As a Mexican-American citizen of the United States, I have learned important virtues and traits that have shaped my values and character. I have learned everything I know because of my Mexican parents. I have tremendous love for Mexican culture, because it has taught me to work hard, prioritize family, and to believe in myself to fulfill my dreams. I am deeply grateful for my culture, because it is based on family, respect towards one another, and love. My father taught me to respect my mother to the highest degree, and my mother taught me to value my education and make the most of it. I have done my best to fulfill and exceed my parent's expectations, by earning high grades, earning the respect of others, and by honoring my family. There are certain standards that I hold true to, which have helped me to never settle for less, and to always strive for more. I want to study business and finance in college so that in the future, I can start a business of my own and provide for my own family. My parents have both made tremendous sacrifices in order to provide for our family, which is something that I want to give back to them by earning an education and creating opportunities for myself to become financially stable. Even though my parents didn't always have enough money to provide for my family, I never felt poor because my parents kept our family happy. This scholarship would help to cover fees and expenses for college that would otherwise weigh heavy on my family. I want to win this scholarship for myself, but also for my family, because they have given everything for me, and this scholarship would be a way to give back by covering my own expenses. As a Mexican-American, great things are expected of me, but I am not alone in my challenges. I love my family, culture, and life because although it hasn't always been easy, we never give up. Resilience is the key to progress, so even if things don't always go as planned, or hardships arise, I will press on without stopping, until my dreams become a reality.

There are several key factors in modern society that need to constantly be operational for daily life to proceed normally. One of these key factors are the trades that are used by citizens, businesses, and nations alike without a second thought. Trades really only get noticed when something goes out or when a piece of equipment isn’t functioning properly. Having worked with trades for over five years now, I have seen the importance of trades firsthand, and I am a better person for it. When I started working, I had no idea how difficult working in a trade would be. I entered HVAC as an apprentice, trying to learn as much I could as well as trying to make meaningful contributions on the job site. It didn’t take very long for me to realize just how physical working with HVAC would be. While there is very much a physical side to HVAC, I also realized that there is another side to HVAC that is full of precision, elegance, and craftsmanship that often goes unnoticed. The importance of clean work in HVAC cannot be overstated, because the difference between clean and unprofessional work can literally be years of functional operation in a home or business. HVAC has taught me to do things right the first time, instead of doing them several times due to laziness, incompetence, or other reasons. A customer isn’t paying for lackluster service when they contact an HVAC company, and there is no reason that they should get anything other than exceptional service when they do call. I have learned to value each and every customer that I work for as a friend, which has helped me sympathize and understand with more people. Additionally, working in HVAC has helped me develop people skills that I will use for the rest of my life. HVAC is all about making a customer feel satisfied and important, because if a customer is not satisfied with the service that they receive from a technician, then they won’t call that technician when they need their help. More importantly, if a customer does not feel comfortable around or with an HVAC technician, then the customer will likely feel like just another job or call of the day. In my experience with HVAC, making connections with a customer and earning their trust is just if not more important as helping them with their HVAC needs. I have learned how to talk, explain, and connect with customers as I work, which has helped me outside of my job too. I feel comfortable talking to new people, making new friends, and learning from others as I continue to grow and try to improve myself every day. Finally, working in HVAC has helped me to see just how essential trades really are in the everyday life of virtually everyone around me. In my daily life, I use the work of electricians, plumbers, HVAC technicians, construction contractors, and many other trades without giving it a second thought. The craft of those who work in trades keep the world going and allow other everyday heroes like firefighters, office workers, teachers, scientists, cashiers, and stay-at-home mothers and father to do their jobs to the best of their abilities, without having to worry about anything else. Working in a trade has helped me see that everyone has a job to do, but how those jobs are done is equally as important. Working in a trade is one of the best decisions that I have made in my life so far, and I hope to continue working in HVAC for many more years to come. I have learned about the importance of quality work, making meaningful connections with the people I work with and for, and recognizing the work of everyone around me. Trades are truly essential to modern society, because without them, almost nothing would be like it is today.