My name is Keziah John, a senior at Loch Raven High School. I am taking 5 AP classes this year as well as two community college classes. My plan to make a positive impact on the world is to use my power of speaking and leadership to help others. I love the sciences, specifically STEM, and hope to be a podiatrist someday. I want to pursue a career that prioritizes service and community. I have had problems with my feet, almost to the point of embarrassment. My toes kept getting blue and black colored whenever exposed to cold, and the rest of my foot looked dark like it had many bruises on it. In the winter, I always experienced extreme discomfort in my feet because my warm socks and the icy winter air counteracted and made me feel terrible. I eventually saw a doctor about this, and she said I have Raynaud’s phenomenon. It is a chronic condition where smaller arteries that supply blood to the skin constrict because of cold weather and blood supply decreases to the affected area, often causing a bluish or black tinge. It is not dangerous or harmful but painful and discomforting to experience. I was often humiliated because of my condition. I constantly covered my feet and refused to take off my socks when I entered homes. People kept questioning why my feet looked so “weird,” and I tried explaining my condition to them, much to my dismay. People have put so much stigma around “feet,” even though it is just a part of our body. I feel very isolated because of my condition, and I often make excuses to cover up my feet. My toes are discolored, and no matter how much I try to paint my toenails to make everything seem normal, it doesn’t work. I have looked into being a podiatrist as my future career. They treat conditions on the foot, leg, and ankle. I want to help people like me who feel like they are isolated in society because of a condition or injury they couldn’t control. I am tired of people judging me because of my condition and assuming that I am weird because of a syndrome I have no power over. I am a normal person with a syndrome, and I want to help get rid of the stigmas centered around my feet and ankles. They are simply parts of our anatomy and nothing to be ashamed of. I hope that, as a podiatrist, I can help patients feel comfortable with themselves and express their concerns without being afraid. I want to help people like me who have foot conditions who feel ostracized and embarrassed. We are all human and equal, and our personalities and strengths define us, not our conditions. Although I’m still exploring career options, I have strongly considered becoming a podiatrist and have looked into a podiatry program at Temple University, Pennsylvania. I hope I win this scholarship as it will allow me to pursue my dream without having to worry about immense student debt. I intern at the University of Maryland St. Joseph's Medical Center in Towson, and because of my internship schedule as well as extracurriculars, I am unable to work. I am a first-generation American whose parents immigrated from India before having me, and I am grateful for them as well as for the opportunity to apply for this scholarship. Thank you to Sarah Vitone for sponsoring this scholarship. It will help students tear down the walls of student debt that prevent women like me from achieving our dreams.

I will be analyzing Plato's famous "The Allegory of the Cave" and this specific paragraph from the allegory: "This entire allegory, I said, you may now append, dear Glaucon, to the previous argument; the prison-house is the world of sight, the light of the fire is the sun, and you will not misapprehend me if you interpret the journey upwards to be the ascent of the soul into the intellectual world according to my poor belief, which, at your desire, I have expressed whether rightly or wrongly God knows. But, whether true or false, my opinion is that in the world of knowledge the idea of good appears last of all, and is seen only with an effort; and, when seen, is also inferred to be the universal author of all things beautiful and right, parent of light and of the lord of light in this visible world, and the immediate source of reason and truth in the intellectual; and that this is the power upon which he who would act rationally, either in public or private life must have his eye fixed." Source: The Internet Classics Archive by Daniel C. Stevenson, Web Atomics. World Wide Web presentation is copyright (C) 1994-2000, Daniel C. Stevenson, Web Atomics. We have power and choices when we know the truth that we don't have when we don't know the truth. And knowing the truth, even an unpleasant one, is still better than being victim to an attractive lie, even when there is no instrumental value to be had in knowing the truth. I believe that the truth (the true Forms) are essential and valuable, yet should be conveyed with caution. Living in the dark about something like that can be damaging, but this ties into Plato's Allegory of the Cave. In the allegory, individuals in the cave live in ignorance and only see shadows of reality. The underlying meaning of the text is that we as humans are meant to know the truth, regardless of how damaging or shattering it may be. It might cause our eyes to sting while adjusting to the harsh light, but it is necessary to develop character and gather knowledge about the world. Although learning the truth is harsh, stepping out into the light can be blinding or painful. It is hurtful at first, but it is better to see things as they are rather than live in a lie. I would want to know if a government or religious administration were corrupt. Living in ignorance is easy, but understanding the reality allows for change and accountability. It is similar to stepping out of Plato's cave and seeing the light. It is uncomfortable but a necessary process. Plato's Allegory sheds light upon what it means to be an appearance compared to reality. The "cave" represents the physical world where we only see shadows of the Forms, such as beauty. The prisoner who escapes from the cave is a symbol of a philosopher finding enlightenment and actively seeks knowledge. If my friends think poorly of me, I would want to know their true feelings about. I would much rather spend time with people who like me rather than doing so just for the sake of having friends. Knowing their feelings is like facing the harsh light outside of the cave, facing unpleasant truths, but necessary to build genuine friendships. On the topic of God, many people believe that the existence of God shapes their understanding of purpose, morals, and even the universe. I know this may seem like an unpopular opinion, but I would rather not know and live in the darkness of the cave instead. I am a Christian and was raised to believe in God and go to church every Sunday, and I still uphold those beliefs to this day. Believing in God has shaped multiple facets of my life, and doing so has given me a purpose and reason to live. Plato strongly assets that humans naturally do not want to be proven wrong and will try to find ways to prove themselves correct (a form of confirmation bias). This allegory is not a silly story about illusions and hallucinations, but rather a thought provoking scene which forces us to ask ourselves, "What does it take to reach a higher level of knowledge?" One could argue that if there is no divine being, that revelation could foster new ways of understanding meaning and moral grounding. But as for me in this scenario, I want to be in the cave and not face the stinging light. I will always hold steadfast to my religious beliefs no matter what because doing so has gotten me through such difficult times and gives me a reason to keep living. So I do not completely agree that it is always better to know the truth no matter how ugly it is. Plato is correct in that we as humans have so much more to do in terms of critical thinking and accepting less traditional ideas. In some situations, it is better to know the truth rather than live a lie, but when it comes to shattering one's personal beliefs or what one holds dear, I believe living in the cave is best.

To me, success looks like being a podiatrist with my own clinic, being able to spend time with my family on the weekends without a strict schedule, and the maintenance of integrity, morals, and values in my life. My parents have taught me since youth to put family before a career. Life would be meaningless if you had a ton of money and no one to share it with. It would be meaningless if you had struggles and no one to talk to about it. That’s why I want to have a job that exemplifies my passions and also gives me a flexible work schedule. I have not concretely decided of my career plans for the future, but I like the field of podiatry and this might be a potential future career for me. I have looked into podiatry programs at Temple University and plan to take classes in undergrad and high school to help meet requirements. Right now, I am taking 5 AP classes at my school. It is a very heavy workload, and sometimes I wish I hadn’t taken so much just to deal with an easier life. But then I take those thoughts back. I needed to build up the determination, hard work, and grit it took to become successful in the future. I am a first generation American whose parents immigrated from India. What got me into being interested in podiatry was my foot condition. I have Raynaud’s Phenomenon, a chronic condition where smaller arteries that supply blood to the skin constrict heavily and cause discoloration in affected area due to decreased blood flow. As a result, my toes are blue, purple, and even gray sometimes. There is no real treatment for this condition and it lasts lifelong. I have faced a lot of embarrassment and humiliation in my past for this condition I have no control over. This is why I have an interest in pursuing podiatry. I want to help patients understand that their foot, leg, or ankle conditions are not embarrassing in any way. The foot is just a part of our human anatomy, and it is nothing to stigmatize or be ashamed of. I hope I can win this scholarship as it will allow me to continue pursuing higher education and break down barriers of student debt that I might face in the future. Continuing education into podiatry school would cost a lot of money and accumulate debt over time. According to several podiatric school websites, tuition for podiatry school is approximately $38,000 just for tuition. Combined with undergraduate tution, this would be more than $150,000 in student debt. Winning this scholarship will allow me to push through doors I thought would never open, to seize new opportunities without worries of debt and massive struggle. If I decide to not become a podiatrist, I will most likely continue my writing and publishing more books. I want to advocate for people with Reynaud's. I would like to thank Smart Boy Studios for sponsoring this scholarship, as it will help other motivated, dedicated students like me be able to achieve their dreams without being afraid or nervous about the immense debt they might face on their pursuit to help others. Winning this scholarship will help me pay for textbooks and college courses in the future. I would be very grateful and thankful if I won this scholarship. My passion has always been to utilize my energy to serve others in my community, and this scholarship gives me the opportunity to freely express my passions and not be worried for my future.

It’s a normal winter Monday morning, and I’m getting dressed for school. I dread the thought of putting on my socks and going about my day, as I know I will be uncomfortable and itchy. I cannot show anyone my feet, as I will get made fun of and humiliated. I finally went to the doctor to get it checked out, and she said I have Raynaud’s Phenomenon. That has changed my life. Raynaud’s phenomenon is a chronic condition that can last for years or be lifelong. It can be described as some parts of the body being very cold or even numb. The cause? Restricted arteries that supply blood to the skin constrict and narrow, which limits blood supply to specific areas. My affected area is my feet, and I have always been very embarrassed and saddened by it. My toes are discolored, with the bottoms of some being tinged blue, purple, or even a little black. The front of my toes are much darker than the rest of my feet, making them appear as if they were constantly bruised. As a result, I am now too embarrassed to wear open toed shoes or even sandals in hot weather. What I want to do is help diminish the stigma around feet. A lot of people thing my condition is very weird and make fun of the appearance of my feet, though I never laugh along. It is a painful and uncomfortable experience that I would never wish on anyone. The worst part is, there is no real “cure” and it most likely will last life-long for me. People have put such a stigma around feet that I cannot even explain my condition without extreme embarrassment. Feet are just parts of the human anatomy, and should not be something I am ashamed of. I have considered being a podiatrist in the future. Podiatrists help treat and diagnose conditions and injuries involving the foot, ankle, and leg. I want to help others like me who have foot conditions to not feel isolated and alone like I do. People with foot conditions exist, and they should never feel ashamed of their bodies. I often feel so alone because of my syndrome. According to a study conducted by Kent State University, 75% of podiatrists are men, and only 25% are women. This is an alarming gender gap in the field, and I hope that by becoming a female podiatrist, I can motivate girls just like me to also pursue their passions. Being a podiatrist will help me to treat others with similar conditions to mine and help get rid of the stigma surrounding feet. I am a normal human being with a foot condition, and that is not weird at all. To gain experience and solve real-world problems, I currently intern at the University of Maryland St. Joseph's Medical Center in Towson. There, I volunteer in the ICU and Oncology/Hospice care Unit. I mainly restock medical supplies, answer patient bed calls, and clear patient charts to prepare them for discharge. However, I was fortunate to shadow a PA during one of my shifts and witness a center line catheter procedure. I hope that an experience in this medical setting will better prepare for a job in podiatry. I would like to thank the Global STEM academy, as winning this scholarship will allow me to break down barriers of student loan and debt that face me as a high school senior preparing to enter college and a first generation American. I am grateful for the opportunity to apply for this scholarship.

Whenever someone asks me my plans for the future, the first words that come out of my mouth are “I don’t know”. Deep down, I know I have a passion for STEM and want to pursue a career in one of those fields. I was thinking to either go into medicine, dentistry, podiatry, or computer science. The problem with going into fields that are centered on biology is the amount of schooling, which leads to large sums of student debt. The idea of taking on so much debt to finish college and possibly medical/dental/podiatry school makes me feel overwhelmed. I often look online and try researching possible career paths, but seeing how much debt students go into after pursuing these careers discourages me. I am a first-generation Asian, whose parents immigrated from India more than a decade ago. I was born in the US but as a minority in my community. I find it hard to fit in at school sometimes, as there are not a lot of students I can relate to and talk about my unique Indian culture. I find solace in going to my church and seeing my Indian, Malayalee friends. My family is from the state of Kerala India, which boasts the highest literacy rate among all the states in India. My parents value education and scholarship in my life, and as a result, I highly prioritize my education and try my hardest to achieve good grades in all my classes. Despite my ambition to pursue STEM, student loans and the idea of taking on a lot of debt to pursue college remain a barrier in my life. I am willing to put in all the hard work and studying in my education, but I need scholarships to help me fulfill my dreams and destroy the barriers that I face daily. I like science, especially biology and chemistry. I find it so fascinating how one single chromosome that fails to split during meiosis can cause genetic disorders. I just learned last year that the chemical equation for cellular respiration is the chemical equation for photosynthesis reversed! Information like this sticks with me, particularly because it can be applied to real-life situations. Biology and chemistry can be seen everywhere, even in our own homes. In AP chemistry last year, I found the class very enjoyable. To help me study for exams, I had sticky notes with atomic numbers, molar mass, and the charge of elements on my bedroom walls! I would like to thank Bernadette Davis for sponsoring this scholarship. It will help students achieve their dreams and overcome obstacles that they face daily. I want to keep this entry concise and to the point. I am still considering my options for a college major in the future, but will most likely major in biology. If I win this scholarship, I will use it to avoid student debt as I continue pursuing my goals. It will help me, an Indian student, to have the same opportunities as others and attain the help I need to succeed in college. I am once again thankful for this amazing opportunity, and I will do whatever I can to use my skills to help other people. I love my community and will actively use my energy to help those around me.

Talking about artificial intelligence (AI) is like treading through uncertain waters. Either you will have people bash it, saying it is out to replace jobs and will take over humanity if left unchecked. On the other side, you will have people praising AI for its usefulness, and how AI will help employment as people can train them for a living. I am not going to be talking about Chat GPT and college plagiarism, or Google AI's catastrophic failures in its rollout. CARES is the the name of a Copilot system designed to work with smart medical devices, providing a trustable AI to be used for surgery. According to Vanderbilt University, AI is being used in vital procedures to help physicians perform surgery with laser-focused accuracy. The Cleveland Clinic claims that AI powered surgery has a success rate between 94-100%. AI powered surgery is commonly misunderstood as a robot taking over a surgery and performing it on its own. This is incorrect. AI surgical systems gives the surgeon an advanced set of instruments to perform a surgery as least invasive as possible. Robots themselves are not performing a surgery. Rather, the surgeon still completes the surgery by using the AI tools. However, some people argue that there are various antiethics regarding AI in medicine. There are claims that doctors will over-rely on AI, diminishing their skills and increasing surgical errors. A lot of people consider AI to be a very controversial topic, with some believing that it should not be used at all while others agree it is a useful tool in society. The CARES robot in China was not meant to take over the surgeon's job. AI has the power to improve patient safety and clinical outcomes, and in our future, although it is unlikely for AI to replace surgeons, physicians who use AI will more likely replace those who don't. According to market.media.us, about 42% of the hospitals in the US that have less than 200 beds have adopted robotic surgery techniques. I understand that many patients might be skeptical over the use of AI in medicine. After all, what this the difference between that and asking Chat GPT for a medical diagnosis, they might ask. But there is a clear difference. AI might not replace sugeons', but they will help surgeons find the most suitable surgical procedure to perform. This can reduce human error and improve medicine.

Back when I was in middle school, the worldwide pandemic of Covid-19 had rendered everyone closed in their homes and unable to go places. I was in seventh grade at the time this happened in 2020, and I have been really looking forward to finishing my school year successfully. Most of my classes were met through Google meet and assignments were completed online. However, many of my friends seemed to be confused with homework and told me that they were stressed about their grades. I took it upon myself to help them with homework whenever I could, and explain the process to get the right answer. Obviously, it was very hard for me to manage my homework and help others at the same time. I often had to put my own work aside to help others, helping others academically gave me a sense of fulfillment and joy. Being able to use my knowledge to help others was definitely satisfying and inspired me to pursue a career that helps others. I also like to volunteer and have been doing so for almost 4 years. I frequently enjoy volunteering at the library to help others pursue their passion for reading, and STEM. Last summer, I was part of a Building Buddies program at my local library. I was tasked with helping young children make crafts based on STEM concepts. It was very interesting and fun experience, and I loved being able to provide assistance for my community by engaging the youth. I take it upon myself to help inspire and newer generations. they are the future of our nation and I want to help them in whatever way I can. Selflessness is an important value. It should be practiced by everyone. A lot of issues that occur in our world happen because of selfishness and greed. The amount of people who are homeless in just my area is appalling and surprising. Every year, me and my family have a tradition that rolls around Christmas. Usually outside of store fronts, Salvation Army workers would ring their bell and have the red bucket next to them for donations. Throughout the year, me and my family, save up coins and other loose change, save it in a Ziploc bag, and then put it all into the red bucket. It’s not only fun to take it as a challenge to collect as many coins as possible, it also helps those who are less fortunate in our community. My family has taught me the values of selflessness and humility. Every year, my mother helps me find clothes or coats that I’ve barely worn or not worn at all to donate to the needy. This practice has taught me that I should appreciate everything I have. I also like to donate in school settings as well. I am the current secretary of my school’s NHS And was in charge last year of organizing a winter donation fund. I was a team leader, and in charge of collecting box gifts to donate the two children who are less fortunate during the Christmas season. The donation was a huge success, and our school ended up being able to give a lot of money and gifts to the children. I plan to organize a spring and winter donation again this year for NHS and hope it will be a big success. I hope that I can win this scholarship, because it will help break down the barriers of student that that will hinder me from being able to support my community further. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to apply.

“Our universe is limitless, or perhaps it isn't", I said to my Earth Sciences teacher in 9th grade. "If the universe is constantly expanding, what is it expanding over? What lies beyond the expansion of the universe? Nothing? But nothing is something, so how exactly is the universe always expanding?" I asked again in front of the whole class. At the time, I thought I had asked an edgy question that did not have a determinable answer. But after a serious tragedy occurred to someone I knew and loved, I kept pondering these questions more and more. "Why am I here?" I asked myself. "How do we know we can make an impact if our lives can be taken away at any moment?". When I observed animals such as the various outdoor cats in my backyard, I always thought it would perhaps be easier to live as a cat. They seemed to worry about nothing, had their food needs met by us, and did not need to worry about pursuing higher education, grades, and stress on student loans for college. However, a beloved cat in our neighborhood passed away after a driver refused to follow the speed limit. Worst of all, this incident occurred while me and my family were away on vacation in India. You could imagine our sadness and shock when our neighbor admitted to us that the cat had been hit by a car. She planned to tell us that the poor animal "walked away" somewhere else but decided that was unfair to us since we had loved the cat so much. That's when I realized, every living thing on this Earth has struggles, human or not. Outdoor cats might not have to worry about high school, college, loans, or a career. They DO have to worry about whether or not they survive to see the next day, whether or not they find food in the harshest climates, and escaping predators out to devour them. Even smaller animals like honeybees are under threat of being endangered. Their populations are dwindling worldwide, which affects them and us. Another favorite animal of mine, seals, are also threatened animals with active conservation attempts to help improve their populations. No matter what, it seemed to me, all animals had to struggle under the clouds within the universe. We humans face so many problems that we either do not have the energy to fix them or do not know how to fix them. Gun violence, addiction, crippling debt, dropping out of high school early, extreme poverty, and overall cruelty can be seen in communities not just in the United States, but worldwide as well. After watching the news and seeing the headlines of a recent Nashville school shooting, I felt fear surge through my veins. Our predators seemed to be ourselves. Because of these issues, I am not passionate about pursuing a science-related field such as biology. Biology and chemistry made sense in this nonsensical, unpredictable world. I loved how biology had rules and order, such as the chemical equation for glucose ALWAYS being 6CO2+6H20---->C6H12O6 +ATP. I found peace in knowing biology and chemistry had rules set in stone and could never be proven wrong, such as a proton always being positive or an electron being negative. I want to use science to better our environment and our world, and doing that requires an understanding of the nature of the universe. It is time I stop repeating the same questions over and over and rather find answers to them. If I am granted this scholarship, I will put forward my best effort to pursue the sciences in college and find answers to my questions about the universe. Rather than waiting for change, I want to BE the change. This scholarship will help me continue my journey through college as an ambitious and curious student. It will give me the ability to keep asking questions about our universe and to find solutions to problems that we may find unexplainable or unfixable. College tuition is a big barrier in not only my life but other students' lives as well. Relating to the topic of biology, I loved the genetics unit in my high school biology class. I found it both fascinating and heartbreaking that just one extra chromosome (trisomy of chromosomes) or an incorrect number of chromosomes split during the process of meiosis could lead to incurable and lifelong genetic diseases. I found it hard to believe that just one extra chromosome was responsible for genetic disorders or sex-linked disorders. I want to keep pursuing the sciences such as the field of biology to answer my unanswered questions, to keep thinking about what the universe is expanding over, and what we can do as a community to improve the livelihoods of those around us. Although I want to keep this essay concise and not ramble on about different topics, I do want to thank Sean Carroll and all the other donors of the Big Picture scholarship for this amazing opportunity. 10,000 dollars is a large amount of money and will surely drive a student toward success in college. I genuinely hope that I win this scholarship because the idea of student loans makes me feel angsty but I still want to continue pursuing a higher education in the sciences without huge barriers. This scholarship entry has helped me realize just how huge our universe is, and how our problems are so small in comparison. Thank you once again for this amazing opportunity, and if I win this scholarship, I will always continue to question the processes of the universe as I study the sciences. Winning this scholarship will demolish the walls that separate me from success and knowledge. Even if our problems are so small, they still matter in comparison to the ever-expanding, mysterious void of the universe.

Whenever someone asks me my plans for the future, the first words that come out of my mouth are “I don’t know”. Deep down, I know I have a passion for STEM and want to pursue a career in one of those fields. I was thinking to either go into medicine, dentistry, podiatry, or computer science. The problem with going into fields that are centered on biology is the amount of schooling, which leads to large sums of student debt. The idea of taking on so much debt to finish college and possibly medical/dental/podiatry school makes me feel overwhelmed. I often look online and try researching possible career paths, but seeing how much debt students go into after pursuing these careers discourages me. I am a first-generation Asian, whose parents immigrated from India more than a decade ago. I was born in the US but as a minority in my community. I find it hard to fit in at school sometimes, as there are not a lot of students I can relate to and talk about my unique Indian culture. I find solace in going to my church and seeing my Indian, Malayalee friends. My family is from the state of Kerala India, which boasts the highest literacy rate among all the states in India. My parents value education and scholarship in my life, and as a result, I highly prioritize my education and try my hardest to achieve good grades in all my classes. Despite my ambition to pursue STEM, student loans and the idea of taking on a lot of debt to pursue college remain a barrier in my life. I am willing to put in all the hard work and studying in my education, but I need scholarships to help me fulfill my dreams and destroy the barriers that I face daily. I like science, especially biology and chemistry. I find it so fascinating how one single chromosome that fails to split during meiosis can cause genetic disorders. I just learned last year that the chemical equation for cellular respiration is the chemical equation for photosynthesis reversed! Information like this sticks with me, particularly because it can be applied to real-life situations. Biology and chemistry can be seen everywhere, even in our own homes. I am currently in AP chemistry and find it very enjoyable. To help me study for exams, I have sticky notes with atomic numbers, molar mass, and the charge of elements on my bedroom walls! I also plan to take AP biology next year to thoroughly understand how life works and the inner processes of bodily functions. I would like to thank Bria Alexander for sponsoring this scholarship. It will help students achieve their dreams and overcome obstacles that they face daily. I want to keep this entry concise and to the point. I am still considering my options for a college major in the future, but will most likely major in biology. If I win this scholarship, I will use it to avoid student debt as I continue pursuing my goals. It will help me, an Indian student, to have the same opportunities as others and attain the help I need to succeed in college. I am once again thankful for this amazing opportunity, and I will do whatever I can to use my skills to help other people. I love my community and will actively use my energy to help those around me.

To me, success looks like being a podiatrist with my own clinic, being able to spend time with my family on the weekends without a strict schedule, and the maintenance of integrity, morals, and values in my life. My parents have taught me since youth to put family before a career. Life would be meaningless if you had a ton of money and no one to share it with. It would be meaningless if you had struggles and no one to talk to about it. That’s why I want to have a job that exemplifies my passions and also gives me a flexible work schedule. I have not concretely decided of my career plans for the future, but I like the field of podiatry and this might be a potential future career for me. I have looked into podiatry programs at Temple University and plan to take classes in undergrad and high school to help meet requirements. Right now, I am taking 6 AP classes at my school along with Advanced Academic Physics. Specifically, I am taking AP Chemistry, AP Computer Science Principles, AP Spanish Language and Culture, AP Psychology, AP US History, and AP Calculus AB. It is a very heavy workload, and sometimes I wish I hadn’t taken so much just to deal with an easier life. But then I take those thoughts back. I needed to build up the determination, hard work, and grit it took to become successful in the future. I am a first generation American whose parents immigrated from India. My mom immigrated here when she was just 17, and she later married my dad who was in India and brought him with her at the age of 27. They both had to work very hard in this country to give me and my sister a nice, happy life. There was a language barrier, of course, and the drastic difference of the educational system of here and India. Regardless, my parents exemplify the meaning of hard work and true dedication. I want to study very hard and achieve my dreams because my parents have set up circumstances for me to do so. I am very thankful for my privilege to receive education in America and other endless opportunities. I am always grateful and cannot thank my parents enough for their sacrifices to send me and my younger sister to college. What got me into being interested in podiatry was my foot condition. I have Raynaud’s Phenomenon, a chronic condition where smaller arteries that supply blood to the skin constrict heavily and cause discoloration in affected area due to decreased blood flow. As a result, my toes are blue, purple, and even gray sometimes. There is no real treatment for this condition and it lasts lifelong. I have faced a lot of embarrassment and humiliation in my past for this condition I have no control over. This is why I have an interest in pursuing podiatry. I want to help patients understand that their foot, leg, or ankle conditions are not embarrassing in any way. The foot is just a part of our human anatomy, and it is nothing to stigmatize or be ashamed of. I hope I can win this scholarship as it will allow me to continue pursuing higher education and break down barriers of student debt that I might face in the future. Continuing education into podiatry school would cost a lot of money and accumulate debt over time. Winning this scholarship will allow me to push through doors I thought would never open, to seize new opportunities without worries of debt and massive struggle. I would like to thank Chris and Mary Carnduff for sponsoring this scholarship, as it will help other motivated, dedicated students like me be able to achieve their dreams without being afraid or nervous about the immense debt they might face on their pursuit to help others. Winning this scholarship will help me pay for textbooks and college courses in the future. I would be very grateful and thankful if I won this scholarship. My passion has always been to utilize my energy to serve others in my community, and this scholarship gives me the opportunity to freely express my passions and not be worried for my future. Winning this scholarship would give me and other first generation Americans a stronger voice in society, a way to express their beliefs without fear, and a strong heart that’s set on helping others. As I have mentioned previously, my idea of success looks like being a podiatrist with a loving family I can spend time with. It is something I dream about in a daily basis, and try working hard to achieve. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to apply for this scholarship. I appreciate it tremendously.

As a student managing 6 AP courses and a lot of extracurriculars, I find it challenging to manage my time. I often end up having to do homework for hours and have no free time left for myself to relax. I am taking difficult classes, which require extra attention in class and more time spent outside of school reviewing material. I am currently taking AP Chemistry, AP Computer Science Principles, AP Psychology, AP Spanish Language and Culture, AP US History, and AP Calculus 1 AB. It is very hard to keep up with the amount of work, but I am determined can continue persevering and not let the abundance of work overwhelm me. Although I have not decided on a college major yet, I am thinking of going into STEM-related fields. I am a first-generation American, and my parents immigrated to the US from India more than a decade ago. My parents prioritize my education and eagerly encourage me to pursue my passions for my career. I like chemistry and biology, so I might be studying these subjects in college. I want to use my energy to serve our community. I have been volunteering since I was 12 years old, and doing so allowed me to realize that there are many underprivileged people in our society. Many struggle and cannot afford even necessities. Assisting them made me feel at ease since I felt as if I was using my energy for a good purpose. STEM is an amazing "umbrella" of fields, with careers that innovate and transform our society for the better. I remember during the COVID-19 pandemic, first responders and front-line healthcare workers were (and still are!) the heroes of our nation! They bravely treated the sick despite the risks, and were a role model to our society as to how we should all treat our fellow brothers and sisters. I will be forever amazed by the first responders' grit, determination, and fearlessness in their careers. It has inspired me to pursue a career related to STEM to continue making a difference in the world. Some other obstacles that I have overcome in my pursuit of higher education were religious-based. During 2020, I felt so lost and alone when the lockdowns and quarantines began. Although I was a born and raised Indian Orthodox Christian, I was not very religious. As a result, I felt spiritually disconnected during the pandemic, which caused me to perform worse academically. I found Jesus after the summer of 2020 when I found miracles happening to me day by day. I kept meditating and worshipping and found myself becoming the true Christian I have always wanted to be. Now when I face struggles, especially with academics, I turn to Jesus for help. I would like to thank Donald Dunbar as well as other donors for sponsoring this scholarship. It will help motivated students like me break down barriers of student debt achieve their dreams and continue making a difference in our society.

Extracurricular activities consume most of my weekdays apart from school. I am involved in the Art, Math, Science, English, Spanish, and National Honor Societies. I am secretary of my school's NHS and take my officer position very seriously. I am also involved in Model UN as well as badminton in the fall and tennis in the spring, respectively. These extracurricular activities help to shape who I am as a person. Model UN helps me grow my passion for civic engagement and communication. The Honor Societies I have enjoyed helped me realize the potential I have as a student. Being team captain of both the varsity badminton and tennis teams has taught me about the importance of exercise and staying healthy. I believe that joining some national honor societies, a sport, and a debate club as as Model-UN will help shape our world for the better. A lot of students my age claim they are scared of public speaking and getting up on stage. Model UN has helped me flourish in my ability to speak in front of others and develop my research skills. I believe that this afterschool activity will benefit my community. Getting up in front of others and speaking, often on the spot, is a very useful skill that people often overlook. Model UN is the perfect club for improving the tone, clarity, and delivery of speeches and how to communicate with others effectively. A lot of problems in our world arise from misunderstandings, and knowing how to properly speak with others can mitigate those problems. Honor societies are not just for so-called "nerds" and those who want to separate themselves from others. Joining a specific honor society that caters to what you love helps develop your passion for it and allows you to connect with others who share your interests. I have written and published two books and love literature, so I have joined the National English Honor Society to meet others who love writing just as much as I do! The National Honor Society helps to benefit my community, as it brings like-minded peers together to create something special. My school's NHS organizes holiday gift-giving every year, and we collect gifts and donations to give to those who are less fortunate. Gathering with others who share my love for volunteering has motivated me to continue serving my community despite the time and energy it takes. Lastly, I think sports such as badminton and tennis help to benefit my community as well. Obesity is sadly a common issue in our world today and leads to issues such as heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and even death. Playing a sport can not only be relaxing and fun but also help to reduce the risk of developing obesity or disease. I am the team captain of the tennis and badminton team at my school and find it very fun to play with my friends and also keep my body in shape at the same time. Playing a sport also helps to improve your mood and sleep. I believe that playing a sport can help benefit my community because it reduces the chance of developing an illness. Our whole world can benefit from exercise, and I believe it is very important for people to understand just how important it is to keep moving our bodies and staying active. Thank you for allowing me to apply for this scholarship. Winning this scholarship will help me demolish obstacles that I have in front of me as a student, including student debt and loans. I believe that I can make a difference.

Whenever someone asks me my plans for the future, the first words that come out of my mouth are “I don’t know”. Deep down, I know I have a passion for STEM and want to pursue a career in one of those fields. I was thinking to either go into medicine, dentistry, podiatry, or computer science. The problem with going into fields that are centered on biology is the amount of schooling, which leads to large sums of student debt. The idea of taking on so much debt to finish college and possibly medical/dental/podiatry school makes me feel overwhelmed. I often look online and try researching possible career paths, but seeing how much debt students go into after pursuing these careers discourages me. I am a first-generation Asian, whose parents immigrated from India more than a decade ago. I was born in the US but as a minority in my community. I find it hard to fit in at school sometimes, as there are not a lot of students I can relate to and talk about my unique Indian culture. I find solace in going to my church and seeing my Indian, Malayalee friends. My family is from the state of Kerala India, which boasts the highest literacy rate among all the states in India. My parents value education and scholarship in my life, and as a result, I highly prioritize my education and try my hardest to achieve good grades in all my classes. Despite my ambition to pursue STEM, student loans and the idea of taking on a lot of debt to pursue college remain a barrier in my life. I am willing to put in all the hard work and studying in my education, but I need scholarships to help me fulfill my dreams and destroy the barriers that I face daily. I like science, especially biology and chemistry. I find it so fascinating how one single chromosome that fails to split during meiosis can cause genetic disorders. I just learned last year that the chemical equation for cellular respiration is the chemical equation for photosynthesis reversed! Information like this sticks with me, particularly because it can be applied to real-life situations. Biology and chemistry can be seen everywhere, even in our own homes. I am currently in AP chemistry and find it very enjoyable. To help me study for exams, I have sticky notes with atomic numbers, molar mass, and the charge of elements on my bedroom walls! I also plan to take AP biology next year to thoroughly understand how life works and the inner processes of bodily functions. I would like to thank the David M. Gabrielsen Foundation for sponsoring this scholarship. It will help students achieve their dreams and overcome obstacles that they face daily. I want to keep this entry concise and to the point. I am still considering my options for a college major in the future, but will most likely major in biology. If I win this scholarship, I will use it to avoid student debt as I continue pursuing my goals. It will help me, an Indian student, to have the same opportunities as others and attain the help I need to succeed in college. I am once again thankful for this amazing opportunity, and I will do whatever I can to use my skills to help other people. I love my community and will actively use my energy to help those around me.

The movie that has the greatest impact on my life is called “Rajakeeyam”. I am a first generation American with parents who are immigrants from India. My parents home state, Kerala, has a native language called Malayalam. I speak Malayalam with my family members and other Indians with Keralite roots. “Mollywood” is a huge movie industry in India, although not as popular as Bollywood. Many people think that Indian movies are solely centered around Bollywood, but that is untrue. Each state in India speaks its own language, and even states that speak Hindi have special dialects. Back to my point, “Rajakeeyam” is a Malayalam movie that came out around the 1990s, way before I was born. Me and my dad love to watch Malayalam movies together, whether they be mystery movies or movies that are just plain bad. Some people are often confused by this, but I LOVE bad movies. Movies that are bad and funny hold a special place in my heart. Mollywood is a huge movie industry in India, with its fair share of popular super hit movies that have been dubbed to many different languages. However, as with any apple tree, you’re bound to get some bad movies as well. Watching “Rajakeeyam” was definitely a thrilling and funny experience! My dad and I were bored sitting at home during the Covid-19 lockdown, so we browsed through our TV to find a movie. Eventually I got bored of searching with him and gave up to read a book instead. My dad put on “Rajakeeyam” and super dramatic music played at the start, along with some dancing that was too funny to watch. I got interested in this sudden change of events and decided to put down my book and watch the movie with my dad. Some of the acting was done so poorly and overly exaggerated to the point I could not take anything seriously. My dad and I were laughing every minute at how cheap the on movie set was and how horrible the storyline was as well. Even though “Rajakeeyam” was a bad movie, it was hilarious and kept me and my dad entertained. Overall, what made this movie have such a great impact on my life isn’t the storyline, acting, or cheap props. It’s the time I got to spend with my dad and try reenacting all the funny scenes of the movie as they occurred, and making fun of particularly hilarious lines in the movie that were outrageous. “Rajakeeyam” got me and my dad interested in watching bad movies just for the fun factor of it. This movie holds a special place in my heart for just how bad and funny it was, and being able to spend time with family throughout the process. This movie also stimulated my love for film, as I enjoyed hyper-analyzing characters, picking apart the storyline, and critiquing choices made throughout the movie. I wouldn’t say “Rajakeeyam” had a touching storyline, beautiful songs, or captivating acting (although there was a VERY dramatic death scene at the end). However, it made me appreciate my unique Indian culture whilst simultaneously poking fun at funny stereotypes portrayed in movies and laughing at scenes that I found to be outlandish. Mollywood has thousands of amazing movies, but “Rajakeeyam” is a movie that I’ll never be able to forget. It’s so bad to the point it’s also very good. I will always remember “Rajakeeyam” because I was able to spend time with my dad during the Covid-19 lockdown while watching it. Both of us still make jokes about the movie to this day!

March of 2020. I had won first place in a short story competition and was supposed to present it in front of a crowd later in the month. I had seventh-grade science projects that were due to be built. I had made so many new friends and I never felt so popular before. All it took was one virus to change everything. I suppose my connection to Christianity started when I was born. I am a first-generation American with South Indian parents from Kerala, India. Kerala has had a large Christian population since St. Thomas, one of Jesus' disciples, preached the Good News in the Southern region of India. As a result, my Indian ancestors converted to Christianity, and that is why me and my family, who would have been Hindu, are Christians today. But there is a huge difference between being a Christian and BEING a Christian. Sure, I went to church every Sunday and had evening prayer with my family every night, but that doesn't mean that I was acting as a Christian. A lot of people in our day and age call themselves Christian but certainly don't act like it. And I am guilty of it. In the seventh grade, while Covid-19 was rampaging throughout my community, I never felt more alone in my life. So many of my daily activities such as going to Church, school, and afterschool clubs were reduced to my house, and I felt myself feeling more detached from what I loved by the day. Then when I entered eighth grade, (which was still online at the time), I knew I was sick of feeling alone. No matter how many YouTube videos I watched to pass the time or how many friends I FaceTimed for hours on end, I always felt lonely afterward. When I eventually ran out of friends to call one evening, I decided to chat with Jesus instead, and my life changed inexplicably. When I talked to Jesus about my problems, I could feel Him listening to every word I spoke. When I voiced how lonely I felt, I sensed His presence next to me on the bench I was sitting on. Jesus told me that He will always be with me, even to the ends of the Earth. I was done being labeled a Christian without acting like one. Why should I pretend when I have the Alpha and Omega with me? I started to meditate on God's word frequently, and daily chats with Jesus became a fun, faith-filled, and relaxing way for me to grow closer to my Savior. I started to pay more attention to my school work and rejected calls from some friends to go pray instead. Ever since the lockdowns started, I realized that all this popularity was useless. One virus was enough to isolate me from friends, and one virus was enough to show me how God would always be with me, even if everyone else wasn't. Even now as a high school junior, I am submitting myself to God's Will completely. Where he goes, I will follow. What he wants me to be, I will be. So far, I have placed an interest in being a podiatrist and majoring in biology in college. This decision is not set in stone, and I am open to whatever change God brings into my life. I know Jesus will honor the fruit of my labor as I pursue higher goals and go to college. I would like to thank the God Hearted Girls for sponsoring this scholarship and allowing me to apply.

Hi, my name is Keziah John and I am a junior at Loch Raven High school in Baltimore MD. Despite my age, I do whatever I can to advocate for the assistance of my community. What I mean by this is that I volunteer in various areas to help bolster our community spirit and actively engage with diverse individuals. When I was in 6th grade, I volunteered at my local library to help children and adults sign up for the Summer Reading Challenge. To my surprise, a lot of adults seemed interested in the program, an outcome I had not expected. I realized that this Summer Program was a tool in helping adults in my community embrace their passion for literature and reading! Many of the adults I spoke to there said that they hadn’t been to the library in years, but had suddenly gotten the urge to step in and check out a book. This inspired me to do more for my community. Although I live in the suburban part of Northern Maryland, there are a lot of areas in my region where families are low-income and cannot afford basic necessities. Former fun tasks like doing the summer reading challenge was obsolete for them since they had to worry about feeding their families. Another example of when I worked for my community was about two summers ago through my church. Me and some members of my church volunteered for a smaller scale organization called “Happy Helpers”. We were tasked with organizing canned foods into boxes that would then be distributed to low income families in Maryland. Each time I put a can in the box, I silently whispered a prayer and thanked the LORD that I was lucky enough to have plenty of food to eat on my table. I was blessed with so much privilege, yet I felt like I could use my energy to spread the blessing to others. Last year, my school’s National Honor Society ran a donation drive. We would be sponsoring Christmas gifts for two young boys who lived near our area, but whose parents didn’t have sufficient funds to buy them presents. I was a team leader and organized boxed donations for the two children. The donation was a big success, and we ended up collecting a lot of money to spend on Christmas toys for them and bought games. I was filled with immense joy at the thought of the two boys having something to look forward to in the holidays! Christmas is my favorite holiday because that is when the Salvation Army workers sit in front of stores, ringing their bells with the red bucket. Me and my family collect coins throughout the year in one large plastic bag and donate it all to the Salvation Army. Christmas could not get any sweeter! Knowing that my energy used to help others would never go to waste filled me with so much happiness. Some areas in my community face many issues, such as the underfunding of schools, difficult public transport access, low income, and homelessness, along with many others. I am a first-generation American with parents who immigrated from India at a young age. They have taught me the values of charity, humility, and selflessness throughout my daily life. I want to thank the West Family for sponsoring this scholarship. It will help persevering students like me break down the barriers of student loan debt and allow us to use our energy to advocate and help others in our community. Thank you for allowing me to apply.

Whenever someone asks me my plans for the future, the first words that come out of my mouth are “I don’t know”. Deep down, I know I have a passion for STEM and want to pursue a career in one of those fields. I was thinking to either go into medicine, dentistry, podiatry, or computer science. I love working with people, and volunteering at the public library over the summer is my favorite hobby to do when I want to explore my passions. The problem with going into fields that are centered on biology is the amount of schooling, which leads to large sums of student debt. The idea of taking on so much debt to finish college and possibly medical/dental/podiatry school makes me feel overwhelmed. I often look online and try researching possible career paths, but seeing how much debt students go into after pursuing these careers discourages me. I am a first-generation Asian, whose parents immigrated from India more than a decade ago. I was born in the US but as a minority in my community. I find it hard to fit in at school sometimes, as there are not a lot of students I can relate to and talk about my unique Indian culture. I find solace in going to my church and seeing my Indian, Malayalee friends. My family is from the state of Kerala India, which boasts the highest literacy rate among all the states in India. My parents value education and scholarship in my life, and as a result, I highly prioritize my education and try my hardest to achieve good grades in all my classes. Despite my ambition to pursue STEM, student loans and the idea of taking on a lot of debt to pursue college remain a barrier in my life. I am willing to put in all the hard work and studying in my education, but I need scholarships to help me fulfill my dreams and destroy the barriers that I face daily. I like science, especially biology and chemistry. I find it so fascinating how one single chromosome that fails to split during meiosis can cause genetic disorders. I just learned last year that the chemical equation for cellular respiration is the chemical equation for photosynthesis reversed! Information like this sticks with me, particularly because it can be applied to real-life situations. Biology and chemistry can be seen everywhere, even in our own homes. I am currently in AP chemistry and find it very enjoyable. To help me study for exams, I have sticky notes with atomic numbers, molar mass, and the charge of elements on my bedroom walls! I also plan to take AP biology next year to thoroughly understand how life works and the inner processes of bodily functions. I would like to thank Zamara Borose Goodwill for sponsoring this scholarship. It will help students achieve their dreams and overcome obstacles that they face daily. I want to keep this entry concise and to the point. I am still considering my options for a college major in the future, but will most likely major in biology. If I win this scholarship, I will use it to avoid student debt as I continue pursuing my goals. It will help me, an Indian student, to have the same opportunities as others and attain the help I need to succeed in college. I am once again thankful for this amazing opportunity, and I will do whatever I can to use my skills to help other people. I love my community and will actively use my energy to help those around me.

Coins jingle in my huge ziplock bag, filled to the brim with pennies, quarters, nickels, and dimes. It wasn't a typical trip to the store that day, it was a moment of donation, care for the community, and the importance of caring for those in need. Christmas isn't my favorite holiday because of the Christmas tree, or presents, or candy canes. It's the time when the Salvation Army sits in front of stores with their red buckets, jingling their bell and wishing everyone a Merry Christmas. Not being a heavy shopper myself, even I enjoy going to stores during the Christmas season so that me and my parents can give an extra dollar or two to the homeless sitting in front of the shops, freezing in their thin coats but desperate to survive. I guess my love for donation stemmed from my parents, who are immigrants from India. My mother came here when she was seventeen, and had to start college the next year without any US high school education. She often had to walk to and from McDonald's, where she worked to make ends meet. She took long bus rides to her college courses because she didn't have her license yet. My mother has always told me that no matter how much I struggle, I must be thankful because someone out there is struggling way harder than I am. My parents have worked incredibly hard to get my family where I am today, and I am ever so grateful. Being devout Christians, my parents are even more encouraged to donate to the needy and spend time helping others. Watching them give an extra cereal box to a homeless man after walking out the Aldi doors inspired me to come up with an idea of my own to help others. I decided on change. I would collect change from my parents, money that I earned, and general coins I'd find around the house and put them in a big blue ziplock bag. Often, the bag was super heavy and my small self would find difficulty carrying it. Then, I would keep bugging my parents to take me out to a store before Christmas day. I remember my dad taking me to a store on a chilly winter morning, frost gathering on the grass, and clouds going up from my mouth as I spoke. Clutching the bag of coins as tightly as I could, I waited patiently until my dad drove to the store. There, I'd see a kind old man on a stool, wearing a crimson coat and ringing his silver bell. My dad walked me up to him, and I gently placed my Ziplock bag in the red bucket. "Thank you, and have a Merry Christmas!" he would say, a kind smile gathering on his face. This was the moment that inspired me to keep going. I still have a Ziplock bag of coins I'm saving up, and I want to donate again this Christmas, because what use are we to humanity if we are not serving others? I would like to thank the O'Neal Family from the bottom of my heart for allowing me to apply for this scholarship. It gives first-generation Americans the opportunity to strive for the best. I am always worried about college tuition and how I will pay for it, and winning scholarships allows me to pursue new and bold endeavors without being afraid. My dream is to be a lifelong helper, someone who gives even if they have nothing to give. I cherish charity and generosity. Thank you for letting me apply.

Although I have not particularly decided what to pursue as a career or major in college, I know I am interested in the field of science and STEM-related subjects. My name is Keziah John, and I am a 16-year-old student in Maryland. My parents immigrated from the state of Kerala in India to the US more than 10 years ago. I am a first-generation American who was born in the United States but raised with full knowledge of my Indian culture and language (Malayalam). Volunteering is a special experience that one could never replicate. I started to volunteer at the age of 12 and came to realize just how much society needs our help. There are people in our community who cannot afford basic needs and rely on people like us to help them. I want to continue giving back to my community throughout my long journey of life. Whether it be packing cans in soup kitchens, volunteering at the library to help children make STEM-related crafts, or making cards for soldiers traveling abroad, I find immense satisfaction and joy in all of my volunteering activities. It gives me a chance to use my energy to help others and be of use to my community. Academic-wise, I like chemistry and biology. I am taking 6 AP courses at my school, most of which are science and math classes. AP Chemistry is very enjoyable for me, as I like running labs and understanding the process of the chemistry behind everything. I even have sticky notes with element atomic numbers, mass numbers, and charges stuck to my bedroom walls to help me memorize them! I don't believe I will pursue chemistry as a future career, but will potentially look for one that incorporates parts of chemistry in it. One significant challenge I find is managing my coursework in high school. As I said before, I am taking 6 AP classes at school, which comes with a large amount of responsibility and dedication. Sometimes I feel like I made a mistake in taking so many hard classes, but at the end of the day, I feel fulfilled applying my knowledge to challenging problems. I also find it difficult being a minority at my school. I am one of the few Asian students in my school, and probably the only Indian girl. As a result, it is hard to relate to someone in a cultural way and share cultural similarities with them. However, I have other friends from different backgrounds who make me feel more included and together in my community. I hope I win this scholarship. It will help me propel forward as a student without having to worry about a lot of student debt while I pursue higher education. STEM-related fields require a lot of schooling, which means I would have to take on more student loans in the future. Winning this scholarship will help me continue to pursue my dreams without being afraid of being in a lot of debt in the future. Winning this scholarship will encourage me to continue pursuing science as a career interest and work hard to serve my community in different ways. I would like to thank the Motwani family as well as other donors for sponsoring this scholarship. It will help minority students like me break down the barriers that prevent us from passionately pursuing a career. I will use this scholarship to achieve my dreams and confidently open new doors to new inspirations waiting for me in college and the future. Thank you for allowing me to apply for this scholarship.

My experience with mental health is vastly different from that of others. I don’t take any antidepressants, I have not been diagnosed with anything. But this is a very personal and emotional struggle I have faced recently that has both opened my mind to the reality of mental health struggles and who I am as a person in this world. If you give me a piece of tissue, I will keep tearing it into little shreds without realizing. If you give me food, I will keep picking it apart until it is not eatable anymore. If you give me a flower, I will pluck at the leaves and petals until there is nothing left. This shows my anxious mind, a mind filled with worry and fear. A lot of people would describe me as a nervous yet determined and intelligent individual. I have not had an official diagnosis of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, but I display many tendencies of it. I remember at one of the lower points in my life, I kept waking up at 12 AM, plagued with nervousness and going downstairs to the kitchen to check if all the dish mats were perfectly aligned. I also became paranoid of losing my computer and charger. I started “checking” on them every night. But I didn’t check just once. Basically, I have been told that my lucky number is 5. Therefore, I started checking all of my belongings in multiples of 5. If I accidentally checked a belonging 6 times, I’d have to keep checking until I reached a multiple of 5 such as 15 or 20. This was not only time consuming, but enraging and frustrating to me. My mind kept telling me something terrible would happen if I didn’t check all my belongings more than 5 times. Overtime, with prayer and meditation, I have somewhat eased these tendencies. Despite that, I still have a habit of checking my computer and charger, as well as my ID in my bag, more than 2 times but less than 5. I cannot seem to control myself, but I am proud I am not as obsessive as I was in the past. A lot of these obsessions were rooted in my deep fear of rejection and disappointment. I thought I would be a huge disappointment to my parents if I lost any of my belongings, so I kept checking on them over and over again. Whenever I give up an opportunity because I am too busy, I am scared it will make people disappointed in me, and think I am a failure. I am a straight A student and expect nothing less than an A on every report card, but it took me time to learn that perfection can never be rooted in fear. It must manifest in a sense of growth and not being afraid to make mistakes. That’s not the mentality I had, however. Recently, in the past summer I experienced acute insomnia for a period of about two weeks, and it taught me a lot about my mental health. It all started one night when I tossed and turned and couldn’t get to sleep, then joked about not being able to sleep for the next night. To my horror, this ended up happening and I didn’t sleep the next night as well. My father tried his best to help me by adjusting the temperature to my room, asking me periodically if I slept, and putting relaxing music in my room to help me sleep. None of this work, and at one point I was so tired that my brain went into survival mode. I was fully energetic even though I had barely slept. I started to get easily agitated and became desperate to sleep again. For the third night in a row, I hadn’t slept. I ended up opening my eyes at 2 AM, angry at God, angry at the universe, angry at my body for refusing me to slumber. I crumpled to the floor in agony in those early morning hours, wailing to God that I was awake when I should be asleep, and asking what I did to deserve this punishment. My father’s face fell when I told him after he woke up that I didn’t even sleep a minute. I had become so anxious about even the thought of sleep that I cried whenever the words “insomnia” were mentioned. It was something I never thought I’d have, and I was in denial that I was experiencing it. I kept waking up at 1 AM for the next few days, unable to sleep and unable to stay in bed. I played chess.com on my computer in my room until 7 or 8 am. I was basically awake for 24 hours. Thankfully, even without the use of prescription, I have curbed my insomnia. My parents prayed for me every day, and I realized the root of my insomnia was anxiety. Whenever someone mentioned anything about sleep, I shut them up and demanded they not speak about it. I put such a stigma around the word “insomnia” even though it is a condition that affects millions of people worldwide. To add on to what I said before, my parents are extremely loving and caring. Whenever I ask them if they will ever be disappointed in me, they always say there is nothing I can do to disappoint them. They want me to be successful and use my talents for the better good. It is reassuring for me to know that I am not a disappointment if I make a mistake, because that makes me human. I am taking 6 AP classes at my school right now, and struggle everyday to keep up with the work. But I am confident about my abilities and skills. I will never become weak, helpless, and afraid. As a first generation American and motivated student, I depend on scholarships to help me pay for college.

My experience with mental health is vastly different from that of others. I don’t take any antidepressants, I have not been diagnosed with anything. But this is a very personal and emotional struggle I have faced recently that has both opened my mind to the reality of mental health struggles and who I am as a person in this world. If you give me a piece of tissue, I will keep tearing it into little shreds without realizing. If you give me food, I will keep picking it apart until it is not eatable anymore. If you give me a flower, I will pluck at the leaves and petals until there is nothing left. This shows my anxious mind, a mind filled with worry and fear. A lot of people would describe me as a nervous yet determined and intelligent individual. I have not had an official diagnosis of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, but I display many tendencies of it. I remember at one of the lower points in my life, I kept waking up at 12 AM, plagued with nervousness and going downstairs to the kitchen to check if all the dish mats were perfectly aligned. I also became paranoid of losing my computer and charger. I started “checking” on them every night. But I didn’t check just once. Basically, I have been told that my lucky number is 5. Therefore, I started checking all of my belongings in multiples of 5. If I accidentally checked a belonging 6 times, I’d have to keep checking until I reached a multiple of 5 such as 15 or 20. This was not only time consuming, but enraging and frustrating to me. My mind kept telling me something terrible would happen if I didn’t check all my belongings more than 5 times. Overtime, with prayer and meditation, I have somewhat eased these tendencies. Despite that, I still have a habit of checking my computer and charger, as well as my ID in my bag, more than 2 times but less than 5. I cannot seem to control myself, but I am proud I am not as obsessive as I was in the past. A lot of these obsessions were rooted in my deep fear of rejection and disappointment. I thought I would be a huge disappointment to my parents if I lost any of my belongings, so I kept checking on them over and over again. Whenever I give up an opportunity because I am too busy, I am scared it will make people disappointed in me, and think I am a failure. I am a straight A student and expect nothing less than an A on every report card, but it took me time to learn that perfection can never be rooted in fear. It must manifest in a sense of growth and not being afraid to make mistakes. That’s not the mentality I had, however. Recently, in the past summer I experienced acute insomnia for a period of about two weeks, and it taught me a lot about my mental health. It all started one night when I tossed and turned and couldn’t get to sleep, then joked about not being able to sleep for the next night. To my horror, this ended up happening and I didn’t sleep the next night as well. My father tried his best to help me by adjusting the temperature to my room, asking me periodically if I slept, and putting relaxing music in my room to help me sleep. None of this work, and at one point I was so tired that my brain went into survival mode. I was fully energetic even though I had barely slept. I started to get easily agitated and became desperate to sleep again. For the third night in a row, I hadn’t slept. I ended up opening my eyes at 2 AM, angry at God, angry at the universe, angry at my body for refusing me to slumber. I crumpled to the floor in agony in those early morning hours, wailing to God that I was awake when I should be asleep, and asking what I did to deserve this punishment. My father’s face fell when I told him after he woke up that I didn’t even sleep a minute. I had become so anxious about even the thought of sleep that I cried whenever the words “insomnia” were mentioned. It was something I never thought I’d have, and I was in denial that I was experiencing it. I kept waking up at 1 AM for the next few days, unable to sleep and unable to stay in bed. I played chess.com on my computer in my room until 7 or 8 am. I was basically awake for 24 hours. Thankfully, even without the use of prescription, I have curbed my insomnia. My parents prayed for me every day, and I realized the root of my insomnia was anxiety. Whenever someone mentioned anything about sleep, I shut them up and demanded they not speak about it. I put such a stigma around the word “insomnia” even though it is a condition that affects millions of people worldwide. To add on to what I said before, my parents are extremely loving and caring. Whenever I ask them if they will ever be disappointed in me, they always say there is nothing I can do to disappoint them. They want me to be successful and use my talents for the better good. It is reassuring for me to know that I am not a disappointment if I make a mistake, because that makes me human. I am taking 6 AP classes at my school right now, and struggle everyday to keep up with the work. But I am confident about my abilities and skills. I will never become weak, helpless, and afraid. As a first generation American and motivated student, I depend on scholarships to help me pay for college. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to apply.

My experience with mental health is vastly different from that of others. I don’t take any antidepressants, I have not been diagnosed with anything. But this is a very personal and emotional struggle I have faced recently that has both opened my mind to the reality of mental health struggles and who I am as a person in this world. If you give me a piece of tissue, I will keep tearing it into little shreds without realizing. If you give me food, I will keep picking it apart until it is not eatable anymore. If you give me a flower, I will pluck at the leaves and petals until there is nothing left. This shows my anxious mind, a mind filled with worry and fear. A lot of people would describe me as a nervous yet determined and intelligent individual. I have not had an official diagnosis of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, but I display many tendencies of it. I remember at one of the lower points in my life, I kept waking up at 12 AM, plagued with nervousness and going downstairs to the kitchen to check if all the dish mats were perfectly aligned. I also became paranoid of losing my computer and charger. I started “checking” on them every night. But I didn’t check just once. Basically, I have been told that my lucky number is 5. Therefore, I started checking all of my belongings in multiples of 5. If I accidentally checked a belonging 6 times, I’d have to keep checking until I reached a multiple of 5 such as 15 or 20. This was not only time consuming, but enraging and frustrating to me. My mind kept telling me something terrible would happen if I didn’t check all my belongings more than 5 times. Overtime, with prayer and meditation, I have somewhat eased these tendencies. Despite that, I still have a habit of checking my computer and charger, as well as my ID in my bag, more than 2 times but less than 5. I cannot seem to control myself, but I am proud I am not as obsessive as I was in the past. A lot of these obsessions were rooted in my deep fear of rejection and disappointment. I thought I would be a huge disappointment to my parents if I lost any of my belongings, so I kept checking on them over and over again. Whenever I give up an opportunity because I am too busy, I am scared it will make people disappointed in me, and think I am a failure. I am a straight A student and expect nothing less than an A on every report card, but it took me time to learn that perfection can never be rooted in fear. It must manifest in a sense of growth and not being afraid to make mistakes. That’s not the mentality I had, however. Recently, in the past summer I experienced acute insomnia for a period of about two weeks, and it taught me a lot about my mental health. It all started one night when I tossed and turned and couldn’t get to sleep, then joked about not being able to sleep for the next night. To my horror, this ended up happening and I didn’t sleep the next night as well. My father tried his best to help me by adjusting the temperature to my room, asking me periodically if I slept, and putting relaxing music in my room to help me sleep. None of this work, and at one point I was so tired that my brain went into survival mode. I was fully energetic even though I had barely slept. I started to get easily agitated and became desperate to sleep again. For the third night in a row, I hadn’t slept. I ended up opening my eyes at 2 AM, angry at God, angry at the universe, angry at my body for refusing me to slumber. I crumpled to the floor in agony in those early morning hours, wailing to God that I was awake when I should be asleep, and asking what I did to deserve this punishment. My father’s face fell when I told him after he woke up that I didn’t even sleep a minute. I had become so anxious about even the thought of sleep that I cried whenever the words “insomnia” were mentioned. It was something I never thought I’d have, and I was in denial that I was experiencing it. I kept waking up at 1 AM for the next few days, unable to sleep and unable to stay in bed. I played chess.com on my computer in my room until 7 or 8 am. I was basically awake for 24 hours. Thankfully, even without the use of prescription, I have curbed my insomnia. My parents prayed for me every day, and I realized the root of my insomnia was anxiety. Whenever someone mentioned anything about sleep, I shut them up and demanded they not speak about it. I put such a stigma around the word “insomnia” even though it is a condition that affects millions of people worldwide. To add on to what I said before, my parents are extremely loving and caring. Whenever I ask them if they will ever be disappointed in me, they always say there is nothing I can do to disappoint them. They want me to be successful and use my talents for the better good. It is reassuring for me to know that I am not a disappointment if I make a mistake, because that makes me human. I am taking 6 AP classes at my school right now, and struggle everyday to keep up with the work. But I am confident about my abilities and skills. I will never become weak, helpless, and afraid. As a first generation American and motivated student, I depend on scholarships to help me pay for college. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to apply.

To me, success looks like being a podiatrist with my own clinic, being able to spend time with my family on the weekends without a strict schedule, and the maintenance of integrity, morals, and values in my life. My parents have taught me since youth to put family before a career. Life would be meaningless if you had a ton of money and no one to share it with. It would be meaningless if you had struggles and no one to talk to about it. That’s why I want to have a job that exemplifies my passions and also gives me a flexible work schedule. I have not concretely decided of my career plans for the future, but I like the field of podiatry and this might be a potential future career for me. I have looked into podiatry programs at Temple University and plan to take classes in undergrad and high school to help meet requirements. Right now, I am taking 6 AP classes at my school along with Advanced Academic Physics. Specifically, I am taking AP Chemistry, AP Computer Science Principles, AP Spanish Language and Culture, AP Psychology, AP US History, and AP Calculus AB. It is a very heavy workload, and sometimes I wish I hadn’t taken so much just to deal with an easier life. But then I take those thoughts back. I needed to build up the determination, hard work, and grit it took to become successful in the future. I am a first generation American whose parents immigrated from India. My mom immigrated here when she was just 17, and she later married my dad who was in India and brought him with her at the age of 27. They both had to work very hard in this country to give me and my sister a nice, happy life. There was a language barrier, of course, and the drastic difference of the educational system of here and India. Regardless, my parents exemplify the meaning of hard work and true dedication. I want to study very hard and achieve my dreams because my parents have set up circumstances for me to do so. I am very thankful for my privilege to receive education in America and other endless opportunities. I am always grateful and cannot thank my parents enough for their sacrifices to send me and my younger sister to college. What got me into being interested in podiatry was my foot condition. I have Raynaud’s Phenomenon, a chronic condition where smaller arteries that supply blood to the skin constrict heavily and cause discoloration in affected area due to decreased blood flow. As a result, my toes are blue, purple, and even gray sometimes. There is no real treatment for this condition and it lasts lifelong. I have faced a lot of embarrassment and humiliation in my past for this condition I have no control over. This is why I have an interest in pursuing podiatry. I want to help patients understand that their foot, leg, or ankle conditions are not embarrassing in any way. The foot is just a part of our human anatomy, and it is nothing to stigmatize or be ashamed of. I hope I can win this scholarship as it will allow me to continue pursuing higher education and break down barriers of student debt that I might face in the future. Continuing education into podiatry school would cost a lot of money and accumulate debt over time. Winning this scholarship will allow me to push through doors I thought would never open, to seize new opportunities without worries of debt and massive struggle. I would like to thank Chris and Mary Carnduff for sponsoring this scholarship, as it will help other motivated, dedicated students like me be able to achieve their dreams without being afraid or nervous about the immense debt they might face on their pursuit to help others. Winning this scholarship will help me pay for textbooks and college courses in the future. I would be very grateful and thankful if I won this scholarship. My passion has always been to utilize my energy to serve others in my community, and this scholarship gives me the opportunity to freely express my passions and not be worried for my future. Winning this scholarship would give me and other first generation Americans a stronger voice in society, a way to express their beliefs without fear, and a strong heart that’s set on helping others. As I have mentioned previously, my idea of success looks like being a podiatrist with a loving family I can spend time with. It is something I dream about in a daily basis, and try working hard to achieve. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to apply for this scholarship. I appreciate it tremendously.

It’s a normal winter Monday morning, and I’m getting dressed for school. I dread the thought of putting on my socks and going about my day, as I know I will be uncomfortable and itchy. I cannot show anyone my feet, as I will get made fun of and humiliated. I finally went to the doctor to get it checked out, and she said I have Raynaud’s Phenomenon. That has changed my life. Raynaud’s phenomenon is a chronic condition that can last for years or be lifelong. It can be described as some parts of the body being very cold or even numb. The cause? Restricted arteries that supply blood to the skin constrict and narrow, which limits blood supply to specific areas. My affected area is my feet, and I have always been very embarrassed and saddened by it. My toes are discolored, with the bottoms of some being tinged blue, purple, or even a little black. The front of my toes are much darker than the rest of my feet, making them appear as if they were constantly bruised. The condition started getting worse over the past few years. I started to lose some feeling in my feet as winter time approached, and wearing polyester socks and semi-tight shoes such as Vans or Converse caused my feet to itch excessively during the cold. The heating of the school and the coldness of my feet counteracted, causing severe itching and even pain. I cannot walk around my house without fuzzy slippers anymore because of my condition. Some of my toenails also started to discolor, and to hide it, I painted multiple layers of nail polish on them. It never did too much good since the bluish tinge of my toes freaked a lot of people out. As a result, I am now too embarrassed to wear open toed shoes or even sandals in hot weather. What I want to do is help diminish the stigma around feet. A lot of people thing my condition is very weird and make fun of the appearance of my feet, though I never laugh along. It is a painful and uncomfortable experience that I would never wish on anyone. The worst part is, there is no real “cure” and it most likely will last life-long for me. People have put such a stigma around feet that I cannot even explain my condition without extreme embarrassment. Feet are just parts of the human anatomy, and should not be something I am ashamed of. Some people think my condition is contagious considering how “ugly” my feet are, but it’s not contagious and mostly genetically passed down. I have considered being a podiatrist in the future. Podiatrists help treat and diagnose conditions and injuries involving the foot, ankle, and leg. I want to help others like me who have foot conditions to not feel isolated and alone like I do. People with foot conditions exist, and they should never feel ashamed of their bodies. I often feel so alone because of my syndrome. Being a podiatrist will help me to treat others with similar conditions to mine and help get rid of the stigma surrounding feet. I am a normal human being with a foot condition, and that is not weird at all. I hope I win this scholarship, as it will allow me to break down barriers of student loan and debt that face me as a high school junior preparing to enter college and a first generation American whose parents immigrated from India. I am grateful for the opportunity to apply for this scholarship.

In a world filled with dread, rule breaking, and fear, there is one thing that always remains the same no matter how much one tries to change it. Math. Math has strict sets of rules that no one can break, such as the quotient rule, the product rule, the power rule, and properties like the identity property or the zero property. Our world involves so much rule bending and manipulation, but math will always be unchanged! That’s what amazes me about math. I am currently in AP Calculus AB, and plan to take AP Calculus BC next year. I am also in Advanced Academic Physics which has so many concepts that overlap and intersect with calculus! I was dumbfounded when my calculus teacher explained that the first derivative was instantaneous rate of change/velocity and the second derivative was acceleration, terms I’ve only dealt with in physics: I also use basic math in AP Chemistry, such as to calculate the percent composition of each element in a compound, find molar mass, or to calculate the concentration (molarity) of a solution. Our whole world runs with math! Even in my AP Computer Science Principles Class, we had to learn basic binary numbers using base 2 instead of base 10, which completely blew my mind! Math is so special in that it finds ways to overlap with so many other subjects in STEM. Many engineers and IT workers such as my mom deal with basic math on a daily basis. Future aspiring doctors and nurses are expected to know high level math in order to continue pursuing their careers. This inspires me to prioritize math in my life and make sure to always pay attention in math class. I also joined National Math Honor Society and I am the Treasurer. Another reason why I love math is because it’s fun! Once I understand a concept, I breeze through all the work with little to no effort. But being stuck on a math problem can be frustrating, but it is so satisfying to understand what you did wrong and apply it to future problems you might face. I hope I win this scholarship as it will help me overcome the challenges of student debt and loans that are ahead of me as a high school junior. I want to be able to take many challenging courses in college, especially the math ones! Thank you.

My name is Keziah John, a junior at Loch Raven High school. I am taking 6 AP classes this year, an advanced academic class, and I plan to take another community college course in addition to the five I’ve already taken. My plan to make a positive impact on the world is to use my power of speaking and leadership to help others. I love the sciences, specifically STEM, and although I’m unsure on what specific path I should take, I want to pursue a career that prioritizes service and community. Recently, I have had problems with my feet, almost to the point of embarrassment. My toes kept getting blue and black colored whenever exposed to cold, and the rest of my foot looked dark like it had many bruises on it. In the winter, I always experienced extreme discomfort in my feet because my warm socks and the icy winter air counteracted and made me feel terrible. I eventually saw a doctor about this, and she said I have Raynaud’s phenomenon. It is a chronic condition where smaller arteries that supply blood to the skin constrict because of cold weather, and blood supply decreases to the affected are, often causing a bluish or black tinge. It is not dangerous or harmful, but painful and discomforting to experience. I was often humiliated because of my condition. I constantly covered my feet and refused to take off my socks when I entered homes. People kept questioning why my feet looked so “weird” and I tried explaining my condition to them much to my dismay. People have put so much stigma around “feet” even though it is just a part of our body. I feel very isolated because of my condition, and I often make excuses to cover up my feet. My toes are discolored and no matter how much I try to paint my toenails to make everything seem normal, it doesn’t work. I have looked into being a podiatrist as my future career. They treat conditions on the foot, leg, and ankle. I want to help people like me who feel like they are isolated in society because of a condition or injury they couldn’t control. I am tired of people judging me because of my condition and assuming that I am weird because of a syndrome I have no power over. I am a normal person with a syndrome, and I want to help get rid of the stigmas centered around feet and ankles. They are simply parts of our anatomy and nothing to be ashamed of. I hope that as a podiatrist, I am able to help patients feel comfortable with themselves and express their concerns without being afraid. I want to help people like me who have foot conditions who feel ostracized and embarrassed. We are all human and equal, and our personalities and strengths define us, not our conditions. Although I’m still exploring career options, I have strongly considered becoming a podiatrist and have looked into a podiatry program in Temple University, Pennsylvania. I hope I win this scholarship as it will allow me to pursue my dream without having to worry about immense student debt. I am a first generation American whose parents immigrated from India decades ago. I am grateful for my opportunity to live here and continue my education. It is a huge privilege and I will always be grateful for my amazing community and family for caring for me. I want to give back to my community in whatever way I can. Winning this scholarship will help me accomplish that. Thank you.

Hi, my name is Keziah John and I am a junior at Loch Raven High school in Baltimore MD. Despite my age, I do whatever I can to advocate for the assistance of my community. What I mean by this is that I volunteer in various areas to help bolster our community spirit and actively engage with diverse individuals. When I was in 6th grade, I volunteered at my local library to help children and adults sign up for the Summer Reading Challenge. To my surprise, a lot of adults seemed interested in the program, an outcome I had not expected. I realized that this Summer Program was a tool in helping adults in my community embrace their passion for literature and reading! Many of the adults I spoke to there said that they hadn’t been to the library in years, but had suddenly gotten the urge to step in and check out a book. This inspired me to do more for my community. Although I live in the suburban part of Northern Maryland, there are a lot of areas in my region where families are low-income and cannot afford basic necessities. Former fun tasks like doing the summer reading challenge was obsolete for them since they had to worry about feeding their families. Another example of when I worked for my community was about two summers ago through my church. Me and some members of my church volunteered for a smaller scale organization called “Happy Helpers”. We were tasked with organizing canned foods into boxes that would then be distributed to low income families in Maryland. Each time I put a can in the box, I silently whispered a prayer and thanked the LORD that I was lucky enough to have plenty of food to eat on my table. I was blessed with so much privilege, yet I felt like I could use my energy to spread the blessing to others. Last year, my school’s National Honor Society ran a donation drive. We would be sponsoring Christmas gifts for two young boys who lived near our area, but whose parents didn’t have sufficient funds to buy them presents. I was a team leader and organized boxed donations for the two children. The donation was a big success, and we ended up collecting a lot of money to spend on Christmas toys for them and bought games. I was filled with immense joy of the thought of the two boys having something to look forward to in the holidays! Christmas is my favorite holiday, because that is when the Salvation Army workers sit in front of stores, ringing their bells with the red bucket. Me and my family collect coins throughout the year in one large plastic bag, and donate it all to the Salvation Army. Christmas could not get any sweeter! Knowing that my energy used to help others would never go to waste filled me with so much happiness. Some areas in my community face many issues, such as the underfunding of schools, difficult public transport access, low-income, homelessness, along with many others. I am a first generation American with parents who immigrated from India at a young age. They have taught me the values of charity, humility, and selflessness throughout my daily life. I would like to thank the West Family for sponsoring this scholarship. It well help persevering students like me break down the barriers of student loan debt and allow us to use our energy to advocate and help others in our community. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to apply.

"You know," my mother said as she was washing dishes in the kitchen. "I immigrated to this country at the age of 17, and had to immediately get a job and go to college all on my own. Now show me what you can do". I was sitting on the kitchen table behind her, complaining about my homework and how I felt like I could never get anywhere. To give context, my mother immigrated to the United States at the young age of 17 from India. She already finished high school in India since their educational system is drastically different than here. As a result, she had to jump straight into college and did not have the freedom to pry around different majors and "try out" the ones she felt were the best fit. She was placed into very challenging college classes that she had to navigate and work through all on her own. My mother knew she had to study, work hard, and get a job as soon as possible so she could support herself. That meant she had to take hour-long train rides to and from her workplace as she did not have a car, and had to work at places like McDonalds over the summer to make extra money to pay student loans. Eventually, my mother married my father who also immigrated to the country around the age of 26 and had me a year later. My mother has shown me what it takes to exemplify discipline, respect, and hard work in every aspect of her life. She has given me a life of happiness and comfort, of freedom and relaxation. Things she did not always experience while working hard living in the US. My mother is the most productive person I know. She refuses to spend her days wasting her time, but rather uses her energy for gardening, cleaning around the house, cooking delicious Indian food, or providing for us. My mom is an IT worker in healthcare, and I look up to her because of her amazing achievements. She has two master's degrees and completed her last one while pregnant with my sister. My mother has gone through many challenges to give me and my family a comfortable life. Being a first-generation American of Indian descent, I am very grateful for the opportunities I have in this country. America is a country of abundance, opportunity, and democracy. My mother and father immigrated to the US to make a better life for me and my sister, and I want to do whatever I can to give back to them for supporting me all my life. For starters, student loans are a major obstacle in my course for success in the future. Winning this scholarship will allow me to dismantle the barrier wall of student debt that inhibits me from achieving my dreams. My mother has always told me how important scholarships were and how they helped her get through college without a lot of debt. Now, back to my story. When my mother told me "Now show me what you can do", she did not mean it in a rude way. She was trying to encourage me because she believed in me more than I believed in myself. I am taking 6 AP classes at once at my school along with additional community college courses. My parents have not pressured me to over-exert myself, but rather prioritize my mental health and overall satisfaction instead. I cannot thank them enough for their sacrifices. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to apply for this scholarship.

If I could have everyone in the world read just one book, it would be “In Order to Live” by Yeonmi Park. This story is not a fictional tale or for entertainment. It is the story of the struggles, tragedies, and inhumanity a woman and her mother faced in escaping North Korea. My aunt had gifted me this book for my birthday, and I eagerly read through within one day. This book is emotionally gripping and teaches us how privileged we are. I learned how North Korea was so restrictive with its citizens that women and men can only have a certain number and type of hairstyles, they could listen to any music except those praising their leader, and all their school education is propaganda and brainwashing against the West. In the US, we as a people are very privileged for what we have. We live in a country where we are allowed to protest the government’s actions, listen to whatever music we want, and change up our appearance however we wish. Many people do not realize how much freedom they have both in this country and other countries. Yeonmi Park does an excellent job describing the harrowing details of her and her mother’s escape from North Korea. I believe everyone should read this book at least once to understand the depth of their freedom and privilege. While listening to music, dying our hair, and choosing what religion we want is a right in the US and other Western countries, there are places where these things are considered as a benefit or entitlement. “In Order To Live” is not a fun read with a happy ending. Rather, it goes into detail about the agony and horror of living in a place like North Korea, where one could be imprisoned for life or killed for speaking out against their dear leader. This book is not for the faint of heart, but I would absolutely recommend it to everyone who is above the age of 13. It is time we recognize that the rights that we are entitled to is rather a benefit in other countries.

As a Christian, it is challenging to navigate through a world where there is so much evil, especially through movies, songs, and various forms of entertainment. The reason I am Christian is because of the works of St. Thomas’ spreading of the Gospel in India. India is historically a country that practices Hinduism, an ethnic religion. My parents came from the Southern Indian state of Kerala, which is a majority Christian and Muslim state. My family has been Christian for perhaps centuries, and as a result I am also a Christian and not a Hindu. I will get back to my point. I am exposed daily to media on the internet which includes but is not limited to videos, songs, movies, and books. I know the purpose of these things is mostly for entertainment, but once you take a look inside you realize that a lot of this so called “entertainment” is filled with blasphemy and spells. I have stopped listening to many songs because it contains words that take God’s name in vain or says something that goes against the Bible. What my plan is as I grow older is to become a Sunday School teacher at my church. It has always been a passion for me to teach others about the Bible and how to use its Word and apply it to daily life. Many of our youth today claim that they are “Christian” but still listen to very blasphemous music or read and watch inappropriate books/movies. Most of the time, the children don’t even realize that what they are watching goes against the Word! I was in a similar position years ago. I had a favorite song sung by a famous artist, and constantly sang it everywhere I go. One of my friends from church confusingly asked me why I was so obsessed with the song, considering it promoted demonic imagery in the music video. I, of course, was absolutely horrified at hearing this. I immediately stopped listening to the song and repented to Jesus because of my sin. That incident has taught me to be extremely careful when using my words and my eyes. Jesus has instructed us to not give in to the desires of the flesh, and to seek Him instead because he is sufficient for all our needs. So many people say “Oh my God” or “Jesus Christ!” when exclaiming something or expressing surprise. They do not realize that this goes against God’s Commandments. As a future Sunday School teacher, I want to educate young children about the temptations of the world and how to resist them. Educating others about this cause and teaching them to apply God’s word to life is extremely impactful for our society. Rather than unknowingly or knowingly committing sin because of mere entertainment, Christian children will be educated on how to spot, observe, and avoid demonic or blasphemous content whether it be on the internet or in books. I am not saying this to try and prevent children from reading a book nor watching a show just because it has “Oh my God!” in it. Rather, I want to teach them to be careful of what they watch, not imitate bad characters, and not watch anything that makes you feel uncomfortable or blatantly promotes the devil. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to apply. Winning this scholarship will allow me to use my ability to speak and write to help other children in the future be more educated about Jesus and the Word.

The movie that has the greatest impact on my life is called “Rajakeeyam”. I am a first generation American with parents who are immigrants from India. My parents home state, Kerala, has a native language called Malayalam. I speak Malayalam with my family members and other Indians with Keralite roots. “Mollywood” is a huge movie industry in India, although not as popular as Bollywood. Many people think that Indian movies are solely centered around Bollywood, but that is untrue. Each state in India speaks its own language, and even states that speak Hindi have special dialects. Back to my point, “Rajakeeyam” is a Malayalam movie that came out around the 1990s, way before I was born. Me and my dad love to watch Malayalam movies together, whether they be mystery movies or movies that are just plain bad. Some people are often confused by this, but I LOVE bad movies. Movies that are bad and funny hold a special place in my heart. Mollywood is a huge movie industry in India, with its fair share of popular super hit movies that have been dubbed to many different languages. However, as with any apple tree, you’re bound to get some bad movies as well. Watching “Rajakeeyam” was definitely a thrilling and funny experience! My dad and I were bored sitting at home during the Covid-19 lockdown, so we browsed through our TV to find a movie. Eventually I got bored of searching with him and gave up to read a book instead. My dad put on “Rajakeeyam” and super dramatic music played at the start, along with some dancing that was too funny to watch. I got interested in this sudden change of events and decided to put down my book and watch the movie with my dad. Some of the acting was done so poorly and overly exaggerated to the point I could not take anything seriously. My dad and I were laughing every minute at how cheap the on movie set was and how horrible the storyline was as well. Even though “Rajakeeyam” was a bad movie, it was hilarious and kept me and my dad entertained. Overall, what made this movie have such a great impact on my life isn’t the storyline, acting, or cheap props. It’s the time I got to spend with my dad and try reenacting all the funny scenes of the movie as they occurred, and making fun of particularly hilarious lines in the movie that were outrageous. “Rajakeeyam” got me and my dad interested in watching bad movies just for the fun factor of it. This movie holds a special place in my heart for just how bad and funny it was, and being able to spend time with family throughout the process. This movie also stimulated my love for film, as I enjoyed hyper-analyzing characters, picking apart the storyline, and critiquing choices made throughout the movie. I wouldn’t say “Rajakeeyam” had a touching storyline, beautiful songs, or captivating acting (although there was a VERY dramatic death scene at the end). However, it made me appreciate my unique Indian culture whilst simultaneously poking fun at funny stereotypes portrayed in movies and laughing at scenes that I found to be outlandish. Mollywood has thousands of amazing movies, but “Rajakeeyam” is a movie that I’ll never be able to forget. It’s so bad to the point it’s also very good. I will always remember “Rajakeeyam” because I was able to spend time with my dad during the Covid-19 lockdown while watching it. Both of us still make jokes about the movie to this day!

When I see funny memes online saying “Ok boomer” or “You talk like such a millennial”, I laugh but deep down I know my generation, Gen Z, has problems. We are a very intelligent and diverse generation, yet we seem to lack the motivation and energy to actually make a change. Perhaps the root for this may be ridicule from older generations, who bash us for “not knowing how to write checks” or “being too lazy to pick up a job to pay for college”. However, these are merely accusations and not a solution to the problems our world is facing. Many students my age are dropping out or at least considering dropping out. Rather than blaming these students for their mindset, we need to figure out why they needed this mindset in the first place. With the new boom of AI technology and its place in the workforce, many students are quite anxious that soon artificial intelligence will take over the careers of teachers, retail workers, and other essential jobs. A lot of students such as myself are struggling in school taking hard AP classes and stretching out our schedules with extracurriculars to prove ourselves worthy to colleges. College admission rates have dropped to an all time low, and as a result we have to keep taking on more activities to impress the colleges we want to go to. Although older generations blame Gen Z’s unawareness and incompetence on newfound technology and cellphones, they have to understand that the world now REQUIRES technology. We basically can’t do even the simplest things like checking out library books or taking a test without going on the internet. Sometimes when people talk about our generation in disdain, saying we’re “addicted to our screens”, I mention that children in gen Alpha are born with screens in their hands. I agree full heartedly that my generation has a phone addiction problem, but what really worries me is the newest generation. Every time I sit in waiting rooms for the doctors office or waiting to pick up something, I always see a baby or toddler gluing their eyes to a cellphone, completely absorbed in the videos they’re watching. I joke around sometimes that not everyone can be a computer engineer in the future, referencing how toddlers seem to know about how to operate phones than adults. I often joke like this to make light of the situation, but deep down it is concerning how the newest generation seems to be more emotionally connected to children’s YouTube videos rather than their family and friends. Gen Z always gets pushback for their laziness and addiction to phones, but clearly we had a period of time where phones were still flip phones and TV shows were watched on cable. We were not watching YouTube videos on repeat when we were one years old. Nobody can blame gen Z for their angst. The newest generation seems even more glued to phones and tablets than we are, and who is going to support us when we’re older? Regardless of the unknown ahead of us, I firmly believe Gen Z is a super generation of hardworking young adults. We have so many talents that we will be able to put to use in the future. We might be overwhelmed and frustrated at times, but I am confident that we will became the next generation of innovators, creators, and developers. Gen Z gets more insults than it deserves. We might not have the same fashion sense as millennials, the same ability to do long division and mental math in our heads without a calculator like Gen X’s, or have a knowledge of old TV shows like baby boomers. But we have a sense of realism, a drive to keep pushing forward despite the challenges we face in everyday society. I would like to thank the Windward Spirit for sponsoring this scholarship. One of the biggest barriers US Gen Z students face are college tuitions. This scholarship will help a lot of students be able to achieve their dreams and break down the walls of student debt. If I win this scholarship, I will use it to pay for my college tuition and pursue my dream of being a STEM major. It will help me demolish the walls of stress that I face because of student debt. I would like to keep this entry concise and to the point. I am confident that our generation will be able to overcome the challenges that are posed upon us. Despite our shortcomings, we have a sense of passion and determination that sets us apart from other generations. I love the sense of unity I share with my generations. Though we poke fun at millennial behavior such as the overuse of emojis or skinny jeans, it’s all lighthearted and purely for fun. However, generation Z knows how to get to business and be serious about important matters. I know my generation is competent. Even with the problems our modern world faces, I am proud to be part of Gen Z. I hope I can win this scholarship as it will open up new doors for my education and break past the obstacles that prevent me from achieving my dreams. I know I will do my best to collaborate with the rest of my generation to make this world a better place. Generation Z really IS the Greatest Generation 2.0!

Whenever someone asks me my plans for the future, the first words that come out of my mouth are “I don’t know”. Deep down, I know I have a passion for STEM and want to pursue a career in one of those fields. I was thinking to either go into medicine, dentistry, podiatry, or computer science. The problem with going into fields that are centered on biology is the amount of schooling, which leads to large sums of student debt. The idea of taking on so much debt to finish college and possibly medical/dental/podiatry school makes me feel overwhelmed. I often look online and try researching possible career paths, but seeing how much debt students go into after pursuing these careers discourages me. I am a first-generation Asian, whose parents immigrated from India more than a decade ago. I was born in the US but as a minority in my community. I find it hard to fit in at school sometimes, as there are not a lot of students I can relate to and talk about my unique Indian culture. I find solace in going to my church and seeing my Indian, Malayalee friends. My family is from the state of Kerala India, which boasts the highest literacy rate among all the states in India. My parents value education and scholarship in my life, and as a result, I highly prioritize my education and try my hardest to achieve good grades in all my classes. Despite my ambition to pursue STEM, student loans and the idea of taking on a lot of debt to pursue college remain a barrier in my life. I am willing to put in all the hard work and studying in my education, but I need scholarships to help me fulfill my dreams and destroy the barriers that I face daily. I like science, especially biology and chemistry. I find it so fascinating how one single chromosome that fails to split during meiosis can cause genetic disorders. I just learned last year that the chemical equation for cellular respiration is the chemical equation for photosynthesis reversed! Information like this sticks with me, particularly because it can be applied to real-life situations. Biology and chemistry can be seen everywhere, even in our own homes. I am currently in AP chemistry and find it very enjoyable. To help me study for exams, I have sticky notes with atomic numbers, molar mass, and the charge of elements on my bedroom walls! I also plan to take AP biology next year to thoroughly understand how life works and the inner processes of bodily functions. I would like to thank Bria Alexander for sponsoring this scholarship. It will help students achieve their dreams and overcome obstacles that they face daily. I want to keep this entry concise and to the point. I am still considering my options for a college major in the future, but will most likely major in biology. If I win this scholarship, I will use it to avoid student debt as I continue pursuing my goals. It will help me, an Indian student, to have the same opportunities as others and attain the help I need to succeed in college. I am once again thankful for this amazing opportunity, and I will do whatever I can to use my skills to help other people. I love my community and will actively use my energy to help those around me.

Extracurricular activities consume most of my weekdays apart from school. I am involved in the Art, Math, Science, English, Spanish, and National Honor Societies. I am secretary of my school's NHS and take my officer position very seriously. I am also involved in Model UN as well as badminton in the fall and tennis in the spring, respectively. These extracurricular activities help to shape who I am as a person. Model UN helps me grow my passion for civic engagement and communication. The Honor Societies I have enjoyed helped me realize the potential I have as a student. Being team captain of both the varsity badminton and tennis teams has taught me about the importance of exercise and staying healthy. I believe that joining some national honor societies, a sport, and a debate club as as Model-UN will help shape our world for the better. A lot of students my age claim they are scared of public speaking and getting up on stage. Model UN has helped me flourish in my ability to speak in front of others and develop my research skills. I believe that this afterschool activity will benefit my community. Getting up in front of others and speaking, often on the spot, is a very useful skill that people often overlook. Model UN is the perfect club for improving the tone, clarity, and delivery of speeches and how to communicate with others effectively. A lot of problems in our world arise from misunderstandings, and knowing how to properly speak with others can mitigate those problems. Honor societies are not just for so-called "nerds" and those who want to separate themselves from others. Joining a specific honor society that caters to what you love helps develop your passion for it and allows you to connect with others who share your interests. I have written and published two books and love literature, so I have joined the National English Honor Society to meet others who love writing just as much as I do! The National Honor Society helps to benefit my community, as it brings like-minded peers together to create something special. My school's NHS organizes holiday gift-giving every year, and we collect gifts and donations to give to those who are less fortunate. Gathering with others who share my love for volunteering has motivated me to continue serving my community despite the time and energy it takes. Lastly, I think sports such as badminton and tennis help to benefit my community as well. Obesity is sadly a common issue in our world today and leads to issues such as heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and even death. Playing a sport can not only be relaxing and fun but also help to reduce the risk of developing obesity or disease. I am the team captain of the tennis and badminton team at my school and find it very fun to play with my friends and also keep my body in shape at the same time. Playing a sport also helps to improve your mood and sleep. I believe that playing a sport can help benefit my community because it reduces the chance of developing an illness. Our whole world can benefit from exercise, and I believe it is very important for people to understand just how important it is to keep moving our bodies and staying active. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to apply for this scholarship. Winning this scholarship will help me demolish obstacles that I have in front of me as a student, including student debt and loans. I believe that I can make a difference.

It is never easy to get up on stage and present in front of a crowd of more than two hundred people. And no, I don't mean for this application to be about stage fright and how I overcame it. Let me dive into the story of how I learned about hard work, passion, and dedication. My school's Model UN is the best club I have ever joined. We have the privilege of attending a two-day conference at Towson University with other "delegates" representing countries to break into committees, form resolutions, and vote. My first year joining Model UN was during my freshman year of high school. I was assigned the country of Ecuador with my partner, and had no idea what I was doing! I didn't know what a working paper was, how to draft a resolution, or how to establish trade agreements with other countries. I had a position paper, but no obvious goal, which gave other countries no reason to support Ecuador's views. As other delegates proudly got up on stage because of being on the speaker's list, I was filled with rage that I had not prepared enough. I was determined to not make that mistake in my sophomore year. I was assigned the country of Israel, and my Model UN coach had warned me prior to choosing it that I would have to do thorough research and have a lot of background knowledge before the conference. The country of Israel is very active in the UN, and my coach said she also expected me and my partner to be just as vocal and active during the Model UN conference. Although outright intimidated at first, I accepted the challenge with no hesitation, and it was one of the best decisions I have ever made in my life. I started to research Israel's government, economic status, human development index, and population late into the night after coming home from badminton practice. I often delayed homework and stayed up writing essays for my position paper. I practiced making comebacks to other countries in case Israel was challenged, and even presented speeches in front of my mom to make sure I was saying everything right! The days of the conference came, and I was the most excited. I color-coordinated my clothes and nails to be white and blue for Israel's flag colors! I immediately placed Israel on the speaker's list as soon as it opened. I established many trade agreements with countries in exchange for their support for my resolution in committee. Unfortunately, my resolution did not pass in committee. I felt very discouraged but still kept trying to participate as much as possible, and lifted my placard up to speak whenever a topic arose. At the awards ceremony, the director of the TU-Model United Nations stood at the podium where I had stood before to convince other countries to support my resolution. She read out the names of people who won awards, and I was in shock when she announced my name twice. I had won two awards, First Place for Best Negotiation, and Second Place for Best Delegation. I am very proud of myself for putting in my best effort in representing the country of Israel, and I am very grateful that my school gave me the opportunity to participate. It allowed me to showcase civic participation, resilience, and ambitions. It was a challenge to effectively represent my country, but doing so helped me grow my love for the United Nations and work with others to make a difference.

Our world is filled with selfishness, greed, poverty, and corruption. Well, that's only if you look at the NEGATIVE side of the news, podcasts, and daily experiences. Looking deeper in makes you realize that there are nice, genuine people out there who want to help. Regardless of the state of our world, we are still making strides technologically and socially! How? Because of cooperation. Because of respect. Because of unity. Our world would not run as smoothly and efficiently if it weren't for our first responders, caretakers, teachers, trash collectors, plumbers, electricians, and stay-at-home moms. Everyone has something to contribute to help benefit this world! As for how I will help make a positive impact, I plan to fully commit my time and energy to volunteering. I have been volunteering since the age of 12, and especially like to spend time at the library encouraging children to read books. Part of my volunteering experience comes from promoting the Summer Reading Challenge of 2019 for the library. I helped parents and young adults sign up for the challenge and informed them of the potential rewards they could get for reading. Last summer, I also volunteered at the library to help young children make crafts related to STEM concepts. I believe that knowledge is power, and we must use that knowledge to make the world a better place. I am a first-generation American whose parents immigrated from India. I am grateful that I have access to free, public education and the ability to choose what college major I want. In many countries, girls don't go to school or drop out at an early age. It is a privilege for me to be able to get educated and use my knowledge to study. My plan to help make a positive impact on the world is to continue pursuing higher education and volunteering my free time at soup kitchens or hospitals. My goal for this summer is to volunteer at a hospital for both experience and the ability to help people who are injured or elderly. I want to have a career that helps others and raises awareness of issues happening at both a local scale and a global scale. The world needs more volunteers, and I will do my duty to continue volunteering despite the time and energy consumption. Many places such as soup kitchens and canned food drives are purely run by volunteers and non-profit organizations. People need to spend more time helping other people, and I want to continue doing that. Volunteering is a selfless act of love, and I take it upon myself to put in my best effort when assisting others. People like you and me have the power to change the world for the better. In a society where everything is about money, power, or enjoyment, it takes the selfless act of even a few people to totally change our world and help it flourish. Winning this scholarship will help me break down the barriers of student debt that I will have to face when pursuing higher education. I want to use this opportunity to thank the donors of this scholarship for sponsoring it, as it will help many students just like me who want to help others achieve their dreams. I hope I can win this scholarship, and thank you for allowing me to apply.

Back when I was in middle school, the worldwide pandemic of Covid-19 had rendered everyone closed in their homes and unable to go places. I was in seventh grade at the time this happened in 2020, and I have been really looking forward to finishing my school year successfully. Most of my classes were met through Google meet and assignments were completed online. However, many of my friends seemed to be confused with homework and told me that they were stressed about their grades. I took it upon myself to help them with homework whenever I could, and explain the process to get the right answer. Obviously, it was very hard for me to manage my homework and help others at the same time. I often had to put my own work aside to help others, helping others academically gave me a sense of fulfillment and joy. Being able to use my knowledge to help others was definitely satisfying and inspired me to pursue a career that helps others. I also like to volunteer and have been doing so for almost 4 years. I frequently enjoy volunteering at the library to help others pursue their passion for reading, and STEM. Last summer, I was part of a Building Buddies program at my local library. I was tasked with helping young children make crafts based on STEM concepts. It was very interesting and fun experience, and I loved being able to provide assistance for my community by engaging the youth. I take it upon myself to help inspire and newer generations. they are the future of our nation and I want to help them in whatever way I can. Selflessness is an important value. It should be practiced by everyone. A lot of issues that occur in our world happen because of selfishness and greed. The amount of people who are homeless in just my area is appalling and surprising. Every year, me and my family have a tradition that rolls around Christmas. Usually outside of store fronts, Salvation Army workers would ring their bell and have the red bucket next to them for donations. Throughout the year, me and my family, save up coins and other loose change, save it in a Ziploc bag, and then put it all into the red bucket. It’s not only fun to take it as a challenge to collect as many coins as possible, it also helps those who are less fortunate in our community. My family has taught me the values of selflessness and humility. Every year, my mother helps me find clothes or coats that I’ve barely worn or not worn at all to donate to the needy. This practice has taught me that I should appreciate everything I have. I also like to donate in school settings as well. I am the current secretary of my school’s NHS And was in charge last year of organizing a winter donation fund. I was a team leader, and in charge of collecting box gifts to donate the two children who are less fortunate during the Christmas season. The donation was a huge success, and our school ended up being able to give a lot of money and gifts to the children. I plan to organize a spring and winter donation again this year for NHS and hope it will be a big success. I hope that I can win this scholarship, because it will help break down the barriers of student that that will hinder me from being able to support my community further. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to apply.

Although I have not particularly decided what to pursue as a career or major in college, I know I am interested in the field of science and STEM-related subjects. My name is Keziah John, and I am a 16-year-old student in Maryland. My parents immigrated from the state of Kerala in India to the US more than 10 years ago. I am a first-generation American who was born in the United States but raised with full knowledge of my Indian culture and language (Malayalam). Volunteering is a special experience that one could never replicate. I started to volunteer at the age of 12 and came to realize just how much society needs our help. There are people in our community who cannot afford basic needs and rely on people like us to help them. I want to continue giving back to my community throughout my long journey of life. Whether it be packing cans in soup kitchens, volunteering at the library to help children make STEM-related crafts, or making cards for soldiers traveling abroad, I find immense satisfaction and joy in all of my volunteering activities. It gives me a chance to use my energy to help others and be of use to my community. Academic-wise, I like chemistry and biology. I am taking 6 AP courses at my school, most of which are science and math classes. AP Chemistry is very enjoyable for me, as I like running labs and understanding the process of the chemistry behind everything. I even have sticky notes with element atomic numbers, mass numbers, and charges stuck to my bedroom walls to help me memorize them! I don't believe I will pursue chemistry as a future career, but will potentially look for one that incorporates parts of chemistry in it. One significant challenge I find is managing my coursework in high school. As I said before, I am taking 6 AP classes at school, which comes with a large amount of responsibility and dedication. Sometimes I feel like I made a mistake in taking so many hard classes, but at the end of the day, I feel fulfilled applying my knowledge to challenging problems. I also find it difficult being a minority at my school. I am one of the few Asian students in my school, and probably the only Indian girl. As a result, it is hard to relate to someone in a cultural way and share cultural similarities with them. However, I have other friends from different backgrounds who make me feel more included and together in my community. I hope I win this scholarship. It will help me propel forward as a student without having to worry about a lot of student debt while I pursue higher education. STEM-related fields require a lot of schooling, which means I would have to take on more student loans in the future. Winning this scholarship will help me continue to pursue my dreams without being afraid of being in a lot of debt in the future. Winning this scholarship will encourage me to continue pursuing science as a career interest and work hard to serve my community in different ways. I would like to thank the Motwani family as well as other donors for sponsoring this scholarship. It will help minority students like me break down the barriers that prevent us from passionately pursuing a career. I will use this scholarship to achieve my dreams and confidently open new doors to new inspirations waiting for me in college and the future. Thank you for allowing me to apply for this scholarship.

As a student managing 6 AP courses and a lot of extracurriculars, I find it challenging to manage my time. I often end up having to do homework for hours and have no free time left for myself to relax. I am taking difficult classes, which require extra attention in class and more time spent outside of school reviewing material. I am currently taking AP Chemistry, AP Computer Science Principles, AP Psychology, AP Spanish Language and Culture, AP US History, and AP Calculus 1 AB. It is very hard to keep up with the amount of work, but I am determined can continue persevering and not let the abundance of work overwhelm me. Although I have not decided on a college major yet, I am thinking of going into STEM-related fields. I am a first-generation American, and my parents immigrated to the US from India more than a decade ago. My parents prioritize my education and eagerly encourage me to pursue my passions for my career. I like chemistry and biology, so I might be studying these subjects in college. I want to use my energy to serve our community. I have been volunteering since I was 12 years old, and doing so allowed me to realize that there are many underprivileged people in our society. Many struggle and cannot afford even necessities. Assisting them made me feel at ease since I felt as if I was using my energy for a good purpose. STEM is an amazing "umbrella" of fields, with careers that innovate and transform our society for the better. I remember during the COVID-19 pandemic, first responders and front-line healthcare workers were (and still are!) the heroes of our nation! They bravely treated the sick despite the risks, and were a role model to our society as to how we should all treat our fellow brothers and sisters. I will be forever amazed by the first responders' grit, determination, and fearlessness in their careers. It has inspired me to pursue a career related to STEM to continue making a difference in the world. Some other obstacles that I have overcome in my pursuit of higher education were religious-based. During 2020, I felt so lost and alone when the lockdowns and quarantines began. Although I was a born and raised Indian Orthodox Christian, I was not very religious. As a result, I felt spiritually disconnected during the pandemic, which caused me to perform worse academically. I found Jesus after the summer of 2020 when I found miracles happening to me day by day. I kept meditating and worshipping and found myself becoming the true Christian I have always wanted to be. Now when I face struggles, especially with academics, I turn to Jesus for help. I would like to thank Donald Dunbar as well as other donors for sponsoring this scholarship. It will help motivated students like me break down barriers of student debt achieve their dreams and continue making a difference in our society.

The dream vision of my future self is to always hold on to my morals and values, no matter what major I pursue in college. I want to be someone who is a vessel for society, helping others and selflessly putting others before myself. No matter what job I do, I know I will pursue it passionately. I am particularly interested in STEM and want to use science to question how our world works and what we can do to improve it. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to apply for this scholarship.

My Barbie dream house would be located in the Maldives, an exquisite island in Asia that offers a breathtaking view. The front door would be made of solid oak, but the door frame would be lined with real gold. There would be a terrace made out of elegant steel, with areas to put lawn chairs to sit on. I would plant bright red anthuriums in front of the front porch, where there will be a small, horizontal garden. I would also plant pink orchids, roses, and chrysanthemums. As you walk inside the house, the floors will be hardwood for extra quality, and the walls will be painted a mixture of white and pink for a classy, beige look. The living room will be lined with sectional, light pink sofas and a hot pink carpet for the contrast of colors. I would hang up contemporary paintings that are square-shaped alongside each wall for a bigger illusion. As you walk past the living room, you will approach the stairs. The stairs will also be solid oak, but strings of flowers will wrap around the brown railings to give the staircase a nature-y, woodsy look. I want the dream house to look both modern and traditional, a twist on time. I would have portraits of cats hung on every other wall in the house because I really like cats (as you can tell). I want the microwave in the kitchen to have an automatic pull-out drawer to put food on and slide back in. I also want to have small kitchen lights underneath each cabinet in the kitchen. The kitchen walls will be painted pink and the ceiling will have glow-in-the-dark stars attached to it. I want to have a pot filler attached to the wall near the pink oven and a large island in the center of the kitchen. There must be a basement in the house as well, with pictures of cats lining the walls down the stairs. The stairs will also be made of hardwood. The basement will have family photos on one wall, and awards certificates and diplomas on the other. I want it to be carpeted and spacious, with a sofa to the back and a TV way up front for a movie theater effect. The Barbie dream house will have a luxurious second floor. The master bedroom will have double doors leading to a carpeted floor tinted with the color pink, and the walls will be painted a mystic shade of blue. A 3-poster bed will sit at the back of the room, with a TV up front for entertainment purposes. The master bathroom will have a separate soaking tub and shower and sinks with vanity mirrors. There will be 2 more rooms. 1 will have bunk beds made of solid wood and the other will have a full bed. Each will be connected by one bathroom. The bathroom will be tiled gray with two sinks accompanied by double mirrors. A window will overlook the outside view of the ocean. I want this Barbie dreamhouse to represent comfort, luxury, cats, and Barbie!

They say junior year is the hardest year of high school. I scoffed at this idea in my freshman and sophomore years. I took 5 classes at my community college during my sophomore year and managed 2 AP classes at school. I thought, "Surely it can't get any harder than this!". I was absolutely wrong. I am currently taking 6 AP classes at my school, including AP Chemistry, AP Computer Science Principles, AP Psychology, AP Spanish Language and Culture, AP US History, and AP Calculus AB. I jumped from 2 AP's sophomore year to 6 in my junior. The workload is extensive, with me having to complete hours of homework each day after badminton practice. I am a first-generation American, and my parents immigrated to the US more than a decade ago. My parents value education and learning and always encourage me to do my best in classes and give everything my best shot. I am determined to stay strong in my values of determination, hard work, and perseverance. I am also the team captain of the school's varsity badminton and tennis team, secretary of NHS, and I have won two academic-level awards from my Model UN conferences. It takes a lot of time management skills to maintain this level of work, and I am humbled and grateful for those who are encouraging me to continue pursuing my dreams. They have inspired me to keep pushing past the barriers I face and look forward to the light at the end of the tunnel. I admire volunteering. My favorite type of volunteering to do is at the library. I am an avid book lover, and inspiring others to share the love I have of reading is a heartwarming experience that nothing else can replicate. Last year, I volunteered at the library to help children create small crafts that involve concepts of STEM. I loved to explain the processes of science and engineering to children in a simple way so they could create the crafts, and felt proud of myself when the kids eagerly showed their parents the beautiful works of art they made. I plan to volunteer more of my time this coming summer at a hospital since I like donating my energy to others. I am also interested in the STEM field and am carefully considering majoring in biology in college, although I am not sure yet. Regardless, volunteering will always hold a special place in my heart. Christmas is my favorite holiday of the year, and the reason why isn't the most common. A lot of donations and charities open up at Christmas, and I actively do my part to donate. Last year at my school, I was a team leader in NHS to collect donations to sponsor gifts for two small children. These children were facing hardships in their homes and needed some extra love in the Christmas season. I was in charge of managing gift box donations for these children, and the event was a huge success! The children loved the gifts and were very thankful for them. Everyone deserves to get into the Christmas spirit and be happy during the holidays! It is a family tradition of mine to save up change and coins and donate it all at once to the Salvation Army volunteers whenever they stand outside of stores, ringing their signature bell. Giving back to my community is never an obligation, but rather a privilege. I am thankful that I can help those who are less fortunate in my community. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to apply for this scholarship.

The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines "tenacity" as, "courage, mettle, spirit, resolution, tenacity might mean mental or moral strength to resist opposition, danger, or hardship". I have been in many situations where I faced immense hardship and struggle but had to keep persevering to achieve my goals. One particularly challenging time of my life was my preparation for the annual TU Model United Nations conference. The theme was illegal gun trafficking, and I was tasked with coming up with a solution that involved science and technology. I was in charge of representing the country of Israel and had to do thorough background research and extensive mock debates to prepare for my role. I was very nervous because I always felt like I had not done enough research, or that I would not be taken seriously at the conference. I used tenacity to continue working on my resolution and trade agreements as the representative of Israel. It took a lot of determination to not give up and keep researching to achieve my goal. At the time, there was a bombing in Gaza, which put Israel's reputation at risk. I had to keep striving and moving forward despite the difficulty this posed on my research. At the conference, I shook as I approached the podium because I was on the speakers list. I painted my nails blue and white for Israel's flag colors and said "Shalom" to each delegate I met. I confidently delivered my idea on the stage, and other delegates seemed to disagree. I was asked how Israel would be able to tackle this problem if it is not an independent state, and I countered this statement by saying, "Excuse me, but in light of the historical context, Israel IS an independent state and is recognized by many nations in the UN". It took a lot of determination and courage to say this, but I am glad I did since many other delegates were impressed by my bout of confidence. Although my resolution did not get passed in committee, I had the support of many delegates. At the awards ceremony, I was presented with First Place for Best Negotiation and Second Place for Best Delegation. My hard work and tenacity had paid off. I was discouraged by some of my peers, who said I was taking this conference too seriously and was doing too much. I am glad I ignored these comments and continued to strive forward. The conference taught me that tenacity and courage are traits that are essential for living in this world. It was nerve-wracking getting up on stage and delivering my lines, all while staying in character as the delegate of Israel. But this experience has taught me that hard work does pay off and that we reap what we sow. The hours upon hours that I spent preparing for this conference helped me understand civic engagement and how collaboration and negotiation are important skills in the long run. I would like to thank Dounya Discala for sponsoring this scholarship. It will help girls like me feel empowered, whether it be on stage at a Model UN conference or out in the world tackling real-life crises. Winning this scholarship will help to break down the barriers of student debt that I will have to face when pursuing higher education. The implication that girls are weaker or too emotional to take on tasks is completely absurd. Women can achieve anything that they set their minds to. I believe women are capable, talented, and extraordinary. We will be a driving force for change and innovation in our society.

Determination is a value that I cannot live without. As a first-generation American, I face a lot of challenges daily, and I refuse to give in to peer pressure and discouragement. I am currently taking 6 AP classes at my school. I take AP chemistry, AP calculus AB, AP Spanish Language and Culture, AP US History, AP Computer Science Principles, and AP psychology, along with high school physics. It is a lot of hard work, and sometimes I feel like giving up or dropping one of the challenging courses I take. But my drive and determination refuse to let me stop. I will keep pushing forward despite the hardships and challenges. I believe everyone deserves respect no matter their background, social class, or where they live. I am not better than anyone else, and I treat everyone with respect because that is what they deserve. I am a religious Christian and I believe that God has created everyone equal, and they are all his children. I carry this mindset with me everywhere, from my house to the classroom, to everywhere! I do not believe respect is "earned". It is deserved, a badge and a right that everyone carries around with them. I respect those who have different opinions than me and are brave enough to express disagreement. Innovating, creating, and exploring are traits that are engraved deep in my heart. I am my school's NHS secretary. The idea of having a Historian officer position for this school year popped up, and I eagerly jumped on it. I like coming up with new ideas and receiving everyone's input on how to make it better. Innovation is the beating heart of our society. We need it to keep our world thriving. Versatility is special to me and holds a deep place in my heart. Meeting people from different backgrounds has always intrigued me. My favorite event to meet new people is the Model United Nations annual conference hosted at Towson University for the Baltimore area. There, hundreds of students from different backgrounds and circumstances come together to create something special. It is an honor to be able to collaborate with like-minded peers with unique views and backgrounds. Diversity is extremely important in our society because we all need to learn and grow from each other. Equality is the solid rock I stand on. Every human is equal and is entitled to rights that cannot be taken away from them. As I said before, I'm a religious person and believe that God has created everyone equal, and we have no right to say one person is better than the other. Equality is essential in our society and I advocate for it. I stand by the fact that everyone deserves equality, love, and care no matter their background. I love spending volunteering and donating my time to help others. Last summer, I volunteered at the library to help small children make fun crafts to take home. It was a beautiful experience, and I loved communicating with the happy, energetic kids as they eagerly assembled cute toys such as pretend TVs and windmills. Nurture and care come naturally to me, as I grew up in a caring and loving household. If I win this scholarship, I will use it to demolish the barriers of student debt that prevent me from pursuing my dreams. Although I am a middle-class student, I will most likely have to take on student loans to help me pay through college. Winning this scholarship secures the opportunity to continue excelling academically despite the barriers that I face as a first-generation American.

"Excuse me,” I said on the podium during my TU Model United Nations Conference. “But in light of the historical context, Israel IS an independent state and is recognized by many nations in the UN”. The speaker who had posed the political question quickly took their seat, and I tapped the mic and asked “Next question, please?” Participation in the Model UN club at my school was one of the best decisions I have ever made. I had originally joined just for fun in freshman year with an old friend and was assigned the country of Ecuador to represent at the huge conference that took place in the spring. Needless to say, I was clueless and unprepared for my first year. Me and my partner did not even have a solid working paper that others could amend. I was determined to not make this mistake during my sophomore year of high school. I was assigned Israel for my second year, and after diving into the intricate details of the country such as its political standing, allies, and GDP, I was thrilled. I did extensive research, made trade agreements with other agreements on pieces of paper, and printed out more than 100 copies of my resolution to hand out to delegates at the conference. I even painted my fingernails and toenails blue and white for Israel's flag colors, and wore blue and white dresses to match! I was definitely prepared for this conference, but that is beside the point I am trying to make. Joining Model UN gave me the opportunity to discover what civic engagement, cooperation, and unity look like. Despite the various countries that participated and their different backgrounds, we all came together to create something beautiful and unforgettable. Model UN has taught me what it means to go on the speakers list, break into committees, and actively work with others to have your resolution pass and go up to the podium. According to Merriam-Webster, the word "civic" can be defined as "of or relating to a citizen, city, citizenship, or community affairs". "Engagement" can be defined as "emotional involvement or commitment". I was equally able to demonstrate both of these values during my conference. Rather than looking into the affairs of the local community, I participated in collaborating with a community on a global scale. I was extremely committed to representing Israel and did whatever it took to establish fair alliances with countries and include their ideas in my working paper. My efforts ended up paying off. Toward the end, delegates and the MUN staff voted for other delegates who demonstrated unique qualities. The awards ceremony announced the nation, delegates, and school of the awarded members. I won two awards, First Place for Best Negotiation, and Second Place for Best Delegation. My hard work had paid off, and I never felt more accomplished. I would like to keep my entry concise, straightforward, and to the point. I would like to thank Anna Kelly for sponsoring this scholarship, as it will help like-minded individuals like me to be able to continue pursuing their goals and dreams. Model UN has taught me to always stand up for what I believe. Whether it be signing petitions, speaking out against acts of wrong, or actively advocating for certain issues, I will continue to be an individual who demonstrates active civic engagement in my community. Winning this scholarship will break down barriers that I face and allow me to stand even prouder as a citizen of the United States of America. I want to be able to make a difference, wherever I go.

Whenever someone asks me my plans for the future, the first words that come out of my mouth are “I don’t know”. Deep down, I know I have a passion for STEM and want to pursue a career in one of those fields. I was thinking to either go into medicine, dentistry, podiatry, or computer science. The problem with going into fields that are centered on biology is the amount of schooling, which leads to large sums of student debt. The idea of taking on so much debt to finish college and possible medical/dental/podiatry school makes me feel so overwhelmed. I often look online and try researching possible career paths, but seeing how much debt students go into after pursuing these careers discourages me. I am a first generation Asian, whose parents immigrated from India more than a decade ago. I was born in the US, but as a minority in my community. I find it hard to fit in at school sometimes, as there are not a lot of students I can relate to and talk about my unique Indian culture. I find solace in going to my church and seeing my Indian, Malayalee friends. My family is from the state of Kerala in India, which boasts the highest literacy rate among all the states in India. My parents value education and scholarship in my life, and as a result I highly prioritize my education and try my hardest to achieve good grades in all my classes. Despite my ambition to pursue STEM, student loans and the idea of taking on a lot of debt to pursue college remains a barrier in my life. I am willing to put in all the hard work and studying in my education, but I need scholarships to help me fulfill my dreams and destroy the barriers that I face on a daily basis. I like science, especially biology and chemistry. I find it so fascinating how one single chromosome that fails to split during meiosis can cause genetic disorders. I just learned last year that the chemical equation for cellular respiration is the chemical equation for photosynthesis reversed! Information like this sticks with me, particularity because it can be applied to real life situations. Biology and chemistry can be seen everywhere, even in our own homes. I am currently in AP chemistry and find it very enjoyable. To help me study for exams, I have sticky notes with atomic numbers, molar mass, and the charge of elements on my bedroom walls! I also plan to take AP biology next year to thoroughly understand how life works and the inner processes of bodily functions. I would like to thank Bria Alexander for sponsoring this scholarship. It will help students achieve their dreams and overcome obstacles that they face on the daily. I want to keep this entry concise and to the point. I am still considering my options for a college major in the future, but will most likely major in biology. If I win this scholarship, I will use it to avoid student debt as I continue pursuing my goals. It will help me, an Indian student, to have the same opportunities as others and attain the help I need to succeed in college. I am once again thankful for this amazing opportunity, and I will do whatever I can to collaborate with the innovators and creators of our world to make it a better place.

Why are electrons always negative? Are protons ALWAYS positive? These were the questions I asked myself before I started to become interested in the medical field and STEM. I was clueless about the fundamental concepts of chemistry and biology for an extended period. I did not realize I was a passionate STEM scholar until a few years ago. I enjoyed taking my biology and chemistry classes in the high school level. I am currently taking AP chemistry at my school and think it is enjoyable! I find science to be fascinating, with real explanations as to how our world works and how even the smallest everyday processes are embedded with science. I remember being shocked that the chemical equations for cellular respiration and photosynthesis just had the products and reactants switched. I was especially interested in the genetics unit in biology class, and could not believe that just one extra chromosome that failed to split during meiosis could cause genetic disorders in infants. In a world where everything is unpredictable, the field of science sets a foundation in stone for what is right and what is wrong. For example, Potassium will always have a charge of +1, and NO3 will always have a charge of -1. These were solid rules set in stone, and nobody could change them. I found this oddly comforting, especially in the period of COVID-19 and the lockdowns. We live in such an unpredictable world where anything can happen at any moment. Yet, the concepts of science prevail. We were able to use technology to create rapid COVID tests and vaccinations that can be distributed to the public. Seeing the ambitious efforts that the nurses, doctors, and other medical workers put in hospitals to treat the sick inspired me to passionately pursue the field of STEM. COVID-19 brought many tragedies, heartbreak, and loneliness. However, it taught us just how undervalued the field of STEM is, and how useful it is in dire situations such as the COVID-19 pandemic. I am a very ambitious and motivated person. Once I set my mind to achieving a goal, I refuse to rest or give up once I achieve it. Whether it be completing almost 40 stoichiometry problems for my chemistry class in one night, writing 9 pages of notes for my AP US history class, or even going the extra step to leap for a birdie in badminton, I refuse to give up until I reach my goal. I joined the First Responders club at my school and I plan to become CPR-certified within the next year. I find this skill to be very useful and know that I will be prepared to help someone during an emergency. Winning this scholarship will break down the walls that prevent me from achieving my dream of passionately pursuing STEM in college. Although I love to look forward to higher education, the idea of taking student loans makes me feel uneasy, and this scholarship will ensure that I can continue taking the path down to victory and use my energy to help others. I admire and respect hardworking nurses, doctors, and other members of the medical field for their patience and perseverance every day, especially through the pandemic. I would like to humbly thank Students United in Austin for funding this scholarship. A lot of students worry about student loans and debt, and this will help them as they pursue their careers. I sincerely hope I win this scholarship, as it will break barriers and open up a new world of science and technology that I can explore and learn about.

"Our universe is limitless, or perhaps it isn't", I said to my Earth Sciences teacher in 9th grade. "If the universe is constantly expanding, what is it expanding over? What lies beyond the expansion of the universe? Nothing? But nothing is something, so how exactly is the universe always expanding?" I asked again in front of the whole class. At the time, I thought I had asked an edgy question that did not have a determinable answer. But after a serious tragedy occurred to someone I knew and loved, I kept pondering these questions more and more. "Why am I here?" I asked myself. "How do we know we can make an impact if our lives can be taken away at any moment?". When I observed animals such as the various outdoor cats in my backyard, I always thought it would perhaps be easier to live as a cat. They seemed to worry about nothing, had their food needs met by us, and did not need to worry about pursuing higher education, grades, and stress on student loans for college. However, a beloved cat in our neighborhood passed away after a driver refused to follow the speed limit. Worst of all, this incident occurred while me and my family were away on vacation in India. You could imagine our sadness and shock when our neighbor admitted to us that the cat had been hit by a car. She planned to tell us that the poor animal "walked away" somewhere else but decided that was unfair to us since we had loved the cat so much. That's when I realized, every living thing on this Earth has struggles, human or not. Outdoor cats might not have to worry about high school, college, loans, or a career. They DO have to worry about whether or not they survive to see the next day, whether or not they find food in the harshest climates, and escaping predators out to devour them. Even smaller animals like honeybees are under threat of being endangered. Their populations are dwindling worldwide, which affects them and us. Another favorite animal of mine, seals, are also threatened animals with active conservation attempts to help improve their populations. No matter what, it seemed to me, all animals had to struggle under the clouds within the universe. We humans face so many problems that we either do not have the energy to fix them or do not know how to fix them. Gun violence, addiction, crippling debt, dropping out of high school early, extreme poverty, and overall cruelty can be seen in communities not just in the United States, but worldwide as well. After watching the news and seeing the headlines of a recent Nashville school shooting, I felt fear surge through my veins. Our predators seemed to be ourselves. Because of these issues, I am not passionate about pursuing a science-related field such as biology. Biology and chemistry made sense in this nonsensical, unpredictable world. I loved how biology had rules and order, such as the chemical equation for glucose ALWAYS being 6CO2+6H20---->C6H12O6 +ATP. I found peace in knowing biology and chemistry had rules set in stone and could never be proven wrong, such as a proton always being positive or an electron being negative. I want to use science to better our environment and our world, and doing that requires an understanding of the nature of the universe. It is time I stop repeating the same questions over and over and rather find answers to them. If I am granted this scholarship, I will put forward my best effort to pursue the sciences in college and find answers to my questions about the universe. Rather than waiting for change, I want to BE the change. This scholarship will help me continue my journey through college as an ambitious and curious student. It will give me the ability to keep asking questions about our universe and to find solutions to problems that we may find unexplainable or unfixable. College tuition is a big barrier in not only my life but other students' lives as well. Relating to the topic of biology, I loved the genetics unit in my high school biology class. I found it both fascinating and heartbreaking that just one extra chromosome (trisomy of chromosomes) or an incorrect number of chromosomes split during the process of meiosis could lead to incurable and lifelong genetic diseases. I found it hard to believe that just one extra chromosome was responsible for genetic disorders or sex-linked disorders. I want to keep pursuing the sciences such as the field of biology to answer my unanswered questions, to keep thinking about what the universe is expanding over, and what we can do as a community to improve the livelihoods of those around us. Although I want to keep this essay concise and not ramble on about different topics, I do want to thank Sean Carroll and all the other donors of the Big Picture scholarship for this amazing opportunity. 10,000 dollars is a large amount of money and will surely drive a student toward success in college. I genuinely hope that I win this scholarship because the idea of student loans makes me feel angsty but I still want to continue pursuing a higher education in the sciences without huge barriers. This scholarship entry has helped me realize just how huge our universe is, and how our problems are so small in comparison. Thank you once again for this amazing opportunity, and if I win this scholarship, I will always continue to question the processes of the universe as I study the sciences. Winning this scholarship will demolish the walls that separate me from success and knowledge. Even if our problems are so small, they still matter in comparison to the ever-expanding, mysterious void of the universe.

If I could have everyone in the world read just one book, it would be “In Order to Live” by Yeonmi Park. This story is not a fictional tale or for entertainment. It is the story of the struggles, tragedies, and inhumanity a woman and her mother faced in escaping North Korea. My aunt had gifted me this book for my birthday, and I eagerly read through within one day. This book is emotionally gripping and teaches us how privileged we are. I learned how North Korea was so restrictive with its citizens that women and men can only have a certain number and type of hairstyles, they could listen to any music except those praising their leader, and all their school education is propaganda and brainwashing against the West. In the US, we as a people are very privileged for what we have. We live in a country where we are allowed to protest the government’s actions, listen to whatever music we want, and change up our appearance however we wish. Many people do not realize how much freedom they have both in this country and other countries. Yeonmi Park does an excellent job describing the harrowing details of her and her mother’s escape from North Korea. I believe everyone should read this book at least once to understand the depth of their freedom and privilege. While listening to music, dying our hair, and choosing what religion we want is a right in the US and other Western countries, there are places where these things are considered as a benefit or entitlement. “In Order To Live” is not a fun read with a happy ending. Rather, it goes into detail about the agony and horror of living in a place like North Korea, where one could be imprisoned for life or killed for speaking out against their dear leader. This book is not for the faint of heart, but I would absolutely recommend it to everyone who is above the age of 13. It is time we recognize that the rights that we are entitled to is rather a benefit or dream in other countries.

If I'm going to be honest, I hated tennis when I first started playing. I began tennis during my freshman year of high school. I only joined because my friends were doing it and I didn’t want to feel left out. I served terribly and lost every practice match I played. Feeling discouraged and defeated, I thought about quitting tennis and choosing another sport instead. My friends urged me to keep playing, insisting my skills would improve as I kept playing. I decided to listen to them, and it was the best decision I have ever made. Soon, practice helped me hone my skills and gave me a competitive drive. During matches, I found myself doing whatever I could to win. My coach tried to teach me new strategies to help me win, whether it be perfecting my serves or spacing my feet further apart when hitting the tennis ball. I was a complete beginner and did not even know how to hold a racket. I kept serving to the wrong box and hit the ball to the net every time. I loved playing doubles matches with friends and counting points for practice. My friends and I laughed every time we hit the ball terribly or accidentally dropped our racket mid game. What tennis has taught me is that a sport is enough to bring people together. I have met so many friends by joining the tennis team at my high school. I was able to connect with new freshmen and encourage them to keep playing, or reminisce with seniors and ask them for advice on how to improve my play. My life has improved significantly after joining the tennis team. Not only has my health heightened, but I am able to make social strides as well. I have friends at other schools who I play against for away matches. Playing tennis have me something to look forward to after school ended. It gave me an opportunity to get rid of all the stress I built up during the school day and engage in something I enjoyed. Overall, tennis was an amazing experience for me and I love encouraging others to play with me. I went from a girl who hated sports to a girl who eagerly looked forward to tennis practices after school. Tennis has changed my life. I naturally found myself becoming more sociable and extroverted, compared to how shy I used to be at the start of the school year. Not only did tennis give me unforgettable memories, but a hobby that helped me to relax and learn something new.

My childhood was filled with singing “Let It Go” from Disney’s “Frozen” on my back porch and pretending to be Elsa and Anna with my friends. I liked to pretend I had Elsa’s ice powers and “freeze” everything in my path as I belted, “Here I stand, and here I stay!” Even when I was a toddler, I was watching “Cinderella” and “Sleeping Beauty”, staring in awe at how beautiful the characters were. I love that Disney produce movies that the whole family can enjoy, with storylines that capture the audiences eye and showcase a classical tale with a unique twist of its own. Disney does an excellent job on incorporating diversity, humor, and talent into each of its movies. My favorite thing about Disney is how flawlessly they include diversity and entertainment, and cultural appreciation in its movies. When I was about 6, my parents took me to Disney World. We visited EVERY park and tried to go on all the rides. It’s one of the most exhilarating and thrilling experiences I’ve ever had. Disney always finds a way to make its parks as entertaining and enjoyable as possible. I took so many pictures with Mickey and Minnie Mouse, and watched with pride as I admired Rapunzel’s magnificently golden hair as I stood next to her. I went to Disney World again when I was about 11 with my extended family. Once again, Disney did not disappoint with how amazing the experience was. I personally admire how Disney executes diversity and equality into its movies in an effortless way. Disney also represents cultures elegantly in ways that thrill the audience. I watched the live action “Aladdin” movie right when it came out around 2019, and it was one of the best movies I’ve watched. Being from South Asian descent myself, I loved seeing the beautiful detail on Jasmine’s clothes during dance numbers or songs. Even my parents pointed out how accurate clothing and singing style was portrayed in the movie. In some scenes of the movie, Jasmine was wearing a Saree-like dress, which I was raving about after the movie had ended. I was also obsessed with Jasmine’s song, “Speechless” and kept singing it for weeks in the bathroom, using my toothbrush as a mic. Although this song wasn’t in the original movie, I was so happy Disney decided to include this empowering and inspiring song in the live action version. I am in love with Disney’s display of culture and diversity in both its theme parks and movies. My personal favorite movie of Disney’s is “Aladdin”, as I had mentioned before. Songs such as “An Arabian Night” take me back to memories of listening to classical Indian music and noting similarities intertwined between notes in different cultures. Another example of Disney’s implementation of diversity in its movies is through the new live action film, “The Little Mermaid”. Disney could not have done better casting an actress as talented as Halle Bailey to play Ariel. Halle’s enchanting voice carried the music and had me tapping my toes to the beat. Overall, I am obsessed with Disney’s inclusivity and knack for finding amazing talent. Whether it be producing funny sitcoms for teens to enjoy, family friendly movies that people of all ages can watch, or going above and beyond to making the Disney theme parks the best experience possible, Disney is making strides in bringing diversity and talent into its studio. I, for one, will continue to love Disney movies and appreciate the efforts the producers, animators, directors, actors, and other cast members do to carry on Walt Disney’s legacy.