To tell you a little about myself, I enjoy cooking, baking, working out, watching old movies, and listening to all kinds of music. My passion for food truly began when I was a kid. I dreamed of becoming a chef on television, creating dishes that would bring people joy. I asked my mom to buy me countless cookbooks so I could teach myself to cook, and that curiosity stayed with me as i grew older. I first took a culinary class my sophomore year for one trimester and later returned my senior year at Pierce County Skill Center. That's when everything changed, I not only developed my skills but also fell in love with the environment, the teachers, and the students. Unlike other settings, there was no drama or negativity; instead, everyone worked together as a team. I made great connections, and when my peers and Chefs smiled after tasting my food, I felt true happiness and peace. That's when I knew culinary arts wasn't just a hobby, but the career I wanted to pursue. Through volunteering and community service for the past five years, and working two jobs, I have gained valuable skills such as teamwork, time management, money handling, customer service, organization, knife techniques, and food handling, etc. I also had the chance to volunteer at the Skill Center both before and after school. I worked in the Summit Cafe in FOH (front of house) and BOH (back of house), which game real-world experience. I did cater events with other students and my chef's as well which was super fun. I loved every minute of it because it gave me taste of what working in the culinary field is truly like. What inspires me most about culinary arts is its power to bring people together. Food is more than just something to eat it's a way to connect, to celebrate, and to comfort. Being in culinary classes gave me confidence and courage because I was treated like a young adult rather than a kid. Having people believe in me and support my growth helped me realize that my childhood dream of becoming a chef is something I can truly achieve. As I move forward into college to pursue an associate degree in Culinary Arts, my goal is to continue learning and improving my skills. I want to expand my knowledge of different cuisines, techniques, and cultures so that I can create dishes that not only taste good but also bring meaning and joy to those who eat them. In the future, I plan to give back to my community through food. Whether it's by preparing meals for people in need, teaching others basic cooking skills, or creating dining experiences that bring people together, I want to use my passion for cooking to make a difference, My ultimate goal is to bring smiles to others through the food I'll create, just as my peers and chefs once smiled after tasting my dishes. Culinary arts is more than a career path for me it's a way to inspire, connect, and give back. College will be the next step in helping me grow not only as a chef but also as a person who can contribute to my community through the power of food.

Building credit early is important to me because I have seen firsthand what financial instability looks like. I grew up in a large family with a single income, and we were always struggling to make ends meet. When I lived with my foster mom, I watched her buy things constantly packages arrived almost every day, and the house became filled with things we didn't need. Much of the food she bought went to waste, and living in a one-story house with eight people and all that clutter was overwhelming. Later, when I went back to living with my biological father, I experienced a different kind of struggle. He was raising four kids alone, often falling behind on rent while still trying to send money to extended family who needed help. He would salvage whatever food he could afford, and I witnessed the constant stress of financial insecurity. Those experiences shaped the way I view money and credit. By the time I entered high school, I promised myself that I would take control of my financial future. I got my first job at 16 and started saving as much as possible, determined not to repeat the same cycle I saw growing up. Even as a child, I collected change from the couch, the car, or anywhere I could find it, and I still have not touched those savings. My foster parents encouraged this habit by giving me their spare change, and I've carried that lesson into adulthood. Today, I continue to live by the principle of saving first and spending wisely. One smart money move I made was setting a personal spending limit under fifty dollars. No matter how much I wanted something, I forced myself to think twice before buying anything above that amount. I also save all of my tips from work instead of spending them. These small, disciplined steps add up and remind me that even though I grew up surrounded by unhealthy spending habits, I can choose a different path. My goal is to build credit early so that when the time comes, I can buy a car, rent an apartment, and eventually own a home without the fear of falling into debt. A little about me, I was in foster care for most of my life and was adopted at age 17. I have 10 siblings in total, so life has always been busy and full of different personalities. I enjoy working out, watching old movies, and listening to music from rock/metal to rap or country. I'm currently learning how to drive, working two jobs, and preparing to start college this fall to study culinary arts. My dream is to become a chef and create dishes that bring joy and comfort to others. I also love volunteering and doing community service because helping others brings me peace and happiness. What motivates me most is the desire to live a stable and independent life, something I didn't always see growing up. I know that if I save money, build strong credit, and make smart financial choices, I can achieve that stability. I also want to use my passion for food to make people smile, because for me, happiness comes rom giving back. I believe that my experiences growing up without much, watching my parents struggle, and learning to value every cent taught me the importance of building credit early and never taking financial stability for granted. I don't just want to avoid debt I want to build a future where I can thrive.

When confronted with adversity, I have always chosen perseverance. My life has been filled with challenges both physical and mental that could have easily led me down a different path. Instead, I have learned to turn pain into motivation and setbacks into steppingstones toward my career goal of becoming a chef. Growing up, I faced many hardships, including physical and emotional abuse from my mother, sexual trauma from my father and two other male relatives, and years of bullying at school. These experiences left me doubting my worth and made it difficult to believe in myself. For a long time, I was told I would never amount to anything. Despite this, I refused to let those voices define my future. I made the decision to push forward with resilience and maturity, using my challenges as fuel for my determination to succeed. One of the ways I found healing was through food. Cooking became my safe place a way to express love, creativity, and joy even when I felt surrounded by negativity. Preparing a meal and seeing someone smile when they tasted it reminded me that I could create something meaningful despite the pain I carry. Food became more than just a skill; it became a symbol of connection, healing and hope. To stay on track with my aspirations, I've taken intentional steps to grow both academically and personally. I enrolled in culinary arts during high school, which gave me hands-on experience and helped me build practical skills like knife work, organization, and time management. At the same time, I worked to build emotional resilience learning to trust myself, manage stress, and stay focused even when life felt overwhelming. My determination allowed me to graduate high school despite the odds, proving to myself and others that I could rise above circumstances. I continue to set goals for myself and take consistent steps toward them. Whether it's applying for scholarships to relieve the financial burden of college, practicing new recipes, or working to improve my confidence in the kitchen, I remind myself daily why I started this journey. What drives me is not only my love for food, but also my determination to build a stable, independent life and to break free from the cycles of my family past. Adversity has taught me that success is not about avoiding challenges, but about how you rise when challenges come. Each obstacle I've overcome has strengthened my resilience and fueled my passion for culinary arts. I know there will be more difficulties ahead, but I am ready to face them. Becoming a chef is not just my career aspiration it is my dream, my passion, and my proof that no matter where you come from, you can create a better future.

Being a first-generation student means more to me than simply earning a degree it represents resilience, growth, and the chance to break cycles that have held my family back for generations. Neither of my biological parents finished high school and my brother dropped out in the sixth grade. Even in my foster and adoptive family, no one has completed college. For me, stepping into higher education is not just about pursuing a career; it is about proving myself, and to those who doubted me, that I can rise above the challenges I've faced and build a stable, meaningful future. My childhood was filled with obstacles. I survived physical, emotional, and mental abuse from my mother and endured the pain of sexual trauma from relatives. On top of this, I faced constant bullying at school, which made it difficult to believe in myself for many years. Despite these hardships, I refused to let them define me. I pushed forward with resilience, maturity beyond my years, and an open heart. I found healing and strength in helping others and discovered that cooking was not only a creative outlet, but also a way to spread kindness and joy. Food has always brought people together, and I realized I wanted to dedicate my life to creating that kind of connection for others. My dream is to become a chef in the food industry. I may not know exactly what type of chef yet, but I know that every dish I create has the potential to bring happiness and comfort to someone else. What drives me is not only a passion for food, but also the determination to build a stable, independent life doing something I love. I want to prove wrong all the people who told me I would never succeed. Most of all, I want to create a future different from my biological family's one filled with education, independence, and pride in my accomplishments. This scholarship would make a tremendous difference in helping me achieve these goals. It would relieve the financial burden of tuition, books, and supplies for culinary school, allowing me to fully focus on improving my skills and earning my associates degree. More importantly, it would be an investment in my determination to keep going, no matter the obstacles. Being a first-generation student means that I am stepping into uncharted territory with courage. It means that I am not only creating opportunities for myself but also setting an example for others who may feel trapped by their circumstances. I've already proven to myself that I am capable graduating high school was my first big victory, but I know that my journey is just beginning. With this scholarship, I can continue moving toward my dream of becoming a chef and spreading joy, kindness, and connection through the food I create.

Why am I Passionate About Being a First-Generation Mexican American College Graduate The day my high school counselor told me I might not graduate on time; it felt like my future was slipping away. I thought about my older brother, who dropped out of school in the sixth grade and is now homeless, and I worried that I would end up following the same path. Neither of my parents finished high school, and no one in my family had ever graduated, so failure felt like the path I was destined to follow. But deep down I knew I wanted more I wanted to be the first to break that cycle. Growing up as a Mexican American in a family with limited education, the odds were stacked against me. For a long time, I had struggled with school my attendance was poor, my grades were mostly D's and F's, and I was bullied throughout elementary, middle and high school. School was never something I enjoyed, and without encouragement, I often felt unmotivated especially with having an IEP (individualized education program) and then almost adding a 504plan to my file made me feel even more unintelligent and want to give up. Starting my junior year, things began to change. I transferred to online school, and for the first time, I experienced what it was like to be in an environment where teachers supported and wanted me to succeed. My attendance improved, I began to understand the curriculum, and I started earning A's and B's. for the first time, I felt capable of academic success, and that changed the way I saw my future. When I was given the option to take a class at the Skill Center, I chose Culinary Arts. that decision ended up changing my life. In Culinary Arts, I found passion I never expected. The teachers treated us like young adults, respected us, and believed in us. The students created a welcoming environment, free of bullying and drama, where we worked together like a family. Cooking gave me confidence and showed me that I could build a career doing something I love. More importantly, it gave me a reason to keep pushing toward graduation and a higher education. Being a first-generation, Mexican American college graduate means more than just earning a degree. It means breaking generational barriers and setting a new standard to my biological parents and brother. My Foster/Adopted parents worked really hard to provide for my two younger sisters and I, even with the opportunity of an education, and I want to honor their sacrifices by building a better future for myself. I also want to prove that where you come from does not define where you can go. Education is not just about getting a diploma it is about creating opportunities, finding stability, and building a life that once felt impossible. My dream to earn an associate degree in Culinary Arts at Clover Park Technical College and work in the food industry. I want to use the skills I've learned to build a firm, self-sufficient, and fulfilling life. More than that I want to inspire others who feel like giving up that it is possible to rise above challenges and succeed. I am passionate about becoming a first-generation college graduate because it represents more than personal achievement it represents resilience, growth, and hope for the future I want to prove to myself, and others that education is a powerful tool for change, and I am determined to use it to create a better life.