My story begins when I was born at 30 weeks. On day one, I had to be intubated and we did not realize that the intubation would lead to an endoscopy a year and a half later. It was then discovered that I had a benign tumor called “Subglottic Hemangioma” and my airway was the size of a “pinhead.” Many laser surgeries later, they operated on my rib cage to get a piece of rib to keep my airway open. At the same time, they decided to place a tracheostomy in my throat to ensure that I could breathe. In my early years of school, I was diagnosed with a Specific Learning Disability in reading and math comprehension. I had to get extra help in school in these specific areas. Due to Neurofibromatosis 1 (NF1), I have little benign tumors that grow on my body and multiple café-au-lait spots and I have gotten more as I get older. I was also diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), when I was a young child, I was very unorganized along with moving around too much. I have had scoliosis since third grade. This disability has affected me because I was not able to do activities like other kids. When it came to things like gym class in middle school, I had a doctor's note because I could not do what was required. My back has gone from a thirty-degree curvature to a sixty-degree curve over the course of fourteen years. My feet were normal at birth and then, because of the NF disease, I needed to have surgery because of tight muscles and ligaments in my feet that caused me to have reconstructive surgery on both feet. I was restricted to a wheelchair for months due to each surgery. I also have problems with my vision and I had to get glasses when I was in fifth grade. I have a prescription stronger for my right eye which is attributed to NF 1. My motivation to pursue higher education started at a young age. My parents always wanted the best for me as they went to college, but never got to finish. I have always wanted to become a teacher ever since I was a young child. I have always wanted children to know everything they need to know to become successful in their lives. I graduated from John Jay High School in the top 25% of my class with A & B Honor Roll and Perfect Attendance. I was also in the National and Spanish Honor Societies. I went to Northwest Vista College for two years to get my Associates Degree in teaching and I graduated being in the National Society Leadership and Success as a Presidential Member and Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society with a 3.5 Grade Point Average (GPA). I have accomplished a lot in a short period of time and this scholarship will help me obtain my Bachelor's degree and continue my education to even get my Master’s degree so that I can be a successful teacher and also have an opportunity for a higher position in the Education field. It will also help me pay for my tuition and fees and get the books and supplies I need for school. The NF1 disease is not going to stop me from obtaining my goals because I know that I am not in this fight alone. I look to a higher plan from above and know that I can succeed in accomplishing my goals as I reach for my dreams!

It is important to help others because it makes me feel good inside. According to the Bible in John 15:12 from the English Standard Version (ESV), it says “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.” Jesus tells us to do this because we can receive many things from him in many ways like healing, strength, and good health. He wants us to do good deeds like being courteous and opening the door for people, giving money to the church or charitable organizations, or even to people if they need it at the register. Another scripture from the Bible is Proverbs 19:17 from the New International Version (NIV), which says, “Those who are gracious to the poor lend to the Lord, and the Lord will fully repay them.” What I got from this is that it goes well in helping others because people can donate clothes or give money or personal time to people that need it. This will help you get a reward from the Lord by giving you more than you asked for. Giving people a place to sleep or pillows and blankets can also come back to you as a big reward. This can be looked at as if you needed something desperately and people gave you exactly what you needed to survive. According to a third scripture from the Bible Romans 12:13 from the New Living Translation (NLT) it says, "When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality.” Even if you do something smaller and help someone out, it can make a big difference in how you show love to somebody. The Lord wants us to be good to others and it will come back eventually in the future. I have been a volunteer at my church for many years giving food and clothing to people in need. I have always had a passion to do this, and my parents taught me to love all people; I want to give my time to help someone in need. I love to meet new people and I love seeing familiar faces and having conversations with them for a few minutes and seeing them smile. I have been volunteering since I was a Junior in High school and now, I am a Junior at my University. I love that I can make a difference in people’s lives by giving a helping hand and I have a better understanding of the importance of getting along and being kind to people. All in all, we want to treat others the way you want to be treated. Serving the people in my community has been very eventful and I receive a personal satisfaction in giving of myself. I am more than happy to serve my community and I believe I will do this continually because it is a pleasure and a privilege to serve. After all, I enjoy helping others. References https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+15%3A12&version=ESV https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=PROVERBS+19%3A17&version=CEB https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+12%3A13&version=NLT

My story begins when I was born at 30 weeks. On day one, I had to be intubated and we did not realize that the intubation would lead to an endoscopy a year and a half later. It was then discovered that I had a benign tumor called “Subglottic Hemangioma” and my airway was the size of a “pinhead.” Many laser surgeries later, they operated on my rib cage to get a piece of rib to keep my airway open. At the same time, they decided to place a tracheostomy in my throat to ensure that I could breathe. In my early years of school, I was diagnosed with a Specific Learning Disability in reading and math comprehension. I had to get extra help in school in these specific areas. I was also diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), when I was a young child, I was very unorganized along with moving around too much. I have had scoliosis since third grade. This disability has affected me because I was not able to do activities like other kids. My back has gone from a thirty-degree curvature to a sixty-degree curve over the course of fourteen years. I have always wanted to become a teacher ever since I was a young child. I have always wanted children to know what they need to know to become successful in their lives. I want to make an impact on my students' lives so that they can be what they want to be in their future careers. I went to Northwest Vista College for two years to get my Associates Degree in teaching and I graduated in the Fall of 2022 being in the National Society Leadership and Success as a Presidential Member and Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society with a 3.5 Grade Point Average (GPA). I have accomplished a lot in a short period of time and this scholarship will help me obtain my Bachelor's degree and continue my education to even get my Master’s degree so that I can be a successful teacher and also have an opportunity for a higher position in the Education field. It will also help me pay for my tuition and fees and get the books and supplies I need for school. I look to a higher plan from above and know that I can succeed in accomplishing my goals as I reach for my dreams!

My story begins when I was born at 30 weeks. On day one, I had to be intubated and we did not realize that the intubation would lead to an endoscopy a year and a half later. It was then discovered that I had a benign tumor called “Subglottic Hemangioma” and my airway was the size of a “pinhead.” Many laser surgeries later, they operated on my rib cage to get a piece of rib to keep my airway open. At the same time, they decided to place a tracheostomy in my throat to ensure that I could breathe. In my early years of school, I was diagnosed with a Specific Learning Disability in reading and math comprehension. I had to get extra help in school in these specific areas. I was also diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), when I was a young child, I was very unorganized along with moving around too much. I have had scoliosis since third grade. This disability has affected me because I was not able to do activities like other kids. My back has gone from a thirty-degree curvature to a sixty-degree curve over the course of fourteen years. I have always wanted to become a teacher ever since I was a young child. I have always wanted children to know what they need to know to become successful in their lives. I want to make an impact on my students' lives so that they can be what they want to be in their future careers. I went to Northwest Vista College for two years to get my Associates Degree in teaching and I graduated in the Fall of 2022 being in the National Society Leadership and Success as a Presidential Member and Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society with a 3.5 Grade Point Average (GPA). I have accomplished a lot in a short period of time and this scholarship will help me obtain my Bachelor's degree and continue my education to even get my Master’s degree so that I can be a successful teacher and also have an opportunity for a higher position in the Education field. It will also help me pay for my tuition and fees and get the books and supplies I need for school. I look to a higher plan from above and know that I can succeed in accomplishing my goals as I reach for my dreams!

My story begins when I was born at 30 weeks. On day one, I had to be intubated and we did not realize that the intubation would lead to an endoscopy a year and a half later. It was then discovered that I had a benign tumor called “Subglottic Hemangioma” and my airway was the size of a “pinhead.” Many laser surgeries later, they operated on my rib cage to get a piece of rib to keep my airway open. At the same time, they decided to place a tracheostomy in my throat to ensure that I could breathe. In my early years of school, I was diagnosed with a Specific Learning Disability in reading and math comprehension. I had to get extra help in school in these specific areas. Due to Neurofibromatosis 1 (NF1), I have little benign tumors that grow on my body and multiple café-au-lait spots and I have gotten more as I get older. I was also diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), when I was a young child, I was very unorganized along with moving around too much. I have had scoliosis since third grade. This disability has affected me because I was not able to do activities like other kids. When it came to things like gym class in middle school, I had a doctor's note because I could not do what was required. My back has gone from a thirty-degree curvature to a sixty-degree curve over the course of fourteen years. My feet were normal at birth and then, because of the NF disease, I needed to have surgery because of tight muscles and ligaments in my feet that caused me to have reconstructive surgery on both feet. I was restricted to a wheelchair for months due to each surgery. I also have problems with my vision and I had to get glasses when I was in fifth grade. I have a prescription stronger for my right eye which is attributed to NF 1. My motivation to pursue higher education started at a young age. My parents always wanted the best for me as they went to college, but never got to finish. I have always wanted to become a teacher ever since I was a young child. I have always wanted children to know everything they need to know to become successful in their lives. I graduated from John Jay High School in the top 25% of my class with A & B Honor Roll and Perfect Attendance. I was also in the National and Spanish Honor Societies. I went to Northwest Vista College for two years to get my Associates Degree in teaching and I graduated being in the National Society Leadership and Success as a Presidential Member and Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society with a 3.5 Grade Point Average (GPA). I have accomplished a lot in a short period of time and this scholarship will help me obtain my Bachelor's degree and continue my education to even get my Master’s degree so that I can be a successful teacher and also have an opportunity for a higher position in the Education field. It will also help me pay for my tuition and fees and get the books and supplies I need for school. The NF1 disease is not going to stop me from obtaining my goals because I know that I am not in this fight alone. I look to a higher plan from above and know that I can succeed in accomplishing my goals as I reach for my dreams!

I see myself in the future as an educator, model and mentor. I want my students to know that they can do anything they put their minds to, they can achieve their goals and dreams and be successful in what they choose to be in their future careers.

When I was a baby, I went through many ups and downs including being born prematurely and having many laser surgeries. One surgery was to take a piece of my rib and place it in my throat so that my airway would remain open. During the same surgery, the doctors placed a tracheotomy which remained for the next six months. My parents had to go back to work after taking care of me for several months. My grandparents, who lived next door to us, would come over to take care of me by cleaning out my tracheotomy area and giving me my medicines so that I could survive. My grandparents, even though they were late in age, had to learn how to care for me since I had a tracheotomy. As I grew up, my grandparents were heavily involved in taking care of me when I got home from school and made sure that I was well taken care of and got me to do my homework. They would give me medications and give me an after-school meal before my parents came home. My grandmother was the one that knitted our family together. She used to be a teacher, and she was the one that taught me some Spanish and that taught me some of the basics. She also had me do some math problems so that I could learn and so I could get better at math. My grandmother also helped me when I had to have reconstructive surgery on both my feet. She always supported my needs and was very kind to me. I lost my beloved paternal grandmother (Tata) six months after my sixteenth birthday. It was due to diabetes, kidney failure and possibly cancer that was unknown to us if she actually had it, but that is what the doctor told us, and my parents did not want me to know until later. Some of the ways that I managed my grief while juggling a school workload was by visiting my grandfather during that time because I felt close to him. Spending some time playing board games from time to time with my grandfather, so that he would feel like he has some people in his life that cared about him and so that he felt he was not alone. During that time, I would finish my schoolwork as I would in a normal routine, and I would also go to my room quietly and grieve and have some alone time to think. I would think about the wonderful times I had with her and would remember her being there for me when I was going through a personal struggle. The different kinds of support that she gave me were countless and I truly will remember what a wonderful person she was and still lives in my heart. Losing my grandmother was one of the hardest days of my life. It has not been the same since she left this earth. My family and I had to adjust to the way we live now since it will be six years in June this year. My faith in God helps me in knowing that one day I will see my grandmother once again!

My story begins when I was born at 30 weeks. On day one, I had to be intubated and we did not realize that the intubation would lead to an endoscopy a year and a half later. It was then discovered that I had a benign tumor called “Subglottic Hemangioma” and my airway was the size of a “pinhead.” Many laser surgeries later, they operated on my rib cage to get a piece of rib to keep my airway open. At the same time, they decided to place a tracheostomy in my throat to ensure that I could breathe. In my early years of school, I was diagnosed with a Specific Learning Disability in reading and math comprehension. I had to get extra help in school in these specific areas. Due to Neurofibromatosis 1 (NF1), I have little benign tumors that grow on my body and multiple café-au-lait spots and I have gotten more as I get older. I was also diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), when I was a young child, I was very unorganized along with moving around too much. I have had scoliosis since third grade. This disability has affected me because I was not able to do activities like other kids. When it came to things like gym class in middle school, I had a doctor's note because I could not do what was required. My back has gone from a thirty-degree curvature to a sixty-degree curve over the course of fourteen years. My feet were normal at birth and then, because of the NF disease, I needed to have surgery because of tight muscles and ligaments in my feet that caused me to have reconstructive surgery on both feet. I was restricted to a wheelchair for months due to each surgery. I also have problems with my vision and I had to get glasses when I was in fifth grade. I have a prescription stronger for my right eye which is attributed to NF 1. My motivation to pursue higher education started at a young age. My parents always wanted the best for me as they went to college, but never got to finish. I have always wanted to become a teacher ever since I was a young child. I have always wanted children to know everything they need to know to become successful in their lives. I graduated from John Jay High School in the top 25% of my class with A & B Honor Roll and Perfect Attendance. I was also in the National and Spanish Honor societies. I went to Northwest Vista College for two years to get my Associates Degree in teaching and I graduated being in the National Society Leadership and Success as a Presidential Member and Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society with a 3.5 Grade Point Average (GPA). I have accomplished a lot in a short period of time and this scholarship will help me obtain my Bachelor's degree and continue my education to even get my Master’s degree so that I can be a successful teacher and also have an opportunity for a higher position in the Education field. It will also help me pay for my tuition and fees and get the books and supplies I need for school. The NF1 disease is not going to stop me from obtaining my goals because I know that I am not in this fight alone. I look to a higher plan from above and know that I can succeed in accomplishing my goals as I reach for my dreams!

My name is Mariah Moreno, I was born as a premature baby at 30 weeks and had to overcome many challenges since that day. I was born with some physical challenges as well and had to undergo many surgeries until middle school. Although I was faced with these kinds of challenges, I had something within me that kept me going, I overcame despite the many operations that I had to go through, but I never quit. I had many wonderful instructors through the years who inspired me to become an Educator. I graduated from High School in the top 25% in my class and with Honors. I was in the National Honor Society and the Spanish Honor Society. I am now a sophomore at Northwest Vista College in San Antonio, Texas and I have a 3.9 GPA and am in the top 10% of my class. I started my freshman year in the Fall of 2020 during the coronavirus pandemic when everything started going online. I plan to pursue my goals by continuing to go to college and graduate in the Fall of 2022 and then transfer to Texas A & M University- San Antonio and continue my studies full time in the spring of 2023 and graduate in 2024. What I hope to achieve in life is to become an elementary school teacher and teach the next generation the skills that they need to know so that they can be successful in life so that they can grow up and be whatever they choose to be with the right education and mentorship that started with me. I believe that they should also know about the history of the greatest country in the world—the United States of America and that they know about the great price of freedom and liberty and how they can be anything they choose to be and do anything they want to do and that nothing is impossible—and I can testify to that. What excites me most about this world is that the world is so diverse. People from many countries have come to this nation to make it their home and we all learn from each other. I like that the diversity in this nation offers many choices such as food, clothes, and other goods. I have noticed recently that there are businesses that offer goods from their countries that we may not have had otherwise. The way I plan to give back to my community is to volunteer whenever I can. Before the pandemic began, I had volunteered in my church and the food bank since 2018. I assisted in the Evangelization Committee at my church during special events such as Thanksgiving and Christmas. When Thanksgiving comes around, I volunteered by sorting out cans, giving out the turkey and other foods and placing it in their vehicle due to the pandemic. I also help in the church by wrapping gifts Christmas for the children in the community so that they can get a gift from Santa. I have also volunteered at my church’s vacation bible school which is a program that helps kids know more about the bible. I currently have approximately 99 volunteer service hours since I started in the summer of 2018. I have not been able to volunteer in the past year because of coronavirus restrictions, but once those coronavirus restrictions are over, I will continue to do community service and serve wherever I can. I like giving up my time and get a great satisfaction in helping people, but my great joy is being with children and that is why I have decided to teach in the first-grade level. I love to give back to my community because I know how it feels to be a person that needs help and when they helped me out, they put a smile on my face. By giving back to my community I would be putting a smile on their face and that is what makes it all worth it!