I measure success by happiness. I want to be successful for my children. Every effort I make is driven by wanting to provide a better life for them, to lift them out of our current struggles, and to give them the opportunities they deserve. Success means breaking the cycle of hardship and creating a brighter future for all of us. It means being able to provide stability, security, and opportunities for growth. My hard work is because I want them to see their mother represent the power of resilience, hard work, and perseverance. I want to instill in them the belief that no challenge is insurmountable with determination and dedication. I understand that success is measured differently by everyone, but many times, I have heard success associated with money. I personally love making others happy, especially my two children. They are three years old and one year old. As a single mother, it's important for me to be successful because it directly impacts the well-being of my family. Success means being able to provide a stable and comfortable life for my children, ensuring they have access to opportunities for growth and development. It means being able to support them emotionally, financially, and academically while also being a positive role model. Success is about achieving personal goals and creating a nurturing and safe environment for my children. Being a 30-year-old college student is not the ideal situation where someone would think of success, but I have two little ones watching everything I do, and my biggest goal is to raise good people who don’t just think that success means you have a lot of money because it is so much more than that. Success means progress, continuing to move forward despite negative results you may receive. I don’t think success is something that is measured at the very end. I think success is something that is measured after every accomplishment and every milestone because it can take many failures to reach success. Things will not always be easy, but you must continue striving for success. Many times, to be successful, you must have help. A lot of people struggle with asking for or accepting help (I am semi-guilty of this), but success may be hard to achieve without it. I am often hard on myself, so sometimes I congratulate myself on what I have done and count my blessings. I will continue to use my family support system and accept the help that is given to me so I can continue to be successful.

My father raised me. My mother was not a big part of my life due to her drug addiction. I will not take away from her still teaching me many things. There are things that she told me that I won’t ever forget. Despite her absence, I never doubted that she loved me. Some will never know their parents' sacrifices or how tough it was to be a parent in whatever circumstances they were dealing with. Those things don’t matter as long as we raise good, empathetic people who care about others. Hopefully, we will make the world a better place. My father raised me, my younger brother, and my younger sister. He was a college student while raising all three of us, which inspired me and continues to inspire me to this day. I hope to make the same impact on my children, setting an example for them and representing hard work and dedication. I saw my dad struggle financially and emotionally, and not having anyone to lean on had to be difficult. As a child, I struggled with anxiety as well as depression. I have always been quiet, so a lot of my symptoms went unnoticed. Reflecting on the things I experienced as a child and the times that my feelings of sadness or anger went unnoticed. But not always. My father constantly reminded me that he was on my team and would be there for me no matter what. That love and reassurance are why I can keep pushing through no matter how hard things seem. I appreciate every homework he has helped me with, every tear he has been there to wipe, and even all of the advice that I did not want to hear because he was right every time! As a child, I just wanted to help. I wished I had the money to give him, I wished that I could take a load of stress from him, and as an adult, I understand why he worked so hard for us, his children. As a single parent now, I understand why we could not have piano lessons, take swim classes, or eat out often. Despite him having a degree and working a full-time job, it was still difficult for him to support three children and be in school while also trying to pay bills, rent, etc. I am studying to be an Occupational Therapist Assistant. My son was born two months early, and stayed in the NICU. I got to know his nurses, occupational therapist, physical therapist, lactation consultant, and other care team members. I had been attempting a career change for a while before I got pregnant with my son, so seeing the OT in action made up my mind. I hope to have my own business one day, possibly a clinic that would service those in need of Occupational Therapy services. This scholarship would help me achieve my goals because it would help me with funds for the summer semester. I always wonder how I can be in school with two small children and work a job. It is very difficult, but I find support in my family if I need a sitter; I have emotional support if I need someone to talk to, and I am hoping to find financial support. To conclude, setting an example for my children is very important to me, and I want my children to know that I never gave up when trying to secure a better life for them.

My father raised me. My mother was not a big part of my life due to her drug addiction. I will not take away from her still teaching me many things. There are things that she told me that I won’t ever forget. Despite her absence, I never doubted that she loved me. Some will never know their parents' sacrifices or how tough it was to be a parent in whatever circumstances they were dealing with. Those things don’t matter as long as we raise good, empathetic people who care about others. Hopefully, we will make the world a better place. My father raised me, my younger brother, and my younger sister. He was a college student while raising all three of us, which inspired me and continues to inspire me to this day. I hope to make the same impact on my children, setting an example for them and representing hard work and dedication. I saw my dad struggle financially and emotionally, and not having anyone to lean on had to be difficult. As a child, I struggled with anxiety as well as depression. I have always been quiet, so a lot of my symptoms went unnoticed. Reflecting on the things I experienced as a child and the times that my feelings of sadness or anger went unnoticed. But not always. My father constantly reminded me that he was on my team and would be there for me no matter what. That love and reassurance are why I can keep pushing through no matter how hard things seem. I appreciate every homework he has helped me with, every tear he has been there to wipe, and even all of the advice that I did not want to hear because he was right every time! As a child, I just wanted to help. I wished I had the money to give him, I wished that I could take a load of stress from him, and as an adult, I understand why he worked so hard for us, his children. As a single parent now, I understand why we could not have piano lessons, take swim classes, or eat out often. Despite him having a degree and working a full-time job, it was still difficult for him to support three children and be in school while also trying to pay bills, rent, etc. I am studying to be an Occupational Therapist Assistant. My son was born two months early and stayed in the NICU. I got to know his nurses, occupational therapist, physical therapist, lactation consultant, and other care team members. I had been attempting a career change for a while before I got pregnant with my son, so seeing the OT in action made up my mind. I hope to have my own business one day, possibly a clinic that would service those in need of Occupational Therapy services. This scholarship would help me achieve my goals because it would help me with funds for the summer semester. I always wonder how I can be in school with two small children and work a job. It is very difficult, but I find support in my family if I need a sitter; I have emotional support if I need someone to talk to, and I am hoping to find financial support. To conclude, setting an example for my children is very important to me, and I want my children to know that I never gave up when trying to secure a better life for them.

My father raised me. My mother was not a big part of my life due to her drug addiction. I will not take away from her still teaching me many things. There are things that she told me that I won’t ever forget. Despite her absence, I never doubted that she loved me. Some will never know their parents' sacrifices or how tough it was to be a parent in whatever circumstances they were dealing with. Those things don’t matter as long as we raise good, empathetic people who care about others. Hopefully, we will make the world a better place. My father raised me, my younger brother, and my younger sister. He was a college student while raising all three of us, which inspired me and continues to inspire me to this day. I hope to make the same impact on my children, setting an example for them and representing hard work and dedication. I saw my dad struggle financially and emotionally, and not having anyone to lean on had to be difficult. As a child, I struggled with anxiety as well as depression. I have always been quiet, so a lot of my symptoms went unnoticed. Reflecting on the things I experienced as a child and the times that my feelings of sadness or anger went unnoticed. But not always. My father constantly reminded me that he was on my team and would be there for me no matter what. That love and reassurance are why I can keep pushing through no matter how hard things seem. I appreciate every homework he has helped me with, every tear he has been there to wipe, and even all of the advice that I did not want to hear because he was right every time! As a child, I just wanted to help. I wished I had the money to give him, I wished that I could take a load of stress from him, and as an adult, I understand why he worked so hard for us, his children. As a single parent now, I understand why we could not have piano lessons, take swim classes, or eat out often. Despite him having a degree and working a full-time job, it was still difficult for him to support three children and be in school while also trying to pay bills, rent, etc. I am studying to be an Occupational Therapist Assistant. My son was born two months early, and stayed in the NICU. I got to know his nurses, occupational therapist, physical therapist, lactation consultant, and other care team members. I had been attempting a career change for a while before I got pregnant with my son, so seeing the OT in action made up my mind. I hope to have my own business one day, possibly a clinic that would service those in need of Occupational Therapy services. This scholarship would help me achieve my goals because it would help me with funds for the summer semester. I always wonder how I can be in school with two small children and work a job. It is very difficult, but I find support in my family if I need a sitter; I have emotional support if I need someone to talk to, and I am hoping to find financial support. To conclude, setting an example for my children is very important to me, and I want my children to know that I never gave up when trying to secure a better life for them.