"Pressure makes dirt into diamonds," and likewise, being an underdog in any situation can bring out the best in people. One of those people is myself, who in many situations was an underdog in life but beat any perceived odds and rose beyond what I even expected for myself. The most significant time I overcame the expectations placed on me by others as an underdog came when I was pitted against the #1 seed in a regional tournament. Leading up to that point, I was seeded 4th and not even on anyone's radar, so nothing was expected of me, yet the #1 seed was expected to handily beat me. Leading up to the match, I was feeling split between confident and doubtful, but as the time came closer and closer, I felt more and more driven to prove a point, as my belief in myself continued to grow upon waking up and recounting my other victories in tournaments over unknown opponents and higher seeds. Once the whistle blew, the manifestation of my confidence came about, and I won via major decision. The crux of this experience occurred after the match, where I reflected upon the moment and had the revelation of the extreme significance of self-belief. I noticed that we truly are what we think and know ourselves to be. As the philosopher Descartes once said, "I think, therefore I am." After shaking off the shackles of the expectations of an underdog, I found nothing to be more true in life. With that revelation in mind as I graduated and entered college, with classes being tougher and tougher and exams never getting any easier, as well as practices in college being tougher, I always thought back to not only that revelation but also to the fact that when presented with a challenge, what I believe I am capable of, regardless of what's expected of me (underdog or not), will 100% contribute to the outcome I beget. Such a thing instilled a growth in my work ethic that stretches far beyond practices and into my studies where I would once be the kid that would ask for answers to being the kid people come to check their answers with, where I would once doubt myself into oblivion about my score after taking a test to being assured that my preparation set me up well to continue to learn and grow and improve on each subsequent exam, to being the person too afraid to add anything to his plate outside of school and wrestling to being a leader on engineering projects and an exemplar of rapid professional development to my peers in securing a significant internship as an intern as a second-year engineering student. All told, being an underdog one time allowed me to become the favorite in my own mind, and in doing so, the air and energy I bring to anything I do have the results expected of a favorite to win over an underdog, but the tenacity and effort of an underdog who wants to carve his name into the hearts of his doubters even if those doubters are himself at times.

I am a perpetual seeker of beauty and meaning in all things, driven by a profound appreciation for art in its finest forms. My journey through life has been shaped by the unwavering support of my immigrant parents, who instilled in me a relentless passion for exploration and a boundless curiosity for the world around me. Growing up in a household where resilience and determination were valued above all else, I found myself drawn to the world of combat sports. Amidst the intensity of training and competition, I discovered the art of problem-solving and the power of perseverance. Every kickboxing, jiujitsu, and wrestling match became a canvas for me to express myself, to navigate physically consequential challenges, and to push my limits beyond what I thought possible. It was from this foundation in combat sports that my thirst for knowledge and improvement led me to explore other avenues. As I pursued my undergraduate studies, I immersed myself in the field of aerospace, fascinated by the possibilities that lay beyond the confines of our atmosphere. While my passion for combat sports continued to burn brightly, I dedicated myself to learning about rocketry and space exploration, driven by a desire to contribute to this awe-inspiring field. To deepen my understanding of aerospace engineering and to prepare myself for a future at the forefront of space exploration, I embarked on several rocketry projects. Working tirelessly in collaboration with my peers, I helped design and build functional model rockets, helping to push the boundaries of what our rocketry club thought possible and honing my skills in propulsion and aerodynamics. These projects became more than just experiments; they were a testament to my dedication and determination to pursue my dreams. As I look to the future, I am filled with excitement and anticipation for what lies ahead. Armed with a unique blend of passion and curiosity, I am determined to carve out a path that merges my familial support and unwavering mindset with my ambitions in the aerospace industry. My ultimate goal is to work for SpaceX, contributing to groundbreaking advancements in space exploration and pushing the boundaries of human achievement. In pursuit of this goal, I am prepared to absorb as much skill and knowledge as possible and dedicate myself wholeheartedly to the pursuit of knowledge and innovation. In essence, my journey thus far has been defined by a relentless pursuit of excellence and a deep appreciation for the beauty that surrounds me. With the unwavering support of my family and a burning passion for problem solving directed at aerospace, I am ready to embrace the challenges and opportunities that await me on the path to achieving my dreams at SpaceX.

My journey to success and through life was and will be fraught with challenges, but my most recent as my struggle with the SAT in the times before applying to colleges has helped me grow plenty as a student and person overall. With hindsight being 20/20, I can admit that my expectations for myself were lofty in this situation, but at the time, upon seeing my first SAT results, I was shocked. The digits 1-2-5-0 are the four most impactful digits of my life so far. At the time, I was devastated for about an hour, but then something inside of me brought me to a mental crossroads. I knew that I could either suck it up and grind to achieve the best score I could before applying to colleges, or I could resign myself to the first result I earned. With the emotions that I had already associated with seeing "1250" next to my name, I knew that I had to grind at that point, and it was no longer to fulfill lofty expectations of others and myself; it was to show myself that I can do anything I put my mind to, and I refused to let 4 digits defeat me in any way. For the next 4 months following the first exam, I had my nose to the grindstone; at one point, I even took another SAT because my school offered one and had an improved score of 1320, which was a solid indicator of improvement, but knowing that I could improve was helpful because I saw the correlation between my efforts in self-preparation and my results, so I turned things up to 11. Day in and day out, I would do portions of practice exams after school, and that practice became exponentially greater on the weekends. Before I knew it, I felt like I was as knowledgeable of the SAT as one could be. After a few more weeks of hard work, the day of my third SAT finally arrived. I woke up early and did a last-minute review of passages, word problems, and grammar sections. Despite not having prayed in a while, I found myself becoming more devout than ever and driven to perform at my best. Upon arriving at the testing center, I took a moment in the bathroom to calm my nerves, took a second in the mirror to look myself square in the eyes, and mentally declared, "I will do the best I can and nothing is going to stop me from succeeding." They say the third time's the charm, and this proved to be true, as the moment scores were released, I saw that by turning things to 11, I turned the middle digits of my first score around. I earned $1520. Those 270 points I earned through self-study have helped me so much in understanding that with hard work and self-confidence, anything is possible. Now, as a college student armed with such an experience, I am ready to take on the next chapter of my academic journey with determination and confidence. I feel more than prepared to fulfill my project and internship goals, and graduate school ambitions, and realize my dream of one day working at SpaceX. Adversity comes in many shapes and forms and at different intensities for different people, but with my relatively small story, I know I've grown to be capable of anything they put their minds to.

Since I was 3 I was in school, from pre-school to college I've faced a couple of tough times academically but none were as difficult as my struggle with the SAT in the times before applying to colleges. With hindsight being 20/20, I can admit that my expectations were lofty, but at the time, upon seeing my first SAT results, I was shocked. The digits 1-2-5-0 are the four most impactful digits of my life so far. I understand that my first score is enough to get me to many good universities but I knew I had more to give. At the time, I was devastated for about an hour, but then something inside of me brought me to a mental crossroads. I knew that I could either suck it up and grind to achieve the best score I could before applying to colleges, or I could resign myself to the first result I earned. With the emotions that I had already associated with seeing "1250" next to my name, I knew that I had to grind at that point, and it was no longer to fulfill high and mighty expectations of others and myself; it was to simply show myself that I can do anything I put my mind to, and I refused to let 4 digits defeat me in any way. For the next 4 months following the first exam, I had my nose to the grindstone; at one point, I even took another SAT because my school offered one and had an improved score of 1320, which was a solid indicator of improvement, but knowing that I could improve was helpful because I saw the correlation between my efforts in self-preparation and my results, so I turned things up to 11. Day in and day out, I would do portions of practice exams after school, and that practice became exponentially greater on the weekends. Before I knew it, I felt like I was as knowledgeable of the SAT as one could be. After a few more weeks of hard work, the day of my third SAT finally arrived. I woke up early and did a last-minute review of passages, word problems, and grammar sections. Despite not having prayed in a while, I found myself becoming more devout than ever and driven to perform at my best. Upon arriving at the testing center, I took a moment in the bathroom to calm my nerves, took a second in the mirror to look myself square in the eyes, and mentally declared, "I will do the best I can and nothing is going to stop me from succeeding." They say the third time's the charm, and this proved to be true, as the moment scores were released, I saw that by turning things to 11, I turned the middle digits of my first score around. I earned 1520. Those 270 points I earned through self study have helped me so much in understanding that with hard work and self-confidence, anything is possible. Now, as a college student armed with such an experience, I am ready to take on the next chapter of my academic journey with determination and confidence. The experience I gained from my SAT journey has become a valuable lesson that stays with me, serving as inspiration whenever I need a boost.

My journey to academic success was fraught with challenges, but none were as difficult as my struggle with the SAT in the times before applying to colleges. With hindsight being 20/20, I can admit that my expectations were lofty, but at the time, upon seeing my first SAT results, I was shocked. The digits 1-2-5-0 are the four most impactful digits of my life so far. At the time, I was devastated for about an hour, but then something inside of me brought me to a mental crossroads. I knew that I could either suck it up and grind to achieve the best score I could before applying to colleges, or I could resign myself to the first result i earned. With the emotions that I had already associated with seeing "1250" next to my name, I knew that I had to grind at that point, and it was no longer to fulfill lofty expectations of others and myself; it was to show myself that I can do anything I put my mind to, and I refused to let 4 digits defeat me in any way. For the next 4 months following the first exam, I had my nose to the grindstone; at one point, I even took another SAT because my school offered one and had an improved score of 1320, which was a solid indicator of improvement, but knowing that I could improve was helpful because I saw the correlation between my efforts in self-preparation and my results, so I turned things up to 11. Day in and day out, I would do portions of practice exams after school, and that practice became exponentially greater on the weekends. Before I knew it, I felt like I was as knowledgeable of the SAT as one could be. After a few more weeks of hard work, the day of my third SAT finally arrived. I woke up early and did a last-minute review of passages, word problems, and grammar sections. Despite not having prayed in a while, I found myself becoming more devout than ever and driven to perform at my best. Upon arriving at the testing center, I took a moment in the bathroom to calm my nerves, took a second in the mirror to look myself square in the eyes, and mentally declared, "I will do the best I can and nothing is going to stop me from succeeding." They say the third time's the charm, and this proved to be true, as the moment scores were released, I saw that by turning things to 11, I turned the middle digits of my first score around. I earned a 1520. Those 270 points I earned through self-study have helped me so much in understanding that with hard work and self-confidence, anything is possible. Now, as a college student armed with such an experience, I am ready to take on the next chapter of my academic journey with determination and confidence. The experience I gained from my SAT journey has become a valuable lesson that stays with me, serving as inspiration whenever I need a boost. I am confident in my ability to bring things to a 10 when needed, and with the easing of financial burdens this scholarship can provide, I have no doubt that I'll be able to take it up a notch to 11.

I am deeply passionate about pursuing an education in aircraft maintenance because I believe that this field has the power to change the world for the better. The ability to safely and efficiently transport people and goods across the globe is vital to our modern economy and way of life, and aircraft maintenance plays a crucial role in ensuring that these aircraft can do so. The aviation industry is constantly evolving and advancing, and I am excited about the opportunity to be a part of this dynamic field. I am fascinated by the technical intricacies of aircraft systems and the precision and skill required to maintain and repair them. From engines to avionics to structural components, aircraft maintenance technicians are responsible for ensuring that every aspect of an aircraft is in optimal working condition. The idea of being responsible for ensuring the safety and reliability of these incredible machines is both daunting and exhilarating. I am eager to learn about the latest technologies and techniques used in the industry and to apply this knowledge in a real-world setting. The field of aircraft maintenance is constantly evolving, and I am excited about the opportunity to stay current with new advancements and to continue to learn and grow throughout my career. I am also interested in exploring the different specializations within aircraft maintenance, such as avionics, structures, and powerplants, and discovering which area interests me the most. Beyond the technical aspects, I am also drawn to the teamwork and collaboration that are required in this field. From the engineers who design the aircraft to the manufacturers who build the components to the maintenance technicians who keep the aircraft in optimal working condition, every member of the team plays a vital role in ensuring that the aircraft is safe and reliable. I am excited about the opportunity to be part of such a dynamic and dedicated community of professionals. In short, I am truly passionate about pursuing an education in aircraft maintenance because it combines my love of technology, my desire to make a difference in the world, and my interest in working with a team of skilled professionals. I believe that this field offers a challenging and rewarding career path, and I am excited to take the first steps toward becoming a part of it. With the help of this scholarship, I do not doubt that I will be able to devote my time and effort to achieving my goal of becoming a skilled and knowledgeable aircraft maintenance technician and making a positive impact on the aviation industry and, by extension, the world.

Learning is what makes development, fulfillment, and success in life possible. To succeed, one must fail, as from that failure comes the reassessment and development needed to succeed and become fulfilled. There's an old saying that states, "Before you earn, you must place an "L" in front of it," meaning that one must learn before one earns or achieves something. The mentality expressed by that phrase can be applied to all disciplines, pursuits, and aspects of life where one may want to grow into something greater. Many stories of success exemplify the universality and validity of the "learn before you earn" statement, where one learns from setbacks to set themselves up to come back stronger; one such story is that of Soichiro Honda, the man behind the Honda Motor Company. Honda was a tinkerer by nature and gained a passion for motors and mechanical engineering through tinkering with engines in his workshop. He eventually came up with the idea of the piston ring to make engines run more efficiently and attempted to sell his idea to Toyota, but had the design ridiculed by engineers who said it didn't meet industry standards. Armed with that lesson, Mr. Honda went to school and learned all he could about mechanical engineering to hone and refine his designs, which he eventually sold to Toyota. From there, he started a motor business, but his factory was bombed twice during WWII. Once the war was over and he had rebuilt his factory, it was destroyed by an earthquake. Through those times, however, Honda decided to find a way, using all his knowledge gained through his experiences to find a way to continue working on what he cared about so that he could learn even more about it. At one point, Japan had a gasoline shortage. He used the knowledge he gained from his experiences and studies to affix a small motor to a bicycle and create an efficient motorcycle. With time and his lessons in business learned through failure, he was able to successfully capitalize on its popularity and viability at the time by building a factory to manufacture motorbikes, which finally made him a successful businessman, and his move to also start car manufacturing made Honda Motor Co. the largest manufacturer of engines to date. Without learning anything from his experiences, Honda Motor Company may have never come to be. Honda's story is complete. My story is still being written, and learning is and always will be the key to any door that I must open in life. Learning is the reason I take risks and have no fear of failure or loss because every loss is never simply a lesson. Learning is the reason I can grow as a person and adapt to change. Learning itself, if it weren't so ubiquitous among people, would be a unique personality trait of mine. I am a learner, and as I age, I intend to stay a student of life and stay open to all the lessons and knowledge that my life will impart to me. I know that, regardless of my age at any point in life, continuing to learn from all that is around me and applying prior knowledge will allow me to extract the most value out of myself and my pursuits. Learning is everything to me; if at any point I wasn't able to learn, there's nothing in life I'd be able to earn.

Life By Jerry Vargas 9/30/22 Hello! I come and go, some may say ebb and flow To all things, I am known yet truly unknown I am life. Some say I am always here, yet my end to many is a spawn of fears and tears But their hope of my return calms their qualms and makes me seen as a gift I'm an Omnipresent present I am life. Whether you know it or not you received me, so let's take a ride We'll travel a road that twists and turns but end up right at a destination that either soothes or burns I am life. I'm as spontaneous yet as deliberate as anything else Sometimes I stay content with some-self, other times I swiftly put some on a shelf I am life. Growth, regression, loss, and repossession, they'll accompany us on our ride I promise you I have nothing to hide This ride is always gonna be as original and fulfilling as you make it, but only as long as I choose Because for me to stick around I need to reap what was sown after all the garden is grown. And start again on fresh ground. I am Life. You'll see me in others and that'll either inspire or burn To me, it makes no difference, when I rest I never twist and turn Just remember when our ride is over, for you I may never return You see, I have no rules, no order I am life. Many of me yet I am one thing. One of you yet there are many. With that relationship, are we the same or different? I have no clue, I only know one thing for sure I am Life. Oh! I forgot to ask, who are you?

Firearms have been the subject of many American controversies. From the unfortunate events dating back to Columbine to the most recent school shooting tragedy in Uvalde, guns have been an enabler of irreversible damage and malice towards others, for that reason, many, including myself, believe that there need to be more stringent measures in place to ensure a drastic reduction in their use for crimes. If I were to have any part to play in the reformation of gun rights concerning the Second Amendment, I would create a petition whose signatures in support of extremely tight background checks would be shown to my Representatives, Senators, and Governor. In conjunction, I would draft and send each of them a letter asking them to consider proposing not only state-level requirements of psychological evaluations for prospective gun owners, but also to ban the sale of assault-style weapons, ammunition, and tactical gear to anyone but law enforcement entities and special personnel (such as gun range owners) or extremely well-vetted consumers. If such a ban were to be implemented in conjunction with tight background checks that evaluate a person criminally, occupationally, psychologically, and financially, then cases such as the shootings in Buffalo, Uvalde, Parkland, and Columbine would never have happened. All of the perpetrators in those situations would have never been granted access to a gun, given their questionable backgrounds and previous run-ins with the law, if such checks were in place. Within the letter, I would also ask them to propose legislation to Congress that would give law enforcement entities the ability to crack down on illegal and untraceable arms and implement such policies federally and establish a system that gathers data from all the States' Criminal Records Systems, from the IRS regarding financial history and troubles, and a standard psychological evaluation for all gun buyers. Given the likely outcomes of the implementation of any of these policies, if they were to be created and implemented on a federal level, I firmly believe that their implementation or even the implementation of something as simple as raising the age requirement for guns or giving a standard psychological test form that prospective gun owners would need to complete and have evaluated would be an excellent step in the direction of decreased violence the case of mass shootings but would also decrease many communal crimes driven by armed gangs. Moreover, many suicides could be prevented as people's responses to a psychological form for evaluation could be considered to show signs of being suicidal, and they could be offered help, yet not given a gun so that they may have more time beyond the fraction of a second it takes to end one's life with a firearm to decide to live. Overall, if I were to have a significant role in changing an issue in society, I would like to help the United States as a whole by decreasing gun violence in all forms by encouraging my community and extensions of it to push for legislation that would ensure only those responsible and mentally capable enough of wielding a gun may be able to acquire one in our state and then push for such regulation to be federally instituted.

Around four years ago, I promised my father that I would become the best martial artist I could be. I promised to achieve this goal by earning a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Wrestling in high school, and honing my skills within Boxing and Muay Thai. Such a commitment to becoming the best martial artist I could be, transformed a hobby of mine at the time into an overwhelming passion that transformed me. As I found myself more dedicated to martial arts than ever, with each training session and lesson, I began to become mentally stronger and sharper. Taking what I had developed from training into other areas of life, I began to challenge myself in school, I became more responsible than ever at home, and I became more organized in my time than ever. These developments helped me to become a better student, competitor, brother, and son. My martial arts journey also gave me a new perspective on life, one that I apply in all areas from martial arts itself to engineering and everything in between. I see things now from a problem solving perspective, one that allows me to do many things from figuring out the best move to maximize scoring in competition, to using out-of-the-box strategies in revising a glider to make it fly the furthest in engineering class. Committing myself to become the best martial artist I can be has undoubtedly led me to become the best me I could be.