Yellow: Rose, Fuchsia, Baby, Bubblegum (Shades of Pink) This is a pretty easy conclusion, as these are the only things that may relate to colors, other than raven. This is why I believe it is a fitting yellow that still fits with other words. Green: Cars, Brave, Soul, Bolt (Pixar Movies) This is meant to stump them a bit, as it isn't hard to make the connection, but these could relate to other words in the grid. Therefore, it is meant to help them either become stuck and not sure where to go from here, or it will help the player narrow down the options. Blue: thorn, raven, wheel, fairy (Sleeping Beauty) This is a bit harder as the words may not seem like they go together. Also, the thorn and rose pairing is intentional as they may think that those two are together from the beginning, which will throw off the game. Purple: Blanket, Wave, Factor, Therapy (Shock __) This one is the hardest because it includes wordplay with seemingly random objects. Wave and factor may also relate to wheel, or blanket to baby. This is intentional to throw them off and make them wonder which answer is correct.

To me, the military has always been an important topic within our household. My Grandpa was a veteran in the Philippines and would always tell me stories of what it was like during his time. One story that stuck out to me as a child was him telling me about what it was like during the Vietnam War. While no fighting troops were ever sent to Vietnam, American troops were stationed at a few bases in the Philippines. My Grandpa told me that the Americans were extremely friendly. He stated that many loved the culture and food, even participating in games like Pusoy or Tong-its. He would ask them questions about America, about their life and what it was like, and they would tell him stories of what it was like in the States. The Philippines was, and still is, a developing country, so when he heard stories of the suburbs and how poverty was so rare in America, he desperately wanted to go. However, he could never raise enough money to travel all the way to the United States. So he spent most of his life in the Philippines, serving his country, getting honorably discharged, and eventually dreaming about moving across the sea to a land of better opportunity. Until one day, his son made the journey for him and moved to the United States, where he met my mother. From there, my parents raised money to send him to the U.S., and he was able to visit frequently and experience the life he had always wanted. While he passed away when I was only ten years old, I still carry his teachings and dreams with me. Whenever I think of America, I remember the dreams of my Grandpa, who, once upon a time, could only imagine the life that I now live. My dad also carried many of his father's teachings. He raised me to prioritize hard work and discipline. While I wouldn't call it a military house, we still fundamentally kept the principles of order and respect, and every day, I was told to give it my all. This is why when I think of the military, I think of my Grandpa. He was dedicated to serving his country, even when the conditions were not the best, and he dreamed of moving far away. Now that I am here, living his dream, I understand the importance of the military, just as my father taught me. Military is used to give us structure, to provide a sense of security in a world full of horrors. I was spared from my grandfather's more dark tales as a child, but as an adult who now knows our history, I can only imagine what he went through. However, this is exactly why we need protection. The world is filled with terrible things, but it is also filled with the dreams of those within it. The men and women who serve our country every day work so that citizens like me can continue to fulfill our goals, and accomplish the hopes of those before and after us. To me, protecting the country is more than an obligation, or a necessity, it is an honor which allows our country to flourish. Now that I am older, I am grateful to those who serve our country, and I hope that each day I prove that by making my own impact. While my Grandpa was never able to really fulfill his goal of fully living in the U.S, I have been gifted with the opportunity to do so, and I intend to make it count.

"Kindness is the greatest gift you can give to others." this is what my mother used to teach me and all the other children at Sunday school. I was in an oversized dress that my cousin had passed down, and that same morning she had spent what felt like hours using safety pins to make it fit. Back then, I couldn't understand how she and my father insisted on helping others when we could barely help ourselves. Still, I went with them every week to volunteer at the local soup kitchen, helping to package items and sort donations. Each Sunday, we helped with service, giving back to a community that tried to support us in tough times. As I got older I didn't realize the effect this had on me until I was 13 years-old. By that point, I had stopped volunteering or going to church, but I still held the lessons my parents taught me. There was a student at my school raising money for her mother's heart surgery. I didn't have the money of course, but I saw that there hadn't been a lot of money raised, and so I wanted to help. I talked to those around me in the community. Friends, family, and neighbors until we raised $200. This may not have been much to cover the full cost, but I was happy to have helped her out. This is a passion I hope to carry in my other organizations and clubs. Through clubs such as the American Cancer Society, Asian Student Action, and Naturnity, I encourage students like me to volunteer their time to help those in the community for a variety of causes. My parents taught me to be kind, no matter your circumstances, and now I spread that kindness to others.

I was 12 when the ringing in my head was dismissed by the doctor. He claimed it was just a simple headache and that I could take a Tylenol and it would all feel better. I knew this couldn't be true, no headache would make me lose concentration, so caught up in the pain that I couldn't work, that speaking was too difficult. My mother agreed, and under the fluorescent lights that clouded my vision, she pleaded with the doctor to examine me. However, it was clear he would never listen to her. So, with an upset sigh and a note to excuse me from school, my mom took me home. I remember the helplessness and the frustration at the knowledge that the doctor did not listen and I could do nothing. Back then, I naively thought that if I had simply explained it better, maybe he would have offered a better solution, but I had no choice except to go to bed and hope that it would get better. The migraines still appeared, once a week, never at the same time, until one day I couldn't take it and begged to go to another doctor. My mother agreed, and when she took me to another one, it took several times to convince them that this was a constant issue, before they finally looked a bit harder, and realized that my glasses, and their prescription, were the culprit. It was a satisfying feeling knowing I was right, but back then I didn't understand why the doctors didn't believe me. Why did they assume I was exaggerating, even when my mother insisted? It was 2 years later when I understood what was going on. My father had a similar problem, however, his migraines were caused by a chronic lack of sleep. This time, he walked into the appointment, and only 5 minutes later he was back and ready to pick up his prescription. There was no pleading, no convincing. I asked him about it, and he told me it must have been the difference in doctors. I didn't quite believe that. This was a feeling I wasn't sure how to explain. It wasn't until I went online years later, and saw the multitude of women with similar experiences, of men being treated when they were dismissed, that I recognized the issue at hand. Many women, especially in areas such as Texas, are often dismissed when they go to the hospital complaining about the pain they feel. Not only that but there is a significant gap in research on women's health. So we do not have as many resources or knowledge about what goes on in women's bodies and how that may differ from men's. This is concerning, and when I learned about this, I knew that there was an opportunity for me to make a difference. Now, I intend to go into medicine, and I plan to contribute to the research on women's health. I will be an uplifting voice, motivating women to speak up about their pain, and advocating for them to be listened to by other doctors. I will give them resources, which I have already begun to do with my own nonprofit, called Naturnity. Through Naturnity, I focus specifically on pre-natal patients, and provide resources, both educational and physical, to help them through pregnancy. As this organization grows, and as my reach in the medical field expands, we will then focus on a variety of women's issues in healthcare. Bridging that gap, and making our voices heard one patient at a time.

When words failed me, a child struggling to make sense of the words in front of her, math was there to be my translator. It is a language that transcends borders, cultures, and languages. Whether in the serene simplicity of arithmetic or the intricate dance of calculus, math offers a common ground where ideas are communicated with absolute clarity. This universality excites me because it means that the discoveries I make, the problems I solve, and the theories I unravel are not limited by words on a page. In school, I enjoyed English much less than math, finding solace in the equations I could comprehend rather than the jumble of letters I could not. This language worked to connect my family as well. When I sat at the dinner table, homework laid out in front of me, math was the one thing they could teach me. I remember how their faces deflated when I asked them about English or history, as all they could do was shake their heads and say "No." In a foreign country, where all things were new for them, math was something familiar, a string of hope they could grasp onto. Now, as I have grown, math has become more than a language and is instead a tool to grow in my knowledge of other subjects. While I may have disliked other subjects, my understanding of math became a foundation to help me succeed academically. To excel in math, I had to grow in my reading comprehension abilities, as word problems are how math is presented in the real world, not just through equations and formulas. Mathematics has also allowed me to expand my critical thinking skills, using logic to solve various issues I have faced in my academic career. These skills have helped me break essays into smaller pieces, understand historical data, and make connections between sources when conducting research. For me, math goes beyond a simple educational requirement. It is what has allowed me to grow as a student, and most importantly as a person. Through mathematics, I was able to find my sense of security and confidence, as math became an assurance for both me and my family. Then, it became a tool to overcome these difficulties, as I could take these skills and strove to improve myself academically.