I lived in Poway throughout elementary school where I routinely attended Confraternity of Christian Doctrine classes, unaware of the impact of religion in my life. When I moved to San Marcos, I began to question my inherent beliefs. When receiving my Confirmation during my sophomore year, the lessons were as nonengaging as waiting in line for the DMV. I was not able to resonate with their traditional teachings as a male leader claimed that a women’s sole purpose in life is “to do the dishes and take care of your husband” as “males are better than females.” I felt personally attacked, as I knew that life was more than being a “dishwasher. ” His aggressive comment felt personal, especially because I want to pursue a career in STEM and did not want to limit my capabilities to only working around the household. I doubted the effectiveness of religion for high schoolers in my city, as I felt conflicted with the teachings taught and wondered what being a Catholic meant. Thus, I became involved in St. Elizabeth Seton’s core group, teaching high schoolers about their faith to receive their Confirmation. Despite being a Catholic Church, their modern teachings felt welcoming to the encourage my own path with Catholicism. I realized that unpleasant religious experiences don’t reflect Catholicism as a whole, separating church teachings from my personal relationship with God. I became dedicated to advising fellow teenagers to find themselves in religion with a positive attitude as I didn’t have guidance at my previous church. Being open about my struggles with the class allows me to connect with others on a deeper level. Helping students face internal conflicts with taboo topics such as mental health, I reassured them that they can turn to religion as I am open to having conversations, actively looking out for their wellbeing. I give them opportunities to speak, ensuring their voices are heard yet not forcing my own beliefs upon them. Contributing more than 180 hours per year, I was honored to experience working with each student as learning more about religion helped them understand themselves in a safe learning environment to assure that we had a strong support system within my community. The opportunity to impact other high schooler’s lives strengthened my passion for helping others achieve their aspirations. Teaching faith restored my own as I watched my group of students grow as individuals while collaborating together to unite as a community.