I am currently a student at the Pennsylvania College of Technology. I am majoring in diesel engines and heavy equipment. How I will master my trade by overcoming my mistakes. My first semester of study was difficult both mentally and physically. I learned a lot but didn't understand how my general electives would benefit my hands-on learning. So I didn't pay that much attention and barely passed. During the start of my second semester, my professor in my lab classes started to speak about certain ways to handle customers and how to handle other co-workers when a problem goes wrong in the field. Things can escalate very quickly. I realized my psychology class on human behavior was the exact same thing he was speaking about. I made the mistake of only focusing on my labs and not my academics in my first semester, now I understand that they all tie together and are just as important. I expect to do better in all my classes this semester. I am currently giving back to my community by helping the local senior homes and churches at my college with maintenance help. This involves everything from yard work to help get the central air conditioning working again. Right now it involves shelving and some outdoor maintenance. Just about anything they need, I do. It might not all be mechanical, but everything that I have learned from school I can apply to everything from a lawn mower to the boiler. It gave me a working understanding of all machinery. I started helping with senior homes and my parish when I was living at home and just transferred the same help to places by my school. I learned how important it is to give back to your community through being a boy scout. I learned the impact it can have on people, both giving and receiving. Donating my time stuck with me and besides, I like all the attention I get from the seniors there. I lost my Grandmother last year and this is kinda a fill-in. It's also nice to feel needed and know that what I do to help them is appreciated. Thank you for taking the time to read this, I might not write the best, or speak the best, but it is the truth. I appreciate the opportunity to apply and am hopeful I can be a winner. Best wishes, Peter Bruno

My trade I am pursuing is Diesel Technology and Heavy Machine Technology. I am passionate about this trade because I finally followed my heart. It sounds a bit cliche, but I struggled with school my whole life. And now in my senior year, I am finally doing well because I was able to apply what I learned to a trade at after school tech program and everything made sense. I no longer hated school. I will be attending Pennsylvania College of Technology this fall. My future plans are to work my internship and hopefully receive job placement. From there I plan on working towards my goal of owning my own diesel equipment and where I will be able to support myself and employ people like myself who just needed to connect their mind and heart and paying back my school loans as quickly as possible. How I have overcome adversity is by learning and watching my parents. Both my parents work two jobs and most of this pays for our home life, but a large part of it went to my tutor Mr. Pulis. I worked with him for my first 11 years of schooling. And even though I had a tutor, I still had to go to summer school for math every summer. Now that I am a senior, I finally realized instead of hating school, if I applied what I learned to my trade, I didn't hate it so much. I needed the math to complete what I was learning about the engine or hydraulics I was working on (I attend a youth trade school after school). I stuck with it and worked hard for every passing grade I received, but it was because I had to do it. Now I want to do it. To be honest, I should of listened to my Mother two years ago, instead of fighting her on everything. How I worked though years of struggling with school and watching my parents work two jobs was knowing their goal for me was to work one job. I finally got smart and realized in order to do what I loved, I needed to apply myself and everything connected. Thank you for taking the time to read this. I might not have had the hardest life out there, but I worked very hard my acceptance to Penn Tech and I am proud of the fact I am now on the honor roll. If you don't choose me for this scholarship, my best wishes for who receives it.

What I have learned about myself is to stop being so stubborn and hiding from things I don't understand. I have always struggled with academics and have had a tutor for many years, simply because I didn't understand the point of everything we were forced to learn. In my senior year, I started to apply my math skills, comprehension skills, and many other skills I learned over the years to the trade I am interested in. Seeing the purpose of learning (better late than never) in my senior year has changed my life, I never thought I would be able to go to college or even wanted to. When I stopped being so stubborn I opened myself up a the having a future and a good job that has growth potential. I am proud to say that my senior year is my best year in school, not because high school is ending, but because I am looking forward to learning at college and building myself up to the person I want to become.

I am passionate about the trade I am pursuing (Diesel Technology) because it made me realize I can be smart not stupid. I will have opportunity because of it and I honestly didn't think it was possible for me to be able to get into a trade school. Sorry to be blunt, but that is the truth. All my life I have struggled with my academics, I have had to work with a tutor every grade until eleventh grade. I am used to having to work hard to pass and to be honest, none of it made sense until my senior year. I realized that instead of hating school, I could apply what I learned in class to what I was learning in vocational school. Everything started to click for me and now I am doing very well in school. If I keep moving forward I know I can have the best life possible. I now know if I apply myself; I can move forward and have opportunity, and I will be able to have a good job and career. None of which I thought was possible for me. How I plan on giving back to my community is to continue to be part of Boys Scouts and my Parish. Boy Scouts had a huge impact on my life and taught me many things. I also made great friends there and we are still part of each other even though we are aged out of scouts. I would like to continue helping other boys like me find a place to feel comfortable and learn things as well. Merit Badges are like a snap shot of a career. I plan on being a merit badge counselor and participating in helping the troop run properly. I also will continue to help my parish by doing the labor aspect of what needs to be done there. Grounds maintenance, setting up the displays for holidays and serving at the food shelter monthly. Being passionate about my future is a great feeling. Knowing I can use my schooling to help me with my trade has boosted my confidence. Now I feel like I have a good future and do something I really love doing. Thank you for taking the time to read this.

Having the opportunity to attend Pennsylvania College of Technology is a dream come true for me. I will be learning how to become a Diesel Mechanic. From the time I was young I always love automotive's and anything related. I have always struggled with my academics and was provided a tutor for my many years. I finally realized that I could apply what I was learning to my career choice and it all clicked for me. I am proud that I am on the honor roll at school and finally enjoy having opportunities before me. Prior to finally getting my head on straight, I didn't think it was possible for me to attend college, whether there was money there or not. Both my parents work hard like any other family trying to make ends meet. They were married young and both lost their fathers at 17 years old. This meant having to help out with providing for their families before having a family of their own. It also meant not being able to attend college. My father works two jobs as a laborer. One is for school grounds and the other is at a plant nursery. My Mother works at a print shop helping run operations there. They recently explained to me that they chose to only have one child because they wanted to be able to provide the best opportunities for me. Having siblings was not an option they could afford. As an only child, this allowed me to focus on Boy Scouts where I went from being a Tiger Cub in 1st grade to an Assistant Patrol Leader in 11th grade. I was able to be a very active part of my troop over the years through volunteering, fundraising, teaching younger scouts that joined the program and also earning many merit badges, which are a snap shot of different careers. It allowed me to be able to travel on trips that we normally couldn't afford to go on as well. This helped shape my future by allowing me to learn from the older scouts and then when I became a leader, I was able to help younger scouts. My best friend from scouts is 3 years older than me, I met him when I was 13 and he was 16. He took me to visit all the colleges he was applying too. This helped me get a better idea of what I wanted to do and it was him that told me I could do it and if I wanted to learn automotive's I could. I am no longer a Boy Scout because I was not able to maintain both in my senior year. I chose to focus on my studies and had the opportunity to learn at vocational school. I am excelling my learning there, because I am able to get some certifications required for my college ahead of time. This is a great help for my parents. Watching my parents work hard, being a Boy Scout, helping other scouts, attending vocational school have all be a large contribution to who I am today. I am looking forward to learning and any opportunity that comes my way. For once what I thought was impossible became possible with hard work and the support from my family and my friends. Thank you for taking the time to read this and I truly hope that weather it is me or someone else who is granted this award appreciates having opportunities in their future.

My legacy is to build something that stands the test of time. I have always like to work with my hands and when I started to apply myself to my trade, I realized the impact it could have on the world. There are many people who work with their hands, whether it's part of a team or alone. What you create in this world leaves a mark and influences others. Whether that is a building, a bench, a piece of art or something as simple as a sidewalk. I would like my legacy of something I build to influence someone else and be part of their legacy.

Dream big, you can always land small. Everyone has a dream, and not everyone has the opportunity to pursue their dream. I did not have a lot of opportunity to pursue my dream. When I finally stopped blaming my situation and started to apply myself, and ask for help along the way, my plans for my future dream started to materialize. It is important to try, so you know you have done your best and if you don't make it to your dream, at least you gave it your best shot. Then you can land small with no regrets.

The trade I am currently learning and want to purse is Diesel Mechanic. I currently attend vocational school and have been lucky enough to get started on this path. I have been accepted to Pennsylvania College of Technology and will be starting in August 2022. How I picture my best career/life is to graduate from Penn Tech and keep moving forward. All my life I have struggled with my academics, I have had to work with a tutor every grade until eleventh grade. I am used to having to work hard to pass and to be honest, none of it made sense until my senior year. I realized that instead of hating school, I could apply what I learned in class to what I was learning in vocational school. Everything started to click for me and now I am doing very well in school. If I keep moving forward I know I can have the best life possible. I now know if I apply myself I can move forward and have opportunity; I will be able to have a good job and career. None of which I thought was possible for me. I might have a simple straight forward answer, but it is the truth. Thank you for taking the time to read this.

My trade I am pursuing is Diesel Technology and Heavy Machine Technology. I am passionate about this trade because I finally followed my heart. It sounds a bit cliche, but I struggled with school my whole life. And now in my senior year, I am finally doing well because I was able to apply what I learned to a trade at after school tech program and everything made sense. I no longer hated school. I will be attending Pennsylvania College of Technology this fall. My future plans are to work my internship and hopefully receive job placement. From there I plan on working towards my goal of owning my own diesel equipment and where I will be able to support myself and employ people like myself who just needed to connect their mind and heart and paying back my school loans as quickly as possible. How I have overcome adversity is by learning and watching my parents. Both my parents work two jobs and most of this pays for our home life, but a large part of it went to my tutor Mr. Pulis. I worked with him for my first 11 years of schooling. And even though I had a tutor, I still had to go to summer school for math every summer. Now that I am a senior, I finally realized instead of hating school, if I applied what I learned to my trade, I didn't hate it so much. I needed the math to complete what I was learning about the engine or hydraulics I was working on (I attend a youth trade school after school). I stuck with it and worked hard for every passing grade I received, but it was because I had to do it. Now I want to do it. To be honest, I should of listened to my Mother two years ago, instead of fighting her on everything. How I worked though years of struggling with school and watching my parents work two jobs was knowing their goal for me was to work one job. I finally got smart and realized in order to do what I loved, I needed to apply myself and everything connected. Thank you for taking the time to read this. I might not have had the hardest life out there, but I worked very hard my acceptance to Penn Tech and I am proud of the fact I am now on the honor roll. If you don't choose me for this scholarship, my best wishes for who receives it.

I have learned to listen to my heart and not work harder. My first eleven years were spent at parochial school. I worked with a tutor every day after school for 11 year. I went to summer school every summer. When I finally listened to my heart I started to learn. Instead of following the lessons and forcing myself to remember, I asked myself what I wanted to do with my life and realized if I started to apply what I learned to what I wanted it wasn't so hard anymore. Math is hard, really hard if your mind doesn't work that way. If you can't see it the right way, no matter how much you meet with your tutor, study, practice or plain old try to memorize it, you can't get it. But when you realize that learning can be a tool to help you do what your heart wants then it becomes easier. This year I am a senior and in technical school. I am finally listening to my heart to learn. I am on the honor roll at school and not struggling any more. I understand math now and I am looking forward to my future for what I have learned is that by listening to my heart has made me very smart after all.