Despite my favorite books being fictional stories, the messages and characters conveyed in these stories are far from unrealistic. From the vast lands and thrilling challenges of a hero’s journey to the tender and heartfelt encounters of a growing romance, there are many things that the books I have read have taught me about life. In my favorite book, The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas, the main character spends the majority of the story exacting his slow yet calculated revenge on those who wronged him years earlier in his life. However, after winning his vengeance, he questions whether he made the right decision in “playing God” over people’s lives. His experience striking down his enemies reveals a critical message to readers: the greatest revenge is won not through returning the favor, but by prevailing over adversity. This idea taught me that it is important to not get hung up over the unpleasant things that others may do throughout my life; what’s most important is to focus on moving forward and doing what’s best for myself. Another book that I love especially for what it has taught me is Paulo Coelho's The Alchemist, in which the protagonist leaves behind his quiet and mundane life as a sheep herder on a journey for a treasure hidden in the Egyptian pyramids. On his journey, he meets a gypsy, a crystal merchant, a beautiful woman, and an alchemist, all of whom greatly affect his perception of life and the meaning of his “Personal Legend”. When he finally reaches the pyramids, he discovers that his treasure is not hidden there, but actually lies beneath an old sycamore tree in the abandoned church where his story had begun. For me, the greatest takeaway from this book was that despite how focused I may be on my end goals, I should always recognize and appreciate the lessons I learned and the people I met along the way, who truly make my journey what it is. I could go on about all the inspirational and heartfelt lessons I have understood from the many works I have read, but what I appreciate most about these books is that they have constantly taught me open-mindedness. I believe that the best way to understand a new experience is to read about this experience through the eyes of a character who has. By doing so, I can understand the complexities of their situation, while also understanding their sentiments and applying them to my life. This is perhaps the greatest gift that books have given to the world: they allow us to understand and care for the lives of those whom we have never met, and may never meet. The value of books in my life is so great that I plan to study literature and writing in college, honing my ability to communicate stories through pen and paper so that I may inspire people to be more open-minded in the same way that I was inspired to do so.

Being a well-rounded student is a title earned not only from one’s physical endeavors but also one’s character. I pride myself greatly on the attributes of my character that have allowed me to achieve the many feats that I have. These accomplishments and the obstacles that came with them can be recognized especially through the traits of Determination, Respect, Innovation, Versatility, Equality, and Nurture. A time when I best demonstrated my determination was during a tennis match that I played during the season of my sophomore year. When our rank-two player was unable to play, I was substituted into the match, doing my best to keep up with the speed and strategy of a player who was many ranks above me. In the end, my firm will to never give up led me to win the game, inspiring me to always put forward my best regardless of the challenge at hand. A moment where I was able to show my respect was when I was in my first accelerated math class in middle school, and I was having a hard time with the coursework. Seeing as I was struggling greatly, my teacher worked consistently with me to understand the material and helped me to do well on a major assignment. After pulling me aside to tell me how proud she was, I thanked her immensely for her patience and dedication to helping me. An obstacle that allowed me to be innovative was when I had to create a visual book report for a book of my choice in middle school. Realizing that I could depict the book’s story through LEGOs, I was able to create a model of the book’s setting along with its characters. Seeing how well my project had turned out, as well as my class and teacher’s response to it, I was very proud that I had taken a new and innovative approach to an ordinary assignment. A time when my versatility shined was earlier this past school year when we were having rehearsals for my school’s International Night on the same day as a band concert. As a member of both SGA and my school’s band, I acted as the liaison to make sure that after the event’s rehearsal, the stage would be set appropriately so that it was ready for the band’s performance later on. This reflected my ability to be versatile through my effort to meet the needs of both groups. An experience that helped me to emphasize equality was when I worked as a student volunteer for my school’s freshmen orientation. As the leader of my group of freshmen, I helped a student who spoke mostly Spanish participate fully in all our activities by communicating with her in her language, allowing her to feel seen and be fully engaged. This simple act helped her to feel welcome in a new environment, which I could tell she greatly appreciated. A moment where I was able to be nurturing was when my middle school class took a field trip to a nearby elementary school to read to the younger students. Though my partner was timid at first, she quickly opened up after a short time of reading and shared her interests with me. When it was time for my class to say goodbye, my partner jumped out of her seat and ran over to hug me, which today reminds me that no matter how big or small my kind acts are, they will always leave an impact on others.

Coming to the US at a young age with a limited yet dynamic perspective on the world I lived in was both an exciting and daunting experience. In what felt like the blink of an eye, my mother’s work had led us to this new and unfamiliar land of endless opportunities. I had left behind so many things that I was worried I might never be able to see again, including my friends, favorite places, and the beautiful culture of a country I had come to see as my second home. However, despite the great value of these things, there was one thing I never left behind: my ambition. Amid the many changes that were taking place in my life, I never let my lack of experience or the fear of the unknown stop me from learning and growing in my new environment. Today, I embody this mindset through all the different groups and organizations I was and currently am a part of at school, such as clubs, sports, honor societies, and student leadership. I am and always have been deeply passionate about all that I do, and I will continue to take every opportunity that presents itself to me as I prepare for this next phase of my academic journey. Of the many things that must be considered as part of the college search process, among the most important for every school is tuition. So much as a school may meet all of my needs, the question of what it will cost constantly weighs on my mind. This question becomes more difficult to answer when taking into account my citizenship status as a foreigner in the US, which disqualifies me from the types of federal aid that my fellow students would be eligible for. As such, to relieve my family of some of the cost, I would use the money from scholarships such as this one to fund my future education. This money would enable me to consider more schools with greater opportunities for not only my studies but my interests as well. As I take my education to the next level, I will continue with all of the endeavors that have made my academic experience thus far so notable. I will continue being a passionate writer, a skillful musician, a hard-working athlete, and a dedicated leader. Most of all, however, I will continue to be a committed learner, always ready to expand my knowledge and use what I have learned to benefit others.

Though I haven’t always realized it, so much of what I have done over the course of my high school career has significantly impacted the lives of those around me. Both in and out of school, I have used my role as a student leader to inspire and create change that would benefit those who I serve. Among all the goals I had set for myself in high school, one of my greatest was that I wanted to be a student who was remembered for all that they had contributed to their school community. To achieve this feat, there was simply one thing I had to do: get involved. With this mentality, I went on to join several activities, including sports teams, clubs, and even student leadership organizations, all of which I leave my mark on by showing my hard work and dedication to all that I do in them. By drawing from all that I have learned and experienced from the different groups I am a part of, I will be able to use my future education to positively affect the lives of those in this next chapter of my life. After graduating high school, I plan to study English in college, with the intention of becoming a writer in the future. As such, one of the primary ways I hope to touch the lives of others, especially those younger than me, is by encouraging them to read. One thing that always disappointed me as a lover of literature was the tremendous emphasis that society placed on subjects pertaining to STEM, which thus resulted in areas relating to the Arts being pushed aside and considered less important. This idea then influenced those at the school level, as many students began believing that the only classes that mattered were their Science and Math classes, and that their “easy” Arts classes were inconsequential. Though I never let this view stop me from pursuing and engaging in the many arts that I love personally, I can only imagine the effect it has had on fellow young Arts lovers who feel that they are inferior to their STEM counterparts. Because of this, I want to dedicate myself to being a writer as well as a citizen who inspires the next generation of writers to read and learn from what they read, and regardless of what anyone or anything tries to convince them of, all passions are equally beautiful and necessary in our society. Above all, everyone should strive to do what makes them happy, because it is when we are most passionate about what we do that we put forward our best work.

From a young age, music has held a significant place in my life. Born to two music lovers, one a charismatic DJ and the other a humble enthusiast, there was never a time I wasn’t surrounded by beautiful sounds. Throughout my time in school, I was always involved in music-related activities, such as band, choir, and even dance. Of all the clubs and groups I participated in at school, I loved those that involved music the most, and thus dedicated myself to getting better at them over time. Years later, I now know how to play four instruments, and am a member of my school’s most advanced band class as well as its music honor society. Even though I always had a tremendous appreciation for music, I would have never imagined that its involvement in my life would grow to be so impactful. One of the major ways that music has had an influence on my life is in the friends I have made over the years, especially in high school. Making friends during my freshman year was made difficult as a result of the pandemic, and doing certain interactive classes virtually, such as band, proved to be a struggle. However, after finally getting the chance to be in a true high school music class my sophomore year, it was well worth the wait. Within a few weeks, I had quickly become friends with the people who made my first actual year in high school so memorable. Through this experience, as well as many others, music has shaped the way I view the world in that it has enabled me to create lasting relationships with people from vastly different backgrounds. It is often said that music is the language that can be understood by all, able to evoke the same feelings in people who would otherwise find little to nothing in common with each other. Considering those that my musical career has allowed me to meet, many of whom are my closest friends, I couldn’t agree more with this belief. Along with this, music has shaped the way I view the world through all the incredible opportunities I have been able to experience as a musician. From being able to work as a sound manager for many of my school’s events, seeing a Broadway show live, and even getting to perform for the Vice President of the United States at a rally for social change, my work as a musician has brought me to the stage and beyond. As such, I am eternally grateful to music for all that it has given me, letting me pour my heart and soul into my instrument with the hope that the beauty of its sound would not only lift me up but also lift those who I share it with.

Growing up, I always had a profound love for writing. English was always my favorite subject in school, as well as the one that I excelled at the most. I loved reading and analyzing the stories of different books, as well as writing extensive essays on what those stories meant and how they applied to real life. What’s more, I would even ask my teachers what books we would be reading in next year’s English class so that I could read them on my own beforehand, in order to develop a deeper understanding of their stories. Seeing my interest in literature, my teachers always encouraged me to read and write as much as I could, constantly recognizing my natural talent for story-creating and pushing me to share it with others. These experiences and more convinced me that no matter what it would take, I would do everything in my power to become a writer. As I learned from a leadership conference I attended months ago: regardless of your skill in any area, you should always pursue what you love doing most. By this principle, I am very fortunate to have the thing that I love doing the most be the very area that I am the most gifted in. What I love most about writing, as well as the subject of English itself, is that it is founded on the boundless imagination of the writer. The freedom to create and communicate stories about love, adventure, self-discovery, and many other themes invites readers to explore their thoughts and expand the horizons of their creativity. Moreover, the various perspectives of different readers leave the ideas presented in each work open to interpretation, revealing an even more diverse story. At its core, this is what makes writing and literature so beautiful: they give people from all walks of life a way to express their thoughts and feelings, while also giving a wide range of audiences a way to understand and connect with these sentiments. I want to pursue an education in English because I want to encourage people of all backgrounds to be inspired by what the vast realm of literature has to offer. I hope to create stories that resonate in the hearts of those who read them, who will later go on to understand more about the world and themselves the more that they read. In this way, my work will serve as a refuge for those who feel alone, a comfort for those who feel down, and a motivation for those who need it. By doing so, I can use literature to help others in the same way that it has helped me.

As a student who left her home country at the tender age of six, I am no stranger to what it means to be a foreigner. Living in two different countries for over ten years, I have learned to navigate the physical and emotional obstacles of life while consistently pursuing the highest standard of academic achievement. When my family moved to the US in 2015 for my mother’s work, having lived on the island of Trinidad beforehand, I was exposed to an array of opportunities both in and out of school that I had never encountered before in my life. In that first year alone, I saw how my older sister fought to learn and master the ropes of an entirely new school system, all while taking part in volunteer opportunities in the community. Observing her example, and wanting to make the most out of every door that was open to me as well, I immediately put myself forward to trying and eventually falling in love with a wide variety of activities. From learning multiple instruments and playing different sports, to joining various clubs and becoming a leader in my school’s community, I have never shied away from a chance to expand my horizons in any area. I see myself greatly in Malgorzata in the way that like her, I am and always have been a very self-driven person. There was rarely a time when anyone had to convince to me try my hand at something, since it was always in my nature to pursue new and different things that I felt I could learn and grow from. This determination in turn fueled my commitment to each of the different skills and interests I have fostered a love for over the years. In addition to this, Malgorzata and I are also alike in the way that we both understood how difficult it is for people from other countries in the US. We have to work twice as hard to prove our worth, our capabilities, and overall to prove that we belong in a foreign land abundant with opportunities. Bravery and resilience are necessary attributes to succeed in a place that we sacrifice so much to be in, ultimately to create a better life for ourselves. These demanding circumstances thus give way to producing some of the most hard-working, learned, and dedicated individuals, which Malgorzata and I both are. Winning this scholarship is important to me because it would serve as a testament to all the years I spent working to be the best student I can be, as well as the most grateful daughter for all the incredible opportunities and resources I have been given. This, as well as the fact that it would aid greatly in funding the next chapter of education in my life, which I have worked ceaselessly to reach.