I am eternally grateful for school budget cuts. In my sophomore year of high school, I wanted to quench my thirst for academic validation and take online AP Psychology to boost my GPA. My school reported that they would not offer the class that year due to changes in their budget as a result of the pandemic. So they altered my schedule and put me in a class called Applied Positive Psychology, a topic I had never even heard of. I was initially very disappointed that I was stuck in a seemingly pointless class. During the first few weeks, I was on autopilot and would often tune out lectures because I thought mental health as an overall topic didn’t apply to me. For an assigned project, I had to analyze the book, The Happiness Advantage by Shawn Achor. I droned over the words as they meshed together in a sea of apparent nonsense when one snake of words made me stop and perk up. “Happiness is not the result of success but success is the result of happiness”. My entire family is from Egypt and talks of mental health are seen as taboo. There is the fear of admitting to mental health issues and breaking the status quo of being strong. As I read on and learned more about the phenomenon of mental health, I realized how it was always a prevalent issue in my life. My cousins who would secretly take antidepressants revealed to me the harm of suffering in silence. My grandparents’ mood swings and increased outbursts after their split proved to me that mental health is not just a creation by Gen Z. After concluding my Applied Positive Psychology class, my teacher encouraged me to apply for Work2BeWell, a national organization that focuses on destigmatizing mental health and promoting mental health resources. Overcoming my internal stigma, I decided to take advantage of this opportunity and I was offered the role of Education Team Lead. I created and spoke on 50 podcasts called Talk2Bewells which focus on everyday relevant topics teenagers face which affect their mental health. I also joined the Pennsylvania Youth Advocacy Network as a teen lead champion and helped draft a proclamation recognizing Teen Mental Health day. The proclamation was signed by Governor Tom Wolf and president of Allegheny County Patrick J. Catena. I spoke at my local courthouse and emphasized the importance of resources for minorities and those with disabilities. My most notable mental health advocacy experience was speaking at my mosque about the relationship between Islam and mental health. I felt it was important to debunk outdated cultural stereotypes with our community’s beautiful religion. It was exciting and relieving for many people to hear verses from the Quran and stories from the life of Prophet Muhammad (S). This information proves that Islam mandates followers to take care of their mental health and that they should support their brothers and sisters who are struggling, reducing any inherent shame in asking for help. It was powerful to see how members of the community took note of mental health resources, and many people told me that they felt more comfortable with the topic of mental health overall. This proved to me that providing general information about mental health can truly change people’s mindsets and promote change which is needed to combat stigma and counteract the epidemic of mental health in the country. Winning this scholarship would aid me in my career goal of becoming a psychiatrist and opening up my own practice, focusing on healing with holistic methods rather than just prescribing medications.

I plan to pursue a neuroscience degree. I want to become a psychiatrist as I want to end the stigma around mental health in my culture. I was lucky to avoid falling into the trap that my culture propagates because of a class called Applied Positive Psychology. For an assigned project, I had to analyze the book The Happiness Advantage by Shawn Achor. I droned over the words as they meshed together in a sea of apparent nonsense when one snake of text made me stop and perk up. “Happiness is not the result of success, but success is the result of happiness.” At first, I laughed nervously, “Americans are always coming up with new stuff to validate being soft.” But as I read on, his book described how we have the relationship backward and that our mindset, mood, and efficiency all revolve around our happiness, allowing us to become more successful. This ideology was ground-breaking information as the reverse methodology was constantly pounded into my head by my family and culture from a young age. My entire family is from Egypt, which enforces a culture in which discussing mental health is taboo. I cannot blame them since it seems like mental health should be the least of people’s worries; over there, you test fate every time you cross the roads! There is also the fear of admitting to mental illnesses and breaking the status quo of being strong, which is literally my last name in Arabic (Shedeed). I tried ignoring Achor’s words at first, but there was always a lingering thought that kept annoying me. Could it be possible to live both a successful and happy life? As I read on and learned more about the phenomenon of mental health, I realized how it was always a prevalent issue in my life; there are many aspects of who I am that have taught me the importance of good well-being. I was warned of the danger of academic stress through the final test seniors in Egypt take. This one test determines their future careers, increasing anxiety attacks and suicides. My cousins who secretly take antidepressants revealed to me the harm of suffering in silence. My grandparents’ mood swings and increased outbursts after their split proved to me that mental health is not just a creation by Gen Z. In my religion of Islam, which is often overshadowed by culture, having good well-being is emphasized and lessons to strengthen faith and reduce mental illness are provided. Surah 93 of the Quran was revealed to help soothe the prophet Muhammad (S) in his greatest time of despair. The prime role model in Islam, whom all Muslims strive to emulate, needed help when he suffered, which convinced me that mental health is pertinent for everyone and not just a new American soft ideology. Applied Positive Psychology opened many opportunities where I could work with several impassioned organizations with missions to destigmatize mental health. Speaking with teen and adult champions across the country about the countless struggles faced made me fall in love with the topic to the point where I now want to have a career as a psychiatrist. I want to ensure that other people from Middle Eastern origins do not have to feel isolated because they feel ashamed of having mental health illnesses. My dream would be to open up my own clinic to provide therapy, medication, and support groups to those who live with mental health illnesses so that I can unite people to battle against mental health stigma which will improve everyone's health overall.

I am eternally grateful for school budget cuts. In my sophomore year of high school, I wanted to quench my thirst for academic validation and take online AP Psychology to pile up on APs and boost my GPA. My school reported that they would not offer the class that year due to changes in their budget due to the pandemic, so they altered my schedule and put me in a class called Applied Positive Psychology, a topic I didn’t even know existed. I was initially very disappointed that my class rank would suffer and that I was stuck in a seemingly pointless class. During the first few weeks of this course, I was on autopilot and would often tune out lectures because I thought this information and overall mental health didn’t apply to me. However, the one time I wasn’t half-asleep and paid attention made me feel foolish for having these beliefs. For an assigned project, I had to analyze the book The Happiness Advantage by Shawn Achor. I droned over the words as they meshed together in a sea of apparent nonsense when one snake of text made me stop and perk up. “Happiness is not the result of success, but success is the result of happiness.” At first, I laughed nervously, “Americans are always coming up with new stuff to validate being soft.” But as I read on, his book described how we have the relationship backward and that our mindset, mood, and efficiency all revolve around our happiness, allowing us to become more successful. This ideology was ground-breaking information as the reverse methodology was constantly pounded into my head by my family and culture from a young age. My entire family is from Egypt, which enforces a culture in which discussing mental health is taboo. I cannot blame them since it seems like mental health should be the least of people’s worries; over there, you test fate every time you cross the roads! There is also the fear of admitting to mental illnesses and breaking the status quo of being strong, which is literally my last name in Arabic (Shedeed). I tried ignoring Achor’s words at first, but there was always a lingering thought that kept annoying me. Could it be possible to live both a successful and happy life? As I read on and learned more about the phenomenon of mental health, I realized how it was always a prevalent issue in my life; there are many aspects of who I am that have taught me the importance of good well-being. I was warned of the danger of academic stress through the final test seniors in Egypt take. This one test determines their future careers, increasing anxiety attacks and suicides. My cousins who secretly take antidepressants revealed to me the harm of suffering in silence. My grandparents’ mood swings and increased outbursts after their split proved to me that mental health is not just a creation by Gen Z. In my religion of Islam, which is often overshadowed by culture, having good well-being is emphasized and lessons to strengthen faith and reduce mental illness are provided. Surah 93 of the Quran was revealed to help soothe the prophet Muhammad (?) in his greatest time of despair. The prime role model in Islam, whom all Muslims strive to emulate, needed help when he suffered, which convinced me that mental health is pertinent for everyone and not just a new American soft ideology. I maintain my wellness by speaking with my family often, watching Marvel movies, trying new flavors of ice cream, and swimming.

My favorite Disney character is Mike Wizowski in Monsters University because he taught me that no matter how hard you work things might not always turn out the way you hope. Mike worked incredibly hard throughout his college experience in the hope of becoming a great scarer and working on the scare floor of Monsters Inc. By the end of the movie he went through an unexpected path to reach his goals, starting in the mail room and working his way up until he and Sully made it to the scare floor. This is a realistic viewpoint of life and it taught me how you do not have control over everything and that unexpected things may be better than what you hoped for. When I was younger I had the lofty dream of becoming an Olympic swimmer. I worked very hard throughout Middle School up until my sophomore year, overcoming asthma and flat feet in the process. However, I got Covid-19 before the biggest meet of the season which I was very confident about. I was devastated and thought all my work was for nothing. At the same time; however, I became rather interested in mental health and got accepted into my first organization, Work2BeWell, a national mental health and wellness program focused on providing educational resources and reducing mental health stigma. Through Work2BeWell, I created podcasts called Talk2BeWells which allow teens to speak on relevant issues that affect their mental health. To this point, I have written the questions for 40 Talk2BeWells and have been featured on 30 of them. These podcasts are featured on Spotify, Facebook, and StreamYard. I also spoke at presentations and webinars and was able to travel to Washington D.C. and Oregon to attend Summits and conferences about mental health. Speaking with teen and adult champions across the country about the countless struggles faced made me fall in love with mental health to the point where I strive to have a career as a psychiatrist. I became impassioned in a field that I didn't plan to come across and never thought it’d be a major part of my life. So when I relate these experiences I think of Mike Wizowski who didn't plan to meet his best friend Sully or end up on the great scare as the recorder and supporter of one the greatest scarers. But it all happened for the best.

I am eternally grateful for school budget cuts. My sophomore year of high school I wanted to quench my thirst for academic validation and take online AP Psychology to pile up on APs and boost my GPA. My school reported that they would not offer the class that year due to changes in their budget as a result of the pandemic. So they altered my schedule and put me in a class called Applied Positive Psychology, which was a topic I had never even heard of. I was initially very disappointed that my class rank would suffer and that I was stuck in a seemingly pointless class. During the first few weeks of this class, I was on autopilot and would often tune out lectures because I thought this information and mental health as an overall topic didn’t apply to me. But, the one time I wasn’t half-asleep in class and paid attention made these beliefs seem foolish and insignificant. For an assigned project, I had to analyze the book, The Happiness Advantage by Shawn Achor. I droned over the words as they meshed together in a sea of apparent nonsense when one snake of words made me stop and perk up. “Happiness is not the result of success but success is the result of happiness”. At first, I laughed nervously, “Americans are always coming up with new stuff to validate being soft”. But as I read on, his book described how we have the relationship backward and that our mindset, mood, and efficiency all revolve around our happiness, allowing us to be more successful. This was ground-breaking information as the reverse methodology was constantly pounded into my ears from a young age. My entire family is from Egypt and talks of mental health are seen as taboo. I can not really blame them since it seems like mental health should be the least of people’s worries; over there, you test fate every time you cross the roads! There is also the fear of admitting to mental health issues and breaking the status quo of being strong, which is literally my last name in Arabic (Shedeed). I tried to ignore Achor’s words at first, but there was always a lingering thought that kept annoying me. Could it be possible to live both a successful and happy life? As I read on and learned more about the phenomenon of mental health, I realized how it was always a prevalent issue in my life; there are many aspects of who I am that have taught me the importance of mental health. The test in Egypt seniors take whose scores determine their future careers and cause anxiety attacks and suicides warned me of the dangers of academic stress. My cousins who would secretly take antidepressants revealed to me the harm of suffering in silence. My grandparents’ mood swings and increased outbursts after their split proved to me that mental health is not just a creation by Gen Z. My religion, often overshadowed by culture, emphasizes having good well-being and provides lessons to strengthen faith and reduce mental illness. Surah 93 of the Quran was revealed to help soothe prophet Muhammad in his greatest time of despair. The prime role model in Islam who all Muslims strive to emulate, needed help for his mental health, which convinced me that mental health is pertinent and not just a new American softie ideology. This class ended up opening many opportunities where I could work with mental health organizations whose missions are to destigmatize mental health. I will continue doing this as a psychiatrist.

I am eternally grateful for school budget cuts. My sophomore year of high school I wanted to quench my thirst for academic validation and take online AP Psychology to pile up on APs and boost my GPA. My school reported that they would not offer the class that year due to changes in their budget as a result of the pandemic. So they altered my schedule and put me in a class called Applied Positive Psychology, which was a topic I had never even heard of. I was initially very disappointed that my class rank would suffer and that I was stuck in a seemingly pointless class. During the first few weeks of this class, I was on autopilot and would often tune out lectures because I thought this information and mental health as an overall topic didn’t apply to me. But, the one time I wasn’t half-asleep in class and paid attention made these beliefs seem foolish and insignificant. For an assigned project, I had to analyze the book, The Happiness Advantage by Shawn Achor. I droned over the words as they meshed together in a sea of apparent nonsense when one snake of words made me stop and perk up. “Happiness is not the result of success but success is the result of happiness”. At first, I laughed nervously, “Americans are always coming up with new stuff to validate being soft”. But as I read on, his book described how we have the relationship backward and that our mindset, mood, and efficiency all revolve around our happiness, allowing us to be more successful. This was ground-breaking information as the reverse methodology was constantly pounded into my ears from a young age. My entire family is from Egypt and talks of mental health are seen as taboo. I can not really blame them since it seems like mental health should be the least of people’s worries; over there, you test fate every time you cross the roads! There is also the fear of admitting to mental health issues and breaking the status quo of being strong, which is literally my last name in Arabic (Shedeed). I tried to ignore Achor’s words at first, but there was always a lingering thought that kept annoying me. Could it be possible to live both a successful and happy life? As I read on and learned more about the phenomenon of mental health, I realized how it was always a prevalent issue in my life; there are many aspects of who I am that have taught me the importance of mental health. The test in Egypt seniors take whose scores determine their future careers and cause anxiety attacks and suicides warned me of the dangers of academic stress. My cousins who would secretly take antidepressants revealed to me the harm of suffering in silence. My grandparents’ mood swings and increased outbursts after their split proved to me that mental health is not just a creation by Gen Z. My religion, often overshadowed by culture, emphasizes having good well-being and provides lessons to strengthen faith and reduce mental illness. Surah 93 of the Quran was revealed to help soothe prophet Muhammad in his greatest time of despair. The prime role model in Islam who all Muslims strive to emulate, needed help for his mental health, which convinced me that mental health is pertinent and not just a new American softie ideology. This class ended up opening many opportunities where I could work with mental health organizations whose mission was to destigmatize mental health. Speaking with teen and adult champions of mental health across the country and the countless struggles faced made me fall in love with the topic to the point that I want to have a career as a psychiatrist. I realize the importance of taking care of mental health and how it relates to all other aspects of life. I want to continue preaching this message through advocacy projects and in college by doing research on educational anxiety and second-generation immigrants.

I am eternally grateful for school budget cuts. My sophomore year of high school I wanted to quench my thirst for academic validation and take online AP Psychology to pile up on APs and boost my GPA. My school reported that they would not offer the class that year due to changes in their budget as a result of the pandemic. So they altered my schedule and put me in a class called Applied Positive Psychology, which was a topic I had never even heard of. I was initially very disappointed that my class rank would suffer and that I was stuck in a seemingly pointless class. During the first few weeks of this class, I was on autopilot and would often tune out lectures because I thought this information and mental health as an overall topic didn’t apply to me. But, the one time I wasn’t half-asleep in class and paid attention made these beliefs seem foolish and insignificant. For an assigned project, I had to analyze the book, The Happiness Advantage by Shawn Achor. I droned over the words as they meshed together in a sea of apparent nonsense when one snake of words made me stop and perk up. “Happiness is not the result of success but success is the result of happiness”. At first, I laughed nervously, “Americans are always coming up with new stuff to validate being soft”. But as I read on, his book described how we have the relationship backward and that our mindset, mood, and efficiency all revolve around our happiness, allowing us to be more successful. This was ground-breaking information as the reverse methodology was constantly pounded into my ears from a young age. My entire family is from Egypt and talks of mental health are seen as taboo. I can not really blame them since it seems like mental health should be the least of people’s worries; over there, you test fate every time you cross the roads! There is also the fear of admitting to mental health issues and breaking the status quo of being strong, which is literally my last name in Arabic (Shedeed). I tried to ignore Achor’s words at first, but there was always a lingering thought that kept annoying me. Could it be possible to live both a successful and happy life? As I read on and learned more about the phenomenon of mental health, I realized how it was always a prevalent issue in my life; there are many aspects of who I am that have taught me the importance of mental health. The test in Egypt seniors take whose scores determine their future careers and cause anxiety attacks and suicides warned me of the dangers of academic stress. My cousins who would secretly take antidepressants revealed to me the harm of suffering in silence. My grandparents’ mood swings and increased outbursts after their split proved to me that mental health is not just a creation by Gen Z. My religion, often overshadowed by culture, emphasizes having good well-being and provides lessons to strengthen faith and reduce mental illness. Surah 93 of the Quran was revealed to help soothe prophet Muhammad in his greatest time of despair. The prime role model in Islam who all Muslims strive to emulate, needed help for his mental health, which convinced me that mental health is pertinent and not just a new American softie ideology. I now ensure I take great care of my mental health as I realize it affects all other aspects of my life including my physical health and performance in school.

I am eternally grateful for school budget cuts. My sophomore year of high school I wanted to quench my thirst for academic validation and take online AP Psychology to pile up on APs and boost my GPA. My school reported that they would not offer the class that year due to changes in their budget as a result of the pandemic. So they altered my schedule and put me in a class called Applied Positive Psychology, which was a topic I had never even heard of. I was initially very disappointed that my class rank would suffer and that I was stuck in a seemingly pointless class. During the first few weeks of this class, I was on autopilot and would often tune out lectures because I thought this information and mental health as an overall topic didn’t apply to me. But, the one time I wasn’t half-asleep in class and paid attention made these beliefs seem foolish and insignificant. For an assigned project, I had to analyze the book, The Happiness Advantage by Shawn Achor. I droned over the words as they meshed together in a sea of apparent nonsense when one snake of words made me stop and perk up. “Happiness is not the result of success but success is the result of happiness”. At first, I laughed nervously, “Americans are always coming up with new stuff to validate being soft”. But as I read on, his book described how we have the relationship backward and that our mindset, mood, and efficiency all revolve around our happiness, allowing us to be more successful. This was ground-breaking information as the reverse methodology was constantly pounded into my ears from a young age. My entire family is from Egypt and talks of mental health are seen as taboo. I can not really blame them since it seems like mental health should be the least of people’s worries; over there, you test fate every time you cross the roads! There is also the fear of admitting to mental health issues and breaking the status quo of being strong, which is literally my last name in Arabic (Shedeed). I tried to ignore Achor’s words at first, but there was always a lingering thought that kept annoying me. Could it be possible to live both a successful and happy life? As I read on and learned more about the phenomenon of mental health, I realized how it was always a prevalent issue in my life; there are many aspects of who I am that have taught me the importance of mental health. The test in Egypt seniors take whose scores determine their future careers and cause anxiety attacks and suicides warned me of the dangers of academic stress. My cousins who would secretly take antidepressants revealed to me the harm of suffering in silence. My grandparents’ mood swings and increased outbursts after their split proved to me that mental health is not just a creation by Gen Z. My religion, often overshadowed by culture, emphasizes having good well-being and provides lessons to strengthen faith and reduce mental illness. Surah 93 of the Quran was revealed to help soothe prophet Muhammad in his greatest time of despair. The prime role model in Islam who all Muslims strive to emulate, needed help for his mental health, which convinced me that mental health is pertinent and not just a new American softie ideology. I am excited to join organization in college that focuses on taking care of mental health. Today, I ensure my mental state is healthy as it relates to other aspects of my life.

I am eternally grateful for school budget cuts. My sophomore year of high school I wanted to quench my thirst for academic validation and take online AP Psychology to pile up on APs and boost my GPA. My school reported that they would not offer the class that year due to changes in their budget as a result of the pandemic. So they altered my schedule and put me in a class called Applied Positive Psychology, which was a topic I had never even heard of. I was initially very disappointed that my class rank would suffer and that I was stuck in a seemingly pointless class. During the first few weeks of this class, I was on autopilot and would often tune out lectures because I thought this information and mental health as an overall topic didn’t apply to me. But, the one time I wasn’t half-asleep in class and paid attention made these beliefs seem foolish and insignificant. For an assigned project, I had to analyze the book, The Happiness Advantage by Shawn Achor. I droned over the words as they meshed together in a sea of apparent nonsense when one snake of words made me stop and perk up. “Happiness is not the result of success but success is the result of happiness”. At first, I laughed nervously, “Americans are always coming up with new stuff to validate being soft”. But as I read on, his book described how we have the relationship backward and that our mindset, mood, and efficiency all revolve around our happiness, allowing us to be more successful. This was ground-breaking information as the reverse methodology was constantly pounded into my ears from a young age. My entire family is from Egypt and talks of mental health are seen as taboo. I can not really blame them since it seems like mental health should be the least of people’s worries; over there, you test fate every time you cross the roads! There is also the fear of admitting to mental health issues and breaking the status quo of being strong, which is literally my last name in Arabic (Shedeed). I tried to ignore Achor’s words at first, but there was always a lingering thought that kept annoying me. Could it be possible to live both a successful and happy life? As I read on and learned more about the phenomenon of mental health, I realized how it was always a prevalent issue in my life; there are many aspects of who I am that have taught me the importance of mental health. The test in Egypt seniors take whose scores determine their future careers and cause anxiety attacks and suicides warned me of the dangers of academic stress. My cousins who would secretly take antidepressants revealed to me the harm of suffering in silence. My grandparents’ mood swings and increased outbursts after their split proved to me that mental health is not just a creation by Gen Z. My religion, often overshadowed by culture, emphasizes having good well-being and provides lessons to strengthen faith and reduce mental illness. Surah 93 of the Quran was revealed to help soothe prophet Muhammad in his greatest time of despair. The prime role model in Islam who all Muslims strive to emulate, needed help for his mental health, which convinced me that mental health is pertinent and not just a new American softie ideology. This class convinced me to make sure I was paying closer attention to my mental health since it would impact all aspects of my life.

I am eternally grateful for school budget cuts. My sophomore year of high school I wanted to quench my thirst for academic validation and take online AP Psychology to pile up on APs and boost my GPA. My school reported that they would not offer the class that year due to changes in their budget as a result of the pandemic. So they altered my schedule and put me in a class called Applied Positive Psychology, which was a topic I had never even heard of. I was initially very disappointed that my class rank would suffer and that I was stuck in a seemingly pointless class. During the first few weeks of this class, I was on autopilot and would often tune out lectures because I thought this information and mental health as an overall topic didn’t apply to me. But, the one time I wasn’t half-asleep in class and paid attention made these beliefs seem foolish and insignificant. For an assigned project, I had to analyze the book, The Happiness Advantage by Shawn Achor. I droned over the words as they meshed together in a sea of apparent nonsense when one snake of words made me stop and perk up. “Happiness is not the result of success but success is the result of happiness”. At first, I laughed nervously, “Americans are always coming up with new stuff to validate being soft”. But as I read on, his book described how we have the relationship backward and that our mindset, mood, and efficiency all revolve around our happiness, allowing us to be more successful. This was ground-breaking information as the reverse methodology was constantly pounded into my ears from a young age. My entire family is from Egypt and talks of mental health are seen as taboo. There is the fear of admitting to mental health issues and breaking the status quo of being strong, which is literally my last name in Arabic (Shedeed). I tried to ignore Achor’s words at first, but there was always a lingering thought that kept annoying me. Could it be possible to live both a successful and happy life? As I read on and learned more about the phenomenon of mental health, I realized how it was always a prevalent issue in my life; there are many aspects of who I am that have taught me the importance of mental health. The test in Egypt seniors take whose scores determine their future careers and cause anxiety attacks and suicides warned me of the dangers of academic stress. My cousins who would secretly take antidepressants revealed to me the harm of suffering in silence. My grandparents’ mood swings and increased outbursts after their split proved to me that mental health is not just a creation by Gen Z. My religion, often overshadowed by culture, emphasizes having good well-being and provides lessons to strengthen faith and reduce mental illness. So I am pursuing a neuroscience major to become a psychiatrist and help others' mental health.

I am pursuing a college degree to make the constant sacrifices around me worth it. I am very motivated by my parents and family to work hard and make sure their sacrifices weren’t for nothing. My father’s humble beginnings and rough journey to give me and my family a better life in America allows me to recognize all the blessings and opportunities that are present in America. He went from carrying boxes for $5/hour to becoming a respected family physician. This proves to me the American Dream is real and that hard work does truly pay off. I want to go to college and get a degree in neuroscience as a tribute to my father and his journey in America. Moreover, many of my family members in Egypt wish they could travel to America and have shared with me their aspirations whenever I visit. They make me realize how lucky I am to be an American and how I need to take full advantage of it for them and for myself to ensure that I don’t waste what could’ve been their life and future. I have been blessed to be in a position in a country where I can attend an esteemed institution to get a degree and earn a degree that my family members in Egypt are not likely to find. I strive to get a degree in neuroscience because my ultimate plan is to be a psychiatrist and work in the mental health field. I am very passionate about mental health and helping those who struggle with it. I want to end the status quo and stigma surrounding mental health for first and second-generation immigrants of Middle Eastern origins. In Egypt, talks about mental health are seen as taboo. Men are expected to put on a brave face and if they appear vulnerable at any moment their worth is undermined. On the flip side, women are consistently seen as fragile and inferior and are believed to be unable to effectively contribute to society. I could've fallen into this rigid mindset too were it not for my having the opportunity to take a class called Applied Positive Psychology which opened my heart and mind to the relationship between humans and their mental health. Something that struck me in this class was a quote by Shawn Achor who wrote The Happiness Advantage. Paraphrased, his words said that we have the relationship backward... Happiness is not the result of success but success is the result of happiness. His book described how our mindset, mood, and efficiency all revolved around our happiness, allowing us to be more successful. This quote dumbfounded me as the reverse conventional relationship was pounded into my ears from a very young age. People in my family and culture believed it was necessary to sacrifice their happiness and relationships to experience success. After concluding this class I was still hungry for more knowledge. I wanted to know why there was an epidemic in mental health and how it could best be resolved. I was fortunate to be blessed with several opportunities over the past two years including serving as a teen lead and advocate for organizations such as Work2BeWell and the NHS Facilitator Network on Mental Health. I was able to convene with students across the country and create content focusing on destigmatizing mental health among teens and spreading awareness about the resources available. I love working with and trying to improve the mental health of others which is why I want a career in psychiatry and pursue this pathway when I graduate high school.

I am eternally grateful for school budget cuts. My sophomore year of high school I wanted to quench my thirst for academic validation and take online AP Psychology to pile up on APs and boost my GPA. My school reported that they would not offer the class that year due to changes in their budget as a result of the pandemic. So they altered my schedule and put me in a class called Applied Positive Psychology, which was a topic I had never even heard of. I was initially very disappointed that my class rank would suffer and that I was stuck in a seemingly pointless class. During the first few weeks of this class, I was on autopilot and would often tune out lectures because I thought this information and mental health as an overall topic didn’t apply to me. But, the one time I wasn’t half-asleep in class and paid attention made these beliefs seem foolish and insignificant. For an assigned project, I had to analyze the book, The Happiness Advantage by Shawn Achor. I droned over the words as they meshed together in a sea of apparent nonsense when one snake of words made me stop and perk up. “Happiness is not the result of success but success is the result of happiness”. At first, I laughed nervously, “Americans are always coming up with new stuff to validate being soft”. But as I read on, his book described how we have the relationship backward and that our mindset, mood, and efficiency all revolve around our happiness, allowing us to be more successful. This was ground-breaking information as the reverse methodology was constantly pounded into my ears from a young age. My entire family is from Egypt and talks of mental health are seen as taboo. I can not really blame them since it seems like mental health should be the least of people’s worries; over there, you test fate every time you cross the roads! There is also the fear of admitting to mental health issues and breaking the status quo of being strong, which is literally my last name in Arabic (Shedeed). I tried to ignore Achor’s words at first, but there was always a lingering thought that kept annoying me. Could it be possible to live both a successful and happy life? As I read on and learned more about the phenomenon of mental health, I realized how it was always a prevalent issue in my life; there are many aspects of who I am that have taught me the importance of mental health. The test in Egypt seniors take whose scores determine their future careers and cause anxiety attacks and suicides warned me of the dangers of academic stress. My cousins who would secretly take antidepressants revealed to me the harm of suffering in silence. My grandparents’ mood swings and increased outbursts after their split proved to me that mental health is not just a creation by Gen Z. My religion, often overshadowed by culture, emphasizes having good well-being and provides lessons to strengthen faith and reduce mental illness. Surah 93 of the Quran was revealed to help soothe prophet Muhammad in his greatest time of despair. The prime role model in Islam who all Muslims strive to emulate, needed help for his mental health, which convinced me that mental health is pertinent and not just a new American softie ideology. I am now pursuing a degree in neuroscience and have the ultimate goal of becoming a psychiatrist. As seen in this story, science opens up people's minds to new ideas they didn't accept.

I am eternally grateful for school budget cuts. My sophomore year of high school I wanted to quench my thirst for academic validation and take online AP Psychology to pile up on APs and boost my GPA. My school reported that they would not offer the class that year due to changes in their budget as a result of the pandemic. So they altered my schedule and put me in a class called Applied Positive Psychology, which was a topic I had never even heard of. I was initially very disappointed that my class rank would suffer and that I was stuck in a seemingly pointless class. During the first few weeks of this class, I was on autopilot and would often tune out lectures because I thought this information and mental health as an overall topic didn’t apply to me. But, the one time I wasn’t half-asleep in class and paid attention made these beliefs seem foolish and insignificant. For an assigned project, I had to analyze the book, The Happiness Advantage by Shawn Achor. I droned over the words as they meshed together in a sea of apparent nonsense when one snake of words made me stop and perk up. “Happiness is not the result of success but success is the result of happiness”. At first, I laughed nervously, “Americans are always coming up with new stuff to validate being soft”. But as I read on, his book described how we have the relationship backward and that our mindset, mood, and efficiency all revolve around our happiness, allowing us to be more successful. This was ground-breaking information as the reverse methodology was constantly pounded into my ears from a young age. My entire family is from Egypt and talks of mental health are seen as taboo. There is the fear of admitting to mental health issues and breaking the status quo of being strong, which is literally my last name in Arabic (Shedeed). I tried to ignore Achor’s words at first, but there was always a lingering thought that kept annoying me. Could it be possible to live both a successful and happy life? As I read on and learned more about the phenomenon of mental health, I realized how it was always a prevalent issue in my life; there are many aspects of who I am that have taught me the importance of mental health. The test in Egypt seniors take whose scores determine their future careers and cause anxiety attacks and suicides warned me of the dangers of academic stress. My cousins who would secretly take antidepressants revealed to me the harm of suffering in silence. My grandparents’ mood swings and increased outbursts after their split proved to me that mental health is not just a creation by Gen Z. My religion, often overshadowed by culture, emphasizes having good well-being and provides lessons to strengthen faith and reduce mental illness. Surah 93 of the Quran was revealed to help soothe prophet Muhammad in his greatest time of despair. The prime role model in Islam who all Muslims strive to emulate, needed help for his mental health, which convinced me that mental health is pertinent and not just a new American softie ideology. This class taught me about a foreign topic that opened up a whole new thought process for me. I plan to continue learning by becoming a psychiatrist and pursuing an undergraduate degree in neuroscience. I want to be able to support other people from Middle Eastern backgrounds who feel like they can not get any support because of what our culture perpetuates.

I am pursuing a college degree to make the constant sacrifices around me worth it. I am very motivated by my parents and family to work hard and make sure their sacrifices weren’t for nothing. My father’s humble beginnings and rough journey to give me and my family a better life in America allows me to recognize all the blessings and opportunities that are present in America. He went from carrying boxes for $5/hour to becoming a respected family physician. This proves to me the American Dream is real and that hard work does truly pay off. I want to go to college and get a degree in neuroscience as a tribute to my father and his journey in America. Moreover, many of my family members in Egypt wish they could travel to America and have shared with me their aspirations whenever I visit. They make me realize how lucky I am to be an American and how I need to take full advantage of it for them and for myself to ensure that I don’t waste what could’ve been their life and future. I have been blessed to be in a position in a country where I can attend an esteemed institution to get a degree and earn a degree that my family members in Egypt are not likely to find. I strive to get a degree in neuroscience because my ultimate plan is to be a psychiatrist and work in the mental health field. I am very passionate about mental health and helping those who struggle with it. I want to end the status quo and stigma surrounding mental health for first and second-generation immigrants of Middle Eastern origins. In Egypt, talks about mental health are seen as taboo. Men are expected to put on a brave face and if they appear vulnerable at any moment their worth is undermined. On the flip side, women are consistently seen as fragile and inferior and are believed to be unable to effectively contribute to society. I could've fallen into this rigid mindset too were it not for my having the opportunity to take a class called Applied Positive Psychology which opened my heart and mind to the relationship between humans and their mental health. Something that struck me in this class was a quote by Shawn Achor who wrote The Happiness Advantage. Paraphrased, his words said that we have the relationship backward... Happiness is not the result of success but success is the result of happiness. His book described how our mindset, mood, and efficiency all revolved around our happiness, allowing us to be more successful. This quote dumbfounded me as the reverse conventional relationship was pounded into my ears from a very young age. People in my family and culture believed it was necessary to sacrifice their happiness and relationships to experience success. After concluding this class I was still hungry for more knowledge. I wanted to know why there was an epidemic in mental health and how it could best be resolved. I was fortunate to be blessed with several opportunities over the past two years including serving as a teen lead and advocate for organizations such as Work2BeWell and the NHS Facilitator Network on Mental Health. I was able to convene with students across the country and create content focusing on destigmatizing mental health among teens and spreading awareness about the resources available. I love working with and trying to improve the mental health of others which is why I want a career in psychiatry and pursue this pathway when I graduate high school.

I enjoy the logic and rational thinking that mathematics forces you to utilize. I also love how there is not just one set-in-stone method to achieve the answer. There are several interconnected ways that you can choose to use to approach a problem. I also enjoy how mathematics reflects everyday problem-solving methods and struggles. Finishing homework sets generally involves a little bit of struggle and frustration which is consistent with facing everyday problems. Solving these problems builds resilience which can carry on throughout your day and the happiness I get from finally getting the right answer to a math problem demonstrates to me the value and satisfaction of hard work. I love how mathematics is a subject where most of my teachers encourage failure and making mistakes. In my current AP Calculus AB class, my amazing teacher always stresses that if you're always getting a hundred on tests and assignments then it is too easy for you. In this way, students in my class are able to relax a little and truly learn which can't be said for numerous other subjects at my school where educational pressure and toxicity make cheating and lack of collaboration widespread. We can go about topics without the constant fear of being wrong. We can explore the interconnectedness of mathematics and how certain topics in calculus are still related to our third-grade times tables. Math also indirectly taught me the value of integrity. One time when we got our math midterms back, I realized my teacher made a computational error adding up my scores. He gave me a 99 when I had actually gotten an 89. I was overcome with guilt and admitted his mistake to him. My teacher was surprisingly overcome with emotion and thanked me for my integrity. I was initially annoyed that my grade would drop because I did this; however I realized as in most cases with mathematics, the answer you get is not everything. It is about the process and your understanding which contribute to greater learning.

My dream for my life is to open up my own clinic focused on improving mental health. I want to hire psychiatrists and therapists who speak multiple languages and from different walks of life so that we can cater to the diverse population of America. Allowing the faces of those who provide mental health care to be more diverse can help destigmatize conversations about mental health and the stereotypes about who is allowed to have struggles with mental health and that is my biggest hope.

My family comes from Middle Eastern origins more specifically, Egypt, and talks of mental health are seen as taboo even today. Men are expected to put on a brave face and if they appear vulnerable at any moment their worth is undermined. On the flip side, women are consistently seen as fragile and inferior and are believed to not be able to effectively contribute to society. Many of my family members over in Egypt struggle with mental health struggles and do not know how to effectively cope as there are not many resources available and the notion of taking care of your mental health is not talked about. I could've fallen into this rigid mindset too were it not for me having the opportunity to take a class called Applied Positive Psychology which opened my heart and mind to the relationship between humans and their mental health. Something that struck me in this class was a quote by Shawn Achor who wrote The Happiness Advantage. Paraphrased, his words said that we have the relationship backward... Happiness is not the result of success but success is the result of happiness. His book described how our mindset, mood, and efficiency all revolved around our happiness, allowing us to be more successful. This quote dumbfounded me as the reverse conventional relationship was pounded into my ears from a very young age. People in my family and culture believed it was necessary to sacrifice their happiness and relationships to experience success. After concluding this class I was still hungry for more knowledge. I wanted to know why there was an epidemic in mental health and how it could best be resolved. I was fortunate to be blessed with several opportunities over the past two years including serving as a teen lead and advocate for organizations such as Work2BeWell and the NHS Facilitator Network on Mental Health. I was able to convene with students across the country and create content focusing on destigmatizing mental health among teens and spreading awareness about the resources available. For my state of Pennsylvania and Allegheny county, I was able to write and pass a proclamation recognizing teen mental health day which was signed by the governor and the president of my county. The proclamation stressed the importance of allowing teens to speak up about issues and emphasizing the need for resources for minorities and those with disabilities. In my community, I gave a speech at my mosque about what the Quran says about Mental Health and how Islam and Mental Health are related. I stressed that Muslims should not be ashamed when they are struggling or have doubts, rather it is an opportunity for them to embrace these challenges and grow closer to Allah which is the God Muslims believe in. In college, I will be pursuing a major in either psychology or neuroscience. I am passionate about having a career in Mental Health Services and my ultimate goal is to be a psychiatrist in my own clinic so I can ensure there is a resources available to those who may feel isolated with their struggles.

My major will either be biopsychology or neuroscience. I am passionate about pursuing it as I have always been interested in a career in Mental Health Services. My family comes from Middle Eastern origins more specifically, Egypt, and talks of mental health are seen as taboo even today. Men are expected to put on a brave face and if they appear vulnerable at any moment their worth is undermined. On the flip side, women are consistently seen as fragile and inferior and are believed to not be able to effectively contribute to society. I could've fallen into this rigid mindset too were it not for me having the opportunity to take a class called Applied Positive Psychology which opened my heart and mind to the relationship between humans and their mental health. Something that struck me in this class was a quote by Shawn Achor who wrote The Happiness Advantage. Paraphrased, his words said that we have the relationship backward... Happiness is not the result of success but success is the result of happiness. His book described how our mindset, mood, and efficiency all revolved around our happiness, allowing us to be more successful. This quote dumbfounded me as people in my culture believed it was necessary to sacrifice their happiness and relationships to experience success. The Quran says that Allah never makes anything more difficult than we can handle which is why there are methods and advice in the Quran to ensure Muslims can live healthy and fulfilling lives. Conventionally, people interconnect culture and religion too much which is why this stereotype even exists but I want to prove that Islam values the health of everyone so that Muslims become stronger believers and non-Muslims see the true nature of Islam. My teacher in this class, Dr. Yerace, inspired me and pushed me during lessons as he could see I was rather interested in this field. He even recommended I work with Work2BeWell and the NHS Facilitator Network on Mental Health. These are both organizations that allowed me to convene with students across the country and create content focusing on destigmatizing mental health among teens and spreading awareness about the resources available. I need higher education so I can continue cultivating my knowledge of mental health and become the best psychiatrist I can be, and hopefully, open up my own clinic. In my mosque, I gave a speech about what the Quran says about Mental Health and how Islam and Mental Health are related. I stressed that Muslims should not be ashamed when they are struggling or have doubts, rather it is an opportunity for them to embrace these challenges and grow closer to Allah. For my state of Pennsylvania and Allegheny county, I was able to write and pass a proclamation recognizing teen mental health day which was signed by the governor and the president of my county. The proclamation stressed the importance of allowing teens to speak up about issues and emphasizing the need for resources for minorities and those with disabilities. To be a Muslim means acting as an ambassador for Islam and negating the negative stereotypes surrounding Muslims especially those from Middle Eastern origins. To be a Muslim, especially in America allows me to see how lucky I am to have a strong faith and how I need to take advantage of the opportunity that was given to me by Allah and ensure I can help other Muslims and non-Muslims with mental health struggles and prove that Muslims stand by all their brothers and sisters and do not adhere to the stereotypes about them.

I’ve stayed optimistic that the status quo will change. In Middle Eastern Cultures talks of mental health are seen as taboo. Men are expected to put on a brave face and if they appear vulnerable their worth is undermined. My entire extended family lives in Egypt and whenever I visit I see the suffering several people I’m close to experience and their pain since they don’t know how to deal with mental struggles. I could've fallen into this rigid mindset too were it not for me taking a class called Applied Positive Psychology which opened my heart and mind to the relationship between humans and their mental health. Something that struck me in this class was a quote by Shawn Achor who wrote The Happiness Advantage: “Happiness is not the result of success but success is the result of happiness”. His book described how our mindset, mood, and efficiency all revolved around our happiness, increasing our success. This groundbreaking information motivated me to destigmatize mental health and made me optimistic that there was room for change and healing. I was blessed to serve as a team lead and advocate for organizations such as Work2BeWell and the NHS Facilitator Network on Mental Health. I convened with students across the country and created content: podcasts, presentations, and classroom curricula to destigmatize mental health among teens and spread awareness about available resources. I also spoke at my mosque about the relationship between Islam and mental health and what the Quran says about it. I wanted to spread awareness about how Muslims and those from Middle Eastern and Asian backgrounds shouldn’t feel ashamed about living with mental health issues or struggles. This event made me optimistic since the culture that generally stigmatized mental health opened their minds to hearing more information about it.

Save to expect monthly disasters. That’s what my consumer science teacher told my class when we were in the 8th grade. Initially, that seems like really dark advice to give to a room of middle schoolers who still laugh at drawings in a textbook (you know exactly what I’m talking about). Looking back now I realize that she was speaking fax… sorry got stuck in my middle school brain for a second. That piece of advice just reflects caution for reality. In coordination with this lesson in my consumer science class, we created a monthly budget plan and we had to take into account an emergency such as a car breaking down, natural disaster, house damage, family emergency, or health complications. We would then randomly draw the emergency that would happen to us and the amount it would cost us ranging from $200-1000. This activity, in my opinion, perfectly illustrated the real world and how anything can happen at any moment, and how we have to prepare. These events may be more extreme and costly than those that will actually happen but prepping for them in advance financially allowed us to simulate our monthly budget which had four categories: needs, wants, savings, and emergencies. Most of the information given to young adults stresses the first three when they start financing and budgeting but the monthly emergency fund is rarely mentioned. If someone does not accommodate their budget for emergencies and one, unfortunately, does occur then they may struggle that month with their finances which could lead to a downward spiral of incurring more interest and loans. As the saying goes, expect the best, prepare for the worst and if the next generation is expected to be financially independent and responsible they should be taught the notion Mrs. Roseta taught me.

I endure my family when they make fun of me because I don’t throw away trash in the streets. I know that sounds absurd but in Egypt and many third world countries that is the culture. In fact, it was unfortunately announced in Tunisia recently that an entire city would be set aside as a dumpster. It’s normal for people to throw their trash into the street even out of speeding vehicles on the highway. I’m the one that avoids doing this, picks up trash, and ends up being seen as the weird one. There’s actually a very funny Egyptian movie about an American citizen visiting Egypt and he carried a trash bag to his bed in his hotel room because he refused to throw it away in the street despite everyone telling him it was fine. I’m often compared to him by my family members in Egypt. I often scold close family members and friends if they throw away anything in the streets and tell them the harmful effects not just for the Earth and global warming but also for the water systems, wildlife, and air quality in their own country. An orange haze can be detected sometimes because of the immense pollution that occurs due to factories and the general population. So, I just try to educate as many people as possible who will listen about the harmful effects of being lazy and dropping that can of 7 Up in the street instead of just throwing it away. I encourage- practically beg them- to change their so that we can try to salvage this beautiful country which will in turn help the Earth survive for a little while longer.

I hope to spread this message and warning: Don’t let the status quo destroy you. In Middle Eastern Cultures talks of mental health are seen as taboo. Men are expected to put on a brave face and if they appear vulnerable their worth is undermined. My father was brought up in a household with seven other brothers so they were all taught to follow this mindset and as the youngest one, my father had no option but to replicate this attitude to fit in. This backfired for him when there were conflicts in his work family and he didn’t know how to deal with anger and depression healthily. I could've fallen into this rigid mindset too were it not for me having the opportunity to take a class called Applied Positive Psychology which opened my heart and mind to the relationship between humans and their mental health. Something that struck me in this class was a quote by Shawn Achor who wrote The Happiness Advantage. Paraphrased, his words said that Happiness is not the result of success but success is the result of happiness. His book described how our mindset, mood, and efficiency all revolved around our happiness, making us more successful. This unconventional yet groundbreaking information motivated me to help destigmatize mental health. I was blessed to serve as a team lead and advocate for organizations such as Work2BeWell and the NHS Facilitator Network on Mental Health. I convened with students across the country and created content: podcasts, presentations, and classroom curricula to destigmatize mental health among teens and spread awareness about the resources available. In these organizations, I would always stress the importance of speaking up against the conventional fear around mental health and stressing that those that do live with mental health struggles are not alone.

In Middle Eastern cultures talks of mental health are seen as taboo. Men are expected to put on a brave face and if they’re vulnerable their worth is undermined. On the flip side, women are consistently seen as fragile and inferior. So people in Middle Eastern Countries and Americans of Middle Eastern descent struggle with mental health and don’t know how to effectively deal with it. I could've fallen into this mindset too were it not for a class called Applied Positive Psychology which opened my heart and my mind to the relationship between humans and their mental health. Something that struck me in this class was a quote by Shawn Achor who wrote The Happiness Advantage. He said that we have the relationship backward... Happiness is not the result of success but success is the result of happiness. His book described how our mindset, mood, and efficiency all revolved around our happiness which in turn allows us to be more successful. This quote dumbfounded me as the reverse, conventional relationship that it was necessary to sacrifice happiness and relationships to experience success was practiced by my family. This groundbreaking information motivated me to help destigmatize mental health. I was blessed to serve as a teen lead and advocate for organizations such as Work2BeWell and the NHS Facilitator Network on Mental Health. I convened with students across the country and created content such as podcasts, presentations, and classroom curricula to destigmatize mental health among teens and spread awareness about the resources available. I also spoke at my mosque about the relationship between Islam and mental health and what the Quran says about it. I wanted to spread awareness about how Muslims and those from Middle Eastern and Asian backgrounds shouldn’t feel ashamed about living with mental health issues or struggles.

In Middle Eastern cultures talks of mental health are seen as taboo. Men are expected to put on a brave face and if they appear vulnerable their worth is undermined. On the flip side, women are consistently seen as fragile and inferior. I could've fallen into this rigid mindset too were it not for me having the opportunity to take a class called Applied Positive Psychology which opened my heart and mind to the relationship between humans and their mental health. After concluding this class I was motivated to do something to help end the stigma. I was blessed with several opportunities over the past two years including serving as a teen lead and advocate for organizations such as Work2BeWell and the NHS Facilitator Network on Mental Health. I was able to convene with students across the country and create content such as podcasts, presentations, and classroom curricula focusing on destigmatizing mental health among teens and spreading awareness about the resources available. In Pennsylvania and Allegheny county, I was able to write and pass a proclamation, recognizing teen mental health day and the importance of allowing teens to speak up and emphasizing the need for resources for minorities and those with disabilities. At my school, I participated with a club called Stand Together and organized events where we raised awareness about mental health and emphasized that those that do live with mental health issues are not alone. My favorite event though was speaking at my mosque about the relationship between Islam and mental health and what the Quran says about it. It was an event I held to spread awareness about how Muslims and those from Middle Eastern and Asian backgrounds shouldn’t feel ashamed about living with mental health issues or struggles.

I’m writing this while visiting my family in Egypt so with 1000 dollars I’d buy a Canon XA15 Professional Video camera to document my experience in Egypt. My mom recently asked what I thought of Egypt in general and my answer was “Perfect Chaos”. To explain the second word you need not look further than Egypt’s streets. Cars are racing from both directions on the same street, miraculously not crashing into each other, it’s normal for people to cross highways, and fruit vendors barely avoid getting run over. However everything somehow functions to get everyone where they need to be. Family, food, and financially-straining activities are the three pillars when visiting Egypt. My siblings and I love visiting Egypt and seeing our family and we've been sad for the past three years that we couldn’t come because of COVID. I don’t know what’s going to happen in the future and when I’ll be able to come back and who’ll still be alive then, so I want to cherish these memories and record them so I can look back at them. I take tons of pictures and videos on my phone but there’s only so much storage it can hold. So a video camera would allow me to remember my family… in HD quality!!... It’ll also serve as a motivator for me and a source of happiness whenever I’m feeling discouraged or down. I’ll also record information about mental health and its stigma here as I strive to be a psychiatrist.

The American dream means going from carrying boxes for $5/hour to becoming a top doctor. That’s what the reality was for my father, an Egyptian immigrant. His humble beginnings and rough journey to give me and my family a better life allows me to recognize all the blessings and opportunities that are present in America. Many family members in Egypt and across the world wish they could travel to America and have shared with me their aspirations whenever I visit. They make me realize how lucky I am to be an American and how I need to take full advantage of it for them and for myself to ensure that I don’t waste what could’ve been their life and future. For me, the American Dream means ending the status quo and stigma surrounding mental health for first and second-generation immigrants of Middle Eastern origin. My family comes from Middle Eastern origins more specifically, Egypt, and talks of mental health are seen as taboo even today. Men are expected to put on a brave face and if they appear vulnerable at any moment their worth is undermined. On the flip side, women are consistently seen as fragile and inferior and are believed to not be able to effectively contribute to society. I could've fallen into this rigid mindset too were it not for me having the opportunity to take a class called Applied Positive Psychology which opened my heart and mind to the relationship between humans and their mental health. Something that struck me in this class was a quote by Shawn Achor who wrote The Happiness Advantage. Paraphrased, his words said that we have the relationship backward... Happiness is not the result of success but success is the result of happiness. His book described how our mindset, mood, and efficiency all revolved around our happiness, allowing us to be more successful. This quote dumbfounded me as the reverse conventional relationship was pounded into my ears from a very young age. People in my family and culture believed it was necessary to sacrifice their happiness and relationships to experience success. After concluding this class I was still hungry for more knowledge. I wanted to know why there was an epidemic in mental health and how it could best be resolved. I was fortunate to be blessed with several opportunities over the past two years including serving as a teen lead and advocate for organizations such as Work2BeWell and the NHS Facilitator Network on Mental Health. I was able to convene with students across the country and create content focusing on destigmatizing mental health among teens and spreading awareness about the resources available. For my state of Pennsylvania and Allegheny county, I was able to write and pass a proclamation recognizing teen mental health day and the importance of allowing teens to speak up about issues and emphasizing the need for resources for minorities and those with disabilities. At my school, I participated with a club called Stand Together and organized events where we raised awareness about mental health and emphasized that those that do live with mental health issues are not alone. My American Dream stems from my passion for raising awareness about mental health and providing resources and support for those who live with mental health issues and I strive to be a psychiatrist in the future and study psychology or neurology as an undergraduate to spread this knowledge. My ultimate goal would be to work in the medical field ideally as a psychiatrist with my own clinic.

How does a chubby kid with asthma and flat feet become captain of the varsity swim team? He’s the only person on the team (just kidding… you can laugh). My mom used to say I had cheeks like a chipmunk. Hmm, it was probably because she fed me a boiled egg every day when I was a baby!!! I digress. All I wanted to do when I was younger was to be good at sports. My 7-year-old body rejected that dream fast. In pick-up football games during recess, I had butterfingers and always dropped the ball. My flat feet made me uncoordinated and classmates said I looked like a chicken trying to run and probably the biggest detriment to my goal was my asthma. If I ran for more than a couple of minutes I would hack out my lungs. I went to the hospital several times as a result. All of these wonderful aids in my pursuit of greatness allowed me to be the honorable last pick during gym class and recess. I was miserable because of this and had lost hope that I’d be part of any sport in high school. Thankfully, I started to swim and that only changed my life for the better. I joined a local club swim team when I was 9. At first, I hated it, the practices were hard, the water was cold, and I’d be exhausted almost all the time. Later I started making friends and beginning to improve in the water, falling in love with the sport. I enjoyed the meets and noticed physical improvements too. My asthma began to go away and I am happy to say that I no longer use an inhaler. My flat feet became an asset as breaststroke, one of the 4 primary strokes, requires your feet to be slanted to be able to push the maximum amount of water backward. Many new swimmers struggle with this concept but since my feet were slanted from the beginning I excelled at this stroke and would swim the breaststroke leg of most of my team’s medley relays for my age group. Eventually, I moved up through the swim groups going from guppies to barracudas to dolphins to manatees to varsity. During the first two years of varsity I worked my behind off to help out the relays especially since one of our seniors was injured during my freshmen year and the rest of the upperclassmen were stressed about qualifying for WPIALS, which is the championship meet at the end of a season and one that our school is consistently represented at. To make it to WPIALS I had to drop five seconds in the 100-yard freestyle which is a huge amount of time in swimming since most races are decided by a hundredth of a second. I had the backing of my teammates and coach though and also wanted to prove to myself and others that I could achieve something in the athletic world. I eventually got the time our relay needed and we qualified for WPIALS, one of my proudest moments. Later at our team banquet, the outgoing captains choose me to lead the team for next year and I am going into my second year leading the team. I want to work in the field of Psychology and encourage kids and even adults to fight for their dreams and that obstacles in their life are meant to be overcome and what may seem like detriments for them now can lead to success later.

My favorite book is the Quran. You may not be able to award me this scholarship because this is a religious book but I’d still like to explain why I choose to write about this book. As you may be aware the Quran is the book of Islam that was revealed to Prophet Muhammad (s) (ooh similar name) by Allah swt who is the God Muslims believe in. The Quran serves to guide Muslims throughout their lives. The first page contains surah Al-Fatihah or The Opening and it refers to the straight, righteous path that all Muslims strive to follow. Many people believe that the book is full of restrictions and rules that oppress Muslims. In reality, only 3 percent of the Quran spells out the divine rules Muslims follow. The rest of the Quran- 97 percent- teaches how one should conduct themselves through stories of other prophets and important people in the history of Islam. These lessons include ethics, the purpose of life, morality, reason and logic, and how to act in certain relationships. The Quran serves to make life easy as Allah does not make life harder than one can handle. It is essentially a guidebook throughout life. If someone is confused or struggling they can look to the Quran and see someone who went through a similar situation, see what they did, learn, and apply it to their own lives. One of my favorite recurring themes in the Quran is that Muslims are intolerant and that’s not necessarily a bad thing since if you are tolerant of everything you stand for nothing. In today’s society, our generation is the future and I’ve learned that we can not always be tolerant, especially in the face of people and initiatives that try to divide and subjugate us.

There are several things that I love to do whenever my mind is about to explode. The first one is listening to music. Creating playlists for certain moods is a relaxing and fun activity in itself as you get to prepare for future situations where you will need these playlists. Listening to them for their intended purposes allows you to indulge yourself in other realities while you vibe to the music. By the way, Disney playlists are fire for workouts, if you are in a bad mood, and studying (Don’t judge me). The second thing I do is numb my mind with funny content on YouTube and social media which helps to get a few laughs out of me and probably does something with endorphins too but maybe not. My favorite show is FRIENDS and watching an episode after a particularly hard day and listening to Chandler’s sarcasm and Joey’s shenanigans calm me down and make me smile. So I’d say find a show or video that does that for you too. They say exercise works wonders and they are not wrong. I am a swimmer and am in the pool for at least 20 hours a week. If I ever have a bad day, going into the water and blowing off some steam helps take out some of my anger which allows me to do better in the workout overall. Even if you aren’t the best swimmer, just submerging yourself underwater where you can’t hear anything is such a peaceful and calming experience. Now, this definitely has something to do with endorphins. The fourth and most beneficial thing for me is hanging out with my family after a long day. Talking and not even just venting and making fun of each other in a playful way allows me to subdue any thoughts and stressors I have on any given day. I realized how much this worked over in Egypt. My entire extended family is in Egypt and it is ironic that in Egypt my mental health improves the most since in Egypt talks of mental health are seen as taboo, even today. Men are expected to put on a brave face and if they appear vulnerable at any moment their worth is undermined. On the flip side, women are consistently seen as fragile and inferior and are believed to not be able to effectively contribute to society. So many people in Egypt and those in America of Egyptian and Middle Eastern descent struggle with mental health and don’t know how to effectively deal with it. However, when coming to Egypt despite seeing the pyramids, going to the beach, and eating absolutely delicious foods my favorite part of going to Egypt and my siblings will agree too, our favorite part of the trip is spending time with our family. Goofing off with our cousins, watching classic Arabic movies with them, getting spoiled by grandparents, or going to work with our aunts and uncles are all seemingly ordinary activities but are a blast for all of us and elevate our mental health significantly. So if you have an opportunity to spend time with family and do something new or even something you’ve done a thousand times with them I’d recommend doing it. Some of your happiest memories may arise as a result as they did for me and whatever struggles you may have will be forgotten for that short time. I know I am at my happiest those few weeks when I am with my family in Egypt.

Time. Well duh, smart one… obviously time is finite and every human is bound by death. Well, there goes my cheerful opening for this essay. But if it’s truly considered, the passage of time and how fast it seems to go is responsible for many of the major issues today. In the United States school system it’s expected for teenagers to have their entire life figured out by 18. Half of the 18-year-old kids in the country don’t know how to do laundry (I’m guilty too). So, expecting them to choose what they’ll do for the rest of their lives is a very daunting task that seems to be steamrolling towards them since they start school. Additionally in the workplace, if someone does not achieve their dream career and professional status by a certain age they may become depressed. Time seems to speed up, especially in the western world. My physics teacher brought up this notion on the last day of school. She said that when she would go to Pakistan and spend time with her family, time seemed to slow down even though society is not as advanced there and it’s a third-world country. I experience the same thing every time I go home to Egypt. Time seems to go at 0.50x speed. You're able to take a breath there and listen to the bustling sound of the city honking cars and fruit vendors and most of all can spend valuable time with your extended family. I’m no philosopher but slowing down and taking time to enjoy where I am in the moment as I can do in Egypt seems to help me tremendously. If people attempt to do the same in their own lives our world may reap amazing benefits.

Muhammad Ali is a hero to me from history. He was a real fighter in the ring and in real life acting with an air of confidence I’d never seen before. He was an African American man during the age when civil rights were still being fought for yet he refused to succumb to injustices such as being forced to fight in the Vietnam War. He exposed the racist tendencies of the US even if it meant a sentence to prison and getting stripped of his heavyweight title, one of his biggest honors. This taught me humility and to never stand down whenever someone tries to take advantage of me, my family, or my culture. I hope to fight as he did in my life against the stigma around mental health which I’ve begun to do by passing a proclamation recognizing teen mental health day on a state and county level and want to combat racism towards Muslims. Cassius Clay converted to Islam and picked the name Muhammad which is the name of Islam’s prophet and he is the person that all Muslims try to emulate. He was quoted as saying in an interview that he does not need any bodyguards as he has Allah watching over him which is the God in Islam and it was so inspiring as a kid to see someone similar to me preach my faith and its ideals. “Fly like a butterfly sting like a bee” is my favorite quote of his and I believe it relates to how we should go through our lives. In terms of flying we should believe we’re the best and sting for opportunities and against major injustices. Ok fine… maybe having the same name has a little bit to do with it.

Take a chance and learn. Educating yourself about mental health is not only priceless for those who don’t suffer from mental health but especially for those that do. People with mental health struggles often stigmatize the issues they are living with and believe they are strange because of it. When I was five I remember my father telling me not to cry since men don't cry. "As the man of the house, you cannot show any weakness". Now my father is a very loving and caring man and by no means should he be villainized. His attitude towards expressing emotion does not come from ignorance but rather from the culture he was brought up in. My family comes from Middle Eastern origins more specifically, Egypt, and talks of mental health are seen as taboo even today. Men are expected to put on a brave face and if they appear vulnerable at any moment their worth is undermined. I could've fallen into this mindset too were it not for me taking a class called Applied Positive Psychology in my sophomore year of high school which opened my heart and my mind to the relationship between humans and their mental health. Something that struck me in this class was a quote by Shawn Achor who wrote The Happiness Advantage. He said that we have the relationship backward... Happiness is not the result of success but success is the result of happiness. His book described how our mindset, mood, and efficiency all revolved around our happiness which in turn allows us to be more successful. Learning and understanding more about mental health has only changed my life for the better and it can for so many other people if they take that first step and learn even starting with one fact.

When I was five I remember my father very clearly telling me not to cry since men don't cry. Mind you this was after I scraped my knee which is obviously the end of the world for any five-year-old. But that statement intrigued and shocked me at the same time. "Men don't cry." "Why?" I implored. "Why have I never seen you cry, Baba?". "Because I shouldn't," he firmly proclaimed. "As the man of the house, you cannot show any weakness". "Understand?" he asked in an assertive voice. I nodded but that incident engraved itself in my mind at that moment and would remain there till today. Now my father is a very loving and caring man and by no means should he be villainized. His attitude towards expressing emotion does not come from ignorance but rather from the culture he was brought up in. My family comes from Middle Eastern origins more specifically, Egypt, and talks of mental health are seen as taboo even today. Men are expected to put on a brave face and be strong at all times and if they appear vulnerable at any moment their worth is undermined. My father was brought up in a household with seven other brothers so they were all taught to follow this rigid mindset and as the youngest one, my father had no option but to replicate his brothers' and fathers' attitudes to the best of his ability to fit in with basically everyone else. I could've fallen into this mindset too were it not for me accidentally taking a class called Applied Positive Psychology my sophomore year of high school which opened my heart and my mind to the relationship between humans and their mental health. I stayed. I accidentally took this class because it was pure chance I ended up in it. The class I initially requested was not attainable and this class was the only elective that fit into my schedule. I am ecstatic that fate had me take this class as I was introduced to a very interesting phenomenon and discussions about mental health. One phenomenon included the inverse relationship between how society progresses and mental health declines. Another thing that struck me in this class was a quote by Shawn Achor who wrote The Happiness Advantage. Paraphrased, his words said that we have the relationship backward... Happiness is not the result of success but success is the result of happiness. His book described how our mindset, mood, and efficiency all revolved around our happiness which in turn allows us to be more successful. This quote dumbfounded me after pondering it for a while and getting over my initial doubt which was the result of the notion of working hard, succeeding, and then being happy getting pounded into my ears by everyone from a young age. People in my family believed it was necessary to sacrifice their happiness and relationships to experience success. My father followed this philosophy and it ended up taking a toll on him when there were conflicts in his work and his positions. After concluding this class I was still hungry for more knowledge about mental health. I wanted to know why there was an epidemic in mental health and how it could best be resolved. My motivation also stemmed from my father's struggles at the time when he had conflicts at his work and regrets and he did not know how to express his feelings in a healthy manner which led to increased outbursts from him. I was fortunate to be blessed with several opportunities over the past two years including serving as a teen lead and advocate for organizations such as Work2BeWell and the NHS Facilitator Network on Mental Health. I was able to convene with students across the country and create content focusing on destigmatizing mental health among teens and spreading awareness about the resources available. One of my favorite activities was creating questions and recording podcasts called Talk2BeWells which were broadcasted to Spotify, Facebook, and StreamYard. My favorite episode was called The Detriments of Extra Pressure on High School Students. I loved discussing the cons of students having to connect their self-worth with their academic achievement and the toxicity it can create in a high school. For my state of Pennsylvania and Allegheny county, I was able to write and pass a proclamation recognizing teen mental health day and the importance of allowing teens to speak up about issues and emphasizing the need for resources for minorities and those with disabilities so that their lives could be improved. At my school, I participated with a club called Stand Together and organized events where we raised awareness about mental health in our schools and emphasized that those that do live with mental health issues are not alone. We did this through interactive trivia questions and giving out self-care tips along with popsicles. I was also selected to have lunch with a student named Robert at our school. Robert has autism and I had no experience interacting with kids with autism. Initially our encounters were awkward sat first like any first meeting with a friend. However we grew closer to each other and bonded over NASCAR, Kyle Bush, competing together on the swim team, and playing Uno attack after we finished eating. Robert serves as inspiration for me to continue helping those with disabilities especially in the mental health sphere so that I can ensure that the quality of their lives are high even after the age of 21 where many of their resources drop off as I learned from Robert’s father. My passion for raising awareness about mental health and providing resources and support for those who live with mental health issues continues to grow and I strive to be a psychiatrist in the future and study psychology or biopsychology as an undergraduate to spread this knowledge.

Save to expect monthly disasters. That’s what my consumer science teacher told my class when we were in the 8th grade. Initially, that seems like really dark advice to give to a room of middle schoolers who still laugh at drawings in a textbook (you know exactly what I’m talking about). Looking back now I realize that she was speaking fax… sorry got stuck in my middle school brain for a second. That piece of advice reflects caution for reality. With this lesson in my consumer science class, we created a monthly budget plan and needed to take into account an emergency such as a car breaking down, natural disaster, house damage, family, or health complications. We would then randomly draw the emergency that would happen and the amount it would cost us ranging from $200-1000. This activity, in my opinion, perfectly illustrated the real world and how anything can happen at any moment, and how we have to plan ourselves. These events may be more extreme and costly than those that will happen but trying to prepare for them in advance financially allowed us to simulate our monthly budget which had four categories: needs, wants, savings, and an emergency. Most information targets young adults about the first three when they are preparing to start financing and budgeting but the monthly emergency fund is rarely mentioned and it really should be. If someone does not accommodate their budget for emergencies and one, unfortunately, does occur then they may struggle that month with their finances which could lead to a downward spiral of incurring more interest and loans. As the saying goes, expect the best, prepare for the worst and if the next generation is expected to be financially independent and responsible, they should learn the notion Mrs. Roseta taught me.

1.) Instead, you should ask why you deserve to have me be the winner of this scholarship. You definitely deserve to have my face displayed as the winner of this scholarship... I mean look at that guy! I could have glossed over this scholarship but I did not disqualify myself from applying and you should not disqualify yourselves from the privilege of having me as the ordinary winner of this scholarship. 2.)My biggest academic goal would be to reject Harvard after they reject me, telling them that they are not worth my talent of surviving English class on SparkNotes or consulting PhotoMath for Trigonometry problems. My biggest career goal would be to emulate the energy of Dwayne the Rock Johnson (when he was a WWE wrestler) at all staff meetings and sales pitches. 3.) The tv remote was missing and after a monumental effort (2 minutes) of looking through couch cushions and under the carpet I requested my mother for some guidance in finding it... which she did after 30 seconds with her MOM powers. I used my resources to overcome not being able to watch the tv and extreme boredom and have employed this technique every single time I want to watch tv.

A thundering boom!!.. DUN!!! (Ooh! Onomatopoeia. Look at me using stuff I learned in school! And they said ALL the stuff we learned in School was irrelevant in the real world). The violent slam of a door woke me up from my trance entangled in the confines of social media and the illustrious lives of others which are just soooo realistic... I jumped up from my chair and shuddered, confused at what happened. My brother suddenly came into my room, eyes widened, mouth gaping. “Mom and Dad fought,” he exclaimed in a shaky voice. “Why what happened?” I replied, attempting to dispel calm for him. “Not sure all I heard was something about a therapist”. I sighed exasperated, and comforted my brother as my brain was running and thinking in overdrive as a core memory swelled to the surface…. When I was five I remember my father very clearly telling me not to cry since men don't cry. Mind you this was after I scraped my knee which is obviously the end of the world for any five-year-old. But that statement intrigued and shocked me at the same time. "Men don't cry." "Why?" I implored. "Why have I never seen you cry, Baba?". "Because I shouldn't," he firmly proclaimed. "As the man of the house, you cannot show any weakness". "Understand?" he asked in an assertive voice. I nodded but that incident engraved itself in my mind at that moment and would remain there till today. Now my father is a very loving and caring man and by no means should he be villainized. His attitude towards expressing emotion does not come from ignorance but rather from the culture he was brought up in. My family comes from Middle Eastern origins more specifically, Egypt, and talks of mental health are seen as taboo even today. Men are expected to put on a brave face and be strong at all times and if they appear vulnerable at any moment their worth is undermined. My father was brought up in a household with seven other brothers so they were all taught to follow this rigid mindset and as the youngest one, my father had no option but to replicate his brothers' and fathers' attitudes to the best of his ability to fit in with basically everyone else. I could've fallen into this mindset too were it not for me accidentally taking a class called Applied Positive Psychology my sophomore year of high school which opened my heart and my mind to the relationship between humans and their mental health. I stayed. I accidentally took this class because it was pure chance I ended up in it. The class I initially requested was not attainable and this class was the only elective that fit into my schedule. I am ecstatic that fate had me take this class as I was introduced to a very interesting phenomenon and discussions about mental health. One phenomenon included the inverse relationship between how society progresses and mental health declines. Another thing that struck me in this class was a quote by Shawn Achor who wrote The Happiness Advantage. Paraphrased, his words said that we have the relationship backward... Happiness is not the result of success but success is the result of happiness. His book described how our mindset, mood, and efficiency all revolved around our happiness which in turn allows us to be more successful. This quote dumbfounded me after pondering it for a while and getting over my initial doubt which was the result of the notion of working hard, succeeding, and then being happy getting pounded into my ears by everyone from a young age. People in my family believed it was necessary to sacrifice their happiness and relationships to experience success. My father followed this philosophy and it ended up taking a toll on him when there were conflicts in his work and his positions. After concluding this class I was still hungry for more knowledge about mental health. I wanted to know why there was an epidemic in mental health and how it could best be resolved. My motivation also stemmed from my father's struggles at the time when he had conflicts at his work and regrets and he did not know how to express his feelings in a healthy manner which led to increased outbursts from him. I was fortunate to be blessed with several opportunities over the past two years including serving as a teen lead and advocate for organizations such as Work2BeWell and the NHS Facilitator Network on Mental Health. I was able to convene with students across the country and create content focusing on destigmatizing mental health among teens and spreading awareness about the resources available. One of my favorite activities was creating questions and recording podcasts called Talk2BeWells which were broadcasted to Spotify, Facebook, and StreamYard. My favorite episode was called The Detriments of Extra Pressure on High School Students. I loved discussing the cons of students having to connect their self-worth with their academic achievement and the toxicity it can create in a high school. For my state of Pennsylvania and Allegheny county, I was able to write and pass a proclamation recognizing teen mental health day and the importance of allowing teens to speak up about issues and emphasizing the need for resources for minorities and those with disabilities. At my school, I participated with a club called Stand Together and organized events where we raised awareness about mental health in our schools and emphasized that those that do live with mental health issues are not alone. We did this through interactive trivia questions and giving out self-care tips along with popsicles. My passion for raising awareness about mental health and providing resources and support for those who live with mental health issues continues to grow and I strive to be a psychiatrist in the future and study psychology or neurology as an undergraduate to spread this knowledge and ensure we have a brave face together.

A thundering boom!!.. DUN!!! (Ooh! Onomatopoeia. Look at me using stuff I learned in school! And they said ALL the stuff we learned in School was irrelevant in the real world). The violent slam of a door woke me up from my trance entangled in the confines of social media and the illustrious lives of others which are just soooo realistic... I jumped up from my chair and shuddered, confused at what happened. My brother suddenly came into my room, eyes widened, mouth gaping. “Mom and Dad fought,” he exclaimed in a shaky voice. “Why what happened?” I replied, attempting to dispel calm for him. “Not sure all I heard was something about a therapist”. I sighed exasperated, and comforted my brother as my brain was running and thinking in overdrive as a core memory swelled to the surface…. When I was five I remember my father very clearly telling me not to cry since men don't cry. Mind you this was after I scraped my knee which is obviously the end of the world for any five-year-old. But that statement intrigued and shocked me at the same time. "Men don't cry." "Why?" I implored. "Why have I never seen you cry, Baba?". "Because I shouldn't," he firmly proclaimed. "As the man of the house, you cannot show any weakness". "Understand?" he asked in an assertive voice. I nodded but that incident engraved itself in my mind at that moment and would remain there till today. Now my father is a very loving and caring man and by no means should he be villainized. His attitude towards expressing emotion does not come from ignorance but rather from the culture he was brought up in. My family comes from Middle Eastern origins more specifically, Egypt, and talks of mental health are seen as taboo even today. Men are expected to put on a brave face and be strong at all times and if they appear vulnerable at any moment their worth is undermined. My father was brought up in a household with seven other brothers so they were all taught to follow this rigid mindset and as the youngest one, my father had no option but to replicate his brothers' and fathers' attitudes to the best of his ability to fit in with basically everyone else. I could've fallen into this mindset too were it not for me accidentally taking a class called Applied Positive Psychology my sophomore year of high school which opened my heart and my mind to the relationship between humans and their mental health. I stayed. I accidentally took this class because it was pure chance I ended up in it. The class I initially requested was not attainable and this class was the only elective that fit into my schedule. I am ecstatic that fate had me take this class as I was introduced to a very interesting phenomenon and discussions about mental health. One phenomenon included the inverse relationship between how society progresses and mental health declines. Another thing that struck me in this class was a quote by Shawn Achor who wrote The Happiness Advantage. Paraphrased, his words said that we have the relationship backward... Happiness is not the result of success but success is the result of happiness. His book described how our mindset, mood, and efficiency all revolved around our happiness which in turn allows us to be more successful. This quote dumbfounded me after pondering it for a while and getting over my initial doubt which was the result of the notion of working hard, succeeding, and then being happy getting pounded into my ears by everyone from a young age. People in my family believed it was necessary to sacrifice their happiness and relationships to experience success. My father followed this philosophy and it ended up taking a toll on him when there were conflicts in his work and his positions. After concluding this class I was still hungry for more knowledge about mental health. I wanted to know why there was an epidemic in mental health and how it could best be resolved. My motivation also stemmed from my father's struggles at the time when he had conflicts at his work and regrets and he did not know how to express his feelings in a healthy manner which led to increased outbursts from him. I was fortunate to be blessed with several opportunities over the past two years including serving as a teen lead and advocate for organizations such as Work2BeWell and the NHS Facilitator Network on Mental Health. I was able to convene with students across the country and create content focusing on destigmatizing mental health among teens and spreading awareness about the resources available. One of my favorite activities was creating questions and recording podcasts called Talk2BeWells which were broadcasted to Spotify, Facebook, and StreamYard. My favorite episode was called The Detriments of Extra Pressure on High School Students. I loved discussing the cons of students having to connect their self-worth with their academic achievement and the toxicity it can create in a high school. For my state of Pennsylvania and Allegheny county, I was able to write and pass a proclamation recognizing teen mental health day and the importance of allowing teens to speak up about issues and emphasizing the need for resources for minorities and those with disabilities. At my school, I participated with a club called Stand Together and organized events where we raised awareness about mental health in our schools and emphasized that those that do live with mental health issues are not alone. We did this through interactive trivia questions and giving out self-care tips along with popsicles. My passion for raising awareness about mental health and providing resources and support for those who live with mental health issues continues to grow and I strive to be a psychiatrist in the future and study psychology or neurology to ensure people know they do not always need to put on a brave face.