“Shut up. You are so annoying," my sister yelled at the dinner table. As tears streamed down my face, I felt guilty for how my brain was wired. At the time, I often struggled with feeling overwhelmed by emotions and limited in my ability to learn despite a strong desire to be successful. I remember feeling powerless and helpless until my diagnosis of ADHD revealed why I struggled. I was switched constantly from medication to medication, trying to find one that would help me focus. They all had side effects that made it even harder for me to be normal, such as anxiety, appetite loss, and trouble sleeping, making me even more frustrated and upset. The detrimental side effects added to my limitations, and I felt alone in my struggle as no one understood what I was going through. These medications were supposed to help me focus, but instead, their side effects gave me even more distractions than before. Eventually, I found the proper medication and felt free and confident that I could follow through on tasks. Everything became brighter as I knew I could succeed in whatever I put my mind to —never losing my passion and determination. I have learned that although ADHD is a part of my identity, it is not who I am. Even with this answer to my struggles, it was and still is a constant challenge to complete everyday activities. In high school, kids bullied and ostracized me for being very verbally expressive. I have had to learn different ways of motivating myself, keeping up to date on my work, and maintaining focus on assignments. I follow a strict schedule that outlines my day in 30-minute intervals. I taught myself how to limit any distractions while I am working, and found the best methods for studying that would help me to retain the information I learn in school. Learning to do all these things was very difficult as they are things that a “normal” person who has never experienced the condition themselves does not have to give any thought to. But overall, with the support of my family and educators, I have been able to achieve my goals and accept myself for who I am. I have been able to make friends that help me without worrying about alienation or loneliness. I have been able to participate in programs and have been given many opportunities for responsibility, just like any other student. And best of all, I have been able to surpass the expectations and standards that others have set for me because of my condition. Because of this experience, I have decided to pursue a career in pharmaceuticals of making and researching medication, to help others who have struggled with neurological conditions find a solution.

“Shut up. You’re so annoying,” my sister yelled at the dinner table. As tears streamed down my face, I felt guilty for how my brain was wired. Early in my life, I was diagnosed with severe ADHD, a neurodevelopmental disorder that makes daily tasks a constant struggle. I was switched back and forth on over nine medications, trying to find one that helped me focus. They all had side effects like loss of appetite, anxiety, and trouble sleeping, making it harder to feel like a normal teenager. These medications were supposed to help me focus, but their side effects gave me even more distractions than before. In high school, kids bullied me for being very verbally expressive. The ostracization from my classmates and family taught me that acceptance begins with me. Although ADHD is a part of my identity, it is not who I am. This experience pushed me to pharmaceuticals to try and help others who have struggled like myself. Even though experiencing a neurological condition firsthand was what got me interested in pharmaceuticals, it wasn't the main reason I decided to pursue a career in it. Some of the first memories I have of my childhood were of crying, yelling, and fighting. It was always normal for me. Something that I never realized was traumatic until I got into middle school. I wouldn’t remember the bad mornings or the sleepless nights; the only evidence of them were the bruises and scratches. My sister was diagnosed with a behavioral disorder around the age of 6, and we never really knew much about how to help her. I remember everything escalating as we grew older. She would attack my sisters and me when she got mad, call us names, slam doors, hit, kick, and scratch. She became someone I hated; I could never go anywhere because she misbehaved, I could never invite any of my friends over, and I could barely do my schoolwork. It seemed my life was governed by her behavior and that I was punished for her wrongs. From the moment I got home from school to the moment I woke up the next morning, I was walking on eggshells, trying my best not to make her mad so that we could have a good day. As I continued into high school, I realized that there were things I wasn’t seeing because I was so focused on her anger. Her tearful apologies that I would disregard because of my pride. Her caring and kind personality was imprisoned by her temper. And her genuine remorse for what she had done. I realized that I loved my sister and that I was mad at a person she couldn’t control. From then on, I added to my career goal: to never let someone hate the person they love because they are enslaved by a condition. I now want to go into pharmaceuticals to help people like my sister, to help give others a better understanding of these conditions, and to help them have better control of their problems. Though her illness has given me many challenges, I have overcome them by never letting her behavior define her as something she's not. The need to help her get better has driven me to achieve my goals and motivated me to work hard toward my dreams of working in pharmaceuticals or the medical field.

“Shut up. You’re so annoying,” my sister yelled at the dinner table. As tears streamed down my face, I felt guilty for how my brain was wired. Early in my life, I was diagnosed with severe ADHD, a neurodevelopmental disorder that makes daily tasks a constant struggle. I was switched back and forth on over nine medications, trying to find one that helped me focus. They all had side effects like loss of appetite, anxiety, and trouble sleeping, making it harder to feel like a normal teenager. These medications were supposed to help me focus, but their side effects gave me even more distractions than before. In high school, kids bullied me for being very verbally expressive. The ostracization from my classmates and family taught me that acceptance begins with me. Although ADHD is a part of my identity, it is not who I am. This experience pushed me to pharmaceuticals to try and help others who have struggled like myself. Even though experiencing a neurological condition firsthand was what got me interested in pharmaceuticals, it wasn't the main reason I decided to pursue a career in it. Some of the first memories I have of my childhood were of crying, yelling, and fighting. It was always normal for me. Something that I never realized was traumatic until I got into middle school. I wouldn’t remember the bad mornings or the sleepless nights; the only evidence of them were the bruises and scratches. My sister was diagnosed with a behavioral disorder around the age of 6, and we never really knew much about how to help her. I remember everything escalating as we grew older. She would attack my sisters and me when she got mad, call us names, slam doors, hit, kick, and scratch. She became someone I hated; I could never go anywhere because she misbehaved, I could never invite any of my friends over, and I could barely do my schoolwork. It seemed my life was governed by her behavior and that I was punished for her wrongs. From the moment I got home from school to the moment I woke up the next morning, I was walking on eggshells, trying my best not to make her mad so that we could have a good day. As I continued into high school, I realized that there were things I wasn’t seeing because I was so focused on her anger. Her tearful apologies that I would disregard because of my pride. Her caring and kind personality was imprisoned by her temper. And her genuine remorse for what she had done. I realized that I loved my sister and that I was mad at a person she couldn’t control. From then on, I added to my career goal: to never let someone hate the person they love because they are enslaved by a condition. I now want to go into pharmaceuticals to help people like my sister, to help give others a better understanding of these conditions, and to help them have better control of their problems. Though her illness has given me many challenges, I have overcome them by never letting her behavior define her as something she's not. The need to help her get better has driven me to achieve my goals and motivated me to work hard toward my dreams of working in pharmaceuticals or the medical field.

“Shut up. You’re so annoying,” my sister yelled at the dinner table. As tears streamed down my face, I felt guilty for how my brain was wired. Early in my life, I was diagnosed with severe ADHD, a neurodevelopmental disorder that makes daily tasks a constant struggle. I was switched back and forth on over nine medications, trying to find one that helped me focus. They all had side effects like loss of appetite, anxiety, and trouble sleeping, making it harder to feel like a normal teenager. These medications were supposed to help me focus, but their side effects gave me even more distractions than before. In high school, kids bullied me for being very verbally expressive. The ostracization from my classmates and family taught me that acceptance begins with me. Although ADHD is a part of my identity, it is not who I am. I have taken various steps to overcome my attention deficit and improve my self-control. “Take my medication” is the first alarm that wakes me up in the morning. I follow a strict schedule that outlines my day in 30-minute intervals. Once I opened up to my counselor about my condition, I received the appropriate resources to address my struggle in the classroom. With accommodations, I complete homework and projects on time. Now that my condition is identified and I have a support system in place, I have been able to better succeed academically and learn about the things that interest me. I have been able to take rigorous honors and AP courses without worrying if I will fall behind due to inattention. I have obtained high scores and grades with the help of teachers and advisors, as well as the skills I have learned myself. I have been able to make friends that help me without worrying about alienation or loneliness. I have been able to participate in programs and have been given many opportunities for responsibility, just like any other student. And best of all, I have been able to surpass the expectations and standards that others have set for me because of my condition. Even though experiencing a neurological condition firsthand was what got me interested in pharmaceuticals, it wasn't the main reason I decided to pursue a career in it. Some of the first memories I have of my childhood were of crying, yelling, and fighting. It was always normal for me. Something that I never realized was traumatic until I got into middle school. I wouldn’t remember the bad mornings or the sleepless nights; the only evidence of them were the bruises and scratches. My sister was diagnosed with a behavioral disorder around the age of 6, and we never really knew much about how to help her. The first time I remember her acting out was when I was 7. We were driving back home, and she had unbuckled her car seat and was pulling my mom's hair because we weren’t stopping to buy her what she wanted. From there, I remember everything escalating as we grew older. She would attack my sisters and me when she got mad, call us names, slam doors, hit, kick, and scratch. She became someone I hated; I could never go anywhere because she misbehaved, I could never invite any of my friends over, and I could barely do my schoolwork. It seemed my life was governed by her behavior and that I was punished for her wrongs. In high school, she listened to no one. From the moment I got home from school to the moment I woke up the next morning, I was walking on eggshells, trying my best not to make her mad so that we could have a good day. My friends at school were my only relief until I got home. As I continued into high school, I realized that there were things I wasn’t seeing because I was so focused on her anger. Her tearful apologies that I would disregard because of my pride. Her caring and kind personality was imprisoned by her temper. And her genuine remorse for what she had done. I realized that I loved my sister and that I was mad at a person she couldn’t control. From then on, I added to my career goal: to never let someone hate the person they love because they are enslaved by a condition. I now want to go into pharmaceuticals to help people like my sister, to help give others a better understanding of these conditions, and to help them have better control of their problems. Though her illness has given me many challenges, I have overcome them by never letting her behavior define her as something she's not. The need to help her get better has driven me to achieve my goals and motivated me to work hard toward my dreams of working in pharmaceuticals or the medical field and eventually coming up with a treatment that will help her manage her condition.

Some of the first memories I have of my childhood were of crying, yelling, and fighting. It was always normal for me. Something that I never realized was traumatic until I got into middle school. I wouldn’t remember the bad mornings or the sleepless nights; the only evidence of them were the bruises and scratches. My sister was diagnosed with a behavioral disorder around the age of 6, and we never really knew much about how to help her. The first time I remember her acting out was when I was 7. We were driving back home, and she had unbuckled her car seat and was pulling my mom's hair because we weren’t stopping to buy her what she wanted. From there, I remember everything escalating as we grew older. She would attack my sisters and me when she got mad, call us names, slam doors, hit, kick, and scratch. She became someone I hated; I could never go anywhere because she misbehaved, I could never invite any of my friends over, and I could barely do my schoolwork. It seemed my life was governed by her behavior, and I was punished for her wrongs. In high school, she listened to no one. From the moment I got home from school to the moment I woke up the next morning, I was walking on eggshells, trying my best not to make her mad so that we could have a good day. My friends at school were my only relief until I got home. As I continued into high school, I realized that there were things I wasn’t seeing because I was so focused on her anger. Her tearful apologies that I would disregard because of my pride. Her caring and kind personality was imprisoned by her temper. And her genuine remorse for what she had done. I realized that I loved my sister and that I was mad at a person she couldn’t control. From then on, I added to my career goal: to never let someone hate the person they love because they are enslaved by a condition. I now want to go into pharmaceuticals to help people like my sister, to help give others a better understanding of these conditions, and to help them have better control of their problems.

“Shut up. You are so annoying," my sister yelled at the dinner table. As tears streamed down my face, I felt guilty for how my brain was wired. At the time, I often struggled with feeling overwhelmed by emotions and limited in my ability to learn despite a strong desire to be successful. I remember feeling powerless and helpless until my diagnosis of ADHD revealed why I struggled. It was and still is a constant challenge to complete everyday activities, especially in my academic life. I was switched constantly from medication to medication, trying to find one that would help me focus. They all had side effects that made it even harder for me to feel normal, such as anxiety, appetite loss, and trouble sleeping, all of which made me feel even more frustrated and upset than before. The detrimental side effects added to my limitations, and I felt alone in my struggles as no one understood what I was going through. These medications were supposed to help me focus, but instead, their side effects gave me even more distractions than before. In high school, kids bullied me for being very verbally expressive and impulsive. The ostracization from my classmates and family taught me that acceptance begins with me. Although ADHD is a part of my identity, it is not who I am, and I don't plan on letting it control my ability to achieve my goals. I have taken various steps to overcome my attention deficit and improve my self-control. “Take my medication” is the first alarm that wakes me up in the morning, along with setting daily alarms, I follow a strict schedule that outlines my day in 30-minute intervals. I have had to learn different ways of motivating myself and, keeping up to date on my work, and maintaining focus on assignments. I taught myself how to limit any distractions while I am working, and found the best methods for studying that would help me to retain the information I learn in school. Learning to do all these things was very difficult as they are things that a “normal” person who has never experienced the condition themselves does not have to give any thought to. Eventually, I found the proper medication and felt free and confident that I could follow through on tasks. Everything became brighter as I knew I could succeed in whatever I put my mind to —never losing my passion and determination.

Some of the first memories I have of my childhood were of crying, yelling, and fighting. It was always typical for me. Something that I never realized was traumatic until I got into middle school. I wouldn't remember the bad mornings or the sleepless nights; the only evidence of them were the bruises and scratches. My sister was diagnosed with behavioral health and neurodevelopmental disorders at around six years old, and we never really knew much about how to help her. I remember everything escalating as we grew older. She would attack my sisters and me when she got mad, call us names, slam doors, hit, kick, scratch, and only listen to reason from my mom. She suddenly became someone I hated; I could never go anywhere because she misbehaved, I could never invite any of my friends, and I could barely do my schoolwork. It seemed as though her behavior governed my life that I was also punished for her wrongs. From when I got home from school to when I woke up the following day, I was walking on eggshells, trying my best not to make her mad so that we could have a good day. My friends at school were my only relief until I got home. But as I continued further into high school, I realized that there were things I wasn't seeing because I was so focused on her anger. Her tearful apologies to us that I would disregard because of my pride. Her temper imprisoned her caring and kind personality. And her genuine remorse for what she had done. I realized I loved my sister and was mad at someone she couldn't control. From then on, I added to my career goal: to never let someone hate the person they love because a condition enslaves them. Since elementary school, I have wanted to make medicine because I have seen its impact on my life. Now, I want to make medicine to help others like my sister experience a better quality of life and let others know that they and their loved ones are not alone and can seek help. Though her illness has given me many challenges, I have overcome them by never letting her behavior define her as something she's not. The need to help her get better has driven me to achieve my goals and motivated me to work hard toward my dreams of working in pharmaceuticals or the medical field. When I was three years old, my father was deported to Mexico. This caused a severe financial burden on my family, as our primary source of income was gone, leaving my mother to care for my three sisters and me and our costly health issues. And even after gaining stability, we were still low-income. Despite our struggles, my family persevered and made the best of our financial situation. Most of all, my mom has done her best to fill the role of both mom and dad and give my sisters and me the best quality of life. However, as of now, my mom has struggled to fund me and my 3 siblings' education. Having this scholarship will help to take more stress off of my family and help me to continue my education with less financial worry so that I eventually reach my goal of obtaining a graduate degree.

Early on in my life, I was diagnosed with ADHD. It was and still is a constant struggle to complete everyday things. When I was in elementary school, I would consistently get distracted and feel alienated from other kids because I was too loud or I talked too much. I was switched constantly from medication to medication trying to find one that would help me focus. These medications were supposed to help me, but instead, their side effects gave me even more distractions than before. With my ADHD I have had to learn different ways of motivating myself and maintaining focus on assignments. I have had to teach myself how to limit any distractions while I am working as well as having to find the best methods for studying that would help me to retain information I learn in school. I as well have had to face struggles with my mental health that come with ADHD and overcome them. Having to learn how to do all these things was very difficult and they are things that a “normal” person who has never experienced the condition themselves wouldn’t give any thought to. But, through all these obstacles I have become more aware of the benefits and necessary impacts that medications have on the lives of those with neurological disorders. This obstacle in my life has motivated me to want to pursue a career in pharmaceuticals or as a physician and do work for treating individuals with neurological disorders. A secondary factor in my life that has also motivated me to achieve this would be my sister. Some of the first memories I have of my childhood were of crying, yelling, and fighting; It was always normal for me. Something that I never realized was traumatic until I got into middle school, I wouldn’t remember the bad mornings or the sleepless nights, the only evidence of them were the bruises and scratches. My sister was diagnosed with a behavioral disorder around the age of 6, and we never really knew much about how to help her. The first time that I remember her acting out was when I was 7, we were driving home and she was pulling my mom's hair because we weren’t stopping to buy her what she wanted. Her situation escalated as we grew older. She would attack me and my sisters when she got mad, call us names, hit, kick, scratch. She became someone I hated and it seemed as though my life was governed by her behavior. But as I continued further into high school I realized that there were things I wasn’t seeing because I was so focused on her anger. Her tearful apologies to us that I would disregard because of my pride. Her temper that imprisoned her caring and kind personality. I realized that I loved my sister and that I was mad at a person she couldn’t control. From then on I added to my career goal; to never let someone hate the person they love because they are enslaved by a condition. Seeing her overcome challenges, and helping her through her daily struggles has motivated me to become someone who can give others help and understanding of the conditions they or their loved ones face.

Early on in my life, I was diagnosed with ADHD. It was and still is a constant struggle to complete everyday things. When I was in elementary school, I would consistently get distracted and feel alienated from other kids because I was too loud or I talked too much. I was switched constantly from medication to medication trying to find one that would help me focus. These medications were supposed to help me, but instead, their side effects gave me even more distractions than before. With my ADHD I have had to learn different ways of motivating myself and maintaining focus on assignments. I have had to teach myself how to limit any distractions while I am working as well as having to find the best methods for studying that would help me to retain information I learn in school. I also have had to face struggles with my mental health that come with ADHD and overcome them. Having to learn how to do all these things was very difficult and they are things that a “normal” person who has never experienced the condition themselves wouldn’t give any thought to. But, through all these obstacles I have become more aware of the benefits and necessary impacts that medications have on the lives of those with neurological disorders. This obstacle in my life has motivated me to want to pursue a career in pharmaceuticals or medicine and work in finding treatments or directly treating individuals with neurological disorders. A secondary factor in my life that has also motivated me to achieve this would be my sister. Some of the first memories I have of my childhood were of crying, yelling, and fighting; It was always normal for me. Something that I never realized was traumatic until I got into middle school, I wouldn’t remember the bad mornings or the sleepless nights, the only evidence of them were the bruises and scratches. My sister was diagnosed with a behavioral disorder around the age of 6, and we never really knew much about how to help her. The first time that I remember her acting out was when I was 7, we were driving home and she had unbuckled her car seat and was pulling my mom's hair because we weren’t stopping to buy her what she wanted. From there everything escalated as we grew older. She would attack me and my sisters when she got mad, call us names, hit, kick, scratch. She became someone I hated and it seemed as though my life was governed by her behavior, that I was also punished for her wrongs. But as I continued further into high school I realized that there were things I wasn’t seeing because I was so focused on her anger. Her tearful apologies to us that I would disregard because of my pride. Her temper that imprisoned her caring and kind personality. I realized that I loved my sister and that I was mad at a person she couldn’t control. From then on I added to my career goal; to never let someone hate the person they love because they are enslaved by a condition. Seeing her overcome challenges, and helping her through her daily struggles has motivated me to become someone who can give others help and understanding of the conditions they or their loved ones face. This scholarship will help me as I pursue this goal through my education.