Growing up, I was always surrounded by educators. My mother and both my great grandparents were teachers. At a young age, I knew I wanted to be a teacher. When high school came into the picture, my plans became clearer as I was influenced by my special education case manager and soccer coach. He took the time to support me through high school by helping me through some tough times emotionally and academically. His support inspired me to pursue a degree and teaching credential that would allow me to become a high school special education teacher. Being a special education teacher is not my only goal. I also hope to return to San Juan High School to give back to my community as an educator and a soccer coach. School spirit and community is very important to me. I love being a part of San Jaun’s community. San Juan has given me the opportunity to serve as a FCCLA chapter vice president, a soccer captain, and club member. I aspire to provide future generations with rich educational experiences like I received. Arriving at this place in my life wasn’t always an easy path. I have overcome many obstacles throughout my education including an auditory processing disorder, anxiety, and distance learning. Despite these challenges, I am graduating with honors and have been accepted into several state universities. I know college will bring new challenges, but overcoming these struggles in high school has helped me develop perseverance, determination and grit. I know that I can overcome any obstacle if I work hard, stay focused, and utilize my resources and skills. Overcoming these obstacles has also inspired me to give back to the special education and secondary education community. Throughout my education, I was lucky to have several educators who made a difference and inspired me to pursue a degree that will allow me to do the same. Choosing a college to call home for the next four to five years has been a very tough decision to make. My plan was to attend junior college for my first two years as it is more affordable, but being in the AVID program at San Juan High School challenged me to think beyond that and apply to several universities. After receiving several acceptance letters, my AVID family helped me realize that attending a four year university would be the best fit for me. After visiting Cal Poly SLO’s open house, I fell in love with the program because I will be in a cohort of students who will start learning about teaching in our first year of college and get involved in a school community we can call home for the next five years. Financing college is stressful. I plan to finance my education through a combination of scholarships, grants, work study, and if necessary loans. I have secured 75% of the money needed to finance the next 4 years of my education and your scholarship would mean the world to me as it will allow me the opportunity to attend an amazing university and fulfill my dreams of becoming a secondary special education teacher in the San Juan district. Thank you for the opportunity to apply for this scholarship.

Growing up, I was always surrounded by educators. My mother and both my great grandparents were teachers. At a young age, I knew I wanted to be a teacher. When high school came into the picture, my plans became clearer as I was influenced by my special education case manager and soccer coach. He took the time to support me through high school by helping me through some tough times emotionally and academically. His support inspired me to pursue a degree and teaching credential that would allow me to become a high school special education teacher. Being a special education teacher is not my only goal. I also hope to return to San Juan High School to give back to my community as an educator and a soccer coach. School spirit and community is very important to me. I love being a part of San Jaun’s community. San Juan has given me the opportunity to serve as a FCCLA chapter vice president, a soccer captain, and club member. I aspire to provide future generations with rich educational experiences like I received. Arriving at this place in my life wasn’t always an easy path. I have overcome many obstacles throughout my education including an auditory processing disorder, anxiety, and distance learning. Despite these challenges, I am graduating with honors and have been accepted into several state universities. I know college will bring new challenges, but overcoming these struggles in high school has helped me develop perseverance, determination and grit. I know that I can overcome any obstacle if I work hard, stay focused, and utilize my resources and skills. Overcoming these obstacles has also inspired me to give back to the special education and secondary education community. Throughout my education, I was lucky to have several educators who made a difference and inspired me to pursue a degree that will allow me to do the same. Choosing a college to call home for the next four to five years has been a very tough decision to make. My plan was to attend junior college for my first two years as it is more affordable, but being in the AVID program at San Juan High School challenged me to think beyond that and apply to several universities. After receiving several acceptance letters, my AVID family helped me realize that attending a four year university would be the best fit for me. After visiting Cal Poly SLO’s open house, I fell in love with the program because I will be in a cohort of students who will start learning about teaching in our first year of college and get involved in a school community we can call home for the next five years. Financing college is stressful. I plan to finance my education through a combination of scholarships, grants, work study, and if necessary loans. I have secured 75% of the money needed to finance the next 4 years of my education and your scholarship would mean the world to me as it will allow me the opportunity to attend an amazing university and fulfill my dreams of becoming a secondary special education teacher in the San Juan district. Thank you for the opportunity to apply for this scholarship.

The community service project that had the greatest impact on me was serving as a mentor at a local after school program called Pro Youth. I selected this opportunity because I wanted to gain experience working with elementary students. I have known for several years that I want to be a special education teacher, but I was not sure what age group would be the best fit for me. During my community service, I learned that elementary students are very creative, resourceful, and witty. Some days were more rewarding than others. I found myself developing more patience, understanding, empathy, and leadership skills the more time I worked with the students. I gained experience in designing and facilitating lessons and activities for kids. Overall this experience taught me that I do have the personality, skills, and passion to work in education with special education students. I also discovered that my passion is working with older age groups preferably high school students where I can also volunteer to coach soccer and advise clubs on campus. This was a great learning opportunity for me and a way for me to give back to the students, parents, and families in my community. Choosing a college to call home for the next four to five years has been a very tough decision to make. My plan was to attend junior college for my first two years as it is more affordable, but being in the AVID program at San Juan High School challenged me to think beyond that and apply to several universities. After receiving several acceptance letters, my AVID family helped me realize that attending a four year university would be the best fit for me. After visiting Cal Poly SLO’s open house, I fell in love with the program because I will be in a cohort of students who will start learning about teaching in our first year of college and get involved in a school community we can call home for the next five years. Financing college is stressful. I plan to finance my education through a combination of scholarships, grants, work study, and if necessary loans. I have secured 75% of the money needed to finance the next 4 years of my education and your scholarship would mean the world to me as it will allow me the opportunity to attend an amazing university and fulfill my dreams of becoming a secondary special education teacher in the San Juan district. Thank you for the opportunity to apply for this scholarship.

Growing up, I was always surrounded by educators. My mother and both my great grandparents were teachers. At a young age, I knew I wanted to be a teacher. When high school came into the picture, my plans became clearer as I was influenced by my special education case manager and soccer coach. He took the time to support me through high school by helping me through some tough times emotionally and academically. His support inspired me to pursue a degree and teaching credential that would allow me to become a high school special education teacher. Being a special education teacher is not my only goal. I also hope to return to San Juan High School to give back to my community as an educator and a soccer coach. School spirit and community is very important to me. I love being a part of San Jaun’s community. San Juan has given me the opportunity to serve as a FCCLA chapter vice president, a soccer captain, and club member. I aspire to provide future generations with rich educational experiences like I received. Arriving at this place in my life wasn’t always an easy path. I have overcome many obstacles throughout my education including an auditory processing disorder, anxiety, and distance learning. Despite these challenges, I am graduating with honors and have been accepted into several state universities. I know college will bring new challenges, but overcoming these struggles in high school has helped me develop perseverance, determination and grit. I know that I can overcome any obstacle if I work hard, stay focused, and utilize my resources and skills. Overcoming these obstacles has also inspired me to give back to the special education and secondary education community. Throughout my education, I was lucky to have several educators who made a difference and inspired me to pursue a degree that will allow me to do the same. Choosing a college to call home for the next four to five years has been a very tough decision to make. My plan was to attend junior college for my first two years as it is more affordable, but being in the AVID program at San Juan High School challenged me to think beyond that and apply to several universities. After receiving several acceptance letters, my AVID family helped me realize that attending a four year university would be the best fit for me. After visiting Cal Poly SLO’s open house, I fell in love with the program because I will be in a cohort of students who will start learning about teaching in our first year of college and get involved in a school community we can call home for the next five years. Financing college is stressful. I plan to finance my education through a combination of scholarships, grants, work study, and if necessary loans. I have secured 75% of the money needed to finance the next 4 years of my education and your scholarship would mean the world to me as it will allow me the opportunity to attend an amazing university and fulfill my dreams of becoming a secondary special education teacher in the San Juan district. Thank you for the opportunity to apply for this scholarship.

Growing up, I was always surrounded by educators. My mother and both my great grandparents were teachers. At a young age, I knew I wanted to be a teacher. When high school came into the picture, my plans became clearer as I was influenced by my special education case manager and soccer coach. He took the time to support me through high school by helping me through some tough times emotionally and academically. His support inspired me to pursue a degree and teaching credential that would allow me to become a high school special education teacher. Being a special education teacher is not my only goal. I also hope to return to San Juan High School to give back to my community as an educator and a soccer coach. School spirit and community is very important to me. I love being a part of San Jaun’s community. San Juan has given me the opportunity to serve as a FCCLA chapter vice president, a soccer captain, and club member. I aspire to provide future generations with rich educational experiences like I received. Arriving at this place in my life wasn’t always an easy path. I have overcome many obstacles throughout my education including an auditory processing disorder, anxiety, and distance learning. Despite these challenges, I am graduating with honors and have been accepted into several state universities. I know college will bring new challenges, but overcoming these struggles in high school has helped me develop perseverance, determination and grit. I know that I can overcome any obstacle if I work hard, stay focused, and utilize my resources and skills. Overcoming these obstacles has also inspired me to give back to the special education and secondary education community. Throughout my education, I was lucky to have several educators who made a difference and inspired me to pursue a degree that will allow me to do the same. Choosing a college to call home for the next four to five years has been a very tough decision to make. My plan was to attend junior college for my first two years as it is more affordable, but being in the AVID program at San Juan High School challenged me to think beyond that and apply to several universities. After receiving several acceptance letters, my AVID family helped me realize that attending a four year university would be the best fit for me. After visiting Cal Poly SLO’s open house, I fell in love with the program because I will be in a cohort of students who will start learning about teaching in our first year of college and get involved in a school community we can call home for the next five years. Financing college is stressful. I plan to finance my education through a combination of scholarships, grants, work study, and if necessary loans. I have secured 75% of the money needed to finance the next 4 years of my education and your scholarship would mean the world to me as it will allow me the opportunity to attend an amazing university and fulfill my dreams of becoming a secondary special education teacher in the San Juan district. Thank you for the opportunity to apply for this scholarship.

Growing up, I was always surrounded by educators. My mother and both my great grandparents were teachers. At a young age, I knew I wanted to be a teacher. When high school came into the picture, my plans became clearer as I was influenced by my special education case manager and soccer coach. He took the time to support me through high school by helping me through some tough times emotionally and academically. His support inspired me to pursue a degree and teaching credential that would allow me to become a high school special education teacher. Being a special education teacher is not my only goal. I also hope to return to San Juan High School to give back to my community as an educator and a soccer coach. School spirit and community is very important to me. I love being a part of San Jaun’s community. San Juan has given me the opportunity to serve as a FCCLA chapter vice president, a soccer captain, and club member. I aspire to provide future generations with rich educational experiences like I received. Arriving at this place in my life wasn’t always an easy path. I have overcome many obstacles throughout my education including an auditory processing disorder, anxiety, and distance learning. Despite these challenges, I am graduating with honors and have been accepted into several state universities. I know college will bring new challenges, but overcoming these struggles in high school has helped me develop perseverance, determination and grit. I know that I can overcome any obstacle if I work hard, stay focused, and utilize my resources and skills. Overcoming these obstacles has also inspired me to give back to the special education and secondary education community. Throughout my education, I was lucky to have several educators who made a difference and inspired me to pursue a degree that will allow me to do the same. Choosing a college to call home for the next four to five years has been a very tough decision to make. My plan was to attend junior college for my first two years as it is more affordable, but being in the AVID program at San Juan High School challenged me to think beyond that and apply to several universities. After receiving several acceptance letters, my AVID family helped me realize that attending a four year university would be the best fit for me. After visiting Cal Poly SLO’s open house, I fell in love with the program because I will be in a cohort of students who will start learning about teaching in our first year of college and get involved in a school community we can call home for the next five years. Financing college is stressful. I plan to finance my education through a combination of scholarships, grants, work study, and if necessary loans. I have secured 75% of the money needed to finance the next 4 years of my education and your scholarship would mean the world to me as it will allow me the opportunity to attend an amazing university and fulfill my dreams of becoming a secondary special education teacher in the San Juan district. Thank you for the opportunity to apply for this scholarship.

Growing up, I was always surrounded by educators. My mother and both my great grandparents were teachers. At a young age, I knew I wanted to be a teacher. When high school came into the picture, my plans became clearer as I was influenced by my special education case manager and soccer coach. He took the time to support me through high school by helping me through some tough times emotionally and academically. His support inspired me to pursue a degree and teaching credential that would allow me to become a high school special education teacher. Being a special education teacher is not my only goal. I also hope to return to San Juan High School to give back to my community as an educator and a soccer coach. School spirit and community is very important to me. I love being a part of San Jaun’s community. San Juan has given me the opportunity to serve as a FCCLA chapter vice president, a soccer captain, and club member. I aspire to provide future generations with rich educational experiences like I received. Arriving at this place in my life wasn’t always an easy path. I have overcome many obstacles throughout my education including an auditory processing disorder, anxiety, and distance learning. Despite these challenges, I am graduating with honors and have been accepted into several state universities. I know college will bring new challenges, but overcoming these struggles in high school has helped me develop perseverance, determination and grit. I know that I can overcome any obstacle if I work hard, stay focused, and utilize my resources and skills. Overcoming these obstacles has also inspired me to give back to the special education and secondary education community. Throughout my education, I was lucky to have several educators who made a difference and inspired me to pursue a degree that will allow me to do the same. Choosing a college to call home for the next four to five years has been a very tough decision to make. My plan was to attend junior college for my first two years as it is more affordable, but being in the AVID program at San Juan High School challenged me to think beyond that and apply to several universities. After receiving several acceptance letters, my AVID family helped me realize that attending a four year university would be the best fit for me. After visiting Cal Poly SLO’s open house, I fell in love with the program because I will be in a cohort of students who will start learning about teaching in our first year of college and get involved in a school community we can call home for the next five years. Financing college is stressful. I plan to finance my education through a combination of scholarships, grants, work study, and if necessary loans. I have secured 75% of the money needed to finance the next 4 years of my education and your scholarship would mean the world to me as it will allow me the opportunity to attend an amazing university and fulfill my dreams of becoming a secondary special education teacher in the San Juan district. Thank you for the opportunity to apply for this scholarship.

Growing up, I was always surrounded by educators. My mother and both my great grandparents were teachers. At a young age, I knew I wanted to be a teacher. When high school came into the picture, my plans became clearer as I was influenced by my special education case manager and soccer coach. He took the time to support me through high school by helping me through some tough times emotionally and academically. His support inspired me to pursue a degree and teaching credential that would allow me to become a high school special education teacher. Being a special education teacher is not my only goal. I also hope to return to San Juan High School to give back to my community as an educator and a soccer coach. School spirit and community is very important to me. I love being a part of San Jaun’s community. San Juan has given me the opportunity to serve as a FCCLA chapter vice president, a soccer captain, and club member. I aspire to provide future generations with rich educational experiences like I received. Arriving at this place in my life wasn’t always an easy path. I have overcome many obstacles throughout my education including an auditory processing disorder, anxiety, and distance learning. Despite these challenges, I am graduating with honors and have been accepted into several state universities. I know college will bring new challenges, but overcoming these struggles in high school has helped me develop perseverance, determination and grit. I know that I can overcome any obstacle if I work hard, stay focused, and utilize my resources and skills. Overcoming these obstacles has also inspired me to give back to the special education and secondary education community. Throughout my education, I was lucky to have several educators who made a difference and inspired me to pursue a degree that will allow me to do the same. Choosing a college to call home for the next four to five years has been a very tough decision to make. My plan was to attend junior college for my first two years as it is more affordable, but being in the AVID program at San Juan High School challenged me to think beyond that and apply to several universities. After receiving several acceptance letters, my AVID family helped me realize that attending a four year university would be the best fit for me. After visiting Cal Poly SLO’s open house, I fell in love with the program because I will be in a cohort of students who will start learning about teaching in our first year of college and get involved in a school community we can call home for the next five years. Financing college is stressful. I plan to finance my education through a combination of scholarships, grants, work study, and if necessary loans. I have secured 75% of the money needed to finance the next 4 years of my education and your scholarship would mean the world to me as it will allow me the opportunity to attend an amazing university and fulfill my dreams of becoming a secondary special education teacher in the San Juan district. Thank you for the opportunity to apply for this scholarship.

Growing up, I was always surrounded by educators. My mother and both my great grandparents were teachers. At a young age, I knew I wanted to be a teacher. When high school came into the picture, my plans became clearer as I was influenced by my special education case manager and soccer coach. He took the time to support me through high school by helping me through some tough times emotionally and academically. His support inspired me to pursue a degree and teaching credential that would allow me to become a high school special education teacher. Being a special education teacher is not my only goal. I also hope to return to San Juan High School to give back to my community as an educator and a soccer coach. School spirit and community is very important to me. I love being a part of San Jaun’s community. San Juan has given me the opportunity to serve as a FCCLA chapter vice president, a soccer captain, and club member. I aspire to provide future generations with rich educational experiences like I received. Arriving at this place in my life wasn’t always an easy path. I have overcome many obstacles throughout my education including an auditory processing disorder, anxiety, and distance learning. Despite these challenges, I am graduating with honors and have been accepted into several state universities. I know college will bring new challenges, but overcoming these struggles in high school has helped me develop perseverance, determination and grit. I know that I can overcome any obstacle if I work hard, stay focused, and utilize my resources and skills. Overcoming these obstacles has also inspired me to give back to the special education and secondary education community. Throughout my education, I was lucky to have several educators who made a difference and inspired me to pursue a degree that will allow me to do the same. Choosing a college to call home for the next four to five years has been a very tough decision to make. My plan was to attend junior college for my first two years as it is more affordable, but being in the AVID program at San Juan High School challenged me to think beyond that and apply to several universities. After receiving several acceptance letters, my AVID family helped me realize that attending a four year university would be the best fit for me. After visiting Cal Poly SLO’s open house, I fell in love with the program because I will be in a cohort of students who will start learning about teaching in our first year of college and get involved in a school community we can call home for the next five years. Financing college is stressful. I plan to finance my education through a combination of scholarships, grants, work study, and if necessary loans. I have secured 75% of the money needed to finance the next 4 years of my education and your scholarship would mean the world to me as it will allow me the opportunity to attend an amazing university and fulfill my dreams of becoming a secondary special education teacher in the San Juan district. Thank you for the opportunity to apply for this scholarship.

Growing up, I was always surrounded by educators. My mother and both my great grandparents were teachers. At a young age, I knew I wanted to be a teacher. When high school came into the picture, my plans became clearer as I was influenced by my special education case manager and soccer coach. He took the time to support me through high school by helping me through some tough times emotionally and academically. His support inspired me to pursue a degree and teaching credential that would allow me to become a high school special education teacher. Being a special education teacher is not my only goal. I also hope to return to San Juan High School to give back to my community as an educator and a soccer coach. School spirit and community is very important to me. I love being a part of San Jaun’s community. San Juan has given me the opportunity to serve as a FCCLA chapter vice president, a soccer captain, and club member. I aspire to provide future generations with rich educational experiences like I received. Arriving at this place in my life wasn’t always an easy path. I have overcome many obstacles throughout my education including an auditory processing disorder, anxiety, and distance learning. Despite these challenges, I am graduating with honors and have been accepted into several state universities. I know college will bring new challenges, but overcoming these struggles in high school has helped me develop perseverance, determination and grit. I know that I can overcome any obstacle if I work hard, stay focused, and utilize my resources and skills. Overcoming these obstacles has also inspired me to give back to the special education and secondary education community. Throughout my education, I was lucky to have several educators who made a difference and inspired me to pursue a degree that will allow me to do the same. Choosing a college to call home for the next four to five years has been a very tough decision to make. My plan was to attend junior college for my first two years as it is more affordable, but being in the AVID program at San Juan High School challenged me to think beyond that and apply to several universities. After receiving several acceptance letters, my AVID family helped me realize that attending a four year university would be the best fit for me. After visiting Cal Poly SLO’s open house, I fell in love with the program because I will be in a cohort of students who will start learning about teaching in our first year of college and get involved in a school community we can call home for the next five years. Financing college is stressful. I plan to finance my education through a combination of scholarships, grants, work study, and if necessary loans. I have secured 75% of the money needed to finance the next 4 years of my education and your scholarship would mean the world to me as it will allow me the opportunity to attend an amazing university and fulfill my dreams of becoming a secondary special education teacher in the San Juan district. Thank you for the opportunity to apply for this scholarship.

Growing up, I was always surrounded by educators. My mother and both my great grandparents were teachers. At a young age, I knew I wanted to be a teacher. When high school came into the picture, my plans became clearer as I was influenced by my special education case manager and soccer coach. He took the time to support me through high school by helping me through some tough times emotionally and academically. His support inspired me to pursue a degree and teaching credential that would allow me to become a high school special education teacher. Being a special education teacher is not my only goal. I also hope to return to San Juan High School to give back to my community as an educator and a soccer coach. School spirit and community is very important to me. I love being a part of San Jaun’s community. San Juan has given me the opportunity to serve as a FCCLA chapter vice president, a soccer captain, and club member. I aspire to provide future generations with rich educational experiences like I received. Arriving at this place in my life wasn’t always an easy path. I have overcome many obstacles throughout my education including an auditory processing disorder, anxiety, and distance learning. Despite these challenges, I am graduating with honors and have been accepted into several state universities. I know college will bring new challenges, but overcoming these struggles in high school has helped me develop perseverance, determination and grit. I know that I can overcome any obstacle if I work hard, stay focused, and utilize my resources and skills. Overcoming these obstacles has also inspired me to give back to the special education and secondary education community. Throughout my education, I was lucky to have several educators who made a difference and inspired me to pursue a degree that will allow me to do the same. Choosing a college to call home for the next four to five years has been a very tough decision to make. My plan was to attend junior college for my first two years as it is more affordable, but being in the AVID program at San Juan High School challenged me to think beyond that and apply to several universities. After receiving several acceptance letters, my AVID family helped me realize that attending a four year university would be the best fit for me. After visiting Cal Poly SLO’s open house, I fell in love with the program because I will be in a cohort of students who will start learning about teaching in our first year of college and get involved in a school community we can call home for the next five years. Financing college is stressful. I plan to finance my education through a combination of scholarships, grants, work study, and if necessary loans. I have secured 75% of the money needed to finance the next 4 years of my education and your scholarship would mean the world to me as it will allow me the opportunity to attend an amazing university and fulfill my dreams of becoming a secondary special education teacher in the San Juan district. Thank you for the opportunity to apply for this scholarship.

I dream of becoming a confident, independent special education teacher who inspires her students to become the best versions of themselves.

Growing up, I was always surrounded by educators. My mother and both my great grandparents were teachers. At a young age, I knew I wanted to be a teacher. When highschool came into the picture, my plans became clearer as I was influenced by my case manager and soccer coach. He took the time to support me through high school by helping me through some tough times emotionally and academically. His support inspired me to pursue a degree and teaching credential that would allow me to become a high school special education teacher. Being a special education teacher is not my only goal. I also hope to return to San Juan High School to give back to my community as an educator and a soccer coach. School spirit and community is very important to me. I love being a part of San Jaun’s community. San Juan has given me the opportunity to serve as a FCCLA chapter vice president, a soccer captain, and club member. I aspire to provide future generations with rich educational experiences like I received. While San Juan High is open and accepting, I still struggle to connect with my peers and the academic content. I do however benefit from having an IEP (Individualized Educational Plan). My IEP and case manager, Dana Crackel, has been an advocate for me and my educational journey. She is an integral part of my success at San Juan. I was diagnosed with an auditory processing disorder and severe anxiety when I was in elementary school. These diagnoses do not define me, but they are often an obstacle that affects my day to day life. I am strong and confident in my ability that I can be successful academically and socio-emotionally when I go to college. In addition to this obstacle, I also encounter feelings of under-representation in the media and people I see in the career field I am interested in. I am a woman, Latina, disabled, and queer. I have experienced bullying within my K-12 education and I have not seen anyone who looks like me in education. I want to be an example for others in the future. I want to bring my academic success and other assets to the field of education to show representation and my intelligence to others. I have had the benefit of experiencing a culturally diverse school, and I hope to bring that to other students and schools in the future. People often overlook the fact that representation matters so much. I know I am the person that can relate to students on academic, personal, and professional levels. I deserve this scholarship because I have overcome many obstacles throughout my education including an auditory processing disorder, anxiety, and distance learning. Despite these challenges, I am graduating with honors and have been accepted into several state universities. Your scholarship will allow me the opportunity to pursue my goals at Cal poly making it my educational home and support me in becoming the next generation of teachers in California.

Growing up, I was always surrounded by educators. My mother and both my great grandparents were teachers. At a young age, I knew I wanted to be a teacher. When high school came into the picture, my plans became clearer as I was influenced by my special education case manager and soccer coach. He took the time to support me through high school by helping me through some tough times emotionally and academically. His support inspired me to pursue a degree and teaching credential that would allow me to become a high school special education teacher. Being a special education teacher is not my only goal. I also hope to return to San Juan High School to give back to my community as an educator and a soccer coach. School spirit and community is very important to me. I love being a part of San Jaun’s community. San Juan has given me the opportunity to serve as a FCCLA chapter vice president, a soccer captain, and club member. I aspire to provide future generations with rich educational experiences like I received. Arriving at this place in my life wasn’t always an easy path. I have overcome many obstacles throughout my education including an auditory processing disorder, anxiety, and distance learning. Despite these challenges, I am graduating with honors and have been accepted into several state universities. I know college will bring new challenges, but overcoming these struggles in high school has helped me develop perseverance, determination and grit. I know that I can overcome any obstacle if I work hard, stay focused, and utilize my resources and skills. Overcoming these obstacles has also inspired me to give back to the special education and secondary education community. Throughout my education, I was lucky to have several educators who made a difference and inspired me to pursue a degree that will allow me to do the same. Choosing a college to call home for the next four to five years has been a very tough decision to make. My plan was to attend junior college for my first two years as it is more affordable, but being in the AVID program at San Juan High School challenged me to think beyond that and apply to several universities. After receiving several acceptance letters, my AVID family helped me realize that attending a four year university would be the best fit for me. After visiting Cal Poly SLO’s open house, I fell in love with the program because I will be in a cohort of students who will start learning about teaching in our first year of college and get involved in a school community we can call home for the next five years. Financing college is stressful. I plan to finance my education through a combination of scholarships, grants, work study, and if necessary loans. I have secured 75% of the money needed to finance the next 4 years of my education and your scholarship would mean the world to me as it will allow me the opportunity to attend an amazing university and fulfill my dreams of becoming a secondary special education teacher in the San Juan district. Thank you for the opportunity to apply for this scholarship.

Growing up, I was always surrounded by educators. My mother and both my great grandparents were teachers. At a young age, I knew I wanted to be a teacher. When high school came into the picture, my plans became clearer as I was influenced by my special education case manager and soccer coach. He took the time to support me through high school by helping me through some tough times emotionally and academically. His support inspired me to pursue a degree and teaching credential that would allow me to become a high school special education teacher. Being a special education teacher is not my only goal. I also hope to return to San Juan High School to give back to my community as an educator and a soccer coach. School spirit and community is very important to me. I love being a part of San Jaun’s community. San Juan has given me the opportunity to serve as a FCCLA chapter vice president, a soccer captain, and club member. I aspire to provide future generations with rich educational experiences like I received. Arriving at this place in my life wasn’t always an easy path. I have overcome many obstacles throughout my education including an auditory processing disorder, anxiety, and distance learning. Despite these challenges, I am graduating with honors and have been accepted into several state universities. I know college will bring new challenges, but overcoming these struggles in high school has helped me develop perseverance, determination and grit. I know that I can overcome any obstacle if I work hard, stay focused, and utilize my resources and skills. Overcoming these obstacles has also inspired me to give back to the special education and secondary education community. Throughout my education, I was lucky to have several educators who made a difference and inspired me to pursue a degree that will allow me to do the same. Choosing a college to call home for the next four to five years has been a very tough decision to make. My plan was to attend junior college for my first two years as it is more affordable, but being in the AVID program at San Juan High School challenged me to think beyond that and apply to several universities. After receiving several acceptance letters, my AVID family helped me realize that attending a four year university would be the best fit for me. After visiting Cal Poly SLO’s open house, I fell in love with the program because I will be in a cohort of students who will start learning about teaching in our first year of college and get involved in a school community we can call home for the next five years. Financing college is stressful and your scholarship would mean the world to me as it will allow me the opportunity to attend an amazing university and fulfill my dreams of becoming a secondary special education teacher in the San Juan district. Thank you for the opportunity to apply for this scholarship.