As a young kid, I had severe dyslexia. Before the age of 3, I knew only a few words. I struggled to find the right words and this led to a strain on communication. I could not even communicate well with my mother. This led to failure when I started school. Elementary school was a struggle with schoolwork and social interactions with my peers. I was put into a school where it was determined that I had a learning disability but they had no idea which. This school's special education teacher did not work on increasing my knowledge in phonics, spelling, or speech. Instead, he would take me out of my classroom to play with clay or go horseback riding. This began to lead me down a dark path that affected the rest of my life. After first grade, I didn’t know my phonics, and I couldn’t rhyme. I slowly got further and further behind my peers on my reading and my social skills, as I was never in the classroom. The other kids wouldn’t interact with me as I was considered slow. This made me feel like a social outcast and led me to feel alone. My parents had me tested at the literacy center in Colorado Springs, which determined that I had dyslexia. After that diagnosis on a particularly horrible day at school, my parents gave me a choice between my current school or the school in the woods. This school was known for its dyslexia program called “Take Flight”. I was smart to decide to change schools so I could succeed. As I learned how to read and write, my grades began to climb. Now, I am going to school for computer science and have a GPA of 3.8. My mother had dyslexia and was never treated. However, she was the first woman in our family to get a college degree. My education goals are to continue to succeed in college for every person who has dyslexia and struggles. I want to take my education in cyber security and provide software to defend the average person from identity theft, personal data theft, and credit card theft. I also want to rise through the ranks of my company to prove to myself and everyone around me that I am a strong independent woman. I too can be confident in myself, jump over any obstacle that comes my way, and become a better person, no matter what my history is or my disability. It would be an honor to receive this scholarship, to help others remember Dylan and his message to not let your disability get in the way of success.

I am pursuing a general Computer Science degree with a minor in Cyber Security. Using this Computer Science degree, I can be almost on any project. I am not just stuck on one focus and can work from renewable energy or Artificial intelligence. My Computer Science degree can help me innovate humanity for a better tomorrow. My career aspirations using my Computer Science degree are to help make the world a better place. Currently, millions of companies are breached every day by faulty cybersecurity implementations. I aim to soon be able to implement and maintain cybersecurity solutions for companies in need. I wish to lead a team that would stop companies from being breached and help them stay updated on today's cybersecurity solutions.

My passion for the STEAM fields is demonstrated in my 3D printing business Wonder3D. I started Wonder3D when attending Northeast Alabama Community College in my freshman year. I displayed a few prints in the school cafeteria that caught the imagination of students, teachers, and workers at the college. Wonder 3D is a company that makes toys and useful gadgets for around the house. For example, I have printed toilet paper holders and a shovel hanger for my mother. My business includes three 3D printers which are the Ender 3 Neo, a Prusa Mk4, and a P1P Bambu. The Prusa MK4, a large known 3D printer in today's manufacturing industries was required to be assembled. This was a challenge for me and allowed me to gain further knowledge on how 3D printers function. This knowledge can be used to fix, make modifications, and create custom parts when the printers break. I am very proud of my STEAM accomplishments. I entered the world of STEAM with a course in cyber security at my high school at the beginning of my junior year. I joined the cybersecurity high school team, and participated in the national cyber security competition CyberPatriot: “CyberPatriot is the National Youth Cyber Education Program created by the Air & Space Forces Association to inspire K-12 students towards careers in cybersecurity or other science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines critical to our nation’s future.” In this competition, our team strived to secure the Linus and Windows OS as well as the network. It was at this point in my life that I determined that I loved to problem solve whether it was software, ethical hacking or 3D printing. Upon completion of my junior year, I applied for and received an internship at the National Cyber Security Center (NCC). As an intern, I participated in designing the summer camps in cyber security for younger teens, and also mentored teens during the summer camps. In my Senior Year in High school, I was a part of a program called dual enrollment where I went to Pikes Peak Community College and took cyber-related classes. In March of 2023, I was certified in Security+. Security+ “is a global certification that validates the baseline skills necessary to perform core security functions and pursue an IT security career.” This credential led to being hired as a part-time technician at NCC. The position allowed me to demonstrate and teach 3D printer fundamentals to other employees at NCC. I also held a secondary job at J’s Electronic Repair that furthered my troubleshooting skills as it allowed me to locate and fix problems that were 3D printer-associated. My career aspirations are to help make the world a better place. Currently, millions of companies are breached every day by faulty cybersecurity implementations. I hope to soon be able to implement and maintain cybersecurity solutions for companies in need. I wish to lead a team that would stop companies from being breached, and help them stay updated on today's cybersecurity solutions.

Math is everything to me especially in today's reality. Other people don't believe that math doesn't affect their lives, but that is quite the opposite. From the food to the price of gas, it is everywhere. We would not have anything if it wasn't for math. Sure, I love math because of the innovation it will cause, from flying cars in the future to completely renewable energy, but what about understanding our reality? We must use math to innovate and change our future for a better tomorrow. Humans use math to understand and evolve reality. From using it to keep track of the years as time goes on, to using it to understand ancient civilizations. Math topics are so broad from counting to physics that we can almost explain our reality using math. However, that being said does math discriminate in reality? Math doesn't pick or choose who can use it or not. Math doesn't discriminate between race, gender, and sex. Math doesn't judge whether you having a rough time or life taking a hit. It is still there for you, whether you can see it or not. That is what I love about math, it is compassion and understanding. Ps. Here is a poem about math. Math I divide racism because I don't pick who can use me I multiply innovation as science wouldn't exist without me I subtract the negative because learning does not judge I multiply reality as it wouldn't be understood without me What am I? I am math