Every weekday morning after my father would leave to go to work, my mother would come into our room, turn on the lights and the television, and wake me up. She’d let me watch whatever I wanted for a while and would later ask me to get ready, so we could walk down to the bus stop. Although it seems like a simple routine, a common occurrence, the concept itself would come to affect my life. Growing up, my mother couldn’t legally drive, she hadn’t gotten her license until I was in high school, so for majority of my life, that’s how it was. Taking the school bus and getting rides from her friends was a normality for me. Whenever I noticed that it wasn’t for other children, I would be envious, although there wasn’t much I could do. In high school, I had finally joined the ‘car riders’, and this time, my mother would be the one giving rides to her friends. I never grasped the importance of my former transportation until I realized that there were linings of community embedded. Every time I was at the bus stop, my mother would be there speaking with her friends, and I would be chatting with mine. Every time I was late, my mother would ask her friends to stall the bus. Every time she was late and couldn’t pick me up, she’d ask her friends too. And she would do the same in return. But, it was also about humility. Acknowledging that, sometimes, it’s okay to rely on others to help you. That community is created through the decision to be vulnerable first. That we are all in the same boat and we can help keep each other afloat. You can’t exactly row a boat by yourself. And facing reality early on was the best thing that could’ve happened to me. Being alone in a college town can make you question a lot and opens doors for you to make different types of decisions. Do I really need to buy those shoes? Maybe I can walk to the café instead of taking an Uber? Should I ask for help with this assignment? So, I thank my mother. For making me see that the world can make you live in difficult circumstances, but not alone, there are people who can understand and help. With this scholarship, I’d use the aid to be able to continue my education and further my career. I aspire to become a female in sports, a person who can build a safe and progressive community in a male-dominated area. A woman majoring in STEM that helps other young girls see that anything is possible, and you can do what you love. A woman minoring in Journalism who wants to share stories about community, humanity, and life.

Juggling was a natural occurrence for me. And, no, I'm not talking about circus juggling, I'm referring to taking on a lot of things. Whether it was being in a lot of programs or having to do multiple assignments with the same deadline, I was never working on one singular thing. It was never how my brain worked, especially as a daughter raised in a Mexican household where everyone was saying something and running around all at the same time. I suppose I could say that chaos and stress were where I was most comfortable. It's most likely the reason I want to have multiple occupations. I've acknowledged that I love mathematics more than any other subject, leading to my decision to think about majoring in Mathematics, General. I'd love nothing more than to be an architect or an accountant. I find math to be a strong suit for me and if I can use that ability to make a difference in my environment, then I'll gladly do so. I can create environmental-friendly buildings alongside specialists or find a way to aid others in understanding their finances, especially those who are not English-speaking or new to America. Growing up, I've seen how my mother helps her friends with their situations and feel inspired to do the same. I've also had an interest in law and politics since I was a first grader. I remember the day I told people I would be the first Female, Mexican president and the day my mother told me she knew I was meant to be a lawyer with how outspoken I was on certain subjects. Although I never found History to be my favorite thing, I was always willing to learn because I've always acknowledged that our past affects our future and that, to make a change, you must learn from mistakes. I've lived among people and seen activists protesting about concerning issues, ones I wish to help solve. Alongside this, I've seen the amount of missing people cases and incomplete ones. I wish to shed light on the issues that matter because if we don't, our core principles change. Lastly, I've wished to be a writer my whole life. Words are powerful things and, if I could use mine to make a change in the world, that would mean everything to me. I've always wanted to write a fictional story or an article on a news channel website. I knew if I never accomplished my goal to be in law and politics, then I could still highlight issues through my writings. Overall, my biggest dream, the thing on the top of my bucket list, has always been to make a change and leave an impact on the world.

Growing up, I always found myself entranced by my mother's stories, being ready to hear one on the way home. She always made sure to tell her children about her day. Every story of hers involved her aiding someone, whether that be her friend or a stranger. My mother grew up in America, but absorbed her Mexican heritage, allowing her to advocate for non-English-speaking, Mexican citizens. I understood what it meant to help others at a young age. I saw the fulfillment it gave her, so I continued to follow in my mother's footsteps in search for that feeling. Even now, I find myself jumping at any volunteer or helping opportunity I have. Not too long ago, around January 27th and January 28th, I had the privilege of working alongside my school's AVID program to volunteer for the Academic Decathlon, which was held in our high school. I was nervous, at first, not knowing if I would accidentally give someone the wrong directions or make a mess in one of the competition rooms. As the day went on, my nerves were eased and I found myself enjoying my time and talking with strangers. I did dislike having to walk up and down our staircases because I ran out of breathe every single time, but I had enough adrenaline to get me through the day. I also liked watching the night sky through the high school windows. Saturday, I had volunteered for two days - Friday and Saturday, had been a very calm day. I was forced to wake up early, but I felt productive and organized once I did. When I got to the school, I looked for the coordinator and waited for the instructions with my cousin and a few student ambassadors. We were told to clean up used testing rooms and separated ourselves into two groups. The room that my team had to work on was being used, so we waited out in the hallway, as we saw that there were only a few people left. As the contestants finished and left the room, we congratulated them and wished them good luck. We also helped give instructions to parents and judges alongside this. Although I wasn't a part of the competition, I liked feeling like I played a part in it. I felt fulfilled at the end of the day, knowing that I had made new friends, been productive, and helped my community. While I aided in this event, the experience also helped me learn to be more social and welcoming.

"Ugh," I let out as I sat on my couch after completing my 2019-2020 online school year. Finally, school was over, but would there really be a difference in my routine? I would be staying home all day anyway. I grabbed the tv remote and turned on my television. Why start to overthink when I could easily distract myself? Mom had just gotten Disney Plus, so this was the perfect time to sit down and relax. Let my mind roam free and be entranced by a director's cinematography. I scrolled as I hit the Marvel section. Just like most people, I had heard of this universe, but I had never looked further into it. And there it was, sitting in front of me. If I had never selected that movie, and never come across that section, my life would've been completely different, I would've definitely gotten more sleep, that's for sure. Most people in the Marvel fandom have their own favorite character. I, like some, could never choose just one. Everyone had different characteristics and storylines, so how could I ever pick? And, although, I couldn't choose one character over the others, I could prefer one movie more. "Iron Man" instantly became my first choice. Tony Stark was the embodiment of success and that was something I admired, but he was also a man with struggles. Struggles similar to mine. His need to prove himself and his habit of hiding behind a facade created our connection. The film's mention of betrayal, trauma, and perseverance helped make it my favorite. Tony being double-crossed by a man that he looked up to was a turn that I had not expected, but it taught me to in real life. There are people who are good, those who are not, and those in between. In order to live peacefully, I have to watch out and expect the worst, even if it sounds a bit contradictory. The traumatic scenario that Tony faced at the beginning of the movie and his ability to persevere past it were astonishing to me. I had gone through something before and when I saw that he could pass something that I viewed as worse, it helped me persevere through my scenario. Just the message of perseverance, in general, was a motivating thing for me. A reason to keep living and seeking for more. A reason to keep fighting any obstacle that would get in my way in the future.

Texas is one of the most populated states in the United States. Texas is a border state that is represented by a bluebonnet and a monarch butterfly. My and our Texas is home to diversity and hope. Being a Texan means that I am full of acceptance and change. I can do anything I wish to do with perseverance. I am an open-minded person that hopes to make a difference in the world and Texas allows doors of opportunities to open for me. I am represented as willing and lion-hearted by our bluebonnets. I am represented as enlightening and transformational by our monarch butterfly. I am an adaptable and persevering person as represented by Texas. I am a Texan.

1. I deserve this scholarship because I am the only living relative of Abraham Lincoln and it is my birthright to go to college without having to pay so much money and be in debt. My great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great grandfather would appreciate it if I won and look at me so proudly from above. 2. My academic goals are, one, running around with my grade a plus papers around the dorm rooms and, two, kicking a soccer ball with the word "academics" written on it into a goal. What I hope is going to be my main career life is being a hotdog seller in a carnival by day and an FBI agent that lacks social skills by night. 3. I overcame one of the biggest obstacles in my life when I was very little. My mother always told me to be careful and I hadn't listened, so when I attempted to jump over one of those ball-shaped sculptures outside of Target, I didn't make it. I did eventually slowly go above it though.