I have experienced many obstacles in my life, that have forced me to demonstrate great determination. One of the earliest challenges I have experienced is being separated from my biological parents at a very young age. I was only two years old when it happened, and I had to give up because both of my parents fell victim to drugs. As a result, I started to have very unhealthy eating habits when I got older. I would eat and eat so much, that where even when I was full, I never stopped. My adoptive mom told me it was a psychological response to the fact that I was separated from my mother at a young age. The worst part about my eating habits is that it would only happen with unhealthy food. It got to the point where I weighed 200 pounds at age 12. My habits also caused me to have a very poor mentality. I was depressed and angry at what I had become. It got to the point where I would avoid mirrors because I was ashamed to look at myself. Deep down I knew I didn't want to fall victim to fatal habits like my biological parents. By age 15 I decided to change my ways and lead a healthier lifestyle with the help of my parents. I stopped eating junk food cold turkey. The first couple of weeks it almost felt like I was going through a withdrawal. It was so hard for me that I would sneak food into the house just so I could be satisfied enough to go to bed at night. Even though my new diet felt like torture, I noticed that I was losing weight and overall I felt better mentally. I made a promise to myself that I would never let myself eat like that again. To this day I still have small episodes where I binge, but I have grown my self-discipline enough to where I can recognize the situation and stop it. This whole experience has grown my perseverance and resilience because It has taught me that it's alright to have bad habits. After all, we are all humans. But it is really how you pick yourself up from those habits that matter. This experience has also influenced me to go into nursing at Prairieview A&M, so I can teach communities how to care for themselves, and how to get out of the grasp of addiction. I feel like it is very important for people to be aware of what they're putting in their bodies because it takes a huge toll on their mental and physical health.

I am the biggest fan of Disney Channel! When I was little I didn't want to watch anything, if it wasn't Disney. My two favorite shows on there were Wizards of Waverly Place and Suite Life on Deck: Zach and Cody. If I were a Disney executive producer, I would make a spin-off between these two shows. The episode would be called "Holey Mackeral!". At the beginning of the episode, Zach and Cody are seen in the Tipton bar, messing with Bailey, as they always do. It would just be another normal day for the boys. Next thing you know Moseby comes running into the bar yelling to everyone that the captain made a mistake and went out of route, so they will now be sailing over the Holey Waters. The Holey Waters is a part of the Atlantic Ocean that mysteriously starts having huge whirlpools at any moment. Moseby orders all the now panicked people to get in their bunks immediately. Zach and Cody don't listen and instead step on the deck to talk about what is going on. That is when they see a ginormous whirlpool in the distance, which is 8 miles long! Eventually, Bailey comes out on the deck and sees the ginormous monster, and screams "What do we do Cody?" That's when Cody gets a brilliant idea. Cody states "I have a couple of friends that can help us, but we need to sneak into the computer lab so I can contact them." They decide to sneak into the computer lab through the air vents, because of all the security guards in the hallways. After what seems like forever they finally make it into the computer lab. And that is when Cody gets on the computer and starts contacting his friends. Bailey asks "And who are these friends that you're contacting exactly, and how are they supposed to help us?" "Their names are Alex and Justin and they are magical wizards" Cody replies. "Magical wizards!?" Bailey and Zach both scream at once. "SHHH! Yes I just contacted them and they said that they know a few spells to help us" Cody exclaims. After about 10 minutes of Zach and Bailey expressing their doubts and concerns to Cody, a colorful flash erupts in the computer lab. Next thing you know Alex and Justin Russo are standing in the middle of the lab. "Ima about to..." Zack says while he hits the floor passing out. Bailey screams in confusion as she sees who appeared. Justin yells "Did someone call for a Wizard!?" "Shut up loser" Alex says while bonking Justin on the head with her wand. With the help of Justin and Alex, they all save the ship and it gets back en route to their destination.

I have had my fair share of having poor mental health. It is so detrimental to human life. Mental health is important because it plays a big role in your physical health and it determines how you perceive the world. In my freshman year of high school, I was online. There was a global pandemic that forced everyone to be in their homes. I was stuck at home for a full year, without talking to anyone but my immediate family. So when I went back to school my sophomore year, I didn't know how to talk to a single person. I was starting the school year clean with absolutely no friends at all. I decided I wanted to try and make some new friends. It didn't work out thanks to the awkwardness I developed during the lockdown. I was so socially awkward that every time I tried to speak to another person, I would bust out laughing in the middle of sentences because I would be so nervous. Every time this would happen I would always get a super weird look from the person. These reactions caused me to hide my personality. I gave up trying to make new friends. I was completely alone. This took a great toll on my mental health. I remember walking through the hallways and seeing everyone laughing and smiling with their friends while I didn't have anybody. I remember sitting alone in the cafeteria while listening to all the voices and the laughter. It got to a point where I would just eat lunch in the bathroom stall. No matter how hard I tried to make friends I just couldn't bring myself to do it. A couple of weeks into the second term, that is when I started experiencing suicidal thoughts. I thought about ending it all every single day. There would be no suffering and pain, I would finally be at peace. I finally opened up to my mom about how I was feeling and she told me that I wasn't alone. That there were plenty of kids experiencing the same things I was. She told me to keep trying to talk to people because with practice I will eventually get better. I took her advice and a couple weeks later I went up to a girl and started talking to her. Ever since then, we have been best friends. One thing I learned from that whole experience is that the reason why I wasn't able to properly speak to people was not because I was socially awkward, but because I was picking the wrong people to talk to. I learned that The way you perceive the world has a huge impact on your mental state. If you perceive the world as a bad place, most likely you will have dark thoughts and vice versa. ever since then, I have made it my goal to educate those around me about the effects of mental health.

My name is Leila Baker, an 18-year-old girl from Pearland TX. By the way my life has gone, I strongly believe that I have a very important purpose on this Earth to help others and make a positive impact in the World. I have 3 siblings, an older brother and sister, and a younger brother. Me and my younger brother were both adopted when I was just two years old. My biological parents fell victim to drugs. My mom was a drug addict and my dad was a drug dealer. When police raided my Dad, they found me in a crib with a bottle, and very close to that bottle, was cocaine. I was put in foster care, away from my younger brother until I was two. When I was adopted I was finally reunited with him. I am so grateful because he is now my best friend. To this day I feel it was a miracle that I am where I am because I could easily be hooked on drugs and have no family, by the way my life was going. I do not blame my parents for their poor decisions, because I understand that when some people are in tough situations, they look for easy ways to cope. That is not an excuse, because it's okay to fall sometimes, but it's how you get up that matters. I feel as though if we have people who truly care about those in need, we can help bring families together and avoid having them torn apart. I want to become a doctor because I have always had a strong passion and drive for helping and caring for those, who cannot care for themselves. By working in the medical field I want to help bring families together in times of need. I feel every person deserves to be with their family and I feel that every person should be in charge of their own destiny. We should not have kids paying the price for their parents' addictions and mess-ups. I also feel like everyone should have an opportunity to break generational curses. I plan to graduate from a good college and get my doctorate, making me the first in my family to graduate and make a living. I want to be an example for people around the World that it is very possible for generational curses can be broken and to create generational wealth in a positive way.

My name is Leila Baker, and I have always had a passion for caring for others. That is why I have decided to pursue a major in nursing. Throughout my life, I have faced numerous challenges that have helped shape me into the strong and confident leader that I am today. One particular experience that stands out to me is my time working as a shift lead at my previous job. This job required me to work long hours, starting early in the morning and ending late at night. When our manager was involved in an accident and had to be hospitalized, I stepped up to take on her responsibilities. I arrived at work before anyone else to ensure that the store was clean and organized. In addition to managing the store, I also took on the task of training new employees and handling inventory. Although it was a challenging situation, I was able to demonstrate my leadership skills by successfully running the store for two months while our manager was recovering. This experience taught me the importance of adaptability, responsibility, and effective communication. It also helped me realize my potential to lead and inspire others in times of need. As I look forward to my future career in nursing, I am excited about the opportunity to care for those who cannot care for themselves. I believe that my past experiences have prepared me to handle the challenges and responsibilities that come with being a nurse. I am committed to providing compassionate and high-quality care to all of my patients, and I am confident that my leadership skills will help me excel in this field. In conclusion, my name is Leila Baker, and I am dedicated to making a positive impact in the lives of others through my work in nursing. I am grateful for the challenges that I have overcome, as they have taught me valuable lessons and shaped me into the leader that I am today. I am excited for the opportunities that lie ahead and look forward to making a difference in the lives of those in need. I am destined to make a positive impact in the field of healthcare and continue the legacy of compassionate and skilled nursing care. As I said embark on this new chapter in my life, my commitment to serving those in need will undoubtedly shine through in my future endeavors as a nurse.