I started to play lacrosse in my junior year of high school and joined the team my senior year. Ever since I picked up my first lacrosse stick however I knew that this sport was something I wanted to play. I became extremely committed to going to the fields everyday to work on my fundamentals, agility, and stick skills. I had to make a change however come the school year as I wasn’t able to get to the fields as often because I was also committed to keeping my grades up. I had a routine during the summer time and the school year. During the summer, I would go to the fields at about noon everyday I could. Whether it was with or without friends who joined me. During the school year however I was limited to only being able to go to the fields on Tuesday’s and Thursday’s for about 2 hours. This was due to the fact that I needed to set aside at least an hour at home for studying each day and I have a job that I have to go to at least four times a week. Teamwork is one of the most important aspects that could be used. I love in school when myself and other students are forced to work together to find a solution. For example, in chemistry class I need to compare my findings to those of others to make sure our results are valid and reliable. Teamwork on the field however is essential. You can only see so much on a lacrosse field so it is important that you can trust your teammates to communicate almost constantly. Unfortunately my season was cut short this year as in my teams fifth game I tore my Acl and Miniscus. This was extremely difficult for me especially because it is my senior year. Not being able to be on the field with my teammates hurt me almost more than my actual knee. My team understood this however and took it upon themselves to send me gifts and help me still be able to get to the games. Due to this unfortunate injury I know rely on teamwork everyday as I currently can’t apply any pressure to my right leg. Thankfully my family and friends have all been able to really help me out throughout this difficult journey so far and hopefully when I am fully healed I will be able to get back to the commitment that I had for my teammates and the game of lacrosse.

From a young age, I was drawn to subjects like math and science because they offered a way to understand and explain the mysteries of the universe. As I grew older and learned more about the many different fields within STEM, I became even more convinced that this was the path I wanted to pursue a degree in when I got into college. One of the main things that inspired me to pursue a STEM degree was my curiosity about the world around me. I have always been the type of person who wants to know how things work and STEM fields offer a way for me to explore these questions and seek out answers through research, experimentation, and analysis. Whether it was completing a difficult experiment in chemistry class or solving complex math problems in calculus, I always found these subjects challenging and rewarding to my future knowledge. In addition to my personal interests and goals, I was also inspired to pursue a STEM degree by the numerous opportunities and career paths available in these fields. From medical research to software development, there are endless possibilities for those with a strong foundation in STEM. I was particularly drawn to the idea of working in a field that is constantly evolving and offers the chance to be at the forefront of new discoveries and innovations. Thus, I was lead to the field of aerospace engineering. This field is everything that I was looking for in challenging but also rewarding. The idea of being able to help and explore the universe by possibly being able to manufacture space systems totally fulfilled my wants out of the STEM field. Throughout my education, I have had the opportunity to participate in various STEM programs and activities that have further fueled my passion for these subjects. In elementary school I participated in a STRM club and worked on projects such as building a stable bridge out of popsicles, launching high flying bottle rockets, and creating mouse trap cars all with the help of other students my age. Another factor that influenced my decision to study STEM was the potential for making a positive impact on the world. When I found out that pursuing STEM fields could better the world I immediately became interested in how. I found out that STEM could help with problems like global warming and disease just continuing to show me the importance of STEM. In conclusion, my love of the natural world, desire to make a positive impact, and the numerous opportunities available in STEM fields are what inspired me to pursue a degree in this field. I am excited to continue my education and explore the many possibilities that a career in STEM and aerospace engineering has to offer in the future.

When I was 11, I remember going on my first airplane ride. It was only about a 3 hour flight, but I remember being so curious as to how in the world this massive machine could be in the air. My two favorite types are aerospace and mechanical engineering. I have always loved learning about how complex machines are made and how they work. Whether it be cars, aircraft, or spaceships, to me, when I get to learn about these things my interest completely spikes. I have found these two types of engineering increasingly interesting throughout high school because of the importance they have to society. To explain, mechanical engineering will always be needed throughout the world as people are always creating new machines and designs that need a mechanical engineer to help with the construction process. On the other hand aerospace engineering I can see being more and more important in the upcoming years. With companies such as NASA and SpaceX trying to reach new frontiers in space, aerospace engineering will most definitely be necessary for the future. That is why I will be hopefully pursuing a major in aerospace engineering and a minor in mechanical engineering when I go to college.