The Pearl of the Caribbean, that’s where my story begins. With such a romantic name, you would think it to be a beautiful and perfect place. A place that glows and glimmers like a new cut diamond, when in reality, there is nothing bright about it. A long-forgotten memory, my time in Cuba was short yet cemented in my very being. I grew up in a town so small that it rarely appeared on maps, but to me, that little town was my entire world. My family gave up everything they had to give me and my sister a chance at a better life, a chance of the "American Dream." My dad had to risk his life to come to America, he created a makeshift boat which we call a "lancha" from scrap and spare parts. Not only that, but he had to spend over 26 hours in the open sea, hoping and praying that he would make it to America and one day see us again. This isn't a new story, this is the story of my people, trying to risk it all in hopes of a better life for those they hold dear and after 5 years, my dad was able to bring the rest of us to America with him. Because of my family's sacrifices, I decided to follow a path that would allow me to do what I want for a job, but also have that job be meaningful. Therefore, I chose Biomedical engineering, and it helps that I have always been astonished by technology and its capabilities. I had always wanted to create something new and interesting capable of helping others. I found that engineering is just that, the creation of new and complex systems that help others. The Biomedical Engineering degree that I am striving for is one of the many things I will be able to take and use as a tool to change the world. I hope to be able to create new systems and equipment capable of saving people's lives. Things like creating programs to test out new medicines as well as making better tools for doctors would be possible for me to do. Furthermore, I want to be able to grow as a leader so that I may have a greater more prevalent and positive impact on others. I want to not only change the world through the impact of my career but also through the impact of who I am. I want to change people's lives by showing them my life, showing them what I have accomplished, and reassuring them that they could do just as much if not more.

The Pearl of the Caribbean, that’s where my story begins. With such a romantic name, you would think it to be a beautiful and perfect place. A place that glows and glimmers like a new cut diamond, when in reality, there is nothing bright about it. A long-forgotten memory, my time in Cuba was short yet cemented in my very being. I grew up in a town so small that it rarely appeared on maps, but to me, that little town was my entire world. My family gave up everything they had to give me and my sister a chance at a better life, a chance of the "American Dream." My dad had to risk his life to come to America, he created a makeshift boat which we call a "lancha" from scrap and spare parts. Not only that, but he had to spend over 26 hours in the open sea, hoping and praying that he would make it to America and one day see us again. This isn't a new story, this is the story of my people, trying to risk it all in hopes of a better life for those they hold dear and after 5 years, my dad was able to bring the rest of us to America with him. Because of my family's sacrifices, I decided to follow a path that would allow me to do what I want for a job, but also have that job be meaningful. Therefore, I chose Biomedical engineering, and it helps that I have always been astonished by technology and its capabilities. I had always wanted to create something new and interesting capable of helping others. I found that engineering is just that, the creation of new and complex systems that help others. The Biomedical Engineering degree that I am striving for is one of the many things I will be able to take and use as a tool to change the world. I hope to be able to create new systems and equipment capable of saving people's lives. Things like creating programs to test out new medicines as well as making better tools for doctors would be possible for me to do. Furthermore, I want to be able to grow as a leader so that I may have a greater more prevalent and positive impact on others. I want to not only change the world through the impact of my career but also through the impact of who I am. I want to change people's lives by showing them my life, showing them what I have accomplished, and reassuring them that they could do just as much if not more.

I believe that my specific experiences of where I came from have greatly affected me as a person and what I believe. Being born in Cuba and living there for years made me a more optimistic and appreciative person than most. I lived in a little town that didn't even show up on maps, in a place where you would be lucky to have electricity for more than two days at a time and clean water. Still, I found joy in the place, and so did everyone else living there. I am a glass-half-full kind of person, and I want to be able to help not only my fellow peers but also all those who I interact with, whether that be people within or outside of school. I want to give others the confidence to keep on going and to keep on pushing on, even when it gets hard, I will be there with them fighting till the end. I want my joy and happiness to leak into others' lives as it has during my time in high school. Friends and teachers have told me that my happiness is contagious and that it makes them want to keep on going to achieve their happiness. I know that life becomes bleak and hopeless at times, we have all gone through hardships and will continue to go through them, and I can't change that. What I can change is how others deal with those situations, instead of giving up in the face of strife, I want them to be able to look at the good, to keep on going. I have always been a person who is ready to serve without compensation, a person who wants to help just because he does, not because he has to. I can thank my community for giving me the positive outlook on life I have now and will continue to have. I’ve seen the horrors of this world, whether that be natural disasters or unending poverty, but every time, my community has managed to pull together and overcome those adversities. I could not be prouder to be part of such a unified and helpful community. I hope that through my future career in biotechnological engineering, I can put all of what I have learned through my community to use. I will be able to help out the world in many ways, ranging from research that could increase crop yield and make food more accessible, as well as through the creation of medical devices and vaccines. It doesn't end there, with my career, I can also help the world by fixing some of the mistakes we humans have made. I can help in the restoration of the environment after things like oil spills through the use of genetically enhanced oil-eating bacteria that I could help develop. With my career, there are many opportunities to help the world and its inhabitants, which is just what I will do. It doesn't have to be my job exactly that will impact the future, I will still volunteer in and around my community or where ever else help may be needed. Although my future career is what will be the most helpful and impactful, as Kevin Sands once said, "It's never the tool that decides. It's the hands-and heart-of the one who wields it."

The Pearl of the Caribbean, that’s where my story begins. With such a romantic name, you would think it to be a beautiful and perfect place. A place that glows and glimmers like a new cut diamond, when in reality, there is nothing bright about it. A long-forgotten memory, my time in Cuba was short yet cemented in my very being. I grew up in a town so small that it rarely appeared on maps, but to me, that little town was my entire world. My family gave up everything they had to give me and my sister a chance at a better life, a chance of the "American Dream." My dad had to risk his life to come to America, he created a makeshift boat which we call a "lancha" from scrap and spare parts. Not only that, but he had to spend over 26 hours in the open sea, hoping and praying that he would make it to America and one day see us again. This isn't a new story, this is the story of my people, trying to risk it all in hopes of a better life for those they hold dear and after 5 years, my dad was able to bring the rest of us to America with him. Because of my family's sacrifices, I decided to follow a path that would allow me to do what I want for a job, but also have that job be meaningful. Therefore, I chose Biomedical engineering, and it helps that I have always been astonished by technology and its capabilities. I had always wanted to create something new and interesting capable of helping others. I found that engineering is just that, the creation of new and complex systems that help others. Still, I found the idea of just focusing on engineering alone a little bit sad. There are so many other things that I loved to do and learn about, that just limiting myself to one thing for the rest of my life seemed wrong. I had always loved science and none had a greater grasp on me than biology. The constant struggle of understanding life sounded appealing and very interesting to me. The more I learned, the more I became obsessed. Now, to be honest, I am not the best when it comes to things involving microbiology, but I still find it fascinating and am more than willing to put in the work to excel at it. I scoured the internet, looking for possible jobs that may include an engineering element with the science of biology, that is how I came across Biotechnology and Biomedical Engineering. In truth, I wanted to pursue a Biotechnological Engineering degree rather than a Biomedical Engineering degree, but as a researched more into the Biomedical degree, I learned that they are very similar and would allow me to achieve the same goal. My goal has always been to help others and the world, no matter what I ended up doing or becoming. I believe that with a degree in Biomedical Engineering, that goal could soon become a reality. Creating medical devices and systems with the help of biological concepts is ideal for the creation of a better world for all.

The Pearl of the Caribbean, that’s where my story begins. With such a romantic name, you would think it to be a beautiful and perfect place. A place that glows and glimmers like a new cut diamond, when in reality, there is nothing bright about it. A long-forgotten memory, my time in Cuba was short yet cemented in my very being. I grew up in a town so small that it rarely appeared on maps, but to me, that little town was my entire world. Smiles, smiles and more smiles, the image of everyone smiling will forever be engraved in my memory. It didn’t matter what was happening, whether it was tadpole-infested waters, days without electricity or the many times when nothing but a couple of loaves of bread were left in stores, everyone would just keep on smiling. That explains why I am always so happy, a glass full type of person, why wouldn’t I be? When you are so used to nothing, even the smallest of things is worth more than gratitude. That is why when I came to America, I was so overwhelmed and astonished by every little thing, especially technology. Cuba is a place where the people have few rights compared to here in America, the government controls everything, from where you work to what you eat. I had never really experienced anything like cell phones or computers, but it didn't take me long to fall in love with them. As time has gone on and I now enter my senior year of high school, my love and interest in technology have only grown. I have been and am attending an early college high school, slowly working towards my goal. I will graduate with both my GED and an Associate of Science which I am very grateful for. Taking challenging collegiate-level classes, many of which were sciences and math has made me aware of the struggles I will face, but I am not deterred. I know I am not alone, I have my family who has given everything to help me succeed. My dad, left Cuba before I turned one in chase of the American dream. He risked his life on a makeshift boat, or as we call it, “una lancha.” Spending 26 hours in the open sea just to give us a chance at a better life, there is no way I would give up on him or the rest of my family. To be able to help my family and those I care about as well as continue on my path of knowledge, this scholarship would be a great help to that goal. As I have expressed above, my family does not come from good economic standing, so any money I can get to help me continue my education is extremely valuable. With the help of this scholarship, I could spend more time on my classes, doing things like homework and projects or I can also spend that time volunteering and helping out in my community, rather than having to spend it on a job. If I get this scholarship, I will be able to help my family by taking away some of the monetary burden and myself by giving me more time to study.

Calm, quiet and peaceful, like always, I thought I was in a different world living a different life, only to be woken up by the bellows of cows and crackling screeches of my neighbors' roosters. “Another day,” I thought, preparing myself physically and mentally before coming outside to see my family. Coming from a Cuban family, it was not uncommon to see many people in our house every day, it would be weirder if no one came around. There would always be a commotion that I am sure outsiders were wary of, but when it came to it, the noise was usually caused by us arguing about what we wanted to eat that day. Since our time in Cuba, my family has always been like that, and so has my community. I grew up around many people, and the idea of helping one another out was imprinted in me the moment I was born. Whether it be here in Texas, or over there in Cuba, we never had to think twice about helping someone else. Going to church, I remember being part of plays and helping out our fellow church members as well as going out to flea markets to give out things to others. I also reminisce about the times my dad and I would go around our neighborhood helping people fix their houses or whatever needed to be done. As time began to move on and grow, so did my expanding community. In high school, going to donation centers and helping out in local schools made me realize how blessed I was to have such a kind, caring and connected community. I didn’t realize it, but all of those experiences of helping out and being a part of my community were slowly developing me into the person I am today. My community turned me into a person who is ready to serve without compensation, a person who wants to help just because he does, not because he has to. I can thank my community for giving me the positive outlook on life I have now and will continue to have. I’ve seen the horrors of this world, whether that be natural disasters or unending poverty, but every time, my community has managed to pull together and overcome those adversities. I could not be prouder to be part of such a unified and helpful community. I hope that through my future career in biotechnological engineering, I can put all of what I have learned through my community to use. I will be able to help out the world in many ways, ranging from research that could increase crop yield making food more accessible, as well as through the creation of medical devices and vaccines. It doesn't end there, with my career, I can also help the world by fixing some of the mistakes we humans have made. I can help in the restoration of the environment after things like oil spills through the use of genetically enhanced oil-eating bacteria that I could help develop. With my career, there are many opportunities to help the world and its inhabitants, which is just what I will do. It doesn't have to be my job exactly that will impact the future, I will still volunteer in and around my community or where ever else help may be needed. Although my future career is what will be the most helpful and impactful, as Kevin Sands once said, "It's never the tool that decides. It's the hands-and heart-of the one who wields it."

The Pearl of the Caribbean, that’s where my story begins. With such a romantic name, you would think it to be a beautiful and perfect place. A place that glows and glimmers like a new cut diamond, when in reality, there is nothing bright about it. A long forgotten memory, my time in Cuba was short yet cemented in my very being. I grew up in a town so small that it rarely appeared on maps, but to me, that little town was my entire world. My family gave up everything they had in order to give me and my sister a chance at a better life, a chance of the "American Dream." My dad had to risk his life to come to America, he created a makeshift boat which we call a "lancha" from scrap and spare parts. Not only that, but he had to spend over 26 hours at open sea, hoping and praying that he would make it to America and one day see us again. This isn't a new story, this is the story of my people, trying to risk it all in hopes of a better life for those you hold dear and after 5 years, my dad was able to bring the rest of us to America with him. To me, school wasn't and isn't an option, it is something that has always been engraved in my very being. My parents, for all they have done, never wanted anything in return except for me to study and become "someone." They want me to have a better life than they did, to keep pushing on even when it gets tough because we have been through worse. I have no plans of stopping my future education, why should I? After all they have done for me, even if they want nothing in return, I'm going to show them that their struggles were not in vain. Now as a senior in high school, I can say that I am making them proud. I am attending an early college high school that has and is preparing me for the next step. Not only that, but I have already applied and been accepted into a couple of universities. I think I speak for all immigrant children when I say that money is the most important thing when it comes to furthering our education, or anything in general. I am worried that we won't be able to pay for the school, but most importantly, I don't want to put that burden on my parent's. I am excited yet nervous about going to university, I am happy that I will be able to fulfill my promise to my parent's, but I don't want to be a burden while doing it. I know we will find a way and after we do, I will finish my education and help people like me. I hope to help my many family members who are still in Cuba and many more people who may be struggling when it comes to furthering their education. I want to be able to not only help them pay but also serve as a role model. I want to be able to inspire them to keep on pushing forward, showing them that it is possible. I want others to know that no matter their circumstances, whether it be monetary issues or something completely different, there are those out there who will help them, people like me. I want to give the world a chance like the ones my parents gave me.

I have always been astonished by technology and its capabilities, wanting to create something new and interesting capable of helping others. I found that engineering is just that: the creation of new and complex systems that help others. Still, I found the idea of just focusing on engineering alone a little bit sad. There are so many other things that I love to do and learn about that limiting myself to one thing for the rest of my life seems wrong. I had always loved science, and none had a greater grasp on me than biology. The constant struggle to understand life sounded appealing and very interesting to me. Although I am not fully sure what to pursue, whether biomedical engineering or biotechnological engineering, I want to continue my education no matter what. I come from an immigrant family that always pushes the idea of further education, an idea that has become a part of me. I currently attend an early college high school and will graduate with an associate of science degree. Not only that, but I have already applied to some schools in Texas and have been accepted into their engineering programs. Even though I have done and am doing all of that, I still want to learn more and pursue a deeper understanding of the things I find interesting. My current goal is to graduate with honors and prepare myself for university in the upcoming months. After that, I want to be able to graduate with my bachelor's degree, but I won't end there. As previously stated, I have already taken the initiative to begin my further education by enrolling in appropriate classes and applying to schools. I hope to succeed in my future endeavors as well as continue to learn.

The Pearl of the Caribbean, that’s where my story begins. With such a romantic name, you would think it to be a beautiful and perfect place. A place that glows and glimmers like a new cut diamond, when in reality, there is nothing bright about it. A long forgotten memory, my time in Cuba was short yet cemented in my very being. I grew up in a town so small that it rarely appeared on maps, but to me, that little town was my entire world. Smiles, smiles and more smiles, the image of everyone smiling will forever be engraved in my memory. It didn’t matter what was happening, whether it was tadpole infested waters, days without electricity or the many times when nothing but a couple loafs of bread were left in stores, everyone would just keep on smiling. That explains why I am always so happy, a glass full type of person, why wouldn’t I be? When you are so used to nothing, even the smallest of things is worth more than gratitude. That is why when I came to America, I was so overwhelmed and astonished by every little thing, especially technology. Cuba is a place where the people have little rights compared to here in America, the government controls everything, from where you work to what you eat. I had never really experienced anything like cell phones or computers, but it didn't take me long to fall in love with them. As time has gone on and I now enter my senior year of high school, my love and interest for technology has only grown. I have been and am attending an early college high school, slowly working towards my goal. I will graduate with both my GED and an Associates of Science which I am very grateful for. Taking challenging collegiate level classes, many of which were sciences and math, have made me aware of the struggles I will face, but I am not deterred. I know I am not alone, I have my family who has given everything to help me succeed. My dad, who left Cuba before I turned one in chase of the American dream. He risked his life on a makeshift boat, or as we call it, “una lancha.” Spending 26 hours at open sea just to give us a chance at a better life, there is no way I would give up on him or the rest of my family. To be able to help my family and those I care about as well as continue on my path of technology I decided to try and go into the field of Biomedical Engineering. I am a very patient person, but I don’t want to wait for the future. I want to be at the forefront of innovation, whether I am known or not does not matter as long as I am a part of the journey. With that engineering degree, I will be able to help people from around the world, especially if they have little technology, I will be the one to create it for them. The fruits of my labor are already showing, I have been accepted into two engineering programs in two separate schools. Day by day, I can see my goal approaching and I couldn’t be happier.

I fought a war, a war of attrition, a war whose effects linger on throughout my daily life, a war called online learning. This war presented many new challenges, not only to myself but to all those who were involved. It kept us on our toes, changing our way of life, my way of thinking, my way of being. Nevertheless, I persevered through the trials presented by online learning, discovering my unmovable will to persevere and move forward. Discovering solutions to the endless problems that arose, living through the pain. It may sound like fun and games now, but it was a real hassle adjusting myself to online learning. After Covid hit, my school shifted from in-person to online learning, turning what would have been a normal sophomore year into a hectic online mess. It was the first time I had ever taken online classes coupled with the fact that I attend an early college high school, creating the perfect recipe for disaster. It was hard enough trying to manage time for the regular high school classes, and it became near impossible to find time for the other college classes. It felt as if I was in a war, and trying to manage all of my resources in order to achieve success became harder and harder as the enemy, time, became more prevalent. Every day brought in new struggles and strife, but time kept on moving, inching closer and closer, tormenting my mind. It was suffocating, my chest felt heavy beneath the endless waves of work and stress, unrelenting and ever-growing. I would find myself grasping the little time I had, wondering how it always escaped my clutches, how it could all just disappear like the Sun does behind oceans of clouds. I was like a bird, born to fly through the endless heavens, yet, online learning was the rain that prevented me from taking flight, the rain of a storm whose effects and destruction still linger on. Even though every day of online learning brought about a new challenge, I would face it head-on because I was not fighting for myself, I was fighting for my family. They had given up everything for me to succeed, I wasn’t about to give up on them because they had not given up on me. I didn’t want to disappoint my parents and ruin the chance they gave me to attend an early college high school, so I kept on struggling no matter what strife I faced. Through the constant struggles of online learning, I was able to gain new and valuable skills, such as the ability to adapt better to a new environment. The change in setting made me alter what I did and how I approached my classes. Instead of waiting for the teachers to tell me what to do and by when I had to learn to manage those things myself, I had to make my own schedules and be on top of my own work. Furthermore, I had to learn the melody of time management, of splitting my day into portions that allowed for the most amount of success. My constant struggle with time management is still raging on, the battle may be won, but the war is still prevalent. Nonetheless, I plan to win the war with my unwavering dedication and unmatched perseverance because that is who I am.

The Pearl of the Caribbean, that’s where my story begins. With such a romantic name, you would think it to be a beautiful and perfect place. A place that glows and glimmers like a new cut diamond, when in reality, there is nothing bright about it. A long forgotten memory, my time in Cuba was short yet cemented in my very being. I grew up in a town so small that it rarely appeared on maps, but to me, that little town was my entire world. Smiles, smiles and more smiles, the image of everyone smiling will forever be engraved in my memory. It didn’t matter what was happening, whether it was tadpole infested waters, days without electricity or the many times when nothing but a couple loafs of bread were left in stores, everyone would just keep on smiling. That explains why I am always so happy, a glass full type of person, why wouldn’t I be? When you are so used to nothing, even the smallest of things is worth more than gratitude. That is why when I came to America, I was so overwhelmed and astonished by every little thing, especially technology. Cuba is a place where the people have little rights compared to here in America, the government controls everything, from where you work to what you eat. I had never really experienced anything like cell phones or computers, but it didn't take me long to fall in love with them. As time has gone on and I now enter my senior year of high school, my love and interest for technology has only grown. I have been and am attending an early college high school, slowly working towards my goal. I will graduate with both my GED and an Associates of Science which I am very grateful for. Taking challenging collegiate level classes, many of which were sciences and math, have made me aware of the struggles I will face, but I am not deterred. I know I am not alone, I have my family who has given everything to help me succeed. My dad, who left Cuba before I turned one in chase of the American dream. He risked his life on a makeshift boat, or as we call it, “una lancha.” Spending 26 hours at open sea just to give us a chance at a better life, there is no way I would give up on him or the rest of my family. To be able to help my family and those I care about as well as continue on my path of technology I decided to try and go into the field of Biomedical Engineering. I am a very patient person, but I don’t want to wait for the future. I want to be at the forefront of innovation, whether I am known or not does not matter as long as I am a part of the journey. With that engineering degree, I will be able to help people from around the world, especially if they have little technology, I will be the one to create it for them. The fruits of my labor are already showing, I have been accepted into two engineering programs in two separate schools. Day by day, I can see my goal approaching and I couldn’t be happier.