I'm tossing and turning; I can't sleep. Every time I start to make my way to dreamland, vicious coughs rack my body, it hurts. I'm getting anxious now, I have school tomorrow. I need comfort, so I get up and wake my mom. Even though it's the middle of the night, she gets up, makes me some warm tea with plenty of honey, and sits with my six year old self while I drink it. The warmth of the tea soothes both my stinging throat and my anxious mind. But it's not only the warmth of the tea. It's the warmth of my mother's love. Her patient eyes. Her soothing voice as she reads me another bedtime story. It's the warmth of a love like no other; the love of a mother. The love of a nurse. At home, my mom is the backbone of our family. At work, she and her fellow nurses are the backbone of the hospital. A nurse's love radiates far and wide, caring for all who cross her path. This unmatched capacity to care is the reason that I want to be a nurse. My mother was the nurse who showed me a nurse's incredible capacity to care. To fully display her impact, I need to first share her story. She grew up in a farm town in Slovakia. She studied hard to get her nurse's degree so that she could provide for her family. However, she discovered that the career opportunities offered to her in her home country were insufficient, so she immigrated alone to the United States. Despite her degree, hospitals would not hire her as a nurse because she was not yet a citizen. So, she worked as a babysitter and made what little money she could to support herself. She used her impressive nurse's capacity to care and found success as a babysitter until she could officially work as a nurse. She worked very hard, and soon, she would find herself working even harder as she not only had to support herself, but also the baby girl she would bring into this world. Nevertheless, she persisted, and despite all odds, she raised a healthy young me so that I could become the woman I am today. Despite all the troubles she faced, she cared for me. She cared for herself and she cared for the children she babysat. She cared about her future and the future of her baby girl. Because she cared, I have the potential for a bright future following in her footsteps. Because she cared, I have the chance to care too. I want to be a nurse so that I can care for others just like my mother cared for me. I want to radiate my love far and wide, to all patients, without boundaries. And maybe, I can show another little girl a nurse's love so that she, too, may grow up and spread a nurse's love of her own.

There are two holds left. Two more tiny crimps to reach before I successfully complete my first 5.10 outdoor climbing route. My forearms are bulging, my fingertips raw. One, two, three, reach! One move at a time, hand, foot. This hold is tiny and jagged, but I'm so close to victory. One more reach, and done! My whole body seems to take a sigh of relief as both of my hands grip the final handhold. The cheers of my camp mates erupt from the ground as I am lowered back down. I still remember this moment as one of pride at my grit of getting through that route. But I also remember it as a moment of beauty because of the crisp mountain air scented with the smell of evergreen and the sound of a river peacefully flowing by the cliff side. Although the scenery was incredible, it wasn't the only thing making that moment so perfect. It was the companionship I felt with my newfound friends at summer camp. The outdoors have such a special way of bringing people together to share kindness, and this treasure deserves to be protected. To this day, I look back with nostalgia to that week I spent at summer camp. The beautiful scenery, the thrilling activities like rafting and climbing, and most of all, the kindness and support everyone showed each other. Even though I only spent one week up there, it left a permanent mark on me as I've grown. I value the outdoors greatly, and I make an effort to appreciate them while I'm here. Even more importantly, I've come to value kindness. This is a big reason I want to be a nurse. Every day, nurses spread loving kindness to every patient they have. They give their all to each patient without boundaries. They truly and deeply care for others. I want nothing more than to emulate this. To spread kindness everywhere I go, making a difference in the world one patient at a time. Specifically, I want to go into anesthesia nursing so that I may assist in procedures to improve patients' lives so that they can get back to doing what they love, whether that's rock climbing like me, or rafting or playing a sport. Everyone deserves kindness and joy and the ability to experience the brilliance of the outdoors. If I can contribute to sharing this joy, then maybe someone else can experience the same joy I felt when I completed that first 5.10 so many years ago.

A community without people willing to volunteer is a community without kindness. Community service is so important because of the people that it helps. It helps those who do not have the resources to help themselves. It is also integral because it brings out the best in a community. It brings to the surface the loving kindness that exists within all people. Without this loving kindness, a community would lack a mutual joy that all people could share. Thankfully, my community has given me many opportunities to volunteer and I have gotten to share in humanity's happiness. As I volunteered with the Food Bank of the Rockies, I witnessed humanity's capacity to care like never before. I saw the joy that can only be experienced when one is embraced in the wholehearted beneficence of another. As I handed out food bags, the smiles and the thanks I received filled me with such an unmatched joy. This joy, however, didn't fully come from a sense of pride because I did a good thing, instead, it came from the smiles on the recipients' faces. Their joy spread to me and I, too, was grateful for the opportunities given to me throughout my life, but especially the one where I was able to make someone's day even just a little bit brighter by something as seemingly simple as a bag of food. I've also had the privilege of being a blood donor. Even thought I don't get to personally see the impact that my donation had on someone in need, I can rest assured knowing that a part of me is being used for good. The little bit of blood that I gave could save someone's life, and that means the world to me. In my future, I want to continue to share this joy derived from loving kindness through my career. I want to be a nurse so that I can continue to help people who need it. So that I can continue to share joy with those around me, either through the care that I will give or through a reassuring smile. Humanity's capacity to care shines through the brightness of a nurse's smile, and I want to be able to share this brightness with the world, beginning with my future patients, so that they can continue to spread joy, making the world a happier place one person at a time.

I'm tossing and turning; I can't sleep. Every time I start to make my way to dreamland, vicious coughs rack my body, it hurts. I'm getting anxious now, I have school tomorrow. I need comfort, so I get up and wake my mom. Even though it's the middle of the night, she gets up, makes me some warm tea with plenty of honey, and sits with my six year old self while I drink it. The warmth of the tea soothes both my stinging throat and my anxious mind. But it's not only the warmth of the tea. It's the warmth of my mother's love. Her patient eyes. Her soothing voice as she reads me another bedtime story. It's the warmth of a love like no other; the love of a mother. The love of a nurse. At home, my mom is the backbone of our family. At work, she and her fellow nurses are the backbone of the hospital. A nurse's love radiates far and wide, caring for all who cross her path. This unmatched capacity to care is the reason that I want to be a nurse. My mother was the nurse who showed me a nurse's incredible capacity to care. To fully display her impact, I need to first share her story. She grew up in a farm town in Slovakia. She studied hard to get her nurse's degree so that she could provide for her family. However, she discovered that the career opportunities offered to her in her home country were insufficient, so she immigrated alone to the United States. Despite her degree, hospitals would not hire her as a nurse because she was not yet a citizen. So, she worked as a babysitter and made what little money she could to support herself. She used her impressive nurse's capacity to care and found success as a babysitter until she could officially work as a nurse. She worked very hard, and soon, she would find herself working even harder as she not only had to support herself, but also the baby girl she would bring into this world. Nevertheless, she persisted, and despite all odds, she raised a healthy young me so that I could become the woman I am today. Despite all the troubles she faced, she cared for me. She cared for herself and she cared for the children she babysat. She cared about her future and the future of her baby girl. Because she cared, I have the potential for a bright future following in her footsteps. Because she cared, I have the chance to care too. I want to be a nurse so that I can care for others just like my mother cared for me. I want to radiate my love far and wide, to all patients, without boundaries. And maybe, I can show another little girl a nurse's love so that she, too, may grow up and spread a nurse's love of her own.

Throughout my life, whether I've been sick or felt lost, the women in my life have always been there to lend a helping hand. My stepmom is a high school social sciences teacher. She has been such a guiding star and resource for me as I navigate the rough waters of higher education. She has provided me with resources and potential next steps at times when I felt lost, when I couldn't see past the next week as if I were gazing into a murky pond. As a first generation student, the whole college plan has been confusing, to say the least. But I have known for years that I wanted to be a nurse because of the women that showed me what it means to be one: my grandma and my mom. Throughout my childhood and into adulthood, my grandma has never faltered in caring for me. Every time I needed to stay home from school because I was sick, my grandma would cook chicken noodle soup with arguably the world's best drink: Seven-Up mixed with orange juice. Even now that I'm almost an adult, she'll still treat me with the same meal. She comforted me when I was down and made sure that even though my health wasn't the best, my spirits remained high. In addition to caring for me, when her beloved dog, Mittens, grew so sick she wouldn't eat, she syringe fed that dog back to health. To this day, because of my grandma's caring nature, Mittens is able to bark at every single creature that passes by her house with the greatest degree of excitement. My grandma was a wonderfully caring nurse to both me and Mittens, even long after she retired from her hospital duties. My mother's impact on me has been even greater. To fully display her impact, I need to first share her story. After discovering that the career opportunities offered to her in her home country were insufficient, she immigrated alone to the United States, even though she could hardly put a sentence together in English. She had her degree from the nursing school she attended in Slovakia, but it didn't amount to much because she was not a US citizen. So, she worked as a babysitter and made what little money she could to support herself. She used her impressive nurse's capacity to care and found success as a babysitter until she could officially work as a nurse. She worked very hard, and soon, she would find herself working even harder as she not only had to support herself, but also the baby girl she would bring into this world. Nevertheless, she persisted, and despite all odds, she raised a healthy young me so that I could become the woman I am today. Despite all the troubles she faced, she cared for me. She cared for herself and she cared for the children she babysat. She cared about her future and the future of her baby girl. Because she cared, I have the potential for a bright future following in her footsteps. Because she cared, I have the potential to make her proud. Because she cared, I have the chance to care too. Specifically, I want to work as a nurse anesthetist so that I may assist my patients to recovery from chronic nerve illnesses such as pain and multiple sclerosis. Living with chronic pain is a life I could not even imagine, and I would be so honored to play a part in the recovery of all of my patients, without boundaries. I want to care for them just as as the women in my life have cared for me. Just as my mom persevered for me, just as my grandma healed me, and just as my stepmom lent a guiding hand in times of uncertainty. I want to care like a nurse.

Chills rack my body. I'm shivering, I'm nauseous, I can't sleep. I don't know what's happening, I'm scared. I need my mama. Through all of my fear, the image of her shines through the darkness in my mind. Gathering all of the strength my 7 year old body could muster, I sit up, swing my legs over the bed, and open my bedroom door. To my surprise, there she was. Standing in the hallway, on her way to my room. Just when I needed her, there she was, medicine in hand. Twelve years later, nothing has changed. Whenever I need her, she never fails to be there for me. Whether that's bringing me medicine, comforting me through a heartbreak, or just showing up to help me move into college, she's always there. My mother is the nurse who first showed me what it means to be one. To care unconditionally. To be patient, to be kind. To love. She is the reason I want to be a nurse. Now that I'm an adult, I've had the privilege to work alongside her as a nurse assistant. Just as I imagined, her kindness extends to every patient, equally. Just as she takes the time to care for me, she takes the time to listen to every patient, to talk them through the next course of action, and to comfort them the whole way through. I want to be just like her. To be the nurse that soothes worry, the one who banishes fear and replaces it with hope. But for now, all I can do is study and work up to becoming all I could ever dream of. As a student in the University of Northern Colorado's pre-nursing track, I've had the privilege to engage in social circles of all kinds. The one that I spend the most time in is UNC's climbing club. Rock climbing is such a positive sport. The people there make sure all skill levels are welcome. That everyone feels safe to push their limits and step outside of their comfort zone. I'm so grateful to work and play in such a safe space. Outside of studying and climbing, one of my friends and I started UNC's Women in STEM Club. We work together with other women in the fields of science to create a safe space to discuss our challenges of life and study, as well as participate in fun experiments. It has been such a joy to be a founding member of such an inclusive space. In all areas of my life, I value inclusivity and kindness. It means the world to me to provide and share compassion and safety. For now, I will do this through participating in my sport and my club. In my future, I dream to continue to spread kindness to every patient I have, just like my mama does. I hope to be the nurse that inspires others to share the kindness they received, one person at a time. Whether that's helping others move in, comforting them through heartbreaks, or bringing medicine to those who are sick. Being there when others are in need. Being a nurse.

Just like you, I too was the tall kid. Towering over all of the boys until high school definitely made me stand out. So much so that the middle school basketball coach sought me out at lunch to tell me to come to basketball tryouts that night. I tried to refuse, but despite my height, I was quite timid and the coach's firm demeanor prevented me from saying no. So, against all my best wishes, I went. The whole practice I felt like crying. I felt so out of place, I was tripping over my own feet, I had never even watched a basketball game, let alone dribbled a ball! I didn't know the rules, I didn't know how to shoot, and I just felt like I was letting the coaches down. They wanted me to be their giant of a secret weapon, but my lack of ability to play the game was no secret, and it was certainly no weapon. Nevertheless, I played through the season, scored a couple baskets, and after learning the rules, I had some fun. However, I had one problem. My coaches called it "shrinking". Whenever I would go to shoot and someone was trying to block, instead of using my height to shoot over them, I would defensively shrink down and hold the ball close to me as if they were going to snatch it right from my hands. Despite my height, I played like a short kid. At the end of season banquet, this behavior earned me the "shortest tall kid" award, personally designed by my coaches just for me to describe my playing style. So yeah, I wasn't very good at basketball. It wasn't until the summer after eighth grade that I found my sport. Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. In this grappling sport, shrinking down to lower your center of balance and protect your core from destabilizing takedowns is essential to success. I took what was a weakness in basketball to jiu jitsu and found strength. My timidness turned into quiet cunning as I wrestled with people of all ages and sizes. Using my long limbs, I was able to reach around and choke my opponents with ease. I snagged their arms into arm-bars and trapped them in triangle chokes with my long legs. I found strength, confidence, and discipline. What once was a weakness was brought to a different perspective and turned into a strength. I used to feel left out due to my tall yet timid form, but I took that same long body and defensive shrink to a different sport, and found confidence like never before. Just like Charles, basketball was not my thing. But also like him, I found a different sport where success flowed easily. His swimming was my jiu jitsu. What is a weakness somewhere may very well be the key to strength elsewhere. You just have to look.

I'm tossing and turning; I can't sleep. Every time I start to make my way to dreamland, vicious coughs rack my body, it hurts. I'm getting anxious now, I have school tomorrow. I need comfort, so I get up and wake my mom. Even though it's the middle of the night, she gets up, makes me some warm tea with plenty of honey, and sits with my six year old self while I drink it. The warmth of the tea soothes both my stinging throat and my anxious mind. But it's not only the warmth of the tea. It's the warmth of my mother's love. Her patient eyes. Her soothing voice as she reads me another bedtime story. It's the warmth of a love like no other; the love of a mother. The love of a nurse. At home, my mom is the backbone of our family. At work, she and her fellow nurses are the backbone of the hospital. A nurse's love radiates far and wide, caring for all who cross her path. This unmatched capacity to care is the reason that I want to be a nurse. My mother was the nurse who showed me a nurse's incredible capacity to care. To fully display her impact, I need to first share her story. She grew up in a farm town in Slovakia. She studied hard to get her nurse's degree so that she could provide for her family. However, she discovered that the career opportunities offered to her in her home country were insufficient, so she immigrated alone to the United States. Despite her degree, hospitals would not hire her as a nurse because she was not yet a citizen. So, she worked as a babysitter and made what little money she could to support herself. She used her impressive nurse's capacity to care and found success as a babysitter until she could officially work as a nurse. She worked very hard, and soon, she would find herself working even harder as she not only had to support herself, but also the baby girl she would bring into this world. Nevertheless, she persisted, and despite all odds, she raised a healthy young me so that I could become the woman I am today. Despite all the troubles she faced, she cared for me. She cared for herself and she cared for the children she babysat. She cared about her future and the future of her baby girl. Because she cared, I have the potential for a bright future following in her footsteps. Because she cared, I have the chance to care too. I want to be a nurse so that I can care for others just like my mother cared for me. I want to radiate my love far and wide, to all patients, without boundaries. And maybe, I can show another little girl a nurse's love so that she, too, may grow up and spread a nurse's love of her own. So far, I have had the opportunity of working as a Certified Nurse Assistant at a surgery center. This job has given me insight into one of the fields of nursing, and specifically into one that involves my highest goal: becoming a nurse anesthetist. Since working at the surgery center, I've had the pleasure to work with nurses, nurse anesthetists, doctors, and patients alike. I've never been more sure that this is where I belong.

"Education is the key to unlocking the world, a passport to freedom" once said Oprah Winfrey. I could not agree more. Education is such a gift that unlocks limitless possibilities. To me, being a first generation student means being the first to have the privilege of owning the key that unlocks the door to a future brighter than I could imagine. A future where I won't only be able to help myself, but countless others through the career of a nurse anesthetist. Nurses have such an impressive capacity to care, and I want nothing more than to be a part of such a compassionate community. My mother was the nurse who showed me a nurse's incredible capacity to care. To fully display her impact, I need to first share her story. She grew up in a farm town in Slovakia. She studied hard to get her nurse's degree so that she could provide for her family. However, she discovered that the career opportunities offered to her in her home country were insufficient, so she immigrated alone to the United States. Despite her degree, hospitals would not hire her as a nurse because she was not yet a citizen. So, she worked as a babysitter and made what little money she could to support herself. She used her impressive nurse's capacity to care and found success as a babysitter until she could officially work as a nurse. She worked very hard, and soon, she would find herself working even harder as she not only had to support herself, but also the baby girl she would bring into this world. Nevertheless, she persisted, and despite all odds, she raised a healthy young me so that I could become the woman I am today. Despite all the troubles she faced, she cared for me. She cared for herself and she cared for the children she babysat. She cared about her future and the future of her baby girl. Because she cared, I have the potential for a bright future following in her footsteps. Because she cared, I have the chance to care too. I want to be a nurse so that I can care for others just like my mother cared for me. I want to radiate my love far and wide, to all patients, without boundaries. And maybe, I can show another little girl a nurse's love so that she, too, may grow up and spread a nurse's love of her own.

1. "Education is the key to unlocking the world, a passport to freedom" once said Oprah Winfrey. I could not agree more. Education is such a gift that unlocks limitless possibilities. To me, being a first generation student means being the first to have the privilege of owning the key that unlocks the door to a future brighter than I could imagine. A future where I won't only be able to help myself, but countless others through the career of a nurse anesthetist. Nurses have such an impressive capacity to care, and I want nothing more than to be a part of such a compassionate community. As well as this, being a first generation student means being the first in my family to dedicate myself to the pursuit of education. To be the first to have the inspiration and dedication to commit to 8-9 years of further schooling. To use the knowledge gained to make the world a better place. To dedicate myself to something greater than just those I know and love, to help all those in my path without bounds. 2. I want to pursue nursing in college. My mother is an incredible nurse, and her journey inspires me to this day. She moved to the United States from Slovakia, and obtained her RN license. Every day, whether at work or at home, she cares for those around her, and I aspire to do the same. 3. My primary long term goal is to become a CRNA, or nurse anesthetist. Through this line of work, I can daily improve the lives of others without bounds. Through assisting with surgery through sedation, I could play a part in lessening pain. I could help to implant a lifesaving device. I could even save a life on the brink of death through supporting the airway and providing necessary Oxygen and medication. Another long-term goal of mine is to learn the Spanish language. I am taking classes in college to achieve this. I want to learn this language in order to use it in my career. It's important to me that everyone receives the same quality of care, no matter the language they speak. My final and most typical goal is to have a happy family of my own in a safe place for my kids to learn and grow. I want to care for them as my mom cared for me.

I'm tossing and turning; I can't sleep. Every time I start to make my way to dreamland, vicious coughs rack my body, it hurts. I'm getting anxious now, I have school tomorrow. I need comfort, so I get up and wake my mom. Even though it's the middle of the night, she gets up, makes me some warm tea with plenty of honey, and sits with my six year old self while I drink it. The warmth of the tea soothes both my stinging throat and my anxious mind. But it's not only the warmth of the tea. It's the warmth of my mother's love. Her patient eyes. Her soothing voice as she reads me another bedtime story. It's the warmth of a love like no other; the love of a mother. The love of a nurse. At home, my mom is the backbone of our family. At work, she and her fellow nurses are the backbone of the hospital. A nurse's love radiates far and wide, caring for all who cross her path. This unmatched capacity to care is the reason that I want to be a nurse. My mother was the nurse who showed me a nurse's incredible capacity to care. To fully display her impact, I need to first share her story. She grew up in a farm town in Slovakia. She studied hard to get her nurse's degree so that she could provide for her family. However, she discovered that the career opportunities offered to her in her home country were insufficient, so she immigrated alone to the United States. Despite her degree, hospitals would not hire her as a nurse because she was not yet a citizen. So, she worked as a babysitter and made what little money she could to support herself. She used her impressive nurse's capacity to care and found success as a babysitter until she could officially work as a nurse. She worked very hard, and soon, she would find herself working even harder as she not only had to support herself, but also the baby girl she would bring into this world. Nevertheless, she persisted, and despite all odds, she raised a healthy young me so that I could become the woman I am today. Despite all the troubles she faced, she cared for me. She cared for herself and she cared for the children she babysat. She cared about her future and the future of her baby girl. Because she cared, I have the potential for a bright future following in her footsteps. Because she cared, I have the chance to care too. I want to be a nurse so that I can care for others just like my mother cared for me. I want to radiate my love far and wide, to all patients, without boundaries. And maybe, I can show another little girl a nurse's love so that she, too, may grow up and spread a nurse's love of her own. I found this scholarship while browsing through Bold.org.

My goal is to become a CRNA, otherwise known as a nurse anesthetist. To acquire this job, I first need to obtain a DNP, a Doctor in Nursing Practice. To even qualify for this graduate program, I need to receive my Bachelor's of Science in Nursing(BSN). This is the step I am on now. I just completed my first year of prerequisites at the University of Northern Colorado(UNC). I will take the remaining three prerequisite classes in the Fall 2026 semester. I have already applied to UNC's nursing program, I await the results. If all goes according to plan, I will begin taking clinical courses in the Spring 2027 semester, and continue them until Spring 2029, as it is a five semester program. I will work as a certified nursing assistant(CNA) over the summers. However, if I do not get accepted, then I will take the Spring 2027 semester off school, and I will continue to work as a CNA as I have been this summer. I will reapply to UNC's College of Nursing. After obtaining my BSN, I will work part time as a nurse, and apply to UNC's DNP program as a graduate student full time. Now, let's have a look at the finances. My first year is already fully paid off. It was about ~$30,000. My tuition was paid for by the ASCENT program. My dad's side of the family paid for my meal plan(~$9,000) and my mom's side paid for my dorm(~$8,000). This year, however, I will not be an ASCENT student anymore as the program has been defunded. I estimate my tuition for my final prerequisite semester to be ~$13,000. My dorm will cost ~$4,000/semester. I plan to take on a smaller meal plan of ~$2,000/semester. I will buy the remaining meals with my own money earned from working part time as a rock wall supervisor. My mom's side will cover my dorm, my dad's will cover the meal plan. This leaves my tuition. I hope to get this covered by scholarships and cheapened by programs such as the Colorado Opportunity Fund. If none of this is possible, then I will pay for it from my savings, which holds ~$20,000. Fall 2026 is covered. Now we move into the nursing program. The 5 semester program alone costs ~$48,000, which is ~$9,600/semester. I should be able to cover one semester of this, as I make ~$5,000/summer. This leaves ~$38,400 that I will need to come up with, either through working more or taking out loans. I plan to continue to live in the dorms. My mom's side can pay for the first two semesters of dorms, and then their 504 runs out. To account for this, I have applied to be a Resident Assistant(RA) in the dorms, which pays for meal plans and dorm costs. If I get this position, then I am covered with no more than ~$38,400 to worry about. If not, then I will live in the dorms for the first semester of clinical courses, Spring 2027, have my family pay for the dorm and meal plan, and pay for the tuition myself. After that, I will look into other housing options such as apartments nearby that may be more affordable, and working as a CNA out in Greeley to pay for this housing and food. As we look into graduate school, it is too far out to estimate how much I will be able to make as a part time nurse, but loans will likely have to be made. Unless I can get a sign-on bonus to help pay for graduate school.

"Education is the key to unlocking the world, a passport to freedom" once said Oprah Winfrey. I could not agree more. Education is such a gift that unlocks limitless possibilities. To me, being a first generation student means being the first to have the privilege of owning the key that unlocks the door to a future brighter than I could imagine. A future where I won't only be able to help myself, but countless others through the career of a nurse anesthetist. Nurses have such an impressive capacity to care, and I want nothing more than to be a part of such a compassionate community. My mother was the nurse who showed me a nurse's incredible capacity to care. To fully display her impact, I need to first share her story. She grew up in a farm town in Slovakia. She studied hard to get her RN license so that she could provide for her family. However, she discovered that the career opportunities offered to her in her home country were insufficient, so she immigrated alone to the United States. Despite her certification, hospitals would not hire her as a nurse because she was not yet a citizen. So, she worked as a babysitter and made what little money she could to support herself. She used her impressive nurse's capacity to care and found success as a babysitter until she could officially work as a nurse. She worked very hard, and soon, she would find herself working even harder as she not only had to support herself, but also the baby girl she would bring into this world. Nevertheless, she persisted, and despite all odds, she raised a healthy young me so that I could become the woman I am today. Despite all the troubles she faced, she cared for me. She cared for herself and she cared for the children she babysat. She cared about her future and the future of her baby girl. Because she cared, I have the potential for a bright future following in her footsteps. Because she cared, I have the chance to care too. I want to be a nurse so that I can care for others just like my mother cared for me. I want to radiate my love far and wide, to all patients, without boundaries. And maybe, I can show another little girl a nurse's love so that she, too, may grow up and spread a nurse's love of her own. This scholarship would grant me a part of the key that opens the door to this future of compassion.

I'm tossing and turning; I can't sleep. Every time I start to make my way to dreamland, vicious coughs rack my body, it hurts. I'm getting anxious now, I have school tomorrow. I need comfort, so I get up and wake my mom. Even though it's the middle of the night, she gets up, makes me some warm tea with plenty of honey, and sits with my six year old self while I drink it. The warmth of the tea soothes both my stinging throat and my anxious mind. But it's not only the warmth of the tea. It's the warmth of my mother's love. Her patient eyes. Her soothing voice as she reads me another bedtime story. It's the warmth of a love like no other; the love of a mother. The love of a nurse. At home, my mom is the backbone of our family. At work, she and her fellow nurses are the backbone of the hospital. A nurse's love radiates far and wide, caring for all who cross her path. This unmatched capacity to care is the reason that I want to be a nurse. My mother was the nurse who showed me a nurse's incredible capacity to care. To fully display her impact, I need to first share her story. She grew up in a farm town in Slovakia. She studied hard to get her nurse's degree so that she could provide for her family. However, she discovered that the career opportunities offered to her in her home country were insufficient, so she immigrated alone to the United States. Despite her degree, hospitals would not hire her as a nurse because she was not yet a citizen. So, she worked as a babysitter and made what little money she could to support herself. She used her impressive nurse's capacity to care and found success as a babysitter until she could officially work as a nurse. She worked very hard, and soon, she would find herself working even harder as she not only had to support herself, but also the baby girl she would bring into this world. Nevertheless, she persisted, and despite all odds, she raised a healthy young me so that I could become the woman I am today. Despite all the troubles she faced, she cared for me. She cared for herself and she cared for the children she babysat. She cared about her future and the future of her baby girl. Because she cared, I have the potential for a bright future following in her footsteps. Because she cared, I have the chance to care too. I want to be a nurse so that I can care for others just like my mother cared for me. I want to radiate my love far and wide, to all patients, without boundaries. And maybe, I can show another little girl a nurse's love so that she, too, may grow up and spread a nurse's love of her own.

Education is the sole requirement for success, especially for young women. Throughout the history of the world, women were not allowed the education that their male companions took for granted. Over time, however, women have persisted. Role models such as Malala Yousafzai have stared adversity in the face and have become the first in their generation, or perhaps the first ever, to overcome that adversity, and share their successes with the world. In the modern era, women are allowed education, and have since become powerful figures in politics and science, such as the female president Zuzana Caputova of Slovakia, and Marie Curie with her invaluable contributions to the science of radiation. As the first of my seemingly insignificant generation, I want to achieve greatness just like my role models. Above all, I want to achieve greatness for my biggest role model, the woman who overcame adversity to give me the opportunity to become all that I could ever dream of: my mom. To fully display her impact, I need to first share her story. After discovering that the career opportunities offered to her in her home country were insufficient, she immigrated alone to the United States, even though she could hardly put a sentence together in English. She had her degree from the nursing school she attended in Slovakia, but it didn't amount to much because she was not a US citizen. So, she worked as a babysitter and made what little money she could to support herself. She used her impressive nurse's capacity to care and found success as a babysitter until she could officially work as a nurse. She worked very hard, and soon, she would find herself working even harder as she not only had to support herself, but also the baby girl she would bring into this world. Nevertheless, she persisted, and despite all odds, she raised a healthy young me so that I could become the woman I am today. Despite all the troubles she faced, she cared for me. She cared for herself and she cared for the children she babysat. She cared about her future and the future of her baby girl. Because she cared, I have the potential for a bright future following in her footsteps. Because she cared, I have the potential to make her proud. Because she cared, I have the chance to care too. I want to use the opportunity she gave me to become a nurse, just like her. Except, I want to take it even further and work for a Doctorate in Nursing Practice so that I may participate in the field of anesthesia nursing. Through my career as a nurse, the legacy I want to leave is one of kindness, of love. I plan to continue to give back to my community by giving the care needed to ease someone's pain, or by giving a smile to soothe someone's nerves. Nurses care for their community every day, and I want to join them so that I can give back to my community all the love and all the joy that it has given to me. After all, humanity's capacity to care shines through the brightness of a nurse's smile, and I want to be able to share this brightness with the world, beginning with my future patients.

I'm tossing and turning; I can't sleep. Every time I start to make my way to dreamland, vicious coughs rack my body, it hurts. I'm getting anxious now, I have school tomorrow. I need comfort, so I get up and wake my mom. Even though it's the middle of the night, she gets up, makes me some warm tea with plenty of honey, and sits with my six year old self while I drink it. The warmth of the tea soothes both my stinging throat and my anxious mind. But it's not only the warmth of the tea. It's the warmth of my mother's love. Her patient eyes. Her soothing voice as she reads me another bedtime story. It's the warmth of a love like no other; the love of a mother. The love of a nurse. At home, my mom is the backbone of our family. At work, she and her fellow nurses are the backbone of the hospital. A nurse's love radiates far and wide, caring for all who cross her path. This unmatched capacity to care is the reason that I want to be a nurse. My mother was the nurse who showed me a nurse's incredible capacity to care. To fully display her impact, I need to first share her story. She grew up in a farm town in Slovakia. She studied hard to get her nurse's degree so that she could provide for her family. However, she discovered that the career opportunities offered to her in her home country were insufficient, so she immigrated alone to the United States. Despite her degree, hospitals would not hire her as a nurse because she was not yet a citizen. So, she worked as a babysitter and made what little money she could to support herself. She used her impressive nurse's capacity to care and found success as a babysitter until she could officially work as a nurse. She worked very hard, and soon, she would find herself working even harder as she not only had to support herself, but also the baby girl she would bring into this world. Nevertheless, she persisted, and despite all odds, she raised a healthy young me so that I could become the woman I am today. Despite all the troubles she faced, she cared for me. She cared for herself and she cared for the children she babysat. She cared about her future and the future of her baby girl. Because she cared, I have the potential for a bright future following in her footsteps. Because she cared, I have the chance to care too. I want to be a nurse so that I can care for others just like my mother cared for me. My "Pie in the Sky" is my dream of becoming a nurse anesthetist. All my life I've dreamed of growing up and caring for others just like my mother. Now that I'm a full time student working to achieve my dream, every day I strive to grow as a student, a person, and someday a nurse. I want to radiate my love far and wide, to all patients, without boundaries. And maybe, I can show another little girl a nurse's love so that she, too, may grow up and spread a nurse's love of her own.

1) I'm tossing and turning; I can't sleep. Every time I start to make my way to dreamland, vicious coughs rack my body, it hurts. I'm getting anxious now, I have school tomorrow. I need comfort, so I get up and wake my mom. Even though it's the middle of the night, she gets up, makes me some warm tea with plenty of honey, and sits with my six year old self while I drink it. The warmth of the tea soothes both my stinging throat and my anxious mind. But it's not only the warmth of the tea. It's the warmth of my mother's love. Her patient eyes. Her soothing voice as she reads me another bedtime story. It's the warmth of a love like no other; the love of a mother. The love of a nurse. At home, my mom is the backbone of our family. At work, she and her fellow nurses are the backbone of the hospital. A nurse's love radiates far and wide, caring for all who cross her path. This unmatched capacity to care is the reason that I want to be a nurse. My mother was the nurse who showed me a nurse's incredible capacity to care. To fully display her impact, I need to first share her story. She grew up in a farm town in Slovakia. She studied hard to get her nurse's degree so that she could provide for her family. However, she discovered that the career opportunities offered to her in her home country were insufficient, so she immigrated alone to the United States. Despite her degree, hospitals would not hire her as a nurse because she was not yet a citizen. So, she worked as a babysitter and made what little money she could to support herself. She used her impressive nurse's capacity to care and found success as a babysitter until she could officially work as a nurse. She worked very hard, and soon, she would find herself working even harder as she not only had to support herself, but also the baby girl she would bring into this world. Nevertheless, she persisted, and despite all odds, she raised a healthy young me so that I could become the woman I am today. Despite all the troubles she faced, she cared for me. She cared for herself and she cared for the children she babysat. She cared about her future and the future of her baby girl. Because she cared, I have the potential for a bright future following in her footsteps. Because she cared, I have the chance to care too. I want to be a nurse so that I can care for others just like my mother cared for me. I want to radiate my love far and wide, to all patients, without boundaries. And maybe, I can show another little girl a nurse's love so that she, too, may grow up and spread a nurse's love of her own, making her own mama proud just like I aim to make mine. 2) This scholarship will benefit me through helping to lessen the burden of college expenses. As both my mom and my grandma are nurses, it has been hard to put the funds together to help me to pursue my dreams of becoming a nurse, just like them. If I ultimately become the recipient of this scholarship, it will help me help others for the rest of my life, radiating love without boundaries.

I'm tossing and turning; I can't sleep. Every time I start to make my way to dreamland, vicious coughs rack my body, it hurts. I'm getting anxious now, I have school tomorrow. I need comfort, so I get up and wake my mom. Even though it's the middle of the night, she gets up, makes me some warm tea with plenty of honey, and sits with my six year old self while I drink it. The warmth of the tea soothes both my stinging throat and my anxious mind. But it's not only the warmth of the tea. It's the warmth of my mother's love. Her patient eyes. Her soothing voice as she reads me another bedtime story. It's the warmth of a love like no other; the love of a mother. The love of a nurse. At home, my mom is the backbone of our family. At work, she and her fellow nurses are the backbone of the hospital. A nurse's love radiates far and wide, caring for all who cross her path. This unmatched capacity to care is the reason that I want to be a nurse. My mother was the one showed me a nurse's incredible capacity to care. To fully display her impact, I need to first share her story. She grew up in a farm town in Slovakia. She studied hard to get her nurse's degree so that she could provide for her family. However, she discovered that the career opportunities offered to her in her home country were insufficient, so she immigrated alone to the United States. Despite her degree, hospitals would not hire her as a nurse because she was not yet a citizen. So, she worked as a babysitter and made what little money she could to support herself. She used her impressive nurse's capacity to care and found success as a babysitter until she could officially work as a nurse. She worked very hard, and soon, she would find herself working even harder as she not only had to support herself, but also the baby girl she would bring into this world. Nevertheless, she persisted, and despite all odds, she raised a healthy young me so that I could become the woman I am today. Despite all the troubles she faced, she cared for me. She cared for herself and she cared for the children she babysat. She cared about her future and the future of her baby girl. Because she cared, I have the potential for a bright future following in her footsteps. Because she cared, I have the chance to care too. I want to be a nurse so that I can care for others just like my mother cared for me. I want to radiate my love far and wide, to all patients, without boundaries. And maybe, I can show another little girl a nurse's love so that she, too, may grow up and spread a nurse's love of her own.

Compassion is the best gift that one can give, and those that are the most compassionate are nurses. Nurses are prepared to give their all to whomever their patient may be. This unmatched capacity for compassion is the reason that I want to be a nurse. The nurse who first showed me her incredible capacity for compassion was my mother. To fully display her impact, I need to first share her story. After discovering that the career opportunities offered to her in her home country were insufficient, she immigrated alone to the United States, even though she could hardly put a sentence together in English. She had her degree from the nursing school she attended in Slovakia, but it didn't amount to much because she was not yet a US citizen. So, she worked as a babysitter and made what little money she could to support herself. She used her impressive nurse's capacity to care and found success as a babysitter until she could officially work as a nurse. She worked very hard, and soon, she would find herself working even harder as she not only had to support herself, but also the baby girl she would bring into this world. Nevertheless, she persisted, and despite all odds, she raised a healthy young me so that I could become the woman I am today. Despite all the troubles she faced, she was compassionate for me. She cared about herself and she cared for the children she babysat. She cared about her future and the future of her baby girl. Because she was compassionate, I have the potential to make her proud through following in her footsteps, lighting the world with a compassion of my own. In my own life, I had the opportunity to share compassion through volunteering. As I volunteered with the Food Bank of the Rockies, I saw the joy that can only be experienced when one is embraced in the wholehearted compassion of another. As I handed out food bags, the smiles and the thanks I received filled me with such an unmatched joy. This joy, however, didn't fully come from a sense of pride because I did a good thing, instead, it came from the smiles on the recipients' faces. Their joy spread to me and I, too, was grateful for the opportunities given to me throughout my life, but especially the one where I was able to make someone's day even just a little bit brighter by something as seemingly simple as a bag of food. In my future, I want to continue to share this joy derived from compassion through my career. I want to be a nurse so that I can continue to help people who need it. So that I can continue to share joy with those around me, either through the care that I will give or through a reassuring smile. Humanity's capacity to care shines through the brightness of a nurse's smile, and I want to be able to share this brightness with the world, beginning with my future patients.

Education is the sole requirement for success, especially for young women. Throughout the history of the world, women were not allowed the education that their male companions took for granted. Over time, however, women have persisted. Role models such as Malala Yousafzai have stared adversity in the face and have become the first in their generation, or perhaps the first ever, to overcome that adversity, and share their successes with the world. In the modern era, women are allowed education, and have since become powerful figures in politics and science, such as the female president Zuzana Caputova of Slovakia, and Marie Curie with her invaluable contributions to the science of radiation. As the first of my seemingly insignificant generation, I want to achieve greatness just like my role models. Above all, I want to achieve greatness for my biggest role model, the woman who overcame adversity to give me the opportunity to become all that I could ever dream of: my mom. To fully display her impact, I need to first share her story. After discovering that the career opportunities offered to her in her home country were insufficient, she immigrated alone to the United States, even though she could hardly put a sentence together in English. She had her degree from the nursing school she attended in Slovakia, but it didn't amount to much because she was not a US citizen. So, she worked as a babysitter and made what little money she could to support herself. She used her impressive nurse's capacity to care and found success as a babysitter until she could officially work as a nurse. She worked very hard, and soon, she would find herself working even harder as she not only had to support herself, but also the baby girl she would bring into this world. Nevertheless, she persisted, and despite all odds, she raised a healthy young me so that I could become the woman I am today. Despite all the troubles she faced, she cared for me. She cared for herself and she cared for the children she babysat. She cared about her future and the future of her baby girl. Because she cared, I have the potential for a bright future following in her footsteps. Because she cared, I have the potential to make her proud. Because she cared, I have the chance to care too. I want to use the opportunity she gave me to become a nurse, just like her. Except, I want to take it even further and work for a Doctorate in Nursing Practice so that I may participate in the field of anesthesia nursing. Through my career as a nurse, the legacy I want to leave is one of kindness, of love. I plan to continue to give back to my community by giving the care needed to ease someone's pain, or by giving a smile to soothe someone's nerves. Nurses care for their community every day, and I want to join them so that I can give back to my community all the love and all the joy that have been given to me. After all, humanity's capacity to care shines through the brightness of a nurse's smile, and I want to be able to share this brightness with the world, beginning with my future patients.

Community service is integral for a community to function. It is so important because of the people that it helps. It helps those who do not have the resources to help themselves. It is also integral because it brings out the best in a community. It brings to the surface the loving kindness that exists within all people. Without this loving kindness, a community would not function. As I volunteered with the Food Bank of the Rockies, I witnessed humanity's capacity to care like never before. I saw the joy that can only be experienced when one is embraced in the wholehearted beneficence of another. As I handed out food bags, the smiles and the thanks I received filled me with such an unmatched joy. This joy, however, didn't fully come from a sense of pride because I did a good thing, instead, it came from the smiles on the recipients' faces. Their joy spread to me and I, too, was grateful for the opportunities given to me throughout my life, but especially the one where I was able to make someone's day even just a little bit brighter by something as seemingly simple as a bag of food. In my future, I want to continue to share this joy derived from loving kindness through my career. I want to be a nurse so that I can continue to help people who need it. So that I can continue to share joy with those around me, either through the care that I will give or through a reassuring smile. Humanity's capacity to care shines through the brightness of a nurse's smile, and I want to be able to share this brightness with the world, beginning with my future patients. Community service, to me, means awakening the vital joy that exists within all human beings. Through community service, this joy is revitalized through something as important as the gift of a meal, or something as seemingly small as a genuine smile. Volunteering, however, is only one way to give back to the community. In choosing a career path such as nursing, I plan to continue to give back to my community by giving the care needed to ease someone's pain, or by giving a smile to soothe someone's nerves. Nurses care for their community every day, and I want to join them so that I can give back to my community all the love and all the joy that have been given to me.

Education is the sole requirement for success, especially for young women. Throughout the history of the world, women were not allowed the education that their male companions took for granted. Over time, however, women have persisted. Role models such as Malala Yousafzai have stared adversity in the face and have become the first in their generation, or perhaps the first ever, to overcome that adversity, and share their successes with the world. In the modern era, women are allowed education, and have since become powerful figures in politics and science, such as the female president Zuzana Caputova of Slovakia, and Marie Curie with her invaluable contributions to the science of radiation. As the first of my seemingly insignificant generation, I want to achieve greatness just like my role models. Above all, I want to achieve greatness for my biggest role model, the woman who overcame adversity to give me the opportunity to become all that I could ever dream of: my mom. To fully display her impact, I need to first share her story. After discovering that the career opportunities offered to her in her home country were insufficient, she immigrated alone to the United States, even though she could hardly put a sentence together in English. She had her degree from the nursing school she attended in Slovakia, but it didn't amount to much because she was not a US citizen. So, she worked as a babysitter and made what little money she could to support herself. She used her impressive nurse's capacity to care and found success as a babysitter until she could officially work as a nurse. She worked very hard, and soon, she would find herself working even harder as she not only had to support herself, but also the baby girl she would bring into this world. Nevertheless, she persisted, and despite all odds, she raised a healthy young me so that I could become the woman I am today. Despite all the troubles she faced, she cared for me. She cared for herself and she cared for the children she babysat. She cared about her future and the future of her baby girl. Because she cared, I have the potential for a bright future following in her footsteps. Because she cared, I have the potential to make her proud. Because she cared, I have the chance to care too. I want to use the opportunity she gave me to become a nurse, just like her. Except, I want to take it even further and work for a Doctorate in Nursing Practice so that I may participate in the field of anesthesia nursing. Through my career as a nurse, the legacy I want to leave is one of kindness, of love. I plan to continue to give back to my community by giving the care needed to ease someone's pain, or by giving a smile to soothe someone's nerves. Nurses care for their community every day, and I want to join them so that I can give back to my community all the love and all the joy that have been given to me. After all, humanity's capacity to care shines through the brightness of a nurse's smile, and I want to be able to share this brightness with the world, beginning with my future patients.

Community service is integral for a community to function. It is so important because of the people that it helps. It helps those who do not have the resources to help themselves. It is also integral because it brings out the best in a community. It brings to the surface the loving kindness that exists within all people. Without this loving kindness, a community would not function. As I volunteered with the Food Bank of the Rockies, I witnessed humanity's capacity to care like never before. I saw the joy that can only be experienced when one is embraced in the wholehearted beneficence of another. As I handed out food bags, the smiles and the thanks I received filled me with such an unmatched joy. This joy, however, didn't fully come from a sense of pride because I did a good thing, instead, it came from the smiles on the recipients' faces. Their joy spread to me and I, too, was grateful for the opportunities given to me throughout my life, but especially the one where I was able to make someone's day even just a little bit brighter by something as seemingly simple as a bag of food. In my future, I want to continue to share this joy derived from loving kindness through my career. I want to be a nurse so that I can continue to help people who need it. So that I can continue to share joy with those around me, either through the care that I will give or through a reassuring smile. Humanity's capacity to care shines through the brightness of a nurse's smile, and I want to be able to share this brightness with the world, beginning with my future patients. Community service, to me, means awakening the vital joy that exists within all human beings. Through community service, this joy is revitalized through something as important as the gift of a meal, or something as seemingly small as a genuine smile. Volunteering, however, is only one way to give back to the community. In choosing a career path such as nursing, I plan to continue to give back to my community by giving the care needed to ease someone's pain, or by giving a smile to soothe someone's nerves. Nurses care for their community every day, and I want to join them so that I can give back to my community all the love and all the joy that have been given to me, beginning with my future patients.

To me, empowerment means one has obtained to ability to achieve their dreams, often, education is the sole requirement for success, especially for young women. Throughout the history of the world, women were not allowed the education that their male companions took for granted. Over time, however, women have persisted. Role models such as Malala Yousafzai have stared adversity in the face and have become the first in their generation, or perhaps the first ever, to overcome that adversity, and share their successes with the world. In the modern era, women are allowed education, and have since become powerful figures in politics and science, such as the female president Zuzana Caputova of Slovakia, and Marie Curie with her invaluable contributions to the science of radiation. As the first of my seemingly insignificant generation, I want to achieve greatness just like my role models. Above all, I want to empower my biggest role model, the woman who overcame adversity to give me the opportunity to become all that I could ever dream of: my mom. To fully display her impact, I need to first share her story. After discovering that the career opportunities offered to her in her home country were insufficient, she immigrated alone to the United States, even though she could hardly put a sentence together in English. She had her degree from the nursing school she attended in Slovakia, but it didn't amount to much because she was not a US citizen. So, she worked as a babysitter and made what little money she could to support herself. She used her impressive nurse's capacity to care and found success as a babysitter until she could officially work as a nurse. She worked very hard, and soon, she would find herself working even harder as she not only had to support herself, but also the baby girl she would bring into this world. Nevertheless, she persisted, and despite all odds, she raised a healthy young me so that I could become the woman I am today. Despite all the troubles she faced, she cared for me. She cared for herself and she cared for the children she babysat. She cared about her future and the future of her baby girl. Because she cared, I have the potential for a bright future following in her footsteps. Because she cared, I have the potential to make her proud. Because she cared, I have the chance to care too. I want to use the opportunity she gave me to become a nurse, just like her. Except, I want to take it even further and work for a Doctorate in Nursing Practice so that I may participate in the field of anesthesia nursing. Through my career as a nurse, the legacy I want to leave is one of kindness, of love. I plan to continue to give back to my community by giving the care needed to ease someone's pain, or by giving a smile to soothe someone's nerves. Nurses care for their community every day, and I want to join them so that I can give back to my community all the love and all the joy that have been given to me. After all, humanity's capacity to care shines through the brightness of a nurse's smile, and I want to be able to share this brightness with the world, beginning with my future patients. I want to share the joy that I obtained from my personal empowerment with everyone who I get the privilege to help, empowering them to achieve their own dreams.

Education is the sole requirement for success, especially for young women. Throughout the history of the world, women were not allowed the education that their male companions took for granted. Over time, however, women have persisted. Role models such as Malala Yousafzai have stared adversity in the face and have become the first in their generation, or perhaps the first ever, to overcome that adversity, and share their successes with the world. In the modern era, women are allowed education, and have since become powerful figures in politics and science, such as the female president Zuzana Caputova of Slovakia, and Marie Curie with her invaluable contributions to the science of radiation. As the first of my seemingly insignificant generation, I want to achieve greatness just like my role models. Above all, I want to achieve greatness for my biggest role model, the woman who overcame adversity to give me the opportunity to become all that I could ever dream of: my mom. To fully display her impact, I need to first share her story. After discovering that the career opportunities offered to her in her home country were insufficient, she immigrated alone to the United States, even though she could hardly put a sentence together in English. She had her degree from the nursing school she attended in Slovakia, but it didn't amount to much because she was not a US citizen. So, she worked as a babysitter and made what little money she could to support herself. She used her impressive nurse's capacity to care and found success as a babysitter until she could officially work as a nurse. She worked very hard, and soon, she would find herself working even harder as she not only had to support herself, but also the baby girl she would bring into this world. Nevertheless, she persisted, and despite all odds, she raised a healthy young me so that I could become the woman I am today. Despite all the troubles she faced, she cared for me. She cared for herself and she cared for the children she babysat. She cared about her future and the future of her baby girl. Because she cared, I have the potential for a bright future following in her footsteps. Because she cared, I have the potential to make her proud. Because she cared, I have the chance to care too. I want to use the opportunity she gave me to become a nurse, just like her. Except, I want to take it even further and work for a Doctorate in Nursing Practice so that I may participate in the field of anesthesia nursing. Through my career as a nurse, the legacy I want to leave is one of kindness, of love. I plan to continue to give back to my community by giving the care needed to ease someone's pain, or by giving a smile to soothe someone's nerves. Nurses care for their community every day, and I want to join them so that I can give back to my community all the love and all the joy that have been given to me. After all, humanity's capacity to care shines through the brightness of a nurse's smile, and I want to be able to share this brightness with the world, beginning with my future patients.

Education is the sole requirement for success, especially for young women. Throughout the history of the world, women were not allowed the education that their male companions took for granted. Over time, however, women have persisted. Role models such as Malala Yousafzai have stared adversity in the face and have become the first in their generation, or perhaps the first ever, to overcome that adversity, and share their successes with the world. In the modern era, women are allowed education, and have since become powerful figures in politics and science, such as the female president Zuzana Caputova of Slovakia, and Marie Curie with her invaluable contributions to the science of radiation. As the first of my seemingly insignificant generation, I want to achieve greatness just like my role models. Above all, I want to achieve greatness for my biggest role model, the woman who overcame adversity to give me the opportunity to become all that I could ever dream of: my mom. To fully display her impact, I need to first share her story. After discovering that the career opportunities offered to her in her home country were insufficient, she immigrated alone to the United States, even though she could hardly put a sentence together in English. She had her degree from the nursing school she attended in Slovakia, but it didn't amount to much because she was not a US citizen. So, she worked as a babysitter and made what little money she could to support herself. She used her impressive nurse's capacity to care and found success as a babysitter until she could officially work as a nurse. She worked very hard, and soon, she would find herself working even harder as she not only had to support herself, but also the baby girl she would bring into this world. Nevertheless, she persisted, and despite all odds, she raised a healthy young me so that I could become the woman I am today. Despite all the troubles she faced, she cared for me. She cared for herself and she cared for the children she babysat. She cared about her future and the future of her baby girl. Because she cared, I have the potential for a bright future following in her footsteps. Because she cared, I have the potential to make her proud. Because she cared, I have the chance to care too. I want to use the opportunity she gave me to become a nurse, just like her. Except, I want to take it even further and work for a Doctorate in Nursing Practice so that I may participate in the field of anesthesia nursing. Through my career as a nurse, the legacy I want to leave is one of kindness, of love. I plan to continue to give back to my community by giving the care needed to ease someone's pain, or by giving a smile to soothe someone's nerves. Nurses care for their community every day, and I want to join them so that I can give back to my community all the love and all the joy that have been given to me. After all, humanity's capacity to care shines through the brightness of a nurse's smile, and I want to be able to share this brightness with the world, beginning with my future patients.

My field of interest is the one that belongs to the world's hardest working, most devoted, and, most importantly, the most caring. Day in and day out, nurses give their all to their occupation, sacrificing many hours of their lives for those who need them. Their capacity to care is the greatest in the world, and the woman who first showed me this unwavering capacity to care was my mom. To fully display her impact, I need to first share her story. After discovering that the career opportunities offered to her in her home country were insufficient, she immigrated alone to the United States, even though she could hardly put a sentence together in English. She had her degree from the nursing school she attended in Slovakia, but it didn't amount to much because she was not a US citizen. So, she worked as a babysitter and made what little money she could to support herself. She used her impressive nurse's capacity to care and found success as a babysitter until she could officially work as a nurse. She worked very hard, and soon, she would find herself working even harder as she not only had to support herself, but also the baby girl she would bring into this world. Nevertheless, she persisted, and despite all odds, she raised a healthy young me so that I could become the woman I am today. Despite all the troubles she faced, she cared for me. She cared for herself and she cared for the children she babysat. She cared about her future and the future of her baby girl. Because she cared, I have the potential for a bright future following in her footsteps. Because she cared, I have the potential to make her proud. Because she cared, I have the chance to care too. I want to use the opportunity she gave me to become a nurse, just like her. Except, I want to take it even further and work for a Doctorate in Nursing Practice so that I may participate in the field of anesthesia nursing. Through my career as a nurse, the legacy I want to leave is one of kindness, of love. I plan to continue to give back to my community by giving the care needed to ease someone's pain, or by giving a smile to soothe someone's nerves. Nurses care for their community every day, and I want to join them so that I can give back to my community all the love and all the joy that have been given to me. After all, humanity's capacity to care shines through the brightness of a nurse's smile, and I want to be able to share this brightness with the world, beginning with my future patients.

Education is the sole requirement for success, especially for young women. Throughout the history of the world, women were not allowed the education that their male companions took for granted. Over time, however, women have persisted. Role models such as Malala Yousafzai have stared adversity in the face and have become the first in their generation, or perhaps the first ever, to overcome that adversity, and share their successes with the world. In the modern era, women are allowed education, and have since become powerful figures in politics and science, such as the female president Zuzana Caputova of Slovakia, and Marie Curie with her invaluable contributions to the science of radiation. As the first of my seemingly insignificant generation, I want to achieve greatness just like my role models. Above all, I want to achieve greatness for my biggest role model, the woman who overcame adversity to give me the opportunity to become all that I could ever dream of: my mom. To fully display her impact, I need to first share her story. After discovering that the career opportunities offered to her in her home country were insufficient, she immigrated alone to the United States, even though she could hardly put a sentence together in English. She had her degree from the nursing school she attended in Slovakia, but it didn't amount to much because she was not a US citizen. So, she worked as a babysitter and made what little money she could to support herself. She used her impressive nurse's capacity to care and found success as a babysitter until she could officially work as a nurse. She worked very hard, and soon, she would find herself working even harder as she not only had to support herself, but also the baby girl she would bring into this world. Nevertheless, she persisted, and despite all odds, she raised a healthy young me so that I could become the woman I am today. Despite all the troubles she faced, she cared for me. She cared for herself and she cared for the children she babysat. She cared about her future and the future of her baby girl. Because she cared, I have the potential for a bright future following in her footsteps. Because she cared, I have the potential to make her proud. Because she cared, I have the chance to care too. I want to use the opportunity she gave me to become a nurse, just like her. Except, I want to take it even further and work for a Doctorate in Nursing Practice so that I may participate in the field of anesthesia nursing. Through my career as a nurse, the legacy I want to leave is one of kindness, of love. I plan to continue to give back to my community by giving the care needed to ease someone's pain, or by giving a smile to soothe someone's nerves. Nurses care for their community every day, and I want to join them so that I can give back to my community all the love and all the joy that have been given to me. After all, humanity's capacity to care shines through the brightness of a nurse's smile, and I want to be able to share this brightness with the world, beginning with my future patients.

I am passionate about nursing because nurses are the ones who endure the labor of their trade. They're the ones working day in and day out to ensure that the livelihood of their patients is preserved, no matter who their patient may be. They give all that they have to offer, caring unconditionally for those whom they provide for. This unmatched capacity to care is the reason I want to be a nurse. The nurse that first showed me her impressive capacity to care was my mom. To fully display her impact, I need to first share her story. After discovering that the career opportunities offered to her in her home country were insufficient, she immigrated alone to the United States, even though she could hardly put a sentence together in English. She had her degree from the nursing school she attended in Slovakia, but it didn't amount to much because she was not a US citizen. So, she worked as a babysitter and made what little money she could to support herself. She used her impressive nurse's capacity to care and found success as a babysitter until she could officially work as a nurse. She worked very hard, and soon, she would find herself working even harder as she not only had to support herself, but also the baby girl she would bring into this world. Nevertheless, she persisted, and despite all odds, she raised a healthy young me so that I could become the woman I am today. Despite all the troubles she faced, she cared for me. She cared for herself and she cared for the children she babysat. She cared about her future and the future of her baby girl. Because she cared, I have the potential for a bright future following in her footsteps. Because she cared, I have the potential to make her proud. Because she cared, I have the chance to care too. My plan is to first obtain my Bachelor's of Science in Nursing. Then, while I work full time as a standard nurse, I plan to work towards my Doctor of Nursing Practice so that I may work as a CRNA, or an anesthesia nurse. In choosing a career path such as nursing, I plan to continue to give back to my community by giving the care needed to ease someone's pain, or by giving a smile to soothe someone's nerves. Nurses care for their community every day, and I want to join them so that I can give back to my community all the love and all the joy that it gave to me. After all, humanity's capacity to care shines through the brightness of a nurse's smile, and I want to be able to share this brightness with the world, beginning with my future patients.

Nurses have a vital role everywhere they work. They provide essential care to patients before they go into surgery by making sure that their patients' nerves are settled before they go under. They also ensure that when their patients wake up post operation, they wake up to a friendly face. Outside of hospitals, nurses care for those who can't care for themselves, such as the elderly in nursing homes or the injured in war zones. They also take care of the world's most despised in jails and prisons. Though these locations where nurses can work may seem very different, the nurses themselves all have one thing in common. This essential trait is so simple, but it is so important. It's that they care. They care for their patients no matter their background or their ethnicity or their political views. Nurses are always prepared to give their all to whoever their patient may be. This unmatched capacity to care is the reason I want to be a nurse. The woman that showed me a nurse's impressive capacity to care was my mom. To fully display her impact, I need to first share her story. After discovering that the career opportunities offered to her in her home country were insufficient, she immigrated alone to the United States, even though she could hardly put a sentence together in English. She had her degree from the nursing school she attended in Slovakia, but it didn't amount to much because she was not a US citizen. So, she worked as a babysitter and made what little money she could to support herself. She used her impressive nurse's capacity to care and found success as a babysitter until she could officially work as a nurse. She worked very hard, and soon, she would find herself working even harder as she not only had to support herself, but also the baby girl she would bring into this world. Nevertheless, she persisted, and despite all odds, she raised a healthy young me so that I could become the woman I am today. Despite all the troubles she faced, she cared for me. She cared for herself and she cared for the children she babysat. She cared about her future and the future of her baby girl. Because she cared, I have the potential for a bright future following in her footsteps. Because she cared, I have the potential to make her proud. Because she cared, I have the chance to care too. I want to be a nurse so that I can continue to help people who need it. So that I can continue to share joy with those around me, either through the care that I will give or through a reassuring smile. Humanity's capacity to care shines through the brightness of a nurse's smile, and I want to be able to share this brightness with the world, beginning with my future patients. Because of my mom's bright smile and her unconditional care, I want to show the world that I, too, can care like a nurse.

Nurses have a vital role everywhere they work. They provide essential care to patients before they go into surgery by making sure that their patients' nerves are settled before they go under. They also ensure that when their patients wake up post operation, they wake up to a friendly face. Outside of hospitals, nurses care for those who can't care for themselves, such as the elderly in nursing homes or the injured in war zones. They also take care of the world's most despised in jails and prisons. Though these locations where nurses can work may seem very different, the nurses themselves all have one thing in common. This essential trait is so simple, but it is so important. It's that they care. They care for their patients no matter their background or their ethnicity or their political views. Nurses are always prepared to give their all to whoever their patient may be. This unmatched capacity to care is the reason I want to be a nurse. The woman who showed me a nurse's impressive capacity to care was my mom. To fully display her impact, I need to first share her story. After discovering that the career opportunities offered to her in her home country were insufficient, she immigrated alone to the United States, even though she could hardly put a sentence together in English. She had her degree from the nursing school she attended in Slovakia, but it didn't amount to much because she was not a US citizen. So, she worked as a babysitter and made what little money she could to support herself. She used her impressive nurse's capacity to care and found success as a babysitter until she could officially work as a nurse. She worked very hard, and soon, she would find herself working even harder as she not only had to support herself, but also the baby girl she would bring into this world. Nevertheless, she persisted, and despite all odds, she raised a healthy young me so that I could become the woman I am today. Despite all the troubles she faced, she cared for me. She cared for herself and she cared for the children she babysat. She cared about her future and the future of her baby girl. Because she cared, I have the potential for a bright future following in her footsteps. Because she cared, I have the potential to make her proud. Because she cared, I have the chance to care too. I want to be a nurse so that I can continue to help people who need it. So that I can continue to share joy with those around me, either through the care that I will give or through a reassuring smile. Humanity's capacity to care shines through the brightness of a nurse's smile, and I want to be able to share this brightness with the world, beginning with my future patients. Because of my mom's bright smile and her unconditional care, I want to show the world that I, too, can care like a nurse.

Community service is integral for a community to function. It is so important because of the people that it helps. It helps those who do not have the resources to help themselves. It is also integral because it brings out the best in a community. It brings to the surface the loving kindness that exists within all people. Without this loving kindness, a community would not function. As I volunteered with the Food Bank of the Rockies, I witnessed humanity's capacity to care like never before. I saw the joy that can only be experienced when one is embraced in the wholehearted beneficence of another. As I handed out food bags, the smiles and the thanks I received filled me with such an unmatched joy. This joy, however, didn't fully come from a sense of pride because I did a good thing, instead, it came from the smiles on the recipients' faces. Their joy spread to me and I, too, was grateful for the opportunities given to me throughout my life, but especially the one where I was able to make someone's day even just a little bit brighter by something as seemingly simple as a bag of food. In my future, I want to continue to share this joy derived from loving kindness through my career. I want to be a nurse so that I can continue to help people who need it. So that I can continue to share joy with those around me, either through the care that I will give or through a reassuring smile. Humanity's capacity to care shines through the brightness of a nurse's smile, and I want to be able to share this brightness with the world, beginning with my future patients. Community service, to me, means awakening the vital joy that exists within all human beings. Through community service, this joy is revitalized through something as important as the gift of a meal, or something as seemingly small as a genuine smile. Volunteering, however, is only one way to give back to the community. In choosing a career path such as nursing, I plan to continue to give back to my community by giving the care needed to ease someone's pain, or by giving a smile to soothe someone's nerves. Nurses care for their community every day, and I want to join them so that I can give back to my community all the love and all the joy that have been given to me. If I were to start my own charity, it would be one focused on providing financial aid to those who display the highest level of perseverance and hard work. This aid could be given to those struggling to make ends meet, or to those pursuing higher education. This is due to my belief that no matter where a person comes from, no matter who their family is, if they work hard for their future or the futures of their loved ones, they deserve to be rewarded for their tenacity. Because they were resilient, they deserve recognition for their efforts.

Nurses have a vital role everywhere they work. They provide essential care to patients before they go into surgery by making sure that their patients' nerves are settled before they go under. They also ensure that when their patients wake up post operation, they wake up to a friendly face. Outside of hospitals, nurses care for those who can't care for themselves, such as the elderly in nursing homes or the injured in war zones. They also take care of the world's most despised in jails and prisons. Though these locations where nurses can work may seem very different, the nurses themselves all have one thing in common. This essential trait is so simple, but it is so important. It's that they care. They care for their patients no matter their background or their ethnicity or their political views. Nurses are always prepared to give their all to whoever their patient may be. This unmatched capacity to care is the reason I want to be a nurse. The nurse that showed me a nurse's impressive capacity to care was my mom. To fully display her impact, I need to first share her story. After discovering that the career opportunities offered to her in her home country were insufficient, she immigrated alone to the United States, even though she could hardly put a sentence together in English. She had her degree from the nursing school she attended in Slovakia, but it didn't amount to much because she was not a US citizen. So, she worked as a babysitter and made what little money she could to support herself. She used her impressive nurse's capacity to care and found success as a babysitter until she could officially work as a nurse. She worked very hard, and soon, she would find herself working even harder as she not only had to support herself, but also the baby girl she would bring into this world. Nevertheless, she persisted, and despite all odds, she raised a healthy young me so that I could become the woman I am today. Despite all the troubles she faced, she cared for me. She cared for herself and she cared for the children she babysat. She cared about her future and the future of her baby girl. Because she cared, I have the potential for a bright future following in her footsteps. Because she cared, I have the potential to make her proud. Because she cared, I have the chance to care too. I want to be a nurse so that I can continue to help people who need it. So that I can continue to share joy with those around me, either through the care that I will give or through a reassuring smile. Humanity's capacity to care shines through the brightness of a nurse's smile, and I want to be able to share this brightness with the world, beginning with my future patients. Because of how my mom cared for me and shared the brightness of the world with me, I want to show the world that I, too, can care like a nurse.

Throughout middle school, I struggled with an unknown weakness. Nearly every morning, no sooner did my alarm go off than my heart rate escalate and tears fall from my eyes as I failed to keep my breakfast down. I was anxious, about what I had no idea. I needed a source of strength; I was missing something that I wouldn't find for years to come. It wasn’t until the summer before my freshman year of high school that I found it. I had wanted to try martial arts for a while, and when I finally entered the place where I would find my missing strength, Gracie Barra Jiu Jitsu, I knew I had found what I was lacking. As I wrestled with various opponents throughout my high school career, I entered a period of personal growth where I learned the value of dedication, the core brick in my new foundation. Because I loved training so much, I spent four days a week there, staying after class for the chance to get just a few more matches in. I had very little free time, as I was juggling my advanced classes, a job, and my sport, but I kept going back because I had a goal. I wanted my blue belt, not just for the sake of having it, but so that I could know that I earned it; so that I could tell my sixth grade self who barely had the strength to get up and go to school that we found what we were missing. I trained for two years, and my professors kept hinting at giving me my blue belt due to my dedication and improvement. People kept telling me that I didn't fight like a beginner and that I deserved a promotion. Their constant hints at the achievement of my goal fueled my passion further, and it went to my head. I began to expect my promotion rather than work for it. My attendance dwindled as I didn't feel that I had to work as hard anymore. However, over time, those who I used to be able to submit began to dominate me. Not only was I losing my matches, but also my dedication, the thing that saved me from my pit of anxiety. Loss after loss, both in practice and in competition, made me realize that I had lost my dedication, and I needed to get it back. So, I left the relationship that was causing me stress and got two more free days to train. Back at four days of training a week, I saw the light of that which I had lost: my dedication. I began to surpass my training partners and impress my coaches once again. The girl that they once knew was back, and she was better than ever. That summer, I achieved my goal. I was awarded my blue belt. Never had I been happier, the success resulting from my dedication flooding over me. Even now, as a senior in high school, I rely on the strength I discovered at the gym in every aspect of my life. Jiu Jitsu taught me the value of dedication and guided me through the construction of my new foundation. My sixth grade self’s jaw would drop at the beautifully strong woman I have become.

Community service is integral for a community to function. It is so important because of the people that it helps. It helps those who do not have the resources to help themselves. It is also integral because it brings out the best in a community. It brings to the surface the loving kindness that exists within all people. Without this loving kindness, a community would not function. As I volunteered with Food Bank of the Rockies, I witnessed humanity's capacity to care like never before. I saw the joy that can only be experienced when one is embraced in the wholehearted beneficence of another. As I handed out food bags, the smiles and the thanks I received filled me with such an unmatched joy. This joy, however, didn't fully come from a sense of pride because I did a good thing, instead, it came from the smiles on the recipients' faces. Their joy spread to me and I, too, was grateful for the opportunities given to me throughout my life, but especially the one where I was able to make someone's day even just a little bit brighter by something as seemingly simple as a bag of food. In my future, I want to continue to share this joy derived from loving kindness through my career. I want to be a nurse so that I can continue to help people who need it. So that I can continue to share joy with those around me, either through the care that I will give or through a reassuring smile. Humanity's capacity to care shines through the brightness of a nurse's smile, and I want to be able to share this brightness with the world, beginning with my future patients. Community service, to me, means awakening the vital joy that exists within all human beings. Through community service, this joy is revitalized through something as important as the gift of a meal, or something as seemingly small as a genuine smile. Volunteering, however, is only one way to give back to the community. In choosing a career path such as nursing, I plan to continue to give back to my community by giving the care needed to ease someone's pain, or by giving a smile to soothe someone's nerves. Nurses care for their community every day, and I want to join them so that I can give back to my community all the love and all the joy that have been given to me.

It was the morning of my first day of sixth grade. New hallways, new teachers, and an increased workload made me so nervous. I was terrified. These worries clouded my brain and I couldn’t focus on my breakfast. Suddenly, I couldn’t see it either as tears filled my eyes. I was confused, misunderstanding my emotions and scared of the fact that I couldn’t control them. I was weak. I needed some source of strength, something to hold me steady while I shook with sadness and struggled to keep my breakfast down. I was starved of something, but I simply didn't know what it was yet. It wasn’t until the summer before my freshman year of high school that I found it. I had wanted to try martial arts for a while, and when I entered Gracie Barra Jiu Jitsu, I knew I had found the place where I would find what I was lacking. As I wrestled with various opponents throughout my high school career, I found the strength that I was previously starved of, and with it, a hunger for more. I remember leaving the gym after my first lesson. I couldn’t stop smiling. Already, I found a sense of belonging that I never would have deemed possible just a few years earlier. Because I loved being there so much, I trained four days a week, staying after class for the chance to get just a few more matches in. Even though I had many other responsibilities such as studying for my AP classes and working a job, I returned to the gym time and time again because I had a goal. I had an insatiable hunger to continue the growth I was experiencing, and I wanted my blue belt to prove to my sixth grade self who could barely get up for school that we found everything we needed and more. As I trained through so many late nights as a young girl, I had an impact on my training partners who watched me improve at such an impressive rate. Because I was so hungry for more, I trained until I was able to take down grown men who dared challenge me. I exceeded people's expectations as I dominated those who expected me to be an easy match, and I inspired those who witnessed it. One of my earliest training partners was an older man who trained rather inconsistently and he only participated in classes where we wore our full fabric uniforms. However, after seeing the progress I was making due to the massive amount of effort I was putting into my training, I saw him at the gym more often, and he even attended some classes without the uniform. I inspired him to train harder, and due to that inspiration, his passion for the sport was reignited. After inspiring him and many others, the summer of 2024 came around and I received my blue belt, satisfying my hunger. As my hunger for strength has been satisfied, I've found a new source of passion. Now, I'm hungry to share my strength with those around me, so that they may feel strong too. Just as I inspired my old training partner, I can help those who lack motivation find what makes them hungry. That's why I want to be a nurse. So that I can help to heal people's physical and mental ailments so that they may get back to striving for what inspires them. So that they may live life with excitement again. So that they can be just as hungry as I once was.

Nurses have a vital role everywhere they work. They provide essential care to patients before they go into surgery by making sure that their patients' nerves are settled before they go under. They also ensure that when their patients wake up post operation, they wake up to a friendly face. Outside of hospitals, nurses care for those who can't care for themselves, such as the elderly in nursing homes or the injured in war zones. They also take care of the world's most despised in jails and prisons. Though these locations where nurses can work may seem very different, the nurses themselves all have one thing in common. This essential trait is so simple, but it is so important. It's that they care. They care for their patients no matter their background or their ethnicity or their political views. Nurses are always prepared to give their all to whoever their patient may be. This unmatched capacity to care is the reason I want to be a nurse. The nurse that showed me their impressive capacity to care was my mom. After discovering that the career opportunities offered to her in her home country were insufficient, she immigrated alone to the United States, even though she could hardly put a sentence together in English. She had her degree from the nursing school she attended in Slovakia, but it didn't amount to much because she was not a US citizen. So, she worked as a babysitter and made what little money she could to support herself. She used her impressive nurse's capacity to care and found success as a babysitter. Eventually, she found herself a husband and married into citizenship just before her visa was about to expire. She had a baby girl (me!) but unfortunately for her, her marriage didn't work out and, all of a sudden, she was a single mother stranded in a foreign country. Despite all the troubles she faced, she cared for me. She cared for herself and she cared for the children she babysat. She cared about her future and the future of her baby girl. Because she cared so much, I have the potential for a bright future following in her footsteps. Because she cared, I have the potential to make her proud. Because she cared, I have the chance to care too. I want to pursue a degree in nursing so that I can care for others in the same way that my mother cared for me. Because of her, I want to show my community that I, too, can care like a nurse through helping every single patient equally no matter their ethnicity or background. When I become a nurse, I hope to put my desire to help others to work in my community, promoting the health and happiness of all.

Nurses have a vital role everywhere they work. They provide essential care to patients before they go into surgery by making sure that their patients' nerves are settled before they go under. They also ensure that when their patients wake up post operation, they wake up to a friendly face. Outside of hospitals, nurses care for those who can't care for themselves, such as the elderly in nursing homes or the injured in war zones. They also take care of the world's most despised in jails and prisons. Though these locations where nurses can work may seem very different, the nurses themselves all have one thing in common. This essential trait is so simple, but it is so important. It's that they care. They care for their patients no matter their background or their ethnicity or their political views. Nurses are always prepared to give their all to whoever their patient may be. This unmatched capacity to care is the reason I want to be a nurse. The people who showed me a nurse's impressive capacity to care were my grandma and my mother. Every time I needed to stay home from school because I was sick, my grandma would cook chicken noodle soup with arguably the world's best drink: Seven-Up mixed with orange juice. Even now that I'm almost an adult, she'll still treat me with the same meal. She comforted me when I was down and made sure that even though my health wasn't the best, my spirits remained high. In addition to caring for me, when her beloved dog, Mittens, grew so sick she wouldn't eat, she syringe fed that dog back to health. To this day, because of my grandma's caring nature, Mittens is able to bark at every single creature that passes by her house with the greatest degree of excitement. My grandma was a wonderfully caring nurse to both me and Mittens, even long after she retired from her hospital duties. Another nurse that inspires me is my mom. After discovering that the career opportunities offered to her in her home country were insufficient, she immigrated alone to the United States, even though she could hardly put a sentence together in English. She had her degree from the nursing school she attended in Slovakia, but it didn't amount to much because she was not a US citizen. So, she worked as a babysitter and made what little money she could to support herself. She used her impressive nurse's capacity to care and found success as a babysitter. Eventually, she found herself a husband and married into citizenship just before her visa was about to expire. She had a baby girl (me!) but unfortunately for her, her marriage didn't work out and, all of a sudden, she was a single mother stranded in a foreign country. Despite all the troubles she faced, she cared for me. She cared for herself and she cared for the children she babysat. She cared about her future and the future of her baby girl. Because she cared so much, I have the potential for a bright future following in her footsteps. Because she cared, I have the potential to make her proud. And to make my grandma proud. Because they cared, I have the chance to care too. I want to pursue a career in nursing so that I can care for others in the same way that my mother and grandma cared for me. Because of them, I want to show the world that I, too, can care like a nurse.

Nurses have a vital role everywhere they work. They provide essential care to patients before they go into surgery by making sure that their patients' nerves are settled before they go under. They also ensure that when their patients wake up post operation, they wake up to a friendly face. Outside of hospitals, nurses care for those who can't care for themselves, such as the elderly in nursing homes or the injured in war zones. They also take care of the world's most despised in jails and prisons. Though these locations where nurses can work may seem very different, the nurses themselves all have one thing in common. This essential trait is so simple, but it is so important. It's that they care. They care for their patients no matter their background or their ethnicity or their political views. Nurses are always prepared to give their all to whoever their patient may be. This unmatched capacity to care is the reason I want to be a nurse. The people who showed me a nurse's impressive capacity to care were my grandma and my mother. Every time I needed to stay home from school because I was sick, my grandma would cook chicken noodle soup with arguably the world's best drink: Seven-Up mixed with orange juice. Even now that I'm almost an adult, she'll still treat me with the same meal. She comforted me when I was down and made sure that even though my health wasn't the best, my spirits remained high. In addition to caring for me, when her beloved dog, Mittens, grew so sick she wouldn't eat, she syringe fed that dog back to health. To this day, because of my grandma's caring nature, Mittens is able to bark at every single creature that passes by her house with the greatest degree of excitement. My grandma was a wonderfully caring nurse to both me and Mittens, even long after she retired from her hospital duties. Another nurse that inspires me is my mom. After discovering that the career opportunities offered to her in her home country were insufficient, she immigrated alone to the United States, even though she could hardly put a sentence together in English. She had her degree from the nursing school she attended in Slovakia, but it didn't amount to much because she was not a US citizen. So, she worked as a babysitter and made what little money she could to support herself. She used her impressive nurse's capacity to care and found success as a babysitter. Eventually, she found herself a husband and married into citizenship just before her visa was about to expire. She had a baby girl (me!) but unfortunately for her, her marriage didn't work out and, all of a sudden, she was a single mother stranded in a foreign country. Despite all the troubles she faced, she cared for me. She cared for herself and she cared for the children she babysat. She cared about her future and the future of her baby girl. Because she cared so much, I have the potential for a bright future following in her footsteps. Because she cared, I have the potential to make her proud. And to make my grandma proud. Because they cared, I have the chance to care too. I want to pursue a career in nursing so that I can care for others in the same way that my mother and grandma cared for me. Because of them, I want to show the world that I, too, can care like a nurse.

There are three minutes left on the clock. I'm almost pinned, but I don't want to lose. Not that it matters, we're just training. He's a big guy, but that's nothing new. As a woman in the male-dominated sport of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, I'm quite used to fighting people that outweigh me, often by a lot. Luckily for me, my opponent isn't a brute. He leaves an opening, just the right size for me to swing my leg through and right over his head, placing me on top. It seemed perfect, except for the fact that I couldn't see where my leg was going, as his bulky body blocked most of my sight. I do it anyway, using my full strength to get him off of me, swinging my leg around and- BAM! I feel my heel connect with his face. He's laying on the ground, his cheek bleeding. It's already starting to bruise, and he's taking a second to get up. I apologize and make sure he's okay, but he's saying he's dizzy and needs a second. The coach comes over and takes care of him, and even though I'm not the one with the potential concussion, I start to feel a bit dizzy too. I hurt someone. Potentially really badly. I couldn't stop thinking it over and over again, I hurt him. For a while after causing my training partner real harm, I trained differently. I became far more conscious of my body and the body of my opponent. Sure, I lost matches due to being too cautious, but, I gained something far more valuable than a small victory in the gym. I gained the realization that I don't want to hurt people, I want to help them. After doing some research, I decided that a career in medicine was perfect for me, as I've always had the motivation to work hard, especially for the good of others. My work ethic has pushed me to stay in the gym, even on the nights when I want to cry because I keep losing my matches. Due to the resilience I learned during those tough nights, I believe that I can work through all the challenges a career in medicine has to offer. Because I learned that I have the capacity to overcome daunting physical and mental obstacles, I believe that I have resilience to share. I want to give some of my resilience to all of my patients in the future, so that they, too, can overcome their own obstacles. I want to dedicate my life to helping those in need and making the world a better place for everyone, equally. I plan to go to school to get a Bachelor's of Science Degree in Nursing because nurses are the world's most caring and resilient individuals. I want to be a nurse so that I can show the world that resilience is not only to be used for personal gain, but that resilience can be shared with those who are struggling in their own lives. The next time that I saw the training partner that I hurt, he was fighting harder than ever, and all he had to show for his previous injury was a small bruise on his cheek. Because of the resilience that he displayed, I became even more resilient myself. Wherever my future takes me, I hope that I, too, can inspire others to be resilient for themselves and their loved ones, just like my training partner inspired me.

The people that inspired me to pursue a career in the medical field were my grandma and my mom. Although they pursued the same career, nursing, they are very different individuals. What brought them both to nursing, however, was one very special trait. This essential trait is so simple, but it is so important. It's that they care. They care for their patients no matter their background or their ethnicity or their political views. Nurses are always prepared to give their all to whoever their patient may be. This unmatched capacity to care is the reason I want to be a nurse. Throughout my childhood, my grandma never hesitated to bathe me in her loving care. Every time I needed to stay home from school because I was sick, she would cook chicken noodle soup with arguably the world's best drink: Seven-Up mixed with orange juice. Even now that I'm almost an adult, she'll still treat me with the same meal. She comforted me when I was down and made sure that even though my health wasn't the best, my spirits remained high. In addition to caring for me, when her beloved dog, Mittens, grew so sick she wouldn't eat, she syringe fed that dog back to health. To this day, because of my grandma's caring nature, Mittens is able to bark at every single creature that passes by her house with the greatest degree of excitement. My grandma was a wonderfully caring nurse to both me and Mittens, even long after she retired from her hospital duties. Another nurse that inspires me is my mom. After discovering that the career opportunities offered to her in her home country were insufficient, she immigrated alone to the United States, even though she could hardly put a sentence together in English. She had her degree from the nursing school she attended in Slovakia, but it didn't amount to much because she was not a US citizen. So, she worked as a babysitter and made what little money she could to support herself. She used her impressive nurse's capacity to care and found success as a babysitter. Eventually, she found herself a husband and married into citizenship just before her visa was about to expire. She had a baby girl (me!) but unfortunately for her, her marriage didn't work out and, all of a sudden, she was a single mother stranded in a foreign country. Despite all the troubles she faced, she cared for me. She cared for herself and she cared for the children she babysat. She cared about her future and the future of her baby girl. Because she cared so much, I have the potential for a bright future following in her footsteps. Because she cared, I have the potential to make her proud. And to make my grandma proud. Because they cared, I have the chance to care too. I plan to make a difference in the world by caring for everybody equally, just like the loving nurses before me did. They showed me what it means to be a nurse, a mother, and even a grandmother. As I grow older, it becomes my turn to step into these roles. It becomes my turn to unconditionally care for people I've never met before. And later, to be willing to do anything for my children. And even later, to bathe my grandchildren in my loving care. Because of the loving nurses in my family, I want to show the world that I, too, can care like a nurse.

High School Senior: Nurses have a vital role everywhere they work. In hospitals, they provide essential care to patients before they go into surgery by making sure that their patients' nerves are settled before they go under. They also ensure that when their patients wake up post operation, they wake up to a friendly face. Outside of hospitals, nurses care for those who can't care for themselves, such as the elderly in nursing homes or the injured in war zones. They also take care of the world's most despised in jails and prisons. Though these locations where nurses can work may seem very different, the nurses themselves all have one thing in common. This essential trait may seem so simple, but it is so important. It's that they care. They care for their patients no matter their background or their ethnicity or their political views. Nurses are always prepared to give their all to whoever their patient may be. This unmatched capacity to care is the reason I want to be a nurse. The nurse that inspires me most is my mom. After discovering that the career opportunities offered to her in her home country were insufficient, she immigrated alone to the United States, even though she could hardly put a sentence together in English. She had her degree in nursing from the nursing school she attended in Slovakia, but it didn't amount to much because she was not a US citizen. So, she worked as a babysitter for a while and made what little money she could to support herself. She used her impressive nurse's capacity to care and found success as a babysitter. Eventually, she found herself a husband and married into citizenship just before her visa was about to expire. She had a baby girl(me!) but unfortunately for her, her marriage didn't work out and she found herself as a single mother in a foreign country. Despite all the troubles she faced, she cared for me. She cared for herself and she cared for the children she babysat. She cared about her future and the future of her baby girl. Because she cared so much, I have the potential for a bright future following in her footsteps. Because she cared, I have the potential to make her proud. Because she cared, I have the chance to care too. I want to pursue a career in nursing so that I can care for others in the same way that my mother cared for me. Because of her, I want to show the world that I, too, can care like a nurse. To be specific, I would like to first get my Bachelor's of Science in Nursing. Then, I can work full time as a nurse while I study to get my Doctorate so that I may work as a CRNA or a Nurse Anesthetist.

Nurses have a vital role everywhere they work. They provide essential care to patients before they go into surgery by making sure that their patients' nerves are settled before they go under. They also ensure that when their patients wake up post operation, they wake up to a friendly face. Outside of hospitals, nurses care for those who can't care for themselves, such as the elderly in nursing homes or the injured in war zones. They also take care of the world's most despised in jails and prisons. Though these locations where nurses can work may seem very different, the nurses themselves all have one thing in common. This essential trait may seem so simple, but it is so important. It's that they care. They care for their patients no matter their background or their ethnicity or their political views. Nurses are always prepared to give their all to whoever their patient may be. This unmatched capacity to care is the reason I want to be a nurse. The people who showed me a nurse's impressive capacity to care were my grandma and my mother. Every time I needed to stay home from school because I was sick, my grandma would cook me some chicken noodle soup with arguably the world's best drink: Seven-Up mixed with orange juice. Even now that I'm almost an adult, she'll still treat me with the same meal. She comforted me when I was down and made sure that even though my health wasn't the best, my spirits remained high. In addition to caring for me, when her beloved dog, Mittens, grew so sick she wouldn't eat, she syringe fed that dog back to health. To this day, because of my grandma's caring nature, Mittens is able to bark at every single creature that passes by her house with the greatest degree of excitement. My grandma was a wonderful nurse to both me and Mittens, even long after she retired from her hospital duties. Another nurse that inspires me is my mom. After discovering that the career opportunities offered to her in her home country were insufficient, she immigrated alone to the United States, even though she could hardly put a sentence together in English. She had her degree in nursing from the nursing school she attended in Slovakia, but it didn't amount to much because she was not a US citizen. So, she worked as a babysitter for a while and made what little money she could to support herself. She used her impressive nurse's capacity to care and found success as a babysitter. Eventually, she found herself a husband and married into citizenship just before her visa was about to expire. She had a baby girl(me!) but unfortunately for her, her marriage didn't work out and she found herself as a single mother in a foreign country. Despite all the troubles she faced, she cared for me. She cared for herself and she cared for the children she babysat. She cared about her future and the future of her baby girl. Because she cared so much, I have the potential for a bright future following in her footsteps. Because she cared, I have the potential to make her proud. And to make my grandma proud. Because they cared, I have the chance to care too. I want to pursue a career in nursing so that I can care for others in the same way that my mother and grandma cared for me. Because of them, I want to show the world that I, too, can care like a nurse.