Pursuing an education in STEM has been a long journey, years in the making. As the oldest daughter of five children, caretaking has been a natural skill of mine since I can remember. Naturally, I used these skills in my years after high school to begin working in childcare/early education. I had the opportunity to work as a homeschool teacher and nanny for an incredible three-year-old belonging to a couple of engineers, these parents placed a major emphasis on math and science and encouraged their daughter to achieve in these fields from a young age. This was world-changing to see from afar. It is widely known that there is a significant contrast in the number of women in STEM fields compared to men, and studies have shown that nearly half of girls will lose interest in STEM by the 8th grade. While these are facts I was aware of before this experience, being in the home of a family that so strongly encouraged science and math highlighted exactly how this can happen. I firmly believe that however unintentional it may be, our society has a way of conditioning us to believe certain people belong in certain roles. It wasn't until I had the opportunity to teach a 4-year-old class at a STEAM-based prep school that I fell in love with STEM. Conducting experiments, creating 3-D models, and observing nature around us reignited a passion to explore that's in all of us, and the most difficult part was building up the confidence to get started. Both of my parents went back to school at some point in my life, with neither one finishing. I had little to no help getting started and little confidence this was something I was capable of. From the early steps like looking for colleges, applying and filling out FAFSA, to time management and note taking- this entire journey has been a major learning curve but I feel like I am paving the way for my younger siblings, allowing them to have high expectations of themselves that I didn't have at their age. There is a certain connotation behind STEM that can make it seem like an academically elite field, in reality, it requires more effort and determination than it does photographic brain power. I believe the biggest challenge of pursuing a STEM degree as a woman, especially a first-generation student is combatting imposter syndrome and maintaining the confidence to feel like you belong in this field. Upon graduating with my BS in Environmental Science, I plan to continue to work in Florida making efforts to mitigate the effects climate change has on low-income communities. I believe low-income communities are being most dramatically affected by climate change and its complications. I believe as climate change evolves, we will need to better prepare our community's infrastructure to prepare for the increase and intensification of natural disasters. Often time lower income communities are last to know about a poisoned food or water supply, with very little to be done about it upon discovering it. I want to be a part of the community of eco-scientists who are striving to make life better for everyone on this Earth, regardless of income. Winning the FGLI Women in STEM Scholarship award would help move me forward in my journey to become an environmental scientist improve the quality of life for people in my community and inspire my younger siblings to reach for the stars.