Building a Business for the Community Many individuals embark on entrepreneurial journeys primarily for personal gain, but I aspire to establish a business that uplifts low-income families by providing affordable venues for events. My intent is to create accessible spaces where families can celebrate significant life moments without the burden of exorbitant costs. Using my education and experiences, I aim to empower families like mine to create lasting memories in venues they can afford. The significance of this vision cannot be overstated. In my community, many families yearn to joyfully commemorate milestones such as birthdays, graduations, and other achievements. Unfortunately, these celebrations often remain out of reach due to the high costs associated with renting venues and hosting events. For many, what may seem like a trivial financial hurdle creates a barrier that prevents them from creating cherished memories. To those of us in my community, these milestones are not just celebrations; they are essential moments of joy and connection. Living life to the fullest is a universal desire, and I believe everyone deserves the opportunity to create happy memories that will linger long after the events have passed. While some may find my vision unrealistic, I am confident that a scholarship to support my education will be a pivotal step toward realizing my goal. Growing up, I faced challenges that tested my resilience. I often found myself lacking a role model to inspire me, spending my time focused on schoolwork and applying for grants to help my mother. My mother has worked tirelessly to provide for our family, bravely managing the pressures of paying our bills and maintaining a stable home. Despite her best efforts, she was unable to afford the events she wished to host, and I experienced firsthand the impact of financial limitations on a family's ability to celebrate life’s joyous moments. It is this experience that fuels my passion to become an agent of change for my community. My goal is to ensure that families no longer have to forgo celebrations due to financial constraints. I want to create a business that enables families to spend quality time together, making precious memories that they will carry with them forever. The opportunity to host events should not be a privilege reserved for the wealthy; rather, it should be accessible to everyone regardless of their economic situation. When families gather to celebrate, they forge deeper connections, strengthen relationships, and create a supportive community. Additionally, receiving this scholarship would significantly support my journey. I have worked diligently to further my education, even graduating high school early to pursue my dream. I believe that with financial support, I can acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to launch my business effectively. This scholarship represents more than just financial aid; it symbolizes a chance to make a meaningful difference in my community. In conclusion, although the path to achieving my goals may not be easy, I am determined to persevere. Some may label me as stubborn, while others might call me determined; I view myself as a hard worker who will not relent until I reach my aspirations. My ultimate objective is not for personal gain but rather to lift others in my community, allowing them to create beautiful memories alongside their loved ones. I hope you will see the value in my vision and support me in this endeavor. Together, we can make a difference and ensure that every family has the opportunity to celebrate life's special moments. Will you help me turn this vision into reality, or will I be left to struggle like others who share my dreams?

Many people are drawn to K-pop because of their admiration for the idols. These idols have the extraordinary ability to inspire others and help them achieve the unattainable. Today, I'd like to discuss the three ways in which K-pop groups have impacted me: health, inspiration, and positivity. The captivating dances performed by K-pop idols inspired me to try them myself. Additionally, my mother expressed concerns about my weight and suggested that I shed some pounds. I believed K-pop music could help me lose weight, as it had already greatly improved my mental health. The K-pop group that particularly inspired me was BTS. Despite my family's opinion that BTS is uninteresting, I find them engaging. I've been dedicating time to learning their dance routines, which have significantly contributed to my improved health. BTS's music and performances lift my spirits, and I watch them whenever they're on live TV. BTS is an incredibly inspirational group, both in and out of the studio. They exude vibrant energy and authenticity during their performances, which is truly motivating. Despite their diverse backgrounds, they never give up on their dreams. They inspire me to persist in pursuing my ambition of attending college, achieving success as a businesswoman, and being a better person in general. BTS's positivity has brought so much joy and light into my life, especially during moments when I felt surrounded by darkness. As a teenager, I struggled with depression, but their music and energy have helped me transform into a much happier person. Whenever I feel stressed about an upcoming test, I often find one of their songs playing in my head. It's like they have a way of infusing humor into my thoughts, and I find myself imagining funny scenarios or recalling their jokes. Their impact reaches beyond just the music; they have been a source of support in every aspect of my life. I vividly remember how their humor and support have been key factors in my personal and academic achievements. In summary, BTS has had a significant impact on my health, motivation, and positivity by staying true to themselves. Their captivating dance expressions, heartfelt life stories shared with fans, and engaging TV appearances with celebrity friends have inspired me to embrace my authenticity in a very powerful way. It was like I was having a personal conversation with them every time they appeared on TV or in McDonald’s commercials, even though I wasn't. I was glad that their music videos and commercials found me or I've wouldn't still been a lost depressed teen.

Nowadays, people have developed grit in unexpected places such as at home, school, and the workplace. People have shown grit even in their lowest moments. Today, I will share how I developed a mindset of grit through acceptance, determination, and knowledge. Developing a gritty mindset for me meant learning to accept my failures. A particularly challenging failure for me was during my 7th-grade year when we switched from remote learning to in-person school. My mom made me continue with virtual learning with my little brother, but I didn't realize that the learning program had changed from Google Classroom to Virtual Virginia. Virtual Virginia was difficult for me because the teachers would assign work but not grade it when I submitted it. They also didn't provide much instruction. Despite this, I persevered and continued working, accepting that I might fail. It wasn't until my grandmother encouraged me. I truly embraced the need to keep pushing forward, even though I knew I had made mistakes. This experience taught me to accept my mistakes and not stress too much about making decisions. The next thing that helped me develop a mindset of grit is determination. I gained determination when I was in 8th grade, which is when I wrote my first essay. I didn't know how to write an essay because no one had ever taught me in the past, so when my teacher said we were writing essays, I was confused. I wrote an essay and guessed with the prompts. When I gave it to her to grade, she was always on my back. Sometimes she would give everyone two essays to do if we didn't finish during the class period. If this was on paper, she would provide us with this long list of vocabulary words we needed to write down, finish in a day, and then add them to our essays. Even though my classmates were giving up, I didn't, which amazed them. I have babysat kids in my family from newborn to 10 years old, which they didn't know about. When I remember all the things I went through, from multitasking to losing my voice from dealing with those kids, I was more determined to pass everything that she threw at me. In the end, I passed the class with the highest grade and gained the determination to overcome obstacles that got in my way, even from teachers. The final factor that contributed to developing a gritty mindset was my thirst for knowledge. You might be wondering how this desire for knowledge relates to developing grit. People define grit in various ways such as ambition, bravery, and resilience. To me, grit is synonymous with knowledge. For instance, when I was in 3rd grade, I took my first Standards of Learning (SOL) test, and my teacher warned me that failing it would mean failing the grade. I informed my family about this, and they purchased workbooks for me. As I worked through the workbooks, my thirst for knowledge grew. I was motivated to acquire knowledge to achieve a specific goal, namely passing my first SOL test. In conclusion, I have embraced a gritty mindset by acknowledging my failures, demonstrating a determination to overcome obstacles, and gaining the knowledge to surmount them. Accepting responsibility for mistakes, moving forward, and persevering illustrate my ability to learn and grow. This commitment allows me to confront challenges with ease.