Through my school and my own research, I came across Micelle Hydrogel Microparticles. My passion, as I've recently discovered, lies in chemical engineering. It's fascinating to me how we can use technology to improve lives and make the world a safer place. In my chemistry class, one of our units explored the idea of using reflective micro beads to increase the albedo of glaciers to reduce ice melt. This concept sparked my interest in the idea of using small-scale inventions to solve large-scale problems. Further research led me down the rabbit hole of different microparticles until I came across a 2022 invention that removed hydrophobic micropollutants from the water using Micelle Hydrogel Microparticles. It works by using hydrogel based micelles, which have a hydrophilic exterior and hydrophobic interior, to attract hydrophobic micropollutants and separate them from water. Simply put, a soap-like gel attracts dirt and oil from water and traps it in a hydrophobic core to purify the water. Because this involves no chemical bonds, the microparticles can be washed with ethanol and reused. As our population grows, we produce an astonishing amount of trash, a significant percentage of which ends up in the ocean. People tend to think that big problems require us to build giant machines or invest in massive infrastructure changes, but sometimes we have think outside of conventional scale-based concepts. Sometimes we just have to think small. With over a quarter of the world's population not having access to clean water, it is more important than ever to invest in sustainable and effective water purification technology. I want to travel the world when I get older and with me, I want to bring solutions and hope for a better future. I want to save lives that- on the path the world is on-will be lost to pollution and toxins. By implementing this type of primary prevention technology, we can prevent thousands of deaths brought about by polluted drinking water. With the immense wealth and intelligence centered in high-income countries, it is our responsibility to use our resources to help the less fortunate.

I've always been interested in science, but deciding on a specific path has proven to be a difficult journey. I love every facet of science, so I couldn't imagine picking just one category. When I entered my Physics class this year, I made my decision. I love the math and I especially love the process of building things, not the construction, but the scientific processes that go into a bridge design or egg drop test. It was my first project in that class, a foil penny boat, that made me realize that engineering spoke to me in a way no other subject did. Chemical engineering, in particular, stuck out to me because of its integration with chemistry, biology, and physics. I didn't exactly have to decide a particular path because chemical engineering covered the majority of my interests. As a chemical engineer, I hope to make our world more sustainable by improving our energy production or designing more optimal waste management technology. I find the process of optimization fascinating, as it requires one to look outside conventional strategies or even reject previous ideas. I also happen to love math, which is a crucial aspect of any engineering career. From a more personal standpoint, I also want to dedicate my life to this because I fear for our future. I hope to be an aunt one day, so I want to be the reason my sister's children can breathe clean air or swim in a clean ocean. One of my goals at the moment is to improve our education system and make academic aide more accessible and socially accepted. I want to share my love of learning with others, and consequently, my ambition to make the world a better place. I believe a world of educated and self-actualized people is more impactful than any government policy or institutional directive. To reach my ultimate goal of sustainability, I need peers to work with and share ideas with. Therefore, bringing people up to a greater level of education and giving them an idea of what they are capable of will allow me to collaborate with more knowledgeable people in the future. In the past year, I found myself battling extreme stigmas against tutoring and noticed that a significant percentage of students feel embarrassed to ask for help academically. With the help of my administrators, I rebranded the program to make people feel more comfortable reaching out for help. With people more investing time in themselves and their academic journey, I hope they realize their potential to do great things and help me in making our world a better place.

I plan to make a positive impact on the world by destigmatizing the idea of tutoring and other academic aides. Since my freshman year, I have been a volunteer tutor after school for math and English. Over time, I've noticed that less and less people are coming to tutoring. After asking people why they left, I got multiple responses that concerned stigmas around the tutoring program. Students were under the impression that tutoring reflected low intelligence or inferiority. As someone with a deep love for education and learning, I found this heartbreaking. Many students no longer valued their education and even pushed this idea onto their peers. I attempted to encourage people to attend tutoring and make the environment welcoming, but I failed. However, last summer I attended HOBY, a program to create leaders. It was there that I shared my problem and after workshopping with my group, we came up with the idea to rebrand the tutoring program. We discovered that if we stopped calling it "tutoring," people would be more open to attending. When I brought this up with my administrators, we worked together to come up with possible names for the program and landed on "Spartan Study." After extensive efforts to rebrand the program and advertise it further, I finally started seeing the results of my efforts. I observed more interest in the program from my peers and when I went to tutor, I saw more students there. It was no longer something students had to be forced to do, it was a community of people dedicated to learning and improving themselves. Since then, I've advocated for similar rebrandings in schools through my district's Student Advisory Panel and brought the idea up at other leadership conferences. I have a passion for both learning and teaching, so tutoring has always been something that I loved. I am able to help my peers and and understand the material more deeply. This feeling of fulfillment is something I want to share with others, so I always urge people to become tutors. I can't imagine accepting payment for something that costs me nothing to share. Knowledge is something that should be free to everyone, so I also hope to create more access to academic aides that isn't just the internet or AI. It is so important, especially in these times, to become knowledgeable of the world around us. Our world is fascinating and knowledge is a powerful thing, so I hope to spread not only knowledge, but also a love of learning to the world. So many barriers get in the way of learning, from financial limits to social stigmas. I plan to dedicate my efforts to providing free academic aide to those in need and building confidence in those who may not be comfortable asking for help. I want to make tutoring into something that isn't looked down upon and instead builds a community for those who want to learn.

I identify as an overachiever first and a member of the queer community second. From the time I found out what bonus points were, I've always strived to make above 100% in my classes.This reflects my personality, as I consistently give my all to every aspect of my life. While I am always eager to help others, I also maintain a strong focus on myself and my future. Recently, I decided to advocate for more AP and DE classes in my school to give myself, and others like me, a chance to be challenged and prepare for a higher education. I am a part of many service organizations and through them, I have contributed major improvements to our school's tutoring program. I have a passion for helping others, but especially in the realm of education. I've volunteered as a tutor for the last three years but initially saw only a few regular attendees. I took the initiative to rebrand the program as "Spartan Study," increasing its visibility through fliers and announcements. Over the last five months, attendance has grown, and stigmas surrounding tutoring have diminished. With this scholarship, I would like to allow people like me to challenge themselves without having to enter expensive programs. Specifically, I would use the scholarship to advocate in my school system with fliers and other promotional materials or donate to programs that support this cause. I believe everyone should have the same shot at college and the idea that only well-funded schools can give their kids college level classes is disheartening. I've known so many students who have incredible potential and could handle college-level classes, but couldn't participate in them due to financial constraints. I would also love to use the funds to provide support to the "Spartan Study" program or even advocate for similar rebranding in other schools. Even something seemingly small, like snacks or other small rewards, could have a major impact on morale for those struggling academically. My goal when I walk into these study sessions is to make the students feel welcome and not judged, so being able to give them a little reward after attending for so many days or showing up for the first time would help me in my goal to give students consistent academic support. Lastly, my identity as a member of the LGBTQIA+ community has had significant impacts on my goals. As a lesbian, I find myself constantly ostracized by those I am trying to help. When some people see the pins I wear or my earrings, they immediately feel the need to point out how "gay" they are. Although it doesn't affect me in a traditional "hurt" way, I can only be disappointed that some won't accept help just because of the way I express myself. All I can do in situations like this is make a joke or ignore the comment, but it immediately damages the learning environment because it strips a sense of security from many of the people who attend. My sexual orientation shouldn't be a factor in my success, but I still find myself trying to act and look "normal" (or straight) when I'm meeting with school board members because I fear they won't hear my cause if I express my true self.