Being an Afro American and Hispanic woman studying Motion Design at Ringling College of Art and Design has taught me firsthand how far-reaching the impact of my cultural background and personal experiences have on both the work I do as well as the reason why I do it. My journey in the world of creativity has never been one of design or animation alone, it's been about using my abilities to inspire, educate, and enable others, especially youth who may not yet believe in their place in these fields. Growing up, I didn't get to see too many people who looked like me working in animation or video games. However, I was drawn to those worlds because I was surprised at how design and imagination could tell stories that could elicit something out of someone. When I transitioned into motion design, I realized that this field combined all the things I loved such as storytelling, technology, art and creativity, and that I could potentially use this as a way to communicate with other people. I want to take everything I’ve learned and give back to the next generation through a community-based visual arts workshop for teens. Too often, young people with creative passions don’t have the support or guidance to turn their interests into real career paths. This workshop will give them exposure to the fields of animation, game design, and digital communication, among others, as well as expose them to what programs and majors are appropriate for their interests. My vision is to be able to give them the kind of mentorship I wished I had along the way. A way to guide them toward believing in themselves and having a clear sense of direction in the arts. I also plan to start an indie animation studio, something I currently have in the works by doing a summer group project with a few friends where we are re-writing and animating all of Disney’s animated movie Snow White. Maintaining a 3.8 GPA in both high school and college has taken discipline, perseverance, and a constant love for what I do. But grades do not reveal the entirety of my commitment. What fuels me most is a conviction that creativity can be an influential force for change. I want to help create a community where knowledge and opportunity are accessible to all without limitation, where another's success is a stepping stone for oneself. Through movement choreography and mentorship, I hope to create a ripple effect—educating young artists to find their voices, occupy their space, and shape the world with agency and purpose.

I’m an artist not just because I love to create, but because I’ve seen what happens when art is taken away. I grew up attending underfunded schools—first a magnet middle school tucked behind the ghettos, then a majority-Black arts high school. Despite being surrounded by creative talent for most my life, many of my peers were discouraged from pursuing the arts due to a lack of supplies, funding, and support from school leadership. We had to fundraise for everything—paintbrushes, theater lighting, even something as basic as paper. Arts programs were often seen as expendable, with music rooms turned into storage closets and theater departments forced to cancel productions. And yet, we persisted. The passion and resilience of our teachers carried us through. They used their own limited resources, stayed after hours, and organized weekend performances—doing everything they could to keep the arts alive for us. Their belief in the power of creativity became the foundation for my own. These early experiences shaped both who I am and how I see the world. I’ve learned that artistic talent exists everywhere, but access and opportunity do not. I’ve seen incredibly gifted students give up on their dreams—not because they lacked passion or skill, but because no one invested in them. That reality lit a fire in me. I want to change that. I plan to use my future career in motion design not only to tell visually compelling stories, but also to advocate for accessible arts education. I want to ensure that students from communities like mine know that their voices matter, that their creativity is valuable, and that there is a future for them in the arts. After transferring from New College of Florida to Ringling College of Art and Design—a school where I can receive the focused artistic training I need—I feel even more motivated to give back. I want to use the knowledge and tools I’m gaining to uplift the next generation of artists. Eventually, I hope to contribute financially to art programs in under-resourced communities, helping schools afford materials, guest speakers, and opportunities that enrich creative education. I’d also like to return to those classrooms myself, mentoring students and showing them what’s possible when someone believes in their potential. Art is powerful. It is not just a form of expression—it’s a reflection of culture, identity, and lived experience. While AI and new technologies continue to change the artistic landscape, I firmly believe that nothing can replace the raw originality and human perspective that real artists bring to the table—especially when they’ve been nurtured in supportive, inclusive environments. With the help of this scholarship, I will be one step closer to becoming not just a successful designer, but a mentor, a change-maker, and a champion for artists who, like me, simply need someone to invest in their dreams. Just below is a link to my behance website! Something I just recently started using to post some of my art, the art process, and mockups from Ringling. Please enjoy! https://www.behance.net/kaylinSoto10

I've been making art since I was a kid and have created all kinds of pieces over the years. Even though I'm only in my second year of college, I know I still have a lot to add to my portfolio. Out of everything I've made so far, my recent album cover project for my 2D Design course stands out as my favorite. For this assignment, we had to design both an album cover and center labels for vinyl records. What made this project special was how it pushed me to bring different design elements together in a way that worked. I had to think carefully about how to arrange everything so it would catch the eye but still look balanced and make sense as a whole. I also got to play with different fonts and really see how they can change the feel of a design. But the most eye-opening part was working with colors. I learned how picking the right color combinations could create certain moods and make my design pop. Having to make everything look like it belonged together taught me a lot about creating a consistent look while still having some variety. This project showed me how design can be both pretty and practical. It connected my technical skills with my creativity in a way that felt right. I love all my art, but this album design was a turning point for me. It confirmed that motion design is definitely the career I want to pursue!

I wasn't even a thought when the very first game console released worldwide, and yet, despite that, video games and gaming have been a part of my life since I was six years old. My older brother, nine years my senior, has always been a massive influence on my personal interests. He originally got me into art, watching anime, and, of course, video gaming. Growing up in a modest family from Minnesota, we didn’t have much besides the snow, but my brother made sure I could experience a small taste of the gaming world. The very first console I ever owned was an Xbox 360—handed down to me from him. At that age, I had little understanding of the impact video games would have on my life, but in hindsight, they’ve shaped me in more ways than I could have imagined. Video games weren't just an escape from reality—they were a way to connect with my brother and build a bond before he left to join the military. The games we played became the backdrop to our conversations, from strategizing in "Halo", learning to build unique structures in "Minecraft", or just having some good-old fashion fun in "Mortal Kombat" (the game I typically lost in against him). Even now, those memories I had made with him through gaming come to the forefront of my mind whenever I think about how rarely I have seen him. As I grew older, I realized that video games offered more than just entertainment. They provided me with a sense of purpose and a way to express myself creatively, helping my artistic mind flourish. Over time, this creativity bled into my other passions, like drawing and creative writing. I began creating my own stories and art, inspired by the games I played, and slowly, I saw video games not just as a pastime but as a tool for personal growth. When I turned sixteen, I knew that I wanted to make a career out of video games by becoming a Motion Designer and attend Ringling College of Art and Design. A college perfect for my future passions. "Play is the highest form of research." — Albert Einstein This quote resonates deeply with me because, through video games, I’ve learned more about myself and the world than I could have imagined. Video games are not just about entertainment—they’re about growth and connections. Looking back, I’m grateful for every game I’ve played, every moment I was able to share with my brother, and every lesson I was taught along the way.

I am an artist by trade and an entrepreneur by heart. I thank god that art and entrepreneurship seem to go hand-in-hand wince the beginning of time. Do you know websites like Etsy, Redbubble, or Shopify? These websites flourish due to artists who want to push out their creativity by selling their own work, making money and getting recognition at the same time! Something I have always dreamed of doing. Since graduating high school, selling my artwork has been something I’ve been working on trying to accomplish. Everyone has to start somewhere though and my story began on Facebook marketplace, but not with art, with good bags instead! During the pandemic I had crafted up good bags that had health care products inside of them. My mother had help with choosing what should be inside the bags, but I was the designer for the bags themselves giving me a chance to still be able to create something beautiful during such a dark time. This small business of ours wasn’t a massive success, but the small amount of recognition that we had received encouraged me to create an Instagram page in hopes of selling my future art, to make an Etsy account, and to begin crafting up ideas for my future projects as an entrepreneur on the artistic side. Another big inspiration was my first time at an anime convention. “Artist Alley” at cons are massive! They are another great example of how to sell your art to people and to get people to recognize who you are. Cosplaying at cons are fun but being able to engage with others while selling my art sounds like a dream come true! While I just joined my dream college only a few months ago, my plans of being an entrepreneur has not diminished in the slightest. my hope is that since I’m attending an art school I will be able to improve my art to where I will have more confidence in the type of products that I want to sell. My dream is to achieve success being an entrepreneur and to become a big name artist. I want that future success to help me provide for myself and my family, especially since I’ve been raised in a family a dedicated and hard workers, so it only feels right to pay them back all the amazing things that have done for me over the years.

Being black in America is one of the most beautiful yet most challenging things anyone can experience. The thought that we as a community have to work harder and strive for excellence more than anyone else is something a lot of black people understand. Throughout my lifetime, taking action has been one of the main attributes of black excellence that I have fully been able to embrace and embody. My best examples include my current job and my school. I currently attend Ringling College of Art and Design. A school known for its rigorous programs and intense schedules that have you typically taking five classes a week instead of four. Taking action and getting your work done is a must at my college, or you will fall behind immediately. As a commuter student, I also need to manage good times to go to tutoring sessions and have time for eating, sleeping, and “cool down periods." This is why taking action almost immediately and managing my time wisely is the key to my own successful school year. My college job has me working to encourage other college students to get into the voting world and not be afraid to take action themselves. I believe that my job has been another key component in me being able to take action in my society by engaging in the voting process in a meaningful way. Being the one to assist students in the voting process, organize events that can encourage students, and make engaging social media posts for positive interactions has been some of the many areas that I’ve taken action and helped others take action in our community. While I strive for excellence in all areas listed above, I’ve struggled with taking calculated risks. As an introvert and a homebody, stepping out of my comfort zone has always been challenging for me. My social anxiety often leads me to quit activities, like sports teams or musical plays, before fully committing. To improve this, I plan to manage my anxiety better and focus on how taking risks that can benefit my future. I need to work on both short-term and long-term planning to become more comfortable with calculated risk taking. Overall, I believe that I could work on every attribute that is listed above. Improving myself for the better and displaying black excellence is something that I want to achieve throughout my college and future career.

December 20th, 2013 Elementary school, I’d like to say, was my prime years of life, where it was easy to find your passion because children tend to absorb interest based on things around them. I grew up in a small household, and even though I had a lot of cousins, uncles, and nieces, it was a rare occurrence to see them outside of the holiday season. December 20th was a “core memory” for me. As said in Inside Out, those memories are the ones that form your personality and stick with you for a lifetime. On that cold winter night in Minnesota, when I got to see all my family members and discovered that each one of them had a yearning for artists and was willing to sacrifice their art supplies for a seven-year-old girl to use, that was the day I knew I wanted to be an artist moving forward. Art has always been about sacrifice. All artists know this. Art wasn’t even perceived as something acceptably academic until the 1560s. Making money, funding artists to attend school, and the outwardly negative view from many family members or close relatives about majoring in art are typically negative. I’ve had my fair share of bad experiences with my family not believing art is a career path I should pursue, especially in recent years due to AI advancements. But “giving up” is not in the Soto Legacy. I intend to make an impact through my career as a 3D animation artist, just as my cousins did on that fateful December night. I’ll never forget how they sacrificed something for the future success of another. That is what I want my art to be. My personal goal as to why I am desperately scraping up money through side hustles, short-term jobs, and volunteering at my old high school all just to attend a private art university is to be the artist that makes that same impact that my loved ones did for me.

It’s pretty commonly accepted in the Black and Latino community that Hispanic and African American children don’t have “mental illnesses." I remember hearing some particular phrases said around me as I was growing up that I believed had no effect on me, but in actuality, I continued the stereotype that my own culture set. It took me until my junior year of high school before I properly understood that I had social anxiety. I knew that being anxious before a big performance for my choir was normal, and being nervous to present your homework to your teacher was normal too. Yet, what could not be explained away by my own rationale was the way my mind would blank out when I was meeting new people or the way I’d lose my breath whenever my favorite teacher would call on me to answer something. I never brought it up to my mother. Her judgments of things that can be considered mental disorders were heavily skewed. It took until my older brother was in college before anyone came to realize that he had a mild form of autism. Of course, once I did tell my mother, nothing really changed. Perhaps I assumed that she was going to rush me to the hospital and try to make the doctors “fix me” or was going to persuade me to take medication. My fears were in vain since all she did was recommend me to go to therapy, something I had a negative view point of for other cultural reasons, but it helped tremendously throughput my senior year of high school. I can’t say that social anxiety has affected me in this life-changing way where I’ll never be the same again or anything, but I can say that it has helped me to be more optimistic about my opportunities in life because of the support I have gained over the years. Currently, I’m studying at Ringling College of Art and Design to learn motion design and stop-motion tactics. Art has been a passion of mine since I was about seven years old. It’s a relaxation technique my therapist used with me and something that has helped me stay confident in my abilities to deal with my new-found social anxiety. Pursuing a degree in the arts is important to my future lifestyle, where I intend to find a well-rounded career for myself to help my family and others in my community understand that there is nothing wrong with having a mental health disorder, as we have been born to believe. We don’t have to struggle in silence.

“What is a legacy?” Well, it’s different for everyone, but the most common thing that people call their legacy is their children. I am my father and mother’s legacy. I am the one that they are putting all of their eggs into one basket for, praying that I’ll be the next famous Afro-Puerto Rican woman added to the list of mixed-race individuals on Wikipedia. Personally, I think this ideal of a legacy is heavily outdated. We live in a world where young people like me aren’t thinking about having children at all. So instead of creating children for my legacy, I am going to create a legacy of stories telling other people’s legacies through the medium of motion graphics. This might be a controversial take, but having children for your own legacy is selfish, which is why I want my story to be told through my own actions as an artist and not through the actions I am pushing on my children. Something that is pretty common in a lot of Latin and African cultures, which is why I related to the Disney movie Encanto when it first released. That feeling of generational pressure that was being presented through the beautiful artistic value of animation/motion graphics. I want people to feel connected to fictional stories like what Encanto did for me. I know the process will be difficult, since animation is collectively known as one of the most challenging forms of art in an art school. My journey will begin at my transfer to Ringling; next, I plan to either work in a small animation studio in Tampa or make my way over to Atlanta where my mother grew up and work at Cartoon Network to work on projects that can influence a whole generation of children being born into a complicated world. My main goal would be to start my own animating studio, teaching beginners how to create something they will want to be remembered for. I want to be that shining beacon of hope and inspiration for my future students at my studio. Compassion and selflessness were mottos I grew up with in my household, which was a bit hard to uphold when I had an older brother picking on me 24/7, but as a current college sophomore, I’ve learned that being the uplifting voice in a room will ultimately make you feel better too, and that is what I want my legacy to be.

Why do people do anything? Motivation, or the "zone" is what people always say to inspire one another, and while I think speeches such as those have helped me push through my most challenging moments, the only reason I have yet to drop my paintbrush in the trash can is because I have a point to prove. I want to do art to prove to my family that art can make a career, and AI is not the overall future but a path toward it. My response to this question was probably not an expected answer. Maybe something more wholesome or something that had more goodwill behind it, but most of my life I’ve been told to find a new interest and not pursue drawing as a passion. The story begins with my older brother, who was interested in pursuing graphic design. My father, not the best supporter of things in the creative field, shut that idea down and forced him to join the military. That was over ten years ago now, and my brother is still currently serving in the army with the fear of leaving. While I salute our armed forces and appreciate what my brother does, it saddens me that his love of art was pushed aside. Unsurprisingly, his love for art went to me instead. I despise disobeying my parents, so when my father told me to find another interest, I did. Throughout middle school, I became fascinated by astronomy and engineering, assuming my future career would be working for NASA. I went to space camps every summer and almost took an AP course in astronomy. Yet, my love for art persisted throughout high school like a small needle pricking me in the back of my neck. I couldn’t escape what I was destined for. As a college sophomore, I am pursuing art as my primary focus. There are plenty of struggles that I have already faced, from a lack of support to student loans and needing to change schools since my current college’s art program is dwindling. So to answer your questions once more as to “what motivates me to continue?” It is my unwavering ability to hold a grudge against those who did not believe art could make me money and to show off how AI has no chance at surpassing people-made creations because art is a creative process that has someone's soul in it, which is something a generated image can’t capture. Throughout college, I’ll be continuing to create art through short films, stop-motion projects, and possible video game design with the intent of representing BIPOC communities. My end goal will be to see my name at the end credits of a project and then smugly say to my father, "I told you so."

Giving back to my community, as someone who is part of a community that rarely gets anything, is truly something important to me. I’m tired of waiting for the government to realize their wrongdoing and give my people what they deserve. So, I shall be the one who takes the initiative to provide for black and Hispanic communities alike and spread positivity around me until it becomes embraced worldwide. I first placed my toes in the water of “giving back” when I was in elementary school. While living in Minneapolis, my grandmother was always persistent about me helping around our community church. Whether she’d ask me to sing, do tithes and offerings, clean up the back rooms, or just greet people at the door, it was guaranteed that I’d be working whenever I went to church. She prayed that, by having me do all of this work, I’d give my life to Christ. Sadly, I was still only a child and had no clue about Jesus or God, but what I do have a clue about is that I was helping spread a positive environment in the church. It made my day to see people smile when I’d greet them at the door. I even became the most recommended door greeter, to the point where people would be disappointed when they didn’t see me! Now, my real beginnings of actual volunteering began in middle school, when my first volunteer job was at Meals-on-Wheels, a non-profit company a friend introduced me to. The company provided food for the elderly and those who were disabled by having its employees drive fresh produce to those at home. It was an educational experience and woke me up to realize how much I can help people just by driving my car. Around this time, I started making a small amount of money by selling goody bags to those who were sick. A significant portion of my earnings was donated to the homeless, while the rest was carefully saved for my college education. Volunteering is nerve-wracking, especially for someone who deals with social anxiety. Reasons like my own are why I don’t get upset when people tell me that they have never volunteered before. While they may not have volunteered for other reasons that have nothing to do with mental health, I still stand my ground and explain that “helping others takes more than just heart but also the ability to understand." It’s truly a rejuvenating experience to give to those who have nothing, because you’d hope that if you were in the same position, someone would be kind enough to do the same for you. If you can’t put yourself in that person's shoes and sympathize, then I don’t think you should be volunteering. Currently, I am only a college sophomore, but my goals have not changed, and I doubt they will as I get older. I plan to give back through my career as an artist and spread positivity through my artwork once I graduate. While world peace is not around the corner, positivity and acceptance are a start, and that can begin the moment you open your heart to just your neighbor.

A dream came to me, like how Gabriel came to Mary. That dream told me that one day, in the far future, I’d be a great artist as long as I pushed past my fear of failure and social anxiety. Then I woke up, only to remember that I’m a seven-year-old child who didn’t understand the concept of what that dream even meant, but it was one of my many starting points into the world of art. The moment I moved from Minnesota to Florida, I started attending magnet programs, art museums, and workshops with professional comic book and manga creators. Chi Wong, Faith Ringgold, Kara Walker, and Sol LeWitt are just some of the few conceptual and minimalist artists that I’ve found myself able to enjoy. Over the years, I’ve created a lot of art pieces, yet my favorite piece in the last month or so has to be “Big City, Big Minds, Big Problems”. It’s hard to avoid not putting your deepest emotions into your artwork, and that piece is the biggest example of that for me. While a lady stands strong and tall in the middle frame, all she can think about is her desire to go home. What surrounds her is an unfamiliar environment, and her yelling thoughts. Those same thoughts have inflicted me since I moved to Florida. The loss of my family members and the isolation from those who know me best is easier to express on paper, which is why I made it.

There are plenty of social justice movement that have a significant meaning to me. Black Lives Matter, LGBTQ rights, climate change justice, gun violence, and women’s rights are just a few I can name off at this moment. As an African-American and Hispanic-American citizen observing these movements happening across the country, I have always felt compelled to actively participated in them. The right to protest is one of our many amendments that I’ve put to use ever since COVID-19. No, I did not protest against the act of vaccinations, but what I did protest against was how the government was handling the situation and lack of healthcare. I’ve always been proactive about participating in protests, whether in person, on social media, or by just discussing my views with my friends. My personal connection to these issues particularly come from my family background. My grandmother was deeply involved with sit-in protest during her youth, and my mother is actively engaged in organizations such as being a Zeta and apart of the NAACP. Two organizations that my mother greatly wanted me to join. I denied being in a sorority, I did join the NAACP. Nonprofit organizations are some of my favorites to participate in. I especially enjoyed when I was a dedicated member of meals-on-wheels, a company that drove to and from poor shelters and struggling neighborhoods to deliver food. For me taking action is crucial because I believe in the principle that, “you can’t complain about what’s happening if you aren’t taking any action to prevent it”. A notion that my high school history teacher would actively say. Thank you Mr. Gonzalez for the great words of advice. This commitment of mine stems from a belief about actively shaping the world around me. To ensure that my voice contributes to positive changes and issues that affect not only myself, but also the others that live in our society. Getting involved is something I believe everyone should do. It’s concerning how police brutality has made it to where many Americans avoid going in public to protest about something they are passionate about. No matter, I believe that you can protest in many different ways. The use of art, social media, or just by having a bumper sticker on the back of your car can be a way of standing up for social issues. Remember that getting involved is not just about expressing your discontent for the things around you. It’s about justice, equality, and creating a world you want to live in.

When I was at the hospital with my family, watching my nana get diagnosed with stage 2 cancer and kidney disease, I thought to myself, “Why are humans so weak?” I was about twelve years old when this happened, and it was only a few years ago before this incident that my grandfather had passed away. I can barely remember going to his funeral nowadays, but the one thing I can recall is the pure, broken look my mother had and how she avoided looking inside the casket when asked. That was the same look she gave at the hospital during the diagnosis. Once again, my family was in shambles, and I just stood there in shock, not being able to understand how this had ever happened. My grandmother would walk daily, eat healthy, and go to the doctor every six months. Everyone just knew that she was healthy, but apparently not. This was why I had asked that same night when my uncle took me out of the hospital to head home. “Why are humans so weak?” I didn’t see my mom for about a week. My uncle took care of me instead, driving me to and from school. I could tell it was hard for him too, since he probably wanted to be next to my mom at the hospital. I remember it being difficult to focus at school. I didn’t want to go eat with my friends; I couldn’t focus in class. All I could think about was my grandmother and the loneliness of being home alone. What could I do? I started thinking about life without my grandma. I couldn’t imagine her not going to any of my choir concerts or not seeing her when I played basketball and got a 3-pointer. I couldn’t imagine her not being there when she was the one who would help me with volunteering at non-profit organizations and her dragging me to church every Wednesday evening and Saturday for cleaning duty. I had prayed alone for the first time that night, begging God to bring my nana back home. My Nana is a warrior, that is for certain. She survived, and through treatments, she got rid of her cancer before it became worse. Sadly, her kidney disease is chronic, but she checks and takes shots or medication for it when required. Currently, my nana lives in the same house as my mother and me. It was required by the doctors that she needed people to watch over her, and the previous place she lived had rent that increased way too much, which caused her to have to leave. My grandmother's kidney disease had affected my whole family’s way of life, from having her move into my mom’s house to me being the one to check on her whenever she’d call my name. Yet, despite all the negativity, fear, and changes that occurred on that fateful day, I knew that my life could never be the same if I had lost my Nana. She has been the one figure in my life who has encouraged me time and time again. She is the reason I am pursuing a dream in animation, since it has always been her dream to be an art teacher. I love you Nana! My life would not be the same without you.

When was the day you gained consciousness and realized what you were going to do with your life forever? For me, everything began at the age of 5 when I got my grubby hands on a pencil and started to scribble my life down on a blank sheet of paper— I was drawing! It was terrible but it was the start of something that I was never able to stop. Around the age of 7 I was introduced to Japanese culture Anime; my dad would always watch Naruto and Bleach on the couch, he was a busy man so when he would sit down I was right next to him. Enamored— some would say, is the way I felt when I first saw the Anime JoJo's Bizarre Adventure. I fell hard when I saw the art style, it helped develop my already growing passion for art and even inspired me to join a creative writing class because of how amazing the storytelling was. Apart from joining a creative writing class in school I also became a choir major. Throughout middle school and to now, I’ve been an advance singer; I even help my church when needed. My love for helping others extended to volunteering for companies like Meals-on-Wheels. The company helps give senior citizen, disabled people, and others home bound access to delicious and healthy food items. The first time I joined a volunteering group, I was in 6th grade. My mother invited me to help her with deliveries in low income neighborhoods; we would hand out fresh fruits and vegetables, little gift baskets, and more (especially during COVID). The volunteering group was called Meals-on-Wheels. My mom is a Zeta, which inspired me to get out and sign up for the NAACP. I love helping my own communities and get to know others that want to also help people. Speaking of COVID-19, the pandemic marked a turning point in my life. As my mental health deteriorated from bad family news and constant isolation from my friends, I felt a profound call to action. Perhaps it was a higher power or simply the immense sorrow I felt witnessing the pandemic's toll, but the spirit of giving reignited within me. With the help of friends, I began creating goodie bags for those affected by COVID-19. This initiative grew into a small “business” where we distributed these goodie bags for free through Facebook Marketplace and within our neighborhood. Although our goodie bags didn't gain much traction, the experience was incredibly fulfilling. As a college student majoring in motion/graphic design, my dedication to giving remains. My aim to make the world a better place is to harness my animation skills to promote positivity across various communities, especially the Black and Latino community, as someone who is proudly apart of both. Through the use of short film animations and video games, I want to promote having more POC representation that doesn’t fill forced or unwanted. Spreading positivity is something I have done for decades now because you can never give too much.

The amount of art programs in middle school and high school that are underfunded is staggering. Both the middle school and high school I attended were heavily underfunded, which required some of the teachers to take money out of their own pockets to pay for basic utensils that the schools or district should be providing. To me, it’s disappointing how almost everybody outside of the art community seems to avoid the topic of how terrible the funding is for magnet schools. Even some colleges don’t have as good a fund as they should for the classes they offer. My old college is a great example of this. The funds that used to go to the art program instead started going to the sports program, which had just been added to my college. As a future student attending Ringling College of Art and Design, one of my big plans for the future is to raise awareness around the United States about new programs to help fund artistic classes. I aim to make a positive impact on the world by championing the importance of art education and ensuring that students have the resources they need to explore their creativity fully. Here’s how I plan to do this: Advocacy and Awareness Campaigns: I will use my own instagram and my art friend’s social media accounts to bring attention to this issue. We will start by sharing stories and statistics in hopes to garner public support. Fundraising Initiatives: Organizing my own fundraising events will be difficult, so to start I will discuss this topic at fundraising events that already occurred at Ringling college since we have plenty of art exhibitions for students and art connoisseur alike. Collaboration with Businesses and Nonprofits: As someone who’s been active with nonprofit organizations in the past like Meals On Wheels and working at my local church, I believe that forming partnerships with businesses and nonprofit organizations can provide additional resources and support for art education. Whether through donations, sponsorships, or volunteer programs, these collaborations can help bridge the funding gap. Educational Workshops Programs and Mentorship: This one is my personal favorite activity that I think would benefit the art community and myself. I’ve always had future ideas of mentoring the future generation of artist, and I think that developing workshops or programs that emphasize the importance of art education will benefit my goal of funding struggling magnet schools. By demonstrating the benefits of art, such as enhanced creativity, critical thinking, and emotional expression, I aim to convince school boards and policymakers to prioritize funding for the arts. Of course, I know that convincing school boards will be a tedious job, but I’m dedicated to giving future art students a chance to pursue their passions right away instead of waiting for college like I had to. “Any form of art is a form of power; it has impact, it can affect change — if can not only move us, it makes us move,” — Ossie Davis My plan to make a positive impact on the world involves a multifaceted approach to improving the funding and support for art programs in high schools and middle schools around the United States. By raising awareness, securing financial support, forming partnerships, and advocating for policy changes, I hope to ensure that future generations of students have access to the quality art education they deserve.

Is it bad to say that it took me until my senior year of high school to realize what I was truly passionate about? I thought it was uncommon since everyone around me seemed so dedicated and knew what the future held for them. I had big dreams just like any little girl did when they were asked what they wanted to be when they grow up at school. A lawyer, a NASA scientist, a performer, a professor at college. I remember repeating those little stories of mine, always ignoring the fact that what I was truly interested in doing was art. Besides my mother, everyone else in my family has such negative stereotypes about artists. Telling me how I’d be living on the streets, doing drugs, and being a sellout like people in Hollywood. It’s no wonder why I steered clear from taking any art classes in middle or high school. I was scared of disappointment and being a failure. My family is the definition of lower middle class. The idea of generational wealth was just a fairytale that my grandma told us would happen if, “only I had got married to that rich white man I met over thirty years ago”. I never believed my family was struggling. I never cared how beautifully decorated all of my friend’s houses were compared to mine and the nice neighborhoods they lived in. I thought my family was completely comfortable, until Covid-19 hit Florida during my spring break of freshman year. Seeing the devastation of my mother doing her best to provide for me, my brother, my grandmother, and herself by living pay check to pay check was an even greater reason as to why I avoided pursuing art. I’d like to believe that I woke up and “smelled the coffee” when a close friend of mine told me that she was moving out of the state to pursue her dream of being an author. She never had good relations with her family, so everything she was doing, she was doing it alone. It was empowering seeing someone that I had known for four years follow her passion despite the lack of family support or guidance. It was on that day, November 16th, that I requested to be transferred out my cooking class and take my first art class ever. Sometimes I’d have negative thoughts telling me that it was pointless to start taking art classes now when I hadn’t taken one ever, but I brushed it aside because now, as a college sophomore, I am getting the opportunity to attend Ringling College of Art and Design. A private art school that I never even dream about falling into my lap one day, but God was on my side. “Passion is energy. Feel the power that comes from focusing on what excites you.” — Oprah Winfrey. Art is my passion, and that passion is one of the many reasons I wake up in the morning, grab my tablet off the floor and start animating until I can barely keep my eyes open. That passion is why I tried my absolute hardest to get into Ringling College even though I’m a lower class citizen. That passion is the reason I want to make people smile when I create a short film or animated movie depicting the struggles of those in my community. My passion is why I am here today writing this essay. I plan to make a difference in many aspects of my life. No matter the haters, this is the career I am passionate about.

I’m sitting at my desk right now, typing this essay in my bedroom, and the first thing I see when I look up is this old Spider-Man poster. I "borrowed" it from my brother when he moved back to Minnesota years ago. I wouldn’t call myself a hardcore Spider-Man fan, but I’ve read most of the comics, especially the Miles Morales ones, seen every movie reboot, and I own at least two Spider-Man t-shirts. When the latest Tom Holland Spider-Man movie came out, my friends and I rewatched all the films to compare the best. I was hoping to prove my friend wrong about Tom Holland being the best Spider-Man because, to me, Tobey Maguire will always be the OG. No matter where you go online, you’ll find people saying nobody compares to Maguire. But let's talk about the Spider-Man actor who stands out to me: Andrew Garfield. Among all the actors who’ve put on the red and blue suit, Garfield captures the perfect mix of charm, wit, and vulnerability. From his first quip to the showdown, his portrayal not only brings Peter Parker to life but takes Spider-Man to new heights. Garfield’s take on Spider-Man in "The Amazing Spider-Man" series hits differently. He brings depth and vulnerability to the role that’s super relatable and endearing. He is way more accurate to how Peter Parker is portrayed in the comic books, an awkward teen trying to help his neighborhood in the best way he can. His ability to show Peter Parker’s struggles with balancing his personal life and superhero duties is amazing. Both Holland and Maguire are still in the top five, but the way they are portrayed in the film takes how the nerdiness of Parker with Raimi’s version and the Marvel version pushes the “young child trying his hardest” aesthetic a bit too hard which can make the first two films he’s in frustrating to watch. Even though in recent times Garfield got a lot of praise for his performance, he’s often left out of the "best Spider-Man" debates. This is unfair, given the emotional depth he brings to the character. To me, he fully embodies Peter Parker, making us root for him and feel his journey. His nuanced performance sets him apart from the other Spider-Men. In conclusion, Andrew Garfield’s portrayal of Spider-Man deserves way more recognition for its emotional depth and authenticity to the actual source material. It makes me happy that fans nowadays seem to recognize his talent as an actor on screen and in plays/musicals. As fans of the superhero genre, we should appreciate and celebrate Garfield’s contribution to the Spider-Man franchise, because, in my opinion, newer versions of Spider-Man, like their version from the Insomniac Universe are heavily inspired by Garfield’s Spider-Man.

I was always more of a Cartoon Network fan than Disney or Nickelodeon, but a random, yet fun crossover episode between Kim Possible and Gravity Falls would be fascinating. Both shows are built around solving mysteries and taking on adventures. Gravity Falls thrives on uncovering supernatural secrets, while Kim Possible has high-stakes missions and intense battles against villains with cool spy gadgets. Combining these elements would create a thrilling storyline that would appeal to fans of both series, especially when considering the culture impact these shows have left on pop culture, with iconic moments, catchphrases, and memorable stories. As a past theater kid, my plan is to write down the crossover in acts as if it was a real episode. Please enjoy my Kim Possible and Gravity Falls crossover titled, “The Impossible Mission of Mystery.” Plot: Kim Possible and Ron Stoppable are called to investigate strange occurrences in Gravity Falls, Oregon. Meanwhile, Dipper and Mabel Pines are hot on the trail of a new mystery involving a series of bizarre anomalies in their town. Act one: The episode opens with Kim Possible receiving a distress signal from an anonymous source claiming that Gravity Falls is in danger from a powerful, unknown force. Kim, intrigued and always ready for a new mission, sets off with Ron, Rufus, and Wade’s tech support. Simultaneously, in Gravity Falls, Dipper discovers a new entry in Journal 3 about a strange device that has been causing the recent phenomena in the state. Mabel, excited about the potential adventure, insists they investigate (as all good siblings duos do). Act two: Kim and Ron arrive in Gravity Falls and quickly bump into Dipper and Mabel. Initially wary of each other, the two pairs of heroes realize they’re both after the same goal and decide to team up. Their investigation leads them to the Mystery Shack, where Grunkle Stan is more interested in selling Kim some novelty items than helping them solve a mystery with plenty of jokes on the way. As they delve deeper, they discover that the anomalies are centered around an old abandoned laboratory in the woods, previously owned by a mad scientist. His experiments involved manipulating time and space, which is causing the current disturbances. Act three: The team infiltrates the lab, only to find that Dr. Drakken and Shego have teamed up with a resurrected mad scientist to harness the power of the time and space for their nefarious plans. A thrilling battle ensues as Kim and Ron face off against Drakken and Shego, while Dipper and Mabel try to deactivate the machine causing the anomalies. Just as things seem dire, Kim and Mabel come up with a plan to use the machine’s power against itself. With Wade’s technical assistance and Dipper's knowledge from the journal, they manage to reverse the distorter’s effects, causing a massive explosion of temporal energy that traps the scientist in a time loop and sends Drakken and Shego fleeing. Act four: With the day saved, the team reflects on their adventure. Kim is impressed with Dipper and Mabel’s resourcefulness, while they are equally in awe of Kim and Ron’s heroics. They all share a moment together, with Ron and Mabel bonding over their love of nachos and jokes. Before leaving, Kim gives Dipper a special Kimmunicator for future emergencies, while Mabel presents Ron with one of her handcrafted sweaters as a token of friendship. Closing scene: The episode ends with Kim and Ron promising to visit again before handing back home. Overall, the episode would action-packed and mysterious for everyone.

Mermaid buffs! Calling all mermaid buffs! Assemble! The day my brother passed down his Wii to me was a life-changing “canon event” that I’ll never forget. At nine years old, I convinced my mom to get Netflix on it, and that was the first time I experienced the magic of streaming TV shows, movies, and anime. Among the many shows I watched, the two that stood out were "H2O: Just Add Water" and "Mako Mermaids." Of course, REAL mermaid show fans will tell you that "H2O: Just Add Water" is the better show out of two, and it remains to be my favorite mermaid themed series to this day and I’ve seen too many to count. "H2O: Just Add Water" is an Australian series about three girls—Cleo, Rikki, and Emma—who get trapped on a mysterious island and fall into a magical pool illuminated by the moon. This transforms them into mermaids and provides them magical powers. My favorite was always Emma. She has ice powers, was always the calm and collected one, and was the only girl out of the three to live Australia for college. I relate to her a lot. As a kid, watching this was a dream come true. I fantasized about finding a magical island and becoming a mermaid myself. My family, supportive as always, even bought me an orange mermaid bathing suit with a tail. Though I didn't have a pool, I loved posing for photos in it, dreaming of the ocean adventures I'd have as a mermaid. Now eighteen and heading to a new college as a sophomore, "H2O: Just Add Water" remains a show I enthusiastically recommend to my friends, despite the funny looks they give me. The show beautifully captures themes of friendship and trust. Interestingly, Cleo, Rikki, and Emma weren't even friends before their transformation. Their journey into mermaid-hood brings them together, teaching them to rely on each other and work through challenges as a team. From a creative perspective, the show’s visual effects are impressive. As someone who’s delved into motion design and graphic design with the hopes of that being their future career, I now appreciate the stunning transformation scenes and underwater sequences even more. Watching these actresses swim effortlessly with mermaid tails is mesmerizing and a testament to the show’s dedication to authenticity. It also inspired me to go to the beach more! Because what’s the point of living in Florida if I never go to the beach. If you’re a fan of mermaids or have kids who dream of underwater adventures, "H2O: Just Add Water" is a must-watch. It's a show that perfectly blends magic, friendship, and the allure of the ocean, making it a delightful experience for viewers of all ages. It might even encourage you to go to the beach sometime! Clear your weekend, grab some shark gummies, and dive into the enchanting world of "H2O: Just Add Water." You won't regret it!

As a college student who attended a majority Black art high school that was underfunded, I understand the struggles that young artists in under-resourced communities face. At my school, we had to raise our own money to pay for basic equipment for the theater and supplies such as paint brushes and water paper for art class, which made it difficult for many students to fully explore their creative potential. Most students that attended my high school avoided the art programs all together because of the lack of money and encouragement from the school district. My middle school, which was a magnet based school as well; not a majority black school, went through the same struggle of funds being used incorrectly. My middle school was in the midst of the “projects”, but it was a beautiful school for students interested in learning the arts. We barely had funds for almost everything in my school, from books for class, study tools for testing, and supplies for art classes. Some of us even believed that the terrible funding was one of the reasons as to why our principal got removed by the school board, but that’s only a rumor. Thankfully, our middle school teachers were passionate enough about the arts program that they took money out of their own pockets for us and created fun after school musical performances as fundraisers, some that I even participated in! I am forever grateful for what those teachers did for me, since teachers are known to not be paid well. It was one of the few things that encouraged me to keep attending magnet schools and want to give back to the schools that raised me. Now, as I see the art program at my current college, New College of Florida, that is having plenty of rumors from students about the art program possibly disappearing due to my school taking on more sports based programs, I am reminded of the importance of providing access to arts education for all students. This is why I have made the decision to transfer to a fully funded art program, Ringling College of Art and Design, where I can not only further develop my own skills as someone passionate in graphic and motion design but also give back to the community that I grew up in and experienced. Through my future degree in motion graphics, I plan to take responsibility and follow the same footsteps as those at my middle school did. I want to use the money I make and send it to schools or to fundraisers that can help raise funds for art programs world-wide. I also plan to become a teacher or professor so I can mentor and inspire young artists that may have attended under-resourced schools or communities by providing them with opportunities to explore their creativity and develop their talents, just as others have done for me. By sharing my own experiences and knowledge, I hope to empower the future generations to pursue their passions and dreams despite what’s happening around them because art is the future. No amount of AI art can take away the originality and diverse artistic landscape that individuals have if given the opportunity to flourish in the right environment and it’s a guarantee that the money I get from this scholarship will help me succeed in this field. Thank you.

Success is a word that holds different meanings for different people. For some, it may be achieving a high-paying job, owning a luxurious house, or driving a fancy car. However, for me, success looks like seeing my name on the end credits of a short film, animation, or video game. This has been my dream for as long as I can remember, and I am determined to make it a reality. In order to achieve my goal, I understand the importance of receiving a quality education in the field of art and design. That is why I am applying for this scholarship to help me attend Ringling College of Art and Design. This institution is known for its top-notch programs in animation, video game design, and other creative fields. By studying at Ringling, I will have the opportunity to learn from industry professionals and gain the skills and knowledge necessary to succeed in the competitive world of animation and game design. However, attending Ringling College of Art and Design comes with a hefty price tag. The cost of tuition, housing, supplies, and other expenses can quickly add up, making it difficult for students like me to afford a quality education. This is where the scholarship comes in. With the financial assistance provided by this scholarship, I will be able to focus on my studies without the burden of worrying about how to pay for my education. This will allow me to fully immerse myself in my coursework, hone my skills, and work towards achieving my dream of seeing my name on the end credits of a short film or video game. The high cost of attending Ringling College of Art and Design is a reality that many aspiring artists and designers face. Tuition alone can amount to tens of thousands of dollars per year, not to mention the additional expenses of housing, supplies, and other necessities. For students from low-income backgrounds like myself, these costs can be especially daunting. Without financial assistance, many talented individuals may never have the opportunity to pursue their passion and realize their full potential. That is why scholarships play a crucial role in helping students afford a quality education. By providing funding to cover tuition and many other expenses, scholarships open doors of opportunity for students, such as myself, who may not have the means to attend college due to high funds. For me, receiving this scholarship would be a game changer for my future career, and it would be able to lift a bit of the financial burden that it will be to attend Ringling College of Art and Design. Nevertheless, my limitations with money will not prevent me from taking the opportunity that God has given me. I looked towards the future, and I am excited about the possibilities that I am confident in achieving. With just hard work, dedication, and the support of this scholarship, I will be able to achieve my goal of seeing my name on the end credits of a short film, animation, or video game. I am grateful for the opportunity to pursue my passion for art, and I am committed to making the most of this chance. Thank you for considering my application for a scholarship. I look forward to the opportunity to continue my education at Ringling College of Art and Design and one day make my mark in the world of animation and game design.

Have you ever heard about JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure? No? Well get ready for me to melt your mind and get you addicted like a drug to literally the best anime ever! Now listen. I actually was scared to watch JoJo when my father, who is also an anime enthusiast, recommended it to me during the pandemic. Depression and anxiety were not my friend during those times, which my father caught wind of quickly and wanted to give me something new to obsess over for the time being. JJBA has a very unique and a bit of a “gross” art style that puts people off. Surprisingly, not a lot of people like seeing extremely buff men in glamorous outfits fight other buff men in even more glamorous outfits. I was hesitant, but I gave it a shot and when I tell you I fell hard, I’m not lying. This anime changed my life and is one of the major reasons I’m pursuing a degree in animation in the first place. There is something so captivating about a show that isn’t just a normal, linear storyline that follows one character. JoJo is about a generational tragedy that follows the Joestar bloodline until it ends in their demise. Heads-up. If you are thinking about joining the JJBA fandom get ready for it to haunt your dreams and for the most annoying jokes in the world. JoJo fans can be pretty irritating. All throughout high school I was the most annoying fan imaginable. I don’t really feel bad about it (yes I’m a bit of a prick) because I was able to convince two of my closest friends to watch the show and now they are in the deep end with me. My addiction to this show was so bad that during my choir senior graduation ceremony, we have a small section mid-concert where your classmates give you a handmade art piece that they believe you were “most likely” to do, and I received one that said, “Most likely to annoy you to watch JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure.” I have the image currently hanging on my wall right now! Speaking of my room, the amount of posters of just this one show could make anyone sick. I have a poster from each part or season (to those uncultured of JJBA lingo) and a bookshelf full of the manga. Not to mention they are hardcovers! Which are not cheap, and were pretty hard to find before JoJo got more popular. In recent times JoJo has become popular enough to have its own fashion line in Gucci and be on the cover on other popular fashion magazines. I have dreamed about purchasing a JoJo themed suit and tie, but then my bank account would be more nonexistent than it already is. I do have plenty of merch from my favorite franchises, but JJBA anime t-shirts have their own section in my closet. I even own JoJo themed socks and other themed things which are pretty embarrassing to admit here on this essay. If I haven’t convinced you that I’m an extreme JoJo fan yet, then I don’t know what will. The show is endlessly captivating with its heavy influence in music and popular culture. The complexity of the 3D opening themes and the beautiful 2D art style just shows how much David Productions cares about the legacy of what they are representing. Generational conquest mixed in with the amazing protagonists in each part, is why it’s so difficult to answer the question, “Who is your favorite JOJO?”. This show will stay with me until my death bed!

Ever since I was seven years old, art has been a significant part of my life. My older brother, who was an artist until he graduated high school and joined the military, inspired me to start creating. Watching him work with such dedication and passion sparked my own interest in the arts. As I grew older, I found myself drawn to mixed media art in particular. This form of art allows me to combine different materials and techniques, which resonates deeply with me. Being mixed myself, I often find it challenging to stick to one style of art. Mixed media gives me the freedom to express my identity in a way that feels authentic and true to who I am. I am currently a rising sophomore at New College of Florida, majoring in Arts and Studio Arts. My passion for fine arts has only grown stronger during my time in college. The diverse and inclusive environment at New College has provided me with the opportunity to explore various forms of art and develop my skills further. My high school GPA was a perfect 4.0, and I have maintained a 3.0 GPA in college. These academic achievements reflect my dedication and commitment to my studies and my craft. As a gender-fluid person of Hispanic and African American descent, I have faced unique challenges and experiences. Art has always been a way for me to navigate and make sense of my identity. It provides a platform for me to share my story and connect with others who may have similar experiences. I am passionate about fine arts because it is a powerful tool for self-expression and communication. It allows me to convey emotions and ideas that words sometimes cannot capture. One of my dreams has always been to see my name in the end credits of an animated film. Animation combines my love for storytelling and visual art, and I am fascinated by the process of bringing characters and worlds to life. I have been working on improving my skills in digital art and animation, and I am excited about the possibilities that lie ahead. The John Traxler Theatre Scholarship would provide me with the financial support I need to continue pursuing my passion and achieving my dreams. In conclusion, I am pursuing a career in the arts because it is an integral part of who I am. My passion for fine arts stems from a deep desire to express myself and connect with others through my work. The support from the John Traxler Theatre Scholarship would be invaluable in helping me continue my education and grow as an artist. I am committed to making a positive impact in the field of fine arts and contributing to the rich tapestry of diverse voices and stories. Thank you for considering my application.

I’m a daughter in a family of 2, a sister to a military brother, a granddaughter to a Hispanic abuela, and a proud African-American nana. A cousin/niece to many uncles, aunts, and cousins who take care and look after one another, and a beloved dog owner to a pitbull named Apollo. I’m an inconspicuous girl in a big world that doesn’t notice me, though it never bothered me because I stood out in my way. Everything began at the age of 5 when I got my grubby hands on a pencil and started to scribble my life down on a blank sheet of paper— I was drawing! It was terrible but it was the start of something that I was never able to stop. Around the age of 7, I was introduced to Japanese culture Anime; my dad would always watch Naruto and Bleach on the couch, he was a busy man so when he would sit down I was right next to him. Enamored— some would say, this is the way I felt when I first saw the Anime JoJo's Bizarre Adventure. I fell hard when I saw the art style, it helped develop my already growing passion for art and even inspired me to join a creative writing class because of how amazing the storytelling was. Apart from joining a creative writing class in school I also became a choir major. Throughout middle school and to now, I’ve been an advanced singer; I even help my church when needed. My love for helping others extended to volunteering for companies like Meals-on-Wheels. The company helps give senior citizens, disabled people, and others home-bound access to delicious and healthy food items. After graduating high school and starting college, I realized that I wanted to be an animator and create short films to bring happiness to others. I finally decided to push myself to do art I hadn’t been comfortable with in the past which had increased my passion for fine arts. I also became interested in creative writing. Something my whole family and myself were shocked about. This new passion sparked my desire to write possible screenplays in the future. After college, when I earn my degree in motion design and minor in creative writing, I want to help create a more inclusive media landscape for people of color, those that are apart of the LGBT+ community, women, and many more without it being called “forced inclusion”. I believe movies and media can lead the way in fostering acceptance which is something I hope my future will involve.

As the sun set slowly over the horizon, I quickly grabbed my sketchbook to capture the scene that had graced that fleeting moment of my life—a moment I might forget in a few years. Hello! My name is Kaylin Soto, and I'm a future college sophomore pursuing a major in fine arts or motion design, with a minor in creative writing. Everyone starts somewhere, and my journey into the arts began with my older brother. He often painted the neighborhood scenery in Minneapolis, where we used to live, and the art of his current favorite TV show or movie. His talent for figure drawing caught my eye when I was seven. After our family moved to Florida, I continued drawing, mostly creating portraits of friends and family and never wanting to push myself further in fear of making mistakes. When high school came around, I pushed art to the side and shifted my focus to performing arts. I sang, danced, participated in musicals, and played instruments. While it was fun, something felt like it was missing. Although everything I had been doing was still within the arts, my passion for performing didn't match the joy I found in drawing. During this time I also found an interest in creative writing. I would write short stories with friends, but I never thought I’d end up pursuing that interest further at the time. After graduating high school and starting college, I realized that I wanted to be an animator and create short films to bring happiness to others. I finally decided to push myself to do art I hadn’t been comfortable with in the past which had increased my passion for fine arts. I’m half Puerto Rican and half African American, and seeing people like me represented in animated films is still rare. Although representation has increased in recent years, it has taken far too long to reach this point. It's frustrating how some people assume that including a person of color in a film today is to push an "agenda." The same can be said about films with a predominantly female cast. For instance, the Barbie movie was fantastic, yet many men felt it was overly critical of them and that discussing the patriarchy was unnecessary, missing the entire point of the film. When I earn my degree in motion design and minor in creative writing, I want to help create a more inclusive media landscape without feeling forced. I believe movies and media can lead the way in fostering acceptance. The social issues I want to address include greater inclusion of people of color in films, especially dark-skinned women, and ensuring women take on active roles in movies without always being cast in sexy roles.

“Legacy. What is a legacy? It’s planting seeds in a garden you never get to see.” ― Hamilton Musical Yes, I am still an avid fan of Hamilton in the year 2024. Just last week, I started to re-listen to the soundtrack, and that line in particular in the second-to-last song of the musical has always stuck with me from the moment I heard it: “What is a legacy?” Well, it’s different for everyone, but the most common thing that people call their legacy is their children. I am my father and mother’s legacy. I am the one that they are putting all of their eggs into one basket for, praying that I’ll be the next famous Afro-Puerto Rican woman added to the list of mixed-race individuals on Wikipedia. I’m only eighteen, and yet my mind is older. Personally, I think this ideal of a legacy is heavily outdated. We live in a world where young people like me aren’t thinking about having children at all. So instead of creating children for my legacy, I am going to create a legacy of stories telling other people’s legacies through the medium of motion graphics. This might be a controversial take, but having children for your own legacy is selfish, which is why I want my story to be told through my own actions as an artist and not through the actions I am pushing on my children. Something that is pretty common in a lot of Latin and African cultures, which is why I related to the Disney movie Encanto when it first released. That feeling of generational pressure that was being presented through the beautiful artistic value of animation/motion graphics. I want people to feel connected to fictional stories like what Encanto did for me. I know the process will be difficult, since animation is collectively known as one of the most challenging forms of art in an art school. My journey will begin at my transfer to Ringling; next, I plan to either work in a small animation studio in Tampa or make my way over to Atlanta where my mother grew up and work at Cartoon Network to work on projects that can influence a whole generation of children being born into a complicated world. My main goal would be to start my own animating studio, teaching beginners how to create something they will want to be remembered for. I want to be that shining beacon of hope and inspiration for my future students at my studio. Compassion and selflessness were mottos I grew up with in my household, which was a bit hard to uphold when I had an older brother picking on me 24/7, but as a current college freshman, I’ve learned that being the uplifting voice in a room will ultimately make you feel better too, and that is what I want my legacy to be. Also, listen to the Hamilton soundtrack! It’s very inspiring.

Many people enjoy playing video games, but few have delved into a twelve-page paper exploring why video games rank among the most influential forms of media, rivaled only by television—except for me! During my first semester of college, as part of my English class, we were challenged with writing a lengthy, journal-like essay exploring a topic we were passionate about and its impact on society. After much thought (two weeks to be exact), I settled on the topic of video games, titling my essay "Those Darn Kids and Their Video Games." My journey into gaming began around the age of ten or eleven, largely influenced by my older brother, who was nine years my senior. I vividly recall barging into his room whenever the opening theme of Mortal Kombat came from his Xbox360 or PS2. Despite being terrible at the game, my brother graciously allowed me to join him. I often chose Jade, due to her name mirroring my own middle name, while my brother typically played Sub-Zero or Scorpion. Our matches were short-lived; one moment, I had very high hopes of victory, only to face a swift "Game Over" screen the next. However, what truly resonated with me was not the gameplay itself but the bonding experience with my brother. Gaming provided an alternative to what I typically did, which was sit in my room and play with my dolls. This time I spent with him fostered a unique connection between us, even to this day we still play Mortal Kombat, a game I have yet to get better at. Another crucial gaming memory that I had involved my father. Despite my parents' divorce when I was three—leaving him in Colorado while I lived in Minnesota—my visits to his small apartment consisted of cherished opportunities to play video games together. We often played Resident Evil 6 and Little Big Planet, very diverse in genre, yet cooperative games that taught me teamwork and how to listen to instructions, unless we wanted our characters to suffer and restart. Once again, gaming became an important way for me to bond with family members. As I reached my early teens, I discovered a new love for solo gaming. I received my first Wii and 3DS around age fourteen or fifteen where I played more strategy based games like Kirby, Kingdom Hearts, and Ace Attorney. Later on in life I got my first Xbox in high school due to good grades. This new console helped reignited my passion Resident Evil and made me get into the Devil May Cry franchise. Due to my own mental health struggles during this gear because of COVID, video games definitely helped me gain a better grip over myself and forget how devastating reality was at the point-in-time. Overall, video games have had a profoundly positive influence on my life. They were a good excuse to have quality time with my family members and provided solace during trying times. Without these experiences, I truly believe I wouldn’t have turned into the person I am today, nor would I have a crazy video game obsession.

Being a woman of Black and Hispanic heritage, I take pride in embracing my cultural backgrounds and synthesizing diverse influences into my academic pursuits and career aspirations. This multicultural lens enriches my work in motion design and visual arts, two fields I hold dear and strive to revolutionize. As a student majoring in Game Design, Graphic Design, Design/Visual Communications, and Studio Arts, I have developed an intense passion for motion design. With an unquenchable thirst to learn and a tireless passion for development, I've consistently maintained a GPA of 3.8 both in high school and college. This dedication reflects my commitment to my academic interests as I seek to transform the worlds of gaming and anime – realms where fantasy intertwines with creativity, and innovation dismantles the boundaries of thought. In our rapidly digitizing world, the importance of motion design cannot be understated. Becoming a professional in this field is not for personal gain; rather, it offers an avenue to inspire, encourage, and empower ethos of new generations of creative individuals. My vision doesn't end with designing a game or an anime; it transcends to empowering the youth in my community through education. Drawing from my academic journey, I appreciate the crucial role that direction plays in shaping one's career prospects and professional aspirations. Without adequate exposure and guidance, young talents can remain undiscovered or undeveloped. To counter this, I intend to create a community workshop for teenagers interested in the visual arts within my community. This workshop will not only provide young creatives with a platform to express their talents and interests, but also guide them on the specific majors suitable for their ambitions. By giving these budding artists firsthand insights into game design, graphic design, design/visual communications, and studio arts, I intend to ease their transition into college. This way, they can make informed academic choices that align with their professional goals. Through this initiative, I see an opportunity to 'pay it forward' within my community. If I receive this scholarship everything previously mentioned will hopefully become a reality as I pursue my studies at Ringling University. Through the world of visual arts, I aspire to sow seeds of positive change within my community and beyond, culminating in a robust network of empowered individuals who use art to influence and shape society. I am excited and ready to embark on this journey to transform my community, one young artist at a time.

Recently, I did an art history project where I got the opportunity to research any artist of my choice, learn about their style of art, how they became artists, and who inspired them. My goal was to find an artist who had a unique contemporary style (one of my favorite art styles because of how open to interpretation it is), wasn’t afraid to make someone uncomfortable with their current mindset, pushed boundaries, and explored the complexity of African-American history. And be black, of course. My artist of choice for this project was Kara Walker. A black American artist who was seen as controversial due to her silhouette works that were considered to be “in the style of racism” and her use of provocative imagery with women posing frisking and performing intimate acts. Though, when I looked at her art for the first time during my project, I was blown away by how unafraid Ms. Walker was when it came to expressing her opinions on gender, race, and sexuality through art. Ms. Walker’s art pieces are used to show how even though America abolished slavery in 1865, that did not end discrimination. Walker wants the viewer to see the connection between the 19th century and today. The horrors of the past are still very present in the future. This was everything I wanted for my project and for myself as a young artist, just like Kara Walker. I started art at the young age of seven because of inspiration from my brother, who had stopped doing art once he graduated high school and went into the military. A lot of my art has been fanart and fun pieces that I would draw in my spare time, but I craved more. It was during my middle school years, when I helped paint an after-school mural that depicted a scene of three African-American men playing different jazz instruments, that I discovered my love for contemporary art. Art that was complex and discussed global issues! That’s what I wanted to draw, but things are never that easy. This was when Kara Walker came into play. She has inspired me to try my own hand at contemporary art. Personally, this has definitely been a challenge since I already have a very cartoonish pop-art style, and now I am trying to show issues that I can relate to through an art style that (I personally believe) doesn’t match what most contemporary art is usually perceived as. I was nervous. Honestly, I am still nervous. I am still at the beginning of my new art journey, but what has made me more confident is how Ms. Walker got inspired to do contemporary art. Besides the other artists that she was inspired by, like Adrian Piper and Andy Warhol, Ms. Walker was also just inspired by exploring a flea market in Atlanta, Georgia. Sometimes the most unique places give you the most unique thoughts. Being able to do that art project on Kara Walker was a big step in the right direction towards my future in art. Due to her, I am now trying my hand at new artistic techniques that I’ve been confident to try before until now! I hope to continue my art journey and learn about new artists that can hopefully inspire me the same way Kara Walker did.

Do you want another pink paint shortage? Well, too bad! My Barbie Dream House will be the most eye catching attraction around with pink everywhere! Everyone in the world will want to visit my home place of Puerto Rico just to see my fantasy come to life. Born in Florida, but raised in the culture of my descendants. Puerto Rico is my first choice for my Barbie dream world. I can see it now! How my perfect design will represent my love for my family, culture, and growing up with an amazing Barbie doll passed down to me by my mom. As an artist in both 2D and 3D art, my Dream House would definitely be a spectacle. First, bright pink gates to surround the house and cute purple and dark blue dog houses with white flowers on the walls. Then, as you walk up to the front door; on stylish yellow tiles that make you feel like a super star, my fabulous house will greet you with its pink aesthetic and small fairy lights that wrap around it like a big warm hug. Please, do come in! The inside is even more spectacular then the out. My house would have 2 floors, just like the Magical Mansion did in the 1990's. You’d be greeted with my favorite colors; purple and white, and then all of my African and Hispanic culture. From vases, to paintings, and even my rugs would represent who I am with a splash of purple and pink to remind you that this is a dream house. As we walk through my house, you will see multiple medals and trophies covered in glitter to show my achievements and my love for sparkles! My favorite room to show off would be outside in my small garden. As a child, it was always a dream of mine to have my own garden. It would make me feel like I was making a difference in the world, even if that difference was just some small tomatoes growing in my yard. My garden at my Dream House would have delicious fruits and vegetables! Maybe I’d even learn how to grow unordinary things, like eggs or ground beef. When you leave my magnificent house, I’ll be sure to give you cute cookies as a parting gift. Thank you for touring my Dream Barbie House and giving me the opportunity to feel like a kid again. The world comes and goes in a blink of an eye. So, It’s fun to enjoy the small things.

I believe that in recent years the United States has had people in high positions, such as government officials, county officials, and even the president; that want to get rid of important discussions that should be taught in school. As an African American woman, this sudden and uncalled for change in our education system gives me a feeling of disgust. I am passionate about education because it seems like no one else, especially in Florida, is. My interest in History started in 2017, I was in 7th grade and had an ambitious and creative history teacher. She always made U.S History interesting to every student by including a little bit of art to our lessons. As a side note, I went to a magnet school, every kid that went to my school only had one focus which was our arts program, so a regular teacher incorporating our interest into her teaching made the class stand out. I remember the exact moment where I fell in love with history, it was almost the end of the school year and our last project in my history class was to make a comic strip about the Civil War. When I turned mine in my history teacher talked to me two days after she had graded it and discussed how she absolutely adored how animated my artwork was and we discussed how history and art could mix. She explained to me that she believed I’d be a wonderful history teacher and that she’d love to be a student in my class to watch how I combine my passion with art and U.S History together. Ever since middle school I have been dedicated to becoming a history professor. My passion for 2-D art and animation mixed in with my love for wanting to teach U.S History has great potential to leave a major impact on my students. My goal has a teacher would be to explain the truth that the U.S is trying to erase and make us forget all throughout high school. I will not become a high school teacher because of how controlling the government is over what they are able teach. My second goal would be to try to incorporate my student’s interests into my class. I know how history bores a lot of people and that even though in college you are paying for the classes a lot of the kids still don’t want to be there because it’s not their intended major. I hope to capture all my student’s attention by incorporating the use of coding, painting, musical instruments, science, etc. into my curriculum. I’d hope that my students leave my classroom wanting to come back and that they leave with a new set of eyes that can see what the world doesn’t want to show.

My interest in animation and 2-D art design began at birth; is something my mother likes to say. My father and my brother had always done something artistic around me. My father with his passion for interior design and my brother with his love for photography and architecture. In the end, all that creativity flowed into me and I’ve been drawing since the age of seven. Design to me feels like I’m taking an unfinished pie and putting it in the oven. Even though I blame all of my artistic talent on my family, they sadly moved away from art; joining the military and/or deciding to work in tech. I believe I am the so called “Avatar”, the one that has the power to finish what was already started. I am deeply in love with art and I already had plans since middle school to pursue a career in Animation. I would jump with joy just to go to Disney World and be able to watch the producers go to work. My life wouldn’t be the same if I didn’t fall in love with design, and I think it would truly improve my day if I got to wake up every morning and go to a career related to art; possibly even start my own company centered around 2-D art and design. Do what you love and love what you do!

The dream version of my future self is someone who is a role model and mentor to many, and are a source of joy and positivity for others. I hope to bring joy to people's lives through my future career in voice acting. I am dedicated to using my voice to make a difference in the world, and I believe that my work can be a source of inspiration and change for many people.

Graduate high school. Get into college. Make it through college for all four years to receive my bachelors degree. Make my family proud. These aren’t excessive or intensive goals like, getting into Ivy League schools or traveling out of the country for aboard programs, but this is big enough for me. My educational goals are definitely “smaller” compared to others, but huge in the end for my family. My mother never finished college until years later when she had already gave birth to two kids. My father came from Puerto Rico at a young age and was discriminated against, he struggled the most to get into college because of his background. My older brother was the closest to completing the goals set out for us by my mother, but ended up deciding to join the military because of his high school not telling their were other options. I also have a younger step sister. I want her to look up to me when it comes to school. She has ADHD and has a complicated time focusing when doing homework, I hope to be the one to inspire her to not give up. I want to be a good citizen, not just to the United States, but to my Puerto Rican and African American family. I want them to cry tears of happiness and feel successful for raising a child that was able to complete the goals they couldn’t. Some major obstacles for me would be the “generational curse” that I feel has been haunting my family. I feel obligated to break it. I’ve grown up and sat by watching my family fail with school, but succeed in other ways. My mother and father both have good paying jobs to make it through the hard times, my mom has been lucky enough to watch both her children grow up healthy and happy, and my older brother is in the process of becoming a military nurse, while taking college classes. I’ve learned that sometimes failure can be the key to success and that the people around you can be amazing influences. I know I’ll break this “generational curse” just like how my family knows I’ll be the key to all of our dreams. I will be the first one to put their head out the door and walk through the rain. My educational goals are to surpass my family and make them proud.

This is not a problem I have created, but it is something I would like to improve. I would consider myself to be the therapist friend. Now, I am not here to complain about the difficulties and challenges of helping friends that have suicidal tendencies, bipolar disorders, depression, and extreme anxiety. Everyone already knows that it is hard to be the one others have to lean on; who can I lean on? Is always a common question from other therapist friends. For me, I’m just here to help “fix” the main problem that caused them to freak out and call me. I help my friends calm down, see multiple perspectives, and make sure they don’t suffer under their own weight. If I had all the money in the world, I’d make sure mental health is treated with respect and care. It is truly sad that many adults and teachers do not understand the affects that someone’s mental state can cause. In my 7th period class, one of the students was explaining how their doctor that they have had since they were a child didn’t believe they had autism. The student said that that doctor told them people with autism have specific symptoms that they weren’t showing, only to find out three years later that they wouldn’t show obvious symptoms because of another condition they had. The way even doctors are quick to judge someone because of their own personals bias is something my older brother has experienced. My brother knows for certain that he has ADHD, but he hasn’t been diagnosed. He is an African American male and is in the military. The people around him already have a predetermined notion that he can not possible have ADHD because of those previously stated qualities. The amount of kids and POC that have mental health problems and are not believed by their schools, their doctors, and even the people that claim to love them is staggering. My school is an amazing and wonderfully talented place, but the counselors and teachers do not believe that teens can have issues. “You’re too young to have problems”, “You’re just being dramatic”, “It’s not a real problem and it will go away.” The time periods and age differences between our parents generations and our own, is a major problem when it comes to discussing issues; mental health, gender identity, sexual orientation, and even politics. During our parents times, the belief in mental health was almost nonexistent and the fact that psychology was just recently excepted as a discipline is absurd. My goal would be to make institutions just for mental health and the study/teaching of psychology. I know so many high school students that want to become psychologist because of the fact that there is still so much unnecessary hate and unknowns about mental disorders.

I discovered I was Pansexual in 9th grade. In my 8th grade year of middle school I would have considered myself and ally, but I also believed that it was morally wrong to be anything but straight. My mothers side of the family is heavily Christian. We go to church every Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday; my mind was forcefully influenced to think that being gay was a sin. I remember trying to convince my friends, who were bisexual or lesbian, to go to church and that it might “help them.” When high school began my main goal was to try and distance myself from my parents and discover what I truly wanted in life. This was when I discovered I was Pansexual. My first crush in 9th grade was on a boy named Alex who I later discovered was FTM. We didn’t talk much but Alex had his own struggles that he felt comfortable enough to share in our class that made me understand more about the LGBTQ community and myself. The first person I confessed to was my father, he was always supportive of my decisions and believed that my thoughts and emotions are something religion can’t control. He was the first person to say that it’s okay to be me. The next few people I confessed to were my best friends from middle school that I had tried to convert to Christianity. Finally I gained the courage to tell my mother. It took a long while, a lot of awkward pauses, and “please don’t get mad”. She was confused at first and didn’t really understand what I meant. It took a two years of being on TikTok, Instagram, and me explaining to her my feelings before she comprehended what being Pansexual meant. I was surprised when she said she was okay with it, she still told me that her views will always be Christian but she won’t try to change who I am. My experience of being a member of the LGBT community and living in a very religious household has made me a more outspoken person. I speak out for others who are trapped behind a wall of fear and rejection for being homosexual. I have met many wonderful people and have found a sense of community within the LGBT community. I am able to be my true self and feel accepted and loved. I love being comfortable in my own skin and helping my new friends feel accepted just as I was.

My great grandfather was assassinated in the 70s. I am half African-American and half Puerto Rican. Though, I have grew up more with my African side of the family in 2017 I had the chance to travel to Puerto Rico and truly become whole with both my cultures. During my time in Puerto Rico, my abuela explained to me about her past and told the great story of my great grandfather Pablo Mendez. My grandfather dreamed to become a surgeon. His goal was to one day help the poor that the rich wouldn’t help and ignored because they couldn’t afford to waste their time on them. In the late 50s, my great grandfather decided to move to the city of Guatemala, though he was still born and raised in Puerto Rico. He believed his chance to help the public would take place in Guatemala. He worked hard and his hard work was awarded with help from family to start a small hospital that would give free healthcare to the poor. Pablo Mendez was a legend! He was growing more popular by the minute. The poor loved my great grandfather because he wanted to give back. Free vaccines, free medicine, and cheap surgery for those that needed it. “Those that are poor shouldn’t have to suffer just because they are poor,” He would say; according to my abuela. As his popularity grew, his hatred grew as well. The poor in Guatemala wanted my great grandfather to run for a position in the government, and he had enough votes to do it. Sadly, he was later assassinated in the early 70s. Though I don’t wish to be a doctor, this story has encouraged me to volunteer more and help out more in my community. Thank you Pablo, for going after your passions!

Love, that great emotion, It’s so strong it’s an ocean, I’ve seen it drown so many, For a moment of joy. Love is a beautiful emotion, That takes hold of your heart, And never wants to go… But death, it’s a heartless monster, It snatches the thing you love, And takes it away… The world is full of cruel irony, The one thing we hold dearest is the first to go, Death comes without hesitation, and we lose the people we love most. This poem was something I wrote this year for my AICE Literature class. I was inspired to write this poem because of two things that have occurred in my life. The first reason is because I am in the choir program. One of the songs we are performing at MPA, (musical performance assessment), is called Solace. That piece is actually a poem discussing love and death. My favorite quote from the song is, “Tis' a fearful thing, to love what death can touch.” My second reason for writing this piece is because of a death in the family. Though I wasn’t close to my great uncle, seeing others around me feel the pain of losing someone they had grown up with and had so many memories with made me understand that death truly is cruel irony and loves to take what we humans adore.

The land of the free and home of the brave, America! When living in this country it is a guarantee that you will have to work hard and play hard to get what you want. The American Dream is a topic discussed in all schools and while I do believe that America can still improve significantly and make the American Dream more possible, being in the United States makes me feel truly unique. I am a half African and Hispanic American that also identifies as Pansexual, in multiple cultures I would be unaccepted, heavily discriminated against, and possible hurt just because I want to identify as who I am. Being an American means being a part of a rich and diverse culture. It means being able to express myself without fear of persecution. It means having the freedom to live my life the way I choose to. I am thankful to have been born in a country that is unlike any other. Now let’s not act like America is perfect, people in this country are quick to claim the, “America is the best country in the world” statement. I am black, and being black in the United States is challenging. Daily; especially in recent years, black Americans have been killed and persecuted for just being a darker skin color. Young teens and even children are being hurt by police brutality and bigots in this nation. Being black is hard but there are many ways that being black in America has made me a stronger and a more compassionate person. I have learned to never give up, even when the odds are stacked against me. I have learned to never let anyone tell me what I can or can't do. I fight for my people with movements like, Black Lives Matter and being apart of the NAACP. I have learned that there are many people who are counting on me to help make this country a better place for black people and I am dedicated to doing whatever I can to make that a reality. Though hurtful things in this country occur, I still believe that love for one another can United us. We aren’t called the United States for nothing. Being an American has given me countless opportunities, and I am grateful for all that it has given me. I am proud to be an American just as much as I am proud to be black and Hispanic. I believe that there is no better place to live than in this great country. Many amazing and talented people are American and I pray that I’ll be apart of the group that can change the world.

I’m a daughter in a family of 2, a sister to a military brother, a granddaughter to a Hispanic abuela and to a proud African-American nana. I’ve seen many perspectives of life from all of my family members being both negative and positive. As a lover of history and a researcher, I have gained my own opinions in the way I view public relations. Being from a diverse background you truly understand the pain of your own people but at the same time you have your own prejudice towards others. I believe that diversity in the government is needed to help the people who can’t speak for themselves because they are the minority and government pushes them down. I also believe that we need to be cautious with who we let in the government, because even if they are apart of the minority that does not mean they have our best interest. Many people in power that are of color or of different cultural background have been heavily influenced by the white man, and that should cause caution. I still believe that our voices should be diverse when it comes to shaping our country and society as a whole. The world is full of different people like a jigsaw puzzle; no one is the same, and because of that we should also make sure the government that is supposed to have our best interests and protect us have diverse opinions, views, and values. The power of diversity is magnificent and a step towards promoting peace, the power of diverse voices in public relations can have a very positive impact on shaping public narratives. It can help to diversify the conversations that are happening about important issues and to introduce new perspectives into debates. It can also help to humanize different groups of people and to make their stories more relatable to the general public. I believe that public relations is a very powerful tool that can be used to change public perception. If used wisely and strategically, it can be extremely effective in shaping public opinion and in creating social change. It can also lead to a more informed and sympathetic public, which can in turn lead to more support for a specific issue. Diversity is supposed to be enriching, which it can do when it comes to conversations with politics, and it can also challenge people to think outside of their own experiences and viewpoints. I believe that diversity should be more common in public relations; especially in the United States.

I know nothing about myself. Nothing about my ancestry pass my grandmother or how I came over to the United States since I am half Hispanic and African. A lot of other teens and adults feel this way; the feeling of blindness to who you truly are. I believe that creating an impact that is going to last and be meaningful starts with young impressionable minds. One of my career goals is to be a history professor. Personally I believe that history is the beginning of ever-lasting change in society and around the world. Teaching history in an unprejudiced way can leave a positive impact on young teens because it can challenge their preconceptions and help them to see beyond the stereotypes that they may have learned about different groups of people. As a teen myself, and soon to be young adult, we are very easy to convince when we are taught misinformation about cultures, religions, and certain individuals. A good example of this would relate to social media, and how influencers impact young teens with the negative or positive actions they preform. History helps you to value your identity and perspective, it helps you to understand historical events or how to not repeat previous actions carried out by evil government leaders. What does creating an impact mean to me? It means leaving the world with a legacy for them to follow. I believe that everyone has the ability to make a difference in the world, and I want to use my life to help others and to create a better future for everyone by using my love and passion for history to teach. I want my actions and words to have power, to inspire others and to leave the world a better place than what I and many others were born with. I want my interest for teaching history to leave an impact on others for years to come. Leaving an impact means making a difference in someone's life. It can be a small difference, such as making a new friend or helping a student with their homework. It can also be a big difference, such as my personal goal to be a history professor that gets added to the books; just like my senior year history teacher! Whatever the impact may be, I think it is important to leave an impact on other people's lives because it shows that you care about other and the future. I can’t wait to make a difference for the world around me.

I volunteer at the community service group called, Meals on Wheels. We help the elderly and the disabled receive food and care packages because they physically can’t not get it themselves. Meals on wheels is one of my favorite volunteering programs because I was introduced to it through my grandmother. I started volunteering not just to be a better person but to also get involved in my community. One of the biggest changes I've seen in myself is my perspective on a community that I rarely see. I never realized how many people were truly in need until I began helping my community by working with Meals on Wheels. I was even able to get my younger cousin to join me when we deliver food around! Community service has taught me to be much more compassionate and empathetic towards others, and has helped me understand the privileges that I have. Even though my family is not as well off as other, at least I have the privilege to drive a car and stand on my two feet unlike others; sadly. I've always been a compassionate person, but my volunteering has shown me how much I care about others. I have become selfless and have learned how to put others first. I have also learned the importance of community and how we are all interdependent on each other. Giving back to the community truly brings people together. I am much more grateful for the resources that I have access to, because volunteering has open my eyes. I have gained a lot of respect and appreciation toward Meals-on-wheels after having worked with them for over 5 years. I love the feeling of being a stepping stone in the process of making a difference and making other peoples lives better. It makes me feel even more motivated when some of the people I help in my community smile and thank me just for giving them food and putting it in the kitchen for them. Overall, my volunteer service has taught me and has helped me learn so much about myself. I believe am a better person because of my commitment to community service and I hope to encourage others in my family or friend group; even strangers, to help others. Volunteering can teach you humility, respect, teamwork, compassion, and even connection you with some other amazing people that have the same goals as you.

I am African-American, and during black history month me and my mother dedicate time to watch one black movie each day to keep me educated on my black history. Recently, the movie that has had the greatest impact on me is called 'Higher Learning' directed by John Singleton. This drama move is about three freshmen students in college going through the struggles to fit in and achieve success in an environment that is against them. In the movie there are three main characters, but the character I relate to the most is Malik Williams. Malik is a black man that has a lot going for him; he has a scholarship in track and is quite intelligent. His only problem is that he can’t fit in to his environment of a major white school because he is black. Malik has many instances where he feels more pressure is put on him because of his skin color; which is true. He also has multiple fights with the white students that have tried to kill him and even the police that were racist and stereotyping him. Malik eventually makes some really good black friends that protect him and an amazing black professor that tries to pull him out of the gutter to make sure he does not drop out to college. As a future freshman in college, as an African-American, and as someone going to a majority white college, this movie spoke to me. I knew from the beginning of time that as an African-American woman things were going to be harder on me then it would be on white people. I understood Maliks struggle because I have always gone to majority white schools until high school. I didn’t realize how different it was to have white friends compared to having black friends. I didn’t realize how color had so much of an affect on me as a person. My mind was already aware of the wrongdoings that happened to African-Americans but this movie made me process things differently. It made me understand that my own kind really is my family no matter if we are blood related or not. I will always have white friends and I will always have Hispanic or Asian friends, but 'Higher Learning' gave me clarity. I have a strong feeling that the things that happened in the movie will not actually happened to me but it still has made me more prepared for what will come at my school of choice. I will always be fearful just like Malik was and hopefully just like he did I pray that I will make good friends and that we will protect one another.

I am interested in history because it allows me to understand how our world has developed and continues to develop. My initial interest in history began in the seventh grade. My history teacher was passionate about history and anime, which made me more way more interested in the subject, because it mixed with something I grew up with. In her class she allowed our creative minds to expand by doing art projects mixed with historical events. In 11th and 12th grade, I was fortunate enough to have an another amazing history teacher. He had a different approach to teaching, where my seventh grade teacher was more of the artistic type when it came to history, he made history more comedic. He was able to make us focus by using modern humor to talk about past things. Both of my teachers caused my passion for history to grow and take me to the point of wanting to go to college and become a history professor to teach my own students. I will use my passion for history in my future career by making history fun for people and also teaching about the wrongdoings American History teachers can cause when discussing about Slavery and War. As explained previously, I despise how American history hides racism and how prejudice it is nowadays. Certain states; like Florida, are making History false and preventing teachers from talking about the hardships of African-Americans. I’d use my experience and degree in History to be an influence and change that. I hope to be able to teach my students the importance of learning from the past and drawing lessons from it. I am a believer of History can be repeated and I’d want to be the breaker of a pattern. I also hope to be able to inspire my students to learn about the history of their own communities and cultures. I know a lot of kids today; me included, that know absolutely nothing about their culture and past family members because of how wish-wash relations are. I wish to have my student be able to take advantage of my course and learn about themselves more and to gain a deeper connection with their family and loved ones. History is not just about learning from the past, it is also about having hope for the future and using past examples as lessons. . I believe that we can learn a lot from history and that by doing so, we can make more informed and effective decisions in our present moments.

Isn’t it crazy that we don’t help our past generations that have helped us. They have fought in wars for us, have changed our government, have shaped this world so that we can live in it. Why do people not support those that supported us? That is one of the main reasons I volunteer at the company know as Meals on Wheels. We help the elderly and disabled receive food and care packages because they can’t get it themselves. How has volunteering changed my mindset? I started volunteering to be a better person. A typical answer but it’s true, one of the biggest changes I've seen in myself is my perspective on the community that I rarely see. I never realized how many people are in need until I began helping my community by working for Meals on Wheels. Community service has made me much more compassionate and empathetic towards others, and has helped me to understand the privileges that I have. The fact that I can easily stand up, get food myself, and drive are such major benefits that others don’t have. I am much more grateful for the resources that I have access to, because volunteering has open my eyes. I love feeling like I am apart of making a difference, making others lives better one day just because I drove out their house to help. Why do I need this scholarship financially? I come from a single-mother family, even though I have a father he lives almost 3 hours away from me and can not help me with college because of his recent loss of his job. My mother is supportive of all of my decisions when it comes to school but we aren’t financially well off. My mother and I take care of my elderly grandmother who was heavily affected by the pandemic, because of this my mom has to work from home on doctors requests. My mom and grandma also understand the stress of paying off student loans; my mother has been paying hers off for almost 25 years, while my grandmother just finished paying hers off 2 years ago. They both pray I don’t have to go through what they had too. I have applied to several scholarships, but I know that competition is high and money is hard to come by. This scholarship would be truly life-changing for me and my family. It would allow me to continue my education without the worry of student debt and other college expenses.

I am a daughter in a family of 2, a sister to a military brother, a granddaughter to a Hispanic abuela and a proud African-American nana. A niece to many uncles, aunts that look after one another, and a beloved dog owner to a pit bull named Apollo. After my long and unfinished journey, I am here. A senior who has so much to give to the world. I don’t know what I’m going to do in the future but I do know what the multiple career choices I am striving for and the impacts they will have on future generations to come. My first career option is visual arts and animation. I have always loved drawing because of my childhood, I was five when I first started drawing and I have never been able to stop, even now as a senior I take 2-D art classes. Animation became another strong contender after falling in love with Japanese animation or anime; I was introduced to anime at the age of seven because of my father and his love for it. By buying the app Clip Studio Paint I’ve been able to express myself more on a digital platform which has been helping me expand my passion and drive for wanting a career in art. My art could make a positive impact by giving people meaning, everyone wants answers to a question and my art could be the key to help someone understand the world better or just make that person smile. Voice acting is another infatuation and a possible career path for me. After playing games like Devil May Cry and Team Fortress 2 I have grown a fondness and respect for voice actors in the video game community, the anime community, and even just voice overs for turning English movies into Spanish ones. Voice Actors make a bigger difference in our world than people realize; how many people have watched cartoons or Disney movies? Voice Actors inspire children by bringing characters to life! You don’t need to know the face of the voice actor behind Bugs Bunny to know that they are still a positive influence. Last but certainly not least, I want to be a History Professor. The way American history is taught is changing and not for the better, I want to correct the way American History tries to hide racism and prejudice. “Those that fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it.”-Winston Churchill. College is right around the corner for me and I am eager and enthusiastic for my future. I want to be apart of the first step that improves the world we live in so our future generations can have a better life.

Everything began at the age of 5 when I got my grubby hands on a pencil and started to scribble my life down on a blank sheet of paper— I was drawing! It was terrible but it was the start of something that I was never able to stop. Around the age of 7 I was introduced to Japanese culture and Anime; my dad would always watch Naruto and Bleach on the couch, he was a busy man so when he would sit down I was right next to him. I fell hard when I first saw the Anime JoJo's Bizarre Adventure and noticed the art style. It helped develop my already growing passion for art and even inspired me to join a creative writing class because of how amazing the storytelling was. Apart from joining a creative writing class in school I also became a choir major. Throughout middle school and to my senior year in high school, I’ve been an advance singer; having sang for almost 8 years! I love the messages behind all the pieces we sing, with one of my favorites being ‘I Believe’ written by Mark A. Miller. The story behind the song is that it was a poem found on the wall of a concentration camp during World War II, a Jewish man or woman wrote it down with the hope for better days to come. I have played the guitar for 2 years with private lessons; recently I have got into learning how to play the piano at school and at home. I’d like to learn to play my violin as well. Now at the age of 17 I am still deeply devoted and passionate about the arts. My experiences with anime, video games, creative writing, singing, and instruments have lead me down a path of extreme creativity. I hope to be able to stay on this path during college as well. As an artists in many forms it is difficult to chose a favorite piece of work I have created or worked on. If I had to choose, I’d choose the monster art that I am working on in my 2-D Art class at school. All of my art is important to me, not because it has a story behind it or meaning but because I put my sweat and tears into what I create and I think that if you work hard on anything it will be important to you.

A daughter in a family of 2, a sister to a military brother, a granddaughter to a Hispanic abuela and to a proud African-American nana. A cousin/niece to many uncles, aunts and cousins that take care and look after one another, and a beloved dog owner to a pitbull named Apollo. A challenge I faced that helped change my outlook in life was in my 7th year of junior high. I bombed my algebra 1 class. F's throughout each quarter and when it was the next year I had to take a recovery class. Disappointment; I felt every depressing emotion imaginable and believed I was the problem. I despised being behind my friends and classmates, so much to the point that I almost gave up and just ended up sleeping throughout the class. However! Did you catch it? I said “almost”. My story can’t just end with me giving up because I failed ONE class! So I kept pushing and struggling until I was the best the class and even became the teachers star student. I am a High School student. A senior unready for the world as it accelerates quickly but I still want to make a positive impact on the world. For my college major and/or career path I am still undecided but I love drawing because of my childhood and animation became another strong contender after buying the app Clip Studio Paint. I believe art helps the world see different cultures and multiple perspectives of somebodies life by creating vision of how they see the world. Voice over/Voice acting became another infatuation which can become a positive impact on the world because of how popular shows and video games are on the internet, I can be a major impact on someone’s life just because I was voice acting in a game they enjoyed. I want to join the NASA program as well. A lot people may believe that NASA will only help the world when it comes to space exploration but they are wrong, NASA provides benefits to our society on Earth in areas like health and medicine, transportation, public safety, consumer goods, energy and environment, information technology, and industrial productivity. I would also like to become a History Professor to correct the way American tries to hide racism and prejudice in their ways of teaching U.S. history. When I get into college I plan to follow my passions to the best of my ability and make an impact on the world I live in today.

Yes! Me and my family are proud owners of an adorable and often rowdy blue nose pitbull named Apollo. The process of getting Apollo was definitely difficult. Apollo came from the pound and it was quite obvious that he used to be a fighting dog. Unsurprisingly Apollo wasn’t our first choice as a pet, my mothers ex-boyfriend was the one that suggested for us to buy him; which we did! Funny enough it ended up being that ex-boyfriends downfall later on in my mothers and his relationships when he ended up protecting us against him. Apollo was such a small menace, he got sick all the time and even had a tumor on his leg. We loved him all the same and still do! Even when money was short we would still take him to the vet, the park, and buy lots of delicious dog treat and toys (though he would tear them to shreds in the end). Apollo has always played a big role in my life. Going back to the story of my mothers Ex-Boyfriend, Apollo protected me and her to the end (which I don’t want to go into further detail of), Apollo may be annoying in the morning when the mail man comes or when I am walking him and he sees a ball but I couldn’t imagine my life being the same without him. It’s sad that in the end my mother and I can’t take care of him anymore because of recent inflation and other issues which is why we are praying to find him a better home! We have loved and cared for him for almost 7 years and it’s a time I wouldn’t want to change. I’ll miss the days where he walks us up by bumping into our doors or when he waits for me to get on the bus; small moments like that will always have a big impact in my life until the end of time. I might even get a dog when I’m living in my own so I can relive the memories I had with y Apollo.

I have multiple career choices that I want to pursue and I believe I can be a positive influence with each career. One of my career choices is to be a history professor. I know that nowadays a lot of politicians and the government are trying to push down and make the younger generations believe in fake/false history to make the white man seem less evil. I want to help make sure that our American history is known so we can make a change. “History repeats” especially if we try to act like it didn’t happen. I’d also love to teach about people’s personal histories so we can learn more about ourselves and our cultures which can hopefully bring each of us closer together because humans are more alike then we believe. Another career choice I’m going for is something in the STEM category. I’d love to be able to become a NASA scientist or a scientist related to medicine. I want to be apart of the generation that cures cancer or discovers new life. I believe that being a scientist would be an excellent step forward in changing our world; examples being helping cure difficult diseases, finding ways to slow down and possibly prevent global warming, making sure another global pandemic doesn’t occur. The last career choice I would like to pursue is being a voice actor. Now I know a lot of people probably have no idea how being an actor in general could be a positive impact especially with all the famous people that aren’t positive influences but the thing is that influencers are influencers no matter what. If I become a voice actor I need to be a good influence to make sure my followers are good people. I can make a change by just being a nice/good person that tries to make a change and if I have followers they would want to do the same. No matter what career choice someone does you can influence and impact someone in a positive way. As long as you yourself are a good person the people around you should want to be positive impacts in society too. Hopefully I am able to pursue these listed careers so I can be a good person that contributes to the world I live in and make it a better place for myself, my family, others and the future to come.

“I Believe” was a choir piece I sang during my 11th grade year of HighSchool. That song was originally a poem found on the wall of a cellar by a Jewish person in a concentration camp. “I believe in the Sun even when it’s not shining”, “I believe in love even when I can’t feel it”, “I believe in God even when he is silent”. This song connected to me so quick and deeply because of the message. This poem is a message needed during hard times. I’ll never forget how I cried after performing for MPA.

While growing up my interest has always been and stayed with the science/engineering part of STEM, but has slowly become full science. When I was in elementary school I did a STEM related project with a group of 3, our goal was to discuss ways to save water, we ended up being 4th place. During the year 2021, I also went to the Kennedy space program for a summer camp, we did quite a lot of STEM related activities two great examples being when we had to grow our own cabbage and create a battery out of a few small parts. Another reason STEM is quite important to me is because I’m from a background of family members that have almost all passed away from cancer, I feel it is my obligation to pursue and study science for others like me. I want to be apart of the brilliant and talented people that find the cure to cancer! I want to be the next African-American woman to find a new disease, I want to protect and nurture the future generations to come. The unlimited potential! The need I have to want to learn something new everyday! Making sure no other family is tortured by the nasty grip of cancer! These big reasons are why I want to follow in the footsteps of STEM, it is an extreme passion of mine and receiving this scholarship will be a big boost in the right direction for a future woman in science. I have no other ways of describing my enthusiasm for science and the STEM program, but a favorite quote of mine from the American neuroendocrinology researcher Robert M. Sapolsky exclaims, “I love science, and it pains me to think that so many are terrified of the subject or feel that choosing science means you cannot also choose compassion, or the arts, or be awed by nature. Science is not meant to cure us of mystery, but to reinvent and reinvigorate it.” I love science and I want to share that love with others.

The African-American Queen! The one Disney princess that broke the long time “white only” Disney characters; Tiana! She is the embodiment of who I want to be. The hardworking, no time for mess, making my own money, me and my family first type of gal. As a young black woman in a world that doesn’t favor me; seeing a Disney character that for one is the same skin color as me and has the same motivation/goals as I do now makes me ecstatic! As someone that has family born and raised in Louisiana, seeing the setting of the princess and the frog taking place in New Orleans; a majority black city, and having jazz music; something that brought African-Americans so much money and joy during the 1920s, was another reason why Tiana is THE number one on my favorite Disney characters list.