When I was younger, I loved watching Scooby Doo. Each mystery was exhilarating for my young mind, and I liked talking animals, so I watched every episode multiple times. Today I still like mysteries as I get to engage in problem-solving, and math is just problem-solving. I have always had a knack for math as my Grandpa frequently tells me about how he would go through math problems with me on the way home from preschool. He still brags about how I could do double-digit arithmetic from a young age. I was good at math, but I had a disdain for it in elementary school as those around me seemed to dislike it, and I wanted to fit in, so I played along. It was not a complete lie, as I did not like memorizing my times' tables and taking multiplication tests where I was rushed to write my times' tables as fast as possible. In middle school, I moved schools, and since I did not know anyone, I had nothing to prove and time to fill, so I started to focus on doing well in math since it was my class with the lowest grade. By the end of the 6th grade, I began to genuinely enjoy math because I realized that math was like a puzzle; and math became my favorite subject. Once I got to algebra, I started to enjoy math as it became more than how many watermelons will Jimmy have next Wednesday during the full moon. I got to actually solve problems, and to me, it was a game where I had to find which tool would get me what I wanted. My most recent math class was calculus, which has been challenging but enjoyable as I have become excellent at recognizing the patterns within calculus and math in general. I even got an award for excellence in calculus which was a pleasant ending to my high school math career. Math is everywhere. It is cliche but true. Math has been helpful for daily tasks like quick conversions while cooking, calculating the price of an item, and finding the best deal. The problem-solving skills I have developed from learning math have been the most rewarding. Although I do not use the Pythagorean theorem every day, I do have to try to find solutions and patterns that help me solve problems faster. I want to have a career in cybersecurity which requires that I find vulnerabilities and use the same problem-solving skills I use in math. Math has also helped me become more comfortable with aggravation and failure. I can spend hours trying to solve some math problems, and I might not get the answer. Being okay with not getting instant gratification is helpful when staying motivated while working on an issue that takes an extended amount of time before getting any reward. Also, I have failed math tests, but each time I have learned from my mistakes so that I could do well on the next test. This growth mindset is applicable when trying to achieve any goal. For instance, I am trying to become a better runner. Although I do not see a drastic improvement each week, and some runs feel more manageable than others, I keep going because I know I frequently struggle before succeeding. Every day people solve problems, and math can set the foundation for developing a person’s problem-solving skills and improve a person’s perseverance when facing a daunting task.

Education is an integral part of how I plan to succeed in my future career. Gaining more knowledge and pushing the limits of what is possible is how society has survived and thrived. Therefore college is how I want to start my journey of acquiring knowledge to help people and improve society. I want to get a degree in computer science so that I can work in cybersecurity. I chose to major in computer science as one of the best ways to find flaws in a system is to understand how technology works, so if I can build software, then I can break it too. I want to work in cybersecurity because it would allow me to use my problem-solving skills while helping others. Cyberattacks are becoming more prevalent as it is easier to buy exploits, and there is a rush to create new technology that is not always secure. The number of malicious cyber adversaries may be growing, but so is the number of defenders. I plan to help keep the world functioning by finding vulnerabilities and designing secure systems. People should not have to worry about someone hacking them through their appliances or someone hacking hospital equipment during surgery. I want to revolutionize the world by ensuring that the technologies that currently help us and the extraordinary ones that are yet to come do not cause harm to businesses or individuals because of a cyberattack. Cyberattacks can be costly financially and physically. Recovering from a hack can cost millions of dollars. Therefore all companies, but especially smaller ones could be devastated. Smaller businesses have fewer resources to recover from a cyberattack; for these businesses, a breach in security could take months to recover from, which could lead to people losing their jobs or the company going under. Helping small businesses prevent and better recover from cyberattacks is important to me since it can help the community as the owners can have financial stability and stay open so that there can be more jobs. Additionally, malicious hacks can cause trouble in the physical world because people can lose access to vital technology, or a malfunction can cause severe damage. For instance, a cyberattack on a food processing plant can prevent people from receiving food and shut down a company. A ransomware attack in September of 2021 on JBS USA, a food processing company, caused the business to shut down for a week and pay a ransom of $11 million. Through my future career in cybersecurity, I want to stop these attacks and help companies quickly recover from cyberattacks so society can continue to function properly. We should not have to give up technology that makes our lives easier. I am going to be one of the defenders that revolutionize cyberspace by continuing my education in college and being a lifelong learner to do the best I can to succeed in protecting cyberspace.

Education is an integral part of how I plan to succeed in my future career. Gaining more knowledge and pushing the limits of what is possible is how society has survived and thrived. Therefore college is how I want to start my journey of acquiring knowledge to help people and improve society. I want to get a degree in computer science so that I can work in cybersecurity. I chose to major in computer science as one of the best ways to find flaws in a system is to understand how technology works, so if I can build software, then I can break it too. I want to work in cybersecurity because it would allow me to use my problem-solving skills while helping others. Cyberattacks are becoming more prevalent as it is easier to buy exploits, and there is a rush to create new technology that is not always secure. I plan to help keep the world functioning by finding vulnerabilities and designing secure systems. I want to revolutionize the world by ensuring that the technologies that currently help us and the extraordinary ones that are yet to come do not cause harm to businesses or individuals because of a cyberattack. Cyberattacks can be costly financially and physically. Recovering from a hack can cost millions of dollars which could be devastating for a company. Smaller businesses have fewer resources to recover from a cyberattack; for these businesses, a breach in security could take months to recover from, which could lead to people losing their jobs or the company going under. Helping small businesses prevent and better recover from cyberattacks is important to me since it can help the community as the owners can have financial stability and stay open so that there can be more jobs. Also, malicious hacks can cause trouble in the physical world because people can lose access to vital technology, or a malfunction can cause severe damage. A ransomware attack in September of 2021 on JBS USA, a food processing company, caused the company to shut down for a week and pay a ransom of $11 million. Through my future career in cybersecurity, I want to stop these attacks and help companies quickly recover from cyberattacks so society can continue to function properly. While on my journey to have a career in cybersecurity, I know that I will face various obstacles like a lack of support. I was the only girl in my computer science class last year, which was isolating. I constantly feel like I have to prove that I have earned my spot, and I strive for perfection, as one mistake would be enough evidence for some misogynists that women do not belong in tech. I understand that it is impossible to be perfect. Still, I do not want to mess up my opportunity to thrive in technology that has been given to me by the women before me that worked tirelessly for women like me to enter the STEM field. I hope that one day I can return the favor and help more women succeed in technology. Additionally, since technology is constantly changing, I will have to stay updated on new vulnerabilities and tools that help mitigate cyber attacks. I am up for the challenge, though, as I enjoy learning and improving my skills. We should not have to give up technology that makes our lives easier. I am going to be one of the defenders that revolutionize cyberspace by continuing my education in college and being a lifelong learner to do the best I can to succeed in protecting cyberspace.

I am the oldest sibling, and as such, I have taken on many responsibilities from a young age. I am always trying to take care of those around me, whether it be trying to prevent my siblings from killing each other or listening to my friends vent for hours on end. Even though I can be shy and try to avoid conflicts, I will stand up for others and speak my mind when necessary. Being protective of others is one of the many qualities I have picked up from my mom. My mom is the most driven person I know and will not take no for an answer which has been inspiring and intimidating. My mom is never afraid to speak up and ask questions, no matter how embarrassing it might be to her or her kids. Although my mom is great at talking to people, she is not so great at using technology. After my parents got divorced, I became tech support for my mom because I had taken one computer class which apparently made me qualified. I would research to fix our printer, a family computer, set up the TV, set up a wifi extender, and anything else that involved technology. By being tech support, I learned how to solve problems and teach myself about things I was unfamiliar with. I am by no means a hardware expert, but I can google to figure out enough to fix some issues. I also learned that I do not want a job fixing technological equipment, but I was still fascinated by technology as I enjoyed understanding how things worked. I came across a website that was filled with cybersecurity-related challenges. Although my mom did not understand what I was doing, she fully supported me in being a hacker and made me feel confident that I could succeed. My mom’s encouragement has been fundamental to my success because I often feel alienated in my computer science classes at school since I am either one of a few girls or the only girl in the class. I am often afraid of celebrating my accomplishments for fear of coming off as egotistical. However, my mom always wanted to celebrate me and pushed me to be ambitious. My mom was also the one to show me that it is okay not to have everything figured out. Once COVID hit, my mom lost her job and had to return to teaching, which she did before she had me. Although she enjoys being a teacher is a demanding job, especially right now, and has a lower pay, so she again has to decide if she needs to make a change. When I was younger, I saw my mom as an invincible hero, and I would still say she is a hero for persevering through raising three kids; I now see her as a person with strengths and weaknesses. Seeing my mom struggle has shown me that it is okay to be lost and confused, which has boosted my confidence in entering the male-dominated field of cybersecurity. Thanks to my mom, I feel confident enough to face the challenges that come my way. I work diligently to succeed to honor my mom and hopefully give back to her someday and for myself since I am more than capable of excelling in cybersecurity.

I love puzzles. Usual 1000-piece puzzles, a Rubik's cube, escape rooms, and even math I see as a puzzle. Similarly, cybersecurity involves problem-solving, whether it be analyzing a program attacked by a malicious actor or trying to develop an attack vector. During the fall of my sophomore year of high school, my computer science teacher told me about a program called Girls Go Cyberstart. I thought the program sounded foolish as it was marketed for middle schoolers up to high schoolers, but a group of my friends wanted to do it, and they needed more members on the team, so I agreed to test it out. After completing a few challenges, I was hooked and spent hours after school playing around. Eventually, I came across challenges that left me stumped, but the site did not have many educational materials, so I turned to Google. I went from not knowing that cybersecurity was a field I could to study to being overwhelmed with the amount of information on the internet relating to hacking. I watched videos about topics like binary exploitation and web hacking that might as well have been in a different language as I barely understood what was happening, let alone that applications could be vulnerable to such attacks. In my senior year, I decided to join the new version of Girls Go Cyberstart: Cyberstart America. This program does not have a competition at the end. Instead, individuals try to complete as many challenges as possible. I started Cyberstart America to score 100,000 points, which proved difficult as many challenges involved forensics, and I was unfamiliar with tools like volatility and autopsy. Nevertheless, I exceeded my goal by earning over 130,000 points and being deemed a National Cyber Foundations Scholar. Surpassing the goal I set for myself showed me that I can succeed in the field of cybersecurity. I have a passion for learning and problem solving, and cybersecurity allows me to engage in both of these. I always knew I wanted a job to help people. Cybersecurity is how I want to protect people from harm to their digital and possibly physical lives, as technology is involved in most aspects of our daily lives. Without secure technology, our society cannot properly function. Everything from medical devices to food delivery needs to be secure. I know that one day I can use cybersecurity to ensure people can continue to benefit from technology. Once I have set a goal for myself, I work tirelessly to achieve it. Even though I have moments of doubt and may fail a few times before I succeed, I still keep going. In high school, I decided to join the golf team with no experience with the sport. I was the worst player on the team, and I would go to practice each day and could have kicked the ball further than I could hit it. Nevertheless, I continued because I had made up my mind that I would be a better golf player, and in my senior year, I won third place in a tournament. I am confident that one day I will work in the cybersecurity field and help others because of my perseverance and hard work. I still have so much to learn about cybersecurity and will likely be learning more about the field for the rest of my career. I am excited about the challenge and determined the solve the puzzles that will come my way.

Hedy Lamarr was known for her films and beautiful body. Everyone saw the scandalous movies and categorized her as a woman who should just sit still and look pretty, but Lamarr did nothing but that. Hedy Lamarr was an intelligent inventor and the “Mother of Wifi,” but misogyny kept her from being recognized for her brilliant work. Hedy Lamarr and George Antheil worked to create a device that could change frequencies so the Nazis could not decode messages. Lamarr and Antheil invented the form of communication called “frequency hopping,” which was also meant to help guide torpedoes and prevent them from being detected. After getting a patent, the pair brought the idea to the Navy, and the Navy rejected the idea. Later in Cuba, the invention was put into practice years after the patent had expired. Lamarr and Antheil received some recognition, but they received no money. The Secret Communication System created by Lamarr is used today for military security to prevent jamming of their frequencies by enemies. The idea of frequency hopping is also employed in everyday modern life to reduce cellular interference. The invention is a basis for creating WiFi, GPS systems, and Bluetooth. Hedy Lamarr inspires me because she shattered the notions about what a person in STEM looks like. Hedy Lamarr is one of many women barely recognized for their contributions to society. I want to share their stories so that other girls know they can succeed in whatever area they desire. Lamarr proved that women should not change themselves to thrive in STEM. Furthermore, Lamarr motivates me to continue pursuing my degree in computer science even though it can be challenging and lonely as Lamarr paved the way for women like me to help improve technology and make STEM fields more inclusive.

If someone was to have asked me a year ago or even three months ago how to solve the integral of e to the x, I would have blankly stared at them (now I know it's just e to the x). Education is the reason I can solve calculus, but it has also formed me into the person I am today and will continue to impact the person I will become in the future. Therefore education is vital in creating my future. I plan to get a degree in computer science focusing on cyber operations. This degree is a step towards my goal of protecting people online and in the physical world as the virtual world is becoming more connected to our physical reality. I want to have a job in cybersecurity to ensure people can navigate safely online and avoid scams that impact their physical world. From the government to large corporations to small businesses, I can help protect people from the growing threat of cyber-attacks while doing something I enjoy. Every day, new exploits appear, so I have to constantly learn about new technology and vulnerabilities to keep technology secure. I want to work in cybersecurity because it allows me to use and improve my problem-solving skills. I have always been intrigued by puzzles, and hacking enables me to take my puzzle-solving abilities to a new level. To be able to solve these “puzzles,” I have to practice and learn about how a system works. I was not always confident about pursuing a computer science degree. In STEM fields, I have found that people try to gatekeep information and make topics out to be more complicated than they actually are. There are loads of technical jargon that are used to scare people off. When I tell people that I take computer science classes, the response is often something about how they could never code because of the widespread belief that technology is near impossible to work with unless you are a genius. I understand why people react that way, as even now, I struggle with imposter syndrome and fear that I do not belong in my computer science classes. Despite worrying that I am not capable, I continue my education because I enjoy learning and want to improve my skills. Additionally, I have been motivated to continue learning by seeing how I can succeed when I apply what I have learned. I participated in CyberStart America, a competition where students solve cybersecurity problems. I did it my sophomore year and got around 20,000 points. I enjoyed the challenges and being a competitive person, I wanted to beat my score from my previous year, so I learned about cybersecurity on my own as my high school does not have cybersecurity classes. This year I have over 100,000 points and was delegated a National Cyber Scholarship Scholar. I improved because I learned so much more about the problem-solving process and various attack vectors. Education is the foundation that will support me as I take on the next steps in my journey. The more knowledge I have, the better quality decisions I can make and the more I can help protect cyberspace. Through education, I can succeed at getting a job and inspire and help others achieve their goals.

When I was younger, I loved watching Scooby Doo. Each mystery was exhilarating for my young mind, and I liked talking animals, so I watched every episode multiple times. Today I still like mysteries since I get to engage in problem-solving, which is what math is problem-solving. I have always had a knack for math as my Grandpa frequently tells me about how he would go through math problems with me on the way home from preschool. He still brags about how I could do double-digit arithmetic from a young age. I was good at math, but I had a disdain for it in elementary school as those around me seemed to dislike it, and I wanted to fit in, so I played along. It was not a complete lie, as I did not like memorizing my times tables and taking multiplication tests where I was rushed to write my times tables as fast as possible. In middle school, I moved schools, and since I did not know anyone, I had nothing to prove and time to fill, so I started to focus on doing well in math since it was my class with the lowest grade. By the end of the 6th grade, I began to genuinely enjoy math because I realized that math was like a puzzle; it became my favorite subject. Once I got to algebra, I started to enjoy math as it became more than how many watermelons will Jimmy have next Wednesday during the full moon. I got to actually solve problems, and to me, it was a game where I had to find which tool would get me what I wanted. Now I am in calculus, which has been challenging but enjoyable as I have become excellent at recognizing the patterns within calculus and math in general. I even got an award for excellence in calculus which was a pleasant ending to my high school math career. Math is everywhere. It is cliche but true. Math has been helpful for daily tasks like quick conversions while cooking, calculating the price of an item, and finding the best deal. The problem-solving skills I have developed from learning math have been the most rewarding. Although I do not use the Pythagorean theorem every day, I do have to try to find solutions and patterns that help me solve problems faster. I want to have a career in cybersecurity which requires that I find vulnerabilities and use the same problem-solving skills I use in math. Math has also helped me become more comfortable with aggravation and failure. I can spend hours trying to solve some math problems, and I might not get the answer. Being okay with not getting instant gratification is helpful when staying motivated while working on an issue that takes an extended amount of time before getting any reward. Also, I have failed math tests, but each time I have learned from my mistakes so that I could do well on the next test. This growth mindset is applicable when trying to achieve any goal. For instance, I am trying to become a better runner. Although I do not see a drastic improvement each week, and some runs feel more manageable than others, I keep going because I know frequently I struggle before succeeding. Every day people solve problems, and math can set the foundation for developing a person’s problem-solving skills and improve a person’s perseverance when facing a daunting task.

Calculus was my first advanced math class and has been integral in helping me solve problems. Calculus is more than memorizing an equation; instead, it requires an understanding of how things interact and why you are able to solve a problem. Additionally, calculus help students recognize patterns that make solving a problem much easier and quicker. Although I likely will not be drawing slope fields in my career, I will have to develop solutions to complex issues, and calculus has helped me understand how to tackle daunting tasks. Each math class I have taken has built upon the previous one and calculus is no different. Calculus was a cumulative test of all of the math classes I had taken in high school and an entrance into the types of math and science classes that lie ahead in future STEM classes. Calculus demonstrates to students the importance of actually learning the material and not just memorizing it since it can involve math all the way back from algebra 1. Being able to recall past concepts and combine past knowledge with new ideas that one is learning is a big part of calculus and working in STEM. The main idea of calculus is finding how things change over time which is fundamental for work in the STEM field. In my calculus class, the main relationship we looked at was how the derivative of position is velocity and the derivative of velocity is acceleration, and going the other way the integral of acceleration is velocity and the integral of velocity is position. This relationship is helpful for physics but the general concept of understanding how things work together is useful for creating solutions in various areas of STEM like for designing a building or a program. Calculus can open students' eyes to what kind of math is out there as it shows them that math is much more than finding x. Rather math is the foundation for solving a variety of problems and understanding how everything works together. Although people may not use everything they use in calculus in a career in the STEM field they will use problem-solving skills in the future. It can take a lot of time and agony to understand and solve a calculus problem and being able to continue to try to solve a problem while stressed and confused is an important ability in STEM. Eventually, in the STEM field, people will become frustrated but they must be able to power through and keep working. Additionally, once a person gets through calculus they feel much more confident that they can continue in the STEM field. During calculus, many students doubt that they are capable to continue but once they do they can use the experience as a reminder of their capabilities when they have doubts in the future. The hard work and perseverance required to get through calculus can better students’ work ethic and study habits as they enter the STEM field. Furthermore, calculus is helpful in understanding how different aspects of a problem work together and improving problem-solving skills which are vital when going into the STEM field. Calculus shows students that sometimes problems are extremely difficult and time-consuming and other times to solve a problem one just needs to step back and see that the problem is not as daunting as it may have previously seemed. After all, the derivative of e^x is e^x.

At the start of the pandemic, my mom lost her job and returned to teaching, so in the fall of my junior year, she got home later and struggled to make dinner so I would help her cook meals. At first, I just followed her instructions, but with the help of Google, I soon became the head chef. The internet allowed me to make food from cuisines worldwide and experience cultures that I was unfamiliar with. For instance, I have grown to appreciate the variety of Indian dishes like pav bhaji and dal tadka and the care that goes into tempering the spices and starting to cook early to allow for curries to simmer slowly. I have had my patience tested by making things like kimchi which is Korean fermented cabbage that takes hours to prep and days to ferment. The time spent crafting the dish was worth it as I put kimchi on top of most of my meals. I love learning about new spices and how they balance and complement one another, as each ingredient plays a significant role in creating a masterpiece. I do not understand the art of drawing or music, but I do appreciate the art of cooking. Although my meals rarely look like the picture I saw online, they satisfy my family and me. Whether the dish was phenomenal or close to inedible, the experience was memorable and gave me more knowledge about creating a more delicious balanced plate. Each night I look forward to making dinner whether I am making a recipe I have made dozens of times or trying a new dish cooking allows me to relax and serve the people I love.

My career goal is to be successful in cybersecurity so that I can protect others and support myself. Every day there are more cyberattacks. Since our virtual world is increasingly connected to our physical world, people risk having their personal information exposed and their physical safety endangered. I want to prevent cyberattacks in the first place and fix systems when they break down. I enjoy solving problems and hacking my way into systems, and I aspire to improve my skills to help people that may be unaware that they are vulnerable or do not know how to guard themselves. Additionally, I want to not worry about my own financial needs. Although money is not the primary motivation for me to enter cybersecurity, I enjoy the paycheck that can come with the job if I am successful. Money does not buy happiness, but it can prevent extra stress as I can do things like spending a few extra dollars on boba tea or a new shirt and not have to worry about paying bills. Also, with a well-paying job, I can support my family and those that can not help themselves. As a queer woman interested in computers, I understand some of the barriers for non-men and minorities who want to get into the STEM field. One of the ways I can help more people enter STEM is by creating programs and donating materials to people who do not have access to the same resources I have struggled to find. Overall my goal in my career is to discover vulnerabilities before too much damage can be done and make space for those interested in cybersecurity but have not been allowed to show their skills. Through my career, I will help other people and live the lifestyle I desire.

Last year, I joined the club Paso a Paso, which tutors middle school students who do not speak English as a first language and are struggling in school. The organization provides academic assistance and social connections with events like holiday parties with snacks and gifts. Last year we tutored online and posted online resources, and this year we returned to in-person tutoring. The club was thriving before COVID, but it has been challenging to get students to return this year. More barriers prevent students from attending tutoring as the district no longer provides buses to take the kids home after school. However, club members, staff, and I believe in Paso’s mission to teach students learning methods that best suit themselves and motivate them to strive for success academically and in life. I may not have been able to tutor many students. Still, I have helped the club become more organized by having regular tutoring dates at the middle school and reliable ways to contact other members that will help the club excel. I am grateful to be the president of the club my senior year because I have improved my communication skills by working with staff to organize events for the club and from the students I got to tutor. I have seen the club grow in a short amount of time as last year there were four tutors, and now we have 20. I have been leading it, so I am excited for it to grow the rest of this year and after I am gone. I want the club to help as many students as possible to overcome the language barrier and feel confident in themselves that they can achieve their goals in years to come.

In our current society there is an enormous gap between the “haves” and the “have-nots” and with the growth of technology people must have skills to be employed and have a chance of receiving a livable wage. I believe that education inequity is something we should all stand for because education can provide people with the knowledge to get into the field they desire and enhance how everyone lives. Education allows people to learn information and skills that assist them in receiving a well-paying job. Currently it is difficult for many people to receive education because they get trapped in a cycle of poverty while those with an excess of resources can attend elite schools and jobs. Education can help those with less resources be employed or make a business of their own. Also, as technology such as artificial intelligence and robots become more advanced the machines will replace some of the jobs of people that lack an education as it may save money for business owners. Therefore education is a necessity for people to be able to find a fulfilling career. As more people can achieve the job they desire then society will benefit from the innovation from the diversity of minds. Society also improves because with a proper education people can analyze the information they receive online and better determine if it is accurate and thus make educated decisions. Furthermore, education inequity is something we should all fight to overcome to provide everyone with a better life.