Hello! My name is Penelope James Dower. My first name is after Penelope from the Odessey, and my middle name is after my dad's best friend from childhood who helped take care of me when I was little. I'm 15 and I'm a triplet; my siblings names are Henry and Matilda. They're both named after book characters as well. I'm currently a freshman at Vines High School in Plano, Texas. I'm also currently a freshman at Collin College, enrolled in a dual-credit program. My class is the second year ever to participate so they kind of treat us like guinea pigs, but it's a really awesome opportunity! I'm part of Vines Orchestra; I play second violin in their Philharmonic Orchestra. I really enjoy the sense of community in the orchestra room, the physical and mental benefits of playing an instrument, and the interesting music we get to learn and play. I'm currently applying to become a freshman representative in said orchestra. Outside of school I'm a consistent volunteer for The Friendship Circle of Dallas, an organization focused on helping Autistic children make friends and learn social skills. I love the kids I work with, each and every one is the sweetest little kid, and every smile means the world. Each time I come, I help set up, play with the kids, help manage any situation that may occur with one of the kids, supervise activities, and help clean up. When I grow up, I hope to get a bachelor's degree in biostatistics and bioinformatics from the University of North Texas, then I'll get into the master's degree program at Rice University and get a master's degree in biostatistics and bioinformatics. I want to become a Bioinformatics Scientist. I know I'd be successful because I thrive in academic environments, and I always strive to learn as well as I can and get the most out of every opportunity. I'm especially passionate about epidemiology, the study of diseases and their effect on society. As a Bioinformatics Scientist I would conduct research and make data sets, one step at a time, making breakthroughs in healthcare field and raising the quality of life for millions. For the past two years, I have been living with chronic arthritis focused on my neck and shoulders, impacting some of my motor function and causing a lot of pain daily, I've recently found better ways to manage it but with better research, I could enjoy my life more. As someone who has struggled with chronic pain, through research and testing is extremely important to me in order to get the best results to the American people who deserve relief and happiness.