Submitted by: Reanne E. Garcia The future can be unpredictable, however, establishing goals can give a person a sense of direction since it gives encouragement to strive and work hard in achieving their dreams. Pharmacy is my future career goal, so my immediate goal after graduating from high school is to obtain a Pharmacy technician degree so that I can have a background experience in my career. Next, I plan to obtain a bachelor’s in biology degree with prerequisites needed for pharmacy, then I plan to apply to Pharmacy schools. Once accepted and graduated with a degree in pharmacy, I plan to give back to my community by opening my own Pharmacy business. This will be my ultimate goal. First, my Hispanic community was unequally affected during the pandemic by contracting more cases of Covid-19. The Rio Grande Valley in south Texas has underprivileged areas where many deals with poor health issues such as diabetes. The need for medication became prominent during the pandemic and many struggled for medicine and the availability of vaccines close to their homes. As a pharmacist, I would like to find solutions to help educate the people in these rural communities on how to live a healthier lifestyle, explain the importance of medicine, and make that information readily available. I would like to establish pharmacy businesses closer to these poor communities with health clinics available for individuals who need basic health services, health information, and regular checkups on their health. I would work with graduate students who may volunteer for many of these activities to bring help to bring awareness to the health problems people in our local areas are faced with. Overall, I hope to help bring solutions and innovative ideas that may bring about a better quality of life for many.

The Young Financial Planner A young adult needs to learn the essential skills of financial literacy at the start of their journey into adulthood and into the world of independence. It is important to acquire money management skills very early in life so that an individual can remain debt free. At the same time, staying debt free allows a young adult to save money for future expenses and investments. Once a person gains the competence of paying off their monthly expenses responsibly, their dreams and goals become more tangible. Personally, my course into monetary awareness started at an early age during my elementary years. I have gradually realized that it is imperative to have knowledge of how to use money wisely and make the right choices to lead a healthy financial life. My introduction to budgeting started in elementary school when my parents would pay me an allowance for keeping up with good grades. During the process, I learned that my savings accumulated and that I could save up for my frivolous wants since my parents provided for my needs. Those wants didn’t come into play until middle school where social pressures influenced my decision to start spending most of the savings I had accumulated. As I noticed that my expenditures were easily gone in a blink of an eye, I decided to be more frugal and changed my habits going into high school. My parents gave me a credit card to use, and my financial adventure began. Credit cards can be a financial disaster for a young adult who does not have a strategic plan in place on how to remain debt free. I learned that credit cards are not “free” money like I had assumed during elementary and that it was mandatory to pay the balance off every month so that debt doesn’t build up. Thus, my goal of starting a savings plan started making sense, and staying within a budget was necessary. I learned that young people can very easily fall into financial debt by using credit cards recklessly without having a planned budget in place. Credit cards should be used responsibly keeping in mind on how much money you will earn, and your monthly expense, and making sure there will be enough to pay off the balance at the end of the month. Financial goals can be simple by planning how much your total income is and subtracting your monthly expenses. This can be done by making sure to save for the smallest bill first then snowballing to the largest. For example, the weekly grocery budget can be set aside first, then enough to cover utilities and the next largest bill might be the rent or car payment. As each goal is met, then any money left over should be set aside for emergencies or savings. Planning a budget in a disciplined manner helps keep track of savings and spending. I am learning to be careful and not succumb to the social pressures of wanting something I cannot afford and living within my means. I will apply these strategies in college so that I can live an independent life after I graduate. In summary, a savvy financial planner plans wisely for the future and will benefit in making a better life for themselves. It is a never-ending process that I will continue to learn about as I prepare to navigate college life and beyond. The more information and skills I gain in managing my finances, the more confidence I will build in being able to create a secure future for myself in this diverse world.

My name is Reanne Eliz Garcia, a senior at San Benito High School. My long-term career goal is to become a pharmacist. To achieve that goal, I will need to be prepared for its rigorous coursework by taking prerequisite classes and pursuing a bachelor’s in biology degree first. The pharmacy program entails at least four more years of education. This career involves a long-term commitment, and I have the motivation and desire to accomplish it. Throughout my childhood years, science has been an intriguing part of my life, which is one of several reasons for my chosen career path. To begin with, the direction of my life was influenced by the illnesses that my grandparents went through before passing away. The memory of my Abuela when I was six years of age brought a sense of heartbreak when realizing that she was no longer with us. She had to endure taking various prescriptions for her heart and other health issues. I couldn’t understand at the time why life was so fragile because I believed everyone was immortal. Even though my mom explained gently the realities of life, I gradually realized that people had to take care of themselves to prevent sickness and the importance of treating health situations. Five years ago, my grandfather’s health suddenly deteriorated quite quickly when he started showing signs of Alzheimer’s, and he had to be under treatment. Three years later, my second granny was bedridden in a nursing home with physical health issues and diabetes that required frequent monitoring to administer medications. She also passed away during the first year of the pandemic. The realization that people require medicine to manage to live a healthy and comfortable life, motivated me to explore a career in Pharmacy. Now that my own parents are in their early sixties, I want to be able to have the knowledge of how medication can help them, and others obtain a better quality of life. This career will prepare me to better inform others on preventive care and how pharmaceutical science has contributed to developing innovative drugs that can be effective in treating patients who are ill. Furthermore, by becoming a Pharmacist, I can complete my desire in giving back to the people in South Texas. The Rio Grande Valley of Texas consists of a disadvantaged Hispanic population living in rural areas who endure many health issues. The need for medication became prominent during the pandemic when our valley people needed information on how to manage their health and prevent them from getting Covid. Many struggled for medicine and the availability of Covid vaccines close to their homes. As a pharmacist, I would like to find solutions to help educate the people in these communities on how to live a healthier lifestyle, explain the importance of medicine, and make that information readily available. I look forward to serving my community as a pharmacist and assisting others with their prescriptions and health needs. In conclusion, I have always wanted to pursue a career in healthcare, and as a pharmacist, I can make a lasting impression and improve patient health outcomes. I want to be the link between doctors and their patients in my community to assist in providing preventive care by educating individuals. A scholarship offers an excellent opportunity for me to create an impact here in the Rio Grande Valley, and I would like to be part of that accomplishment by serving our communities as Reanne Eliz Garcia, Pharm.D. Thank you for your time and consideration for this award.