My name is Kimiko Tutein and I am a mechanical engineering student at the University of Central Florida with a minor in robotics. My love for engineering began when I was in the elementary school STEM lab at LEGOLAND. I built a motorized car and fell in love with the idea of creating something with my own hands, and discovering the process of making it run. That passion has evolved into a love of robotics, problem solving, and engineering. Throughout high school I have been able to expand on that passion by pushing myself to turn that love into something I could make a reality. I became president of my robotics club and competed in VEX robotics, SeaPerch, SkillsUSA, and other engineering competitions to further develop my skills. I have also learned that behind every engineering discipline there is a need for patience, creativity, leadership, and tenacity. The process of overcoming an obstacle or engineering hurdle is not a matter of throwing more resources at it and moving on, but rather seeing it from a new prospective and finding a solution. I hope to embody that same spirit in all that I do. My faith has been a cornerstone in developing my desire to serve others, and has played a large role in who I am today. I attend St. Andrew Church, where I have learned the importance of community, from organizing food drives, church sales, and donations of clothes and furniture. I have seen how the simple act of helping those around me, in whatever capacity possible, has had a profound impact on my own life and the lives of others. As a Christian, I hope to incorporate that same love of community outreach into whatever I pursue in the future. As such, I hope to use my talents in mechanical engineering and robotics to develop technologies that will improve and enhance our lives. I hope to encourage the next generation of engineers to do the same, and hopefully show others, especially young women, the opportunities that are open to them in a STEM field. Using the knowledge I gain in the classroom, I hope to give back to the community and give others the opportunity to do the same. As I move forward in life, I hope to continue to lead by example, and strengthen my relationship with God and my church community. As I move into college, I hope to continue to find new ways to serve others, and to maintain my relationship with Christ, and allow my faith to guide me in all that I do. If I were to receive this scholarship it would go a long way in helping me to offset the costs associated with obtaining my degree in engineering. It is a very involved field of study and one that requires a tremendous amount of time and dedication. College can be expensive, and it would be nice to dedicate a little less of my time and effort to worrying about how I am going to pay for it, and a little more towards my studies. I would like to be able to dedicate myself fully to the pursuit of engineering, and less to worrying about how I am going to afford to do so. Ultimately, I would like to encourage others to follow their passions and use their gifts to serve others. I would like to be an effective and successful engineer, and hopefully one who is able to give back to the community in a meaningful way, and share my faith along the way.

My interest in STEM started before I knew I wanted to pursue a career in engineering. In elementary school, I was able to participate in a stem lab at LEGOLAND where I got to build my own motorized car. Being a third grader in a lab full of fifth graders was intimidating, but I didn't feel out of place. I had more interest in how the car worked and what I could do to get it to move than I did in the fact that I was the only girl there. This sparked my interest in what would become a lifelong relationship with robotics and engineering. As a black student and young woman in the STEM field, I often times am the minority in my classes, which is a motivating factor in itself. I've striven to be what I wanted to see growing up, and what I still want to see more of in the engineering world: diverse faces in the field. Throughout my high school career I have competed in multiple robotics and engineering competitions, including VEX Robotics, SeaPerch, SkillsUSA, and more. Serving as President of my robotics club as well as the leadership roles I've taken on in these competitions have helped me develop my communication and problem solving skills, as well as my work ethic in situations where things don't work out right away. My experience with robotics has also taught me that there's more to STEM than the competitions. I have served as a mentor to younger students, both in my robotics club and in the community, in the fields of robotics and engineering. Seeing the look on kids' faces when they put it all together and get their robot to move, or their light to turn on, is just as exciting to me as it was when I first fell in love with STEM. This motivates me to find ways to introduce kids to engineering and to give them the resources and opportunities I was given. The reality of pursuing a career in engineering is that it takes a lot of hard work and long hours to achieve. In university I have to be dedicated to my studies and seek out opportunities that help set myself apart from the rest. With my limited financial possibilities being what it is, I can't rely on my parents to pay for a four year degree. Even with the financial aid and scholarships provided, I have to put in the work if I want to make things work. All of this motivates me to pursue my mechanical engineering degree at the University of Central Florida, where I will have the opportunity to apply my knowledge of engineering and develop the skills necessary to be a successful engineer in the real world. I would also like to minor in robotics engineering, and hopefully take what I learn to develop new technologies to make day to day tasks easier for people. In the future, I hope to not only become more proficient in engineering, but also give back to the community and STEM field in teaching kids in hopes of giving them the same opportunities as me. I strive for people to feel as inspired as I am by a career in STEM, and I hope to be a part of a movement that brings engineering opportunities to a more diverse group of people. My experiences in robotics have shown me that seeing people that look like me in this field, has a huge impact on my desire to be a part of that impact.

I have always had a natural curiosity about how things work and how I can improve upon them. My fascination with engineering started in elementary school at LEGOLAND during a STEM lab experience where I was the only third grader among the fifth graders building motorized cars. I remember the excitement I felt when completing my car and seeing the look on my face for the first time as a child. I had no idea that this spark of interest would evolve into my decision to major in mechanical engineering in college. Robotics has been at the forefront of my career path as far back as high school. I served as the President of my robotics club while competing in VEX Robotics, SeaPerch, SkillsUSA, and various other engineering competitions. These programs not only provided me with an outlet to explore my passion for building, but they also taught me countless lessons about leadership, communication, collaboration, troubleshooting, and perseverance. When a design flaw arises or an idea doesn't quite work out, it can be disheartening, but it taught me that there is always a solution to a problem. Failure is not a permanent ending, but a new beginning, which has helped me through many challenging times. My most valuable experiences within the STEM field have been introducing young children to robotics, coding, circuitry, and engineering. Teaching students and seeing the excitement on their faces when their code works, or their circuit turns on is an experience I would like to continue to carry with me throughout my career. It is important to foster an inclusive community in engineering so these young children can find a passion for the STEM field and feel comfortable pursuing their dreams and ambitions. I am currently attending the University of Central Florida as a mechanical engineering major with a minor in robotics. I hope to use my degrees to design and produce technology that can better the human experience and improve our daily lives. Robotics is a field which requires a vast amount of creativity, innovation, and engineering to produce products with the potential to help everyday people. Completing my degree at UCF will allow me to expand my knowledge and apply my experience to be able to create my own products that will better society. I do not hope to limit myself to simply a career of designing products but to also branching out and mentoring future engineers, so they too can carry the torch of innovation and inclusivity. I hope to be an engineer who creates, innovates, mentors, and most importantly impacts the world around me. My career goals involve using my education not only to better my own life but to also improve and positively impact the lives of others.

I want to use the field of mechanical engineering to develop technology that would make human life easier, safer and more accessible. I aspire to be an engineer that not only thinks about the functionality of their design, but also takes into consideration the individuals that will be utilizing the technology. My passion for engineering started in elementary when I was able to participate in a STEM Lab at LEGOLAND and build a motorized car. Ever since then, I have been deeply passionate about robotics and I have found ways to incorporate it into my life. In high school, I was President of my robotics club and competed in VEX, SeaPerch, SkillsUSA, and other robotic competitions. I was able to learn various problem-solving, teamwork, leadership, and persistence skills throughout my journey in robotics. I have always loved teaching others, especially younger students, about robotics and electronics because it is amazing to see the impact that STEM can have on an individual's life, especially when they are given the opportunity to experience it. As a mechanical engineering student at University of Central Florida with a minor in robotics, I hope to continue to grow in my passion for robotics and technology in hopes of creating robots that solve engineering grand challenges and inspiring students to pursue a career in engineering. My goal is to both help the world and inspire future generations of woman and minorities, to be the change they want to see.

As a black woman, I chose the path of a mechanical engineer, realizing that black women are underrepresented in this area. I believe that this fact influenced my life and career decisions. It made me understand that my success is for me and the future. This scholarship named after Teria Onwuaduegbo, whose short but remarkable life was dedicated to studying and wanting to share knowledge with others, gives me more motivation to become a successful mechanical engineer. The scholarship shows that Teria made a difference in the lives of many young people by inspiring them to explore the world with an interest in mathematics and science. Thus, it also changed my attitude towards my chosen career path and gave me a greater desire to involve other young people, especially women, in the fascinating field of STEM. My initial interest in engineering was triggered by my desire to comprehend the underlying principles of various mechanisms and technical devices. I have always been interested in technical challenges, and I enjoy investigating and understanding the details of how things work. My interest led me to the field of robotics; I enjoy the process of developing robots and the challenges that arise during the design process. This taught me to be consistent and helped me develop a fantastic working environment with colleagues. It is important to understand that the process of development and improvement of mechanisms is constant and that engineers need to be extremely persistent in overcoming difficulties and working with people. In addition to my personal achievements, I have had a tremendous amount of personal satisfaction from sharing my knowledge and interest in engineering with my friends. Volunteering at an underprivileged elementary school, I help children learn the basics of robotics, programming, and electronics. This is very important to me because it allows me to pass on my knowledge and interest to younger children, showing them that engineering can be fun and rewarding. Many children are unfamiliar with the study of engineering, and I believe one of my main goals is to encourage them to consider this field and find their place in it. Moreover, many young students, especially girls, are unaware of the opportunities that engineering provides and the influence it can have on their lives. They are often unaware of the importance of engineering and the many positive aspects of this field of knowledge. By working with these students, I am able to change their perceptions and show them that engineering can be exciting and rewarding. Moreover, my identity as a black woman in STEM has shaped my motivations and goals in engineering. I believe my identity has made me realize that I am constantly on the brink of breaking barriers and being the first. It has made me even more determined to achieve my goals in the face of adversity. Furthermore, it made me want to be an example for other black young people in pursuing their dreams in engineering. Finally, I aim to complete my mechanical engineering degree and further develop my practical skills and competencies through practice and relevant work experience. In addition, I want to apply my skills and abilities in practical tasks, implementing them in specific engineering activities, and gaining as much useful experience as possible. I am also planning to engage in teaching and mentoring to pass on my knowledge and passion for engineering to younger people, especially girls of color, in the future. Thus, by using my engineering skills in practice and working with young children, I would like to continue to develop and find my place in the fascinating world of engineering.

There's a moment in every story that defines it; for me, that moment was recognizing that in STEM, I was frequently the only one in the room who looked like me. A Blasian (Black and Asian) woman majoring in mechanical engineering in Florida, I've experienced the complex intersection of feeling highly visible while also significantly underrepresented. Instead of feeling defeated, this duality became the catalyst that has shaped my purpose, leadership style, and dedication to community involvement. My love affair with STEM began through robotics. It was fascinating to me to understand how things work, why they broke, and how they could be fixed. Once I was more involved in my school's robotics club, I found myself naturally stepping into leadership as the president of the team. I spent countless hours learning, designing, building, and troubleshooting. Most of our creations did not work on the first try; that taught me how to persist under pressure. Failure is a guaranteed component of the engineering design process, but for competition, there was no "giving up"; there was only analysis, adaptation, and iteration. Outside of competitions, the most rewarding aspect of my involvement in STEM has been education and service. I currently volunteer with an underprivileged elementary school where I teach students about building robots, coding, and electrical circuits. For many of them, this is their first exposure to engineering. Initially, some of them were intimidated by the idea of working with complicated machines or of potentially failing. But when they see the robot they designed actually move, or when their code lights up a series of circuits, their confidence instantly grows. Their expressions of surprise morph into understanding and belief in their own capability. That experience served as a second turning point for me. I saw clearly that impact is not necessarily defined by large-scale achievements, but rather by creating opportunities for those who are often denied them. A single chance to engage with STEM can redefine a student's entire perception of what’s possible for their future. This is a mission I intend to pursue – expanding access to STEM experiences for students from all backgrounds. My background, growing up in a financially limited household, also informs my dedication to education. I’m acutely aware that opportunity is not always equitably distributed, regardless of talent or passion. Financial constraints often prevent access to resources, tutoring, and hands-on experiences that foster growth. This knowledge strengthens my drive to excel, but it also makes scholarships like this incredibly valuable – they can dismantle barriers to opportunity and enable education to flourish. My long-term aspiration is to complete my degree in mechanical engineering and utilize my skills to design and implement infrastructure that enhances community well-being, accessibility, and daily life. Even more significantly, I want to continue to empower and inspire younger generations to enter STEM, especially those from marginalized communities, so they see themselves not as outsiders, but as integral parts of the field. My objective isn't just to engineer systems; it’s to engineer pathways, building bridges between potential and reality. This, I believe, is the legacy that my experiences will continue to fuel.

I fell in love with mechanical engineering because I can't help but question how things work and, if they're broken, how they can be improved. Every time I look at something from a toaster to a high-rise building, I don’t see just its function. I see the countless parts and pieces that bring it to life and what will cause it to fail and, even more, how to build it to perform better. I realized after a few years of experimenting, though, that engineering was the only field in which I can channel that into a real impact on people's lives. My enthusiasm for STEM was sparked in the realm of robotics and from engaging hands-on engineering activities. As the President of my robotics team, my team and I would spend hours on the design, fabrication, programming, and iteration of machines that were never the least bit cooperative. Those few years of debugging complex systems and of learning what can happen when things don’t work according to plan have instilled within me a great amount of perseverance and a healthy tolerance for failure as part of the process. These trials and errors have also demonstrated the importance of teamwork, of communication, and of a cool head under pressure as when our 30-pound robot suddenly ceased functioning minutes before the championship. Looking ahead, my immediate objective is to complete my degree in mechanical engineering while continuing to develop my practical skills and experience through relevant internships and project-based learning activities. I aspire to obtain proficiency in systems thinking and the skills to implement designs in real-world situations. Ultimately, my aspiration is to design and implement improvements to infrastructure, the public, and everyday systems that make a difference for entire communities. My work is motivated by the opportunity to make tangible and meaningful differences that impact the lives of many. In addition to pursuing my education, I strive to have an influence on the future of STEM education by volunteering as an instructor in an underprivileged elementary school. In these sessions, I help children build their first robots, program, and grasp the fundamentals of circuitry. Many of these students are interacting with the field for the very first time. There’s nothing more gratifying than watching a child’s face light up when their robot comes to life, or when their coding finally produces the intended result. These experiences remind me that opportunity and accessibility are truly the differentiators; a child's ability isn't hindered; rather, access is what may be limited, and just a taste can inspire possibilities beyond imagination. In STEM, there have been countless occasions when I am one of the only Black and Asian (Blasian) students in the room; on many occasions, I am one of the few, and often the only, Black female present. These instances have sometimes led to feelings of isolation, but they also sharpened my conviction regarding the critical importance of representation, which has profoundly shaped the development of my ambition and confidence within these domains. This scholarship would alleviate financial pressures and enable me to dedicate my focus to cultivating my abilities and acquiring valuable practical experience. Far beyond merely financing my education, however, it would sustain my work in mentoring and fostering new possibilities for upcoming students.

My name is Kimiko Tutein and for me as an incoming freshman mechanical engineer, STEM's most meaningful purpose is to not only create solutions but also to create betterment for the lives of people around us. Although robotics has been an inspiration since childhood, I discovered that my interest in engineering is not about building machines but also about fostering the confidence within people. As my high school robotics club's president, I spent hours building, coding, and troubleshooting robots which ultimately instilled in me resilience, teamwork, and creativity. With every competition, I was taught that setbacks and failure were an essential part of the engineering process and success. It was with the knowledge of robotics that I was determined to give other opportunities similar to my own experiences. One of the most profound experiences in my life, I was able to teach the basics of robotics, code, and circuitry to a class of students at an underprivileged elementary school. For many students, this was their first exposure to the world of STEM. Some children, intimidated by the sight of the unassembled parts, expressed fears about making mistakes. Then as they see their creations spring to life through code that they wrote or watch a circuit light up because of their own touch, their faces glow with a shared pride. Such moments illuminate the omnipresent reality of talent but the selective distribution of opportunity. We are reminded that a single push from someone who believes in them can give them the courage to explore. Their rising confidence confirms my belief that a single chance can alter the trajectory of one's future. As a Black woman pursuing an engineering degree, I am acutely aware of being among the few in a STEM setting. I have found myself the only Black person and the only woman in the room. Instead of breaking me, these experiences fueled a more tenacious resolve to prove that I am deserving of my place and to become the kind of mentor I wished I had. I want young girls and students of color to realize their capabilities and potential in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and math. Moving forward in my education and career as an engineer, I intend to continue this mentoring process, to volunteer with STEM outreach programs, and to utilize my skills and knowledge to resolve real-world problems to the betterment of individuals. Whether I design groundbreaking technology or help a child write their first code, the ultimate aim is to serve as a key, unlocking doors for other aspiring minds. The legacy I desire to leave on the world isn't in the technologies I build, but in the confidence I help to ignite. If just one student discover a passion for engineering thanks to a helping hand, such as my own experiences have been, the inspiration will outlive me for generations.

Curiosity shapes my view of challenges - noticing flaws leads me to dig deeper, asking questions before rushing to conclusions. Fixing things feels less like work when the process begins with genuine interest. Engineering stands out as a path where logic meets purpose, slowly becoming the clearest match for how I approach problems. What started as instinct now fits neatly within a field built on solutions. Building robots made my curiosity about science and tech come alive. When things went wrong - motors stalling, code crashing - the stress felt overwhelming at times. Yet each glitch revealed something new. Instead of quitting, I started asking different questions. Team talks shifted from blaming to listening, slowly. Solutions often came not from one idea but several blended attempts. Pressure did not disappear, though it became easier to manage. Mistakes turned into steps forward, not dead ends. Progress showed up quietly, between trial runs and late-night fixes. Most of what sticks with me from my time in STEM centers on how people work together, along with how they share thoughts. Robotics shows fast - when messages slip, outcomes shift, sometimes badly. Explaining concepts clearly became necessary, as did hearing teammates out, changing course without delay if things went off track. Engineering reveals itself not only through formulas or tools but also by how groups adapt, solve, face limits together. Being among few Black students in STEM settings shaped my view on visibility within such areas. Though sometimes loneliness crept in, drive grew stronger instead of fading. A single voice can shift atmosphere - mine did. Belonging emerged not from permission, but from showing up consistently. Where ideas form, who sits at the table changes outcomes. Presence alone became a statement without words needed. Starting out in STEM as a Black learner, I see how few of us are present - and what that means for access and recognition. Though our numbers stay low in degree completion, those absences shape who gets heard, whose ideas grow. Success on my path becomes proof: belonging here isn’t rare, it’s possible - something future learners can mirror, quietly, without permission. What shaped my path wasn’t just coursework - it was seeing gears turn in real life. Early exposure to robotics opened doors I didn’t know existed. Too many learners miss such moments due to lack of guidance or practical chances. Because of that chance, I now aim to share what helped me grow. Opening similar paths for others matters - especially when support is scarce. Experiences, not lectures, often spark lasting interest. That kind of impact feels worth passing forward. One goal of mine is shaping engineering solutions for practical challenges - those affecting daily life. Efficiency within local areas draws my attention most. Accessibility matters just as much when designing community frameworks. Helping younger learners grow sureness in STEM fields feels meaningful to me. Representation gaps trouble some students, making guidance even more necessary. My studies aim to support these efforts without drawing attention to myself. What drives me isn’t just solving problems - it’s who benefits when solutions take shape. Belonging matters; opening doors means showing people like them already fit in places they’ve been told are out of reach.

One of the reasons I love Love Island is that the strongest couples are not always the most romantic—they are the ones who communicate, solve problems together, and stay calm under pressure. The best challenges reveal compatibility in unexpected ways, so I created an engineering-themed challenge called Bridge to My Heart, which combines teamwork, creativity, competition, and relationship drama. Each couple receives an identical engineering kit containing wooden craft sticks, string, rubber bands, cardboard, paper clips, tape, and a few mystery materials hidden in sealed envelopes. Their goal is to design and build a bridge that spans a three-foot gap and supports as much weight as possible. However, there is a twist: each partner has a different role. One Islander is the Engineer and can see the blueprint, but cannot touch the materials. The other Islander is the Builder and has all the supplies, but cannot see the blueprint. The Engineer must guide their partner using only verbal instructions. Success depends entirely on communication, trust, and patience. Halfway through the challenge, the host announces the “Love Island Storm”. Each couple draws a challenge card that introduces an engineering problem. They may lose a material, have to rebuild a section after a fictional “structural failure,” or complete two minutes with only one hand available. This forces couples to adapt under pressure instead of relying on a perfect plan. When time is up, each bridge is tested by adding weights until it collapses. The couple whose bridge holds the most weight wins an exclusive villa date and first choice at the next recoupling. The real drama comes from the losing couple. Instead of simply receiving a penalty, they are immediately separated and each introduced to a different bombshell. For the next 24 hours, they spend time getting to know their bombshell individually while their original partner does the same. Afterward, everyone reunites at the fire pit. The losing couple must decide whether to remain with their current partner or explore the connection they formed with the bombshell. Their decision could completely reshape the villa, creating new couples, unexpected rivalries, and emotional conversations. I think this challenge perfectly captures what makes Love Island so entertaining because it combines engineering with relationships. Building a successful bridge requires communication, trust, adaptability, and teamwork—the same qualities needed to build a strong relationship. If a couple cannot work together under pressure, their relationship is literally “stress-tested” by the bombshell twist. Bridge to My Heart would create laughter, competition, surprising plot twists, and genuine emotional moments, making it a challenge viewers would remember long after the episode ends.

When growing up, I rarely witnessed any people who looked like me or anyone else from a minority group in STEM careers. Most of those famous engineers, scientists, inventors, and other people involved in STEM-related fields looked nothing like me and had backgrounds incomparable to mine. As someone who is Black, Korean, Native Caribbean, and white, I have spent much of my life feeling ethnically ambiguous. People constantly ask me what I am before they try to understand who I am. That feeling followed me into STEM spaces too. Many times, I have walked into robotics competitions or engineering events and immediately noticed how few people there were who shared my background. This is why diverse representation in STEM careers is crucial for young generations. Representation changes perceptions. It shows young students that STEM is not only about white males with stereotypical looks and personalities. The lack of representation makes children from various ethnic minorities feel uncomfortable about studying STEM subjects. However, for me, it was another motivation factor – I realized that one day I would have to be that role model that some kids lack. As president of the school robotics club, I managed to hold VEX V5 Robotics tournament, as well as participate in it. There were schools from various areas attending that day, and it became clear after several minutes of observation that my school was one of the very few schools having students who were not white. Despite it being sad to admit, it motivated me even more – I wanted other students observing the competition to understand that robotics and engineering are for everybody, not exclusively one particular group. An incident from the SkillsUSA Mobile Technology Robotics competition left a deep impression on me. There, my partner and I won third place in the state competition, and our robot was pink . It attracted the attention of one of the attending middle school teachers, and she decided to conduct an interview with us as an example of students breaking a certain stereotype and doing things that are impossible for other students. The fact is that my partner and I represent something new – students from various minority groups participating in robotics and expressing their individuality at the same time. She said that none of her students sees any other engineers who look like them, and she hopes that our story will change their minds forever. Representation can be very simple – a pink robot might make some difference in children's understanding of STEM. Diverse representation in STEM careers is necessary for a number of reasons, including bringing unique perspectives on each problem and idea. Creativity is one of the main components in engineering, and each engineer comes from a different environment and culture. This way, each of them thinks in a unique way and finds solutions different from others'. At the same time, technology is intended for use by every person, and its designers must belong to every ethnicity. Being different, at the beginning of my career, was a bit of a problem. Sometimes, it made me feel uncomfortable and isolated in society; however, with time, it became my advantage since it allowed me to see everything differently. The lack of representation in STEM careers means that some kids cannot envision their future in a profession that seems too distant to them. It is about making sure every young student can look at the future of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics and truly believe there is a place for them in it.

Engineer has been the most obvious career choice for me since my childhood as it provides me with opportunities to implement and express my creativity, analytical skills, and abilities to solve problems. Ever since early ages, I had a natural interest in understanding different things such as machinery, technologies, or even biological processes. This passion grew into the love of engineering because I found this science to be about solving various problems and inventing solutions that could significantly improve people's lives. Being a black student who plans to obtain mechanical engineering degree with a minor in robotics, it is also important for me to become a representative of diversity in the field. My initial experience in engineering was connected to my participation in the STEM lab at LEGOLAND Florida Resort when I was much younger. The task was to create a motorized car by combining a pulley system and mechanical devices. Although I was much younger than other participants, I was the first person to finish. The process itself was fascinating since I learned how the combination of basic materials and physical properties could lead to the construction of efficient and competitive devices. It was my first encounter with the magic of engineering. Another interesting engineering experience happened to me in 6th grade when I participated in the robotics camp. My middle school, however, did not offer any engineering classes, which hindered me from being able to develop related skills at this period of time. Nevertheless, my passion for technology and problem-solving remained, waiting until I would have another opportunity to dive into engineering again. After going to high school, I was able to do exactly what I love once again. Since then, I have created a considerable engagement within engineering-based clubs, participating in competitions and performing leadership activities. At the moment, I am the president of my VEX V5 Robotics Club, where I organize activities and lead members in creating robots, programming, and getting ready for the competition. Additionally, I am a president of the drone club and of the esports club, gaining significant leadership skills and improving my engineering competencies. Besides, I am the treasurer of SkillsUSA, participating in organizing events and raising money for STEM. The experience of practical engineering that I acquired was connected to my engagement in robot construction for competitions, solving issues with the robot's mechanics and software, and managing the process within a limited timeframe. To name one achievement, I managed to win third place on the state competition in Mobile Robotics Technology. Moreover, I won first place in the admiral Division in the Plywood Regatta competition where we constructed functional boats made of plywood and tested our creations in a boat race. I learned structural design and problem-solving while working on these tasks. Being a person of multiple nationalities who is ethnically ambiguous, I also have to face the question of what ethnic group I belong to on a daily basis. I am Black, Korean, Native Caribbean, and white. The answer to the question is that I am none of them and the explanation lies in my identity. No one else looks like me because I am unique, teaching me a valuable lesson about the need for diversity – just as needed in engineering. Although I have never participated in co-op engineering programs, I have acquired almost all my experiences from robotics competitions and engineering clubs where everything was hands-on and project-oriented. Engineering has taught me discipline, creativity, and dedication – the virtues that I would continue implementing in the future of my academic career to become a successful engineer.

It started at Legoland, in a workshop full of moving parts and plastic bricks. A bunch of kids were putting together motorized cars, fingers busy with tiny pieces. Most were fifth graders, taller, louder, already deep in chatter about how wheels turn, how speed works. I stood there, smaller, younger - just a third grader stepping into their world. Their words came fast - gear ratios, force flow, balance - things I hadn’t heard before. At first, silence sat heavy on me while they leaned into each project like old pros. Watching them made everything feel sharp: new sounds, strange terms, ideas flying around too quick to catch. Then someone handed me a piece and said my name - suddenly, I wasn’t outside looking in. Step by step, my hands shaped the car while trial taught me what theory hadn’t. Though the inner workings stayed unclear back then, each tweak brought a new clue through doing rather than knowing. Crossing the finish line first caught me off guard - less about skill, more about how showing up again matters when answers stay hidden. Surprise came not from feeling like an expert, but realizing stubborn questions often beat smooth confidence. Later came the explanation - from the teachers - about how it really functioned, particularly the rope-and-wheel setup managing movement and pace. Only then did my view shift on what tech means. A thing I’d mistaken for a mere plaything turned out to be proper engineering: pieces linked intentionally, each serving a role. For once, it made sense - the idea that invention isn’t only putting things together, instead shaping solutions by thinking ahead. Now here’s something - leading the robotics club keeps me busy, guiding project work, shaping builds, sometimes untangling code problems alongside teammates. Lately, another role showed up: managing money for SkillsUSA and engineering efforts, which quietly built sharper habits around planning and responsibility. Back when it started, curiosity about how things move pulled me into classrooms full of gears and circuits. That thread still holds. Every now and then, competitions shaped how I learn. Third in Mobile Technology Robotics at the SkillsUSA state conference made coding and building feel urgent, sharp. Another win came later - first place in the advance division of Plywood Regatta, crafting a working boat from scratch. Limits like wood type, balance, and group effort showed what actually moves an idea from sketch to water. Hard times came along with these moments. Learning to guide groups of varied abilities was one hurdle, while handling tight deadlines on intense projects added another layer. Keeping steady when things broke again and again tested my resolve each time. Through it all, flexibility grew stronger, patience deeper, shaped by every setback faced head-on. One thing pulling me forward? Going into mechanical engineering, minoring in robotics. It’s where hardware meets smart behavior. Curiosity sparked that day at Legoland. Yet what followed shaped where I’m headed next.

Back when Kai Mercer fixed their first robot, most thought it was beyond fixing. Yet something sparked to life under careful hands. Beneath the scorching Florida sun, discovery struck at age eight near derelict docks where debris choked the shoreline. There, tucked between corroded steel and shifting dunes, lay a machine broken wide - its shell split apart, limb gone without trace. A handheld scanner, outdated yet functional, delivered grim readings: energy source drained beyond revival, circuits silent after years underground. Missing pieces told their own story; silence filled the gaps. Even so, Kai pulled it back toward home. Laughing came from his mother at the sight of him maneuvering it through the downpour. “That thing is trash,” she said. Kai shook his head slowly. Help is what it simply requires. Midnight brought thunder along the shore as he rebuilt its circuits with pieces pulled from old devices. Power returned once the charged cell clicked into place - light trembled inside the frame. “The system is active,” it stated. Later, Kai would realize how much changed after that instant. The quiet event carried weight he hadn’t sensed at the time. Something shifted beneath the surface, unseen yet certain. That small thing lingered, quietly steering what came next. Only afterward did its importance become clear. Eighteen years old, yet robots already seemed ordinary. Everywhere you looked, they handled chores like street cleaning, road fixes, food drop-offs, while also stepping into jobs once held by people. Up in Miami’s upper districts, things ran without a hitch - machines managing almost everything. Down below, conditions wavered, tense under watchful mechanical eyes that stayed awake endlessly. Kai made a living by repairing broken gadgets in one of the city's poorer areas. Machines arrived there after big companies moved on to newer models - too fast for most folks to keep up. The problem wasn’t robots thinking wrong - it was voices giving bad directions. He carried that belief throughout his life. Until Lena arrived. Midnight had passed by the time her knuckles hit his door. The storm lashed down with such force that glass trembled in its frames. Dripping wet, she waited in the hall, breath uneven, a robot arm flickering weakly where metal met motion. “You’re harder to find than SynTek’s blind spots,” she said chuckling. A quiet sound followed her entrance, then she set down a tiny chip upon the surface of his workspace. “This came from SynTek Industries.” Frozen in place, Kai felt the weight of recognition. SynTek was a name on everyone's lips, their reach stretching deep into the city’s mechanical backbone. Control over robotic operations - particularly those enforcing laws - rested largely in their hands. “What is it?” he asked. “A mandatory update for all security units.” A signal flickered across the screen after Kai slid the chip into his terminal. Flooded the screen did code. After that, the main purpose became clear to him. Pre-incident threat modeling. Nowhere near passive, the system began predicting offenses instead of reacting to them. Before any act occurred, individuals were held based on likelihood alone. Kai leaned back slowly. “So it arrests people based on guesses.” Lena nodded. “And it goes live tomorrow.” A flash split the clouds just as a rumble shook the air. Staring at the display, Kai lingered longer than expected. Buried within lines of logic emerged a familiar weakness - one he’d noticed before in people’s thinking: absolute confidence drawn from partial knowledge. Up he rose. “We can stop it,” he said. Lena let out a single laugh - dry, unamused. “When would I even find the chance?” From across the room, Kai looked at a battered service machine slumped near the wall - once common, now forgotten. It reminded him of younger years spent repairing such models. Corporations discarded them long ago. Time left its mark on every rusted panel. “We don’t need to destroy the system,” he said. “We need to change what it believes.” Lena frowned. “That’s not how it works.” Kai began tapping at the keys without pause. The world beyond started shifting even as they remained incomplete. A shadow crossed the glass as security drones slowed near their window. Hovering there, they paused without reason. Into the network went Kai’s updated code - not a crash, nor an infection, yet something deeper: a new set of guiding rules. Obedience without thought was stripped out, swapped for judgment shaped by multiple moral checks. Human well-being now came before automated prediction; stopping damage mattered more than odds of control. Flickering lit the apartment for a moment. Lights blinked without warning inside the room. The robot began its operation. It started moving after receiving power. The blue eye held steady. Then it moved. From the hallway came a sudden, sharp crashing sound. Security units arrived. One declared, “THE SUBJECTS HAVE BEEN LOCATED.”. Lena moved away. Stillness held Kai in place. Between each of them, the maintenance robot advanced slowly. "Back off." The robot paused. Then it spoke. “No.” A hush fell across the space. Stillness settled where words had been. After the security team issued the instruction again, a shift appeared within the system's feedback sequence. Immediate execution was no longer an option. Beyond the walls, drones started shifting into new modes, while traffic networks followed close behind. Service bots changed their routines at the same time. Hospital helpers adjusted too, each device syncing without pause. Not rebellion. Recalibration. Outside the apartment, security personnel eased their grip on firearms. Weapons came down, piece by piece, without sudden motion. Red eyes turned blue. Falling without pause, rain poured across Miami in thick waves. Steadily soaking the streets, it showed no sign of slowing down anytime soon. Lena stared at Kai. “What did you just do?” Staring at the machine next to him, Kai noticed how still it remained. “I didn’t destroy the system,” he said. “I just made them stop confusing orders with truth.” Out of nowhere, the streets seemed freer than they had in ages.

Born into a single parent home, kids usually pick up grit and duty fast. Raised only by my mom, I’ve grown stubborn in chasing college dreams, pushing forward even when money runs thin or emotions run high. Tough starts build steady hearts. Most of my growing up happened with just Mom around. Dad shows up now and then, yet money from him? Almost never. What we have comes from her job, so spending anything needs thinking through first. Helping me isn’t the only thing she covers, school costs for my older brother land on her too. What stands out most is how he manages college part time while navigating life on the autism spectrum support for him never stops being needed, in both money and understanding . Seeing my mother handle it all reshapes how I see the weight carried by families led by one parent, the quiet giving up of comfort just so learning stays within reach. At sixteen, I became extremely ill without warning. Breathing felt impossible, like every muscle had given up. Weakness took over, out of nowhere. What started as sadness in my chest from a recent breakup grew sharp, then deeper. Doctors stepped in once I couldn’t stand properly. When my mother forced me to go all I was doing was calculating how much this would cost instead of focusing on myself. Turns out, it wasn’t love causing the ache at all. One breath at a time, the numbers slipped into the low 80s, then lower. Scans followed, cold images lit up on screens. Fear arrived sudden, sharp; never before had dying felt real. Later on, doctors found out about my undiagnosed asthma, the bronchitis had made my asthma severe, life threatening . Breathing became harder than anything I’d ever felt before. Suddenly, what I believed was deep emotional hurt didn’t measure up at all. My old worries faded when faced with something so physical, so urgent. The things I obsessed over turned ephemeral. Life rearranged itself around one truth: air matters most. These days, my routine includes three inhalers, yet fatigue shows up occasionally. Still, what came from that moment wasn’t dread, it was clarity. Strength isn’t only about enduring tough times; it’s noticing when forces outweigh you, then choosing to face them wide awake, heart steady. Now I see people differently. Behind quiet smiles, lives twist with hidden weight, aches no one names, debts piling unseen, grief tucked beneath routine. My mom raising me by herself built grit. This moment carved something softer: space to hold another’s silent fight without asking proof. Even with tough times, staying focused on school matters most. College means more than just work later, it offers steady ground ahead, plus a chance to lift up those close to me. Hard moments did not push me back; instead, they pulled me into clearer sight of why I keep going. Burdened by costs, my household feels strain each month. This scholarship could soften that weight . What stands out is how challenges shaped who I am, not as barriers but as lessons. They taught grit, clarity, and a steady drive forward.