My dream is to become the first in my family to go to college, to be the one who will lead the way for those to come. As a first-generation student who is also a twin, much is expected from me, not just from my parents but also from my siblings, classmates and teachers. I want to become the first generation to go to college because there is this pattern I’ve noticed within minority families not pursuing higher education. They don’t pursue higher education because of how much the cost will become a burden to them. Money has always been an issue in my family. My father never got to finish elementary school because of the cost and my mother didn’t get to finish high school for the same reason. For this reason, it’s a big deal for me to stay in school and finish all the way through college. In high school, I always made sure to stay on top of my education because I knew how much of a privilege it was for me to be at school. I always used this as motivation and this has helped me become an honor roll student all throughout high school. I didn’t get involved in extracurricular activities during high school because after school I had to take care of my siblings while my parents were at work. I often spend my afternoons doing chores and homework. When my siblings were of age, I was able to get a job, managing work and school was hard, I didn’t have time for anything else. But I managed to juggle 2 jobs and school. I was often tired, but I never complained because it taught me how to be a better daughter, a better student, a better person. Hard work has taught me to keep going and persevering just as my father did. His endless hard work and persistence have gotten me here. And just as he did, I want to be able to do so with my siblings and those to come. Although my father didn’t lead me to academic success he guided me to overall life success and for that I will forever be grateful because I know he would’ve led me there if he had the same opportunities I have now. I want to fall into his footsteps and lead my siblings to academic success. I want them to recognize what a privilege it is to be able to pursue a higher education. And how important it is to us as latinos because Latinos are one of the lowest percentages of people to go to college. Most of the time it’s because of the lack of knowledge, we grow up in homes where our parents aren’t able to lead the way so it’s much more difficult. To me it’s important to become part of that low percent of latinos that go to college. I have so many people in my life that don’t have the same opportunities that I do, simple things like education become privileges. Although I don’t have all the funds to pay for it all, I’ll do everything in my control to be able to pay for it. I’ll apply for as many scholarships as I need to. I will work as many hours as I need to. I want to go to school for Interior and Graphic Design because I love the way art can be incorporated into everything. My goal is to become the first in my family to go to college and lead the way.

The biggest influence in my life is not a person but a thing; soccer. Soccer has influenced my life in many ways. It influences my art style, my designs, my clothing style, etc. Soccer allows me to love and be passionate about art. It also influences my perspective on life, how one has to constantly work hard in order to accomplish all that you want to do. Soccer has always been a part of my life. It wasn’t until I was a little older that I decided to pursue it more. The crazy thing is that I don’t even play it. I like watching it, I like observing people come together and being passionate about a team. During my sophomore year of high school, I was introduced to Photoshop by my former art teacher. She taught us the basics of Photoshop and later asked us to play around with it and change different aspects of a picture. I thought that idea was so boring, so I took it to another level, and I decided to create a design of one of my all-time favorite soccer players, Héctor Bellerín. I had no idea what I was doing, so I followed a YouTube tutorial, and even with that the design was difficult to do. I was shocked to see that through many rewinds, sweat and tears, the final product looked perfect. Although I didn't get a good grade for that because I didn't follow instructions, it didn't bother me because I discovered my love for graphic design. It wasn't until the summer of 2023 that I decided to combine my love for soccer and design. My love for soccer grew from La Liga MX (Mexican soccer league). My father would always watch La Liga Mx, so did my brothers until one day I decided to tone in too. From that day, my way of thinking has been expanded. I saw how passionate people were about soccer and that inspired me. I believe that there is a lot of art in soccer. There is art in the goals, the jerseys, the stadiums, etc. And I want people to see the art of soccer, the way I see it, so l started creating designs. All the designs I make are of moments that have impacted me, teaching me lessons to keep on going, to not be afraid of being yourself and others just highlight the art of soccer. I want people to see art differently, may that be through things, such as houses, soccer, nature, etc. I believe that their art is in everything. When people think of art they don't think of soccer, but I want to depict art through that. Through design, I want to combine all the passion I have for the things I love, keep the world creative, and prove to family, friends, and teachers that there is a future in art.

My passion for art grew from houses and soccer. It all started with Realtor.com, a website where you can buy or sell homes. At the age of 15, I was looking for houses to buy with little to no money to my name. But when looking for a house to buy, I was very specific about the one I wanted. If you are not familiar with the term “cookie cutter homes”, it's houses that are built to look the same. And when looking for houses, I hated the cookie-cutter ones. I just hate the idea of everyone in your neighborhood having the same structure of home as you. To me, it seems like you are living in a simulation. I couldn't bare the idea of people having the same house as one. From that day, I knew that I wanted to create unique spaces that create memories. But the design of houses wasn't the only thing that grew my passion for art, graphic design opened my eyes to a new way of seeing art. During my sophomore year of high school, I was introduced to Photoshop by my former art teacher. She taught us the basics of Photoshop and later asked us to play around with it and change different aspects of a picture. I thought that idea was so boring, so I took it to another level, and I decided to create a design of one of my all-time favorite soccer players, Héctor Bellerín. I had no idea what I was doing, so I followed a YouTube tutorial, and even with that the design was difficult to do. I was shocked to see that through many rewinds, sweat and tears, the final product looked perfect. Although I didn’t get a good grade for that because I didn’t follow instructions, it didn’t bother me because I discovered my love for graphic design. It wasn't until the summer of 2023 that I decided to combine my love for soccer and design. My love for soccer grew from La Liga MX (Mexican soccer league). I saw how passionate people were about soccer and that inspired me. I believe that there is a lot of art in soccer. There is art in the goals, the jerseys, the stadiums, etc. And I wanted people to see the art of soccer, the way I saw it, so I started creating designs. All the designs I make are of moments that have impacted me, teaching me lessons to keep on going, to not be afraid of being you and others just highlight the art of soccer. I want people to see the art of things, such as houses, soccer, nature, etc. I believe that their art is in everything. When people think of art they don't think of houses or soccer, but I want to depict art through these things. Through design, I want to combine all the passion I have for the things I love, keep the world creative, and prove to family, friends, and teachers that there is a future in art. Portfolio: https://www.behance.net/gallery/184477313/2023-Portafolio

Someone who has profoundly impacted my life is my brother. He’s at a stage in his life where all he cares about is his friends and going out and partying till the morning. There's this movie I love. It’s called Beautiful Boy. This movie is about a father who’s desperate to save his son from addiction. And there's a reason I always recommended it, and I hate to admit it, but it’s what’s happening in my life with my brother. It hurts seeing my brother throwing his life away due to addiction. This experience has influenced my development. I want to become a better version of him, for him, and those around him. I learn from his experiences and help to build myself to become a better person. There have been times when he would cry into my arms, and cry about his life and how he wished my father would love him. But little does he know how much my father would give up so much for him, how much my father loves him. But my father isn’t so good at showing love to us, and this is because his father never showed him love. I don’t blame my father for not being able to do so, he had a rough childhood where affection was not expressed. His father was a very serious man. I never got to meet or know him because he passed away, and it has been hard for my father because he had to learn how to forgive him. My father is trying to be a better father, better than his father could ever be. Addiction has changed my brother. I am most afraid of him when he is angry, because I can no longer recognize him. I want to understand why he does what he does. I want to help him, but it seems like everything I say makes him angrier, so it’s hard wanting to help someone who isn't willing to change. My father is trying to do everything he can to help him, to help get the son he once knew back. And it’s very scary having a little brother who looks up to my older brother. Everything my brother Jonathan does he wants to do. The good and the bad. My brother's actions don’t just impact me but everyone else. And I don't want the same mistakes to be committed again. I know my dad's learning from his past mistakes, he's learning how to be more affectionate. I believe that him accepting Christ into his life has played a huge role in doing so. My brother has helped me realize who I want to be in this world, what energy I want to give out, what I want my future to look like. I have learned a lot from my brother. I learn from his mistakes and with that I want to break the cycle to prevent this from ever happening again.

As a first-generation student who is also a twin, much is expected from me, not just from my parents but also from my siblings, classmates and teachers. My desire is to become the first in my family to go to college and set an example for my siblings. I know my parents expect a lot from me, because my older brother didn’t go to college. There is this cycle I’ve noticed within minority families. Most of us grew up with parents who didn’t get to finish school. At least in my situation, my father didn’t finish middle school and my mother didn't finish high school, and my brother had no desire to go to college. I have friends who are trapped in this cycle and were not able to break it for their siblings due to the constant financial need. This has changed my mindset a lot. Sometimes it does get discouraging not having someone to look up to. No one in my family has ever pursued a higher education. That’s why I feel a responsibility to go to college and be a motivation for my siblings. I want them to feel motivated and to not let money or anything stop them from pursuing a higher education. I know paying for college will be a struggle. That’s why I am applying for as many scholarships as I can, and sometimes it does get discouraging, but I know it will be worth it. I want to go to college and study Interior Design because I believe that there is a future in art. I have seen many people give up their talent and passion because people have told them that there is no future in art and, unfortunately, they didn't have the funds to prove them wrong. I want to prove to people that there is a future in art and in doing what you love. My passion for art grew from houses and soccer. It all started with Realtor.com, a website where you can buy or sell homes. At the age of 15, I was looking for houses to buy with little to no money to my name. But when looking for a house to buy, I was very specific about the one I wanted. I avoided the cookie-cutter ones. I just hate the idea of everyone in your neighborhood having the same structure of home as you. To me, it seems like you are living in a simulation. I couldn't bare the idea of people having the same house as one. From that day, I knew that I wanted to create unique spaces that create memories. But the design of houses wasn't the only thing that grew my passion for art, graphic design opened my eyes to a new way of seeing art. During my sophomore year of high school, I was introduced to Photoshop by my former art teacher. She taught us the basics of Photoshop and later asked us to play around with it and change different aspects of a picture. I thought that idea was so boring, so I took it to another level, and I decided to create a design of one of my all-time favorite soccer players, Héctor Bellerín. I had no idea what I was doing, so I followed a tutorial, and even with that the design was difficult to do. I was shocked to see that through many rewinds, sweat and tears, the final product looked perfect. Although I didn’t get a good grade for that because I didn’t follow instructions, it didn’t bother me because I discovered my love for graphic design. It wasn't until the summer of 2023 that I decided to combine my love for soccer and design. My love for soccer grew because of La Liga MX (Mexican soccer league). I saw how passionate people were about soccer and that inspired me. I believe that there is a lot of art in soccer. There is art in the goals, the jerseys, the stadiums, etc. And I wanted people to see the art of soccer, the way I saw it, so I started creating designs. All the designs I make are of moments that have impacted me, teaching me lessons to keep on going, to not be afraid of being you and others just highlight the art of soccer. I want people to see the art of things, such as houses, soccer, nature, etc. I believe that their art is in everything. When people think of art they don't think of houses or soccer, but I want to depict art through these things. Through design, I want to combine all the passion I have for the things I love, keep the world creative, and prove to family, friends, and teachers that there is a future in art.

The biggest influence in my life is not a person but a thing: soccer. Soccer has influenced my life in many ways. It influences my art style, my designs, my clothing style, etc. Soccer allows me to love and be passionate about art. It also influences my perspective on life, how one has to constantly work hard in order to accomplish all that you want to do. During my sophomore year of high school, I was introduced to Photoshop by my former art teacher. She taught us the basics of Photoshop and later asked us to play around with it and change different aspects of a picture. I thought that idea was so boring, so I took it to another level, and I decided to create a design of one of my all-time favorite soccer players, Héctor Bellerín. I had no idea what I was doing, so I followed a YouTube tutorial, and even with that the design was difficult to do. I was shocked to see that through many rewinds, sweat and tears, the final product looked perfect. Although I didn’t get a good grade for that because I didn’t follow instructions, it didn’t bother me because I discovered my love for graphic design. It wasn't until the summer of 2023 that I decided to combine my love for soccer and design. My love for soccer grew from La Liga MX (Mexican soccer league). I saw how passionate people were about soccer and that inspired me. I believe that there is a lot of art in soccer. There is art in the goals, the jerseys, the stadiums, etc. And I want people to see the art of soccer, the way I see it, so I started creating designs. All the designs I make are of moments that have impacted me, teaching me lessons to keep on going, to not be afraid of being yourself and others just highlight the art of soccer. I want people to see art differently, may that be through things, such as houses, soccer, nature, etc. I believe that their art is in everything. When people think of art they don't think of soccer, but I want to depict art through that. Through design, I want to combine all the passion I have for the things I love, keep the world creative, and prove to family, friends, and teachers that there is a future in art.

As a first-generation student who is also a twin, much is expected from me, not just from my parents but also from my siblings, classmates and teachers. The way I overcome adversity in my life is by changing my mindset. The biggest adversity I've been facing is trying to find funds to go to college. My desire is to become the first generation to go to college and set an example for my siblings and those around me. I know my parents expect a lot from me, because my older brother didn’t go to college. There is this cycle I’ve noticed within minority families. Most of us grew up with parents who didn’t get to finish school. At least in my situation, my father didn’t finish middle school and my mother didn't finish high school. My oldest brother stopped caring for his education due to addiction and didn’t go to college. I have friends who are trapped in this cycle and were not able to break it for their siblings due to the constant financial need. This has changed my mindset a lot. Sometimes it does get discouraging not having someone to look up to. No one in my family has ever pursued a higher education. That’s why I feel a responsibility to go to college and be a motivation to my siblings. I want them to feel motivated and to not let money or anything stop them from pursuing a higher education. I want to be the first to break out of this dreadful never-ending cycle by pursuing higher education. Becoming a leader for my siblings is important to me. I know paying for college will be a struggle. That’s why I am applying for as many scholarships as I can, and sometimes it does get discouraging, but I know it will be worth it. I want to go to college and study Interior Design because I believe that there is a future in art. I have seen many people give up their talent and passion because people have told them that there is no future in art and, unfortunately, they don't have the funds to prove them wrong. I want to prove to people that there is a future in art and in doing what you love. I have always been a creative person, so I always knew that I wanted to do something with art. It wasn't until some years ago that I discovered that I like houses. I like the different aspects that make a house unique. Not only that, I also discovered that I enjoy graphic design as well. I combined my love for soccer and design and started designing posters of moments in soccer history that impacted me. I want to continue doing this and incorporate art into my future. I want to major in Interior Design and minor in Graphic Design, proving to people that there is indeed a future in art. Once I have proved to the people who didn’t believe that there is a future in art, I would like to give back to my community. In the long run, I would like to create a scholarship for future students who are interested in pursuing art. Becoming a leader to those who have been doubted for choosing something you're passionate about. I don’t want the same mistake to be made again. I don’t want students to give up their passion for art just because they don’t have the funds for it.

As a first-generation student who is also a twin, much is expected from me, not just from my parents but also from my siblings, classmates and teachers. The way I overcome adversity in my life is by changing my mindset. The biggest adversity I've been facing is trying to find funds to go to college. My desire is to become the first generation to go to college and set an example for my siblings and those around me. I know my parents expect a lot from me, because my older brother didn’t go to college. There is this cycle I’ve noticed within minority families. Most of us grew up with parents who didn’t get to finish school. At least in my situation, my father didn’t finish middle school and my mother didn't finish high school. My oldest brother stopped caring for his education due to addiction and didn’t go to college. I have friends who are trapped in this cycle and were not able to break it for their siblings due to the constant financial need. This has changed my mindset a lot. Sometimes it does get discouraging not having someone to look up to. No one in my family has ever pursued a higher education. That’s why I feel a responsibility to go to college and be a motivation for my siblings. I want them to feel motivated and to not let money or anything stop them from pursuing a higher education. I want to be the first to break out of this dreadful never-ending cycle by pursuing higher education. Becoming a motivation to my siblings is important to me. I know paying for college will be a struggle. That’s why I am applying for as many scholarships as I can, and sometimes it does get discouraging, but I know it will be worth it. I want to go to college and study Interior Design because I believe that there is a future in art. I have seen many people give up their talent and passion because people have told them that there is no future in art and, unfortunately, they didn't have the funds to prove them wrong. I want to prove to people that there is a future in art and in doing what you love. My passion for art grew from houses and soccer. It all started with Realtor.com, a website where you can buy or sell homes. At the age of 15, I was looking for houses to buy with little to no money to my name. But when looking for a house to buy, I was very specific about the one I wanted. If you are not familiar with the term “cookie cutter homes”, it's houses that are built to look the same. And when looking for houses, I hated the cookie-cutter ones. I just hate the idea of everyone in your neighborhood having the same structure of home as you. To me, it seems like you are living in a simulation. I couldn't bare the idea of people having the same house as one. From that day, I knew that I wanted to create unique spaces that create memories. But the design of houses wasn't the only thing that grew my passion for art, graphic design opened my eyes to a new way of seeing art. During my sophomore year of high school, I was introduced to Photoshop by my former art teacher. She taught us the basics of Photoshop and later asked us to play around with it and change different aspects of a picture. I thought that idea was so boring, so I took it to another level, and I decided to create a design of one of my all-time favorite soccer players, Héctor Bellerín. I had no idea what I was doing, so I followed a YouTube tutorial, and even with that the design was difficult to do. I was shocked to see that through many rewinds, sweat and tears, the final product looked perfect. Although I didn’t get a good grade for that because I didn’t follow instructions, it didn’t bother me because I discovered my love for graphic design. It wasn't until the summer of 2023 that I decided to combine my love for soccer and design. My love for soccer grew from La Liga MX (Mexican soccer league). I saw how passionate people were about soccer and that inspired me. I believe that there is a lot of art in soccer. There is art in the goals, the jerseys, the stadiums, etc. And I wanted people to see the art of soccer, the way I saw it, so I started creating designs. All the designs I make are of moments that have impacted me, teaching me lessons to keep on going, to not be afraid of being you and others just highlight the art of soccer. I want people to see the art of things, such as houses, soccer, nature, etc. I believe that their art is in everything. When people think of art they don't think of houses or soccer, but I want to depict art through these things. Through design, I want to combine all the passion I have for the things I love, keep the world creative, and prove to family, friends, and teachers that there is a future in art. Portfolio: https://www.behance.net/gallery/184477313/2023-Portafolio

I've have been told many times that their isn't a future in art, through art I will like to prove those people wrong. My passion for art grew from houses and soccer. It all started with Realtor.com, a website where you can buy or sell homes. At the age of 15, I was looking for houses to buy with little to no money to my name. But when looking for a houses to buy, I was very specific with the one I wanted. When looking for houses I avoided the cookie-cutter ones, I just hate the idea of everyone in your neighborhood having the same structure of home as you. I couldn't bare with the idea of people having the same house as one, from that day I knew that I wanted to create unique spaces that create memories. But Interior Design wasn't the only thing that grew my passion for art, graphic design opened my eyes to a new way of seeing art. I was introduced to Photoshop by my former art teacher through an assignment. I decided to create a design of one of my all-time favorite soccer players, Héctor Bellerín. I had no idea what I was doing so I followed a YouTube tutorial, and even with that the design was difficult to do. Although I didn’t get a good grade for that because I didn’t follow instructions, it didn’t bother me because I discovered my love for graphic design. It wasn't until the summer of 2023 that I decided to combine my love for soccer and design. My love for soccer grew from La Liga MX (Mexican soccer league), I saw how passionate people were for soccer and that inspired me. I believe that their is a lot of art in soccer, their is art in the goals, the jerseys, the stadiums, etc. And I wanted people to see the art of soccer, the way I saw it so I started creating designs. All designs I make are of moments that have impacted me, teaching me lessons to keep on going, to not be afraid of being you and others just highlight the art of soccer. I want people to see the art of things, such as houses, soccer, nature, etc. Art is in everything, when people think of art they wouldn't think of houses or soccer but I want to depict art through these things.

My greatest achievement hasn't happened yet. It'll be when I become the first in my family to graduate college. This will be my greatest achievement because I will be able to pave the path for the future generation. As a first-generation student who is also a twin, much is expected from me, not just from my parents but also from my siblings, classmates and teachers. I know my parents expect a lot from me, because my older brother didn’t go to college. There is this cycle I’ve noticed within minority families. Most of us grew up with parents who didn’t get to finish school. At least in my situation, my father didn’t finish middle school and my mother didn't finish high school. My oldest brother stopped caring for his education due to addiction and didn’t go to college. I have friends who are trapped in this cycle and were not able to break out of it for their siblings due to the constant financial need. This has changed my mindset a lot. Sometimes it does get discouraging not having someone to look up to. No one in my family has ever pursued a higher education. That’s why I feel a responsibility to go to college and be a motivation to my siblings. I want them to feel motivated and to not let money or anything stop them from pursuing a higher education. I want to be the first to break out of this dreadful never-ending cycle by pursuing higher education. Becoming a motivation to my siblings is important to me. I know paying for college will be a struggle. That’s why I am applying for as many scholarships as I can, and sometimes it does get discouraging, but I know it will be worth it. I want to go to college and study Interior Design because I believe that there is a future in art. I have seen many people give up their talent and passion because people have told them that there is no future in art and, unfortunately, they didn't have the funds to prove them wrong. I want to prove to people that there is a future in art and in doing what you love. I have always been a creative person, so I always knew that I wanted to do something with art. It wasn't until some years ago that I discovered that I like houses. I like the different aspects that make a house unique. Not only that, I also discovered that I enjoy graphic design as well. I combined my love for soccer and design and started designing posters of moments in soccer history that impacted me. I want to continue doing this and incorporate art into my future. I want to major in Interior Design and minor in Graphic Design, proving to people that there is indeed a future in art. When this day comes, this will be my biggest achievement, not just mine, but my family's greatest achievement. Once I have proved to the people who didn’t believe that there is a future in art, I would like to give back to my community. In the long run, I would like to create a scholarship for future students who are interested in pursuing art. I would like to make a difference in my community by being an inspiration to students who know what it’s like being doubted for choosing something you're passionate about. I don’t want the same mistake to be made again. I don’t want students to give up their passion for art just because they don’t have the funds for it.

My name is Kimberly Ruiz, I am a first-generation student who is also a twin. A lot is expected from me, not just from my parents but also from my siblings, classmates and teachers. I want to become the first generation to go to college and set an example for those around me. I know my parents expect a lot from me, because my older brother didn’t go to college. There is this cycle I’ve noticed within minority families. Most of us grew up with parents who didn’t get to finish school. At least in my situation, my father didn’t finish middle school and my mother didn't finish high school. My oldest brother stopped caring for his education due to addiction and didn’t go to college. I have friends who are trapped in this cycle and were not able to break it for their siblings due to the constant financial need. And sometimes it does get discouraging not having someone to look up to. No one in my family has pursued a higher education. That’s why I feel a responsibility to go to college and be an inspiration to my siblings. I feel like the only way to break out of this never ending cycle is by pursuing higher education. It’s important to become educated and be an example to those around you, to your family, friends, classmates, etc. I know paying for college will be a struggle. That’s why I am applying for as many scholarships as I can, and sometimes it’s discouraging, but I know it will be worth it. And I know that by doing so my parents will be very proud of me. My ultimate goal is to make them proud, to do what they never could. I want to go to college and study Interior Design because I believe that there is a future in art. I have seen many people give up their talent and passion because people have told them that there is no future in art and, unfortunately, they didn't have the funds to prove them wrong. I want to prove to people that there is a future in art and in doing what you love. This scholarship will help me prove that there is a future in visual arts, interior design, fine arts, photography, etc. I have always been a creative person, so I always knew that I wanted to do something with art. It wasn't until some years ago that I discovered that I like houses. I like the different aspects that make a house unique. Not only that, I also discovered that I enjoy graphic design as well. I combined my love for soccer and design and started designing posters of moments in soccer history that impacted me. I want to continue doing this and incorporate art into my future. I want to major in Interior Design and minor in Graphic Design, proving to people that there is indeed a future in art. Once I have proved to the people who didn’t believe that there is a future in art, I would like to give back to my community. In the long run, I would like to get a scholarship for future students who are interested in pursuing art. I would like to make a difference in my community by being an inspiration to students who know what it’s like being doubted, for choosing something you're passionate about. I don’t want the same mistake to be made again. I don’t want students to give up their passion for art just because they don’t have the funds for it.

As a first-generation student who is also a twin, much is expected from me, not just from my parents but also from my siblings, classmates and teachers. The way I overcome adversity in my life is by changing my mindset, the biggest adversity I've been facing is trying to find funds to go to college. My desire is to become the first generation to go to college and set an example for my siblings and those around me. I know my parents expect much from me, because my older brother didn’t go to college. There is this cycle I’ve noticed within minority families, most of us grew up with parents who didn’t get to finish school. At least in my situation, my father didn’t finish middle school and my mother didn't finish high school. My oldest brother stopped caring for his education due to addiction and didn’t go to college. I have friends who are trapped in this cycle and were not able to break it for their siblings due to the constant financial need. This has changed my mindset a lot, sometimes it does get discouraging not having someone to look up to, no one in my family has ever pursued a higher education, that’s why I feel a responsibility to go to college and be an motivation to my siblings. I want them to feel motivated and to not let money or anything stop them from pursuing a higher education. I want to be the first to break out of this dreadful never ending cycle is by pursuing higher education. Becoming a motivation to my siblings is important to me, I know paying for college will be a struggle that’s why I am applying to as many scholarships as I can, and sometimes it’s does get discouraging but I know it will be worth it. I want to go to college and study Interior Design because I believe that there is a future in art. I have seen many people give up their talent and passion because people have told them that there is no future in art and unfortunately they didn't have the funds to prove them wrong. I want to prove to people that there is a future in art and in doing what you love. I have always been a creative person, so I always knew that I wanted to do something with art. It wasn't until some years ago that I discovered that I like houses, I like the different aspects that make a house unique. Not only that I also discovered that I enjoy graphic design as well, I combined my love for soccer and design and started designing posters of moments in soccer history that impacted me. I want to continue doing this and incorporate art into my future. I want to major in Interior Design and minor in Graphic Design proving to people that there is indeed a future in art. Once I have proved the people who didn’t believe that there is a future in art, I will like to give back to my community. In the long run I would like to make a scholarship for future students who are interested in pursuing art. I would like to make a difference in my community by being an inspiration to students who know what it’s like being doubted for choosing something you're passionate about. I don’t want the same mistake to be committed again, I don’t want students to give up their passion for art just because they don’t have the funds for it.

As a first-generation student who is also a twin, much is expected from me, not just from my parents but also from my siblings, classmates and teachers. I want to become the first generation to go to college and set an example for my siblings and those around me. I know my parents expect much from me, because my older brother didn’t go to college. There is this cycle I’ve noticed within minority families, most of us grew up with parents who didn’t get to finish school. At least in my situation, my father didn’t finish middle school and my mother didn't finish high school. My oldest brother stopped caring for his education due to addiction and didn’t go to college. I have friends who are trapped in this cycle and were not able to break it for their siblings due to the constant financial need. And sometimes it does get discouraging not having someone to look up to, no one in my family has pursued a higher education, that’s why I feel a responsibility to go to college and be an inspiration to my siblings. I feel like the only way to break out of this never ending cycle is by pursuing higher education. It’s important to become educated and be an example to those around you, to your family, friends, classmates, etc. I know paying for college will be a struggle that’s why I am applying to as many scholarships as I can, and sometimes it’s discouraging but I know it will be worth it. And I know that by doing so my parents will be very proud of me, my ultimate goal is to make them proud, to do what they never could. I want to go to college and study Interior Design because I believe that there is a future in art. I have seen many people give up their talent and passion because people have told them that there is no future in art and unfortunately they didn't have the funds to prove them wrong. I want to prove to people that there is a future in art and in doing what you love. This scholarship will help me prove that there is a future in visual arts, interior design, fine arts, photography, etc. I have always been a creative person, so I always knew that I wanted to do something with art. It wasn't until some years ago that I discovered that I like houses. I like the different aspects that make a house unique and I just knew I wanted to study Interior Design. Not only that I also discovered that I enjoy graphic design as well, I combined my love for soccer and design and started designing posters of moments in soccer history that impacted me. I want to continue doing this and incorporate art into my future. I want to major in Interior Design and minor in Graphic Design proving to people that there is indeed a future in art.

As a first-generation student who is also a twin, much is expected from me, not just from my parents but also from my siblings, classmates and teachers. The way I overcome adversity in my life is by changing my mindset, the biggest adversity I've been facing is trying to find funds to go to college. My desire is to become the first generation to go to college and set an example for my siblings and those around me. I know my parents expect much from me, because my older brother didn’t go to college. There is this cycle I’ve noticed within minority families, most of us grew up with parents who didn’t get to finish school. At least in my situation, my father didn’t finish middle school and my mother didn't finish high school. My oldest brother stopped caring for his education due to addiction and didn’t go to college. I have friends who are trapped in this cycle and were not able to break it for their siblings due to the constant financial need. This has changed my mindset a lot, sometimes it does get discouraging not having someone to look up to, no one in my family has ever pursued a higher education, that’s why I feel a responsibility to go to college and be an motivation to my siblings. I want them to feel motivated and to not let money or anything stop them from pursuing a higher education. I want to be the first to break out of this dreadful never ending cycle is by pursuing higher education. Becoming a motivation to my siblings is important to me, I know paying for college will be a struggle that’s why I am applying to as many scholarships as I can, and sometimes it’s does get discouraging but I know it will be worth it. I want to go to college and study Interior Design because I believe that there is a future in art. I have seen many people give up their talent and passion because people have told them that there is no future in art and unfortunately they didn't have the funds to prove them wrong. I want to prove to people that there is a future in art and in doing what you love. I have always been a creative person, so I always knew that I wanted to do something with art. It wasn't until some years ago that I discovered that I like houses, I like the different aspects that make a house unique. Not only that I also discovered that I enjoy graphic design as well, I combined my love for soccer and design and started designing posters of moments in soccer history that impacted me. I want to continue doing this and incorporate art into my future. I want to major in Interior Design and minor in Graphic Design proving to people that there is indeed a future in art. Once I have proved the people who didn’t believe that there is a future in art, I will like to give back to my community. In the long run I would like to make a scholarship for future students who are interested in pursuing art. I would like to make a difference in my community by being an inspiration to students who know what it’s like being doubted for choosing something you're passionate about. I don’t want the same mistake to be committed again, I don’t want students to give up their passion for art just because they don’t have the funds for it.

As a first-generation student who is also a twin, much is expected from me, not just from my parents but also from my siblings, classmates and teachers. The way I overcome adversity in my life is by changing my mindset, the biggest adversity I've been facing is trying to find funds to go to college. My desire is to become the first generation to go to college and set an example for my siblings and those around me. I know my parents expect much from me, because my older brother didn’t go to college. There is this cycle I’ve noticed within minority families, most of us grew up with parents who didn’t get to finish school. At least in my situation, my father didn’t finish middle school and my mother didn't finish high school. My oldest brother stopped caring for his education due to addiction and didn’t go to college. I have friends who are trapped in this cycle and were not able to break it for their siblings due to the constant financial need. This has changed my mindset a lot, sometimes it does get discouraging not having someone to look up to, no one in my family has ever pursued a higher education, that’s why I feel a responsibility to go to college and be an motivation to my siblings. I want them to feel motivated and to not let money or anything stop them from pursuing a higher education. I want to be the first to break out of this dreadful never ending cycle is by pursuing higher education. Becoming a motivation to my siblings is important to me, I know paying for college will be a struggle that’s why I am applying to as many scholarships as I can, and sometimes it’s does get discouraging but I know it will be worth it. I want to go to college and study Interior Design because I believe that there is a future in art. I have seen many people give up their talent and passion because people have told them that there is no future in art and unfortunately they didn't have the funds to prove them wrong. I want to prove to people that there is a future in art and in doing what you love. I have always been a creative person, so I always knew that I wanted to do something with art. It wasn't until some years ago that I discovered that I like houses, I like the different aspects that make a house unique. Not only that I also discovered that I enjoy graphic design as well, I combined my love for soccer and design and started designing posters of moments in soccer history that impacted me. I want to continue doing this and incorporate art into my future. I want to major in Interior Design and minor in Graphic Design proving to people that there is indeed a future in art. Once I have proved the people who didn’t believe that there is a future in art, I will like to give back to my community. In the long run I would like to make a scholarship for future students who are interested in pursuing art. I would like to make a difference in my community by being an inspiration to students who know what it’s like being doubted for choosing something you're passionate about. I don’t want the same mistake to be committed again, I don’t want students to give up their passion for art just because they don’t have the funds for it.

As a first-generation student who is also a twin, much is expected from me, not just from my parents but also from my siblings, classmates and teachers. The way I overcome adversity in my life is by changing my mindset, the biggest adversity I've been facing is trying to find funds to go to college. My desire is to become the first generation to go to college and set an example for my siblings and those around me. I know my parents expect much from me, because my older brother didn’t go to college. There is this cycle I’ve noticed within minority families, most of us grew up with parents who didn’t get to finish school. At least in my situation, my father didn’t finish middle school and my mother didn't finish high school. My oldest brother stopped caring for his education due to addiction and didn’t go to college. I have friends who are trapped in this cycle and were not able to break it for their siblings due to the constant financial need. This has changed my mindset a lot, sometimes it does get discouraging not having someone to look up to, no one in my family has ever pursued a higher education, that’s why I feel a responsibility to go to college and be an motivation to my siblings. I want them to feel motivated and to not let money or anything stop them from pursuing a higher education. I want to be the first to break out of this dreadful never ending cycle is by pursuing higher education. Becoming a motivation to my siblings is important to me, I know paying for college will be a struggle that’s why I am applying to as many scholarships as I can, and sometimes it’s does get discouraging but I know it will be worth it. I want to go to college and study Interior Design because I believe that there is a future in art. I have seen many people give up their talent and passion because people have told them that there is no future in art and unfortunately they didn't have the funds to prove them wrong. I want to prove to people that there is a future in art and in doing what you love. I have always been a creative person, so I always knew that I wanted to do something with art. It wasn't until some years ago that I discovered that I like houses, I like the different aspects that make a house unique. Not only that I also discovered that I enjoy graphic design as well, I combined my love for soccer and design and started designing posters of moments in soccer history that impacted me. I want to continue doing this and incorporate art into my future. I want to major in Interior Design and minor in Graphic Design proving to people that there is indeed a future in art. Once I have proved the people who didn’t believe that there is a future in art, I will like to give back to my community. In the long run I would like to make a scholarship for future students who are interested in pursuing art. I would like to make a difference in my community by being an inspiration to students who know what it’s like being doubted for choosing something you're passionate about. I don’t want the same mistake to be committed again, I don’t want students to give up their passion for art just because they don’t have the funds for it.

As a first-generation student who is also a twin, much is expected from me, not just from my parents but also from my siblings, classmates and teachers. The way I overcome adversity in my life is by changing my mindset, the biggest adversity I've been facing is trying to find funds to go to college. My desire is to become the first generation to go to college and set an example for my siblings and those around me. I know my parents expect much from me, because my older brother didn’t go to college. There is this cycle I’ve noticed within minority families, most of us grew up with parents who didn’t get to finish school. At least in my situation, my father didn’t finish middle school and my mother didn't finish high school. My oldest brother stopped caring for his education due to addiction and didn’t go to college. I have friends who are trapped in this cycle and were not able to break it for their siblings due to the constant financial need. This has changed my mindset a lot, sometimes it does get discouraging not having someone to look up to, no one in my family has ever pursued a higher education, that’s why I feel a responsibility to go to college and be an motivation to my siblings. I want them to feel motivated and to not let money or anything stop them from pursuing a higher education. I want to be the first to break out of this dreadful never ending cycle is by pursuing higher education. Becoming a motivation to my siblings is important to me, I know paying for college will be a struggle that’s why I am applying to as many scholarships as I can, and sometimes it’s does get discouraging but I know it will be worth it. I want to go to college and study Interior Design because I believe that there is a future in art. I have seen many people give up their talent and passion because people have told them that there is no future in art and unfortunately they didn't have the funds to prove them wrong. I want to prove to people that there is a future in art and in doing what you love. I have always been a creative person, so I always knew that I wanted to do something with art. It wasn't until some years ago that I discovered that I like houses, I like the different aspects that make a house unique. Not only that I also discovered that I enjoy graphic design as well, I combined my love for soccer and design and started designing posters of moments in soccer history that impacted me. I want to continue doing this and incorporate art into my future. I want to major in Interior Design and minor in Graphic Design proving to people that there is indeed a future in art. Once I have proved the people who didn’t believe that there is a future in art, I will like to give back to my community. In the long run I would like to make a scholarship for future students who are interested in pursuing art. I would like to make a difference in my community by being an inspiration to students who know what it’s like being doubted for choosing something you're passionate about. I don’t want the same mistake to be committed again, I don’t want students to give up their passion for art just because they don’t have the funds for it.

As a first-generation student who is also a twin, much is expected from me, not just from my parents but also from my siblings, classmates and teachers. I want to become the first generation to go to college and set an example for those around me. I know my parents expect much from me, because my older brother didn’t go to college. There is this cycle I’ve noticed within minority families, most of us grew up with parents who didn’t get to finish school. At least in my situation, my father didn’t finish middle school and my mother didn't finish high school. My oldest brother stopped caring for his education due to addiction and didn’t go to college. I have friends who are trapped in this cycle and were not able to break it for their siblings due to the constant financial need. And sometimes it does get discouraging not having someone to look up to, no one in my family has pursued a higher education, that’s why I feel a responsibility to go to college and be an inspiration to my siblings. I feel like the only way to break out of this never ending cycle is by pursuing higher education. It’s important to become educated and be an example to those around you, to your family, friends, classmates, etc. I know paying for college will be a struggle that’s why I am applying to as many scholarships as I can, and sometimes it’s discouraging but I know it will be worth it. And I know that by doing so my parents will be very proud of me, my ultimate goal is to make them proud, to do what they never could. I want to go to college and study Interior Design because I believe that there is a future in art. I have seen many people give up their talent and passion because people have told them that there is no future in art and unfortunately they didn't have the funds to prove them wrong. I want to prove to people that there is a future in art and in doing what you love. This scholarship will help me prove that there is a future in visual arts, interior design, fine arts, photography, etc. I have always been a creative person, so I always knew that I wanted to do something with art. It wasn't until some years ago that I discovered that I like houses. I like the different aspects that make a house unique and I just knew I wanted to study Interior Design. Not only that I also discovered that I enjoy graphic design as well, I combined my love for soccer and design and started designing posters of moments in soccer history that impacted me. I want to continue doing this and incorporate art into my future. I want to major in Interior Design and minor in Graphic Design proving to people that there is indeed a future in art. Once I have proved the people who didn’t believe that there is a future in art, I will like to give back to my community. In the long run I would like to make a scholarship for future students who are interested in pursuing art. I would like to make a difference in my community by being an inspiration to students who know what it’s like being doubted for choosing something you're passionate about. I don’t want the same mistake to be committed again, I don’t want students to give up their passion for art just because they don’t have the funds for it.

My passion for art grew from houses and soccer. It all started with Realtor.com, a website where you can buy or sell homes. At the age of 15, I was looking for houses to buy with little to no money to my name. But when looking for a houses to buy, I was very specific with the one I wanted. If you are not familiar with the term “cookie cutter homes” it's houses that are built to look the same. And when looking for houses I hated the cookie-cutter ones, I just hate the idea of everyone in your neighborhood having the same structure of home as you. To me, it seems like you are living in a simulation. I couldn't bare with the idea of people having the same house as one, from that day I knew that I wanted to create unique spaces that create memories. But the design of houses wasn't the only thing that grew my passion for art, graphic design opened my eyes to a new way of seeing art. During my sophomore year of high school, I was introduced to Photoshop by my former art teacher. She taught us the basics of Photoshop and later asked us to play around with it and change different aspects of a picture. I thought that idea was so boring, so I took it to another level, and I decided to create a design of one of my all-time favorite soccer players, Héctor Bellerín. I had no idea what I was doing so I followed a YouTube tutorial, and even with that the design was difficult to do. I was shocked to see that through many rewinds, sweat and tears, the final product looked really good. Although I didn’t get a good grade for that because I didn’t follow instructions, it didn’t bother me because I discovered my love for graphic design. It wasn't until the summer of 2023 that I decided to combine my love for soccer and design. My love for soccer grew from La Liga MX (Mexican soccer league), I saw how passionate people were for soccer and that inspired me. I believe that their is a lot of art in soccer, their is art in the goals, the jerseys, the stadiums, etc. And I wanted people to see the art of soccer, the way I saw it so I started creating designs. All designs I make are of moments that have impacted me, teaching me lessons to keep on going, to not be afraid of being you and others just highlight the art of soccer. I want people to see the art of things, such as houses, soccer, nature, etc. I believe that their art in everything, when people think of art they wouldn't think of houses or soccer but I want to depict art through these things. Through design I want to combine all the passion I have for the things I love, keep the world creative, and prove to family, friends, and teachers that there is a future in art. Portfolio: https://www.behance.net/gallery/184477313/2023-Portafolio

As a first-generation student who is also a twin, much is expected from me, not just from my parents but also from my siblings, classmates and teachers. I want to become the first generation to go to college and set an example for those around me. I know my parents expect much from me, because my older brother didn’t go to college. There is this cycle I’ve noticed within minority families, most of us grew up with parents who didn’t get to finish school. At least in my situation, my father didn’t finish middle school and my mother didn't finish high school. My oldest brother stopped caring for his education due to addiction and didn’t go to college. I have friends who are trapped in this cycle and were not able to break it for their siblings due to the constant financial need. And sometimes it does get discouraging not having someone to look up to, no one in my family has pursued a higher education, that’s why I feel a responsibility to go to college and be an inspiration to my siblings. I feel like the only way to break out of this never ending cycle is by pursuing higher education. It’s important to become educated and be an example to those around you, to your family, friends, classmates, etc. I know paying for college will be a struggle that’s why I am applying to as many scholarships as I can, and sometimes it’s discouraging but I know it will be worth it. And I know that by doing so my parents will be very proud of me, my ultimate goal is to make them proud, to do what they never could. I want to go to college and study Interior Design because I believe that there is a future in art. I have seen many people give up their talent and passion because people have told them that there is no future in art and unfortunately they didn't have the funds to prove them wrong. I want to prove to people that there is a future in art and in doing what you love. This scholarship will help me prove that there is a future in visual arts, interior design, fine arts, photography, etc. I have always been a creative person, so I always knew that I wanted to do something with art. It wasn't until some years ago that I discovered that I like houses. I like the different aspects that make a house unique and I just knew I wanted to study Interior Design. Not only that I also discovered that I enjoy graphic design as well, I combined my love for soccer and design and started designing posters of moments in soccer history that impacted me. I want to continue doing this and incorporate art into my future. I want to major in Interior Design and minor in Graphic Design proving to people that there is indeed a future in art. Once I have proved the people who didn’t believe that there is a future in art, I will like to give back to my community. In the long run I would like to make a scholarship for future students who are interested in pursuing art. I would like to make a difference in my community by being an inspiration to students who know what it’s like being doubted for choosing something you're passionate about. I don’t want the same mistake to be committed again, I don’t want students to give up their passion for art just because they don’t have the funds for it.

As a first-generation student who is also a twin, much is expected from me, not just from my parents but also from my siblings, classmates and teachers. I want to become the first generation to go to college and set an example for my siblings and those around me. I know my parents expect much from me, because my older brother didn’t go to college. There is this cycle I’ve noticed within minority families, most of us grew up with parents who didn’t get to finish school. At least in my situation, my father didn’t finish middle school and my mother didn't finish high school. My oldest brother stopped caring for his education due to addiction and didn’t go to college. I have friends who are trapped in this cycle and were not able to break it for their siblings due to the constant financial need. And sometimes it does get discouraging not having someone to look up to, no one in my family has pursued a higher education, that’s why I feel a responsibility to go to college and be an inspiration to my siblings. I feel like the only way to break out of this never ending cycle is by pursuing higher education. It’s important to become educated and be an example to those around you, to your family, friends, classmates, etc. I know paying for college will be a struggle that’s why I am applying to as many scholarships as I can, and sometimes it’s discouraging but I know it will be worth it. And I know that by doing so my parents will be very proud of me, my ultimate goal is to make them proud, to do what they never could. I want to go to college and study Interior Design because I believe that there is a future in art. I have seen many people give up their talent and passion because people have told them that there is no future in art and unfortunately they didn't have the funds to prove them wrong. I want to prove to people that there is a future in art and in doing what you love. This scholarship will help me prove that there is a future in visual arts, interior design, fine arts, photography, etc. I have always been a creative person, so I always knew that I wanted to do something with art. It wasn't until some years ago that I discovered that I really like houses, the unique structures that made a house different from others. Not only that I also discovered that I enjoy graphic design as well, I combined my love for soccer and design and started designing posters of moments in soccer history that impacted me. I want to continue doing this and incorporate art into my future. I want to major in Interior Design and minor in Graphic Design proving to people that there is indeed a future in art. Once I have proved the people who didn’t believe that there is a future in art, I will like to give back to my community. In the long run I would like to make a scholarship for future students who are interested in pursuing art. I would like to make a difference in my community by being an inspiration to students who know what it’s like being doubted for choosing something you're passionate about. I don’t want the same mistake to be committed again, I don’t want students to give up their passion for art just because they don’t have the funds for it.

During my sophomore year of high school, I was introduced to Photoshop by my former art teacher. She showed us the basics of Photoshop and later asked us to play around with it and create something. The assignment she was assigned was one where we had to take a picture of ourselves and change it to make it look different. I thought that idea was so boring, so I took it to another level, and I decided to create a design for one of my all-time favorite soccer players, Héctor Bellerín. I had no idea what I was doing, so I followed a YouTube tutorial, and the final result looked perfect. Although I didn’t get a good grade for that because I didn’t follow instructions, it didn’t bother me because I discovered my love for graphic design. I’ve always considered myself a creative person, those around me would agree. Discovering graphic design opened up a new path for me. I never knew that design was something that you could get paid for. All my life I have heard about careers that never involved art and I knew that that was not what I wanted my future to look like. I always knew that I wanted to do something in the creative field and coming upon design assured me that I'd get to have a creative future. It wasn’t until this summer that I decided to combine my love for soccer and design. I love soccer because I love the art of the sport, the goals, the jerseys, the stadiums, etc. Part of why I'm passionate about art especially the art in soccer is that I like creating a new way to see things, especially for those that don't know about soccer. My first soccer-related design was made back in July 2023. I like designing things that inspire me, and I was inspired by a photo of Monterrey's forward, Vincent Janssen holding the trophy they won. When Vincent Janssen scored, he would celebrate with a bull dance. Fans later used it as a nickname for him. They called him “El Toro de Monterrey”. And although he no longer plays with Rayados, he will always be remembered as “El Toro de Monterrey”. But this was only the beginning, because on July 16, 2023, Mexico won the CONCACAF Gold Cup. As a huge fan of Mexico's national team, during the CONCACAF tournament, I never missed a game, so I was super thrilled that they won. Mexico beat Panama by a single goal, and that goal was scored by none other than Santiago Giménez, the rising Mexican star. Santiago Giménez was able to prove to thousands of fans that he was worthy of being on the team. This became the inspiration for a design I made. Then came the World Cup designs. I made one of the unforgettable free-kick goal that Luis Chávez scored against Saudi Arabia and another design of Kylian Mbappé. I called the Kylian Mbappé design “The King With No Crown” because during the final match against Argentina, Mbappé performed a hat trick, but it still wasn't enough to win the final match. I continue to combine soccer and art and highlight the moments that impact the world of soccer. And whatever creative path I take, I want to combine all the passion I have for the things I love, keep the world creative, and prove to family, friends, and teachers that there is a future in art.

During my sophomore year of high school, I was introduced to Photoshop by my former art teacher. She showed us the basics of Photoshop and later asked us to play around with it and create something. The assignment she was assigned was one where we had to take a picture of ourselves and change it to make it look different. I thought that idea was so boring, so I took it to another level, and I decided to create a design for one of my all-time favorite soccer players, Héctor Bellerín. I had no idea what I was doing, so I followed a YouTube tutorial, and the final result looked perfect. Although I didn’t get a good grade for that because I didn’t follow instructions, it didn’t bother me because I discovered my love for graphic design. I’ve always considered myself a creative person, those around me would agree. Discovering graphic design opened up a new path for me. I never knew that design was something that you could get paid for. All my life I have heard about careers that never involved art and I knew that that was not what I wanted my future to look like. I always knew that I wanted to do something in the creative field and coming upon design assured me that I'd get to have a creative future. It wasn’t until this summer that I decided to combine my love for soccer and design. I love soccer because I love the art of the sport, the goals, the jerseys, the stadiums, etc. I knew that combing art into design would create a new way of seeing things for those who don't know anything about soccer. My first soccer-related design was made back in July 2023. I like designing things that inspire me, and I was inspired by a photo of Monterrey's forward, Vincent Janssen holding the trophy they won. When Vincent Janssen scored, he would celebrate with a bull dance. Fans later used it as a nickname for him. They called him “El Toro de Monterrey”. And although he no longer plays with Rayados, he will always be remembered as “El Toro de Monterrey”. But this was only the beginning, because on July 16, 2023, Mexico won the CONCACAF Gold Cup. As a huge fan of Mexico's national team, during the CONCACAF tournament, I never missed a game, so I was super thrilled that they won. Mexico beat Panama by a single goal, and that goal was scored by none other than Santiago Giménez, the rising Mexican star. Santiago Giménez was able to prove to thousands of fans that he was worthy of being on the team. This became the inspiration for a design I made. Then came the World Cup designs. I made one of the unforgettable free-kick goal that Luis Chávez scored against Saudi Arabia and another design of Kylian Mbappé. I called the Kylian Mbappé design “The King With No Crown” because during the final match against Argentina, Mbappé performed a hat trick, but it still wasn't enough to win the final match. I continue to combine soccer and art and highlight the moments that impact the world of soccer. And whatever creative path I take, I want to combine all the passion I have for the things I love, keep the world creative, and prove to family, friends, and teachers that there is a future in art. Portfolio: https://www.behance.net/gallery/184477313/2023-Portafolio

Someone who has impacted my life is my brother. He’s at a stage in his life where all he cares about is his friends and going out and partying till the morning. There's this movie I love, It’s called Beautiful Boy. This movie is about a father who’s desperate to save his son from addiction. And there's a reason I always recommended it, and I hate to admit it, but it’s what’s happening in my life with my brother. It hurts seeing my brother throwing his life away due to addiction. This experience has influenced my development, I want to become the better version of him, for him, and those around him. I learn from his experiences and help to build myself to become a better person. There have been times where he would cry into my arms, and cry about his life and how he wished my father would love him. But little does he know how much my father would give up so much for him. How much my father loves him. But my father isn’t so good at showing love to us, and this is because his father never showed him love. I don’t blame my father for not being able to do so, he had a rough childhood where affection was not expressed. His father was a very serious man, I never got to meet or know him because he passed away and this has been hard for my father because he had to learn how to forgive him. My father wants to become the better father his dad could never be. Addiction has changed my brother, I am most afraid of him when he is angry because I can no longer recognize him. I want to understand why he does what he does. I want to help him but it seems like everything I say makes him angrier, so it’s hard wanting to help someone who isn't willing to change. My father is trying to do everything he can to help him, to help get the son he once knew back. And it’s very scary having a little brother who looks up to my older brother. Everything my brother Jonathan does he wants to do. The good and the bad. My brother's actions don’t just impact me but everyone else. And I don't want the same mistakes to be committed again. I know my dad's learning from his past mistakes, he's learning how to express his love and him accepting Christ in his life has played a huge role in doing so. I have learned a lot from my brother, I learn from his mistakes and I want to break the cycle to prevent this from ever happening again. Not just me but we're all learning how to take steps for change.

As a first-generation student who is also a twin, much is expected from me, not just from my parents but also from my siblings, classmates and teachers. I want to become the first generation to go to college and set an for those around me. I know my parents expect much from me, because my older brother didn’t go to college. There is this cycle I’ve noticed within minority families, most of us grew up with parents who didn’t get to finish school. At least in my situation, my father didn’t finish middle school and my mother didn't finish high school. My oldest brother stopped caring for his education due to addiction and didn’t go to college. I have friends who are trapped in this cycle and were not able to break it for their siblings due to the constant financial need. And sometimes it does get discouraging not having someone to look up to, no one in my family has pursued a higher education, that’s why I feel a responsibility to go to college and be an inspiration to my siblings. I feel like the only way to break out of this never ending cycle is by pursuing higher education. It’s important to become educated and be an example to those around you, to your family, friends, classmates, etc. I know paying for college will be a struggle that’s why I am applying to as many scholarships as I can, and sometimes it’s discouraging but I know it will be worth it. And I know that by doing so my parents will be very proud of me, my ultimate goal is to make them proud, to do what they never could. I want to go to college and study Interior Design because I believe that there is a future in art. I have seen many people give up their talent and passion because people have told them that there is no future in art and unfortunately they didn't have the funds to prove them wrong. I want to prove to people that there is a future in art and in doing what you love. This scholarship will help me prove that there is a future in visual arts, interior design, fine arts, photography, etc. I have always been a creative person, so I always knew that I wanted to do something with art. It wasn't until some years ago that I discovered that I like houses. I like the different aspects that make a house unique and I just knew I wanted to study Interior Design. Not only that I also discovered that I enjoy graphic design as well, I combined my love for soccer and design and started designing posters of moments in soccer history that impacted me. I want to continue doing this and incorporate art into my future. I want to major in Interior Design and minor in Graphic Design proving to people that there is indeed a future in art. Once I have proved the people who didn’t believe that there is a future in art, I will like to give back to my community. In the long run I would like to make a scholarship for future students who are interested in pursuing art. I would like to make a difference in my community by being an inspiration to students who know what it’s like being doubted for choosing something you're passionate about. I don’t want the same mistake to be committed again, I don’t want students to give up their passion for art just because they don’t have the funds for it.

As a first-generation student who is also a twin, much is expected from me, not just from my parents but also from my siblings, classmates and teachers. I want to become the first generation to go to college and set an example for my siblings. I know my parents expect much from me, because my older brother didn’t go to college. There is this cycle I’ve noticed within minority families, most of us grew up with parents who didn’t get to finish school. At least in my situation, my father didn’t finish middle school and my mother didn't finish high school. My oldest brother stopped caring for his education due to addiction and didn’t go to college. I have friends who are trapped in this cycle and were not able to break it for their siblings due to the constant financial need. And sometimes it does get discouraging not having someone to look up to, no one in my family has pursued a higher education, that’s why I feel a responsibility to go to college and be an inspiration to my siblings. I feel like the only way to break out of this never ending cycle is by pursuing higher education. It’s important to become educated and be an example to those around you, to your family, friends, classmates, etc. I know paying for college will be a struggle that’s why I am applying to as many scholarships as I can, and sometimes it’s discouraging but I know it will be worth it. And I know that by doing so my parents will be very proud of me, my ultimate goal is to make them proud, to do what they never could. I want to go to college and study Interior Design because I believe that there is a future in art. I have seen many people give up their talent and passion because people have told them that there is no future in art and unfortunately they didn't have the funds to prove them wrong. I want to prove to people that there is a future in art and in doing what you love. This scholarship will help me prove that there is a future in visual arts, interior design, fine arts, photography, etc. I have always been a creative person, so I always knew that I wanted to do something with art. It wasn't until some years ago that I discovered that I like houses. I like the different aspects that make a house unique and I just knew I wanted to study Interior Design. Not only that I also discovered that I enjoy graphic design as well, I combined my love for soccer and design and started designing posters of moments in soccer history that impacted me. I want to continue doing this and incorporate art into my future. I want to major in Interior Design and minor in Graphic Design proving to people that there is indeed a future in art. Once I have proved the people who didn’t believe that there is a future in art, I will like to give back to my community. In the long run I would like to make a scholarship for future students who are interested in pursuing art. I would like to make a difference in my community by being an inspiration to students who know what it’s like being doubted for choosing something you're passionate about. I don’t want the same mistake to be committed again, I don’t want students to give up their passion for art just because they don’t have the funds for it.

As a first-generation student who is also a twin, much is expected from me, not just from my parents but also from my siblings, classmates and teachers. I want to become the first generation to go to college and set an example for those around me. I know my parents expect much from me, because my older brother didn’t go to college. There is this cycle I’ve noticed within minority families, most of us grew up with parents who didn’t get to finish school. At least in my situation, my father didn’t finish middle school and my mother didn't finish high school. My oldest brother stopped caring for his education due to addiction and didn’t go to college. I have friends who are trapped in this cycle and were not able to break it for their siblings due to the constant financial need. And sometimes it does get discouraging not having someone to look up to, no one in my family has pursued a higher education, that’s why I feel a responsibility to go to college and be an inspiration to my siblings. I feel like the only way to break out of this never ending cycle is by pursuing higher education. It’s important to become educated and be an example to those around you, to your family, friends, classmates, etc. I know paying for college will be a struggle that’s why I am applying to as many scholarships as I can, and sometimes it’s discouraging but I know it will be worth it. And I know that by doing so my parents will be very proud of me, my ultimate goal is to make them proud, to do what they never could. I want to go to college and study Interior Design because I believe that there is a future in art. I have seen many people give up their talent and passion because people have told them that there is no future in art and unfortunately they didn't have the funds to prove them wrong. I want to prove to people that there is a future in art and in doing what you love. This scholarship will help me prove that there is a future in visual arts, interior design, fine arts, photography, etc. I have always been a creative person, so I always knew that I wanted to do something with art. It wasn't until some years ago that I discovered that I like houses. I like the different aspects that make a house unique and I just knew I wanted to study Interior Design. Not only that I also discovered that I enjoy graphic design as well, I combined my love for soccer and design and started designing posters of moments in soccer history that impacted me. I want to continue doing this and incorporate art into my future. I want to major in Interior Design and minor in Graphic Design proving to people that there is indeed a future in art.Once I have proved the people who didn’t believe that there is a future in art, I will like to give back to my community. In the long run I would like to make a scholarship for future students who are interested in pursuing art. I would like to make a difference in my community by being an inspiration to students who know what it’s like being doubted for choosing something you're passionate about. I don’t want the same mistake to be committed again, I don’t want students to give up their passion for art just because they don’t have the funds for it.

As a first-generation student who is also a twin, much is expected from me, not just from my parents but also from my siblings. I want to become the first generation to go to college and set an example for my siblings and those around me. I know my parents expect much from me, because my older brother didn’t go to college. There is this cycle I’ve noticed within minority families, most of us grew up with parents who didn’t get to finish school. At least in my situation, my father didn’t finish middle school and my mother didn't finish high school. My oldest brother stopped caring for his education due to addiction and didn’t go to college. I have friends who are trapped in this cycle and were not able to break it for their siblings due to the constant financial need. And sometimes it does get discouraging not having someone to look up to, no one in my family has pursued a higher education, that’s why I feel a responsibility to go to college and be an inspiration to my siblings. I feel like the only way to break out of this never ending cycle is by pursuing higher education. It’s important to become educated and be an example to those around you, to your family, friends, classmates, etc. I know paying for college will be a struggle that’s why I am applying to as many scholarships as I can, and sometimes it’s discouraging but I know it will be worth it. And I know that by doing so my parents will be very proud of me, my ultimate goal is to make them proud, to do what they never could. I want to go to college and study Interior Design because I believe that there is a future in art. I have seen many people give up their talent and passion because people have told them that there is no future in art and unfortunately they didn't have the funds to prove them wrong. I want to prove to people that there is a future in art and in doing what you love. This scholarship will help me prove that there is a future in visual arts, interior design, fine arts, photography, etc. I have always been a creative person, so I always knew that I wanted to do something with art. It wasn't until some years ago that I discovered that I like houses. I like the different aspects that make a house unique and I just knew I wanted to study Interior Design. Not only that I also discovered that I enjoy graphic design as well, I combined my love for soccer and design and started designing posters of moments in soccer history that impacted me. I want to continue doing this and incorporate art into my future. I want to major in Interior Design and minor in Graphic Design proving to people that there is indeed a future in art.Once I have proved the people who didn’t believe that there is a future in art, I will like to give back to my community. In the long run I would like to make a scholarship for future students who are interested in pursuing art. I would like to make a difference in my community by being an inspiration to students who know what it’s like being doubted for choosing something you're passionate about. I don’t want the same mistake to be committed again, I don’t want students to give up their passion for art just because they don’t have the funds for it.

As a first-generation student who is also a twin, much is expected from me, not just from my parents but also from my siblings, classmates and teachers. I want to become the first generation to go to college and set an example for my siblings. I know my parents expect much from me, because my older brother didn’t go to college. There is this cycle I’ve noticed within minority families, most of us grew up with parents who didn’t get to finish school. At least in my situation, my father didn’t finish middle school and my mother didn't finish high school. My oldest brother stopped caring for his education due to addiction and didn’t go to college. I have friends who are trapped in this cycle and were not able to break it for their siblings due to the constant financial need. And sometimes it does get discouraging not having someone to look up to, no one in my family has pursued a higher education, that’s why I feel a responsibility to go to college and be an inspiration to my siblings. I feel like the only way to break out of this never ending cycle is by pursuing higher education. It’s important to become educated and be an example to those around you, to your family, friends, classmates, etc. I know paying for college will be a struggle that’s why I am applying to as many scholarships as I can, and sometimes it’s discouraging but I know it will be worth it. And I know that by doing so my parents will be very proud of me, my ultimate goal is to make them proud, to do what they never could. I want to go to college and study Interior Design because I believe that there is a future in art. I have seen many people give up their talent and passion because people have told them that there is no future in art and unfortunately they didn't have the funds to prove them wrong. I want to prove to people that there is a future in art and in doing what you love. This scholarship will help me prove that there is a future in visual arts, interior design, fine arts, photography, etc. I have always been a creative person, so I always knew that I wanted to do something with art. It wasn't until some years ago that I discovered that I like houses. I like the different aspects that make a house unique and I just knew I wanted to study Interior Design. Not only that I also discovered that I enjoy graphic design as well, I combined my love for soccer and design and started designing posters of moments in soccer history that impacted me. I want to continue doing this and incorporate art into my future. I want to major in Interior Design and minor in Graphic Design proving to people that there is indeed a future in art.Once I have proved the people who didn’t believe that there is a future in art, I will like to give back to my community. In the long run I would like to make a scholarship for future students who are interested in pursuing art. I would like to make a difference in my community by being an inspiration to students who know what it’s like being doubted for choosing something you're passionate about. I don’t want the same mistake to be committed again, I don’t want students to give up their passion for art just because they don’t have the funds for it.

As a first-generation student who is also a twin, much is expected from me, not just from my parents but also from my siblings, classmates and teachers. I want to become the first generation to go to college and set an example for my siblings. I know my parents expect much from me, because my older brother didn’t go to college. There is this cycle I’ve noticed within minority families, most of us grew up with parents who didn’t get to finish school. At least in my situation, my father didn’t finish middle school and my mother didn't finish high school. I have friends who are trapped in this cycle and were not able to break it for their siblings due to the constant financial need. And sometimes it does get discouraging not having someone to look up to, no one in my family has pursued a higher education, that’s why I feel a responsibility to go to college and be an inspiration to my siblings. I feel like the only way to break out of this never ending cycle is by pursuing higher education. It’s important to become educated and be an example to those around you, to your family, friends, classmates, etc. I know paying for college will be a struggle that’s why I am applying to as many scholarships as I can, and sometimes it’s discouraging but I know it will be worth it. I want to be able to do what my parents never could. I want to go to college and study Interior Design because I believe that there is a future in art. I have seen many people give up their talent and passion because people have told them that there is no future in art and unfortunately they didn't have the funds to prove them wrong. I want to prove to people that there is a future in art and in doing what you love .I have always been a creative person, so I always knew that I wanted to do something with art. It wasn't until some years ago that I discovered that I like houses. I like the different aspects that make a house unique. Not only that I also discovered that I enjoy graphic design as well, I combined my love for soccer and design and started designing posters of moments in soccer history that impacted me. I want to continue doing this and incorporate art into my future. I want to major in Interior Design and minor in Graphic Design proving to people that there is indeed a future in art. Once I have proved the people who didn’t believe that there is a future in art, I will like to give back to my community. In the long run I would like to make a scholarship for future students who are interested in pursuing art. I would like to make a difference in my community by being an inspiration to students who know what it’s like being doubted for choosing something you're passionate about. I don’t want the same mistake to be committed again, I don’t want students to give up their passion for art just because they don’t have the funds for it.

As a first-generation student who is also a twin, much is expected from me, not just from my parents but also from my siblings, classmates and teachers. I want to become the first generation to go to college and set an example for my siblings. I know my parents expect much from me, because my older brother didn’t go to college. There is this cycle I’ve noticed within minority families, most of us grew up with parents who didn’t get to finish school. At least in my situation, my father didn’t finish middle school and my mother didn't finish high school. My oldest brother stopped caring for his education due to addiction and didn’t go to college. I have friends who are trapped in this cycle and were not able to break it for their siblings due to the constant financial need. And sometimes it does get discouraging not having someone to look up to, no one in my family has pursued a higher education, that’s why I feel a responsibility to go to college and be an inspiration to my siblings. I feel like the only way to break out of this never ending cycle is by pursuing higher education. It’s important to become educated and be an example to those around you, to your family, friends, classmates, etc. I know paying for college will be a struggle that’s why I am applying to as many scholarships as I can, and sometimes it’s discouraging but I know it will be worth it. And I know that by doing so my parents will be very proud of me, my ultimate goal is to make them proud, to do what they never could. I want to go to college and study Interior Design because I believe that there is a future in art. I have seen many people give up their talent and passion because people have told them that there is no future in art and unfortunately they didn't have the funds to prove them wrong. I want to prove to people that there is a future in art and in doing what you love. This scholarship will help me prove that there is a future in visual arts, interior design, fine arts, photography, etc. I have always been a creative person, so I always knew that I wanted to do something with art. It wasn't until some years ago that I discovered that I like houses. I like the different aspects that make a house unique and I just knew I wanted to study Interior Design. Not only that I also discovered that I enjoy graphic design as well, I combined my love for soccer and design and started designing posters of moments in soccer history that impacted me. I want to continue doing this and incorporate art into my future. I want to major in Interior Design and minor in Graphic Design proving to people that there is indeed a future in art. Once I have proved the people who didn’t believe that there is a future in art, I will like to give back to my community. In the long run I would like to make a scholarship for future students who are interested in pursuing art. I would like to make a difference in my community by being an inspiration to students who know what it’s like being doubted for choosing something you're passionate about. I don’t want the same mistake to be committed again, I don’t want students to give up their passion for art just because they don’t have the funds for it.

As a first-generation student who is also a twin, much is expected from me, not just from my parents but also from my siblings, classmates and teachers. I want to become the first generation to go to college and set an example for my siblings. I know my parents expect much from me, because my older brother didn’t go to college. There is this cycle I’ve noticed within minority families, most of us grew up with parents who didn’t get to finish school. At least in my situation, my father didn’t finish middle school and my mother didn't finish high school. My oldest brother stopped caring for his education due to addiction and didn’t go to college. I have friends who are trapped in this cycle and were not able to break it for their siblings due to the constant financial need. And sometimes it does get discouraging not having someone to look up to, no one in my family has pursued a higher education, that’s why I feel a responsibility to go to college and be an inspiration to my siblings. I feel like the only way to break out of this never ending cycle is by pursuing higher education. It’s important to become educated and be an example to those around you, to your family, friends, classmates, etc. I know paying for college will be a struggle that’s why I am applying to as many scholarships as I can, and sometimes it’s discouraging but I know it will be worth it. And I know that by doing so my parents will be very proud of me, my ultimate goal is to make them proud, to do what they never could. I want to go to college and study Interior Design because I believe that there is a future in art. I have seen many people give up their talent and passion because people have told them that there is no future in art and unfortunately they didn't have the funds to prove them wrong. I want to prove to people that there is a future in art and in doing what you love. This scholarship will help me prove that there is a future in visual arts, interior design, fine arts, photography, etc. I have always been a creative person, so I always knew that I wanted to do something with art. It wasn't until some years ago that I discovered that I like houses. I like the different aspects that make a house unique and I just knew I wanted to study Interior Design. Not only that I also discovered that I enjoy graphic design as well, I combined my love for soccer and design and started designing posters of moments in soccer history that impacted me. I want to continue doing this and incorporate art into my future. I want to major in Interior Design and minor in Graphic Design proving to people that there is indeed a future in art. Once I have proved the people who didn’t believe that there is a future in art, I will like to give back to my community. In the long run I would like to make a scholarship for future students who are interested in pursuing art. I would like to make a difference in my community by being an inspiration to students who know what it’s like being doubted for choosing something you're passionate about. I don’t want the same mistake to be committed again, I don’t want students to give up their passion for art just because they don’t have the funds for it.

As a first-generation student who is also a twin, much is expected from me, not just from my parents but also from my siblings, classmates and teachers. I want to become the first generation to go to college and set an example for my siblings. I know my parents expect much from me, because my older brother didn’t go to college. There is this cycle I’ve noticed within minority families, most of us grew up with parents who didn’t get to finish school. At least in my situation, my father didn’t finish middle school and my mother didn't finish high school. My oldest brother stopped caring for his education due to addiction and didn’t go to college. I have friends who are trapped in this cycle and were not able to break it for their siblings due to the constant financial need. And sometimes it does get discouraging not having someone to look up to, no one in my family has pursued a higher education, that’s why I feel a responsibility to go to college and be an inspiration to my siblings. I feel like the only way to break out of this never ending cycle is by pursuing higher education. It’s important to become educated and be an example to those around you, to your family, friends, classmates, etc. I know paying for college will be a struggle that’s why I am applying to as many scholarships as I can, and sometimes it’s discouraging but I know it will be worth it. And I know that by doing so my parents will be very proud of me, my ultimate goal is to make them proud, to do what they never could. I want to go to college and study Interior Design because I believe that there is a future in art. I have seen many people give up their talent and passion because people have told them that there is no future in art and unfortunately they didn't have the funds to prove them wrong. I want to prove to people that there is a future in art and in doing what you love. This scholarship will help me prove that there is a future in visual arts, interior design, fine arts, photography, etc. I have always been a creative person, so I always knew that I wanted to do something with art. It wasn't until some years ago that I discovered that I like houses. I like the different aspects that make a house unique and I just knew I wanted to study Interior Design. Not only that I also discovered that I enjoy graphic design as well, I combined my love for soccer and design and started designing posters of moments in soccer history that impacted me. I want to continue doing this and incorporate art into my future. I want to major in Interior Design and minor in Graphic Design proving to people that there is indeed a future in art. Once I have proved the people who didn’t believe that there is a future in art, I will like to give back to my community. In the long run I would like to make a scholarship for future students who are interested in pursuing art. I would like to make a difference in my community by being an inspiration to students who know what it’s like being doubted for choosing something you're passionate about. I don’t want the same mistake to be committed again, I don’t want students to give up their passion for art just because they don’t have the funds for it.

My name is Kimberly Ruiz, I am a first-generation student who is also a twin, much is expected from me, not just from my parents but also from my siblings, classmates and teachers. I want to become the first generation to go to college and set an example for my siblings and those around me. I know my parents expect much from me, because my older brother didn’t go to college. There is this cycle I’ve noticed within minority families, most of us grew up with parents who didn’t get to finish school. At least in my situation, my father didn’t finish middle school and my mother didn't finish high school. My oldest brother stopped caring for his education due to addiction and didn’t go to college. I have friends who are trapped in this cycle and were not able to break it for their siblings due to the constant financial need. And sometimes it does get discouraging not having someone to look up to, no one in my family has pursued a higher education, that’s why I feel a responsibility to go to college and be an inspiration to my siblings. I feel like the only way to break out of this never ending cycle is by pursuing higher education. It’s important to become educated and be an example to those around you, to your family, friends, classmates, etc. I know paying for college will be a struggle that’s why I am applying to as many scholarships as I can, and sometimes it’s discouraging but I know it will be worth it. And I know that by doing so my parents will be very proud of me, my ultimate goal is to make them proud, to do what they never could. I want to go to college and study Interior Design because I believe that there is a future in art. I have seen many people give up their talent and passion because people have told them that there is no future in art and unfortunately they didn't have the funds to prove them wrong. I want to prove to people that there is a future in art and in doing what you love. This scholarship will help me prove that there is a future in visual arts, interior design, fine arts, photography, etc. I have always been a creative person, so I always knew that I wanted to do something with art. It wasn't until some years ago that I discovered that I like houses. I like the different aspects that make a house unique and I just knew I wanted to study Interior Design. Not only that I also discovered that I enjoy graphic design as well, I combined my love for soccer and design and started designing posters of moments in soccer history that impacted me. I want to continue doing this and incorporate art into my future. I want to major in Interior Design and minor in Graphic Design proving to people that there is indeed a future in art. Once I have proved the people who didn’t believe that there is a future in art, I will like to give back to my community. In the long run I would like to make a scholarship for future students who are interested in pursuing art. I would like to make a difference in my community by being an inspiration to students who know what it’s like being doubted for choosing something you're passionate about. I don’t want the same mistake to be committed again, I don’t want students to give up their passion for art just because they don’t have the funds for it.

As a first-generation student who is also a twin, much is expected from me, not just from my parents but also from my siblings, classmates and teachers. I want to become the first generation to go to college and set for those around me. I know my parents expect much from me, because my older brother didn’t go to college. There is this cycle I’ve noticed within minority families, most of us grew up with parents who didn’t get to finish school. At least in my situation, my father didn’t finish middle school and my mother didn't finish high school. My oldest brother stopped caring for his education due to addiction and didn’t go to college. I have friends who are trapped in this cycle and were not able to break it for their siblings due to the constant financial need. And sometimes it does get discouraging not having someone to look up to, no one in my family has pursued a higher education, that’s why I feel a responsibility to go to college and be an inspiration to my siblings. I feel like the only way to break out of this never ending cycle is by pursuing higher education. It’s important to become educated and be an example to those around you, to your family, friends, classmates, etc. I know paying for college will be a struggle that’s why I am applying to as many scholarships as I can, and sometimes it’s discouraging but I know it will be worth it. And I know that by doing so my parents will be very proud of me, my ultimate goal is to make them proud, to do what they never could. I want to go to college and study Interior Design because I believe that there is a future in art. I have seen many people give up their talent and passion because people have told them that there is no future in art and unfortunately they didn't have the funds to prove them wrong. I want to prove to people that there is a future in art and in doing what you love. This scholarship will help me prove that there is a future in visual arts, interior design, fine arts, photography, etc. I have always been a creative person, so I always knew that I wanted to do something with art. It wasn't until some years ago that I discovered that I like houses. I like the different aspects that make a house unique and I just knew I wanted to study Interior Design. Not only that I also discovered that I enjoy graphic design as well, I combined my love for soccer and design and started designing posters of moments in soccer history that impacted me. I want to continue doing this and incorporate art into my future. I want to major in Interior Design and minor in Graphic Design proving to people that there is indeed a future in art. Once I have proved the people who didn’t believe that there is a future in art, I will like to give back to my community. In the long run I would like to make a scholarship for future students who are interested in pursuing art. I would like to make a difference in my community by being an inspiration to students who know what it’s like being doubted for choosing something you're passionate about. I don’t want the same mistake to be committed again, I don’t want students to give up their passion for art just because they don’t have the funds for it.

As a first-generation student who is also a twin, much is expected from me, not just from my parents but also from my siblings, classmates and teachers. I want to become the first generation to go to college and set an example for those around me. I know my parents expect much from me, because my older brother didn’t go to college. There is this cycle I’ve noticed within minority families, most of us grew up with parents who didn’t get to finish school. At least in my situation, my father didn’t finish middle school and my mother didn't finish high school. My oldest brother stopped caring for his education due to addiction and didn’t go to college. I have friends who are trapped in this cycle and were not able to break it for their siblings due to the constant financial need. And sometimes it does get discouraging not having someone to look up to, no one in my family has pursued a higher education, that’s why I feel a responsibility to go to college and be an inspiration to my siblings. I feel like the only way to break out of this never ending cycle is by pursuing higher education. It’s important to become educated and be an example to those around you, to your family, friends, classmates, etc. I know paying for college will be a struggle that’s why I am applying to as many scholarships as I can, and sometimes it’s discouraging but I know it will be worth it. And I know that by doing so my parents will be very proud of me, my ultimate goal is to make them proud, to do what they never could. I want to go to college and study Interior Design because I believe that there is a future in art. I have seen many people give up their talent and passion because people have told them that there is no future in art and unfortunately they didn't have the funds to prove them wrong. I want to prove to people that there is a future in art and in doing what you love. This scholarship will help me prove that there is a future in visual arts, interior design, fine arts, photography, etc. I have always been a creative person, so I always knew that I wanted to do something with art. It wasn't until some years ago that I discovered that I like houses. I like the different aspects that make a house unique and I just knew I wanted to study Interior Design. Not only that I also discovered that I enjoy graphic design as well, I combined my love for soccer and design and started designing posters of moments in soccer history that impacted me. I want to continue doing this and incorporate art into my future. I want to major in Interior Design and minor in Graphic Design proving to people that there is indeed a future in art. Once I have proved the people who didn’t believe that there is a future in art, I will like to give back to my community. In the long run I would like to make a scholarship for future students who are interested in pursuing art. I would like to make a difference in my community by being an inspiration to students who know what it’s like being doubted for choosing something you're passionate about. I don’t want the same mistake to be committed again, I don’t want students to give up their passion for art just because they don’t have the funds for it.

I've always had a passion for art, It wasn't until my Sophomore year of high school that I knew I wanted to study interior design. I knew I wanted to study Interior design when I was scrolling through a website called Realtor.com, a website where you can buy or sell homes. At the age of 15, I was looking for houses to buy with little to no money to my name. But when looking for a home to buy, I was very specific with the one I wanted. If you are not familiar with the term “cookie cutter homes' ' it's houses built to look the same. And when looking for houses I avoided the cookie-cutter ones, I just hate the idea of everyone in your neighborhood having the same structure of home as you. To me, it seems like you are living in a simulation. From that day I knew that I wanted to study Interior Design, I want to tell stories through unique houses. But Interior Design isn’t the only thing that I want to study. During my second semester sophomore year, I took an art class and in that class I was introduced to Photoshop. The art teacher showed us the basics of Photoshop and later asked us to play around with it and create something. The assignment she assigned was one where we had to take a picture of ourselves and change it to make it look different. I thought that idea was so boring, so I took it to another level, and I decided to create a design of one of my all-time favorite soccer players, Héctor Bellerín. I had no idea what I was doing so I followed a YouTube tutorial, and It was hard but I like to challenge myself and the final result looked really good. Although I didn’t get a good grade for that because I didn’t follow instructions, it didn’t bother me because I discovered my love for graphic design. I have combined my love for soccer and design and started creating posters of moments in soccer history that have impacted me. I’ve always considered myself a creative person, those around me would agree. Discovering graphic design opened up a new path for me. I never knew that design was something that you could get paid for. All my life I heard about careers that never involved art and I knew that, that was not what I wanted my future to look like. Whatever creative path I take I want to combine all the passion I have for the things I love, keep the world creative, and prove to family, friends, and teachers that there is a future in art. Portfolio of the designs: https://www.behance.net/gallery/184477313/2023-Portafolio

Someone who has impacted my life is my brother. He's impacted the way I see things and it's from his mistakes he's commuted that I know what to avoid. Seeing all the things he's done and been through has helped me reach my full potential, I want to become a better person, better than he could've ever be. My brothers in a stage of his life where all he cares about is his friends and going out and partying till the morning. There's this movie I love, It’s called Beautiful Boy. This movie is about a father who’s desperate to save his son from addiction. And there's a reason I always recommended it, and I hate to admit it, but it’s what’s happening in my life with my brother. It hurts seeing my brother throwing his life away due to addiction. There have been times when he would cry into my arms, and cry about his life and how he wished my father would love him. But little does he know how much my father would give up for him. How much my father loves him. But my father isn’t so good at showing love to us, and this is because his father never showed him love. Not being affectionate impacts my siblings and I but I don't blame my father, he's had a rough childhood. A childhood that he's working on healing day by day. I'll never understand why my brother does the things he does, seeks the things he does. I love my brother his addictions not so much because it has affected him so much. Their are times where I don't even recognize my brother anymore, when he's angry is the worse. From his experiences I know what to avoid, I don't desire to seek the things he does. But my little brother looks up to him a lot. Everything my brother Jonathan does he wants to do. The good and the bad. My brother's actions don’t just impact me but everyone else. And I don't want the same mistakes to be committed again. I know my dad's learning from his past experiences, he's learning how to express his love more. I believe that him accepting God in his life has played a huge role in his life. I have learned a lot from my brother, I learn from his mistakes and I want to break the cycle to prevent this from ever happening again.

As a first-generation student who is also a twin, much is expected from me, not just from my parents but also from my siblings, classmates and teachers. I want to become the first generation to go to college and set an example for my siblings and those around me. I know my parents expect much from me, because my older brother didn’t go to college. Their is something that I’ve noticed within minorities, and it is that there is this cycle that can’t seem to be broken. I feel like the only way to break out of that never ending cycle of poverty is by pursuing higher education. It’s important to become educated and be an example to those around you, to your family, friends, classmates, etc. I want to break the cycle and be the first to attend college. I know paying for college will be a struggle that’s why I am applying to as many scholarships as I can, and sometimes it’s discouraging but I know it will be worth it. I believe that there is a future in art. I have seen many people give up their talent and passion because people have told them that there is no future in art. Many of those people didn't have the funds to prove them wrong. I want to prove to people that there is a future in art and in doing what you love. This scholarship will help me prove that there is a future in visual arts, interior design, fine arts, photography, etc. I have always been a creative person, so I always knew that I wanted to do something with art. It wasn't until some years ago that I discovered that I really like houses. I like the different aspects that make a house unique and from there I just knew I wanted to study Interior Design. Not only that I also discovered through a photoshop class that I took in Art, that I enjoy graphic design as well. I combined my love for soccer and design and started creating posters of moments in soccer history that impacted me. I want to continue doing this and incorporate art into my future. I want to major in Interior Design and minor in Graphic Design proving to people that there is indeed a future in art, in doing what you love. Once I have proved the people who didn’t believe that there is a future in art, I will like to give back to my community. In the long run I would like to make a scholarship for future students who are interested in pursuing art. I would like to make a difference in my community by being an inspiration to students who know what it’s like to be doubted for choosing something you're passionate about. I don’t want the same mistake that once happened to be committed again, I don’t want students to give up their passion for art because they didn’t have the funds for it. Portfolio: https://www.behance.net/gallery/184477313/2023-Portafolio

February 3, 2023 I was in music class when I get a message from a classmate telling me to come to the second floor because something had happened to my twin sister. When I get to the class she was in, I get stopped by a teacher telling me to prepare myself for the news I was about to get. All I remember hearing was Rodrigo has passed away before my mind went blank. I went home early that day, the silence of the car ride home haunted me, because I wasn't the only one that was hurting. What made it worse was that the 3rd of February is one of my closest friends birthday, she was throwing a birthday party but I had no intention to celebrate. Losing him impacts my everyday, I didn't use him as an excuse to stop giving up instead I used him as an inspiration to keep on going. We are not guaranteed tomorrow so I strive to live everyday fully. During my Senior retreat, I got a message from a friend telling me that his friend had tried to commit suicide. He didn’t know, but I had lost a friend back in February of that year. Losing a friend was very hard for me, I’ve always heard of people who lost loved ones, never did I think it would happen to me. When I saw the messages he sent I told him that I had recently lost a friend and l expressed to him all the things I wish I had done to help my friend. I told him to keep his friend close and just listen to him because, often, all one needs is to be heard. I was able to counsel a friend who was in the same situation I was in. I didn’t want him to commit the same mistakes I did and regret the things I now regret not doing. I didn't want him to lose a friend like I did because it’s hard to lose someone you care about. This will forever impacted my desire to become better and learn from others experiences.

During my sophomore year of high school, I was introduced to Photoshop by my former art teacher. She showed us the basics of Photoshop and later asked us to play around with it and create something. The assignment she was assigned was one where we had to take a picture of ourselves and change it to make it look different. I thought that idea was so boring, so I took it to another level, and I decided to create a design of one of my all-time favorite soccer players, Héctor Bellerín. I had no idea what I was doing so I followed a YouTube tutorial, and the final result looked really good. Although I didn’t get a good grade for that because I didn’t follow instructions, it didn’t bother me because I discovered my love for graphic design. I’ve always considered myself a creative person, those around me would agree. Discovering graphic design opened up a new path for me. I never knew that design was something that you could get paid for. All my life I heard about careers that never involved art and I knew that, that wasn't what I wanted my future to look like. I always knew that I wanted to do something in the creative field and coming upon design has assured me that I’ll get to have a creative future. It wasn’t until this summer that I decided to combine my love for soccer and design. I love soccer because I love the art of the sport, the goals, the jerseys, the stadiums, etc. My first soccer-related design was made back in July of 2023, I like designing things that inspire me and I was inspired by a photo I saw on Instagram of Vincent Janssen holding the trophy they Rayados won. When Vincent Janssen would score he would celebrate with a bull dance which later was used as a nickname for him, they called him “El Toro de Monterrey”. And although he no longer plays with Rayados he will always be remembered as “El Toro de Monterrey”. Then came July 16, 2023, Mexico just won 2023's CONCACAF Gold Cup. As a huge fan of the Mexico's national team, during the CONCACAF tournament, I never missed a game so I was super thrilled that they won. Mexico beat Panama by a single goal, and that goal was scored by none other than Santiago Giménez, the rising Mexican star. Santiago Giménez was able to prove to thousands of people that he was worthy of being on the team, I was inspired by this so I celebrated by making a poster. Then came the World Cup designs, I made one of the unforgettable free-kick goal that Luis Chávez made against Saudi Arabia and another design of Kylian Mbappe. I called the Kylian Mbappe design “The King With No Crown” because during the final match against Argentina, Mbappe performed a hat trick but it was not enough to win. My most recent soccer design was made in October of 2023, one of my friends had seen my designs and suggested that I make a design of the young star that was shocking the world because during every match he was scoring goals. That young player is Jude Bellingham as he recently signed with Real Madrid leaving everyone shocked with the consistency of goals, fans even started calling him “Beligoal”. Whatever creative path I take I want to combine all the passion I have for the things I love, keep the world creative, and prove to family, friends, and teachers that there is a future in art.

In my sophomore year of high school, I was introduced to Photoshop by my former art teacher. She showed us the basics of Photoshop and later asked us to play around with it and create something. The assignment she was assigned was one where we had to take a picture of ourselves and change it to make it look different. I thought that idea was so boring, so I took it to another level, and I decided to create a design of one of my all-time favorite soccer players, Héctor Bellerín. I had no idea what I was doing so I followed a YouTube tutorial, and the final result looked really good. Although I didn’t get a good grade for that because I didn’t follow instructions, it didn’t bother me because I discovered my love for graphic design. I’ve always considered myself a creative person, those around me would agree. Discovering graphic design opened up a new path for me. I never knew that design was something that you could get paid for. All my life I heard about careers that never involved art and I knew that, that was not what I wanted my future to look like. I always knew that I wanted to do something in the creative field and coming upon design has assured me that I’ll get to have a creative future. It wasn’t until this summer that I decided to combine my love for soccer and design. I love soccer because I love the art of the sport, the goals, the jerseys, the stadiums, etc. My first soccer-related design was made back in July of 2023, I like designing things that inspire me and I was inspired by a photo that my favorite soccer team Rayados made, the photo on Instagram was of Vincent Janssen holding the trophy they won. When Vincent Janssen would score he would celebrate with a bull dance which later was used as a nickname for him, they called him “El Toro de Monterrey”. And although he no longer plays with Rayados he will always be remembered as “El Toro de Monterrey”. But this was only the beginning because on July 16, 2023, Mexico won the CONCACAF Gold Cup. As a huge fan of the Mexicos national team, during the CONCACAF tournament, I never missed a game so I was super thrilled that they won. Mexico beat Panama by a single goal, and that goal was scored by none other than Santiago Giménez, the rising Mexican star. Santiago Giménez was able to prove to thousands of people that he was worthy of being on the team, I was inspired by this so I celebrated by making a poster. Then came the World Cup designs, I made one of the unforgettable free-kick goal that Luis Chávez made against Saudi Arabia and another design of Kylian Mbappe. I called the Kylian Mbappe design “The King With No Crown” because during the final match against Argentina, Mbappe performed a hat trick but it was not enough to win. My most recent soccer design was made in October of 2023, one of my friends had seen my designs and suggested that I make a design of the young star that was shocking the world because during every match he was scoring goals. That young player is Jude Bellingham as he recently signed with Real Madrid leaving everyone shocked with the consistency of goals, fans even started calling him “Beligoal”. And whatever creative path I take I want to combine all the passion I have for the things I love and keep the world creative.