A famous Haitian saying is legliz, lakay, lekol. This means church, home, and school. Growing up, these were the only places I was ever allowed to go for the most part. This policy didn't give much of a chance for socializing. Every time one of my friends would invite me somewhere, I said no because I already knew how my parents would respond. The few times I tried to push for a different response, I'd get a lecture about how friends can negatively impact my future. Sometimes they'd even ask why they couldn't be my friend. I think we all know the dangers of that line of questioning. But in all seriousness, I believe my parents raised me this way so the sacrifices they made to give me a better life wouldn't be for naught. They've always had a bright vision for the future me and my sister would have. My dad, however, goes about it in the wrong way. He never fails to remind me of the numerous sacrifices he and my mother made. To the point where it feels like I'm a burden to them. Especially because me and my elder sister are 13 years apart. He always says, "Me and your mom are planning to go to Haiti but only after you graduate college." He says it like he's blaming me for, I don't know, being born. But despite it all, I'm grateful to my parents. But you can be grateful without feeling indebted to someone, something my sister has spent many years teaching me. Despite my parents' unintentional failures, they didn't fail to instill a desire for success in me. They've also managed to inspire a love for the country of my birth, Haiti. I've visited Haiti only once but the cool afternoon wind, the worn paths, the beautiful mountains, and the tenacious people give me a certain pride. All over the world, people have misconceptions about Haitians and though we do have our faults, I hope to represent this so-called 'shithole country.' Growing up, it's been hard for me to decide on a future career for myself. At first, I wanted to be a teacher but my family basically bullied me out of that idea. It's for the best though. Years of babysitting helped me realize I don't have the patience to manage an entire class of children, no matter how old. After that, I decided I want to be an author. I watched video after video of tips for authors: how to show not tell with writing, how to flesh out your characters. I even wrote fanfiction. But I realized I have neither the talent nor the patience to create an engaging narrative tale. But things changed when my brother-in-law suggested engineering. Engineering is infamous for being hard to define so I never really understood exactly what it was. But when I found out about civil engineering, I was immediately intrigued as it was something I’d never heard of before. I began to research the different civil engineering fields and also the many career opportunities that can come out of it. I spoke with a few civil engineering students that told me this degree applies to many different types of careers, so I wouldn’t be stuck in any one position for life. There’s an opportunity for growth and change. I envision a future where I can travel and experience new things to make up for the restrictions that were placed on me as a child. Civil engineers are needed all over the world. I'm excited to live a life I can be proud of.

A famous Haitian saying is legliz, lakay, lekol. This means church, home, and school. Growing up, these were the only places I was ever allowed to go for the most part. This policy didn't give much of a chance for socializing. Every time one of my friends would invite me somewhere, I said no because I already knew how my parents would respond. The few times I tried to push for a different response, I'd get a lecture about how friends can negatively impact my future. Sometimes they'd even ask why they couldn't be my friend. I think we all know the dangers of that line of questioning. But in all seriousness, I believe my parents raised me this way so the sacrifices they made to give me a better life wouldn't be for naught. They've always had a bright vision for the future me and my sister would have. My dad, however, goes about it in the wrong way. He never fails to remind me of the numerous sacrifices he and my mother made. To the point where it feels like I'm a burden to them. Especially because me and my elder sister are 13 years apart. He always says, "Me and your mom are planning to go to Haiti but only after you graduate college." He says it like he's blaming me for, I don't know, being born. But despite it all, I'm grateful to my parents. But you can be grateful without feeling indebted to someone, something my sister has spent many years teaching me. Despite my parents' unintentional failures, they didn't fail to instill a desire for success in me. They've also managed to inspire a love for the country of my birth, Haiti. I've visited Haiti only once but the cool afternoon wind, the worn paths, the beautiful mountains, and the tenacious people give me a certain pride. All over the world, people have misconceptions about Haitians and though we do have our faults, I hope to represent this so-called 'shithole country.' Growing up, it's been hard for me to decide on a future career for myself. At first, I wanted to be a teacher but my family basically bullied me out of that idea. It's for the best though. Years of babysitting helped me realize I don't have the patience to manage an entire class of children, no matter how old. After that, I decided I want to be an author. I watched video after video of tips for authors: how to show not tell with writing, how to flesh out your characters. I even wrote fanfiction. But I realized I have neither the talent nor the patience to create an engaging narrative tale. But things changed when my brother-in-law suggested engineering. Engineering is infamous for being hard to define so I never really understood exactly what it was. But when I found out about civil engineering, I was immediately intrigued as it was something I’d never heard of before. I began to research the different civil engineering fields and also the many career opportunities that can come out of it. I spoke with a few civil engineering students that told me this degree applies to many different types of careers, so I wouldn’t be stuck in any one position for life. There’s an opportunity for growth and change. I envision a future where I can travel and experience new things to make up for the restrictions that were placed on me as a child. Civil engineers are needed all over the world. I'm excited to live a life I can be proud of.

I'm scrolling through TikTok and see a "Haitian parents be like" post, I immediately feel a kinship to the person on the other side of my screen. Scrolling through the comments of these posts is a different kind of joy. Everyone can relate or share their own personal anecdotes. POne thing I know many of us can relate to is hearing the dreaded phrase, "legliz, lakay, lekol". This means church, home, and school. Growing up, these were the only places I was ever allowed to go. This policy didn't give much of a chance for socializing. Every time one of my friends would invite me somewhere, I said no because I already knew how my parents would respond. The few times I tried to advocate for myself, I'd get a lecture about how friends can negatively impact my future. And sleepovers were completely out of the question. "Why sleep at someone else's house when you have a perfectly good bed in your own home?" But in all seriousness, I believe my parents raised me this way so the sacrifices they made to give me a better life wouldn't be for naught. They've always had a bright vision for the future me and my sister would have. To this day, my dad reminisces about my sister declaring that she would travel all over the world as a child. And she did. Now she's a data analyst living a comfortable life in Colorado. For me, excellence isn't an expectation. It is a given. To my Haitian parents, it is the perfect recompense. My parents always instilled a desire for success in me. Growing up, I was constantly encouraged to do the best I can, to be the top of my class. They've also managed to inspire in me a love for the country of my birth, Haiti. I was a mere two-year-old when I left Haiti, but the moment I stepped foot there on my only visit back, I felt at home. The cool afternoon wind, the worn paths, the beautiful mountains, and the tenacious people give me a certain pride. I fell in love with our food, our language, and our strength. I’m proud to be from a group of people who work hard, despite the direness of their situation. All over the world, people have misconceptions about Haitians. The media only speaks of how poor it is, how desolate. But Haiti is rich in resources and love. Wherever I go, I will uplift it.

Growing up, I wished that my parents would have encouraged me to pursue a hobby at a young age. Something like playing the piano or being a gymnast. I used to have all these talented friends that could do cool things and I figured it was either natural talent or hard work from childhood. As it stood, the only thing I enjoyed was reading and writing. You see I remember finally getting my room all to myself when my sister went to college. I was about 5 years old. However, this changed when family members routinely began taking shifts living at my house. My great-aunt, my cousin, and my grandparents among others. Despite always having someone around all the time, I remember mostly being alone since I didn’t have anyone my age to play with. My parents were always working. So, I invested all my time watching TV. One may argue that this may not have been the most productive use of my time. However, the TV was my only loyal companion. When I learned to read, books became a new friend for me. However, keep in mind it wasn’t necessarily the TV nor the books specifically that I loved. It was storytelling. I remember the first story I ever fell in love with was that of Avatar the Last Airbender. All this love for consuming media had me convinced that one day, I would be a writer. So, I wrote many short stories throughout my middle school career. I watched videos including Merphy Napier’s “Dear Authors'' series and Brandon Sanderson lectures to learn how to become a better writer. I even wrote a fanfiction based on Sarah J Maas’ Throne of Glass (she was my first foray into literary fantasy). However, after deciding to attempt to write a book on my own, I quickly discovered that wasn’t for me. To be frank, there was too much research required and I wasn’t great at describing settings. So I abandoned the idea. I wasn’t interested in the hard work required to be a writer. However, things changed when I met my current Precalculus and Trigonometry professor. Well technically, things changed even before then when my sister married an aerospace engineer. This might seem off topic, but he opened my mind to the possibilities available to an engineer. I took his advice to look into the many different fields and applications of engineering. What really solidified my interest in engineering was meeting my current Precalculus Algebra and Trigonometry professor. I was warned that he is unreasonable, only grades quizzes and tests, and doesn't enter grades until the end of a semester. He does not provide formula sheets and demands a large workload from us. Despite all this, he is the best professor I have ever had. He never fails to call me and my classmates to a higher standard, pushing us to be the best we can be. He always encourages us by saying, “When you succeed at a hard thing once, it makes it easier to succeed again.” His course helped me decide to become an engineer no matter what. I have been pushing myself all semester to learn complicated concepts in half the time of my year-long high school precalculus class with twice the content. The confidence I have gained from taking this course is worth every night spent doing page long problems. I am happy to discover I don’t need natural born talent to accomplish my goals, but can do what I set my mind to as long as I’m willing to work for it.

My interest in Civil Engineering has literary origins. The four nations featured in Avatar the Last Airbender, built around their respective elements, each have structures that reflect their different magical abilities and philosophies. For example, the Water Tribes were built of snow due to their cold climates and their people’s affinity for water. The way the benders manipulated water reflected their ability to adapt, swiftly changing their offensive attacks to defensive. Ever since watching this show as a child, whenever I consume fantastical pieces of media, world building is of utmost importance to me. I know a book or show is good when I can imagine myself inside of the world, when I feel as though the characters are still living even though they are offscreen. While we don’t live in a magical society where people’s surroundings are built based on their abilities to control the four elements, our world is full of people with broken and battered communities. I was born in Haiti, a country that has been hurt for decades by governments, its own people, and nature itself. Haiti has been forced to pay reparations to the French since the Haitian Revolution where we gained our freedom. Many countries have taken advantage of Haiti’s natural resources. Furthermore, the government is weak and unable to protect its citizens. Gangs have overrun Port-au-Prince, and every time Haiti makes an attempt to build itself back up, one of the three aforementioned impediments strikes again. One of the reasons Haiti was so devastated after the earthquake and other natural disasters is they don’t make sure all the buildings are up to code. Simply following through on policies civil engineers put in place to keep people safe could have saved many lives. I hope to contribute to the research being done to make resilient structures that can withstand natural disasters. Additionally, I’ve learned how the work civil engineers do helped stop the spread of infectious diseases by simply preserving the cleanliness of our drinking water. I’ve seen people have to travel for water since they don’t have it readily available. I hope to travel to underserved communities and make a difference. Knowing my birth country’s predicament has helped me realize the importance of construction projects and having a government system that is strong enough and that cares enough to enforce rules that will people safe. They provide jobs and help expand and protect our society. Throughout time, civil engineers have been trusted to provide safe and accessible structures to help people in our day to day lives. I am excited to soon join their ranks.

Growing up, I wished that my parents would have encouraged me to pursue a hobby at a young age. Something like playing the piano or being a gymnast. I used to have all these talented friends that could do cool things and I figured it was either natural talent or hard work from childhood. As it stood, the only thing I enjoyed was reading and writing. You see I remember finally getting my room all to myself when my sister went to college. I was about 5 years old. However, this changed when family members routinely began taking shifts living at my house. My great-aunt, my cousin, and my grandparents among others. Despite always having someone around all the time, I remember mostly being alone since I didn’t have anyone my age to play with. My parents were always working. So, I invested all my time watching TV. One may argue that this may not have been the most productive use of my time. However, the TV was my only loyal companion. When I learned to read, books became a new friend for me. However, keep in mind it wasn’t necessarily the TV nor the books specifically that I loved. It was storytelling. I remember the first story I ever fell in love with was that of Avatar the Last Airbender. All this love for consuming media had me convinced that one day, I would be a writer. So, I wrote many short stories throughout my middle school career. I watched videos including Merphy Napier’s “Dear Authors'' series and Brandon Sanderson lectures to learn how to become a better writer. I even wrote a fanfiction based on Sarah J Maas’ Throne of Glass (she was my first foray into literary fantasy). However, after deciding to attempt to write a book on my own, I quickly discovered that wasn’t for me. To be frank, there was too much research required and I wasn’t great at describing settings. So I abandoned the idea. I wasn’t interested in the hard work required to be a writer. However, things changed when I met my current Precalculus and Trigonometry professor. Well technically, things changed even before then when my sister married an aerospace engineer. This might seem off topic, but he opened my mind to the possibilities available to an engineer. I took his advice to look into the many different fields and applications of engineering. What really solidified my interest in engineering was meeting my current Precalculus Algebra and Trigonometry professor. I was warned that he is unreasonable, only grades quizzes and tests, and doesn't enter grades until the end of a semester. He does not provide formula sheets and demands a large workload from us. Despite all this, he is the best professor I have ever had. He never fails to call me and my classmates to a higher standard, pushing us to be the best we can be. He always encourages us by saying, “When you succeed at a hard thing once, it makes it easier to succeed again.” His course helped me decide to become an engineer no matter what. I have been pushing myself all semester to learn complicated concepts in half the time of my year-long high school precalculus class with twice the content. The confidence I have gained from taking this course is worth every night spent doing page long problems. I am happy to discover I don’t need natural born talent to accomplish my goals, but can do what I set my mind to as long as I’m willing to work for it.

“Say I Love You” is my favorite anime to date. Despite watching masterpieces like "Attack on Titan" or "Code Geass", "Say I Love You" is simple and beautiful. It’s about a girl named Mei Tachibana who kicks a guy she thinks touched her skirt. His name is Yamato. Now, Yamato is a popular guy, beloved by all. So when this girl kicks him in the face, he is understandably shocked. He can’t get her out of his head. He relentlessly tries to befriend Mei, finally succeeding in obtaining her number. At first, Mei is confused by his advances and thinks she'll never use his number. She's the kind of girl who only has her mom's number saved. But one day, she notices this creepy guy following her on her walk home from work. She keeps calling her mom but she never answers, so Mei panics and enters a convenience store. The guy keeps waiting for her outside. She calls Yamato as a last result. He runs to where she is and walks her out, declaring loudly that Mei is his girlfriend and he kisses her. The creep walks off. Mei is surprised because that was her first kiss. She walks home in a daze and can't get Yamato off her mind. After a few episodes of will they won't they, they finally start dating. Dating Yamato makes Mei a more sociable person. She makes more friends and though I'm sure Mei wouldn't have called herself a lonely person before she met Yamato, her life is brighter with him in it. Each episode is full of them working through their relationship, and dealing with problems as they come. But Yamato never stops being affectionate towards Mei and is always reassuring her. Every time I watch this anime, I'm convinced that if a girl like Mei can find a Yamato, I'll find my people too. I've never been much of a social butterfly. I'm always the last to be chosen in a friend group, the one that walks on the grass while everyone else walks on the sidewalk. Sometimes when I do become friends with people, I say out-of-pocket things that make them upset with me like Mei in the show. I'm not always the best with social cues. I find everyone I think I'm friends with better friends with other people, like I'm some sort of backup friend. Watching "Say I Love You" makes me feel like I'm not alone and that I have hope for a future full of meaningful relationships, romantic and platonic.

I'm scrolling through TikTok and see a "Haitian parents be like" post, I immediately feel a kinship to the person on the other side of my screen. Scrolling through the comments of these posts is a different kind of joy. Everyone either says how they can relate or they share their own personal anecdotes. One thing I know many of us can relate to is hearing the dreaded phrase, "legliz, lakay, lekol". This means church, home, and school. Growing up, these were the only places I was ever allowed to go. This policy didn't give much of a chance for socializing. Every time one of my friends would invite me somewhere, I said no because I already knew how my parents would respond. The few times I tried to advocate for myself, I'd get a lecture about how friends can negatively impact my future. And sleepovers were completely out of the question. "Why sleep at someone else's house when you have a perfectly good bed in your own home?" But in all seriousness, I believe my parents raised me this way so the sacrifices they made to give me a better life wouldn't be for naught. They've always had a bright vision for the future me and my sister would have. To this day, my dad reminisces about my sister declaring that she would travel all over the world as a child. And she did. Now she's a data analyst living a comfortable life in Colorado. For me, excellence isn't an expectation. It is a given. To my Haitian parents, it's the perfect recompense. My parents have always instilled a desire for success in me. Growing up, I was constantly encouraged to do the best I can, to be the top of my class. They, and my sister, are the reason I've chosen to pursue higher education. Though I know this path isn't for all, I hope to study civil engineering at university. Civil engineers have been tasked with building safe and accessible structures that have made people’s lives easier throughout time. Our world is full of a variety of people who each have different needs that must be taken into account. Additionally, it is a career with a great outlook and a variety of job options. I can see myself flourishing in this field. This scholarship would help me accomplish my dream of making myself and my family proud.

I'm scrolling through TikTok and see a "Haitian parents be like" post, I immediately feel a kinship to the person on the other side of my screen. Scrolling through the comments of these posts is a different kind of joy. Everyone either says how they can relate or they share their own personal anecdotes. One thing I know many of us can relate to is hearing the dreaded phrase, "legliz, lakay, lekol". This means church, home, and school. Growing up, these were the only places I was ever allowed to go. This policy didn't give much of a chance for socializing. Every time one of my friends would invite me somewhere, I said no because I already knew how my parents would respond. The few times I tried to advocate for myself, I'd get a lecture about how friends can negatively impact my future. And sleepovers were completely out of the question. "Why sleep at someone else's house when you have a perfectly good bed in your own home?" But in all seriousness, I believe my parents raised me this way so the sacrifices they made to give me a better life wouldn't be for naught. They've always had a bright vision for the future me and my sister would have. To this day, my dad reminisces about my sister declaring that she would travel all over the world as a child. And she did. Now she's a data analyst living a comfortable life in Colorado. For me, excellence isn't an expectation. It is a given. To my Haitian parents, it's the perfect recompense. My parents have always instilled a desire for success in me. Growing up, I was constantly encouraged to do the best I can, to be the top of my class. They, and my sister, are the reason I've chosen to pursue higher education. Though I know this path isn't for all, I hope to study civil engineering at university. Civil engineers have been tasked with building safe and accessible structures that have made people’s lives easier throughout time. Our world is full of a variety of people who each have different needs that must be taken into account. Additionally, it is a career with a great outlook and a variety of job options. I can see myself flourishing in this field. This scholarship would help me accomplish my dream of making myself and my family proud.

I'm scrolling through TikTok and see a "Haitian parents be like" post, I immediately feel a kinship to the person on the other side of my screen. Scrolling through the comments of these posts is a different kind of joy. Everyone either says how they can relate or they share their own personal anecdotes. One thing I know many of us can relate to is hearing the dreaded phrase, "legliz, lakay, lekol". This means church, home, and school. Growing up, these were the only places I was ever allowed to go. This policy didn't give much of a chance for socializing. Every time one of my friends would invite me somewhere, I said no because I already knew how my parents would respond. The few times I tried to advocate for myself, I'd get a lecture about how friends can negatively impact my future. And sleepovers were completely out of the question. "Why sleep at someone else's house when you have a perfectly good bed in your own home?" But in all seriousness, I believe my parents raised me this way so the sacrifices they made to give me a better life wouldn't be for naught. They've always had a bright vision for the future me and my sister would have. To this day, my dad reminisces about my sister declaring that she would travel all over the world as a child. And she did. Now she's a data analyst living a comfortable life in Colorado. For me, excellence isn't an expectation. It is a given. To my Haitian parents, it's the perfect recompense. My parents have always instilled a desire for success in me. Growing up, I was constantly encouraged to do the best I can, to be the top of my class. They, and my sister, are the reason I've chosen to pursue higher education. Though I know this path isn't for all, I hope to study civil engineering at university. Civil engineers have been tasked with building safe and accessible structures that have made people’s lives easier throughout time. Our world is full of a variety of people who each have different needs that must be taken into account. Additionally, it is a career with a great outlook and a variety of job options. I can see myself flourishing in this field. This scholarship would help me accomplish my dream of making myself and my family proud.

A famous Haitian saying is legliz, lakay, lekol. This means church, home, and school. Growing up, these were the only places I was ever allowed to go for the most part. This policy didn't give much of a chance for socializing. Every time one of my friends would invite me somewhere, I said no because I already knew how my parents would respond. The few times I tried to push for a different response, I'd get a lecture about how friends can negatively impact my future. Sometimes they'd even ask why they couldn't be my friend. I think we all know the dangers of that line of questioning. But in all seriousness, I believe my parents raised me this way so the sacrifices they made to give me a better life wouldn't be for naught. They've always had a bright vision for the future me and my sister would have. My dad, however, goes about it in the wrong way. He never fails to remind me of the numerous sacrifices he and my mother made. To the point where it feels like I'm a burden to them. Especially because me and my elder sister are 13 years apart. He always says, "Me and your mom are planning to go to Haiti but only after you graduate college." He says it like he's blaming me for, I don't know, being born. But despite it all, I'm grateful to my parents. But you can be grateful without feeling indebted to someone, something my sister has spent many years teaching me. Despite my parents' unintentional failures, they didn't fail to instill a desire for success in me. They've also managed to inspire a love for the country of my birth, Haiti. I've visited Haiti only once but the cool afternoon wind, the worn paths, the beautiful mountains, and the tenacious people give me a certain pride. All over the world, people have misconceptions about Haitians and though we do have our faults, I hope to represent this so-called 'shithole country.' Growing up, it's been hard for me to decide on a future career for myself. At first, I wanted to be a teacher but my family basically bullied me out of that idea. It's for the best though. Years of babysitting helped me realize I don't have the patience to manage an entire class of children, no matter how old. After that, I decided I want to be an author. I watched video after video of tips for authors: how to show not tell with writing, how to flesh out your characters. I even wrote fanfiction. But I realized I have neither the talent nor the patience to create an engaging narrative tale. But things changed when my brother-in-law suggested engineering. Engineering is infamous for being hard to define so I never really understood exactly what it was. But when I found out about civil engineering, I was immediately intrigued as it was something I’d never heard of before. I began to research the different civil engineering fields and also the many career opportunities that can come out of it. I spoke with a few civil engineering students that told me this degree applies to many different types of careers, so I wouldn’t be stuck in any one position for life. There’s an opportunity for growth and change. I envision a future where I can travel and experience new things to make up for the restrictions that were placed on me as a child. Civil engineers are needed all over the world. I'm excited to live a life I can be proud of.

I hate chocolate but chocolate Oreos are the best. They’re the perfect mix of bittersweet. Some people take apart the chocolate pieces and only eat the cream inside but in my opinion, to fully enjoy a chocolate Oreo, you must take the bitter with the sweet. It wasn’t like those nicknames where if someone really likes something, they’re known by that thing. Like a cousin of mine loved cookies growing up, so we started calling him Cookie. Or like how, fun fact, a term of endearment in French is ma petite chou which means my little cabbage. No. When people called me Oreo they were referring to chocolate Oreos. Black on the outside white on the inside. I was called ‘not black’ for many years throughout my life but the time that really upset me was in 2022. I was in Vietnam History talking to some classmates. During our conversation, a Puerto Rican boy told me I don’t act Black. I remember feeling angry not at the statement, as it was something I was used to hearing, but at his audacity as a Puerto Rican telling me that I didn’t act Black. Honestly, I was raised to think myself better than black. Black Americans specifically. My Haitian parents drilled into my mind that all ‘Black Americans’ are vagabonds that squander their opportunities in this country. They didn’t say it from a place of hatred. It’s just that they had sacrificed so much to come here and they didn’t want me to throw away my newfound opportunities. As a result, I went places with preconceived notions about people that looked like me. Playing volleyball helped me realize you can’t stick someone into any one position if you want to win the game. Everyone has to be able to play defense and offense competently. Just like having serving, defense, hitting, and setting skills combined makes you the best player, many parts form our identity. We shouldn’t judge people based on one aspect of their identity. But we also can’t ignore integral parts of each other’s being if we strive for true acceptance. My blackness doesn’t define me but it shouldn’t be ignored either. To those who called me an Oreo, nothing I do or don’t do takes that away from me. To my parents, as Black people in America, we all face similar struggles. It's not conducive to creating a better society to put each other down. To the people that say they don’t see race, you’re just like those weirdos who only eat the cream inside the chocolate Oreo. You’re missing out.

A driven woman that has successfully made God and herself proud, not needing the approval of anyone else.

The challenges we face in this life shape us to become who we are. In high school, the physical limitations I’ve had to overcome in sports are among some of the most challenging obstacles I’ve faced. Volleyball was the sport that taught me true determination. In middle school, I never joined an extracurricular because I always thought it would be too much trouble. However, I’d always been interested in playing volleyball, but I never dared to try out. In 2020, I began going to JJVA, a non-profit organization that teaches kids how to play volleyball. I became confident in my skills, so I tried out for my high school team in 10th grade. I made junior varsity, but I was horribly out of shape, and being the worst player on the team, I was always benched. It was not a good time. I didn’t make any friends on the team and Between getting home at 5:30 pm and keeping up with homework, I was always tired and sore. The worst part about it was that my father made it glaringly clear that he thought driving me home from practice and games was a waste of his time. He wasn’t encouraging or supportive in any way. I often thought about quitting the team, but I pushed on. I loved volleyball and wanted to learn how to play properly. I also barely had any extracurricular activities to put on my high school resume, so I got through the season. Playing volleyball that year had a severe effect on my mental health, and I was so relieved to be over with it. But I made a promise to apply myself so I could succeed in 11th grade. I practiced at home and attended volleyball clinics whenever I could. I was so thankful when Planet Fitness introduced the free summer program for teens. It gave me a chance to get into shape for the season. When I went to the pre-season practice during the summer, my coach was able to point out my improvements. But on the way home from the first day of practice, I and my mom got into a car accident. I had to miss practice for a few days so my body could recover from the shock. This was a huge disappointment considering the hard work that I’d put in to be more successful on the team. There were more setbacks to follow. The following days after I returned to practice, I hurt my knee and had to sit out again. During the team's first game, I had no sense of hand-eye coordination so I was hit in the eye by the ball. I had to sit out again. Finally, since I’m in dual enrollment, I don’t take any more classes at my high school, and I can’t drive. So, my mom had to pick me up from FSCJ to take me to my high school for practice and games every day and come back and get me three hours later which was in no way convenient to her since she had to go straight to work after dropping me off. She was still supportive though and I appreciate her for supporting me. All in all, when it comes to volleyball, I’ve had many setbacks. The only thing I regret is that I did not start playing volleyball in middle school. From this whole experience, I learned what it means to persevere. Volleyball makes me feel alive and I hope to play for many more years to come.

I’ll be the first to admit I’m a pretty selfish person. I take care of myself first. This was why I was angry when my mom decided to invite a whole other family to our home. I didn’t understand why we had to help them. I figured they had other relatives so why us? But soon enough, I learned the value of helping others. To elaborate, me and my sister are twelve years apart. She left home for university when I was 6 so I’m basically an only child. Suffice to say, I had gotten used to being home alone so I wasn’t ecstatic when my mom invited my cousin and his two children to live here. At first, I hated them before they even stepped into our house. I was polite enough but in my heart, I was hoping they wouldn’t stay long even though my mom insisted they were welcome in our home as long as they needed it. The situation was even worse because their room is right next to mine so I can hear all the loud noises they make. Also, my mom treated my cousin’s kids like they were her daughters which often made me jealous. But over time, I started talking to the kids, Edwine and Christine, and they began to grow on me. I started playing volleyball in our backyard with them. Sometimes, I go into their room and we joke around a bit. We even dance together sometimes for church. Though the kids started to grow on me, I couldn’t stand their father. He would always come home really late, around 11pm when I was either sleeping or about to sleep. This wouldn’t be so bad if he didn’t talk on the phone at all hours of the night. I told him multiple times that he was too loud but he didn’t stop. Whenever I tried to engage in meaningful conversation with him, he never had anything interesting to say back. My cousin always talked to me like I was a little girl so when he had the audacity to ask for me to fill out a job application for him, I almost screamed. In fact, after he went to work, I did scream. My mom found out and started telling me the importance of helping people in need. How God blesses those who are generous. She said she invited my cousin’s family into our home because she wanted to aid people with the blessings God had provided her. A four bedroom house and plenty of food. What really helped drive the point home was going to church. They were preaching about Colossians 3:23. “In all the work you are doing, work the best you can. Work as if you were doing it for the Lord, not for people.” It’s like the guest speaker told that message specifically for me. So I clenched my teeth and filled out the application for him. By the time I finished, I felt a sense of joy because I helped someone in need. I realized that with this job, my cousin would be able to properly establish his life in this city. He’d be able to provide for his kids and buy his own home someday soon. He got the job too! He also started going outside to speak on the phone. So, moral of the story, help people to the best of your ability. A good deed is its own reward.

The song “Promises” by Maverick City has the most important message to me. I was recently in a car accident with my mom. My mom has always went on about how she’ll never ever be in an accident and I believed her. She had so much faith in God that I though He’d never let something like this happen and when it happened, I couldn’t believe it. She’d been picking me up from volleyball practice and we’d barely left the school. There was a red light and she stopped for about two seconds. Then she began accelerating the car and another car slammed into us. To say I was surprised would be a severe understatement. I immediately began crying, thinking about how I’d never get put onto the car insurance, I’d never be able to drive myself to school, and that I wouldn’t be able to go to volleyball practice. I’d say in recent memory, it was the worst day of my life. For weeks after the accident, I kept thinking why would God let this happen. He knew how excited I was to finally be independent. I also blamed my mom because she treated the red light like a stop sign and it was so unlike her. But when I listen to “Promises,” I’m reminded of God’s faithfulness. The songs says basically says that no matter what happens “I will stay steadfast” because His words will “come to pass.” Regardless of the storms in my life and the disappointment I’ve been through, this song reminds me that I can always fall back on God. His promises for my life will never fail.

Growing up, I’ve always known that I wanted to pursue a career where I could help people, especially my people in Haiti. I’ve cycled through wanting to be a teacher, a business woman, and even a musical artist. I had just settled on pursuing a business degree when a friend asked me for help to find a degree she’d be interested in. I found civil engineering while scrolling on google and I remember thinking, I’ve never heard of this before. I go on to do more research and I’m captivated. Surprisingly enough, before, I’d always rejected engineering without really knowing what it was. Right now, I’d define engineering as a way to apply science and mathematical concepts to solve a problem. Civil engineers specifically solve problems by building. When I think of civil engineering, I think of the buildings and the highways and the streets all around us. I think of dams and sewage systems. I’m passionate about civil engineering because civil engineers construct our world. I can’t think of a better way to contribute to society. I believe that studying civil engineering is a wonderful thing to do because of the knowledge I’ll gain of the world around me. How buildings and other structures stand, the value of teamwork in regards to the different fields of civil engineers working together to build structures, and why it’s really important to go 45 miles per hour during the curves on the highway. What also excites me is thinking about the flexibility I’ll have when it becomes time for me to pursue a career. Civil engineering is an industry that I don’t think will become obsolete any time soon. After I reach a certain place in my life, I hope to return to Haiti and start rebuilding. Many buildings were brought down due to the earthquake in Haiti on January 12, 2010 and as a result, people lost their homes and workplaces. Ever since then, the country hasn’t really caught a break. Hurricanes, kidnappings, gun violence. People barely have enough money to survive. Construction projects like the ones I hope to be a part of would allow people a chance to find work so they can provide for themselves and their families. As for the community in my current locale, Jacksonville is a rapidly growing city. While construction companies focus on new projects, the old ones are deteriorating. I believe that I can help bring these issues to light. In conclusion, civil engineering wasn’t always my first choice in a degree to pursue. Whenever I thought of engineering I thought of robots and coding but that’s not all it is. I’m glad that I’ve chosen it to be my major.