Ever since I was a kid, video games have always been a part of my life. I remember on lazy afternoons, I would watch my brothers play for hours in our mother’s room while I lay on my parent’s bed; idly looking at the colorful screen from the family TV and listening to the loud noises from my brothers' gameplay and commentary. On the TV, I would see all sorts of things; entertaining characters with funny voices, intriguing environments, and engaging stories. I would eventually grow to like the games, some more than others, but enjoying each one and their own unique story. After my brothers introduced me to a whole new world of entertainment, it was only natural that I would eventually start playing games that piqued my interest as well. Some games I grew to love were Legend of Zelda, Animal Crossing, Minecraft, and many others. Through my interest in gaming, I bonded with other people who enjoyed the same games that I did, helping me develop new friends and creating new fond memories that I would forever treasure, as we spent time playing together and finding a community with other players. Witnessing the ever-growing development of games has inspired my artistic interests along with the intriguing process of animation and game development. Seeing video games that display beautiful worlds and engaging stories has shown me the dedication and skills that have been put into each video game I play. Seeing the process and the amount of work from the artists has inspired me to experiment with different styles and techniques when drawing and animating; seeking ways to educate myself and find inspiration to improve my art and animation so I may achieve a skill set of game designers and animators. Although I had always known making a game was a long and sometimes tedious process such as needing to code, program, animate, plan a story, design, test, and many other aspects, the process is what makes it a fun and exciting experience, as building a world from scratch and into a functioning game for others to play your creation is an extraordinary feeling. Getting to stand back and view the result of your hard work and having others enjoy it too is what makes it all the more rewarding, as others get to enjoy the cumulative efforts of inventors and their creations. Because of the video games throughout my life, it helped me grow and inspired me to create immersive worlds and experiment with different techniques and styles, as well as sparked a new interest in animation. Having experienced and playing various games and seeing their development, I aspire to become a highly skilled artist and animator, just like those who were involved in the creation of great classics, as well as contribute to the next wave of content that other people can enjoy and reminisce about now and in the future.

My experience with being a child of a Mexican immigrant family was learning that education, family, and faith are the most important things to help achieve what you want. Growing up, my father would work for long hours as a landscaper while my mother stayed at home taking care of me and my three siblings. It was common to hear my parents tell us their story of arriving in the United States; how they came to build a better life for themselves and their future kids by giving them a chance to receive a better education and a stable life. My parents had always encouraged education, especially college as they saw it as a life of opportunity for me and my siblings. Although my parents weren't able to help me with my homework, they supported me in school and kept me motivated to continue working hard. They would tell me, “Echale ganas en la escuela,'' and, “No hages traviesos en la clase." Which my mom said the most to me and my siblings. Outside of school, my family had undergone hardships that often involved money. There were things that we had to frequently deal with, such as struggling to pay bills and affording food, but also faced life-changing events such as the pandemic, near homelessness, and our mother leaving the country. Each issue left us to scramble for a solution as we would try to keep ourselves afloat with what we could manage. We often have to make do with what we have and stay within a strict budget. With every change, we felt pinned by our struggles. However, my family would continue to preserve and overcome each challenge thrown at us through hope and doing whatever we can together. Someone I would like to walk in their shoes would be my older sister. I had always wondered what life as my older sister was like. Being the youngest sibling, I was the polar opposite in roles. Rules were more lenient with me and I was able to enjoy playing to the fullest without much worry, while my oldest sister would handle most responsibilities and deal with expectations placed on her. She would take care of us and teach us how to behave when my parents were busy with work or other responsibilities. I would choose to spend a day in her shoes to experience her life and understand her view of the world. I want to be aware of her daily struggles and do what I can to lessen her burdens, especially now where it is just my father and siblings now. If I were to switch roles for a day, I believe she would be able to take it easy and not have to worry about burdensome duties and enjoy herself. Seeing my sister grow up, she is resilient and intelligent, and although sometimes stubborn, remains a key person in my life. She helped me grow up to be who I am today, by being my sister and always teaching me things despite my endless questions and absurd ideas. All in all, I am grateful for my sister and my family. Having them support me since day one and experience life with me is something that I will be eternally grateful for now and forever. It has taught me to communicate my troubles, support myself, work hard, and use my knowledge to get past challenging obstacles. Helping me now and in the future with my ambitions and endless dreams.

My passion for art comes from the freedom and thrilling experience of creating endless possibilities in the creative process. As a kid, I always had difficulty following complex subjects such as math and science that involved mathematical and logical procedures. However, I found creative subjects such as literature and art to be the most engaging for me and found myself excelling in them. When it came to art, I was more enthralled by it than most interests I had. It was liberating for me as I got to create whatever I wanted. I didn’t have to worry about complicated equations or follow strict steps where I was to be marked wrong. Instead, I was able to zone out, express my imagination as I pleased, and allow my hands to guide me along as I worked. Being able to express myself, my thoughts and my emotions is what makes art a never-dull experience as I can create something from a single concept and turn it into reality. Ever since I discovered art, I have been completely obsessed with it. It has become an undying passion that could never be abandoned nor forgotten; leaving a permanent mark in my life and one that I never wish to be erased. Having art in my life for this long, it has now become an extension of me and embedded itself into my everyday life, which is why I have decided to pursue it as a career where I make an impact through my skill and imagination. Through my passion, I want to pursue a field in drawing and animation where I can contribute to the making of new extraordinary works and media. I want to be involved in the process of new animated shows, movies, films, games, illustrations and so much more. I want to create works that showcase investing stories with unique and complex characters. I want to create entrancing worlds with unimaginable creatures that spur emotions and peak interest from various people, sparking others to explore their enjoyment of art and become inspired to create just as I was as a kid. Whether I am involved in the creation of drawing or animating educational projects or for entertainment, I want to make a connection with an audience and leave a lasting impression or new experience for others. I want to make an impact in people’s lives by allowing them to feel something new and different, where I can make their days feel slightly better when seeing my works, even if it is one person. As I move forward in my education and beyond, I hope to make a difference wherever I go, inspiring the new generation of future artists and continue creating along my journey.

My journey as a Hispanic college student has felt like stepping into a new era of my life. Through college, I am finding my footing as an adult as I learn to be more independent, decisive, and organized with work and goals. Some of the challenges that arose were figuring out which college to attend as I wanted to choose one that best suited me, my financial position, and a program I’m most passionate about. Despite this, I settled into school and committed to making the most out of my education; to work hard, do my best, and gain knowledge and new experiences that will contribute to my growth. My key inspirations to pursue higher education were my parents, older sister, and art teachers. My parents showed me the value of hard work as my sister showed me how to face my fears and to be knowledgeable, while my art teachers nurtured my passion and showed me what could be made with my skills. Through them, I decided to pursue college and learned to be hard-working, passionate, informed, and express myself wherever I go. Some hardships I faced along my educational path were coping after my mother had to leave the country, unexpectedly moving houses, maintaining my academics, and finding a college to attend in the future. Although overwhelming, I experienced new changes in my life that made me more decisive and proactive. To tackle strenuous problems and do my best with whatever happens. It taught me to be brave and to take the initiative with tasks; teaching me to persevere and be flexible no matter how complicated or hopeless things may seem to be at the moment. The legacy of Jose Prado is one of the many examples of Hispanics accomplishing feats despite life’s struggles. It reminds me that those who come from immigrant families whose parents made sacrifices and endured hardships for the sake of giving their children a better life are capable and determined. Hearing more about Hispanics earning degrees at college makes me believe I can achieve higher education where I make a difference in my community and beyond. It has inspired me to work towards a bachelor's degree in art and animation where I will use my skill to create new media that will inspire others to do the same. If I were ever to establish a scholarship, I would want to support students who hold an interest that inspires and demonstrates their profound creativity and passions. Something in their life they could talk about for hours and get lost in time when doing it and wanting to share with others why it’s special to them. Anyone pursuing college is eligible as long as they are passionate about their interest, want to make an impact after graduation, and demonstrate their authentic selves through their boundless creativity and excitement for it. I believe that education can make change no matter what. I believe in the phrase knowledge is power as power comes from the knowledge gained from one’s life. Education can teach countless topics and help improve lives by providing the information to build a better future. It inspires creators, thinkers, and leaders who can make change for themselves and in their communities for the better. It can start movements and end conflicts through knowledge and understanding. Education is to be valued as it creates knowledgeable, understanding, and caring individuals who seek to make a difference in their environment with innovative ideas to build a lasting future for everyone.

Something that has always captured my interest was seeing the process of an artist’s thinking, along with the ability to explore the unknown when creating. I have found art to be an undying passion that has become embedded in my life. Before as a kid, I didn’t think much of art besides being an entertaining show or a pretty picture. However, as I grew up, I learned more about the fundamentals and the various methods used and began to understand the effort it took to make an artwork. I was especially intrigued by the behind-the-scenes of works as I saw the amount of time, and energy put into projects and those who were involved. Every design, drawing, movement, character, and word spoken, was thought from a creator with an intention, emotion, and purpose. It was through my surroundings that I became inspired to create my pieces and continue nurturing my passions. For artists, the ability to think of an idea, figure out how to do it, execute it, and bring it to life through the work of your hands is an exhilarating and extraordinary feeling. Having the creative freedom to express yourself and create whatever comes to your mind is soothing for the soul as you connect with your inner thoughts, feelings, and creativity; meshing them together to create an original piece from the vast pool of possibilities. Because of this, I decided to pursue art as a career. With an art career, I want to be able to express myself and achieve my ambitions. I want to expand my knowledge and sharpen my skills in drawing and animation to create new shows, movies, games, and anything that involves setting a scene through the use of storytelling, unique characters, unimaginable worlds, and emotion. I want to create projects that are investing and exhibit my art style and flair. I hope that with an education, I will fulfill my goals and continue to create no matter the circumstance, inspiring the new generation of artists or past artists to seek out their interests. In essence, art has made a permanent mark in my life as my enjoyment of it never ceases to exist and I hope to continue creating and sharing my passion with others as I move forward.

For the longest time, money has always been a burden in my household. Because of it, it has made it difficult to pursue higher education due to costs and fees from college such as annual tuition, transportation, meals, required classes, materials, necessities and even moving cities or states. The thought of earning a higher degree let alone earning another degree is something completely unfathomable to me as the amount of debt is already jaw-dropping. Like with any low-income student, the choice of my college has been limited. I have to strongly consider the costs and find a college with affordable tuition as well as calculate the amount of time to study there. Transferring is also a delicate and meticulous process as any mistake will set me back, costing me a large amount of money and time spent. Finding a college that is suitable to me and has my desired degree is also another challenge that I need to factor in when pursuing college. Despite these obstacles, however, the desire to achieve my dream of earning a bachelor's degree in animation and becoming a more knowledgeable and skillful artist matters more deeply for me. Receiving a scholarship will help support this dream as it will help me to continue attending college and being able to pay costs for school. I will be able to pay for class enrollment fees, materials, and meals, as well as help achieve my goal of getting my driver's license before I transfer to colleges where commuting or moving is required; making transportation more difficult. With any remaining money, I will be able to resupply art materials as well as have the opportunity to explore new mediums such as spray painting, clay making, painting, and various other mediums that I can use to showcase for my art portfolio and self-enjoyment. By achieving my dream of becoming an artist, I will have the knowledge and skills to assist in the production of new animated shows, films, and games that involve storytelling and creative fictional works. I will also use my education to create projects that dwell into fictional stories and artworks in my community and beyond whether it be through animation or other forms of mediums. No matter where in my art journey, I want to be able to continue my passion for art wherever I go and create works that inspire others to pursue their art journey. Marking the world as I go with my passions, styles, and artistic pieces.

A challenging obstacle I faced was completing my senior year of high school. It was during the fall when my mother was told of family matters where she would need to leave the country, but wouldn’t be able to return. Through deep discussions and reflection, we decided that she should return to her family in Mexico as she would deeply regret not going when she had the chance. We prayed for each other’s safety and shared the last moment of all of us together. Afterward, I accompanied my sister and father by dropping off my mom at the airport where we said our final goodbyes and watched her disappear from our view. Making it the last time we would see each other in person. After my mother had left, I had to continue working on my academics, prep for AP exams, and figure out a college plan after high school. I struggled with my classes as I didn't grasp the subjects nor understand how to solve problems. When I had to complete my homework, I would spend hours trying to decipher my assignments which seemed nearly impossible. Leaving me frustrated and devastated when I just couldn’t get it to click. It didn’t help that I was also trying to figure out my plans for college as I had no specific way of how I was going to do it, let alone which college to attend; making it feel like a doomsday scenario that I had no preparation that was fast approaching me. To make matters worse, we were suddenly told to move within three months from our apartment. This made everything even more stressful as I had to worry about where to live and whether we could find an affordable place quickly. We frantically searched online as my brother and sister visited house tours and made calls, while the rest of us packed our belongings into boxes. When the time did come when we found an apartment, we had to go through the process of leasing and paying all the expensive payments including the down payment, the leasing fees, and the first rent that was twice as much as our previous rent. We all had to pitch our money which gave us little to none for food and necessities in the first month. However, despite all the challenges and obstacles I had faced, I knew I had to keep moving and stay strong. Even though my mother wasn’t around, she continued to support us through phone calls. She often gave me words of encouragement and told me to keep working hard in school. With new motivation, I was determined to do my best in school. I would make up failed assignments, seek out new ways to improve my learning methods, and ask for help when I needed it. I was also able to create a plan for college with the help of my school counselors. As for moving, it was rough first settling in, but we eventually found our footing and continued to support each other financially and emotionally. Despite the odds, I was able to graduate high school with the best grades I could get, and find a new home with my family while my mother supported us from afar. Through this, I learned to be resilient and do my best with whatever came my way. I also found that with my family we are the strongest together during times of need. Overall, it was a frantic and stressful year, but I was able to achieve my goals thanks to my determination, resilience, and support from my family.

As a current college student, my main goal is to finish my general education and all the preparations to successfully transfer to my chosen college. Currently, I am working towards completing a bachelor's degree in animation. I also hope to partake in new opportunities that college and beyond have to offer, such as internships, jobs, and anything that involves new and exotic experiences. Some of my personal goals are to earn my driver’s license before transferring and to continue growing my passion for art. By earning a driver's license, it will help assist me with transportation now and in the future for college and work. If I need to move to a different college or have to commute, it will shorten time compared to using public transportation where I would need to prepare hours earlier to arrive at class on time. Being able to drive will help aid my education as there will be fewer restrictions with transportation, making it easier for me to attend events without having to worry too much about extra planning for traveling. Another goal for myself is to continue improving my art and seeking new ways to grow my passion for creating. I want to continue learning about art and gain new skills, experiences, and interests along the way. I want to explore new mediums, play with a variety of choices, and sharpen my skills; strengthening my art portfolio and building my knowledge while still having fun with what I create wherever I go. For my future career path, I am most interested in becoming an animator who helps create animated shows, films, and movies for various purposes and studios. I want to be able to create artwork and animations for things that revolve around storytelling and entertainment through the use of intriguing elements, themes, and ideas. Some other career projects I am interested in are creating animated short videos that delve into fantasy, surrealism, horror, and fictional tales. I am also interested in careers that involve drawing, illustrating, and designing concept works for game or movie development or anything related. No matter what career I follow, I want to be able to continue making art and express my style with what I create while inspiring others. As I pursue my art journey, I will work hard to complete these goals and continue finding new opportunities that interest me. Whether learning a new skill, hobby, more knowledge, or anything that speaks to me, I hope to accomplish it and gain valuable experience from it, spreading my wings and going beyond my comfort zone. No matter the circumstance, I will continue to work hard and continue to make art as I move forward, pursuing my passions and dreams while creating an exciting and artistic world.

My experience with being a college-bound student in an immigrant family is that education, family, and working hard are the most important things to help achieve what one wants. From an early age, it wasn't uncommon to hear my parents tell us their story of arriving in the United States; how they came to build a better life for themselves and their future kids by giving them a chance to receive a better education and a stable life. My parents had always encouraged education, especially college as they saw it as a life of opportunity for me and my siblings. Although they weren't able to help me with my homework, they supported me in school and kept me motivated to continue working hard. They would tell me, “Echale ganas en la escuela,'' and, “No hages traviesos en la clase." Which my mom said the most to me and my siblings. Despite the various academic challenges at school such as attending tutoring, failing tests, and attending difficult classes, it was through my efforts and support that I was able to do well. Whenever I was frustrated and discouraged from challenging subjects, I remained persistent. I learned from my mistakes and adapted effective learning methods. I asked questions from my teachers and peers, asked guidance from my siblings, went to tutoring, and studied in my own time. My hard work continued to aid me whenever I received a low grade. I would either retake it or study hard for the next test to do my best, which proved effective in college. Having my family support and guide me along my education helped me grow. For my family, we have always strived to make a strong bond with one another. We would be there and comfort each other during times of need; like paying expenses, facing life-changing events, illness and emotionally being there for one another. Although we didn't live a lavish life and have always struggled with income, I accomplished many achievements for myself and lived my life comfortably with my family. I was able to graduate high school with the best grades I could get, complete internships at a local restaurant and with one of my art teachers, volunteer at community services, get to dance at my school club, as well as participate in community art events that grew my passion for art. What I plan to use with my education and experience gained at college is to contribute to making art in communities and beyond by creating 2d and 3d animations involving film and storytelling. I want to be a part of creating exciting new shows and movies. Works that depict fun and intriguing characters in fictional worlds, with an entertaining story and atmosphere demonstrating the boundless possibilities of art and animation. No matter the circumstances, I want to continue my passion for art and fill countless places with my works to inspire others to start or continue their art journey and make the world more lively together.

I have always found art to be the most exhilarating and enjoyable when drawing along with a song. By listening to music, I imagine all sorts of ideas and characters to match with. Oftentimes, I challenge myself to create a whole story with just one single scene or a short animation. Based on how the song makes me feel, the possibilities are endless as I depict whatever kind of story and characters I choose with countless design variations and plots based on my interpretation. Through this process, I have created my favorite art piece based on the French Song, “La Seine'' from the animated film A Monster In Paris directed by Blbo Bergeron and produced by Luc Besson. The artwork is heavily inspired by the song and its narrative as well as the concept of a monster growing to love a woman. However, in the film, the monster does not become the love interest of the main character as she loves someone else already. I then thought to myself how most romantic stories often don't have a woman who chooses the mysterious, soft-spoken, yet kind monster that some people root for. So I thought, what if a woman did choose to stay with the mysterious monster in a story instead? So I decided to base it on that concept. In my artwork, I had a woman named Sophia who is a talented singer be in a one-sided relationship with the more popular and arrogant performer Ricardio, who she felt deeply unloved by him and undermined in her career by constantly being in his shadow. On the night of a performance, Sophia feels a heavy weight on her chest as the event only reminds her how insignificant she is compared to Ricardio. However, she had become acquainted the past few days with a mysterious monster that had shown her compassion and understanding for her. The monster invites her to dance with him that evening to show her a night of life instead of Ricardio. She agrees and for the first time in forever, she experiences both joy and passion as they both sing and dance together. Enchanted by each other's grace and love for one another and sharing a heartfelt moment they formed from the cold, lonesome, and dull world that had previously surrounded them. The artwork embodies the romantic and passionate lyrics that resonated in the song and film. I wanted it to be viewed as a theatrical scene with dramatic lighting and body movement that emphasized the relationship between the two; as seen with the dark blended background, but the bright light remains focused on them and only them, as they are the only ones that matter. I also wanted to express the dynamic between the two characters where Sophia freely expresses herself as she falls back into the monster’s hold and he supports her while erasing her troubles. I find myself fixated when creating works that are expressive and lively with vibrant colors as well as getting to show exactly what I feel with my emotions and imagination. Getting to arrange and create an art piece to achieve a specific mood and imagery is what makes this piece one of my favorites, as its purpose is to be immersive and entrancing for the viewer. In essence, creating works like these is what makes art forever engaging for me as I get to create whatever I want and zone out, letting myself be enthralled by my favorite song and letting my hand flow freely. Sometimes ending in unexpected, but satisfying results.

Something about me is that I was born of Mexican descent and am the youngest of my family. I graduated high school where I spent time working in volunteer services in Key Club as well as gained experience as an intern at a local restaurant and worked in the retail industry. Some things that I enjoy doing in my free time are drawing, making animations, crafting charms and props, going on bike rides, playing video games, practicing piano, and dancing. As of now, I am currently working towards a bachelor's degree in animation in hopes of pursuing a career related to animation and film. The reason why I am pursuing an education in art is because I want to create numerous animations and artworks that depict the surreal, fictional, and the unimaginable. Previously, I had considered a career as a surgeon, however, I came to realize that it wasn't what my passion was deeply rooted in compared to art. I had found the career of a surgeon sustaining, but not fulfilling for me as it is an environment that does not best suit me. With art, I have always found it to be an undying passion that could never go away. Every day, there is a new idea that I am eager to try. I would try new mediums, pushing my boundaries and going past my comfort zone exploring new things that I am interested in while making it enjoyable for myself at the same time. It fills my life with carefree wonders as the process of creating something from an idea to real life is what makes it a truly amazing experience as a creator. Art drives me to do more and fuels me every day. Seeing other artist’s work has only pushed me even more as I get to witness the extraordinary lengths of what can be created. There's nothing else that I imagine doing, as it is something that will always be there for me no matter the circumstances. With the help of more aid, I can continue funding my education by being able to purchase supplies, receive better equipment, support myself, and accomplish my goals. For materials, I’ll be able to purchase the required supplies for my college classes as well as pay future class enrollment fees and required textbooks. Getting more money would also help me achieve my goal of getting my driver's license before transferring colleges which would help tremendously when I have orientation, begin moving, and overall general transportation. I would also be able to continue eating homemade meals and not have to worry about spending too much on what I need to buy for the next week and be able to eat something nutritious and filling at school. More funding would also help me continue personal projects where I can restock art supplies such as painting, clay making, and drawing. I would also have a chance to use different mediums where I can practice new techniques and styles and even build more to my art portfolio for future job opportunities and art contests. Overall, I am determined to keep moving forward in my art journey so that I will be able to create whatever I imagine with no limitations. No matter the medium, I want to keep experimenting with various methods and be able to portray intriguing works that utilize the imagination and evoke emotions in an audience. Whatever I make, I hope to keep exploring and learning new things and inspire others along the way to do the same.

What made me involved in art was during my childhood at school. Although I didn’t have enough money to buy more quality art materials as a kid, my teachers would always have colored pencils, crayons, and paper which made it easy for me to draw whenever I liked, marking the beginning of my art journey. Whenever I had an opportunity to draw something in school, I would immediately rush to draw with crayons and colored pencils, as I would fill my paper with countless doodles and various colors. I let my hands flow freely with each mark that I made, making me feel like I was drifting along an endless stream of possibilities and letting my imagination run free. My enjoyment of art only grew and I decided to pursue art with the support of my siblings the most notable being from my art teachers in middle and high school. When I was in their class, we would be learning about art lessons such as techniques, history, and practicing mediums. When we would start projects, I would end up being invested and getting so lost in time that I wouldn’t even notice that class had ended. I would always be itching to finish my project during my other periods as I would think of ways to add to my work. They would frequently offer me guidance when it came to working on projects as well as compliment my work on my use of color, details, and composition, and give me tips and suggestions to improve my art. They would even help me understand a concept more in-depth and offered me countless opportunities where I got to participate in local art events in my city and partake in art contests. Some of my dreams are to create artwork and animations for films and shows that depict intriguing worlds with investing themes and thoughtful narratives. In the future, I also want to partake in other projects with different mediums such as mural art, dancing, painting, drawing, and so forth. My drive to pursue these dreams comes from my desire to create something new every day and my passion. Art has always been a prominent part of my life as it has embedded itself with me and has helped me get through difficult times. It helped me be in tune with myself and allowed me to express my emotions, thoughts, and ideas and put them onto paper. Through my art, I want to help serve as an outlet for those who are feeling desolate within their lives by creating artwork and films that will inspire others to create and express themselves, as well as integrating art wherever I go in the environment. As of now, my goal is to work hard in school to complete my degree so that I can grow my education, sharpen my skills, and gain new experiences that will introduce me to more elaborate projects; showing the various artistic expressions and styles of artists and showing others what makes art unique and irreplaceable for people.

Growing up as a first-generation student has taught me many valuable lessons and skills that proved useful for me when facing challenges in my life. The most notable being working hard towards my goals and persevering no matter the circumstances. In the past with school, I had always struggled to understand technical subjects such as math. I would find myself confused when solving problems as I would spend most of my time wondering where a specific number had come from or trying to figure out a step from a procedure. Without a step-by-step demonstration, I would quickly become overwhelmed and frustrated as I saw my peers breezing through problems while I remained one of the stranded few. It reached the point where I needed to take tutoring classes in subjects I struggled to learn, making school more burdensome and challenging. However, my parents kept supporting me and gave me words of encouragement such as “sigue trabaja duro," or “echale ganas.” Having my parents not finish school made me want to keep trying since they had given me an opportunity they didn't have. It made me realize that my education does matter to me and that I should use it to build my future. I then began to reflect on what I could do to improve and incorporate learning strategies that would help me in school. I would ask for help from my friends and peers, ask questions from my teachers, attend after-school tutorials, take notes, review work at home, and study more efficiently when I had time. Slowly but surely, I improved my work ethic which helped me throughout school and continues to help me now in college. There were times outside of school when our family had undergone hardships as well. One of the most difficult years was during my senior year of high school when my family had experienced near homelessness. Early in the year, we received a letter from our landlord that notified us we needed to move from our apartment within two months. Taken by complete surprise, we quickly scrambled to look for a place to live while I had to continue balancing school; the most important year for me since it was graduation year, and determining my future college which made everything even more stressful. Searching for a new place seemed near impossible as all housing options had rents that were paying above $2300, which was much higher than what we previously paid, along with expensive security deposits and down payments. When we did find a place that had a somewhat more affordable rent, we had to sacrifice a big sum of all our money which left us little for necessities when we did move in. Despite how bleak everything was for us, we had managed to keep afloat as we settled in. The next few weeks my father and siblings worked more shifts to recover from all the payments that we made, which eventually gave us enough money for groceries and to meet our needs. For school, I managed to balance my schedule and was able to study for tests and complete difficult practice exams. Through my efforts, I graduated high school with the best grades I could earn and formed a college plan that I would use later on. Overall, having my family helped me deal with my stress and be more resilient to what came to me. I had learned to communicate my troubles, to work hard, and to use my knowledge to get past obstacles, which has helped me find positive connections and new opportunities that I could have never imagined.

What made me involved in art was during my childhood at school. Although I didn't have enough money to buy more quality art materials as a kid, my teachers would always have colored pencils, crayons, and paper which made it easy for me to draw whenever I liked. Through them, I was able to begin my art journey. Whenever I had an opportunity to draw something in school, I would immediately rush to draw with crayons and colored pencils, as I would fill my paper with countless doodles and various colors. I let my hands flow freely with each mark made, making me feel like I was drifting along an endless stream of possibilities and letting my imagination run free. My enjoyment for art only grew as I decided to pursue it as a career, influenced by the support of my siblings and my art teachers in middle and high school. When I was in their class, we would be learning about art lessons such as techniques, history, and practicing mediums. When we would start projects, I would end up being invested and getting so lost in time that I wouldn’t even notice that class had ended. I would always be itching to finish my project during other class periods as I would think of ways to add to my work. They would offer me guidance when it came to projects as well as compliment my work on my use of color, details, and composition, and give me tips and suggestions to improve my art. They would even help me understand a concept more in-depth and offered me countless opportunities where I got to participate in local art events in my city and partake in art contests. A fond memory that strengthened my appreciation for the arts and my art teachers was during my eighth-grade promotion in middle school. During the ceremony, my teacher gave me a medal and thanked me for being in her class, to which I was surprised. I had no idea medals were being given and I remember wondering what made her choose me as I believed there were other great and talented students in our class. However, she believed that I had earned it for all the hard work, creativity, and passion that I had put into her class, so I accepted it nonetheless and thanked her for everything. With art, I have always found it to be an undying passion that could never go away. Every day, there would be a new idea that I am eager to try. I would try new mediums, push my boundaries, and go past my comfort zone exploring new things that are intriguing while making it enjoyable for myself at the same time. It fills my life with carefree wonders as the process of creating something from an idea to real life is what makes it a truly extraordinary experience as a creator. In the process, I let my mind wander and my hands follow, allowing me to express myself, and showing others a glimpse of my imagination and my way of thinking. Art drives me to do more and fuels me every day. Seeing other artist’s work has only pushed me to continue as I get to witness the extraordinary works of what artists can do. There's nothing else that I imagine doing, as it is something that will always be there for me no matter the circumstances and remain dear to me in my life.

The most memorable moment playing Splatoon 3 with my siblings was when I was the most stressed with school and home since we were looking for a new place to live in and I was busy preparing for AP exams and applying to colleges. During the move, most of our stuff was already packed in boxes so all we had left for entertainment was our TV and Nintendo Switch. Although we weren't able to play with the three of us on the same team, my siblings and I took turns playing turf war battles where each team tried to paint the most of the map with their team color while also avoiding being inked by the enemy team. I wasn't familiar with how to play as I had only watched my brother a few times before but my brother quickly teached me and my sister the controls and we would start playing our first matches. I was slowly starting to get the hang of it but eventually came across a match that was both exhilarating and also nerve-racking. The enemy team quickly showed they were more skilled than me as they would use sniper-like aim to shoot down players or use brute strength to squish my teammates. When I was cornered, I would manage to grapple my way out of danger by grabbing onto nearby objects and projecting myself to a safer area. I would throw countless ink bombs where I could as stepping stones and recover my health as much as I could while continuing painting. My brother and sister were caught in the same adrenaline rush as I was and I would somehow keep slipping past the enemies and stay alive. I was even able to get past the enemies and paint the majority of the enemy's team side as I would hoist myself across the map like a spider while the enemy team was busy with my teammates. However, my luck would quickly run out as the other team picked up what I was doing and overpowered me through ambushes and sheer speed. At the end of the match I had lost at a near tie and they had won the match. Despite my loss, it was still fun trying to win matches with my siblings as I got to play multiple rounds trying to avenge each other or get a better score from our last attempt. We even got to have pizza later on in the night which made me feel better that day. Now in the present day, I still like to play a couple of matches on my own and try out new weapons and strategies. Marking it as one of my top favorite games to play to this day as a single player and with my siblings.

The anime series Tiger and Bunny is one that I find myself repeatedly rewatching while still being captivated by its charming duo and action-packed story. The anime takes place in Sternbild City, a populated city with its citizens consisting of regular people and those born with supernatural abilities or superpowers, giving them the name Nexts. The city has been protected by Nexts as they work as heroes, protecting and serving justice to the population through their unique abilities when fighting against evil forces while also serving under their sponsors to gain points and popularity for hero ranking on the popular news station Hero's TV. When first introduced to the anime, I watched a couple of clips of the two main protagonists, Barnaby Brooks Jr. and Kotetsu T. Kaburagi. Their fun dynamic immediately humored me as the less popular hero, Kotetsu, seemed to be the more comical and less serious partner than his more logical counterpart, Barnaby, who is much younger and well-mannered—making it a contrasting but entertaining duo. What made the characters even more interesting was their character development. At first, they are complete opposites. They cannot communicate or work together properly as they constantly argue about what to do and the right choice, leading them to numerous accidents and mistakes on missions. They also had differing beliefs of what it means to be a hero, as Kotetsu argues it's fighting for justice while Barnaby argues it's about reputation and one's interests. However, as time goes on with each mission, they begin to better understand each other's methods and build trust, from disarming a hidden bomb in a memorial building to combating dangerous terrorists and other powerful villains that challenge each hero's will and strength. Watching them grow together and work as a team despite their differences makes the duo endearing characters, as they are who I root for the most with future upbringings. Each new threat in the story builds suspense and unease regarding the heroes facing a new challenge. The story makes it captivating for the viewer and makes it feel like you're caught in the same position as the hero's emotions when facing a threat. There are times when the heroes are brought down to their knees, facing their last moments and wondering if there is a way out until a gleaming moment of hope turns everything in their favor at the last moment—often throwing the viewer from distraught and suspense to relief and joy when they can pull through in the end. Seeing the duo and the other members push through each challenge makes it intriguing as I relive the thrill of suspense and danger that each arc brings. The interactions between the main cast make the show more appealing, as they can exhibit their personalities and characters more. Showing their personal lives, their relationships, and inner struggles as well. Sometimes, they get to hang out as just friends and colleagues, which is what makes it an even more wholesome and lighthearted show where it builds that connection of true friendship and respect for one another, where they will continue to work together as a group and make change through each step of their journey as heroes.

Throughout my life, art has always been something that made me inspired and has even helped me in various ways that I could have never imagined. Art has helped me connect with people and helped others understand me more as it would show them what my interests were and my imagination. It often led to conversations where people would notice my art and say it was incredible or something they found interesting about it. Because of this, I was able to meet new people and new friends wherever I went. Often bonding with others because of our shared liking for art and favorite topics which created memorable memories that I still cherish to this day. Through art, I had also been given numerous opportunities that benefited me. From meeting new people to also learning more about art as well as being able to participate in various events that I could have never imagined myself doing. I would find myself fascinated with each event, as it was something new and unique to me which would only further my love for art. These events helped me learn more about different artists who are involved within my city and made me realize how much art plays a role in a community. The importance of supporting and inspiring one another as it is essential to artists and helps continue the cycle of creativity and inspiration. Many people inspired me to pursue art, the most notable being my art teachers from school. When I was in their class, we would be learning about different concepts, techniques, and history, or creating projects and practicing lessons, there was always something I could look forward to. When starting a project, I would end up getting invested and getting lost in time that I wouldn’t even notice that class had ended. I would always be itching to finish my project as they made art engaging and exciting to learn more about. They would often compliment my work, commenting on the color, details, and composition, as well as giving tips and suggestions to improve my art. They would even help me understand a concept more that would accomplish the look I was looking for and gave me great advice for my plans for the future. A special memory I have that changed my perspective was when graduating from middle school, as my art teacher had given me a medal during my ceremony because she believed that I had earned it for all the hard work, creativity, and passion that I had in her class to which I was surprised but thanked her nonetheless for everything. As time moved on, It made me appreciate my teachers even more and be grateful for the people who supported me and my craft. It also has inspired me to do more and go above and beyond when it comes to my goals as I believe that I can make an impact with my art and never let my creativity die even when things get difficult. I made sure that no matter where I was in my life that I would never forget my love for art as it is something that is a part of me and holds something special to me. I hope to continue to make art and make a difference in the world by inspiring others to start creating in the same way that art has helped me, even if it is something small.

As of now, my dream is to use my efforts and passion to create various artworks that are original and inspiring that show interesting themes, characters, and worlds, as well as written stories that create meaningful messages to vast groups of people. I want to show people unique art concepts that are entertaining and unique, that will spark creativity in others or make an impact in their lives. By creating something that shows my passion, whether that be a new animated show, a film, a video game, various art concepts, original characters, or my projects, I hope I can make an impact in the animation and art industry by creating something inspiring enough that it brings a whole new approach and perspective when it comes to creating a project. I want to approach projects that show passion and ideas that are adventurous and take risks even if it is not popular in regular standards of entertainment. I want to achieve my dreams so that other artists can know that they have something special to show to everyone and that they are capable of doing something extraordinary with their creative minds and abilities despite the odds and standards in the art world. The way I will achieve my dreams is through education from both college and outside of college. In college and outside resources, I will learn more about the fundamentals of animation, design, and illustration that teach the techniques used in creating films, characters, and writing. I will learn the basics that will help build and strengthen my art portfolio as I continue in my art journey to showcase to studios and other organizations that will help me fill a position where I can work on a project. I will continue to learn as I progress and improve my skills so that I can perfectly reflect my ideas onto paper as I imagine in my mind. By harnessing unique perspectives, new ideas, and creativity to my work desk, I will continue to create new and inspiring works while working hard to improve my skills and continue to do so, even when I achieve a higher level of skill. I will apply the criticism I have received throughout my life and do my best while moving towards my goals as I continue on my art journey and help other artists and make an impact that will change people's lives in the future.

I am an aspiring artist who is pursuing a bachelor's in animation and illustration to develop a career that involves the possible fields of filmmaking, storytelling, illustration, and design. My hobbies include both drawing traditionally and digitally, creating 2D animations, painting, going on bike rides, dancing, playing piano, and playing video games. I decided to choose the path of art for my passion despite being the first in my family to pursue art, as I have found it entertaining and uplifting for me whenever it came to creating. It was a nonverbal way of expressing myself and my deepest thoughts and experiences through imagery and bringing my inner creativity to the light. With art, I can create all kinds of things and show others what I am passionate about and have others the chance to feel the same way that I feel when it comes to the creative process. My plans in the future are to gain enough skills that will help support and prepare me for working in the art industry while also being able to fulfill art commissions through various clients from the internet and in person. My main goal right now is to finish my general education requirements from community college and then transfer over to San Jose State University to finish my remaining education and graduate. As I build my career, I will volunteer within my community while gaining more experience and hopefully share my creativity with others wherever I go, whether that be creating mural art, displaying pieces in art exhibits, working with festivals/art events, or painting public works and layouts for local businesses and schools to lighten up their environment and make it more welcoming for visitors or locals. By having the chance to receive an award from the Voila Natural Lifestyle scholarship, I will make sure to use the donation towards my education for learning about animation and design, and use it to gain access to previously restricted resources such as art supplies, art programs that require payments and a more functional computer that I will need to fulfill assignments in college. I hope that by receiving financial support, I will be able to complete my general education and gradually build my career to achieve my dreams of becoming an artist and continue working hard to make the world a more exciting and welcoming place as well as inspire future artists as I move along my journey.

With my passion for art, I will use it to create works that people find enjoyment in and help create new memories when they see my work and share it with others. I will use all of the knowledge I have gained about art design such as its principles, and the use of color and composition to develop my projects or work alongside other artists to produce pieces that everyone can see. By previously creating a mural design for my city as a school project, I will use my art to tell various stories exploring the history and culture of my community by painting mural art in public spaces and other forms of medium. I will use my skills to help create art for schools, buildings, and small businesses to make locations more vibrant and welcoming for family and friends. I will also use my skills to help groups of people who seek to spread awareness on social issues by completing art commissions that will help bring attention and gain support that will bring positive change to the community. I hope that by creating artwork and designs for my city, I can make my community more unique, vibrant, and intriguing for newcomers and leave an imprint on people’s lives by making them ponder from my works, learn different perspectives or even smile a bit. That is how I believe I can give back to my community.

My passion for art comes from the ability to create anything I desire through the work of my hands, heart, mind, and the tools that I have. Being able to create unimaginable worlds, characters, and stories and being able to replicate my ideas onto a paper or digital canvas is what makes it enjoyable for me. Creating art does not require solving tedious mathematical equations nor does it require an intelligent mind to create art. Art makes it feel less like intelligence and extraordinary capabilities and instead using your soul and mind to express yourself. During my sophomore year of high school, I was assigned a group project to design a mural and give a presentation. The first day we spent searching for a location to paint our mural digitally and found an old warehouse. We saved a photo as a reference and individually designed our murals which we would later vote to use for our final presentation. After assembling our presentation with all the given information and voting on our final design, we showed it to the class. A few days later, my teacher emailed our group asking if we would like to present our mural to the city of Escondido committee along with other students from Escondido to see if we could display it in our city. Our group accepted and it was requested to create one mural design that included my teammates’ mural and my own. I then took the task to modify the mural by utilizing a digital program to simplify the designs and reshape our mural to the suitable measurements for display. For preparation, I directed who presented which slide and what should be included in our presentation. In chats, I would make sure everyone knew what they needed to accomplish and maintain our schedule before the final presentation. After practicing and rehearsing multiple times in chat rooms, we were finally able to present to the committee and give our purpose for the mural, what the final product would look like, and the estimates of the costs. A week after our presentation, we were able to have our mural approved for the city and it was displayed in Escondido, along with other chosen murals that included an opening ceremony. We even received an A for our project grade. The illustrations I have seen from childhood that have expressed drawings and paintings of various unique and vibrant characters, creatures, and places have greatly inspired my passion for art and creating. I would always be amazed by the pictures as well as the captivating stories that would be written which often had me produce comics for fun and experimentation and continue to this day. With my passion, I will use it to create something that people find enjoyment in and help create new memories when they see my art and share it with others. I will use all of my knowledge to develop my projects or work alongside other artists and contribute to a larger project for a studio and produce something that everyone can see. What I hope is that I can leave an impact on people’s lives by making them feel ecstatic and eager about my art. I would make their days slightly better by merely watching or seeing it, even if it is just one person. That is how I believe I can make a difference in people’s lives and possibly inspire future artists, just as I was as a kid

Throughout my childhood, I had always said I was going to be a doctor or a surgeon when asked what I wanted to be in the future. Both my parents had always encouraged it, saying how proud they would be and saying that they knew they would be in good hands with me as a doctor. My parents would give me multiple play sets for playing doctor as a kid and my mother and father would always call me to get their pills and always say in Spanish, “Doctora” for years. 8th grade came around and we were given a presentation about what we were planning to major in for college. It suddenly hit me that I did not want to be a doctor anymore as I realized that I was not passionate about the job and did not want to deal with all the stress and issues that came along from working in the field either. I was then given the idea of becoming an animator or an artist as I had always enjoyed drawing and creating from a young age. When I announced that I was no longer going to pursue as a doctor or surgeon to my family, my brother was proud that I wanted to pursue animation as he had always complimented my artwork. My sister and second brother approved as they believed I had the capabilities of pursuing other forms of art careers and even starting my own business if I wanted to. My father was a bit saddened, but understood my decision and allowed me to work in whatever major I wanted as long as I could afford it. My mother, however, was shocked and disappointed as she believed that there would be a doctor in our family that achieved a high level of education who gained large amounts of money for our family, and was able to take care of them when they got sick. For years she would make small comments about how she would miss not having a doctor in the house or ask me if I was sure that I didn’t want to be a doctor. Years down the line however, she sat me down one day and said to me that I can do whatever I want and that she will be happy with whatever I choose as long as it makes me happy. Art has always helped me in many ways that I never knew it could. I could create another world and show it to people and let them be encapsulated in it and bond with our love for art. Art has helped me show others what I can do with my creativity and understand myself more as it is something intimate to me and a way to express my mind and thoughts. Art has always been special to me and has even helped me through life events, meeting new people, gaining new opportunities, and keeping me passionate about creating and being in touch with myself. Without art, it would have made my life more bleak and bland, but I am grateful for it and the fortunate things it has brought me, and hope I can continue growing with it in my life.