My dream version of my future self is successful, with a bachelor's degree, and a job which allows me to help people.

The most impactful way to combat climate change is to be aware and start with small changes. It's best to educate others in ways they can help, but having them start put slow will help many people better transition into the practice of cleaner energy sources, recycling, composting, and conserving energy. While many people want to help the planet heal and combat climate change, a lot of people don't know where to start. While the simple solution is to just educate them on all the ways they can change their lifestyle to help, sometimes this is more harmful than helpful. A lot of people get overwhelmed with the big changes they would have to make to their lifestyles, and they back out of it due to fear of that change. The best way to instigate change is to start small and work your way up. Ask them how they already work towards helping climate change and start there. For example, let's say your friend decided to ask you about ways they can better reduce their carbon footprint. The first thing you should do is ask the what they do already. Said friend claims they recycle, and limit water usage by taking shorter showers. This is a good time to suggest something they don't do such as composting. Many people are unaware of the negative effects of compostable foods being left in landfills to rot. Educating your friend on composting is a great way to start them out. I used to be the friend in this situation. I didn't begin worrying about the environment until I started taking AP Environmental Sciences. This class educated me on the many ways I could change my lifestyle to help combat climate change. At first, I was a little nervous about any big changes so I started with small changes. I began to recycle, and reuse old things instead of throwing them away and buying something else. I also began to conserve water by taking shorter showers, reducing plastic use by buying a reusable water bottle, and educating others about these small changes. Now the way I fight climate change is by being mindful of my food waste, my trash, energy use, and all the other things I started doing before. Climate change is a big issue, but it doesn't necessarily take fast, big changes. If everyone starts with small lifestyle changes, we will make climate change a smaller issue. Educate your friends on the small changes they can make, and maybe start doing some yourself, to make our world a little bit cooler to live in.

The best Financial advice I could give is to be responsible and budget your earnings from the get-go. So many young students get jobs and waste their money on wants rather than saving extra income. It is important to manage your finances as a student because this is a crucial time for you to begin saving, and keeping track of any loans and payments you may have. As a student in college, you are on your own for the first time without your parents. This is the first time you have big financial responsibilities. While this may not seem too important regarding your future financial situation, it is. The way you set up your finances as a student will determine how well off you are in the future. This has become apparent to me after seeing so many people around me struggle with loan payments and having to live paycheck to paycheck because of one big financial issue that happened maybe even years ago. It is important to save and spend within your means so that you have something to fall back on. What I do to manage my finances well is by following these steps I made for myself based on research and advice I have received myself. 1. Make note of your net income (This is what you will be using to set your budget) 2. Make a note of all your necessary monthly payments (This will automatically be taken away from this net income and set aside. This includes anything such as bills, loan payments. etc...) 3. Put aside money to save. (Financial experts say that you should save 20% of each paycheck you receive. 10% goes toward retirement, 5% for emergency savings, and 5% for personal savings such as a downpayment on a car or a house.) 4. Spend within your means. (As a young student, it is very tempting to spend my money on things I like and want, but it is important to only spend money that I have. The money left over from my budget is the money I can use on things I want. Students must learn how to handle their money at a young age. This can help them learn how to be financially stable when they're young and on their own. Not only will it help with that but also it can make them pretty well off when they're older, and even help them acquire generational wealth, which will not only help them, but also their kids and younger generations in their family. In college, this means keeping track of loan payments, necessity costs, and budgeting the money they earn. One more piece of advice I'll give is to look at your money earned as time spent. As someone who has worked as a teenager, I can say that having the opportunity to learn how to handle my finances has helped me a lot in my perspectives on financial responsibility. A lot of students who don't need to pay for themselves often take money for granted because they don't understand the value of their money. Money is a result of the time you've spent working hard. For someone who has a minimum-wage job, a coffee from Starbucks is worth about one whole hour of their life. Time and effort were put into making that money theirs, and time is the most precious thing in the world, as you can never get it back. Time is the most important thing people have. It is important for me to manage my finances as a student because it is what will set me up for financial success in the future. Being a young person, and being financially literate at the same time, will put me ahead of my peers significantly. Being able to manage your finances early on teaches you how to be responsible with your money and how to have self-control when it comes to spending. It is important to be mindful of your spending and finances early on. My advice to all students is to set yourself up for success early on by learning to be financially literate and respect the time you've spent earning that money by making your money as useful to you as possible.

It is important to manage my finances as a student because this is a crucial time for you to begin saving, and keeping track of any loans and payments you may have. As a student in college, you are on your own for the first time without your parents. This is the first time you have big financial responsibilities. While this may not seem too important regarding your future financial situation, it is. The way you set up your finances as a student, will determine how well off you are in the future. This has become apparent to me after seeing so many people around me struggle with loan payments and having to live paycheck to paycheck because of one big financial issue that happened maybe even years ago. It is important to save and spend within your means so that you have something to fall back on. What I do in order to manage my finances well is by following these steps I made for myself based on research. 1. Make note of your net income (This is what you will be using to set your budget) 2. Make a note of all your necessary monthly payments (This will automatically be taken away from this net income and set aside. This includes anything such as bills, loan payments. etc...) 3. Put aside money to save. (Financial experts say that you should save 20% of each paycheck you receive. 10% goes toward retirement, 5% for emergency savings, and 5% for personal savings such as a downpayment on a car or a house.) 4. Spend within your means. (As a young student, it is very tempting to spend my money on things I like and want, but it is important to only spend money that I have. The money left over from my budget is the money I can use on things I want. It is important for me to manage my finances as a student because it is what will set me up for financial success in the future. Being a young person, and being financially literate at the same time, will put me ahead of my peers significantly. Being able to manage your finances early on teaches you how to be responsible with your money and how to have self-control when it comes to spending. It is important to be mindful of your spending and finances early on. My advice to all students is to set yourself up for success early on by learning to be financially literate.

I will give back to the less fortunate now and in the future by volunteering with different organizations in the area. I am a LE4 (fourth year) Cadet in the MCJROTC (Marine Corps Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps) Program. This means I have an extensive history of volunteer work. The first time I did volunteer work with the program was during my freshman year. We were working with the Marine Corps Reserve in the area, to collect money and toy donations for the Toys for Tots foundation. Before this, I had not really thought about the power of volunteering and giving back to the community. After standing outside collecting donations in the cold for 5 hours straight, I was informed that our school had collected over $16,000 in donations that day. That made me feel really good about what he had accomplished. Because of our work, some less fortunate kids were going to get a good Christmas. After that, I began volunteering as much as I could with the program. The MCJROTC program sparked my interest in volunteering and giving back to the less fortunate, and because of this initial interest, I plan on doing this even after I have graduated from high school and left the program. Growing up, my family was low on income, so I know what it is like to be struggling. I am glad to be able to go out and help other people so that they do not have to go through that alone. Volunteer work is very important to making a difference, giving back to the community, and to those who need it. I am glad I joined the MCJROTC program so that I can realize this and so that I can have the experience I have today. My dream is to become an officer in the Armed Forces (Marine Corps or Navy), where I can hopefully make a difference not only in my community but in my country as a whole. Until I graduate I plan on continuing volunteer work in the area and giving back wherever I can, whether that be with the veteran community, or with other organizations in the area. I am thankful for the experience I have gained with the program while volunteering, and the sense of knowing I have made a difference to those around me. I hope to make those who are less fortunate's lives a little easier.

The song that has the most important message to me is Car Radio by Twenty One Pilots. This song is important to me because the band focuses on mental health and suicide awareness, and I first heard it during a dark time in my life. The song is about the singer getting his car radio stolen and now he's stuck in silence having to listen to his thoughts, which in this case is very dangerous because he is in a dark time in his life as well. The song brings awareness to the struggles of those who use music to distract themselves from the dark realities of life. The most important lyrics in the song to me are the lyrics "peace will win and fear will lose". This is because even though the song is talking about the struggles of having to sit alone in silence, it is showing the hope he has for overcoming this dark, trying time. I quite admire the band for their constant message of hope among those who think all hope is gone, and this song directly reflects their message and furthers their cause.

What is the importance of technology? Some people say that it is the downfall of the younger generation, while others think that the evolution of technology is the evolution of our success. Technology is a mark of our advancement as a Human race. Without technology we would not be where we are today as a society. One piece of technology in particular has been breaking social barriers for decades. The Television. The TV has allowed people to air shows in movies for the entertainment of many. The evolution of what we put on TV is truly astounding as to how we have developed as a society. The Tv allows us to spread current-day news locally, nationally, and even across the world. It not only allows us to know what goes on around us but also allows us to share our opinions and educate others on ongoing issues. This is extremely important to our development as a society. Also important to our development as a society is the social barriers that have been broken due to exposure to Tv. Women's rights, racial equality, and LGBTQ+ representation are all arguably advanced by Tv exposure, whether on the news or just in movies or Tv shows. The television is a piece of technology that has been allowing us to progress as a society for decades. It has brought about the expansion of equality in our world, and it is truly inspiring how we as a society can come together as one because of one big screen we all have in our living room.

My future plans for education are to work towards getting my degree in finance and economics, and my future career goals are to become an officer in the United States Armed Forces in their financial division. I plan on achieving this by working hard on getting scholarships, joining the Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) in college, and training myself to be ready for the Marine Corps or Navy Officer Candidacy School (OCS). I am a Cadet Major and the Battalion Executive Officer in the Marine Corps Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (MCJROTC). I am very invested in this program as it was part of the reason I would like to join the military. It has helped me grow as a person and find a new appreciation for all the people in my life who have served in the United States Armed Forces. I aspire to make a difference in my country just as they did. I also have a passion for financial literacy after watching my dad struggle working two jobs, far away, or long hours which we wouldn't be able to see him very much. I want to be able to help people in the military stay financially responsible. This way I can pursue both of my passions. My success in the MCJROTC program has allowed me to find ways to make both of my dreams possible and has given me people to guide me along the way. By getting my bachelor's degree in finance I will qualify for OCS and can become a military officer. I aspire to make a difference in my community and among my peers with my chosen career.

I want to serve in the United States Armed Forces because all of the best people in my life have served. The best people in my life were people who served in the United States Armed Forces and I want to make a difference in my country just like them. I am a Marine Corps Junior ROTC cadet and have I been for 4 years. I am currently a Cadet Major and the Battalion Executive Officer in my program. In my four years in the program, I went from having no interest in pursuing a military career to having it be my dream career. I have had the opportunity to talk and listen to the stories and advice of many American heroes, from Iwo Jima survivors to Medal of Honor recipients, and even just some retired military. Every one of them has made an impact on my life and success, and has inspired me to serve in the Armed Forces just as they did, only hoping to make such a difference in my country as they did before me. I am willing to do what it takes to lead and make a difference. The MCJROTC program has allowed me to grow as a person and find my place as a leader. I hope to find such responsibility in the ROTC and eventually in the military. The United States of America is such a unique country with endless opportunities and freedom that you can't find in many other places, and I want to be one of the people who fights for that freedom so that the country may continue to grow in peace. It is important to preserve the good before it is missed when everything goes bad. I feel as though the Armed Forces provides people with the opportunity to do something with their life and join something bigger than themselves. Some people say one person can not make a difference alone, and I feel as though that statement is not true. It is each and every one of those individuals that decide to make a difference that allows people to come together as many because even though it may take many to make a difference, it only takes one to decide to join that cause, and every cause needs someone to lead them. As often said in the Marine Corps, "the few the proud". Someday that will be me.

I plan on educating myself and others on being financially literate by getting a degree in finance and then becoming a financial advisor in the military. There is no better way to educate yourself on financial literacy than to get a degree in finance. By getting a degree in finance I can learn how to responsibly handle my money. This is very important to me because I grew up without that much money. My parents split up when I was just a one year old and I saw how my dad had to work long hours, far away, or even two jobs at a time just to make ends meet. Not to mention we would hardly be able to see him. Meanwhile, my mother, who had a job as a medical coder, was still struggling to have enough food in the fridge for me and my two younger siblings. I always felt bad for their struggle, and I never want to have to go through that as an adult or have my future children watch me go through that. By being financially literate, I can stay safe and responsible when handling my money, so that if it came down to me being relieved from work or an unexpected emergency pops up, I have enough to make ends meet without stressing about bills or what my next meal will be. I would hate to have this happen to anybody else, so that is why I would like to become I financial advisor for the military. I see too many young military personnel who get their money and just spend it without worry because they don't have to pay for their meals or housing. The mistake in this is that they don't save any of their money for when they get out of the military and need to start paying for their bills and their food. It is important to me to make sure they understand the importance of saving the money they don't need to spend to continue to be financially stable. It is quite unfortunate that financial literacy isn't taught to the younger generation because too many people go off on their own and end up with financial need, in debt, or over working themselves simply because they don't know how to handle their money. I hope to lower the number of people in financial need with my financial advisory contribution.

If I could create a non-profit, it would be called "Help for the Homeless". This non-profit would impact the world by helping those who are not fortunate enough to have people who will help them and who want that help to get back on their feet. This non-profit would be like a homeless shelter that focuses more on rehabilitation rather than just a place for people to stay. It would offer a roof over their heads, a nice bed, three meals a day, and would bring in professionals to evaluate each person to figure out why they are homeless and what they need to get back on their feet. Each person has their own reasoning for why they are homeless, whether they are not capable of taking care of themselves, or if they just need that help to get back into the working world after a few mistakes or unfortunate incidents. This includes whether they need to be taught basic life skills, help finding a job, therapy, drug rehabilitation, medication or if this person is physically or mentally ill, they would be referred to the specific health or mental care facility that is needed. The people who evaluate each person determine which kind of help they need and they give them advice and refer them to the places that can get them that help. Because the non-profit is mostly focused on rehabilitation and getting people back on their feet it would offer counseling for those who need it, financial advice, and a mentor to help them on their journey until they are no longer needed. This allows for each person to get the specific help they need while not having to worry about where they're going to stay or what they are going to eat while they get this help. Allowing people the opportunity to get back on their feet is one thing, but not everybody knows what to do with the money they are given or how to keep a stable job. The counseling portion will help with that. Too many people in this country go without the professional medical or mental help they need simply because they don't always know what kind of help they need. I see so many people out on the streets who would be able to get their lives together if they had the opportunity and guidance to do so. This is what "Help for the Homeless" would do. Helping those who need and more importantly, want to be helped.

The loss of my grandmother has caused me to focus on what matters most by showing me that so much can be left undone and unachieved before you go and that you need to work hard and stay on track to achieve your goals and not throw away any opportunities. My grandmother died when I was young. She struggled with addiction most of her life, which ultimately led to her overdosing on pills and alcohol. She had so many goals in life that she wanted to achieve that she never got to, such as becoming a professional baker. She even wrote her own recipe book. Seeing her let her dreams and entire life go down the drain because of one mistake inspired me to work hard at what I want in life, which is to make a difference in my community and to travel the world. I want to be able to experience what the world has to offer and to live without regrets or "could have been"'s. I plan on fighting for my life and freedom by working hard to get myself an education that helps my community, while also allowing me to see the world. I want to be an officer in the Navy or Marine Corps. All the best people in my life were people who served. They have shown me that you can better yourself and others by serving our amazing country that allows for our freedom to work and travel the world. While my grandmother's death helped me realize that you have to work hard and not quit on your dreams, I still miss her and wish she could be here to see me succeed, and I wish I could've watched her do the same for herself.

I do own a dog. Five actually! Their names are Echo, Sookie, Lita, Benny, and Scrappy Doo. My dogs are a very important part of my life and they bring a lot of joy to it. They give me comfort when I am feeling down or anxious, they are very protective of me, are very sweet and funny, and their bold personalities always find a way to cheer me up. Having a dog or a pet in general is an amazing way to find a connection that you have needed to feel whole. In my life, my dogs are a huge source of joy and comfort. When I am down they are there to do something funny or to comfort me if I'm sad. They protect you no matter what, even if it is just a squirrel in your yard. It is always a nice little laugh when Echo pouts because she does not want to take a bath or when Scrappy wants you to throw his ball. Having the dogs has taught me responsibility. You have to be able to take care of them in all aspects of their lives. You are their whole lives. You feed them, give them water, bathe them, give them love and affection, and take care of them when they are sick. You learn a lot by having to take care of them, and their love and affection is definitely worth the hard work. Having a dog's love is like no other because they are very loyal to you and it shows. It is always nice to come home and know somebody missed you. When you find that connection with a dog, no other relationship can compare to that companionship, you are your dog's best friend! My dogs are my babies, my protectors, my friends and my family. They are cute, cuddly, sweet, and they make it worth the hard work to take care of them. You never really know what true companionship is until you get a dog. In fact, your dogs are probably one of the most memorable things from your childhood, even if they are no longer with you. I think that everyone should have a dog at some point.

Clean living is important because it keeps you healthy physically and mentally. Being able to balance the two is extremely important to living a long, happy, and healthy life. Living clean does not just mean keeping a clean house. It is also about keeping a clean mind and body. When it comes to keeping a clean body, it is important to eat well and exercise. Taking care of yourself is one of the key components to staying happy and mentally healthy as well. Personally, the way I take care of my body is by making sure I am eating what I need to keep proper nutrients and exercising regularly. Nothing is better than the feeling of accomplishment after a good workout. Not to mention the energy boost. When you first start working out it may be kind of hard, but eventually you begin to see that you wake up refreshed, you have more energy, your body feels a lot better, and you feel better about yourself mentally. Whether it be the physical results of what you do, the feeling of accomplishment, or the distraction from whatever stress is going on, working out, taking care of your body and eating right really helps with mental health and stamina. While eating right and being physically active is important to living a clean lifestyle, it is also important that you take care of your mental well being. I do this by making sure that I find time to relax and take some alone time, especially if it has been a hard week. Being able to just spend time with yourself is important to living a clean lifestyle. It is also important to spend time with your friends and family. Keeping connected with others is important for your mental health. Reaching out to people and talking to them regularly can really help you know that they care and vice versa. For me personally, once I started caring about leaving time for myself and eating right, my mental health improved significantly. While living a clean and balanced life has to do a lot with your physical and eating habits, it also means that you need to find a balance in your schedule. I am the Executive Officer in my JROTC unit, I take four AP classes and I have chores at home so balance is very important to my schedule. When you take the time to do all of these things for yourself, your mental health, grades, performance in activities, and overall happiness in life improves significantly.

It is very important to have healthy eating habits for many reasons, such as a healthy body and a healthy mind. One reason is that when you eat healthy, you are giving your body what it needs and not much more. This causes a boost in energy, and your body is able to better function when it is given everything it needs because it is properly taken care of. When you take care of your body the way it should be, your body produces all the necessary chemicals it needs in order for you to properly function. It also produces chemicals that control emotions. Your body needs certain foods and liquids in order to properly digest food and turn it into the necessary energy needed to get through your day. It also allows your body to make all of the feel good and happy chemicals. For example, eating healthy can help your Melatonin production, which is the chemicals that helps your sleep. Getting a good nights rest is good for your mood and your body! Another reason is getting rid of unhealthy food in your life can boost your immune system and your confidence. When your immune system is properly working your body can fight off and prevent diseases that could otherwise make you feel very sick and weak. Because your body has more energy to do things, and you have a healthy body when you eat well, you will be able to do all of the fun activities that make life better! You start to notice significant changes in your physical appearance when you eat healthy which can ultimately increase your mental health. Being able to focus on yourself is very important for your mental health, and eating right allows you to have the energy and the confidence to work out and enjoy life by bettering yourself. Many people who start working out say they can see a significant improvement in their mood, confidence and their self motivation. Being able to motivate yourself to do more can, not only benefit you, but those around you as well. Eating healthy can cause a chain reaction into a better, longer, more fulfilling life. When you eat healthy you look and feel good! Being able to say that you are happy, healthy, and confident in the way you are is very important. Practicing healthy eating habits is the first step into bettering your life.