Ever since I was a little girl, I loved to design things. I loved to design clothes, sidewalk art, books, really anything you can think of. Then, at Sophomore Orientation, I saw them across the room. Robots. A light bulb went off in my head as I started daydreaming about all the different ways I could design my very own robot. I could make it pick up things, spin around in circles, or play silly sounds. I promptly signed up for the class. I was addicted to Computer Science immediately. I took every class and joined every club. I worked my way up to leadership positions, I started my own club, I wrote an award-winning essay on technological education, and, most notably, I won 1st place at FBLA Nationals with a mobile app I created. When the time to enroll in college came around, the choice to pursue a Computer Science degree was, unsurprisingly, easy. During high school, I participated in an annual event called Hearts of Gold. This massive event was an annual charity season where the entire school would come together and raise money for a non-profit organization of our choice. As a part of Student Government my senior year, I was in charge of this event. We chose the Nixon Strong Foundation, an organization that helped children with cancer. I worked tirelessly every day for a month to raise money for the kids, designing merchandise and hosting fundraising events. At the end of the month, we raised over $150,000 for the kids, an unheard-of number for Herriman High School. This experience was the core motivator for my future career plans. I want to be able to use my Computer Science talents to help the less fortunate around the world. Now, like most great things, this is easier said than done. So, I have a plan. My goals are to receive a Bachelor's Degree in Software Engineering at Western Governors University in just two years. From there, I will secure a job as a Technical Advisor for humanitarian work. I am also in the process of starting a business named Rosetta with my FBLA Nationals team to create apps that help teachers, advisors, students, and parents communicate in a more simple way. My love for Computer Science is more than just a career. It’s who I am. I know that, with the proper education and resources, I will forever change the technical industry.

The typewriter is a classic technology that has inspired me with its impact on written communication and its contribution to the progress of modern technology. The typewriter revolutionized the way people wrote, created a new industry, and served as a precursor to the modern computer. Before the typewriter, writing was a slow and laborious process. Writers used pens or quills and ink, and they had to be very careful not to make any mistakes because corrections were time-consuming and often left unsightly marks. The typewriter changed all that by enabling writers to produce clean, legible, and accurate text at a much faster pace than was previously possible. The invention of the typewriter had a profound impact on society, opening up new opportunities for business and commerce, as well as facilitating the spread of ideas and information. For instance, typewriters allowed businesses to produce high-quality written communications, such as letters, reports, and invoices, much more quickly and efficiently than before. This increased productivity and helped businesses to grow and expand. Furthermore, the typewriter served as a precursor to modern computing. The typewriter's mechanical design and its use of interchangeable parts paved the way for mass production, making it possible to produce large numbers of machines at a lower cost. This helped to democratize access to written communication, making it possible for more people to write and communicate effectively. In addition, the invention of the typewriter led to the creation of a new industry, with manufacturers such as Remington and Underwood producing millions of typewriters and creating thousands of jobs. This industry also led to the development of related technologies, such as carbon paper, which enabled typewritten documents to be duplicated quickly and easily. In conclusion, the typewriter is a technology that has inspired me because it demonstrates how innovation can transform society and make the world a better place. The typewriter's impact on written communication and its role in paving the way for modern computing has been immense, and its legacy can still be felt today.

Ever since I was a little girl, I loved to design things. I loved to design clothes, sidewalk art, books, and really anything you can think of. Then, at Sophomore Orientation, I saw them across the room. Robots. A light bulb went off in my head as I started daydreaming about all the different ways I could design my very own robot. I could make it pick up things, spin around in circles, or play silly sounds. I promptly signed up for the class. I was addicted to Computer Science immediately. I took every class and joined every club. I worked my way up to leadership positions, I started my own club, I wrote an award-winning essay on technological education, and, most notably, I won 1st place at FBLA Nationals with a mobile app I created. When the time to enroll in college came around, the choice to pursue a Computer Science degree was, unsurprisingly, easy. During high school, I participated in an annual event called Hearts of Gold. This massive event was an annual charity season where the entire school would come together and raise money for a non-profit organization of our choice. As a part of the Student Government during my senior year, I was in charge of this event. We chose the Nixon Strong Foundation, an organization that helped children with cancer. I worked tirelessly every day for a month to raise money for the kids, designing merchandise and hosting fundraising events. At the end of the month, we raised over $150,000 for the kids, an unheard-of number for Herriman High School. This experience was the core motivator for my future career plans. I want to be able to use my Computer Science talents to help the less fortunate around the world. Now, like most great things, this is easier said than done. So, I have a plan. My goals are to receive a Bachelor's Degree in Software Engineering at Western Governors University in just two years. From there, I will secure a job as a Technical Advisor for humanitarian work. I am also in the process of starting a business named Rosetta with my FBLA Nationals team to create apps that help teachers, advisors, students, and parents communicate in a more simple way. My love for Computer Science is more than just a career. It’s who I am. I know that, with the proper education and resources, I will forever change the technical industry.

It's easy to list down a list of my leadership positions. Karate Instructor, SBO, SkillsUSA President, FBLA Officer, musical director, Tech Officer. But you know what's not easy? Leading. I did karate for about ten years. Each day I went to class excited to try a new kick or spar a new opponent. It didn't take long for my Instructors to level me up a couple of classes, and eventually, when I was fifteen, offer me the opportunity to start helping in classes. I was so excited! I was going to be the next Bruce Lee! I started attending leadership classes and learned how to be, well, a leader. I learned self-discipline, the importance of being an example, and how to command respect instead of demanding it. At first, it was all I could have asked for. Not only was I a star student, but I was also popular! Every student, young and old, knew my name! I met new friends and learned new material. Then everything started going south when I got to high school. It was about this time when one of the Head Instructors moved studios, and I was promoted from Assistant Instructor to Instructor. I was quickly overwhelmed. It went from just helping perfect the students' details to suddenly being legally responsible for two dozen kids on my own AND making sure their parents were getting their money's worth. This was also about the time I started preparing for my 3rd-degree Black Belt test. It was exhausting. I got burnt out fast. While I still enjoyed karate, I found it difficult to balance my time between teaching and learning. The popularity got boring and the responsibility draining. After three years of being an Instructor, I decided to focus on my education. At first, I felt like a failure. Had I not been strong enough to lead. Were my parents wrong about me one day owning my own company? It sure felt like it. I trudged on through high school. I got good grades and stayed involved, but I still felt like I was just meant to be a sheep instead of the glorified Shepard. Then one day, over the school announcements, they announced that Student Government positions for the next year were open for application. This sparked a small flame in my mind. I gave it a lot of thought that week. On one hand, I felt like I could make a serious difference in our school. I could give the ones who were ignored a voice. But on the other hand, I was scared of the responsibility it would entail. After much consultation, I decided to apply for SBO Artist. And to my surprise, out of six other competitors, I actually got the position. Throughout the rest of the year, I went on to be a voice for the Stage Crew, Theatre, and Improv department. As well as become President of SkillsUSA, an Officer of FBLA, and an Officer of Stage Crew. None of this would have happened if I hadn't decided to step down from being a Karate Instructor/ What felt like a humiliating and humbling experience, turned out to be one of the most prosperous decisions I've ever made. This experience has truly taught me what it really means to be a leader. It doesn't mean you're instantly popular. It doesn't mean you can never fail. It doesn't even mean you're the best in your field. Being a leader means being someone who supports and encourages, someone who gives direction. It means that you are okay with yourself.

The following passage is from an award-winning reflection paper, "I Can Walk Without Shoes", I wrote discussing my experience with depression. "When asked why I did it, I always give the same answer: “It felt like the next step.” Of course, this caused concern to those who heard it, for what was the next step after that one? And after that one? We’re taught that when you’re on your knees to stand up and take the next step. But they never talk about if that next step is off a cliff. It’s never brought up. It’s never taught. It’s so rarely even considered. The next step isn’t always right. Even now, it’s strange to me. It’s something that any sensible person wouldn’t think twice about. But, perhaps it’s the lack of sensibility that makes it all quite so interesting. The feeling of time passing away as I gaze at the floor, noticing the fluff from the cat or the hardened nail polish stain that will never come out. Noting the way the pictures on the wall, while so beautiful in the light, now take on hues of gray in the dark. I wonder to myself how much time I’ve spent in my room when I could have been out celebrating life. Watching the sunrise at the start of the school year. Driving down dirt roads and feeling the bass of the song. Drinking in friends' laughter as we race to the top of the playground. Who would choose sadness over that? No sane person would. Was it time spent or was it time wasted? All those hours in the shadows, choosing to turn another page of the book that’s aging from the constant use. Choosing to stay hidden instead of walking into the sun. (...) Lately, I’ve been torn between the desire to either ruin myself completely and the desire to become perfect. The ideas are constantly fighting for a place in my conscious mind, and I wonder if this is the definition of insanity. They’re both perfect recipes to my eventual demise, but until then, they fight for the right to be the advocate of my ever-spiraling life." These are all the thoughts I had during my senior year of high school as I struggled with severe depression and anxiety. But I wouldn't change these experiences for the world. This difficult situation I was in opened my eyes to the world of mental health. I witness first-hand the stigma surrounding depression and anxiety. Name callings, judgments, and pure misunderstanding. But in the darkness, there was light. There were friends who held me during rough nights, teachers who extended deadlines, and family who got me the help that I needed. Throughout all of this, I learned three things. 1. It is okay to not be okay. 2. It is okay to ask for help. 3. It is okay to be afraid. I have been told all of these things a hundred times in my life but never had I truly understood them. Now I do. I live in fear every day that the depression will come back in full swing. I know that there is a real possibility that the intrusive thought might someday win. And I've had to come to terms with that fear. I now live my life in a way that tomorrow may be the last. My goals are higher than are reasonable, but to me they are perfect. I want to accomplish as much as I can, in case tomorrow it will be too late. Because of the darkness that I have felt when I'm alone, I can now understand the light that comes from others. I now cherish my relationships in a way I never would have been able to if it weren't for my struggles with mental health. And through these relationships, I've come to discover just how many people struggle with mental illness. But I will not be doing it alone.

Ever since I was a little girl, I loved to design things. I loved to design clothes, sidewalk art, books, really anything you can think of. Then, at Sophmore Orientation, I saw it across the room. Robots. A light bulb went off in my head as I started daydreaming about all the different ways I could design my very own robot. I could make it pick up things, spin around in circles, or play silly sounds. I promptly signed up for the class. The class was not what I thought it would be. Instead of programming robots, I was learning how to make Graphical User Interfaces. But somehow to me, that was even better. I fell in love with the challenge of identifying the problem, planning a solution, designing my code, and eventually, witnessing its success. However, what really surprised me, was the mass amount of math involved. I found that I had to take more advanced math classes than I had been used to in order to succeed in this field. Well, I decided to accept the challenge. I started taking more advanced math classes and found that when I knew what I was doing, I loved it. But when it came to subjects I didn't understand, I found myself frustrated and I felt alone. I was so used to being able to get things the first time. I felt like I had failed. It took everything for my 15-year-old self to ask for help. It was only then, that I truly started succeeding. With the help of my teacher and peers, I was able to love every part of math, even the parts I found difficult. When the time to enroll in college came around, the choice to pursue a Computer Science degree was, unsurprisingly, easy. During high school, I participated in an annual event called Hearts of Gold. This massive event was an annual charity season where the entire school would come together and raise money for a non-profit organization of our choice. As a part of Student Government my senior year, I was in charge of this event. We chose the Nixon Strong Foundation, an organization that helped children with cancer. I worked tirelessly every day for a month to raise money for the kids, designing merchandise and hosting fundraising events. At the end of the month, we raised over $150,000 for the kids, an unheard-of number for Herriman High School. This experience was the core motivator for my future career plans. I want to be able to use my Computer Science talents to help the less fortunate around the world. Throughout my time in high school, I devoted myself to the Computer Science department. I helped found the clubs Girls Who Code and SkillsUSA at Herriman High School. As well as that, I joined the clubs FBLA, DECA, Student Government, Woodworking, and Stage Technology (all of which I worked my way to a leadership position). I also received my certifications in Computer Programming 1, Computer Programming 2, Woodworking 1, and Woodworking 2 (along with 15 college credits). I placed top 3 multiple times at FBLA State competitions and 1st at FBLA Nationals for Mobile Application Development. I also wrote an award-winning research paper on how poverty influences technological education. But putting all my academic accomplishments aside, I know I'm the best candidate for this scholarship because of my undeniable passion for Computer Science and mathematics. I know that I will go on to change the technology industry forever with my groundbreaking designs and love for people.

Ever since I was a little girl, I loved to design things. I loved to design clothes, sidewalk art, books, really anything you can think of. Then, at Sophmore Orientation, I saw it across the room. Robots. A light bulb went off in my head as I started daydreaming about all the different ways I could design my very own robot. I could make it pick up things, spin around in circles, or play silly sounds. I promptly signed up for the class. The class was not what I thought it would be. Instead of programming robots, I was learning how to make Graphical User Interfaces. But somehow to me, that was even better. I fell in love with the challenge of identifying the problem, planning a solution, designing my code, and eventually, witnessing its success. I was addicted to Computer Science immediately. I took every class and joined every club. I worked my way up to leadership positions, I started my own club, and I even won FBLA Nationals with a mobile app I created. When the time to enroll in college came around, the choice to pursue a Computer Science degree was, unsurprisingly, easy. During high school, I participated in an annual event called Hearts of Gold. This massive event was an annual charity season where the entire school would come together and raise money for a non-profit organization of our choice. As a part of Student Government my senior year, I was in charge of this event. We chose the Nixon Strong Foundation, an organization that helped children with cancer. I worked tirelessly every day for a month to raise money for the kids, designing merchandise and hosting fundraising events. At the end of the month, we raised over $150,000 for the kids, an unheard-of number for Herriman High School. This experience was the core motivator for my future career plans. I want to be able to use my Computer Science talents to help the less fortunate around the world. Throughout my time in high school, I devoted myself to the Computer Science department. I helped found the clubs Girls Who Code and SkillsUSA at Herriman High School. As well as that, I joined the clubs FBLA, DECA, Student Government, Woodworking, and Stage Technology (all of which I worked my way to a leadership position). I also received my certifications in Computer Programming 1, Computer Programming 2, Woodworking 1, and Woodworking 2 (along with 15 college credits). I placed top 3 multiple times at FBLA State competitions and 1st at FBLA Nationals for Mobile Application Development. I also wrote an award-winning research paper on how poverty influences technological education. But putting all my academic accomplishments aside, there have been many obstacles to overcome, and there will be many more in the future. Sexism, mental health, time, health, and motivation are just some of the struggles I've encountered. But I've learned to push through every challenge and live each day like tomorrow is my last.

Ever since I was a little girl, I loved to design things. I loved to design clothes, sidewalk art, books, really anything you can think of. Then, at Sophmore Orientation, I saw it across the room. Robots. A light bulb went off in my head as I started daydreaming about all the different ways I could design my very own robot. I could make it pick up things, spin around in circles, or play silly sounds. I promptly signed up for the class. The class was not what I thought it would be. Instead of programming robots, I was learning how to make Graphical User Interfaces. But somehow to me, that was even better. I fell in love with the challenge of identifying the problem, planning a solution, designing my code, and eventually, witnessing its success. I was addicted to Computer Science immediately. I took every class and joined every club. I worked my way up to leadership positions, I started my own club, and I even won FBLA Nationals with a mobile app I created. When the time to enroll in college came around, the choice to pursue a Computer Science degree was, unsurprisingly, easy. During high school, I participated in an annual event called Hearts of Gold. This massive event was an annual charity season where the entire school would come together and raise money for a non-profit organization of our choice. As a part of Student Government my senior year, I was in charge of this event. We chose the Nixon Strong Foundation, an organization that helped children with cancer. I worked tirelessly every day for a month to raise money for the kids, designing merchandise and hosting fundraising events. At the end of the month, we raised over $150,000 for the kids, an unheard-of number for Herriman High School. This experience was the core motivator for my future career plans. I want to be able to use my Computer Science talents to help the less fortunate around the world. Throughout my time in high school, I devoted myself to the Computer Science department. I helped found the clubs Girls Who Code and SkillsUSA at Herriman High School. As well as that, I joined the clubs FBLA, DECA, Student Government, Woodworking, and Stage Technology (all of which I worked my way to a leadership position). I also received my certifications in Computer Programming 1, Computer Programming 2, Woodworking 1, and Woodworking 2 (along with 15 college credits and a 3.9 GPA). I won awards such as placing top 3 multiple times at FBLA State competitions, placing 1st at FBLA Nationals for Mobile Application Development, winning Herriman High School Sterling Scholar for SKills and Technical Sciences, and many more. I also wrote an award-winning research paper on how poverty influences technological education. But putting all my academic accomplishments aside, STEM has shaped my aspiration for computing and my love of people. STEM has made me who I am today.

The following passage is from an award-winning reflection paper, "I Can Walk Without Shoes", which I wrote on December 17, 2021, for English 1010. "When asked why I did it, I always give the same answer: “It felt like the next step.” Of course, this caused concern to those who heard it, for what was the next step after that one? And after that one? We’re taught that when you’re on your knees to stand up and take the next step. But they never talk about if that next step is off a cliff. It’s never brought up. It’s never taught. It’s so rarely even considered. The next step isn’t always right. Even now, it’s strange to me. It’s something that any sensible person wouldn’t think twice about. But, perhaps it’s the lack of sensibility that makes it all quite so interesting. The feeling of time passing away as I gaze at the floor, noticing the fluff from the cat or the hardened nail polish stain that will never come out. Noting the way the pictures on the wall, while so beautiful in the light, now take on hues of gray in the dark. I wonder to myself how much time I’ve spent in my room when I could have been out celebrating life. Watching the sunrise at the start of the school year. Driving down dirt roads and feeling the bass of the song. Drinking in friends' laughter as we race to the top of the playground. Who would choose sadness over that? No sane person would. Was it time spent or was it time wasted? All those hours in the shadows, choosing to turn another page of the book that’s aging from the constant use. Choosing to stay hidden instead of walking into the sun. (...) Lately, I’ve been torn between the desire to either ruin myself completely and the desire to become perfect. The ideas are constantly fighting for a place in my conscious mind, and I wonder if this is the definition of insanity. They’re both perfect recipes to my eventual demise, but until then, they fight for the right to be the advocate of my ever-spiraling life." These are all the thoughts I had during my senior year of high school as I struggled with severe depression and anxiety. But I wouldn't change these experiences for the world. This difficult situation I was in opened my eyes to the world of mental health. I witness first-hand the stigma surrounding depression and anxiety. Name callings, judgments, and pure misunderstanding. But in the darkness, there was light. There were friends who held me during rough nights, teachers who extended deadlines, and family who got me the help that I needed. Throughout all of this, I learned three things. 1. It is okay to not be okay. 2. It is okay to ask for help. 3. It is okay to be afraid. I have been told all of these things a hundred times in my life but never had I truly understood them. Now I did. I live in fear every day that the depression will come back in full swing. I know that there is a real possibility that the intrusive thought might someday win. And I've had to come to terms with that fear. I now live my life in a way that tomorrow may be the last. My goals are higher than are reasonable, but to me they are perfect. I want to accomplish as much as I can, in case tomorrow it will be too late. Because of the darkness that I have felt when I'm alone, I can now understand the light that comes from others. I now cherish my relationships in a way I never would have been able to if it weren't for my struggles with mental health. And through these relationships, I've come to discover just how many people struggle with mental illness. But I will not be doing it alone.

1. Ever since I was a little girl, I loved to design things. I loved to design clothes, sidewalk art, books, really anything you can think of. Then, at Sophmore Orientation, I saw it across the room. Robots. A light bulb went off in my head as I started daydreaming about all the different ways I could design my very own robot. I could make it pick up things, spin around in circles, or play silly sounds. I promptly signed up for the class. The class was not what I thought it would be. Instead of programming robots, I was learning how to make Graphical User Interfaces. But somehow to me, that was even better. I fell in love with the challenge of identifying the problem, planning a solution, designing my code, and eventually, witnessing its success. I was addicted to Computer Science immediately. I took every class and joined every club. I worked my way up to leadership positions, I started my own club, and I even won FBLA Nationals with a mobile app I created. When the time to enroll in college came around, the choice to pursue a Computer Science degree was, unsurprisingly, easy. 2. During high school, I participated in an annual event called Hearts of Gold. This massive event was an annual charity season where the entire school would come together and raise money for a non-profit organization of our choice. As a part of Student Government my senior year, I was in charge of this event. We chose the Nixon Strong Foundation, an organization that helped children with cancer. I worked tirelessly every day for a month to raise money for the kids, designing merchandise and hosting fundraising events. At the end of the month, we raised over $150,000 for the kids, an unheard-of number for Herriman High School. This experience was the core motivator for my future career plans. I want to be able to use my Computer Science talents to help the less fortunate around the world. 3. Throughout my time in high school, I devoted myself to the Computer Science department. I helped found the clubs Girls Who Code and SkillsUSA at Herriman High School. As well as that, I joined the clubs FBLA, DECA, Student Government, Woodworking, and Stage Technology (all of which I worked my way to a leadership position). I also received my certifications in Computer Programming 1, Computer Programming 2, Woodworking 1, and Woodworking 2 (along with 15 college credits). I placed top 3 multiple times at FBLA State competitions and 1st at FBLA Nationals for Mobile Application Development. I also wrote an award-winning research paper on how poverty influences technological education. But putting all my academic accomplishments aside, I know I'm the best candidate for this scholarship because of my undeniable passion for Computer Science. I know that I will go on to change the technology industry forever with my groundbreaking designs and love for people.