![user profile avatar](https://static.bold.org/profilePictures/seniorpic2203c45f040b84e7a8b931f5ce29aa04c.webp)
Hobbies and interests
List
Acting And Theater
Anime
Biotechnology
Calisthenics
Engineering
YouTube
Youth Group
Saxophone
Manga
Community Service And Volunteering
Travel And Tourism
Reading
Fantasy
Academic
Adventure
History
Philosophy
Religion
Social Issues
I read books daily
Patrick Vasquez
935
Bold Points1x
Finalist![user profile avatar](https://static.bold.org/profilePictures/seniorpic2203c45f040b84e7a8b931f5ce29aa04c.webp)
Patrick Vasquez
935
Bold Points1x
FinalistBio
Having been involved in Irish Dance, the Church, and countless other organizations, I've been lucky enough to enjoy an array of experiences. Stemming from this diversification of my formative years, came the realization, that for all the differences in people's cultures, there exists an overwhelming similarity in people's feelings and desires, in people’s humanity. Content with a seemingly picturesque view, my analysis of the world stagnated.
High school, however, heralded a cognitive revolution to my otherwise idyllic viewpoint. Along with maturation came the reconciliation of insecurities of intelligence, leading to a spike in self-confidence, academic performance, and historical interest. Within the latter were concerns for the minority, a natural reflection of the ideals of charity that the Church had instilled upon me.
Such ideals, however, proved scarce. Rather, I learned of genocide, apartheid states, and sickening injustice. My frustration spilled over to peers and teachers, as I debated each one over historical misconceptions, mourning over the forgotten stories of the oppressed and incensed over the injustices of the present. Before long, I realized the silenced voices of yesterday have become the agonizing screams of today.
Though I’m resolved to help, my views on how shift constantly, whether my efforts are best put to biomedical engineering or lawyering, tackling long-ignored medical needs or addressing the glare of systemic injustices that blind me with each glance. Regardless, I’m determined to take on the ineffable inequalities staining our world.
Education
East Islip High School
High SchoolMiscellaneous
Desired degree level:
Master's degree program
Majors of interest:
- Biotechnology
- Biological/Biosystems Engineering
- Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Other
Career
Dream career field:
Biotechnology
Dream career goals:
Delivery Driver/Front Counter
Siu's Kitchen2023 – Present1 yearCrew Trainer
Hunt Enterprises2021 – 20243 years
Sports
Volleyball
Junior Varsity2021 – 20221 year
Awards
- Captain
Volleyball
Varsity2023 – 20241 year
Awards
- White Letter Award
- All-County Academic
Arts
Bayway Performing Arts Center
MusicSpongebob Squarepants: The Musical, Spongebob Squarepants Jr.: The Musical2022 – 2022East Islip High School
MusicAnastasia, The Sound of Music, Catch Me If You Can, Mean Girls2020 – Present
Public services
Volunteering
Broadway Dance Theater — First Chair Saxophonist2022 – 2022Volunteering
EIHS World Language Honors Society — Member2021 – 2023Volunteering
Trinity Lutheran Youth Group — Youth Leader2019 – PresentVolunteering
EIHS Math Honors Society — Member2022 – PresentVolunteering
EIHS Tri-M Honors Society — President2021 – PresentVolunteering
EIHS National Honor Society — Member2023 – PresentVolunteering
Lighthouse Mission — Food Line Volunteer2020 – 2020Volunteering
Trinity Lutheran VBS — Head Teacher2019 – 2024Volunteering
EIHS Key Club — Vice President2022 – 2024
Future Interests
Advocacy
Volunteering
Philanthropy
Entrepreneurship
Janie Mae "Loving You to Wholeness" Scholarship
Throughout my life, I’ve been fortunate enough to be able to discover a variety of interests, from saxophone to Irish Dance. What has consistently trumped these, however, has proved time and time again to be the wonderful species I’m proud to call myself a part of: humanity. Whether it manifests as a quirky individual, a heart-wrenching recounting of one’s past, or simply a quiet conversation between friends, humanity and its many facets have proven to be the most captivating topic I’ve delved into. As such, a want to improve the happiness and physical well-being of those that inspire and beguile me developed naturally, eventually leading me to count community service as one of the most important aspects of my life, as it allows me to return some modicum of happiness to the species that has granted me my own.
Serving as a primary exposition to developing such ideals of service was one of the earliest settings I’ve been familiarized to, that of the Church. Through Trinity Lutheran’s Youth Group, I was able to learn of the importance of creating safe, welcoming environments for people of all backgrounds, and saw for myself the personal development many members were able to enjoy, as it provided a place of love and safety for those who might not have known it. Inspired by this, I made sure to involve myself with the Youth Group as much as possible, making sure to attend each meeting, outreach event, food line, and service mission. With each of these, I grew more understanding of unfulfilled needs in any community, as well as more captivated by both the wide grins and pain-filled tears that lined the faces of those I met. Unable to depart with such exposure, I’ve worked with the Youth Group to this day, continuing on to become a Youth Leader in spite of my current lack of faith, as I know my efforts are well-spent, whether they be in faith of Christianity or humanity.
Seeking to enact such ideals of service and love in school as well as out, I’ve been lucky to have had the opportunity to work with the many community service organizations in EIHS. For instance, through my last two years as Key Club Vice President, I’ve been able to take an active leadership role in organizing such community events, from food drives to the Talent Show. Seeking to capitalize as much as possible on the latter, as it’s consistently Key Club’s biggest event of the year, I sought to involve as many parts of the school as possible. So, after speaking with the respective faculty members, I recruited band kids to supervise the ensemble room as our performers warmed up, Videovation members to live-stream the event, and photography students to take pictures, which would be used to promote the show in future years. With the involvement of EI’s diverse student body, Key Club was able to call this event a complete success, raising over $500 for Mercy Haven, a local organization that assists the homeless, impoverished, and disabled. As I’ve sought to employ such tactics throughout my organizations, specifically through the musical events I’ve organized this year as Tri-M President, I hope to have created a more cohesive and friendly school, as people, regrettably, often first need exposure to realize the beauty and amiability of those that surround them.
As I move on from this chapter of my life, I seek to not only continue the work I’ve been able to accomplish, but develop a career that serves a similar purpose.
Eleven Scholarship
The White kid in Brentwood and the Brown kid in East Islip.
Having moved from a Black and Brown town to a predominantly white on`e, both sides of my mixed ancestry have, at their respective times, been my most prominent features. I was never a stranger to racial tensions; I’d been lucky enough to be educated on the history of the Black struggle in the United States by my mother, and reassured of the pride I should take in my multi-heritage by her and my father. So, in about middle school, once I'd experienced both environments, I noticed the differing racial nuances surrounding my identity.
This dichotomy of identity sparked my interest in social environments. The fact that I, as normal as anyone else, could be regarded so differently simply because of the majority that surrounded me, opened my eyes to the position of the minority and allowed me to empathize with the casual discrimination and alienation peoples around the world feel constantly.
So, in YouTube videos, history textbooks, and countless Wikipedia articles, I learned of the minority in history. Delving first into my own heritage, my perceptions of Irish and Salvadoran cultures were transformed. “Up the ra” was no longer some random Irish phrase, it was a rallying cry against British subjugation. Salvadoran Independence Day evolved from an excuse to eat pupusas to a symbol of my ancestors' resilience against Spanish colonialism. Naturally, I noticed the similarities between the two, and further between the entirety of the Indigenous population of the Americas, the Celtics who were so often targeted by the Anglo-Saxons, and countless other minority groups.
Despite the empowerment in this interest, with each injustice I read of, genocide I stumbled upon, and apartheid state I found established, I grew sadder, and I grew angrier. My frustration was limitless; I turned to friends, teachers, and family, debating each one over historical misconceptions, mourning over the forgotten stories of the oppressed and incensed over the injustices of the present. Before long, I realized that these were one and the same. The silenced voices of yesterday have become the agonizing screams of today.
I have to do something. My views on what exactly I will do shift constantly, whether my talents are best put to civil engineering, tackling the physical needs of underdeveloped infrastructure of poverty-stricken communities, or better spent in biomedical engineering, addressing the glare of inequalities in healthcare that blind me with each glance at the world. Regardless, as I move on from this chapter of my life, I seek to not only continue the work I’ve been able to accomplish, but develop a career that serves a similar purpose.
With the help of this scholarship, I’ll prioritize work in engineering that improves the quality of life for people around the globe, making sure to emphasize affordability and ease-of-access whenever possible, to ensure that low-income communities can benefit as any others would. In continuing this emphasis on real people and their issues, I hope to continue to broaden my worldview through a diversity in relationships and environments, so that I might become as well equipped to assist the people of this world as I can.
Just like everyone else, I know I don’t have all the answers, but my potential for growth is limitless. So, in all aspects, I will grow, hoping and working to achieve my dreams of effecting positive, sustainable change for the people of the world.
Peter and Nan Liubenov Student Scholarship
Throughout my life, I’ve been fortunate enough to be able to discover a variety of interests, from saxophone to Irish Dance. What has consistently trumped these, however, has proved time and time again to be the wonderful species I’m proud to call myself a part of: humanity. Whether it manifests as a quirky individual, a heart-wrenching recounting of one’s past, or simply a quiet conversation between friends, humanity and its many facets have proven to be the most captivating topic I’ve delved into. As such, a want to improve the happiness and physical well-being of those that inspire and beguile me developed naturally, eventually leading me to count community service as one of the most important aspects of my life, as it allows me to return some modicum of happiness to the species that has granted me my own.
Serving as a primary exposition to developing such ideals of service was one of the earliest settings I’ve been familiarized to, that of the Church. Through Trinity Lutheran’s Youth Group, I was able to learn of the importance of creating safe, welcoming environments for people of all backgrounds, and saw for myself the personal development many members were able to enjoy, as it provided a place of love and safety for those who might not have known it. Inspired by this, I made sure to involve myself with the Youth Group as much as possible, making sure to attend each meeting, outreach event, food line, and service mission. With each of these, I grew more understanding of unfulfilled needs in any community, as well as more captivated by both the wide grins and pain-filled tears that lined the faces of those I met. Unable to depart with such exposure, I’ve worked with the Youth Group to this day, continuing on to become a Youth Leader in spite of my current lack of faith, as I know my efforts are well-spent, whether they be in faith of Christianity or humanity.
Seeking to enact such ideals of service and love in school as well as out, I’ve been lucky to have had the opportunity to work with the many community service organizations in EIHS. For instance, through my last two years as Key Club Vice President, I’ve been able to take an active leadership role in organizing such community events, from food drives to the Talent Show. Seeking to capitalize as much as possible on the latter, as it’s consistently Key Club’s biggest event of the year, I sought to involve as many parts of the school as possible. So, after speaking with the respective faculty members, I recruited band kids to supervise the ensemble room as our performers warmed up, Videovation members to live-stream the event, and photography students to take pictures, which would be used to promote the show in future years. With the involvement of EI’s diverse student body, Key Club was able to call this event a complete success, raising over $500 for Mercy Haven, a local organization that assists the homeless, impoverished, and disabled. As I’ve sought to employ such tactics throughout my organizations, specifically through the musical events I’ve organized this year as Tri-M President, I hope to have created a more cohesive and friendly school, as people, regrettably, often first need exposure to realize the beauty and amiability of those that surround them.
As I move on from this chapter of my life, I seek to not only continue the work I’ve been able to accomplish, but develop a career that serves a similar purpose.
Walking In Authority International Ministry Scholarship
Throughout my life, I’ve been fortunate enough to be able to discover a variety of interests, from saxophone to Irish Dance. What has consistently trumped these, however, has proved time and time again to be the wonderful species I’m proud to call myself a part of: humanity. Whether it manifests as a quirky individual, a heart-wrenching recounting of one’s past, or simply a quiet conversation between friends, humanity and its many facets have proven to be the most captivating topic I’ve delved into. As such, a want to improve the happiness and physical well-being of those that inspire and beguile me developed naturally, eventually leading me to count community service as one of the most important aspects of my life, as it allows me to return some modicum of happiness to the species that has granted me my own.
Serving as a primary exposition to developing such ideals of service was one of the earliest settings I’ve been familiarized to, that of the Church. Through Trinity Lutheran’s Youth Group, I was able to learn of the importance of creating safe, welcoming environments for people of all backgrounds, and saw for myself the personal development many members were able to enjoy, as it provided a place of love and safety for those who might not have known it. Inspired by this, I made sure to involve myself with the Youth Group as much as possible, making sure to attend each meeting, outreach event, food line, and service mission. With each of these, I grew more understanding of unfulfilled needs in any community, as well as more captivated by both the wide grins and pain-filled tears that lined the faces of those I met. Unable to depart with such exposure, I’ve worked with the Youth Group to this day, continuing on to become a Youth Leader in spite of my current lack of faith, as I know my efforts are well-spent, whether they be in faith of Christianity or humanity.
Seeking to enact such ideals of service and love in school as well as out, I’ve been lucky to have had the opportunity to work with the many community service organizations in EIHS. For instance, through my last two years as Key Club Vice President, I’ve been able to take an active leadership role in organizing such community events, from food drives to the Talent Show. Seeking to capitalize as much as possible on the latter, as it’s consistently Key Club’s biggest event of the year, I sought to involve as many parts of the school as possible. So, after speaking with the respective faculty members, I recruited band kids to supervise the ensemble room as our performers warmed up, Videovation members to live-stream the event, and photography students to take pictures, which would be used to promote the show in future years. With the involvement of EI’s diverse student body, Key Club was able to call this event a complete success, raising over $500 for Mercy Haven, a local organization that assists the homeless, impoverished, and disabled. As I’ve sought to employ such tactics throughout my organizations, specifically through the musical events I’ve organized this year as Tri-M President, I hope to have created a more cohesive and friendly school, as people, regrettably, often first need exposure to realize the beauty and amiability of those that surround them. As I move on from this chapter of my life, I seek to not only continue the work I’ve been able to accomplish, but develop a career that serves a similar purpose.
Simon Strong Scholarship
The White kid in Brentwood and the Brown kid in East Islip.
Having moved from a Black and Brown town to a predominantly white on`e, both sides of my mixed ancestry have, at their respective times, been my most prominent features. I was never a stranger to racial tensions; I’d been lucky enough to be educated on the history of the Black struggle in the United States by my mother, and reassured of the pride I should take in my multi-heritage by her and my father. So, in about middle school, once I'd experienced both environments, I noticed the differing racial nuances surrounding my identity.
My friends called me Patrick in Brentwood, but Vasquez in East Islip. I was known for doing Irish Dance in Brentwood, but for speaking Spanish in East Islip. I was ridiculed as a starving leprechaun in Brentwood, but an illegal immigrant in East Islip. It seemed that no matter where I was, there was a way to make me into “the other.”
This dichotomy of identity sparked my interest in social environments. The fact that I, as normal as anyone else, could be regarded so differently simply because of the majority that surrounded me, opened my eyes to the position of the minority and allowed me to empathize with the casual discrimination and alienation peoples around the world feel constantly.
I regard my sophomore and junior years of high school as my own “Great Awakening”. Bearing little relationship to the original use of the term, my Great Awakening featured reconciliations with insecurities of body image, sexuality, and intelligence that had plagued me since childhood, leading to a sudden rush of self-confidence, academic performance, and historical interest. Within the latter was most clearly the concerns of the minority, a natural reflection of the marginalization I’d felt in both of my formative communities, regardless of my shared characteristics with the majority.
So, in YouTube videos, history textbooks, and countless Wikipedia articles, I learned of the minority in history. Delving first into my own heritage, my perceptions of Irish and Salvadoran cultures were transformed. “Up the ra” was no longer some random Irish phrase, it was a rallying cry against British subjugation. Salvadoran Independence Day evolved from an excuse to eat pupusas to a symbol of my ancestors' resilience against Spanish colonialism. Naturally, I noticed the similarities between the two, and further between the entirety of the Indigenous population of the Americas, the Celtics who were so often targeted by the Anglo-Saxons, and countless other minority groups.
I have to do something. My views on what exactly I will do shift constantly, whether my talents are best put to civil engineering, tackling the physical needs of underdeveloped infrastructure of poverty-stricken communities, or better spent in biomedical engineering, addressing the glare of inequalities in healthcare that blind me with each glance at the world. Regardless, as I move on from this chapter of my life, I seek to not only continue the work I’ve been able to accomplish, but develop a career that serves a similar purpose.
With the help of this scholarship, I’ll prioritize work in engineering that improves the quality of life for people around the globe, making sure to emphasize affordability and ease-of-access whenever possible, to ensure that low-income communities can benefit as any others would. In continuing this emphasis on real people and their issues, I hope to continue to broaden my worldview through a diversity in relationships and environments, so that I might become as well equipped to assist the people of this world as I can.
Kalia D. Davis Memorial Scholarship
The White kid in Brentwood and the Brown kid in East Islip.
Having moved from a Black and Brown town to a predominantly white on`e, both sides of my mixed ancestry have, at their respective times, been my most prominent features. I was never a stranger to racial tensions; I’d been lucky enough to be educated on the history of the Black struggle in the United States by my mother, and reassured of the pride I should take in my multi-heritage by her and my father. So, in about middle school, once I'd experienced both environments, I noticed the differing racial nuances surrounding my identity.
This dichotomy of identity sparked my interest in social environments. The fact that I, as normal as anyone else, could be regarded so differently simply because of the majority that surrounded me, opened my eyes to the position of the minority and allowed me to empathize with the casual discrimination and alienation peoples around the world feel constantly.
So, in YouTube videos, history textbooks, and countless Wikipedia articles, I learned of the minority in history. Delving first into my own heritage, my perceptions of Irish and Salvadoran cultures were transformed. “Up the ra” was no longer some random Irish phrase, it was a rallying cry against British subjugation. Salvadoran Independence Day evolved from an excuse to eat pupusas to a symbol of my ancestors' resilience against Spanish colonialism. Naturally, I noticed the similarities between the two, and further between the entirety of the Indigenous population of the Americas, the Celtics who were so often targeted by the Anglo-Saxons, and countless other minority groups.
Despite the empowerment in this interest, with each injustice I read of, genocide I stumbled upon, and apartheid state I found established, I grew sadder, and I grew angrier. My frustration was limitless; I turned to friends, teachers, and family, debating each one over historical misconceptions, mourning over the forgotten stories of the oppressed and incensed over the injustices of the present. Before long, I realized that these were one and the same. The silenced voices of yesterday have become the agonizing screams of today.
I have to do something. My views on what exactly I will do shift constantly, whether my talents are best put to civil engineering, tackling the physical needs of underdeveloped infrastructure of poverty-stricken communities, or better spent in biomedical engineering, addressing the glare of inequalities in healthcare that blind me with each glance at the world. Regardless, as I move on from this chapter of my life, I seek to not only continue the work I’ve been able to accomplish, but develop a career that serves a similar purpose.
With the help of this scholarship, I’ll prioritize work that improves the quality of life for people around the globe, making sure to emphasize affordability and ease-of-access whenever possible, to ensure that low-income communities can benefit as any others would. In continuing this emphasis on real people and their issues, I hope to continue to broaden my worldview through a diversity in relationships and environments, so that I might become as well equipped to assist the people of this world as I can.
Just like everyone else, I know I don’t have all the answers, but my potential for growth is limitless. So, in all aspects, I will grow, hoping and working to achieve my dreams of effecting positive, sustainable change for the people of the world.
HM Family Scholarship
The White kid in Brentwood and the Brown kid in East Islip.
Having moved from a Black and Brown town to a predominantly white on`e, both sides of my mixed ancestry have, at their respective times, been my most prominent features. I was never a stranger to racial tensions; I’d been lucky enough to be educated on the history of the Black struggle in the United States by my mother, and reassured of the pride I should take in my multi-heritage by her and my father. So, in about middle school, once I'd experienced both environments, I noticed the differing racial nuances surrounding my identity.
This dichotomy of identity sparked my interest in social environments. The fact that I, as normal as anyone else, could be regarded so differently simply because of the majority that surrounded me, opened my eyes to the position of the minority and allowed me to empathize with the casual discrimination and alienation peoples around the world feel constantly.
So, in YouTube videos, history textbooks, and countless Wikipedia articles, I learned of the minority in history. Delving first into my own heritage, my perceptions of Irish and Salvadoran cultures were transformed. “Up the ra” was no longer some random Irish phrase, it was a rallying cry against British subjugation. Salvadoran Independence Day evolved from an excuse to eat pupusas to a symbol of my ancestors' resilience against Spanish colonialism. Naturally, I noticed the similarities between the two, and further between the entirety of the Indigenous population of the Americas, the Celtics who were so often targeted by the Anglo-Saxons, and countless other minority groups.
Despite the empowerment in this interest, with each injustice I read of, genocide I stumbled upon, and apartheid state I found established, I grew sadder, and I grew angrier. My frustration was limitless; I turned to friends, teachers, and family, debating each one over historical misconceptions, mourning over the forgotten stories of the oppressed and incensed over the injustices of the present. Before long, I realized that these were one and the same. The silenced voices of yesterday have become the agonizing screams of today.
I have to do something. My views on what exactly I will do shift constantly, whether my talents are best put to civil engineering, tackling the physical needs of underdeveloped infrastructure of poverty-stricken communities, or better spent in biomedical engineering, addressing the glare of inequalities in healthcare that blind me with each glance at the world. Regardless, as I move on from this chapter of my life, I seek to not only continue the work I’ve been able to accomplish, but develop a career that serves a similar purpose.
With the help of this scholarship, I’ll prioritize work in engineering that improves the quality of life for people around the globe, making sure to emphasize affordability and ease-of-access whenever possible, to ensure that low-income communities can benefit as any others would. In continuing this emphasis on real people and their issues, I hope to continue to broaden my worldview through a diversity in relationships and environments, so that I might become as well equipped to assist the people of this world as I can.
Just like everyone else, I know I don’t have all the answers, but my potential for growth is limitless. So, in all aspects, I will grow, hoping and working to achieve my dreams of effecting positive, sustainable change for the people of the world.
Morgan Levine Dolan Community Service Scholarship
The White kid in Brentwood and the Brown kid in East Islip.
Having moved from a Black and Brown town to a predominantly white one, both sides of my mixed ancestry have, at their respective times, been my most prominent features. I was never a stranger to racial tensions; I’d been lucky enough to be educated on the history of the Black struggle in the United States by my mother, and reassured of the pride I should take in my multi-heritage by her and my father. So, in about middle school, once I'd experienced both environments, I noticed the differing racial nuances surrounding my identity.
This dichotomy of identity sparked my interest in social environments. The fact that I, as normal as anyone else, could be regarded so differently simply because of the majority that surrounded me, opened my eyes to the position of the minority and allowed me to empathize with the casual discrimination and alienation peoples around the world feel constantly.
So, in YouTube videos, history textbooks, and countless Wikipedia articles, I learned of the minority in history. Delving first into my own heritage, my perceptions of Irish and Salvadoran cultures were transformed. “Up the ra” was no longer some random Irish phrase, it was a rallying cry against British subjugation. Salvadoran Independence Day evolved from an excuse to eat pupusas to a symbol of my ancestors' resilience against Spanish colonialism. Naturally, I noticed the similarities between the two, and further between the entirety of the Indigenous population of the Americas, the Celtics who were so often targeted by the Anglo-Saxons, and countless other minority groups.
Despite the empowerment in this interest, with each injustice I read of, genocide I stumbled upon, and apartheid state I found established, I grew sadder, and I grew angrier. My frustration was limitless; I turned to friends, teachers, and family, debating each one over historical misconceptions, mourning over the forgotten stories of the oppressed and incensed over the injustices of the present. Before long, I realized that these were one and the same. The silenced voices of yesterday have become the agonizing screams of today.
I have to do something. My views on what exactly I will do shift constantly, whether my talents are best put to civil engineering, tackling the physical needs of underdeveloped infrastructure of poverty-stricken communities, or better spent in biomedical engineering, addressing the glare of inequalities in healthcare that blind me with each glance at the world. Regardless, as I move on from this chapter of my life, I seek to not only continue the work I’ve been able to accomplish, but develop a career that serves a similar purpose.
With the help of this scholarship, I’ll prioritize work that improves the quality of life for people around the globe, making sure to emphasize affordability and ease-of-access whenever possible, to ensure that low-income communities can benefit as any others would. In continuing this emphasis on real people and their issues, I hope to continue to broaden my worldview through a diversity in relationships and environments, so that I might become as well equipped to assist the people of this world as I can.
Just like everyone else, I know I don’t have all the answers, but my potential for growth is limitless. So, in all aspects, I will grow, hoping and working to achieve my dreams of effecting positive, sustainable change for the people of the world.
William A. Stuart Dream Scholarship
I regard my sophomore and junior years of high school as my own “Great Awakening”. Bearing little relationship to the original use of the term, my Great Awakening featured reconciliations with insecurities of body image, sexuality, and intelligence that had plagued me since childhood, leading to a sudden rush of self-confidence, academic performance, and historical interest. Within the latter was most clearly the concerns of the minority, a natural reflection of the marginalization I’d felt in both of my formative communities, regardless of my shared characteristics with the majority.
So, in YouTube videos, history textbooks, and countless Wikipedia articles, I learned of the minority in history. Delving first into my own heritage, my perceptions of Irish and Salvadoran cultures were transformed. “Up the ra” was no longer some random Irish phrase, it was a rallying cry against British subjugation. Salvadoran Independence Day evolved from an excuse to eat pupusas to a symbol of my ancestors' resilience against Spanish colonialism. Naturally, I noticed the similarities between the two, and further between the entirety of the Indigenous population of the Americas, the Celtics who were so often targeted by the Anglo-Saxons, and countless other minority groups.
Despite the empowerment in this interest, with each injustice I read of, genocide I stumbled upon, and apartheid state I found established, I grew sadder, and I grew angrier. My frustration was limitless; I turned to friends, teachers, and family, debating each one over historical misconceptions, mourning over the forgotten stories of the oppressed and incensed over the injustices of the present. Before long, I realized that these were one and the same. The silenced voices of yesterday have become the agonizing screams of today.
I have to do something. My views on what exactly I will do shift constantly, whether my talents are best put to civil engineering, tackling the physical needs of underdeveloped infrastructure of poverty-stricken communities, or better spent in biomedical engineering, addressing the glare of inequalities in healthcare that blind me with each glance at the world. Regardless, as I move on from this chapter of my life, I seek to not only continue the work I’ve been able to accomplish, but develop a career that serves a similar purpose.
With the help of this scholarship, I’ll prioritize work in engineering that improves the quality of life for people around the globe, making sure to emphasize affordability and ease-of-access whenever possible, to ensure that low-income communities can benefit as any others would. In continuing this emphasis on real people and their issues, I hope to continue to broaden my worldview through a diversity in relationships and environments, so that I might become as well equipped to assist the people of this world as I can.
Just like everyone else, I know I don’t have all the answers, but my potential for growth is limitless. So, in all aspects, I will grow, hoping and working to achieve my dreams of effecting positive, sustainable change for the people of the world.
Bruce Tucker Scholarship
Throughout my life, I’ve been fortunate enough to be able to discover a variety of interests, from saxophone to Irish Dance. What has consistently trumped these, however, has proved time and time again to be the wonderful species I’m proud to call myself a part of: humanity. Whether it manifests as a quirky individual, a heart-wrenching recounting of one’s past, or simply a quiet conversation between friends, humanity and its many facets have proven to be the most captivating topic I’ve delved into. As such, a want to improve the happiness and physical well-being of those that inspire and beguile me developed naturally, eventually leading me to count community service as one of the most important aspects of my life, as it allows me to return some modicum of happiness to the species that has granted me my own.
Serving as a primary exposition to developing such ideals of service was one of the earliest settings I’ve been familiarized to, that of the Church. Through Trinity Lutheran’s Youth Group, I was able to learn of the importance of creating safe, welcoming environments for people of all backgrounds, and saw for myself the personal development many members were able to enjoy, as it provided a place of love and safety for those who might not have known it. Inspired by this, I made sure to involve myself with the Youth Group as much as possible, making sure to attend each meeting, outreach event, food line, and service mission. With each of these, I grew more understanding of unfulfilled needs in any community, as well as more captivated by both the wide grins and pain-filled tears that lined the faces of those I met. Unable to depart with such exposure, I’ve worked with the Youth Group to this day, continuing on to become a Youth Leader in spite of my current lack of faith, as I know my efforts are well-spent, whether they be in faith of Christianity or humanity.
Seeking to enact such ideals of service and love in school as well as out, I’ve been lucky to have had the opportunity to work with the many community service organizations in EIHS. For instance, through my last two years as Key Club Vice President, I’ve been able to take an active leadership role in organizing such community events, from food drives to the Talent Show. Seeking to capitalize as much as possible on the latter, as it’s consistently Key Club’s biggest event of the year, I sought to involve as many parts of the school as possible. So, after speaking with the respective faculty members, I recruited band kids to supervise the ensemble room as our performers warmed up, Videovation members to live-stream the event, and photography students to take pictures, which would be used to promote the show in future years. With the involvement of EI’s diverse student body, Key Club was able to call this event a complete success, raising over $500 for Mercy Haven, a local organization that assists the homeless, impoverished, and disabled. As I’ve sought to employ such tactics throughout my organizations, specifically through the musical events I’ve organized this year as Tri-M President, I hope to have created a more cohesive and friendly school, as people, regrettably, often first need exposure to realize the beauty and amiability of those that surround them.
As I move on from this chapter of my life, I seek to both continue the work I’ve been able to accomplish and develop a career that serves a similar purpose.