I'm Laura Valencia, this year I'm a senior at Gateway Legacy Christian Academy. I love sports specially basketball, I’ve been playing since I was a child, and currently I’m playing for my high school JV/Varsity team. I love learn about cultures, because I know the world is really diverse and it is interesting know the different traditions of the people, their food, their style of life, etc. Until October 2021 I’ve been a volunteer for the Hispanic Festival Inc. It’s an organization that shows the Hispanic/Latin culture through events and activities. I would like to share my interest in the music I not only like to listen it I like to play and learn about it, I’m learning how to play guitar and piano and also I’m learning about music theory, because this is really interesting how the music works and the impact that has in a person. I am also passionate about science and technology. I discovered this interest in this area when I was a child because always i have been curious about everything and my mom told me that I always try to assemble things like legos. My whole life I've been involved with science and technology. I have participated in science clubs, article writing, among others. Since 2018 I was developing a research project related to 3d printing which was published on the 2021 as an article in the scientific journal Qhalikay with the name "application of 3d printing in visual and eye health". The project mentioned above was created with help of my teacher of “Tecnoacademia Risaralda”, this is a organization that teach students about science and technology (nanotechnology, biotechnology, chemistry, physics…) through useful projects. I had the opportunity to participate in different courses related to the mentioned areas; this projects not only made me grow intellectually but also as person because through them I have met new people, perspectives, thoughts, etc that made me think different and grew personally. In base of the above, my dream is become a biomedical engineer this is because this career involves things that I'm interested like biology, technology, physics, etc and without being a doctor I can help people with my knowledge. Also, I hope that with the knowledge I will have from my education I will be able to develop a research project, write about it and make it happen in life because in base of what I've done I know there's people less privileged than me and with those kind of projects I will help people giving them a better life quality helping them with their health in any way. I want to make a difference in the world helping others because I think that's one of my life purposes.

Fulfillment for me It is the feeling of having and fulfilling a purpose in life, in this order of ideas I think that helping others is one of the purposes of life. Helping does not necessarily mean giving money to people, giving expensive things, like a house, a car, etc. Helping means to change lives, even with a small act that comes out of our heart can change someone's life it can be done with a hug, an advice and even just with our knowledge we can help others directly or indirectly. I am planning to explore biomedical sciences and biomedical engineering while in college because I think I will complete my life purpose. One of the careers focus on advances in technology and medicine in order to create and develop new devices and equipment for improving and help human health, and the other onecombines the fields of biology and medicine in order to concentrate on the health of animals and humans. These careers will bring me fulfillment because I know that in the future I will use my knowledge to help people in the medical field without being a doctor, even I will be able to help animals and make a difference in the society. Also, I am planning to explore these careers because I love science in general and technology. My entire life I have love animals and I have been a curious person this means that I will love what I'm doing even if it is hard because it will be hard sometimes and the love for my career will encourage me to not give up in the way and finish the career without loss interest. In addition, I think that by working in this field I will be discovering and fulfilling my life purpose and helping others. On the other hand, I would like to explore the business field, specially international relations and diplomacy. This career caught my attention because it is interesting know how the interactions, security, and finances of countries in the global system works. We know that international relations affect our daily life because in this field In this field, a decision can reduce violent conflicts, helps to clean up our environment, can change policies and even some taxes, and help educate and feed the people who do not have enough resources. Knowing all of this I will be more that happy and feel fulfillment studying and working in this field.

I'm passionate about engineering because it is a way in which you can help people no matter what "concentration" you choose, with engineering knowledge you can always improve something or help someone.

Education is important for me because is a way to discover, understand and learn about the world and also myself because through education I can find my skills, know what I like, how I can learn, among others. Also, education is the entrance to creativity, innovation, and changes.

One change that would improve education for future generations is the way the grading system works. At the moment it is evaluated through exams and so students only study for the moment and do not learn for life. So the right way to evaluate students is by practicing in the classroom with the teacher with questions, explanations by themselves, and with more self-study.

I think the biggest problem facing the world right now is the lack of care for the environment. Right now people are not aware of the damage that exists and continue to be done to the environment and this problem has to do with climate change and pollution. I believe that the way to work on this is through projects in schools since education and children can make a great change by doing their bit and at the same time making their parents and relatives aware of the importance of issues such as recycling.