“What is the point of life?” It was a big question for such a little girl. I don’t think my friend actually meant this question on a random day at recess around age 10 to be so big, but being the serious little person I was, I really took it seriously. I came up with a few ideas, but quickly dismissed them, thinking that they were too small and insignificant. The more I thought about it, the more I realized that the answer must be something that banded all people together. There was no way that the meaning of life was to be selfish and live for yourself. The point is to connect. The point is to build relationships. The point is to love as fiercely as you can and to touch the hearts of everyone you meet, and this became my personal goal in life from a young age. This is also why I chose to study to become a licensed optician. Our eyes and our vision are extraordinary gifts that need to be appreciated and understood. We can achieve that through education and volunteering. I want to be able to teach everyone who crosses my path about eye health and the importance of checkups and eyewear maintenance. When I was younger, I never had vision insurance and therefore, I did not get regular checkups. Had I known that there are certain eye issues that should be caught while a person is young, or that headaches could be caused by not being able to see properly, or that many eye issues are caused by a primary illness, I might have found a way to check my eyes. Had I known that I could come to Broward College, for example, and get eye checkups without insurance, I would have gone every year. I want to spread the knowledge that there are options if you don’t have vision insurance and that it is important to do these things for your health. On the other hand, there are so many people that can be helped by volunteering in the field. It is possible to travel to where very few to no ophthalmologists exist and run tests to help discover issues like glaucoma, which if caught early enough can be stalled with medication. Or to help those without insurance get eye care. In becoming an Ophthalmic support service professional, I can achieve these things. Combining my love for helping people and my passion for education, I would use my aptitude for communication to help everyone I encounter. I have always been a person that valued being of service to others and this career is something that would allow me to do that in a big way. Thank you for your consideration of this scholarship.