As a first-generation college student, college isn't just an option for me, but a necessity to excel. It is my motivation that I am doing the right thing, and that I should continue in the pathway towards academic excellence and values within my future career. In my family, there are my parents, my older sister, and my younger brother, who have all been taught to strive forward, especially in difficult situations. Due to circumstances, I am the only one currently seeking a college education, something that I am extremely proud of the opportunity of assisting college. My parents' dreams have always revolved around having their children pursue an academic career and work towards assisting the community. It has been a great motivation towards seeking that dream that I too share. One of the biggest challenges I went through was definitely losing my mom during my senior year of high school. It was a moment in my life where I felt real uncertainty; I had no idea how to or what to do with my life. Especially being a first-generation student, I was new to everything relating to college, and not having anyone who had taken a step towards further education was very difficult, but starting was the hardest part. Now that I am in college, everything has been flowing nicely, and I realized that everything is possible if you put your mind to it. Though this challenge was difficult, what helped me overcome my uncertainty was clarifying my goals. I realized that I am not alone and that there are many resources. Subsequently, one of my biggest dreams is to become a social worker, seeking the best for my community. This allowed me to guide myself through the college process one step at a time. Becoming a social worker is what I think about before going to sleep, and what I will achieve someday. Through my career education, I will have to go through a multitude of milestones, from obtaining an associate's degree, to a bachelor's, and a master's, but also steps towards my community. I wish to seek a better understanding of my community and help those who need assistance. From mental health advocacy to advocating for patients through medical social work, I wish to assist my community in obtaining an adequate understanding of certain concepts, such as mental health. In my Mexican community, mental health is mostly viewed as "crazy", and I believe it is our responsibility as future professionals to educate these wrong beliefs. Obtaining this scholarship would allow me to keep pursuing my dreams financially. It would allow me to focus specifically on academics and focus less on my financial stress. It would also allow me to purchase school materials, and allow me to spend more time volunteering towards seeking the betterment of others. Finally, I want to thank the family of Maricia Bick Herman for this great opportunity given to students who are first-generation and seek a better life for themselves and their families.

Future in Social Work Being a part of a low-income family and a first-generation student has not been an easy process, especially due to the high costs of living. It makes you grow the determination and perseverance to seek something higher in life. Through my life experiences, I have known myself to be really passionate about social work, and seeking a future master's program to obtain this degree. This role will allow me to seek knowledge about the things affecting my patients, such as the cost of living, politics, and even family issues. Understanding these problems will allow me to help my community grow, adequately provide solutions, and excel in my profession. As a college student who lives in a rural area, commuting to college takes around an hour or more each way. This commute speaks of my determination and willingness to receive an education that will allow me to succeed in life, just as my parents strived to come to the US and work hard. Every day, they give me the determination to bring my best self out into the world, especially in my education. The day I found out I wanted to dedicate my life to serving others through social work was when my mom was ill in the hospital, and I saw firsthand the compassion, kindness, and care they gave to our family. Their willingness to contribute to society ignited a determination to someday be able to serve the community as a social worker. Obtaining this degree would allow me to learn about the hardships of my community and contribute to fixing them. This is a huge passion of mine, and something I will achieve. Additionally, something I struggle with is long commutes, but I have learned to use that valuable time adequately, often spending it studying. In life, there are always going to be changes, and just like a long commute can serve as a hardship, it is what you make of it that counts. Currently, our country is experiencing high inflation, something that affects many families, especially college students like me, who are dealing with financial hardships. There are the "hidden" costs of college that I didn't expect or thought to be expensive, such as technology devices, books, class materials, and even meals on campus. Although these things put a financial strain on my family, obtaining an education is something I am firmly set on and will achieve. Through perseverance, willingness, and dedication, I will achieve anything I set my mind to. To summarize, as I grow in my career, it will allow me to grow in my community and assist with their needs. My clear objective is to become a medical social worker, assisting patients who are being abused and/or need assistance with things such as CalFresh applications or housing, prioritizing their needs. From personal experience, I have seen their movement in the community, particularly in my family, and their impact, especially in underrepresented communities such as Hispanics, which I am a part of. Being bilingual with a biliteracy seal allows me to serve a greater part of society and better understand the needs of my patients. Through research needed to obtain my degree, I will learn the difficulties that society experiences, and will then act with hands-on work to achieve positive outcomes in my community, God willing. This scholarship would allow me to focus entirely on my education without the worry of financial problems.

In most Hispanic households, mental health is something overlooked. In my experience, living with obsessive-compulsive disorder, I was often told that "it will just take off" or "I was just acting/crazy." This is often why it is important to keep advocating to everyone, especially to Hispanic parents and groups who hold these ideas. Advocating allows struggling individuals to obtain the assistance needed, especially for college students who rely on mental health as their fuel for getting through college. Poor mental health allows for poor academic standing in some cases, while good mental health allows for empowerment to achieve one's full potential. This is coming from first-hand experience, as I received counseling, my grades went uphill, underlying the importance of advocating for mental health conditions. Not only is there a need for more advocacy for mental health knowledge, but also for receiving treatment, as most people often can't afford the high cost of therapy and medication. The more opportunities there are for someone to receive the assistance they need, the faster they can achieve their goals and take control of their life again. This is extremely important because, as a college student, you have your whole life to build. Advocating for mental health doesn't necessarily mean doing speeches; it is the little things that also count. Through my experience with obsessive-compulsive disorder, I have been teaching my family about it and allowing them to learn about the difficulties of living with a mental health disorder, so that they can comprehend others. During my high school years, I would support my friends through difficult steps in their lives, and even now smiling at others. Throughout high school, I would also talk openly to my friends about mental health, informing them of my obsessive-compulsive disorder, a disorder that is often not talked about or misinformed in the world today. This experience allowed me to spread the knowledge and support those who needed. With my ultimate goal of a master's in social work, I hope to be able to advocate for mental health on a greater scale. This scholarship would empower me to continue assisting others in their mental health challenges through my future career. It would allow me to empower others with their own challenges with mental health and create growth in the community. It would also give me a "financial breathing room" in my expenses to fully focus on my education. Thank you for reading this essay.

My ultimate educational objective is to become a social worker, building a long enstating growth in my community. Currently, I'm about to start my associate's degree in sociology, a step towards providing growth in my community through professionalism. While it will take a long time to obtain my master's degree in social work, it will allow me to build on the necessary characteristics and experience needed to excel in this profession. Social workers have had a long-standing impact on my family's lifes and I've seen how they have given my family hope in times of difficulties, making this of extreme importance in my life. Becoming a social worker would allow me to give back to my community who assited me and my family. Through social work, I seek to provide therapy for families, encouraging them to build on powerful relationships. Especially with all the distractions today, connecting the community together is what is needed for society to grow. I aspire to also provide care for families going through difficult situations, such as a life-changing diagnosis, divorce, and loss of a loved one. This is something that I want to do from the bottom of my heart that will create a positive impact in the community. Faith, resilience, and determination are the characteristics I will use to achieve academic excellence in this profession. Through education, I hope to build the knowledge needed to provide the assistance that people need. To get closer to my community, I plan on taking the necessary steps to create growth. By exploring different cultures, traditions, and understanding religions, I will be able to connect with patients in a closer way. I will utilize discipline and drive in my personal goals to undertake my educational objectives in a more profound manner. After being in the profession of social work for some years, my plan is to build my own practice, where I can initiate programs for the benefit of the community. Mental health is often something underspoken, and through my career, I hope to be an advocate for those who struggle in silence, especially in my future practice. This career will impact my community by allowing a space for individuals to obtain the necessary resources to get through obstacles. It will allow them to progress through life without the feeling of loneliness. Obtaining my MSW would truly allow me to put everything I learned into practice and assist those in need. In conclusion, reaching towards social work would not only provide growth in the community, but it would also allow me to assist those who once assisted me. Obtaining this scholarship would be an investment in the future I can provide to my community through social work. Lastly, I want to thank the Bulkthreads committee for this opportunity given to students in need of higher education, like me. Thank you for reading this essay.

Taylor Swift is one of the most famous singers in today's music industry. Her diverse selection of songs filled with musical notes that make you feel a big selection of feelings, my favorite being "The Fate of Ophelia". Her performances are always deep and captivating, but in this one, not only is the music engaging, but her performance itself is. During long days, her songs give me a break and allow me to gain motivation to keep going. Since I was little, I would listen to her songs; which although this song is new, reminds me of how much she has grown as an artist. As a sociology major, her songs, in particular "The Fate of Ophelia", introduces the diverse feelings of humans experience, not only through lyrics but through the music itself. She introduces these feelings into her songs, captivating the audience in an infinite cycle of playing of her songs. This is exactly what happens when I listen to Swifit's songs, she provides me an to disconnect from the world and be myself. During the performance in the music video "The Fate of Ophelia", her performance is outstanding. It is my favorite due to the many outfits she uses to create an atmosphere everytime the music reaches a difference. It captivates me and creates a "re-watch" cycle for me. Seeing the effort Taylor Swift puts into her performances is my aspiration toward my own academic work. After days that are tough I imagine the difficulties that artisits such as Taylor Swifit go through, especially in these high ranking preformances, such as the one of "The Fate of Ophelia", give me encouragment to push foward. As a artisit, she performs during hours, often changing many times, something that I want to do in the sense of my own academic pursuits. This scholarship would help me breathe through college without the worry of financial stress. It would allow me to focus on helping others through my sociology major, just like Swift is encouraging students to continue their education. Lastly, I thank Taylor Swift for her compassion for students who aspire to a deeper education. Thank you for reading this essay.

Living with a mental health condition isn't easy. Since I was little I have always been obssesed with a multitude of things. A part of this obssesion was due to constant bullying from my peers, and I became obssesed with wanting attention. Today I recognize that this was a symptom of my obssesive compulsive disorder, something that has truly devestated my mental health. Although hard, it has also tranformed me. Through my high school education my symptoms regarding my mental health completely deteriorated. I would find myself in situations where my mind would say "If I don't touch the doornob 5 times then my family is going to die, and it's all going to be my fault", this was one of the many terrifying thoughts that led me to debilitating compulsions, often taking 5-7 hours of my day. Talking about these thoughts wasn't exactly easy, due to limited sources, my family viewed mental health as "being crazy". My mom on the other hand, she understood me, and motivated me towards obtaining therapy. Due to the discrepency of this disease, it is often misdiagnosed, one of the things that I was blessed with obtaning. Through treatment I started medication with the assistance of my physciatrist. It was a faliure, the secondary symtoms where overwhelming, and it didn't help me at all. Although medication didn't work on me, I didn't give up, I forced myself to continue working on my education, while there were full on battles in my head, something that showed my determination to succeed despite difficulties. At this time, my mother who had spent so much time caring for me, got diagnosed with cancer, and that caused a very hard time for me. While she did pass away, her determination to see me succeed is what leads me to fight off any obstacles regarding my mental health. My experience with ocd has truly transformed me into someone who is resilient, and perserveres for an education, especially after finding the verse that changed my whole perspective upon ocd, "The truth will set you free". Through this experience I have learned to seek the presence of God, and really have a close relationship to him, leaving my worries to him. Majoring in sociology is an opportunity for me to give back to the community who has helped me in my difficulties. Having gone through the mind-tricking illness of ocd, and the diifficulties of life, has prepared me to reach unimaginable milestones in my educational pathway, showing my dedication and resilience towards a proffesional future. This scholarship would allow me "financial breathing room" to focus on my education. Through social work I hope to contribute to the well-being of my community. I saw how social workers treated my mother with respect, compassion, and kindness, especially during difficult situations, something I aspire to show. Providing the respect and understanding for my future patients is something I strive for, especially while having first hand-experience of mental health difficulties. In connection with the education I will recieve in the social work field, it will allow me to acheive true connection between my patients and myself, especailly with smiles. This career will allow me to advocate for people who feel "ashamed" to talk about their feelings, often struggling alone. Today, mental health illness isn't acceptable everywhere, being an advocate to those in these situations is immensley important for me. While I may still struggle, the drive I have to create positive growth in my community breaks every obstacle set and unset. Thank you for this opportunity. Thank you for reading this essay.

Losing a person close to you is extremely difficult, especially when that person is your mother. Her care, determination, and love for others are what she is remembered for, truly an amazing and wonderful woman. My mother loved flowers; she wore them, and truthfully, her personality would be similar to a beautiful pink flower. She was a woman of faith who valued her care for others and spread kindness everywhere she went. Her passing left me devastated, especially since she had been present in my whole life. Through this experience, despite being devestated I strived to continue my education. I finished high school, just 3 months after my mother had passed away. The pathway of my high school education after my mom passed was extremely difficult, but I managed to maintain my grades and obtain counseling. After graduation, I believed a gap year was necessary to process my grief and fully commit to my education, giving my full potential. This gap year has given me the motivation to strive for higher education, something my mother dreamed of, especially obtaining a role in the social work profession. She had always admired the kindness, compassion, and understanding that social workers have, something that I admired too. Becoming a part of the professional industry would be an honor for my parents to experience, and a motivation for me to continue. It is what truly keeps me going, and I have faith that I will obtain my associate's degree as a starting point and strive to achieve a master's. Before my mother passed away, I looked at life differently. Surrounding myself with only positive areas within life caused me to distract myself with the idea of how short life can be. Now that I have experienced a loss, my idea of life is different. Knowing how short life is, gives me the strength to make it as good as it can be. When I pass away, my legacy will be a woman who was determined, understanding, and caring, especially in the social work profession. I want to see growth in my community and initiate a positive impact within my community for the greater good. This experience has led me to become more driven and empathetic towards people going through similar situations to mine. Just as social workers advocated for my mom during difficult times, my objective is to be an advocate for my own patients one day. My aspiration is to build a life that honors the lives of my parents. Since I was a child, they would work the California fields to provide for my siblings and me. They immigrated to this country for a better life, one that included professional jobs for their children. Winning this scholarship would set the "breathing room" financially to continue college. I am thankful to the family of Brooks for setting up this amazing scholarship, giving the opportunity to many students, like me. This scholarship would set me up for success, allowing me to spend money on books, a necessary item for college students, and giving me the motivation to continue despite the hardships that life comes with. Thank you so much for reading this.

Math; it has definitely not been an easy subject for me. Through difficult problems, I have learned not to give up, and that's definitely why I have fallen in love with the complexity of math. It causes me to think, and truly use my mind's potential to solve a problem, similar to a detective solving a case. The moment you learn how to solve a difficult problem is such a powerful moment in your inner self. That is why I love math, it is a complex but doable puzzle waiting to be solved. Math isn't just in school; it is what is unseen, most likely in everything. We use math even when we don't know we are using it, counting time, doing quick math, or even just driving an automobile. In my career, math will be the foundation of my studies. Being a sociology major, I will be using analytical data to provide in-depth research on a certain topic. This will allow me to deepen my relationship with math, provide initiatives to better, and grow my community. In high school, I was constantly driven by looking at math as a hard, impossible-to-solve problem. It was thanks to one teacher who brought me to love math because of its complexity. This led me to go from an F to an A in his class, completely surpassing all my own expectations coming into his class. Overall, math has truly changed me into a driven, determined, and resilient person seeking a better overall life through her education. I am thankful for this opportunity that Learner is giving to students like me. This scholarship would allow "breathing room" in my financial expenses regarding college. It will also help me stay in college during difficult financial times. Thank you for reading this essay.

My mother was a sweet and kind woman who shaped the foundation of who I am today. Despite her hardships, she always looked out for my siblings and me. Losing her was detrimental to me, as she was the person who filled the house with love and laughter. She taught me how to grow and motivated me to reach academic excellence. My mother was driven by honesty and care for others, something I truly admired about her and strive to always have, especially in my professional life. Many people who knew her specifically highlighted her determination to provide for her family and her strong relationship with my siblings and me. When my mother was diagnosed with pseudomyxoma peritonei, a rare cancer, it caused a profound shift in my life. Everything changed; I undertook new responsibilities and had to be more resilient despite hardships. At some point, my mother had a 19-hour surgery, showing her willingness to live and love for her family, something that I truly admire. One of the hardest parts of this process is seeing my mother deteriorate after getting better from her surgery. She was an active person, and seeing life take that away from her was like a heavy rock pressed on my heart. When she passed away, my home was not the same. There was no laughter, just silence. School was suddenly more difficult, but my perseverance to keep going allowed me to seek counseling, which motivated me even more. Living with my dad and brother wasn't exactly easy either; being the only woman in the house came with expectations of doing most, if not all, housework. Pushing forward was extremely difficult, but my determination to advance has brought me to seek a higher education. After a gap year and successfully graduating from high school, my motivation continuously grows higher. When my mom passed away, I was 3 months from graduating, and despite my own challanges I managed to maintain my grades to a high standard. My faith in God contributed to my being able to keep going toward academic success. It was something my mom also had, and it is very valuable to me. The need for something bigger was also a way to honor my mom, as she had a very big vision of me obtaining a professional career. Although it has been difficult, I know that social work is something that I want to do, as through my experience, I have seen how social workers make a difference in people's lives. Their kindness, determination, and care for others were highlights that both my mom and I truly valued. Becoming a social worker is a way for me to give back to the community and honor my mother's legacy. Her smile is something I hope to see on all my patients' faces, as she loved to smile. As a low-income student, I want to create a positive change in myself and the community as a way to honor the Hispanic community that works in agriculture. There are so many Hispanic families, like mine, working in agriculture to support their families. My associate's degree, and most importantly, my future master's degree, will reflect on my mother's hard work and care for others. Despite all the obstacles I have gone through, I will continue to persevere through them and achieve my many academic objectives with excellence. This scholarship would ensure that I have enough support and "breathing room" to fill my fiancial need. Thank you so much for this opportunity and for taking the time to read this essay.

Perservering through challenges has been something I have been through my whole life, especially coming from a low-income family. This has led me to gain determination and strength to keep exceeding my "limits" in the educational world. My parents came to the United States to gain a better life, and even though we are still struggling, I believe that we will strive forward. Becoming a social worker would allow me to assist families who have been in similar situations to mine. Having seen my parents work through their financial hardships in the fields gives me the motivation needed to reach academic excellence. One of the hardest parts of my life was losing my mother, someone I deeply cared about. Most of the time, especially during hospital stays, I remember social workers would make my mother laugh and connect with her. This experience led me to see the kindness, compassion, and deep understanding of social workers, something I want to do. When my family was struggling with food scarcity, they were the ones who provided assistance, and that meant everything to me. As they have helped my family, I also want to provide a safe space for families, be understanding, and helpful to them. As of now, I am soon starting my education to obtain an associate's degree in sociology. I know ultimately that social work is my future career, and I am committed to reaching it. My perseverance and commitment towards education have led to obtaining my biliteracy seal, a resource useful to assist more people in my community. Obtaining this scholarship would give me the "breathing room" necessary in my finances to continue my education. Lastly, I wanted to say thank you for this opportunity you give to students like me. Thank you for reading this essay.

Life is something we all have to go through. Through it, we develop valuable relationships that shape us into who we are today. My family and I hold a relationship that truly shapes who we are. Becoming a social worker is an objective greatly influenced by my mother. She was always there for me, seeking the best for me, especially through my educational pathway. Although my mother might have passed away, I truly value the relationship we had. Her determination for my success motivated me to surpass my own "limits". She had a real love for social workers, describing them as kind, caring, and understanding. These are the same descriptions I want to show in my professional realm. She molded me into a person who values honesty, determination, and kindness. Her care for me since I was a child holds high value in caring for other people through my professional career. Another relationship that shapes me into who I am currently is my father. Through his discipline, he has held me to high standards, not only in academics, but also in morality. As a father, kindness to others from his children is something that he has always held to a high standard. My father immigrated to the United States before I was born, went through hunger, and very difficult situations. His determination for his children to be superior to his own life experiences. Through this, he shaped me to never give up in my education and to push harder, especially during hard times. He has also shaped me to be more talkative and really pay attention to the relationships we build. Ever since I was little, my shyness would interfere with building valuable relationships, but he pushed me to surpass this. Now, as I have grown older, I am comfortable with making conversation, something I never thought I could do as a child. Most importantly of all, the relationship I value most of all is God's. Through every part of my education, I have felt God by my side, and ensuring that I do my best. In my education, I have been encouraged to be honest in my work and to help others in need. He is the one who seeks a relationship with me, and I truly value his determination. Through his teachings, he has taught me to seek high-quality friendships, ones that motivate me to do good. He has truly guided me to the correct path in life and corrected me from past mistakes. This is a relationship that will always be present in my life, and from whom I seek guidance and teachings. In conclusion, all these relationships mean a great deal in my life. They have all shaped me into who I am currently. Through love, kindness, and discipline, I have gained powerful values that will shape who I will be in the future, a social worker. One who will retain these values and initiate growth in my community. This scholarship will allow me to continue school without having to worry about the materials I will need, it would be a "breathing room" during my education. I am thankful to the Tawfiky team for giving this opportunity to students like me to continue their studies. Having a career in social work is something growing in my heart day by day. With my perseverance and growth-aligned knowledge, I know I will achieve this. Thank you so much for reading this essay.

Faith, it is truly what got me through my high school education. This was especially true while going through one of the hardest parts of my life. Finishing college while being a first-generation college student is an objective that I strive to achieve. My ultimate academic objective is to pursue a master's degree in sociology to obtain a professional job in social work, making a positive impact on society. Through, I would need to get my associate's degree, bachelor's, and master's degree, which is difficult but manageable with my high perseverance, determination, and faith. Life has not been easy, though. Just as I was about to go into senior year, my mother, the one who cared for me and played such a pivotal role in my life, had been diagnosed with a rare form of cancer. This was not easy on my family; countless hospital stays meant less school time for my siblings and me. It required extreme dedication and perseverance to maintain my grades, especially since I have been dedicated to maintaining a high standard regarding my academics. Faith had always been a crucial part of my life, including in my educational trajectory. Although I was able to maintain my grades, math was one of those subjects that I struggled immensely with due to the past missed days of school, especially when my mom passed. To overcome this challenge, the next year I studied even when there were no exams, showing my dedication, and eventually passed with an A. I showed faith by continuing to trust in God regardless of life, and being alright for myself and others. Through this experience, I was able to dedicate time to my peers who were also struggling in math, letting them know it is okay, and sharing my experience. Growing up, I was raised to be truthful, especially when dishonesty would be easier in some cases. A moment of faith I experienced was in my freshman year of high school. Having the potential to cheat on my math final was tempting, but it definitely did not align with my faith. It was a moment where I overcame temptation by choosing faith, honoring my values, and ultimately God's will, even though cheating would have benefited me. Math wasn't always an easy subject for me, but having faith is what brings me closer to success, just as it did in this situation. Obtaining a degree is a way for me to honor my parents for the many sacrifices they have willingly made for my own benefit. Since I was little, my parents have been my motivation to reach professionalism through education. Having a biliteracy seal is an accomplishment that I truly value, as I have worked for this for years. For me, it means that my parents have a voice, as well as all Spanish speakers. Growing up, I would translate for my parents when they didn't understand something in English. Now, it means not only can I translate, but I can speak it correctly. In my experience, learning English was difficult, and I often felt a sense of insecurity speaking it, and this biliteracy seal heals my inner child in a way that increases my perseverance to keep learning. To earn this seal, my academic agenda involved taking honors and AP classes, but ultimately, most importantly, all those English classes, whose educational help got me here. Through senior year, I was also involved with FFA, which was the experience needed to truly find out who I am. There, I learnt how to lead and work as a team in a job-like environment. Volunteering was truly one of my favorite activities. Being able to know that your work is going to eventually help others is my objective, not only in volunteering, but also in my future career as a social worker. Becoming a social worker is something that is meaningful to me. Social workers were a big part of my mother's care when she was ill. Contributing to social work would not only be a thank you to them, but also to my mother, who loved them and inspired me to become one. Throughout life, I have become a person who is determined, caring, and truly loves the community and wants to help contribute to its positive growth. Serving the community is a way to help others, just as Jesus lent a hand to us. Faith is what will lead me to become the best version of myself, especially for the community that I genuinely want to be there for. Valuing the needs of the community, advocating, and protecting the community is something that I believe the world truly needs more of, and something social work can provide, and something admirable to anyone to partake in. Finally, I want to say thank you for this wonderful opportunity given to students like me. This scholarship would help me excel in my education by helping me focus on the educational part of college, and not the financial part. Coming from a low-income family, it would make sure that I can stay in school and become the amazing social worker I hope to one day become. It would allow me to buy the necessary textbooks for college and lower my financial burden. Thank you so much for reading this essay.

Faith; it is something I aspire to always have and utilize in my daily life, especially when going through the difficult obstacles of life. As a lifelong christian, my goal is to encourage others and use biblical truth steadfastly throughout. I am committed to achieving excellence in my academics, and show discripline in my educational life. My foremost pursuit is to let Jesus guide me into whatever plans he has for me, because he always has a clear and resolute mission. As a sociology major, my academic objective is to foster engagement and growth within a community in a deeper, meaningful way. Furthermore, my long-term vision is to have spiritual integrity, aligning it with my professional actions within my workspace. Throughout my education, following my faith, I expect to see growth not only in the educational aspect but also spiritually. This career path will allow me to reach a diverse range of objectives, allowing me to help the community and allow to flourish what God has called all of us to do: help. While it will be a challenge to go through school, I have strong faith that God will give me the resilience to show up. Not only to my education, but also to Him, to my family, and to myself. Jesus is who I look up to, especially when I need his guidance. Through life, he has taught me that forgiveness is one of the most important things, because if he forgave, so can we. He has taught me honesty, discipline, and various fundamental principles. One of the many ways I showed my commitment to God is in education itself. I have had the opportunity to cheat in many situations, but I had faith that God was going to lead me through it regardless of the outcome. My mother also inspires me. Throughout my life, her persistent encouragement has been the fuel needed to encourage me to never give up on my dreams. Even in her last days, she would have a smile, showing the love that God has given us. Just like Eva Mae Jackson and Patricia Lindsey, my goal is to create remarkable initiatives to uplift my local community, potentially reaching internationally. This scholarship would help me not only purchase books, but also allow me to have "breathing room" in my financial life. It would be an investment in the future I aspire to have, one of choosing faith, committing to my community, and spreading the love that Jesus imparted to us. Thank you so much for taking the time to review this.

Throughout my childhood, I always admired how healthy my family was. My mom was walking everywhere, my dad never seemed to get sick, and even I was in perfect health. There seemed to be no deaths, even in my extended family; everything was perfect. That is, until my mom started feeling unwell, she kept going to the doctors for severe nose bleeds, but the doctors kept releasing her, saying it was just high blood pressure. Nights in the hospital would emerge, but still no diagnosis, even after they found a mass on her abdomen. Years passed before she could get a biopsy, and all that waiting was terrifying, especially for the few days beforehand. My mom was diagnosed with pseudomyxoma peritonei, a rare type of cancer that completely changed our lives. The nearest hospital where my mom could get treatment was UCSF, around 2 hours from where we live. Through this journey, my dad had to take days off from work, and my brother and I missed many school days to accompany my mom in her appointments and hospital stays. I learned here that a strong relationship is what truly made me feel connected with my mom, even if we were far away. One of the hardest parts of this journey was seeing my mother in the ICU, my mom who had cared for me, shown me love, and inspired me, fighting for her life after a 19-hour surgery. In the last year of my mom's life, I saw her determination to fight off the disease and live, and that is someone I aspire to always be: determined. Through this, I learned what I wanted to become. I want to become a social worker who can help families who are going through similar situations, and give hope where there seems to be none. Being a social worker would allow me to be an advocate for my patients, as I would want to work in a hospital setting, just as they helped my mom. I learned through this that kindness is one of the most important aspects of human life. It is a fruit of God that we should all share, especially when caring for anyone who is going through a difficult time in their life. My goal is to be a kind, compassionate, hard-working, and most importantly, determined social worker who is patient with patients and eager to learn. Honoring God is something I would never leave, either, as this whole experience has made my family closer and more faith-based.

Growing up without a mom to get into adulthood was a very difficult part of my life, that unfortunely happens to many people. My mom was very present for me as a child, getting me to school, preparing me and my siblings food, and providing for us. She was the person I looked up to, and she was always praying for me. When my mom and dad seperated, she was the one who took a bus ride to get us food, or even walk 3 miles from home with heavy groceries, just to feed us. I really appreciated how much love and care she put in our family, even when my dad wasn't present. We lived in a low income housing, meaning me and my siblings didn't really have the most luxorious house, but it was definitely what I would call my home, and the happiest years of my childhood. One of the things I really appreciated of my mom, is her dedication, throught my elementary years, she would take long shifts in agriculture, just to have enough money to buy my me and my siblings necessities. Throught life, it came a time where the roles switched. Fortunetly, my mom and dad had gotten back together by the time my mom was diagnosed with a rare cancer. It was an incredibly hard process for all of us, especially when I heard the doctor say "Im sorry, theres nothing we can do". She ended up passing away at just 54 years old, and my life fell apart. Going home, it was just my dad, brother, and me, my sister had moved away. The first few weeks were really hard, I felt like my dad expected me to do everything my mom used to do. It forced me to grow up faster, and gain courage to keep going. My dad wasn't the same as my mom though, he is more hard on discipline. As I was progressing in my cooking lessons, my dad always had things to say like "it doesn't taste right", or he would be really cautious to try it. This made me feel really bad, and many situations were simillar to that. One of the hardest moments to get through had to be my graduation. Never would I have thought that my mom wasn't going to be there with me physically. She was always there, when I got home from school, and not seeing her in the benches next to my dad and brother hurt me really bad. She would always have something speacial prepared on a special day, and on graduation day, there was nothing. While everyone was happy on graduation day, I felt the deep hurt of losing my mom.

Coming from a family who has spent all of their lives working in agriculture, all they ever wanted was for their kids to thrive in education. My parents came to the United States to provide a better life for me and my siblings, and that included an education, that would nearly be non-existent had they never came here. They themeselves only had a partial elementary education. This is what makes education important to me, showing them that their sacrafice was worth it and that I can have a career that I completely love. I not only want to see my parents happy, but also my grandparents, and the many relatives I have in mexico, to show them that everything is possible. Education is also important to me because it will lead me to help people in an even greater way. My major is sociology, wanting to become a social worker, and in this career I will be able to connect with the community, and really show my care for others. Working in the hospital as a social worker, I will be able to give smilies to my patients, help them, listen to them, and most importantly show that I care. Despite all they are going through, having someone as their advocate, aknowledging any programs and resources, is comforting to patients and something I want to provide, which is possible through education. As a bilingual person, I hope to reach many people through my future education in sociology. I want to leave a legacy of hard work and dedication in this career, but also of kindness and companission. One of my many dreams is to be able to try different traditions, explore cultures, and better understand how we all connect within the world. This would make me closer to the community as a whole, as it can be very diverse. This would be something great in my legacy, but I would also want to put Jesus, as my priority in my legacy, and share his grace to the world. With Jesus everything is possible, and through my life, and make sure to encourage others to follow their dreams through his guidence. I want to be known for being respectful of others, and really connecting with others. My legacy would mean years of hard work, helping people, spreading love through the community, and especially be known for the first person to go to college in my family, contributing to the family legacy.

Im a fan of Sabrina Carpenter ever since my english teacher introduced me to her with constant music from her. I love that her music is really energizing and really pops, meaning that it brings out an inner personality I have. It makes me want to dance, and sing and you could tell that she brings her best. A big impact she had on me was not only making me feel like myself, but also when she posted an instagram post with the letters "Jesus was a carpenter". This was some words that I feel that are really empowering, and show how humble a person can be, and also talks about Sabrina's personality. She showed that despite having a big career we have to remain humble and be our true selfs, let our personality shine. She worked all her life, and desides to take a humble step towards others. This makes me think about my own self, how can I evolutionize in my career, and work hard to get to where I want to be. Just as she started working in Disney channel, I should also focus on going to community college, and gaining experience towards being a social worker. I can definitely say that Sabrina really is a great hard working artist who motivates a lot of people, including me.

One of the hardest parts of my life was losing my mom in highschool, and it definitely changed me. Going from hospital to hospital definitely was hard, but I still pushed myself to maintain my grades. One of the greatest experiences I had that defines who I want to be is when a social worker came to talk to our family in the hospital. She was so kind, compassonite, caring and it really felt like it was a friend talking to us. It opened my eyes and at that moment I realized that I wanted to become a social worker, and that I was going to work hard for it. Throught my high school years, I learned so much, I learned how to be a good friend, and how to be my best self and maintain it. I was in FFA, and it made me interact with a lot of people, something that is challanging for me, but I strive to work through it. FFA molded me into wanting to be part of something bigger, and would be the national association of social workers. The community is something I really value, and something that really starts to form since we were little in our families. That's why I really value my relationship with my parents and my siblings. They push me to strive harder and work my way towards my goals. I read that Thomas was a person who loved really deeply, and really cared for others, and that is something I really admire and want to really use in my career. I principally really value my relationship with God, and always trying to do the right thing, even when no one is watching. Honesty, loyalty, and kindness are some of the things that I need to have every single day, and that I have learned through God. This scholarship will really help me work towards my social work career, and ultimatley help the community in a huge manner. Social workers are everywhere, from hospitals, prisons, even schools, they are the most caring people, and truly change the world for the better. Becoming one, would mean that I can help families, children, the elderly, go through difficult patches in their life, and get the support they need. My goal is to become a hospital social worker, and there I can really help from the moment I step in the door with a smile, because sometimes people need someone to smile at them. Sometimes nurses can be really busy, and social workers can talk with their patients, and show the great compassion and kindness towards them. Overall, I want to become a great social worker who will be able to help the community and really spread love and care throught my whole career and life.

Seeing people smile is something that gives me hope and an "elecrticity" to keep helping. I remember once my mom being in the hospital and a social worker coming to talk to us, that is when a light came to me, an idea. That is when I decided I wanted to become a social worker. I want to be the person who brings smiles to patients and their family members even in the midst of challanges. The wanting to help idea motivates me to want to become a social worker. Being a first-generation student, it is really important for me to get an education. Both of my parents did not get an education past elementary school, and that brings me encoragment to continue thriving foward. I remember when my mom used to say "Do your best in school", and the happiness she got when I recieved good grades, or even awards. In the future I imagine myself to be a hospital social worker, serving patients and attending their needs, wether it be helping them fill out applications for food stamps, or any others, or even just emotional support and being there for them. I want to be able to serve my community and be an advocate to my patients whom maybe don't have someone to speak for them. I also want to protect our kids, and make sure that they are getting the proper care at home and are protected. Getting this scholarship would mean a lot to me. Currently I am struggling on how Im going to pay for the books required in some classes, and this scholarship would largely aliviate that. It would also be a large investment into the social work field, a field that sometimes is underrecognized by the other big careers such as nursing, engineering and doctor careers. Social workers are people who are kind, caring, patient, and knowledgable, and I know that one day I will be a great one. Its a very long road ahead, but I know with my determination, I can succeed and be the very strong woman I onced imagined myself to be as a child. Making God, my parents, and the community proud is something that I really want to strive for every day of my life. With this scholarship I would be able to do a lot, including helping the community and striving to achieve my goals in life.

Through my high school journey I learned many things that created a better person in me. One of the main things I learned is that I want to help others and share it so that we as a community can become more fulling of love. One of the things that made me recognize this is seeing homeless people and my urge to help them. One day I want to be able to cook for the homeless in great batches and put a big smile on their faces. Throughout my life I have also valued my relationships with close family members such as my parents, siblings and most importantly God. God is the most important person in my life because he helps and has transformed me into a person who is loving, respectful, and caring. He gave me the courage to keep going in the hardest moments of my life. With Him I can do anything, including following my studies. My family is also a huge part of my life, they have taught me to be humble and to help those in need. Even when we don't have much, there is always something we can share or give. My choice of career is something that demonstrates my caring towards humanity as I want to be a Social Worker. Specifically, a social worker who works in schools or hospitals. My goal is to be a safe space for someone who maybe feels sad or lonely and needs someone to hear them. I also have plans to become a volunteer teacher at a church for kids who want to know God. This scholarship would allow me to follow my goals of becoming a Social Worker and showing my empathy, love and compassion to the community, especially in times of hardships in the community. I believe that this scholarship can also help my family, as it will lower the financial burden of college fees. I am capable of becoming a first generation social worker which would make everyone proud. Throughout my high school journey I had been through many things many of which I excelled through without falling. I believe that this helped me eventually become a person with an even greater want for education. I am also proud to say that I graduated with my biliteracy seal which will also help low income families, like mine who mostly come from hispanic heritage. This would be great to give back to the community who once helped mine.

Mental health is something most teenagers struggle with, and unfortunately I struggled with it too, harshly. During my high school years I developed anxiety, debilitating anxiety, to say the least. My emotions were all over and my grades were dropping. All my life I was a A's and B's student and this was also taking a toll on my health. My anxiety led me to believe the worst things and I felt like I could not stop it. This went on for the few last years of high school. Until, things started changing when I started going to counseling and confessions. There I navigated to various places in my life that gave me anxiety. I spent so much time feeling bad about myself that I didn't get to enjoy life and see the good times in a better sense. I learned that Jesus forgives us, and that we too should forgive others and care for them. This was when my life started to change drastically. I forgave people, and forgot all the things that caused tension. This changed for the better. I started to work out, putting my past behind and taking care of myself. My anxiety went down so much that I didn't even realize I was actually happy for once! I started participating more in school events such as FFA organizing events. I remember when I used to tell myself that I could not do math, which was so far from the truth. Seeking good affirmations felt good, and helped me through my journey of healing and I am so proud of choosing to go through this. Without having this life experience, I don't know what my life would look like right now. I would probably have been really weak and not as content. Throughout this whole journey I learned that I want to help people work to defeat mental health conditions such as anxiety. That is why I want to be a Social Worker, preferably working in places that cause most anxiety for patients. I want to be their comfort and help them through life with whatever I can. I am sure that I am ready to go through this thing called life! My academics will be the brightness of my preferred college. I won't be the fabulous anxiety-filled girl,but I must be at a minimum of a fabulous happy academic person working to be the best person she can be.