Drones are, to put it simply, the technology of the century. UAVs are intricate, complex feats of engineering that take the burden off of a range of backs, from a small and personal to a nation-wide scale. Utilized in not only our military but also in surveillance, data monitoring, delivery, disaster management, agriculture, and more, UAVs are crafts with an insane variety of designs, purposes, and uses. This, simply, is why I believe that they are so crucial to put our focus on as the aerospace industry continues to flourish and grow. At the moment, I am participating in a research study in concurrence with four of my peers at California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo to design an aerospace system that can be used in agriculture. This system has the goals of improving production, efficiency, environmental impact, and extreme weather/climate resilience. This is a project created by NASA titled the Gateway to Blue Skies competition; it is an annual competition fostering aerospace research and development. Specifically, I am researching the criticality of UAVs in agriculture, innovating a variety of drones that can aid in the call for increased sustainability of agricultural practices. In my project, I have recognized drone usefulness in pesticide dispersal on farms, which has been proven tenfold to have detrimental effects on farmers; therefore, it is safest and most logical to supply this dispersal to drones, which can scatter these chemicals without harm. I have done extensive research into modern drone models, exploring peer-reviewed articles analyzing fixed-wing VTOL craft and rotary drones with pitching propeller arms and UAVs with solar-powered charging capabilities. This passion for research and innovation did not spawn from nowhere; since I was a child, I have built small, simple drone kits with my father. There is great satisfaction in watching something that I have created by hand lift off into the sky. Because of this satisfaction, it is easy for me to recognize that drones in and of themselves are beautiful, versatile machines that can be used in almost any situation. Due to my research, I realize just how crucial drones can be to surveillance, whether it be in the hunt for victims in search and rescue operations, monitoring crops for wilt or pests, analyzing surface temperature and dew point and more, or simply keeping an eye on whatever is deemed necessary. I am interested in drone research because it is so vast and because it is the perfect industry for the open-minded; as a woman who is hungry for exploration, the drone industry may be the perfect option for me. This is one of the few reasons that I am pursuing Aerospace Engineering and why I am dedicated to applying my talents and dedication to UAS research. I hope to follow this path throughout my aerospace career, furthering the development of these adaptable crafts in order to make the world both a simpler yet technologically-advanced place.

The stars, far-reaching and twinkling, are what I have always reached for; since I was a child, the research of space has always been my deep-rooted passion. It is fascinating to me that there is an entire undiscovered world, lying within the reach of my fingertips. Only perseverance, I know, will allow me to finally touch these dreams of mine. Simultaneously, I have always been passionate about the safety of those I love and the safety of the world that we strive to survive in. Thus, because of this, I long to create substantial impact within the aerospace community concerning sustainability and safety while maintaining the health of this beautiful world that provides for us. As a driven, head-strong woman, I am planning to enlist in the military after college, becoming an officer and fighting for my country before pursuing later research that can further help the civilians around me. I shall use the knowledge and strength that I earn to discover more maintainable methods of human discovery. I find myself deeply passionate to adhere to the safety of the earth while simultaneously striving for something more, something new. Therefore, I have decided to follow my life-long dreams that have always driven me towards justifiable, safe discovery.

As a junior in her highschool years, I have had quite a bit of volunteer service within my community. Since the ripe age of eight years old, I worked volunterily as an alter-server at my grandmother's Catholic church in my city; Our Lady of Fatima in San Clemente. I would serve every Sunday at the five o'clock mass until a little after seven o'clock; then, my family would go home and have a nice dinner together. At the mass, I would assist the priest with blessings and communion (where the bread and wine is given), as well as holding the Bible or a script of some sort. I'm not sure how many hours it was altogether, but most likely over two-hundred or so, since I stopped around the age of twelve. These volunteer hours gave me a sense of responsibility, as well as dependency. Since then, I have been working with a non-profit organization led by a lovely woman named Teri Steel. The name of the organization is Community Outreach Alliance (COA), and we work on supporting our local comminuty through art lessons and food donations. I have been volunteering at the COA organization since the seventh grade, when I was around eleven years old. I discovered it through one of my friends, who discovered it through a club at my middle school. Since then, I have attended many food donations and lesson opportunies! Community Outreach Alliance does a weekly event in which we recieve access food from stores such as Gelsons and we give it out for anyone who needs it. We set up tables outside of a local community building and we give resources to whoever asks for it. Sadly, these food donations had to be stopped for a while, as well as the lessons (due to Covid-19), but everything is back up! Currently, COA offers events such as "Open Mic Nights" and gaming nights, where children from the community can get together and sing or simply play games together. I love volunteering at these events, as it's so enlightening to see so many kids playing and having fun together. COA offers a program called "Thrive Alive", where children are taught about the abuses of drugs and alcohol and how to avoid them. At the art lessons, we teach things such as improv, guitar, singing, and ukulele (which sadly only lasted for a short while). Although I don't often volunteer at these events, I always find myself having so much fun giving back to my community and learning alongside friends my age. Through COA, I've learned how important it is to give to the community what they have always given me; friendships and food (my two favorite things). I love COA and I feel like a part of my soul is within those lessons, within those donations. I have truly learned how to give back. I have over a hundred hours with the COA organization, and I do not regret a single one; personally, I'm proud to say that it will be much, much more before I head off to college, and I cannot wait to continue learning the many lessons COA has left to provide.