I grew up with my aunt because the court determined my parents were unfit. She provided for me my entire life and raised me like I was her own. When I was a freshman in 2023 my aunt Angie got diagnosed with metastatic thyroid cancer that spread from her neck all the way down along her aorta. It was very sudden, she had no problems, no indication of cancer, everything seemed normal up until one day she needed a physical done for work. We were all caught off guard, not knowing what to do, what to expect, or even how to feel. My aunt is the one who takes care of everyone around her. Personally I didn’t know how to feel, and for a very long time I was in denial. I did not want to believe that the main person in my life could possibly be taken from me just like that. Most times I kept how I felt to myself because I could only imagine how hard it was for my aunt and I didn’t want her to worry about me. As time went on, and it got closer to her procedure, things got harder. Everything was becoming REAL, and I couldn’t keep brushing the feelings off. She was so strong through it all, most of the time it seemed as if it didn’t even phase her. It didn’t matter what they told her, or what she had to go through, she never let that stop her. She stayed strong and pushed through it all. We took things day by day, and one thing at a time. I also felt bad because I have a weak stomach so going and seeing her in the hospital after surgery was not gonna be an option for me. I did what I could which was going with her the day of her procedure and seeing her before they took her back. That was really hard for me given the fact that I didn’t know if that was gonna be the last time I would see her again. There was so much going through my head, I didn’t know what to do or what to feel. I was angry, upset, sad, confused, and most of all I was scared. I don’t know what I would do without her. The day had finally come, we woke up early, got ready, drove to the hospital, waited, and said goodbye as they took her back for the surgery. I couldn’t stay at the hospital and wait there to hear the good or bad news. When she got out of surgery they said that everything went well. The process after was also scary. She had to do radiation, that is where she didn’t think that she was going to make it. It was hard but she got through it and was finally able to come home. Seeing her in so much pain, and struggling with everything was very different and hard to watch because she is such an independent person. Her scar was up both sides of her neck and continued down above her stomach. Therefore, her recovery process was long and hard. Seeing how she struggled to pay bills while being sick made me want to become financially independent. I got a job coaching at the YMCA, got my license, and bought my own car. Now I’m applying to a four year college to make sure I get my degree so that I can help her with anything she needs. My aunt is not in remission yet so I’m trying to help anyway I can.

My name is Justine Lucero, I’m seventeen, a senior in high school and for the past year I’ve coached T-Ball at the YMCA. I’ve played softball since I was nine and wanted to pass on my knowledge to younger athletes. Unfortunately in organized sports there’s a lot of bullying. This can be surprising to people because the athletes are supposed to be a team. I’ve learned first hand that bullying can be unexpected, and unprovoked. Bullying in person can also overflow to cyber bullying for older kids. It can go unnoticed by adults and can affect an athlete’s confidence on the field. Luckily I’ve learned from my aunts that when a bully continues to attack to the point where it affects you negatively it’s time to say something to someone and bring it to light. This is the advice I give to my team of young athletes that I work with. If I notice any one on the team bullying another player I tell the child bullying, it will not be tolerated on or off the field. If it continues I will let the parents know to address it and make sure it stops. My aunts are the ones who taught me to stick up for others and myself. They taught me if I’m getting bullied I need to say something so that it doesn’t continue or become a serious problem. I was lucky to be raised by my aunts because my parents had me as young teenagers and were incapable of providing for me. I started working at sixteen and saving money for college because I know I won’t have any help from my parents and want to help my aunts as much as I can. I started applying for scholarships to cover tuition, books and supplies to make sure I have enough to continue my education. My goal is to become a teacher so I can continue working with the youth and teaching them the importance of bullying and cyber bullying. I feel like over the next ten years as technology develops and new applications, social media or games are created, kids will be at an even greater risk to bullying. As a new generation teacher I plan on creating a program on the importance of peer acceptance and how to deal with bullying and cyber bullying. I think meetings with parents showing them real examples of bullying and how it affects those who are bullied might help the to understand how serious it can get and to check their kids games and social media to make sure they are not being bullied or bullying others. I feel deeply for the families and youth affected by cyber bullying. I know I can make a difference in my community by bringing awareness and educating teens and their parents about cyber bullying, self harm, and internet challenges so no family in my community has to mourn their child. Thank you for sharing what your foundation does for people and the opportunity to apply for this scholarship.

Communication, compassion, and integrity. These are the three strengths that come to mind when I think of becoming a family and child advocate lawyer. My name is Justine Lucero and I’m a senior at Buena Park High School. I was born in 2008 to two teenage parents. My mom was 16 and my father was 15. Unfortunately they were too young to take care of me so my aunts raised me. My mom and dad visited me from time to time but when I was six my mother decided out of the blue to take me from my aunts because they never had legal guardianship of me or no parental rights. It was a very traumatic experience for me. I went from having my own room and stability to sleeping in my grandmothers living room with her and was dropped off at different peoples homes so they can watch me while she did what she needed to do. I went through a lot of things while I was there. Thankfully my aunts immediately went to court and filed all the documents needed. My mom was so upset she made up terrible things about my aunts hoping the judge and lawyers would side with her. What she didn’t know is that the court appointed an investigator who talked with me directly to get my side of the story. I loved my mom and didn’t want to hurt her but I knew I had to tell the truth. I told the investigator everything I went through while I was in my mom’s care and that my aunts loved me and took care of me my whole life. Just from what I said in the my interview they granted my aunts emergency guardianship. I’ve been home with them ever since. My life would be extremely different if somebody didn’t ask me my opinion or about what I had experienced. I probably wouldn’t even be applying for scholarships right now if I had to stay with my mom. That’s why I want to give back and make a difference in my community. I want to give children a voice and make sure they’re heard. I come from a neighborhood where most families are non traditional. My friends have been raised by one parent, grandparents, aunts, and even come from foster homes. My experiences will allow me to empathize with families and I’ll be able to communicate with compassion. I’m doing my best to get good grades so I can get into a good school. I’ve played travel ball and been on the varsity softball team at school every year which has taught me how to be a leader and how to be punctual. Once I was old enough I immediately applied for my work permit and got a job coaching at the Anaheim YMCA. I coach T-Ball, basketball and soccer for ages 3-8 years old. I also got my license at 16 so that I could drive myself to work and school. I’ve saved everything I’ve earned and I know my aunts will try to help but I want to be financially independent as much as I can. My current goal is to finish high school, work and save as much as I can, apply for scholarships, and start applying to schools in the fall. I thank you for the opportunity to apply for this scholarship and look forward to making a positive impact on my community by becoming a family lawyer and child advocate.

Have you ever heard the saying,”It takes a village to raise a kid.” My name is Justine Lucero and I was born to two teenagers. My mom was sixteen and my dad was fifteen when they got pregnant with me. My parents weren’t mature enough to raise a child and made poor decisions so my aunts and Grandma stepped in to raise me. My Grandma was a daycare teacher so I slept at her house and she took me to school with her every morning while my aunts went to work. This is where I think I fell in love with teaching. Going to the daycare every morning was the best. I loved all the teachers there and they loved me. My Grandmother would be the first teacher on campus and we would open the school together. I helped her set the classroom up for the day and decorated for upcoming holidays. Once I got to school age I would help grade papers and even help during tours for new students and their parents. At times I would get sad because my parents weren’t around but between the love from my Grandma, aunts and being apart of something bigger than myself at the school it all helped me feel loved. Over the years I developed friendships with some really amazing teachers who cheered me on and listened to me when I needed someone to talk to. At times I struggled in school because my parents came in and out of my life and my experiences while visiting was not always the best. All I had to do was talk to my teacher about what was happening and they took extra time out of their day to make sure I understood the assignments. This is why I’m going to be a teacher. I want to make a difference and give back to my community, my village and make a positive impact on future generations. More importantly I’ve understood from a young age that every child has a story and wants to be seen. Sometimes they are dealing with so much at home that school is their only escape. Being an educator is the most rewarding career in the world because you become apart of something bigger than yourself and have the chance to make a difference in people’s lives. I appreciate the opportunity to apply for this scholarship and thank you for considering me. I want to thank all my teachers and coaches over the years who supported me especially my Grandma, Ms. Marian.

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.