From my family, to church family, to school, to dance, being part of something that brings people together for a common goal is all I’ve ever known. I grew up surrounded by the love and support these communities provide. The main reason I value community is that I feel it is my calling to be an aspect of that togetherness. It is my duty to dedicate myself to a good cause. In my sophomore year of high school, I was a member of the Gardening Club at TAPCo. We started a peer mentorship program within the club for sixth graders. Throughout the school day, I would check on my assigned sixth graders to see how they were doing. I would go out of my way to help them with their homework or with anything they needed. It can be nerve-wracking starting a new phase of life. Knowing that I was an asset to contributing to their first experience of middle school made me realize that I am making a positive influence on them and I want to continue being a helpful presence in others’ lives. During my senior year of high school in my after-school program BronxWorks, I led our service-learning project, a tutoring initiative for sixth graders. I designed a PowerPoint presentation, assigned everyone in my group to a role, and held an orientation, which was successful in encouraging students to join our tutoring program. They were able to ask questions, share what they hoped to learn, and participated in icebreaker activities. Above all, the aim of the program was to provide individualized attention to students, form meaningful bonds with them, and give advice to them. They understood that I would support them in the best way I could. It is essential to give back to others and be a role model for the younger generations so they have people they aspire to become and look up to. From these experiences, I’ve learned the significance of being of service to the community. Being a change agent for the communities I’ve been a part of has influenced my decision to study psychology in college. I have a strong interest in helping others and a talent for talking to people from all walks of life while making them feel comfortable and respecting their boundaries. Something essential to pursuing this career. Furthermore, I’m interested in minoring in dance because it is something I enjoy doing. Striking a balance between arts and academics is important to me, and I know I can excel both academically and artistically. Having a background in dance is also something that has influenced my decision to bring together the studies of psychology and dance, pursuing a career in being a dance therapist for the youth. I plan to create a program that will empower, encourage, and uplift young individuals by combining mental wellness and creative arts to help express and utilize a creative platform. This is my vision of giving back to my community.