When I was in fourth grade, I was diagnosed with General Anxiety Disorder. Until recently, I have had a tough time navigating how I have felt and the emotions I encounter with any event; something I am used to or something entirely new to me. This made many things difficult for me when I was younger. My dad and I, when my family lived in southwest Michigan, would occasionally make two-day trips down to Chicago. While I was used to this, an overwhelming, tense fear would wash over me, causing breakdowns and almost cancelling a few trips. My anxiety has made it very difficult for me to accomplish some things. As my parents always tell me, "eliminate the worry." I am constantly wondering about this or that, anxious for the future. As I have found more stability, these feelings of uncertainty have been alleviated. But the questions remain. "Do these people even like me?", "What if I get a bad grade on this test? Will my parents be proud of me still, or disappointed?" This constant loop of fear, hesitation, and worry constantly cycles within me. I am a big apologizer - I overthink every word I say, conversation I have had, and even plan out scenarios and events in my head as a way to prepare myself and avoid any negative encounters. There have been many occasions where I apologize numerous times over the same thing, or the smallest of occurrences. More often than not, my anxiety over small details still consumes me, leaving me quiet and hesitant, even around those who have known me personally for years. Every turn I take and decision I make, I am constantly hounded by the dark shadow of anxiety. While I have managed to navigate my "what-ifs" and my labeled "intrusive" (or impulsive) thoughts, there is still that lurking doubt and uncertainty. I fear over even the smallest, most irrational events, leading me to ask repetitive questions like "do you still love me?" or "do you still care about me?" All these small details have made me very self-conscious and self-aware after all these years. I have had several deep and meaningful conversations with my dad about my mental health, as he is one of the few people I trust to confide in with my mental health. I have been through therapy four times now, and I have had to work with myself and my family to find ways to cope with my mental health. This has led me down several paths of self-discovery and personal management. I have had to find ways to work with myself when I feel like I am fully alone, and I have also taken what I have learned and used it to help others. As an engineering student, I have had to work on my mental health in new ways this past school year. I put a lot of pressure on myself to succeed academically, and it takes a lot of time and patience with myself to be able to work around challenges and forgive myself for mistakes. My mental health has been a crucial part of me for the majority of my life. It has given me valuable interactions with others, enabling me to become closer to my family and understand myself. It has been a very long journey, and over time, I have found ways to cope with my thoughts and mental health. I have found stability in my life now, and I am very happy with where I am going.

Ever since I was younger, I have been fascinated by discovery and new knowledge. I remember finding as many dictionaries and encyclopedias as I could, about dinosaurs, history, and some about space. I would sprawl out on the floor and take notes in my notebook. This interest and love for knowledge and discovery have led me down the path to engineering, research, and innovation. At this younger age, I would spend hours building LEGO and examining how the components fit together. I had fostered a tremendous imagination and loved to solve problems and see how everything flowed together in the world. Even before I had truly started to think about career plans, I loved science and math classes and enjoyed learning in new disciplines. These subjects clicked with me, and I began to read more books and watch documentaries about STEM and space. In the spring semester of eighth grade, the time rolled around to pick our schedules for the freshman year of high school. My school offered two main academies: engineering and film. I had heard about the engineering academy and how the work was strenuous and difficult, and on the flip side, the film academy was much more fun. I knew I wanted to do one of the two, and ultimately chose engineering. In the academy, I could practice all sorts of skills in the fields of engineering, from nuclear to electrical. In this academy, while I tossed around some sort of engineering or marine biology, I found a path that interested me. After having practiced numerous skills and applications of engineering, I found a niche in mechanical engineering. My senior year, I worked on a capstone project with two other women. We imagined, designed, and implemented an app using MIT App Inventor to provide mental health resources to those struggling with their mental health (not replacing therapy). We went on to the showcase, getting numerous compliments and questions about our work and the 200-page report we had on it. We won the industry choice award by a board of professionals and became one of, if not the first, few all-female teams to win this accolade. As I have grown and developed my career plans, I have narrowed them down to spacecraft engineering and design. While aerospace would also be a good fit for me, I decided to go into mechanical engineering, with the diversity of applications and classes. I want to imagine and design the craft that will go as local as Mars, and a little further, to Europa, or go beyond and try to solve the mysteries of the universe like the Hubble and James Webb telescopes. I am also looking into grad school for astrophysics, to continue to pursue my love for space and exploration off of Earth. As a woman, I want to continue to lay the path for the women to come after me, as well as appreciate the work of those before me. Countless women have contributed to STEM, but also have had their work credited taken from them. I want to work through the difficulties women have faced in the sciences, as well as continue to make way for women to have a better future in STEM. There is still a long way to go in the inclusion and acceptance of everyone in STEM, and I hope that my work in the future will prove that engineering and sciences are for everyone, and that all discoveries matter and count towards innovation and discoveries for humans.

I have struggled with my mental health since fourth grade. This has led me to have several rounds of therapy and learning how to navigate how my brain works. I have a constant whirlwind of thoughts, some good, some bad, and it has taken me a lot of time to be able to adequately handle and address these thoughts. I am a very apologetic person. Every word I say, every interaction I have, and how I act around other people are things I am constantly conscious of. I am constantly worried about how people feel about me and how they perceive me. Did I slip up? Do they see me completely differently? Every little mistake is detrimental in my mind. Occasionally, I have to stop for a minute while my body shivers and tries to avoid any thought of a mistake I have made. Many times have I gotten caught up in how people might think about me, and I constantly seek external validation to make up for my social anxiety. I apologize for even the smallest things, and sometimes the other person doesn't recall what I was referencing. In academics, I am constantly stressing over my grades and accomplishments. As my boyfriend has pointed out, I put a LOT of pressure on myself. I am a former straight-A student, having gotten my first-ever B this past semester of college. I take a lot of personal validation and self-worth from my grades. I push myself now and then to study and do homework for hours on end with some breaks in between. I am also the type of person to strive to get things done as soon as possible. One night, I was in the student union from after physics, when I got out at 16:30, to when it closed, at one in the morning, just doing homework and any miscellaneous essays I had to get done. I get a lot of gratification from pulling many hours studying and doing work, and I strive to use that time to get the best grade possible. Recently, I have tried to practice more stability and consistency in my schedule. I am about to be a sophomore mechanical engineering student, and I have heard numerous times that sophomore year is the most extensive and difficult year. I am working to get ahead this summer, applying to scholarships and taking Khan Academy AP Physics II classes to reduce a lot of stress for the upcoming semester and help me feel more prepared. I have also tried to find ways to budget my time to be as effective as possible and maintain stress levels. I look forward to this next semester, but I am very worried about my classes. After my freshman year, I have found ways that work best for me when I am studying and doing work to avoid as much stress as I can. There will always be a deadline that I am worried about, but I work ahead as much as possible. I take breaks, get out of my room and study elsewhere, or go out with my friends, and find ways to balance my lifestyle. Engineering is very difficult, and I try to find ways that help me enjoy it. I look ahead to the future, and remind myself why I am doing this path and how STEM is something I enjoy doing. By doing this, I keep my mental health in check and find stability in routine to minimize stress and help me stay on track for my goals.

Math has always been my biggest source of motivation and inspiration. While I had a very easy time with English throughout my academic career, with math a close second, I found literature and essay writing not as expansive or thought-provoking as mathematics. I find it very valuable to develop critical thinking skills, essay writing, and to explore various perspectives on a topic. But writing and literature studies can be very stagnant in terms of discovery, and I plan to go into discovery and innovation in my future. In mathematics, I took a lot of joy from the logic puzzle that math is. Calculus, at its core, is used to find patterns, apply them, and solve a lot of mysteries in the universe. When I was in math classes, I was constantly learning new skills and finding new ways to solve complex problems that cannot be solved in day-to-day life. As an aspiring engineer, math is a creative outlook for me to solve problems and find efficient ways to do so. I am considering going to graduate school to become an astrophysicist, and have always been inspired by the long equations that can lead to solving theoretical physics problems and quantum mechanics. I want to do that in my future, and use the incredibly dynamic plane of math to be able to solve these problems. As a mathematically inclined person, I have found numbers to click a lot better with me. While it is difficult sometimes, especially in upper-level math classes, I enjoy the gratification of completing these challenges and exploring new topics and concepts. I love data analysis and breaking down complex equations because it is a lot easier for me to process this information. Because of this, I am pursuing a mathematics minor along with my mechanical engineering major. I find math to be such an incredible subject that can be applied to many disciplines of STEM. There are a lot of challenges to math, but math is simultaneously a logic puzzle and a key to the universe. It is applied to solve so many burning questions, and expands the three-dimensional method of thinking that humans have. The biggest question of all: how far can we take mathematics? What discoveries lie ahead of us that math can solve and lead us to? There is so much out there, and I love the implications that mathematics provides to humans.

As a sophomore in college, I have taken three calculus classes in high school and college, and am about to take my fourth this upcoming semester. I have been exposed to various applications of calculus, especially the intersectionality with engineering and physics. After covering various topics in Physics I and Calculus 1-2, I have seen a lot of the overlap between the two subjects. In calculus, the biggest skill we focus on is integration and differentiation of equations. In Physics I (with calculus), we use a lot of these skills. Everything is related in physics. To determine the velocity and acceleration of a particle only using its position, the first and second derivatives are needed. To find the relationship with momentum, force, and other linear and rotational topics, derivatives and integrals are also needed. Finding these relationships with derivations and integrations simplifies a lot of the work needed and streamlines the long math needed to find some of these solutions. In terms of aeronautics and fluid work, along with the construction of materials and parts for these processes, calculus is also incredibly important. Questions like "how can we optimize the materials used and the quantity of said material to eliminate cost," and "what is the durability of this material?" can be answered using calculus principles. Optimization is a big part of calculus, as well as using graphs to analyze material and performance. Following that, in higher levels of calculus and linear algebra come increased abilities to analyze complex data, equations, and systems. Calculus provides many ways to solve series and other equations, and it is important to be able to understand and apply these skills to any field in STEM, especially engineering and mathematics. The advanced methodology of calculus also paves more way for research into discovery. A lot of mathematics is currently focused on research and efficiency. Calculus, when created, was made to solve some of the biggest mysteries on Earth, and can now be used to solve mysteries in the universe and beyond. A lot of the world is made up of patterns, and these patterns can be broken down and predicted by advanced mathematics such as calculus. By combining this innovation and discovery, these factors can be applied to STEM and solving incredibly complex problems and mysteries by using the predictive methods that upper-level mathematics offers. Calculus is effectively the core of STEM. There are problems, predictions, and efficiency in calculations that can be created and applied with calculus. And these math equations and derivations can also be applied to material sciences and the design of craft and research, making calculus incredibly diverse and applicable to many disciplines.

When I was a senior in high school, the Engineering Academy I was a part of had the senior students find a problem, develop a solution, and present the final product. The project ran from August to early April, with brainstorming and timeline development before winter break. Afterwards, the time was devoted solely to the physical (or digital) creation of the project using the timeline we created previously. My team decided to create an app designed to provide resources and tools to those struggling with mental health (not to replace therapy or professionals in any way, and we had a professional review it. Through my time teaching a youth leadership course in Scouting America, I have learned (and been through) the four stages of team development and how it is important to effectively lead a team through these stages: forming, storming, norming, and performing. When the team was forming, we learned how each other worked and informally assumed roles. We began initial planning, research, and development of the project. When the team was storming, while we didn't have a lot of interpersonal conflicts, we did have some miscommunication and misalignment of goals. It was hard to get in touch with a team member, but my friend and I consistently worked together and kept the three of us accountable. We hit a few roadblocks in terms of design. How can we make the project avoid legal problems? Should we reach out to a professional? What can we do to code the project? While some of us had some experience coding, we didn't have nearly enough to code a project this extensive from scratch. When we followed the engineering process, we had to do a lot of research and patent searching for existing products. We had to create a concept that would beat the competition, but also avoid copyright infringement, which took further development. As the unofficial team leader, I made sure to run through the checklist and write down notes of what we all had to consider as we brainstormed and managed personal schedules and conflicts. When the team was norming, we all found our pace. The project was planned and laid out, and we had started to develop a flowchart concept for what we wanted the app to do. I made sure that we had everything needed for each due date, as well as doubled back to review for grammar and to see if everyone was on pace. After the break, we started to perform and bounced between that and the norming stage. We all held each other accountable, checked work, and I oversaw a lot of the project and helped where needed. Our final presentation was a success, and we won industry choice from a board of engineers, and our public presentation went very well. Our workbook was over 200 pages long. I learned a lot from this experience, how to apply my technical skills, adequately follow the engineering process, and work together in a team for a professional project. Our work got a lot of compliments, and I learned the true extent of how impactful mental health advocacy and destigmatism is. As an engineer, I will be in these settings a lot, and have been. Sometimes there are team conflicts where members can't get along, other times there is a manufacturing delay or issue with a concept, legally or practically. From this experience, I can apply my conflict navigation and team skills to ensure that projects go smoothly and efficiently. The process is just as, and if not more important than, the final product itself.

While not a fairly recent piece of technology, I believe in the use and effectiveness of nuclear power. I have written several papers on nuclear power, finding ways to educate those around me about its benefits. While there is a lot of controversy behind the use of it, there is one thing that makes me believe this technology can make the world a better place: the emerging sustainability of energy sources like fusion and nuclear power. Compared to solar panels, nuclear power uses far less land to operate a plant, already proving its sustainability in land usage. While the materials used to source nuclear power (Uranium) are difficult to come by, the longevity of the use of the power source balances out the consistent need for the source of energy, unlike coal and other fossil fuel-based sources of power. This means that, while other sources of energy are constantly being used up and remade, nuclear power can be withheld for many years while providing a reliable, affordable source of energy. While nuclear waste and leaks are a concern, when built effectively and to standard, these byproducts will be well-contained and taken care of. There is still a lot to research in terms of effective management of radioactive materials, but destigmatizing nuclear power and funneling more research into how it works and and be contained can make this climate-friendly source of power more accessible. Every year, millions of tons of carbon dioxide are pumped into the atmosphere, and humans need to be able to grow and adapt to mitigate the increasing rate of climate change and human waste on the environment. There is a delicate balance, and researching safe, clean, and sustainable methods of power helps improve the quality of life on Earth. As an engineer, while I plan to go into the space industry, I need to work hand-in-hand with the engineers who design sustainable sources of energy and power, which will, in turn, make space travel and research easier and more sustainable in the long run. It is up to everyone to work together to make Earth safer to live on and treat its precious resources well.

When I was in fourth grade, I was diagnosed with General Anxiety Disorder. Until recently, I have had a tough time navigating how I have felt and the emotions I encounter with any event; something I am used to or something entirely new to me. This made many things difficult for me when I was younger. My dad and I, when my family lived in southwest Michigan, would occasionally make two-day trips down to Chicago. While I was used to this, an overwhelming, tense fear would wash over me, causing breakdowns and almost cancelling a few trips. My anxiety has made it very difficult for me to accomplish some things. As my parents always tell me, "eliminate the worry." I am constantly wondering about this or that, anxious for the future. As I have found more stability, these feelings of uncertainty have been alleviated. But the questions remain. "Do these people even like me?", "What if I get a bad grade on this test? Will my parents be proud of me still, or disappointed?" This constant loop of fear, hesitation, and worry constantly cycles within me. I am a big apologizer - I overthink every word I say, conversation I have had, and even plan out scenarios and events in my head as a way to prepare myself and avoid any negative encounters. More often than not, my anxiety over small details still consumes me, leaving me quiet and hesitant, even around those who have known me personally for years. Every turn I take and decision I make, I am constantly hounded by the dark shadow of anxiety. While I have managed to navigate my "what-ifs" and my labeled "intrusive" (or impulsive) thoughts, there is still that lurking doubt and uncertainty. I fear over even the smallest, most irrational events, leading me to ask repetitive questions like "do you still love me?" or "do you still care about me?" As a college student who has battled with anxiety all my life, obtaining a college degree is important to me for various reasons. I have had a very long, tough journey with my mental health over the past few years, including several low points. A college degree would mean that I have survived and made it through these hardships, and proven my ability beyond myself. As a perfectionist, I am constantly worried about my performance in school and my social image. As a rising sophomore in college, I have already encountered my first-ever B and several instances where I felt like I wasn't good enough and questioned if the direction I am going in is worth it. Being able to accomplish a degree and graduating with at least a 3.5 or 3.7 GPA and honors would demonstrate that I have been able to make it past these hurdles in college and that I am more capable than I believe myself to be. I take on a lot of challenges to beat my anxiety and my doubts about myself. Ultimately, my journey with anxiety is a testament to my strength and willingness to continue. Following through with college would mean that I have overcome any challenges thrown my way in school and professionally. I am still here, continuing forward despite any mental hurdles, and I will continue to prove to myself that I am capable and able to match these challenges.

When I was younger, my dad would always read "Harry Potter" to me before bed. It is a very fond memory of mine, and my dad and I have bonded over literature my whole life. It led my dad and me to a two-week-long trip to Europe, with the original idea to be going to England and Scotland to get as many Harry Potter-oriented adventures as we could. Since then, I have been an avid bookworm and literature nerd. I've read everything from those interactive books about pirates and Ancient Egypt when I was younger, to the classics like "Dracula" and "Crime and Punishment." And, of course, childhood classics like "Percy Jackson", "Harry Potter", and the more niche "Keeper of the Lost Cities." Recently, I have taken in more World War II historical fiction books, and I have several books by Dostoyevsky on my reading list. Through reading, I have been presented with so many unique perspectives, stories, and information. In my literature classes through high school and college, I have been in several fun and informative discussions about what books we read. It is interesting to see what ideas everyone brings to a passage that, on the surface, may appear to be dull or lacking any meaning. One of my favorite conversations was about "The Yellow Wallpaper", a short but haunting story about a woman who is clinically insane and believes she sees a woman haunting the wallpaper, only to hang herself and become this entity. After a long discussion, we uncovered a lot of questions and ideas about the passage, especially the question of the narrator's perspective and true identity. Collaboration of ideas and perspectives creates unique outcomes that vary from class to class, and these skills are important in all aspects of life. Literature has also been used as an escape for me. I have been to many unique worlds and stories that have shaped my imagination and critical thinking skills about the world. I have also grown to love non-fiction books or historical fiction, taking place thousands of years ago or more recently, with niche stories about survival and escape during war. These stories shape how I see the world, and history, especially when the period or perspective is one not talked about often. I try to soak in as much knowledge about everything I can. As an engineering student with aspirations to go into the space industry, non-fiction books about space and engineering have become important to me. I've read books by Steven Hawking and Neil deGrasse Tyson that cover the mysteries and discoveries about the universe. Books like this have enabled me to shape my goals by expanding my imagination, questions, and perspective on the universe. I have been able to hone in on what I want to do when I am older. Currently, I want to go into Spacecraft Engineering and Design as a mechanical engineer to imagine, design, and construct the craft that will go into space and make discoveries. These projects would be much like the James Webb telescope and satellites going out to Europa and Mars to gather as much information as possible. Reading science-infused literature has enabled me to expand my imagination and ideas to find questions to make, focus on, and solve about our universe. Literature has played a significant role in my life, everything from fantasy and historical fiction to theoretical non-fiction. It has enabled me to exercise my imagination, ask questions, and form a community with those around me to discover what I want to do in life and how I interact with those around me.

It was the start of fourth grade. I was doing what I always did; my mom pulled up to the front of the school, opened the door, and my brother and I would hop out to school. I had been doing this routine for a few years, and it was nothing unusual. This time, I froze. A feeling of dread built up in me. I couldn't bring myself to get out of the car. It took a minute, but little did I know that this was anxiety. My mom worried about me and talked to me about what was going on. From here began years upon years of therapy. I was clinically diagnosed with general anxiety disorder, or GAD, in fourth grade. I learned many tools to help me through this anxiety, but it still crept up now and then. Even getting on a two-hour train ride to Chicago with my dad had me in tears and almost cancelling a trip. I would go for a few years, and then the cycle fell short. Something would come up and I would have to go back again, until it got to the point it feels I don't need it anymore. Fast forward a few years to 2019. My dad took me on a two-week-long trip through Western Europe, going to about five countries. I wanted to enjoy myself, but found it very difficult to throughout most of it. I kept getting what I now label as "intrusive thoughts"; my brain pointed out the danger of open tracks, or tall bridges, and labeled it as an opportunity to hurt myself. My dad would talk me through it, but the thoughts felt so overpowering that I found it difficult to work past them. Later that summer, I found myself hospitalized and having to be poked and prodded by doctors and in therapy once again. And from there, my mental health has gone into cycle after cycle; pattern after pattern. Since these rounds of therapy and time spent finding my people and my place in this world, things have - and have had - gotten significantly better. I found these "intrusive thoughts" much easier to handle and label. While my mental health has improved drastically, I still found myself in a very, very low point fall of 2023. I was in my first relationship, and it was long-distance. There was a point at the start of the relationship, after getting back from a week-long venture at the 2023 Scouting America National Jamboree, where I met my now-ex, that I had gotten sick. But I never got better. For the three-month-long relationship, I found myself with an eating disorder. I was constantly throwing up, going to doctors, and struggling with my mind and body. Something wasn't right. Throw up, doctors, bloodwork, phone calls, and come home to barely eat dinner. I lost a lot of weight. After we broke up, my health shot up with improvement. I could eat again. These effects still linger with me, the constant fear of eating something when I am incredibly anxious, the fear of throwing up, and so on. Each of these experiences has truly shaped how I see the world. My thoughts can go off on tangents, seeing the danger in many things. What has changed is how I navigate these feelings. When I pick up a knife to cut my food, it used to be that my mind would flash to an image of me hurting myself. I still get that image, but it is far less significant; I have learned to laugh it off internally and brush it aside. "Not now," I tell myself, "we are not doing that." I have also come to trust my body much, much more. What is my body telling me? What is the cause behind these feelings? Sometimes it is a gut feeling about a person, other times it is being anxious for an event, or trying something new. I have had crucial conversations with those around me about mental health, and found growing and connection points with these people. These shared stories have formed a unique relationship and understanding with each other. In a world where mental health is so stigmatized, it is so important to listen to those who are struggling and provide help when and where they need it, hear their stories, and point out injustices of the mental health system. From my own experiences, I have seen that mental health institutions are flawed, and very much so. Doctors have become a major distaste of mine, as instead of sending me to a warm, comfortable area, I was in a sterile hospital with bright lights, doctors staring at me, and in a very uncomfortable piece of clothing they gave me. On top of that, I have heard so many stories about mental health institutions and how they contributed to the problem, not fixed it. This needs to change. I have also talked with a jail worker, and we had many impactful conversations about the jail system and its intersectionality with mental health. It is simply cheaper, at about $1/day, to feed, house, and contain inmates, when several need mental help and resources to get better and get out - and stay out - of jail. While I am not going into a mental health-oriented career, I strive to help those who need it and share my perspective and opinions to help the shift to a much less stigmatized world. Awareness needs to be raised about these systems, and while it is easier to keep things cheap, be it in the jail system, hospitals, or general mental health institutions, that is not what is needed. Cost should be eliminated in care to provide adequate support needed that does not drive individuals over the edge, and also makes care affordable and accessible, which is what the world needs to create a healthier, safer world for everyone.

As a sophomore in mechanical engineering, I have begun to shape and work towards my future as an engineer. Ever since I was younger, I have been fascinated with space and who - or what - lies out there. I would sprawl out on my floor, pink pen in hand and a large book about dinosaurs, pirates or space in the other, taking notes and trying to soak in as much knowledge as I can. That aptitude for learning and discovery has not gone away. As an Eagle Scout, I have developed a passion for being outdoors, volunteering, mentoring, and working on my skills as a leader. In that regard, I have tried to learn as much as possible about the aforementioned subjects. My Sea Scout Ship would go on annual backpacking trips, and it was so enlightening and mysterious to hike through Sipsey, Alabama. We would see the lush forests, rivers, rocks, and all that the Earth has to offer. There, I have grown to enjoy exploring the outdoors, going on adventures, and making my discoveries. I started college at the University of Alabama in Huntsville in the fall of 2024.. With all that I had learned in Scouting and as an engineering academy student in high school, I found my place and applied my skills. There are so many amazing researchers, students, and professors at my school, which has exposed me to several opportunities, career fields, and stories. With this knowledge, I have found myself adding to my toolbox for what I hope to do in the future. Recently, I have been at my school's propulsion laboratory. I learned a lot about plasma and the uses of it, and am working on more plasma-oriented opportunities for the future. Harnessing solar winds and plasma for propulsion intrigues me; how can we develop sustainable, efficient means of energy for travel in space? On top of that, a few months ago, I had a tour and interview with Teledyne Brown, an engineering firm based in Huntsville. I learned a lot about different contracting and applications of engineering and met professionals that I am striving to have an internship with in the next few years. Combining these experiences and the people I have met, I have begun to formulate a plan about what I want to do in the future. My current plan is to go into spacecraft engineering and design. After watching movies like "The Martian" and "Interstellar", living in Rocket City, and growing my passion for space, I have grown to love the prospect of space travel and exploration. My career ideas have bounced from Astrobiology to Astrophysics, and now becoming an engineer (and potentially going to grad school for Astrophysics). With my desire to explore and learn, I want to work on missions that can send in-depth research to Europa, and begin the prospects of sending humans to Mars. What lies out there? What secrets of the universe do we, as humans, have yet to discover? I have created my theories about space-time before, and there are so many mysteries, secrets, and opportunities yet to be explored. It is my biggest goal to contribute to this knowledge and the accelerating pace of travel and discovery. I have always looked up to the stars; at camp, on a clear night, or in the lab and my classes, looking up towards the future. I want to do everything I can to add to what humans know about space and what we can do to harness what is out there.

It was the start of fourth grade. I was doing what I always did; my mom pulled up to the front of the school, opened the door, and my brother and I would hop out to school. I had been doing this routine for a few years, and it was nothing unusual. This time, I froze. A feeling of dread built up in me. I couldn't bring myself to get out of the car. It took a minute, and little did I know that this was anxiety talking. From here began years upon years of therapy. I was clinically diagnosed with general anxiety disorder, or GAD, in fourth grade. I learned many tools to help me through this anxiety, but it still crept up now and then. Even getting on a two-hour train ride to go to Chicago with my dad had me in tears and almost cancelling a trip. I would go to therapy for a few years, and fall short. Something would come up and I would have to go back again, until it got to the point it feels I don't need it anymore. Fast forward a few years to 2019. My dad took me on a two-week-long trip through Western Europe, going to about five countries. I wanted to enjoy myself, but found it very difficult to throughout most of it. I kept getting what I now label as "intrusive thoughts"; my brain pointed out the danger of open tracks, or tall bridges, and labeled it as an opportunity to hurt myself. My dad would talk me through it, but the thoughts felt so overpowering that I found it difficult to work past them. Later that summer, I found myself hospitalized and having to be poked and prodded by doctors, in therapy once again. And from there, my mental health has gone into cycle after cycle; pattern after pattern. Since these rounds of therapy and time spent finding my people and my place in this world, things have - and have had - gotten significantly better. I found these "intrusive thoughts" much easier to handle and label. While my mental health has improved drastically, I still found myself in a very, very low point fall of 2023. I was in my first relationship, and it was long-distance. There was a point at the start of the relationship, after getting back from a two week-long venture at the 2023 Scouting America National Jamboree, that I had gotten sick. But I never got better. For the three-month-long relationship, I found myself with an eating disorder. I was constantly throwing up, going to doctors, and struggling with my mind and body. Something wasn't right. Throw up, go to the doctor, get bloodwork done, make phone calls, and come home to barely eat dinner. I lost a lot of weight. After I broke up with my ex, my health shot up with improvement. I could eat again. These effects still linger with me, the constant fear of eating something when I am incredibly anxious, the fear of throwing up, and so on. Each of these experiences has truly shaped how I see the world. My thoughts can go off on tangents, seeing the danger in many things. What has changed is how I navigate these feelings. When I pick up a knife to cut my food, it used to be that my mind would flash to an image of me hurting myself. I still get that image, but it is far less significant; I have learned to laugh it off internally and brush it aside. "Not now," I tell myself, "we are not doing that." I have also come to trust my body much, much more. What is my body telling me? What is the cause behind these feelings? Sometimes it is a gut feeling about a person, other times it is being anxious for an event, or trying something new. I am incredibly worried and conscious about how other people perceive me. As a perfectionist, mistakes hit so much harder than they should normally do so. I worry if people like me, or if one small instance shatters their expectations about me and how they feel about me. I remember small details about interactions, and apologize constantly. This is my form of anxiety now, and with the right people, I have found myself able to express myself much more openly. These people don't shut me down, but let me ramble, apologize, and talk things through with me to where I feel so much better. I see the world from a much more perfection-aligned angle, and am grateful to have those that support me and work through this negativity with me, and not tear me down or berate me for how I feel. I am at a point in my life where I have found stability and ability with myself physically, mentally, and externally, in my relationship with others. While I do need help from time to time, I have learned to work on myself and help others based on what I have been through. Each story has its meaning, and it is a wonderful connection to have these stories shared with one another and form a relationship through these experiences.

When I first joined Scouting America (Scouts BSA) back in 2019, I wanted to be an Eagle Scout like my father. Safe to say, that wasn't the only thing I did in Scouting. Since then, I have accumulated almost 400 hours of service and volunteered at everything from weekend events at my local camp to week-long national events as far away as Colorado. As a Life Scout working on Eagle Scout, one of the most well known advancement requirements is an Eagle Scout project. For the project, I had to determine, plan, lead, and implement a project with a minimum amount of hours and a set of requirements to be fulfilled. For my project, I worked with Sunnybrook Children's home, a local non-profit in my area that worked with adoptive and foster families, as well as any foster care child or adoptee that is struggling or needed a retreat for a period of time. I was requested to build a set of Adirondack chairs for their campfire area. Using the handbook, I was walked through the process step-by-step. I had to find a mentor and any experts to help with the project. The carpenters who helped me were tremendously helpful in the preparation and construction of my project. I had to draft a proposal to be approved by my unit leader and council, and then create a contingency plan, draft supplies, gather volunteers, and lay out the details of construction and how the weekend of building would work. Over the two days, volunteers from my troop and charter organization came in to help prepare, construct, and finish the chairs. From that project, I learned a lot about leadership, delegation, communication, and planning to carry out a successful Eagle Project. As a Sea Scout, I spent several weekends a year teaching Cub Scouts and Scouts about aquatics safety and skills, volunteering my time to help instruct and facilitate camp events during the off-season. I mentored several Scouts in my time as a camp staff member, and it was incredible to see them overcome a fear, perfect a skill, and try something new. Every detail mattered when volunteering, and it means a lot to be able to give back and mentor the next generation of Scouts and continue the tradition of Scouting itself. As a leader, there were two main phrases that the staff lived by: "semper gumpy" and "lead by example." The former is Latin for "always flexible". When volunteering and working on projects, anything can change instantly, and it is important to have quick-thinking skills and navigate through any problems to solve them. The latter speaks for itself. As a leader, it is up to the individual to demonstrate effective service and adequate behavior. As an individual who is likely respected and looked up to, showing that it is important to give back goes a long way. Not only does service help with personal management, such as being timely and responsible, but it also teaches the importance of all individuals and the role they play in the community. Something I was always taught about was servant leadership. To some, it means to do basic things for individuals - hold open doors, help on projects, and so on. But something I have come to learn is that servant leadership also means accounting for the needs of team members and listening to the community's needs. How it is done is up to the leader, but leading by example and providing an instance to give back is crucial for the development of an individual and the community.

For years, I have loved to look up at the sky and wonder what is out there. Since middle school, my career plans have revolved around STEM, especially the space industry. Going from Astrobiology or astrophysics to becoming an engineer, I have wanted to push the boundaries of knowledge and learn as much as possible, and what or who lies out there. Given recent advances in technology increasing in the past decade, so much more has become possible in regards to space and exploration. Theories are being honed in on, and what was once written about in books like "The Martian" is becoming possible. The current biggest goal is to make it to Mars. Not just satellites and probes, but humans and a hope for the future of humanity off Earth - and beyond. "The Martian" theorized a rotating craft, with a similar construct to the one in "Interstellar", and a projected three-month journey with the hopes of growing colonies on Mars. This is slowly becoming more probable with recent developments in SpaceX and other companies. But there are still a lot of hurdles - radiation, supplies, and most importantly, how to sustain such a large craft for long periods with a crew. The intersectionality of biology, chemistry, physics, and engineering is important in this context. But the biggest question is transportation and sustainability. Politics aside, SpaceX has made tremendous developments in space exploration and feasibility. While there is still a long way to go, the biggest leap into the future of space travel has been the Dragon missions. This craft has proved its capabilities to transport heavy amounts of cargo to and from space. With the current abilities of human technologies, weight is incredibly important in transportation by land, sea, and air. The heavier a craft is, needs more energy for transportation. This energy must be sustainable (such as nuclear power and fusion, which are further crucial developments in technology) and not detrimental to finances or the environment. With the Dragon cargo transportation, breakthroughs with this technology help prove the ability to transport heavy cargo into space, and for Mars missions, this can mean any hubs and pods to live in, supplies to last, any important instruments to run tests, and so on. And, with fewer missions needed to send materials into space proves cost and material sustainability. With sustainability and energy, there are more and more discoveries every day in these fields. Finding a way to reduce space junk (anything left floating around in Earth's orbit after a launch) and create energy-efficient methods of transportation (including the use of plasma and fusion) makes the future of travel more realistic, safe, and feasible for cost and materials. As an engineer, I look to solve some of these problems. I am working on my undergraduate degree in Mechanical Engineering, with plans to go into spacecraft engineering and design. I want to push the boundaries of space and travel, and work on designing the craft and instruments that will do deep-space studies, like the James Webb telescope, to continue research and discovery. I can add to the work that others before me have done to work towards the future of more accessible space travel and exploration. My biggest dream is to help imagine, design, and implement craft that can go to Europa and provide crucial information about what lies beneath the many layers of ice. Is there a form of life? What lies out in deep, extreme environments of space? There are so many possibilities and definitions to expand upon, and I want to add to those missions and discoveries.

Before elementary school, when I lived in Minnesota, I saw the well-known poster, that needed no title, for the second half of the Deathly Hallows movie. My parents told me I was too young to watch and I had no clue what the Harry Potter series was at the time. Back in first grade, my dad started reading the Harry Potter series to me. By the time third grade rolled around, I had completed nearly the entire series alone. As it goes, I would read the book, then watch the movie, for every single Harry Potter book. And that series has remained a top favorite for me ever since. There were some discrepancies in the story telling and the absence of some characters. Out of all book-to-movie adaptations, the Harry Potter series had the most justice done to it. The directors did a great job of retaining the book's plot, dialogue, and character casting. I love the warm atmosphere of the lighting and sets, which truly brought the stories to life. “The Order of the Phoenix” especially did a good job of the set, casting actors who best fit the actors and lighting. As the series progresses, there is a clear shift in the lighting in mood that portrays the darker atmosphere of the story and characters. And for all the movies, the music is well done. I have read and watched the movies dozens of times, which has a huge impact on my reading and interpretation of the story. I visualize the characters as they were in the movie, which, in my mind, matches how I pictured the characters before watching the story. Alan Rickman, Gary Oldman, and David Thewlis truly embody the characters they were acting. When I read the story, I picture them as the characters and read the dialogue in their voices. When I picture the Ministry of Magic, the Hogwarts stairwell, and Grimmauld Place, I see how they are portrayed in the movies. Everything down to the details of the set truly embodies what was described in the book. This makes the story much more understandable and brings the story to life in my mind. Harry Potter has played a crucial role in my love for literature, reading, and connection to characters. By doing this so well, the movies have continued to make Harry Potter a favorite series of mine. Given the casting, set, and overall atmosphere of the movies, the story and characters were truly brought to life. Every time I read the books, I picture the movie’s characters and sets, and the visual is something I can’t complain about; the original actors truly portray their characters. Whenever I need to get out of a slump or relax on a cool fall day, I either watch one of the movies or reread the books. And each time I pick up the book, I think about how well-done the cinematic universe is in Harry Potter, to where it trickles down to how I picture the story as I read it for the twentieth time. Every time I turn a page, it feels like home.

The universe has intrigued me ever since I was young. I watched as many documentaries as I could, I scoured Barnes & Noble and bookstores for space books, and still have the notebook where I wrote my theories. My dream job is in the space industry, creating spacecraft and other technology to learn more about our solar system and beyond. There is so much outside of our world to be discovered. We are only limited to the technology we have today, and unbounded by our imagination and observation. And to protect, understand, and enhance our existence, we need to understand the universe and ourselves. To start, life on Earth is inherently precious. I have heard repeated that the Earth does not need us to survive, but we, as humans, do. The planet itself has proven to recover and rebound from trial and disaster, but life itself has struggled to do so. The Earth is ever-changing, and with the catalyst of climate change, we have found ourselves approaching closer to extensive damage and environmental problems. In the David Attenborough nature documentaries I have watched, there is a slow but steady and increasing impact on the environment that needs to be changed. But how does understanding the universe come into this? By looking outward at our universe and the local solar system, we gain an understanding of how the planets and systems around us work. Venus, Earth, and Mars have several similarities. They serve as a warning to us, how our actions will lead to our destruction and have an empty, dry surface as Mars or Venus. We can find an alternative planet to live on or a way to preserve the current life. With the probability of other forms of intelligent life, we too learn from them. These intelligent life forms can provide crucial solutions and ideas on how to live better and work with our planet. New perspectives create new solutions. Additionally, when we look outward and discover other forms of intelligent life, we learn more from these beings, as mentioned. For example, if there are other life forms on Mars, how do they exist? If it comes down to their biology and adaptations, humans are not equipped for that physically. However, the life system of other beings can be replicated. If they create an oxygen-rich environment for themselves, or on an outer moon, deep in the ice, they create a shell or casing to exist in extreme temperatures, and so on. There is something to be learned from these other beings and their way of living. My biggest idea for space exploration and the discovery of life is how we search for it in the first place. Our technology could be limited to only finding carbon-based life, or other features relating to what we have seen on Earth. There is the probability of the life forms existing on another base of life. Widening our perspective and search range is crucial to determining if other life forms exist. As we need to be open-minded and mindful of others' ideas, we need to be open to considering how life forms exist. Exploration and learning about other planets' methods of existence, create two possible outcomes in terms of humanity’s safety: employing new technologies to curb the negative impacts on the environment and spread awareness of how to protect it, or finding more sustainable planets for life that humans can live on safely. Eventually, the human population will be unsustainable, and we need to find another way to preserve life and keep people safe. Following that, we need to find ways to preserve our environment and the Earth's beauty, be it through intelligent life or through viewing other planet's natural behaviors. Second, understanding the nature of our universe can help us understand ourselves. There are basic principles that govern life, existence, and sciences (gravity, the Earth’s rotation, impacts of the Sun, and so on). But what if these ideas are wrong? We know for a fact that when you toss something up in the air, it comes back down—because of gravity. That leaves us with why gravity does what it does. It could be the Earth’s core, the mass, and so on, but as we get more advanced in technology and ideas, these theories can be proven wrong. We could be entirely wrong on how things work. Maybe these rules only apply to our planet our solar system, or our perspective as humans. Gaining more knowledge of the planetary bodies around us and beyond can help shape ideas. Replicating what we see can change our perception of our forethought governing laws of the planet and universe. Back to the idea of extraterrestrial life, the other intelligent beings of the universe could bring new mathematics, ideas, and technologies, and even reshape the periodic table and build an understanding of ourselves. All these ideas tie together to enhance our existence. Humanity, in order to survive, must look outward. Technology may be limiting us, but exploring and seeing how the universe works can evolve ideas, theories, and our existence to best coexist with this ever-changing universe. None of this can be done on its own. Science and mathematics is an ever-evolving field that requires materials, resources, research, and most importantly, money. By increasing education and verified facts, more people get access to what is being developed and enhanced. Having civilians help with projects can increase the rate of solving problems, hence civilian science. Having government officials and other individuals in charge who understand the scope of what is needed to solve problems and learn more about what is around us is crucial to gaining funding and public support. Above all, thinking out of the box is what we need. Getting more ideas and minds involved, as well as using unconventional thinking to approach problems helps significantly. If we stay within the supposed parameters, never taking appropriate risks, nothing will get done. By looking outward and exploring our universe, we can learn to enhance our own lives, save the valuable world we live in, as well as reach out and solve the universe’s greatest mysteries. This can only be done by thinking outside the box, observing as much as possible, and ensuring everyone can help out and work towards solving this huge puzzle to our existence.

I have learned many valuable things in my time in Scouting, with my leadership positions and time on staff, but two things stand out from my experiences. These two important pieces of advice, “Why are you here?” and “Do it right the first time,” were given to me during my two years working at summer camp. I have used these in my everyday life ever since. In my first year of summer camp, I was focused purely on the experience, of being surrounded by friends at a campfire, swimming in the lake, and making lifelong friends. In a desperate attempt to get what I wanted, I forgot the true reason to staff, the reason I staff now: for the program. I remember the camp director asking me one simple question: “Why are you here?” My perspective changed instantly. Why was I there? For myself? For the program? To give the campers an experience of the summer? I did have the motive to give back to the program I love, but the priority was myself. Coming back the next summer after more learning and growth, I was focused on the campers and those who came for a great program. My experience changed drastically. I had campers come up to me, thank me for believing in them, or giving them an experience that they will go back and tell their parents about how much fun they had. I felt the change in myself, giving back for a reason bigger than myself. As I have gotten involved in more leadership and giving back to the program or other extracurricular volunteer opportunities (Beta Club, NHS, or through the engineering college), I repeat to myself: "Why are you here?" Is it for myself or for the benefit of those around me? To which I answer the latter, providing guidance and motivation for myself. I look out for opportunities around me that help better someone's experience that day, that event, or down the road. The second piece of advice: “Do it right the first time.” Everything we are presented with has one to two chances to be done right the first time around. At camp, this meant that for everything from the program to cleaning the dining hall, going back and trying to fix something that was done incorrectly takes up so much time and reduces efficiency or dampens and experience. Outside of camp, this is one of my biggest pieces of motivation. I, admittedly, am a perfectionist. I study hard, and I give anything I am creating to the best of my ability. I consider the impact of doing less versus giving my all. Why would I step back on something when I can do my best and have a satisfying outcome? There have been a lot of guiding factors in my life that have led me and my impact, and I work hard to deliver effective ideas and leadership. With that, I can give back through the program or through my time, knowing how important it is to deliver an experience or opportunity, big or small, effectively.

A few years back, I took the Pottermore sorting hat test, fully expecting to get Ravenclaw like my dad and brother. However, to my surprise, I was sorted into Hufflepuff. I was initially disappointed, but as the years went on I began to realize that Hufflepuff is, in fact, the perfect match for me. One of the most defining characteristics of Hufflepuffs is that they are "unafraid of toil". For me, that is very true. As an Arrowman in the Order of the Arrow, one of the ideals of the honor society is cheerful service. Working on camp staff and doing various other jobs that require dedicated volunteer work, being unafraid of toil and doing said work is a significant trait one needs to do well. Whenever there is a job to be done, I make sure to do it, do it right, and do it right the first time- I even make it fun for myself and others. My being unafraid of toil is a big role in my life and is one of the reasons I view myself as a proud Hufflepuff. Another one of the most defining characteristics of a Hufflepuff is loyalty and kindness. I do my best to make sure to always lend a helping hand and to be kind to others. And especially with my friends, I make sure they know I am there and that they can count on me. And even if the friendship is over, I still do my best to remain somewhat loyal, at least to the extent they know I will still be there and be nice to them (respecting boundaries and depending on the situation). However, like a badger, Hufflepuffs can stand their ground and be mean if they have to. If I know something is wrong, I will stand up and do what is right. If I know something shouldn't be happening the way it is, I will do my best to fix it. And, if someone is defying my word and ignoring what I have put in place, I hold my ground and defend my "territory" as a badger and Hufflepuff would. Having been sorted into that house, I now realize how much of a role that house placement plays in my everyday life. I see all of my actions reflect the values and traits of a Hufflepuff and remember what that house stands for and what being a Hufflepuff (and the rest of the franchise) means to me.

My favorite thing about Disney is spending time in the parks with friends and family, and just being there. The surrounding atmosphere and magic of Disney always make me happy, and getting to spend that time with family makes it even better. I do a lot of work away from home with Scouting, and during that time at Disney, my whole family is together. I get to connect more with my younger brother, Mom, and Dad. We go on rides, eat good food, and spend time walking through stores-my mom's and my favorite activity. I love doing rides like Rockin' Roller Coaster and Tower of Terror, walking through the main street stores and looking at pins, immersing myself in Batuu, and time traveling in EPCOT's Spaceship Earth. EPCOT is my favorite park, as I get to go through all my favorite countries, eat good food, and do some of the more relaxed rides like Soarin' Around the World. I even get to travel the world going to Disney parks, I've been to Disneyland California, Tokyo, and Paris and the magic is still the same and I get to experience the culture while at those parks. Disney is also connected to my childhood. I first went in 2016, when my family went to Lego Land, Universal, and Disney. It is such a nostalgic feeling for me, and I get to feel like a kid again. The hotels are just as magical; Contemporary and Polynesian are my favorites. Being in the hotels and feeling the surrounding magic of Magic Kingdom just a monorail ride to me is a personal favorite. The smells, the feeling, the atmosphere, and the magic just resonates with me. From the top of Everest to the basement of the Hollywood Hotel, Disney just has a feeling and magic I can't describe, but makes me feel safe and happy, and always makes me want to go back. One special memory I have is when I went with one of my best friends last year. We are both very close, and he and I have a love for Disney and got to bond with it. We got to spend time together and further our friendship during our time at Disney, something I am very grateful for. We both did something new we hadn't done before in the parks, connecting through an exchange of Disney traditions our families did. Waiting in line at the Pirates of the Caribbean ride was my favorite, as both our families hung out, talked, and got to bond with each other and spend quality time together. Looking back on it, that Disney trip was one of my favorites and that time my friend and I spent together is irreplaceable and furthers my love for Disney magic.