My brother has been in speech therapy since he was three years old for his severe stutter, yet he has made tremendous strides thanks to his amazing therapists. At home, I often help him practice the different exercises assigned by his therapist. During our time together, I came to realize the importance of speech development and language acquisition at a young age. The exhilaration every time he overcame a challenge in his speech made my heart soar, and I want to help other people experience that same feeling. My fascination with communication began in high school, where I was captivated by the science behind language development and speech disorders. My coursework in biology and psychology provided me with a foundational understanding of the neurological and physiological aspects of communication. Learning about how the brain processes language and the impact of various disorders on speech and comprehension sparked my interest in exploring this field further. The study of human anatomy and neurobiology has deepened my appreciation for the complexity of the communication process. I have been particularly intrigued by how disruptions in neural pathways can affect speech and language. By studying brain functions and language acquisition, I gained insights into the underlying mechanisms that contribute to speech disorders. This scientific curiosity led me to pursue a degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders, where I could delve deeper into the intersection of neuroscience and linguistics. My career goal is to become a speech-language pathologist. Having firsthand knowledge of being able to openly express oneself further reinforces the importance of helping to empower those who struggle with self-advocacy due to their challenges in communication. I want to focus on pediatric speech because of how critical proper speech development is to developing one’s confidence during their formative years. My goal is to be in a position to prevent, diagnose, and treat communication disorders in children so that they can eventually reach a place of productive self-expression. Moving forward, I plan to research how the arts can become incorporated into speech therapy to apply it throughout my career. Upon completing my undergraduate and graduate studies, I would like to serve in a school setting. Eventually, I would like to open a private practice in the South Florida area to assist children from underserved communities. I am excited to learn new knowledge on how I can give back to the same community that helped me grow into the person I am today. By combining my passion for communication with my STEM expertise, I am confident that I can make meaningful contributions to the field and positively impact the lives of individuals with speech and language disorders.

In 2009, my family uprooted themselves from the Windy City of Chicago to Palm Springs, Florida because the doctor told my mom that if I continued to live there, I would most likely have to spend the rest of my life in a hospital bed. As an asthmatic toddler with allergies, life was not easy. The winter air would trigger my asthma, making it hard for me to breathe. As a young girl I tended to stay inside because I would get so sick from being outside. I also have severe allergies to peanuts, nuts, and eggs. This was not an easy concept to explain to my immigrant relatives, and I’ve had multiple reactions due to my family members not understanding the concept of what that means. I ended my fifth birthday party by having to board a Traumahawk to the hospital because my uncle brough chips made in peanut oil. The feeling of having my throat closing up is something I’ve only experienced four times, and it's something I never want to feel again. I was born with eczema, causing my skin, especially my hands, to become dry, itchy, and bumpy. Most children grow out of it by age 4; I’ve had it my entire life. When I was in elementary school, some of the kids used to call me “lizard skin” or “iguana hands” because of the scaly appearance. I would be so embarrassed of how my skin looked that I used to dress in all long sleeves in the blazing heat, just so I could hide my body from others. It’s interesting to see how different people react when they see the way my skin looks, because they usually don’t understand that it’s something that I have to deal with everyday. During the winter of my sophomore year, I had to get a biopsy because my doctor was concerned about the rapid-forming bald spots on my head. They thought I had some sort of cancer; the two weeks spent waiting for the results were the most stressed I’ve ever felt in my life. I was diagnosed with non-scarring alopecia, an incurable type of hair loss. Thankfully, I have the kind that allows my hair to regrow, but it has not been easy. It took countless doctors visits to figure out why I had this and the best way to treat it. I was determined to not make this condition the center of my life and was able to remain at the top of my class while doing hair laser treatments every other day. I made sure not to let my conditions stop me from getting involved, during my senior year I was president of six different clubs and held two internships. Although I’m what some might call a sick kid due to my various medical conditions, I’m proud of myself and my family for being able to remain positive and continue to thrive in life. However, my family lives check to check as most of my parent’s income goes to medical expenses for my brother and I. My brother has disabilities and severe life-threatening allergies to all dairy, egg, gluten, nuts so we constantly have to buy him special food. Sometimes, his food cost more than our mortgage. Both of my parents are college dropouts who still have extreme student loans; I will be the first person in my family to go to college and earn a degree. I plan to work in to alleviate this financial burden, but I am dependent on scholarships like this one to achieve my goal of graduating college debt-free. My brother has been in speech therapy since he was three years old for his severe stutter. Yet he has made tremendous strides thanks to his amazing therapists. At home, I often help him practice the different exercises assigned by his therapist. And during our time together, I came to realize the importance of speech development and language acquisition at a young age. The exhilaration every time he overcame a challenge in his speech made my heart soar, and I want to help other people experience that same feeling. As a result, I have chosen to major in Communication Sciences and Disorders because I aspire to become a speech-language pathologist. Additionally, my own challenges with hearing issues helped provide the inspiration for my career choice. Due to both my therapist’s focus and my determination throughout additional sessions, I have been able to successfully exit the program within a few years. Since proper speech development is critical to the development of one’s confidence during these formative years, I want to focus on pediatric speech. Communications sciences and disorders will provide the foundation necessary to prevent, diagnose, and treat communication and swallowing disorders in children. Having firsthand knowledge of being able to openly express oneself further reinforces the importance of helping to empower those who struggle with self-advocacy due to their challenges in communication. While working as an art teacher for two years, I had the opportunity to teach kids from underserved communities the joy of the arts. Watching them create and develop a passion for art, as well as evolve in their technique was a source of great pride. This fueled my desire to stay after hours to help them explore their projects. Their determination reaffirmed my belief that art goes beyond language, knows no bounds, and can be fulfilling for everyone. Taking on this role gave me the opportunity to help other children find their voice through art. Moving forward, I plan to research how I can incorporate the arts in my speech therapy practice. There is a severe lack of representation of Hispanic/Latino speech therapists, but I am excited to advocate for a greater cultural awareness within the field of Speech Pathology. After graduate school and earning my license, I would like to work in a school setting. Eventually, I would like to open my own speech practice in the South Florida area. I am eager to learn new knowledge on how I can give back to the same community that helped me grow into the person I am today.

My brother has been in speech therapy since he was three years old for his severe stutter, yet he has made tremendous strides thanks to his amazing therapists. At home, I often help him practice the different exercises assigned by his therapist. During our time together, I came to realize the importance of speech development and language acquisition at a young age. The exhilaration every time he overcame a challenge in his speech made my heart soar, and I want to help other people experience that same feeling. As a result, I have chosen to major in Communication Sciences and Disorders because I aspire to become a speech-language pathologist. Additionally, my own challenges with hearing issues helped provide the inspiration for my career choice. Due to both my therapist’s focus and my determination throughout additional sessions, I have been able to successfully exit the program within a few years. Having firsthand knowledge of being able to openly express oneself further reinforces the importance of helping to empower those who struggle with self-advocacy due to their challenges in communication. I want to focus on pediatric speech because of how critical proper speech development is to the developing one’s confidence during their formative years. My goal is to be in position to prevent, diagnose and treat communication and swallowing disorders in children so that they can eventually reach a place of productive self-expression. This past summer, I was hired as a Teaching Artist at a local art gallery. Of the eight teachers, I was the only teenager selected for the job. I was responsible for thirty students from underserved communities who were eager to start the various projects I had prepared. I presented them with different mediums to expand their art experience and also help them learn about themselves and what it means to be an artist. Watching them create and develop a passion for art, as well as evolve in their technique was a source of great joy and pride. This fueled my desire to stay after hours to help them explore their projects. Their determination reaffirmed my belief that art goes beyond language, knows no bounds, and can be fulfilling for everyone. Taking on this role gave me the opportunity to help other children find their voice through art. Moving forward, I plan to research how I can incorporate the arts in my speech therapy practice. Eventually, I plan to work in a school-setting in the South Florida area to assist children from underserved communities. I am excited to learn new ways to give back to the same community that helped me grow into the person I am today.

My brother has been in speech therapy since he was three years old for his severe stutter, yet he has made tremendous strides thanks to his amazing therapists. At home, I often help him practice the different exercises assigned by his therapist. During our time together, I came to realize the importance of speech development and language acquisition at a young age. The exhilaration every time he overcame a challenge in his speech made my heart soar, and I want to help other people experience that same feeling. As a result, I have chosen to major in Communication Sciences and Disorders because I aspire to become a speech-language pathologist. Additionally, my own challenges with hearing issues helped provide the inspiration for my career choice. Due to both my therapist’s focus and my determination throughout additional sessions, I have been able to successfully exit the program within a few years. Having firsthand knowledge of being able to openly express oneself further reinforces the importance of helping to empower those who struggle with self-advocacy due to their challenges in communication. I want to focus on pediatric speech because of how critical proper speech development is to the developing one’s confidence during their formative years. My goal is to be in position to prevent, diagnose and treat communication and swallowing disorders in children so that they can eventually reach a place of productive self-expression. This past summer, I was hired as a Teaching Artist at a local art gallery. Of the eight teachers, I was the only teenager selected for the job. I was responsible for thirty students from underserved communities who were eager to start the various projects I had prepared. I presented them with different mediums to expand their art experience and also help them learn about themselves and what it means to be an artist. Watching them create and develop a passion for art as well as evolve in their technique was a source of great joy and pride. This fueled my desire to stay after hours to help them explore their projects. Their determination reaffirmed my belief that art goes beyond language, knows no bounds, and can be fulfilling for everyone. Taking on this role gave me the opportunity to help other children find their voice through art. Moving forward, I plan to research on how the arts can become incorporated into speech therapy to apply it throughout my career. Upon completing my undergraduate and graduate studies at the University of Florida and completing the steps to attain my license, I would like to serve in a school setting. I will be the first in my family to attend, and graduate from college. Eventually, I would like to open my own practice in the South Florida area to help children from underprivileged communities. I am excited to learn new knowledge on how I can give back to the same community that helped me grow into the person I am today.

My brother has been in speech therapy since he was three years old for his severe stutter, yet he has made tremendous strides thanks to his amazing therapists. At home, I often help him practice the different exercises assigned by his therapist. During our time together, I came to realize the importance of speech development and language acquisition at a young age. The exhilaration every time he overcame a challenge in his speech made my heart soar, and I want to help other people experience that same feeling. As a result, I have chosen to major in Communication Sciences and Disorders because I aspire to become a speech-language pathologist. Additionally, my own challenges with hearing issues helped provide the inspiration for my career choice. Due to both my therapist’s focus and my determination throughout additional sessions, I have been able to successfully exit the program within a few years. Having firsthand knowledge of being able to openly express oneself further reinforces the importance of helping to empower those who struggle with self-advocacy due to their challenges in communication. I want to focus on pediatric speech because of how critical proper speech development is to the developing one’s confidence during their formative years. My goal is to be in position to prevent, diagnose and treat communication and swallowing disorders in children so that they can eventually reach a place of productive self-expression. This past summer, I was hired as a Teaching Artist at a local art gallery. Of the eight teachers, I was the only teenager selected for the job. I was responsible for thirty students from underserved communities who were eager to start the various projects I had prepared. I presented them with different mediums to expand their art experience and also help them learn about themselves and what it means to be an artist. Watching them create and develop a passion for art as well as evolve in their technique was a source of great joy and pride. This fueled my desire to stay after hours to help them explore their projects. Their determination reaffirmed my belief that art goes beyond language, knows no bounds, and can be fulfilling for everyone. Taking on this role gave me the opportunity to help other children find their voice through art. Moving forward, I plan to research on how the arts can become incorporated into speech therapy to apply it throughout my career. Upon completing my undergraduate and graduate studies at the University of Florida and completing the steps to attain my license, I would like to serve in a school setting. Eventually, I would like to open my own practice in the South Florida area to help children from underprivileged communities. I am excited to learn new knowledge on how I can give back to the same community that helped me grow into the person I am today.

My mom gifted me the novel “The Alchemist” by Pablo Coelho at the start of my senior year of high school. Since I was young I’ve always had a love for books, but this is one that changed my life for the better. Senior year was a daunting time for me with intense feelings of uncertainty with college applications. At the time, I was still unsure about what career field and university I wanted to go into. When I finished it, the pages were littered with various notes, ideas, and arrows about the protagonist, Santiago, and his quest for treasure. The plot is filled with adventure and interesting characters just like an old fable. Even though it is almost forty years old, the book holds timeless wisdom about the human experience. Reading this book reaffirmed to me that it’s okay not to know my final destination, and to be mindful about living in the present. The Alchemist was the only book I brought with me to college; I like to reread certain parts to remind myself that just like Santiago, I have a personal legend that will take time to accomplish. As a first-generation college student, I know that there are many obstacles that will occur in pursuit of my legend; this book reminds me to listen to my intuition even in the face of uncertainty. I resonated with Santiago’s intense love of traveling and meeting new people as someone who loves to learn new things. I think everyone is an innate explorer; and The Alchemist can help bring out that desire. Although the book has various interpretations, I think reading this book will inspire others to go after what they want and make the most out of their journey. Reading can act as a guide; often we need a push to figure out what we intend to do with our lives . I truly believe that if everyone in the world read Santiago’s story, we would have more people who are happy with their lives and what they do. It is easy to feel as if we are stuck in a cycle, but the Alchemist can inspire readers to take control of their own destinies.

My brother has been in speech therapy since he was three years old for his severe stutter. Yet he has made tremendous strides thanks to his amazing therapists. At home, I often help him practice the different exercises assigned by his therapist. And during our time together, I came to realize the importance of speech development and language acquisition at a young age. The exhilaration every time he overcame a challenge in his speech made my heart soar, and I want to help other people experience that same feeling. As a result, I have chosen to major in Communication Sciences and Disorders because I aspire to become a speech-language pathologist. Additionally, my own challenges with hearing issues helped inspire my career choice. Due to both my therapist’s focus and my determination throughout additional sessions, I have been able to successfully exit the program within a few years. Since proper speech development is critical to developing one’s confidence during these formative years, I want to focus on pediatric speech. Communications sciences and disorders will provide the foundation necessary to prevent, diagnose, and treat communication and swallowing disorders in children. Having firsthand knowledge of being able to openly express oneself further reinforces the importance of helping to empower those who struggle with self-advocacy due to their challenges in communication. Speech pathology is a very white-dominated field, and I want to be an advocate for Hispanic children who struggle with communicating. The ability to speak is a crucial part of living and I want to advocate for those who can’t. In the past twelve months, I have logged over 600 hours of community service. I am the President of my school’s Key Club, Mindfulness Club, and Eagles Speak Up for Kids Chapter; I am theVice-President of Education Rocks and Book Club. These organizations focus on creating service projects to better our community at various levels. I consistently involve myself in these activities because I understand the importance of helping others. This past summer, I was hired as a Teaching Artist at a local art gallery. Of the eight teachers, I was the only teenager selected for the job. I was responsible for thirty students, predominantly Hispanic, who were eager to start the various projects I had prepared. I presented them with different mediums to expand their art experience and also help them learn about themselves and what it means to be an artist. Watching them create and develop a passion for art as well as evolve in their technique was a source of great joy and pride. This fueled my desire to stay after hours to help them explore their projects. Their determination reaffirmed my belief that art goes beyond language, knows no bounds, and can be fulfilling for everyone. Taking on this role allowed me to help other children find their voices through art. Moving forward, I plan to research how the arts can become incorporated into speech therapy to apply it throughout my career. After obtaining my master’s degree at the University of Florida, completing my speech-language pathologist certifications, and getting my license, I would like to work in a school setting. Eventually, I would like to open a speech practice in the South Florida area. I am excited to learn new knowledge on how I can give back to the same community that helped me grow into the person I am today.

I am choosing to major in Communication Sciences and Disorders because my dream job is to become a speech-language pathologist. Ever since my brother was three, he has gone to speech therapy for his severe stutter and has made tremendous improvement thanks to his amazing therapists. I used to sit with him at home to practice the different exercises his therapist gave him. During our time together, I came to realize the importance of speech development and language acquisition at a young age. The exhilaration he felt every time he overcame a challenge in his speech made my heart soar, and I wanted to help other people experience that same feeling. My own challenges helped inspire my career choice. Similar to my brother, when I was younger, I attended speech classes due to hearing issues. I constantly slurred my words together, and as a result, never talked to others outside of my own family. I had a dedicated teacher who would meet with me for extra classes to ensure I was successful. Due to both the therapist’s focus and my determination, I was able to successfully exit the program in a few years. The confidence I’ve gained from these experiences has stayed with me throughout my life and eventually found a love of public speaking. I would like to specialize in pediatric speech because of how critical proper speech development is to one’s confidence- especially during their formative years. Communications sciences and disorders will provide the foundation necessary to prevent, diagnose, and treat communication and swallowing disorders in children. Having firsthand knowledge of being able to openly express oneself further reinforces the importance of helping to empower those who struggle with self-advocacy due to their communication conditions. I know firsthand the importance of being able to voice what you are feeling; I want to help those who struggle with communication and become an advocate for them. I’ve taught multiple art classes to children and enjoy working with the public. I also plan to research how the arts can be incorporated with speech therapy to apply it to my work. Speech pathology is a very white-dominated field, but I plan to do my own research about underserved communities to ensure they are represented. After obtaining my masters degree, completing my speech-language pathologist certifications, and getting my license, I would like to work in a school setting. Eventually, I would like to open my own speech practice in the local South Florida area

In 2009, my family uprooted themselves from the Windy City of Chicago to Palm Springs, Florida because the doctor told my mom that if I continued to live there, I would most likely have to spend the rest of my life in a hospital bed. As an asthmatic toddler with allergies, my life was not easy. The winter air would trigger my asthma, making it hard for me to breathe. As a young girl I tended to stay inside because I would get so sick from being outside. I also have severe allergies to peanuts, nuts, and eggs. This was not an easy concept to explain to my immigrant relatives, and I’ve had multiple reactions due to my family members not understanding the concept of what that means. I ended my fifth birthday party by having to board a Traumahawk to the hospital because my uncle brough chips made in peanut oil. The feeling of having my throat closing up is something I’ve only experienced four times, and it's something I never want to feel again. I was born with eczema, causing my skin, especially my hands, to become dry, itchy, and bumpy. Most children grow out of it by age 4; I’ve had it my entire life. When I was in elementary school, some of the kids used to call me “lizard skin” or “iguana hands” because of the scaly appearance. I would be so embarrassed of how my skin looked that I used to dress in all long sleeves in the blazing heat, just so I could hide my body from others. It’s interesting to see how different people react when they see the way my skin looks, because they usually don’t understand that it’s something that I have to deal with everyday. During the winter of my sophomore year, I had to get a biopsy because my doctor was concerned about the rapid-forming bald spots on my head. They thought I had some sort of cancer; the two weeks spent waiting for the results were the most stressed I’ve ever felt in my life. I was diagnosed with non-scarring alopecia, an incurable type of hair loss. Thankfully, I have the kind that allows my hair to regrow, but it has not been easy. It took countless doctors visits to figure out why I had this and the best way to treat it. I was determined to not make this condition the center of my life and was able to remain at the top of my class while doing hair laser treatments every other day. Although I’m what some might call a sick kid due to my various medical conditions, I’m proud of myself and my family for being able to remain positive and continue to thrive in life. My career goal is to be a pediatric speech pathologist to help prevent and treat communication and swallowing disorders in children. My younger brother has a severe stutter and has been to speech therapy ever since he was three, and he has made tremendous improvement thanks to his amazing teachers. I know firsthand the importance of being able to voice what you’re feeling, and I want to help those who struggle with that. The ability to speak is a crucial part of living and I want to advocate for those who can’t.

A year ago, if you would have asked me what Mindfulness is, I would have been completely stumped. Now, after going through a rigorous internship program, I run a Mindfulness club at my school where I mentor underclassmen about mental health. It is critical that high school students understand the importance of mental health and strategizes because it can help them improve their grades and overall wellbeing. I have a four students in my mentee group who I communicate with every week. I've been able to get to know them personally and coordinate different activities so we can get to know each other better on a personal level. I'm very open with my group about my struggles with depression and anxiety so that they know that they don't have to hide who they are with me. By teaching mindfulness, the ability to be fully present, and other awareness practices I can have a positive impact on my mentees' lives. I hope that what they learn through this program stays with them throughout the rest of their high school career so that they can reap the tremendous benefits. Mindfulness is important in maintaining one’s physical and emotional health. It can be applied to all aspects of life, not just high school, and I want them to continue their success long after I graduate.

Practicing mindfulness is the best way to live a healthy and long life. Mindfulness is focusing on being aware of what you’re sensing and feeling in the moment. It allows you to focus on what is going on in the present rather than worrying about the past or future. It can also create increased productivity and better relationships since it creates a focused mindset. Mindfulness can be applied in many different aspects of life, such as school or marriage. When one starts to practice it daily so you can start to see progress in areas that are of importance to you almost immediately. It can increase feelings of freedom, wisdom and overall happiness. Mindfulness is all about self-awareness and reflection. Practicing daily mindfulness, whether it be journaling or breathing techniques, can help reduce stress, anxiety, and depression. This can increase your longevity due to the lack of factors that are draining your physical and mental health. There are a multitude of ways to practice mindfulness, so it is something everyone can do. Mindfulness gives you the ability to concentrate on thoughts, emotions, and senses in a calming way that provides clarity and peace. It is a very calming practice that can have a beneficial impact on all who participate. Everyone should strive to implement mindfulness as a lifestyle so they can focus more positive energy on important areas in their life.