As a Texas resident in the great city of San Antonio Texas, I value equality and fairness for all members of society. Unfortunately, Texas as a whole has a long history of gender disparity, particularly in areas such as pay and representation in leadership positions. This motivates me to confront gender disparity in Texas. I believe that everyone should have equal opportunities and be judged solely on their abilities and qualifications, not on their gender. Although Texas and the United States in general has come a far way with gender equality with females and males. I believe by working towards gender equality in Texas, we can hope to create a more just and fair society, where individuals can pursue the dreams they have with the abilities they bring to the table without being held back by their gender. With my future degree in nursing and future nursing career, I hope to make a significant impact in enforcing the reduction of gender disparity in Texas witching any type of hierarchy I may result in with my future career. I will do anything it takes to make a difference. Whether it's through policy advocacy, community outreach, or mentoring, I want to play an active role in empowering women and girls to achieve their full potential whether in the health care profession or not all careers around Texas have room for improvement in gender equality. Woman are strong, confident individuals that have the ability and straight to carry a child for 9 months, which no man can do. With myself being a female athlete for many years and taking my talents to the college level there is no where as near as many opportunities for woman in woman’s sports then for men’s sports which needs to be changed. Woman’s athletic funding is rewarded a lot less than men’s athletic funding and genders are able to win NCAA national championships. Although a female physical capability has less accolades then a man’s physical abilities I feel that as a whole we should embrace that more when female athletes go onto the college or pro level when it comes to sports. I envision a Texas where women have equal representation in leadership positions, where they are paid fairly for their work, and where they have access to the same opportunities as men. I hope to be part of a movement that brings about positive change and helps create a more equitable and just society for all Texans.

The nursing industry has always been at the top of my interests as a career choice. There are several reasons why this field appeals to me, including the ability to make a difference in people's lives, the opportunity for personal and professional growth, and the flexibility to work in a variety of settings. The idea of being able to help people in their time of need is what initially drew me to nursing. Empathy is a huge thing when it comes to nursing and I believe that’s one of my best qualities as a human being. The ability to provide compassionate care and support to patients and their families is incredibly rewarding, and the thought of being able to make a positive impact on someone's life is very appealing. Another aspect of the nursing profession that interests me is the potential for personal and professional growth. The field is constantly evolving, with new technologies and treatments being developed all the time and with new branches of nursing jobs sprouting everyday. This means that there are always opportunities to learn and grow as a nurse, which is very important to me. In terms of my goals for a successful nursing career, I hope to make a positive impact on the lives of my patients, work collaboratively with other healthcare professionals, and continue to learn and grow as a nurse. I would like to specialize in a particular area of nursing, such as pediatrics or critical care, and eventually become a nurse practitioner. I have had some personal accomplishments to date that have helped me pursue these goals. For example, I have volunteered at University Hospital, in San Antonio during the annual Mass Casualty Drill where I was able to observe nurses in action and gain a better understanding of the profession. I have also completed several nursing-related courses and training programs such as the CNA certification course they provided at my high school which allowed me to gain my CNA certification and work with patients who are in need of care in hospitals or long term care facilities. In conclusion, the nursing industry is a career choice that interests me for many reasons, including the ability to make a difference in people's lives, the opportunity for personal and professional growth, and the flexibility to work in a variety of settings. My goals for a successful nursing career include making a positive impact on my patients, working collaboratively with other healthcare professionals, and continuing to learn and grow as a nurse. With dedication and hard work, I am confident that I can achieve these goals and make a meaningful contribution to the nursing profession.

“ATTENTION ECISD WE ARE GOING TO EXTEND SPRING BREAK ANOTHER WEEK DUE TO THE COVID-19” seemed like the best news I have ever received. I remember it being my first time teaming on a TEEN ACTS retreat for my church, team members were taking a break in the cabin and everyone jumped for joy realizing they get another week off. A longer break is exactly what everyone needed but we would have never expected the whole entire world to shut down after that one week off. Everyone who went through COVID will have a different story to tell and a different experience they went through. Some people loved being closed off and some people could not handle the separation. I was one of those people. I feel that most people would describe me as an extremely talkative, extroverted, joyful person who just wanted to be friends with everyone and isolation did not allow me to maintain that. When that week turned into the rest of my freshman year of high school being online it was a huge challenge for me. I was so used to getting social interactions with my friends in classes which wasn't happening over Google Meets. Everyone's camera was off and who really wanted to try and unmute themselves to talk to each other with the teacher listening to everything said? Not having the quality time and physical touch with my friends and family really put me into a depressive state since both of those things are my love languages. Since the 4th grade I've been involved with club volleyball. Practices 3 times a week, 2 a days on Sunday’s and private lessons/clinics on the days I was off. During all these things I would get to work on my craft, have fun playing the sport I love most and talk to my club teammates that were from different schools. When the world shut down my world of volleyball shut down with it and that really broke me. It was like my routine completely disappeared and I couldn't get it back. Although sophomore year the mask mandate came out, we were able to go to school, participate in school and outside sports but it wasn't any better. Half of us were at school and the rest were online so basically classes were still online, teachers were so strict about the mask and staying 6ft apart that you couldn't even have a conversation with your friends. Sports weren't the same, the mask hid your emotion on the court which is a huge thing for team sports, it was really difficult to breath and even talk to your teammates about what was going on. But through any adverse situations that have ever been thrown my way I've always been resilient. Some good things that came out of covid was the unbreakable bond I made with my family and learning that if I can overcome a pandemic I can handle any adverse situation that's thrown my way.

As I exit the car many, many years I recall hearing my mom say, “Be the Light, Be the Joy” as she left me off at school. It wasn’t until I started high school that I truly understood what that meant. My name is McKynna Moxley and I’m a senior at East Central High School. I am a person who genuinely cares and values education. Throughout my school career, I’ve always applied myself to take the hardest classes. I feel that this will only prepare me for what’s most likely going to be the level in most college classes. I’m proud to say that I’ve worked hard to get great grades and have a respectable 3.6 GPA. But classes weren’t the only thing I wanted to be a part of in high school. I wanted to be a part of much more and that’s when I started joining programs. I started playing club volleyball outside of school when I was in 4th grade. I fell in love with it and knew I wanted to be a part of it when I got to high school. Being a part of the volleyball program allowed me to bring “Joy” to my teammates, coaches and community because it brought me such JOY to be a part of a team and be on the court competing. It has brought me “Joy” to have so many ties to my community since a lot of the members in our community would support us and come watch us play home games. What also came along with the program was the “Joy” of participating in many community service projects. One time we worked with Habitat For Humanity for a man in our community that was not living in the best conditions during the heat in Texas, in August. All of us got either a paintbrush, a drill, a rake or some brooms and made his life easier just by fixing some of the issues his house had. This project helped me realize how important it is to help out because of the “Joy” the person you're helping out is left with. I understand now what my mom meant by, “Be the Joy, Be the Light” no other feeling like it. In addition, I am proud to be the VP of a club called PALS (Peer Assistance Leadership and Service). We do multiple leadership events on campus, go to our elementary schools twice a week and mentor children who struggle at school socially and emotionally. I've been in the PALS for 2 years. It's made such a huge impact on my life by making such a difference and bringing “JOY” to kids' lives. I am a proud member of the NHS and BETA club and we give back to the community every month by serving. I also volunteer for VITAS Healthcare, a Hospice where my mom works as a pediatric Social Worker. You see both of my parents work in helping fields, my dad is a high school teacher at my high school where he teaches leadership courses. I see firsthand the positive impact he makes every day with my peers. I have seen the impact my parents make on others and the “light” that they are in others' lives and I want that and I am that. I bring Joy and Light wherever I am. As I pursue my dream of becoming a Pediatric Emergency/Trauma Nurse Practitioner, I want to continue to give back to my community and bring “Joy/Light” to others every day and I know I will.