These experiences makes me want to become a child advocate of some sort for Latino children to make sure children are being taken care of and have a voice. My dad has also tried to be apart of my life over the years but he just is incapable of being a father and struggles with maintaining any normal lifestyle for himself. Though we don’t have much . My aunts signed me up for sports and activities through the city to keep me busy but it was the softball field that brought me peace. It’s where I learned how to be on time, not buckle under pressure and team work. I learned how to pitch and even volunteered to help my pitching coach teach younger kids last fall and just started working part-time as a youth coach for the YMCA in Anaheim,Ca. I love working with kids and seeing their face light up when they learn something new. I was even playing travel ball but my aunt got Cancer and couldn’t travel anymore. Shes not cancer free but finally doing a lot better and is back to work. My aunts and I live in a small upstairs apartment on the border of Buena Park and Fullerton, Ca. I’m a Junior student athlete at Buena Park High School. Growing up here was hard but I wouldn’t change it for anything. Since I was little my aunts taught me education ,perseverance , and hard work is the way to a better life. I plan on using any scholarship money I get to pay for college classes, books, and school supplies to support my dream of helping children like me who don’t come from traditional families and being a support system the way my Grandma and aunts have been for me. Thank you for the opportunity and considering me for this scholarship.

Sixteen years ago I was born into this world to two teen parents. My Dad was fifteen and my mom was sixteen. My grandma and my aunts stepped in and raised me because my parents made horrible choices over the years and they weren’t ready to raise a child. It was tough to accept and sometimes difficult to understand this concept but with therapy, the love, support of my grandma and aunts I think I’m doing pretty good. Growing up in such a divided diverse family can feel overwhelming. At times I felt alone because I didn’t feel like I belonged anywhere. My Grandma was a daycare teacher and took me to daycare everyday and then my aunts would come to take care of me the rest of the time and buy all my school clothes and supplies. My Grandma became handicap and I started helping her in her classroom with younger students. I helped set up arts and crafts. I graded papers for my peers in the school age class and felt like I was helping. I believe this is where I fell in love with the idea of teaching. When I started first grade my aunts took over completely and I lived with them. Over the years my mom has came around but it has always had a negative impact on my life and bad things have happened. These experiences makes me want to become a child advocate of some sort to make sure children are being taken care of and have a voice. My dad has also tried to be apart of my life over the years but he just is incapable of being a father and struggles with maintaining any normal lifestyle for himself. Though we don’t have much . My aunts signed me up for sports and activities through the city to keep me busy but it was the softball field that brought me peace. It’s where I learned how to be on time, not buckle under pressure and team work. I learned how to pitch and even volunteered to help my pitching coach teach younger kids last fall. I love working with kids and seeing their face light up when they learn something new. I was even playing travel ball but my aunt got Cancer and couldn’t travel anymore. Shes not cancer free but finally doing a lot better and is back to work. My aunts and I live in a small upstairs apartment on the border of Buena Park and Fullerton, Ca. I’m a Junior student athlete at Buena Park High School. Growing up here was hard but I wouldn’t change it for anything. Since I was little my aunts taught me education ,perseverance , and hard work is the way to a better life. I plan on using any scholarship money I get to pay for college classes, books, and school supplies to support my dream of helping children like me who don’t come from traditional families and being a support system the way my Grandma and aunts have been for me. Thank you for the opportunity and considering me for this scholarship.