“She is like a sponge, she sucks up a lot of knowledge, and I know she will do great things,” is the statement that my kindergarten teacher told my mom on my last day of elementary school. Little does she know, I have strived to prove that statement correct every day.  Our teachers are responsible for molding the minds of a variety of kids; shaping them to learn, communicate, and feel through their own way. They can be a motivation for many, a shoulder to cry on, and a being to learn from, and yet, it amazes me how easily such a major aspect of growing up, is forgotten so quickly.  When thinking of my childhood years, more specifically, in elementary school, I can recall countless teachers who have left a grand imprint on my life, either that be remembering a fun rhyme that they made and sang one day or remembering how to deal with the difficulty of fractions, solely because of how they taught it. Yet, the biggest impact made is given to my kindergarten teacher, Mrs. Zometa. Her class was indeed my favorite place to be, so much so that I remember crying so heavily on the weekends because I knew I wouldn’t be seeing her until next week. I would eat with her at lunch, help her with any simple task she offered, and listen diligently to whatever she taught. Mrs. Zometa was not just a mere teacher to me, rather, she was my first friend.  I learned a variety of lessons from her that didn’t pertain just to the curriculum: I learned to share, and control my emotions when I felt like crying, I learned how to be kind, to be a leader, and to set an example, and the list continues. However, the most important lesson I learned from her is how to persevere. With her, I was never allowed to simply ‘give up,’ as much as I wanted to when I didn’t understand the complexity of any math word problem. She would push me because in her words, she knew I could do it, and I did. Even now, I still use the same outline when approaching a word problem, moreover, even when I feel like giving up when dealing with calculus, my mind always drifts back to not only her teachings in regulating my feelings, but also in the aspect that I can do difficult things no matter how difficult they may seem. Looking outside of word problems, when I face a demanding situation, I know that, through her lessons, giving up will get me nowhere.  I may not still be in touch with her, but the distance doesn't take away from the impact she has made at shaping the hardworking person that I continue to be today.  Just like a ‘sponge,’ I hold her and her lessons in my memory because I know, that I will do great things all thanks to her.

Marine biology: a job I know currently doesn’t pay well nor does it have the best job market after college. Yet, with this in mind, I can't help but yearn to find my place in such a field. I remember the documentary shown to my third-grade class; it was a piece of work that entailed and introduced me first to the world of climate change, pollution, endangered species, rising sea levels, dying coral reefs, and so much more. I remember the feeling of dread I got when I realized how ill our Earth, specifically, our Earth's oceans are. I wanted to do something, enact a plan, create a law, anything that would ensure our oceans, and the beautiful creatures it holds, will prosper. From then on, that’s all I attempted to do, the best a third grader could. I would passionately participate in my school's activities for ‘Earth Day,’ even when my school did science fairs/projects mine would, without fail, always be concerning saving our oceans. I would yell to my mom to “save the fish,” through my fourth-grade fervor before she threw trash away on the ground. I even influenced my family to start recycling the best they could.  Yet, as time passed and my knowledge of pollution grew, I felt as though I had to come to terms with the fact that what I was doing, didn’t matter. I felt my efforts were useless, not useless because I didn’t care anymore, but useless because the world itself didn’t seem to care. I learned climate change was on the back burner in the political world, I realized that recycling was not as popular as it seemed, and I knew that the Earth was dying faster than could be caught. As I remember the documentary at the time and that specific truck that dumped tremendous amounts of trash on an already overflowing landfill, instead of feeling like motivation fuel as it once did, it felt discouraging. I saw that no matter how many times I tried, the aspects of big corporations, clothing stores, littering, and fossil fuel, always found a way to beat me to it. So, from then on, although I still recycled and tried my best, I ultimately gave up on the dream of fixing our Earth's oceans.  It wasn’t until one day I was in the process of telling my mom my plans of entering into the medical field. She stopped me and prompted me to follow my lost goal of helping the environment, however, at this point, I had already made up my mind: I would enter the medical field but still volunteer in organizations that prioritized that lost goal. That’s when she said, “If you had all the money in the world, what would you be?” I had to think for a moment, but when I did speak, I said, “A marine biologist.” She nodded her head and kept quiet. Then, I knew from her simple question, and how easily it quieted my internal struggle, that the medical field was not what I aspired to be.  Instead, I realized that although I can acknowledge how irreversible such damage to our oceans may seem, coupled with the continuous disregard for this major issue, I still heavily feel drawn to these aspects. I continue to reside in the goal that one day I can make a reliable impact on the progress of saving our oceans through studying marine biology. With this in mind, I changed my college essays in the nick of time to showcase my desire for marine biology, as well as change my major.  This time, the true facts of the decline in our Earth will not discourage me, rather I will hold onto that childlike wonder and inspiration to do something about it.

The unknowing uncertainty of many concepts, along with, the possibility to reverse the damage we’ve done to our bodies and the environment is what science is to me, and that's where my devotion resides.  This passion of mine has always secured a place in my heart, in which I have never not found science fascinating, not just one aspect of it, rather it is the working of science as a whole: I’ve continuously found interest in the science of the body, the earth, the oceans, chemically and physically.  However, if you were to ask me about the field of science that I adore, I’d proudly mention marine biology.  Marine biology is a field I find interesting because it holds the importance of science chemically, physically, and environmentally. It’s a field that dives into the impact of sea level, pollution, sea organisms, and so much more that continues to inspire me to pursue it every day. I intend to take this sitting passion and turn it into something more–  something that will benefit and fulfill me–. I want to be able to take my love for marine biology and further pursue it with the college education that may be granted to me.   I yearn for the chance to take the paths college may give me and enhance my broad knowledge of this field of science through education coupled with any hands-on experiences.  With that being said, I wish for this education to not only fulfill me but rather,  my main goal is that I want my knowledge of this science to be put into the right space to fulfill and benefit the environment around us as well.  If I can have the opportunity to go to a college that has valuable marine biology programs, internships, and education, then in turn, I can have the opportunity to use this passion and make a prominent difference. Whether that be a significant change in the continuous water pollution that follows us today or an impact on the preservation of sea life and their habitats. With this career, I want to ensure that the damage done within the ocean isn’t damage that’s irreversible so that the future generations that live within the ocean have the possibility to strive in a habitat that benefits their being. Furthermore, I also aim to guarantee that our future generations of children will not know the unhealthy oceans we see today, rather, I aspire for them to know an ocean that is beautifully healthy with many different aspects of important sea organisms with their role and function that impact us.  I have many goals and aspirations for my future in marine biology, but to solely fulfill this passion and obtain education for it, wouldn’t be enough. I must indulge in a space where I can influence the steps we need to take to improve the oceanic environment that we know of.

In my dreams, I am not extraordinary. I am not a mermaid swimming in her sea, I am not a billionaire, and I most certainly am not an astronaut.  Yet, that’s not to say I don't dream. Rather, in my dreams I am simple. Someone who’s happy. Someone who’s in the right path of life. Someone who can look at where she is and be proud.  To me, to dream is to pursue. Thus, for me, my dream is to pursue the passion of participating in the field of science. I find the work done by scientists, that being in any field, is immensely important to understanding everything around us from a range of our body and needs to the world we live in and its needs. Not only do I find this line of work important but, it’s also truly fascinating in its own unique way, especially since the field of science isn’t only handled by scientists themselves but, everyone participates in the aspects of science whether they know it or not! More specifically, for as long as I can remember, I had a certain interest in working with marine animals, and their ecosystems, along with providing ways to the public on how they too could help with preserving said ecosystems. Hence, it’s to no surprise that I’ve found myself engrossed in the works of marine biologists, which in turn, drives my ambition to pursue such a career.  My main dream is to be happy with my life and I know I can achieve that by getting involved in the field of marine biology.  Unfortunately, the cost of pursuing such a career leaves me hopeless. It has me fearful of the possible fact that I may never get the opportunity to receive an education that will provide me with the experience and knowledge that I need.  Universities that obtain beneficial programs and majors for marine biology are colleges that cost way more than my family and I could ever afford. The cost of tuition, books, programs, housing, etc, takes a toll, not only on the financial aspect but also takes a prominent toll on the outlook of my future. Knowing that my future knowledge, career availability, and happiness all depend on the money, or lack thereof, that I have now is a miserable fact that I must come to terms with.  I can acknowledge that not everyone’s dreams are guaranteed. I recognize an abundant amount of people are stressing and worrying about how they will get by with their own lack of financial instability as well, however, our dreams can be more than what they are, even if it’s not as extravagant as the next. As for me, if I have somehow obtained the odds to rid myself of such worries and maybe solidify the future I see for myself, I will, which is why I have applied for this scholarship for that very reason. If granted this opportunity, I can further my journey of saving any funds I get to redeem the future and dreams I look upon in hope. I yearn for the chance to be and excel more than what my financial situation has labeled me and my future as, and this scholarship would help me on my way to doing just that. As previously mentioned, my dream is to be happy, to be content with my life choices, the path I took, and the field of marine biology I might reside in.  However, my desire is to ensure my dreams are not just dreams, rather, they should have the possibility of being my reality.

My favorite animal is an octopus. The eight-limbed, slimy, yet smart species of the sea have my heart.  In elementary, my favorite animal was a humpback whale and in middle school, it was a clam. For as long as I can remember it’s always been that way. I’ve continuously found myself engrossed in many different sea animals, their habitats, and ways I could potentially help their ecosystems prosper.  Now, as a rising senior, I continue to fall deeply in love with numerous sea animals and the form of science pertaining to them.  Thus, it’s no surprise that from an early age, I’ve found a passion in marine biology: the science of understanding life in the oceans, ranging from the sea mammals to the bacteria that keep their ecosystems working. It amazed me that I could pursue a life where I could possibly aid sea animals and ecosystems through research and fieldwork, working alongside government programs, giving advice to agencies and the public, and so much more.  When I first discovered the career of a marine biologist, I perceived that its sole purpose was to work with sea mammals, which I had no issue with doing. However, looking more into this science over the years, I can now acknowledge that marine biology is such a vast field with many different aspects.  These aspects include being an environmental planner, microbiologist, environmental consultant, and lastly a marine scientist itself. With many more opportunities in this field, the main one that has caught my eye, besides being a marine scientist, is a marine conservation coordinator. With this career specifically, I can achieve my main goal of pursuing marine biology; to make a possible change in the progress of preserving marine habitats, in turn saving marine animals. With being a marine conservation coordinator I can also inform the public on how they too, can make a difference for the greater good of our oceans. Not only do I want to impact outside the field but, I also want to make a change within my career as well. By pursuing STEAM I only hope that I can inspire any other women with an interest similar to mine, specifically, I yearn to abolish the stigma of STEAM being a male predominant field. I accept that being a woman in STEAM and actively trying to make a difference within, will be a tiresome task but it also will be a rewarding one just as much.  All in all, the concepts of science and STEAM continue to astonish me with every passing second, and I can only hope that I will be able to attend a college that prioritizes my goals as much as I do. In turn, the mere hope I have could potentially lead me on my life’s path of preserving the planet we have today.  Just like the majority, I am well aware of the condition of the Earth, I am also aware that because of that we need scientists in many different fields working to reverse the damage that’s already done. The need for scientists today drives my passion to become someone who could have the possibility and the resources to combat such illnesses we have left the world in.  The little girl who was in love with humpback whales and clams holds high aspirations for my life and the impact I might make. I continue to pursue marine biology for the people, the Earth, and my inner self pushing to make that same little girl proud of what we may become.

I’ve never met my dad. I’ve never got to experience a Daddy and Daughter dance. Passed the chance to understand the bond between a daughter and her father. I’m not even quite sure he ever held me as a baby. Yet, with that being said, I hold no resentment. Growing up, the only parental figure I knew was my mom. My adoring mother was the one who took my brother and me to school every day, made sure we ate, even on days where she couldn’t afford to eat herself, and most importantly, did her best to make sure our childhood was nothing but filled with bliss. Perhaps my feelings, or lack thereof, towards my dad, come from my mom's continuous resiliency she had to put on for us. I’m certain that I’ve never heard my mom whisper a complaint throughout my childhood about the pain of struggling on her own, whether that being financially or mentally. To this day, her courage shines, if not for her, then for us. Even on those days when all she did was cry, I’ve never seen anyone get up the next day and put on her act as tough as my mom did. She got up and worked day by day with her two jobs, sometimes even three, just to ensure we had everything we needed. Despite her never ending labor, she unfortunately has worked many jobs for a salary under minimum wage: to get the privilege of getting a better job was out of the question. Thus, for as long as I can remember, we have been living paycheck to paycheck. Being of this strenuous lifestyle, she's never managed or was fortunate enough, to be able to save for her kids near college career nor make a plan. By the end of the week, after she ensured food was on our plate, along with paying any bills that she could, there was generally nothing to put away and save. Now, as a rising senior, I can admit that my future is looking dim, moreover, I am fearful. I am fearful that solely because my family lacks financially, I will in turn miss pursuing a higher education, miss pursuing my dream career of working in STEM. I am fearful that I am nothing more than that lower-class citizen I’ve continued to be, scraping to get by. I don’t hate my Dad, but I resent the cards my Mother was dealt as a result of fighting through the life of a single parent, and I most certainly hate the financial burden that comes with it. Yet, with her fighting came her undying hope and aspirations she had for her kids. She never put unbelievable expectations on us to fulfill the dreams she missed on, rather she only requested that we didn’t ‘follow in her footsteps’ with the choices she made. I intend to live by that and show her, as well as everyone else, that I am much more than the financial instability we have tolerated. With the opportunity of being granted this scholarship, I can continue to save every penny I get in order to reach my goal of solely making my mom proud by pursuing in my own footsteps. I perceive that with this scholarship I can have the chance to reshaping my dim future, get into a beneficial college, and there I can pursue my dream of working in STEM. If not to reshape my future for me, then I am most certainly doing it for her.