When I was young I wanted to be an astronaut. I would talk about it often, it was my dream to touch the moon. But then I learned that the moon was very high up. As I got older I grew more afraid of heights and my dream of leaping amongst the stars began to drift away. I remember distinctly thinking that children really must not be afraid of anything. Children must not have developed a sense of fear or anxiety. It must be nice I would think, it must be nice to not be afraid. Being afraid can stop you from living your dream. I hate that I have a fear of heights, it stops me from doing things I want to do, it stops me from experiencing things I want to experience. So I try my very hardest to not let my fears stop me, I go on the scary roller coasters, I sing and talk in front of people even if these things scare me to death. I am not one to shy away from things that scare me, I will not let fear define my future. And while I still do not plan on becoming an astronaut, it's not because of fear, it's because I have found a new career path. I want to be a teacher. I know huge step down, but I don't see it that way. For me being a teacher will mean that I help kids remember their dreams and continue chasing them. For me being a teacher is about being a cheerleader and advocate for any kid. Teaching is scary. My body hates the idea of talking in front of large groups of people. But once I get up there it is like the world melts away and the fear is gone. I don't want to let fear define me, and I will not. Even though teaching seems a lot less scary than being an astronaut, each career has its challenges. I know what it feels like to be stuck as all of my classmates move forward. To walk when everyone else is running. I know the value of a good teacher because I had not just one but many. I know what a difference it can make when you have a good teacher who is willing to help. I want to be that for kids like me. I can only be an amazing teacher with a good degree. This scholarship will greatly help me in achieving that goal.

I remember the first time I watched the Hobbit on the big screen. I was sitting in the living room with my dad. This was our thing, we always watched movies together whenever we got the chance. The rule was that I could only watch the Lord of the Rings and the Hobbit once I had read the books. Tonight was the night I got to watch my favorite little Hobbits have adventures, fight dragons and overcome adversity. I sat down with a big bowl of popcorn as my dad tells me this is one of his favorites. I remember him watching me react to the dragon. I was awestruck. The book to movie adaptations for all of the Lord of the Rings movies are my favorite. They did a beautiful job of creating a compelling story without taking away from the integrity of the books. I am a big opponent of, ¨the books are always better,¨ but these movies are some of the few that I believe are equal in greatness. Little me was kicking her feet as the stories progressed. My mind exploded with ideas and these movies were a huge part why telling stories became so important to me. Every time I rewatch these movies I feel so inspired to write something equally as beautiful and compelling. I aspire to write stories that keep you on the edge of your seat, and bring to life themes and people who only live in books and screens. J. R. R Tolkien wrote beautiful stories that became books and movies that people can fall in love with regardless of age. Oftentimes I get really upset when the movies are so much worse than the books, that happens a lot. But I realized that you can enjoy and appreciate both and separate entities. You have to let go of the book and enjoy the movie as it is. Enjoy it for its cinematography, for the characters and story. But don't compare them, otherwise you will always be disappointed. I appreciate The Lord of the Rings and Hobbit movies as separate things from the books. They are not compleatly the same and that is Ok. The directors can not put the whole book into a script. It would be hours and hours long if they did that. While I would love to see every scene in the books on the big screen I appreciate how directors cut certain things to make the movie more interesting and coherent. In the Lord of the Rings the party with Bilbo is chapters long, whereas in the movie it is a much smaller part, only about ten minutes of movie time. They packed a lot into those ten minutes without stripping the integrity of the books. In order for a movie to be a good book adaptation the first rule is respect. If the directors don't respect the book, then the movie will be horrible. But when done well, I love the movie adaptations of books.

I didn't know how to read until I was almost nine. Words never made sense to me, and for the longest time I hated books. I swore the letters were scrambling themselves on purpose just to confuse me. Then one night my dad sat on the edge of my bed and began telling me a story. The words he spoke created pictures in my brain and I fell in love with stories. They became more than just words, they became worlds. I later found out I had dyslexia which affected my ability to read and understand math. Was I stupid? Why did it take me hours to understand concepts my classmates understood in moments? It felt like I was looking up at everyone passing me by as I slowly split into confusion. I remember many a time where I would tap my pen anxiously against the blank paper on my desk, hoping the paper would somehow fill itself, as the time ticked effortlessly on. But it never did, so I had to learn. My house is no stranger to learning disabilities and neurodivergent learning. I watch my younger brothers fight to survive in the academic world as I did and while it’s tough I also see them thrive. My younger brothers struggle with ADHD, sensory disorders and dyslexia. My family never gives up. My dad had dyslexia his whole life but only got diagnosed with it well into his 30s. My mom was my homeschool teacher until I was 14, she taught me math, english, and spanish. The way she taught and helped me understand things really inspired me. Watching my mom navigate these challenges and still make learning fun for my brothers really shaped who I was and wanted to be. She led huge Bible lessons at parks and conferences with me literally strapped in a sling around her. I began working in an after school outreach program for kids on the westside, first as a junior leader then a leader. I taught lessons, led studies, played games, did crafts and utilized trauma informed care to work with kids. I have been teaching kids since I was thirteen but Last year I really started considering teaching as a job. I looked around the room at the kids all raising their hands to answer my question and I knew that this was what all the struggle was for. I realized that I can help people who struggle like me and my brothers, I realized I could make a difference through teaching. I want to be a part of childrens´ acceptance and conquering of their struggles because I know how important it is to have someone who will cheer you on in the hard times. I have found that my struggles don't define me, but how I work with them does. I know what it is like to define your worth by your capacity to do well. And I know that it doesn't end well, because all I can do is work hard and I do, I have fallen in love with writing and teaching where once there was hatred. I want to be a part of other kids' lives, making learning a fun experience.

I didn't know how to read until I was almost nine. Words never made sense to me, and for the longest time I hated books. I swore the letters were scrambling themselves on purpose just to confuse me. Then one night my dad sat on the edge of my bed and began telling me a story. The words he spoke created pictures in my brain and I fell in love with stories. They became more than just words, they became worlds. I later found out I had dyslexia which affected my ability to read and understand math. Was I stupid? Why did it take me hours to understand concepts my classmates understood in moments? It felt like I was looking up at everyone passing me by as I slowly split into confusion. I remember many a time where I would tap my pen anxiously against the blank paper on my desk, hoping the paper would somehow fill itself, as the time ticked effortlessly on. But it never did, so I had to learn. My house is no stranger to learning disabilities and neurodivergent learning. I watch my younger brothers fight to survive in the academic world as I did and while it’s tough I also see them thrive. My younger brothers struggle with ADHD, sensory disorders and dyslexia. My family never gives up. My dad had dyslexia his whole life but only got diagnosed with it well into his 30s. My mom was my homeschool teacher until I was 14, she taught me math, English, and Spanish. The way she taught and helped me understand things really inspired me. Watching my mom navigate these challenges and still make learning fun for my brothers really shaped who I was and wanted to be. She led huge Bible lessons at parks and conferences with me literally strapped in a sling around her. I began working in an after school outreach program for kids on the West-side, first as a junior leader then a leader. I taught lessons, led studies, played games, did crafts and utilized trauma informed care to work with kids. I have been teaching kids since I was thirteen but Last year I really started considering teaching as a job. I looked around the room at the kids all raising their hands to answer my question and I knew that this was what all the struggle was for. I realized that I can help people who struggle like me and my brothers, I realized I could make a difference through teaching. I want to be a part of childrens´ acceptance and conquering of their struggles because I know how important it is to have someone who will cheer you on in the hard times. I have found that my struggles don't define me, but how I work with them does. I know what it is like to define your worth by your capacity to do well. And I know that it doesn't end well, because all I can do is work hard and I do, I have fallen in love with writing and teaching where once there was hatred. I want to be a part of other kids' lives, making learning a fun experience.