There’s a clock in New York City dubbed the “Doomsday Clock.” Located on the top of a BestBuy and Nordstrom Rack, the large red numbers count down the seconds until the temperature of the world reaches 1.5 degrees above the threshold. Millions of everyday workers walk past it on their way to the office, school, or other facilities with the pressure of the lives of multiple species settled on their shoulders. Many may be recycling their coffee cup, eating a vegan diet, or choosing to walk or ride a bicycle instead of driving, but even taking those precautions is minuscule compared to the impact of large corporations. With a published report declaring that only 100 energy companies are responsible for 71% of industrial emissions, and a Michigan study finding that U.S. homes only account for 20% of greenhouse gas emissions, the corporate world seems to have the most significant carbon footprint. There may not be much of a chance for the people to directly change the minds of major emitters, however, which is why it’s important to realize that governments are complicit in their practices. Politicians and the media influence the mindsets of the people thoroughly and hold heaps of power over the mechanisms of industries. For that reason, I believe that voting for representatives with the ability to take action on climate change would not only impact the ways corporations handle emissions but also influence the populace to act sustainably. I currently make ecologically friendly conscious decisions on a daily basis such as limiting gas-powered car transportation, recycling, and buying clothes secondhand. However, the desire to have the opportunity to fight climate change makes those decisions seem small. It’s presently difficult for me to transform society’s perspective on climate change as an eighteen-year-old with little to no influence on political views or sociological perceptions of large groups of people, but I strive to tackle any opportunity that shows itself in my future career. As an aspiring graphic designer, art director, and whatever position follows, I’ve decided on such a career path because of my known creative capabilities and interests, and because of the quiet yet significant influence that both the art and advertising industries have on societal agendas. A combination of art and marketing strengthens the outreach of whatever product--or idea-- mentioned. As I don't wish to become a politician or CEO of a major conglomerate, using my passion as an (albeit less strong) influence and reservoir for genuine facts can be one of the most consequential acts I do. My emphasis on the large corporations and those with more power doesn’t mean that the little things don’t help, but there’s not much the individual can do because it’s not an individual problem. Real change can’t happen until we act as a collective and I believe finding responsible representatives is the best way to do that.

I had originally assumed that the real progression of my character blossomed at the beginning of January 2020. My frantic mother’s voice had compelled me out of my room one night to in front of the television. My stepdad, John, had pressed the play button once I was seated. I didn’t recognize the high school on the screen’s name, but the city was the same one I spent every other weekend at. The worst scenarios were all I could think about. Was it a fire? A school shooting? Was my dad that works there alright? Yet, the questions quickly ceased when the tone of the story stopped sounding sympathetic. The familiar newscaster I had watched describe animals saving children, mid-term elections, and homicides spoke in her same enunciated way about the former high school nurse’s accusations. When dad’s name came out of her mouth, his face displayed in full brightness against the eight-o-clock evening dimness, and my house appeared on the screen, all I could do was close my eyes. Close my eyes and imagine I was transported to a fantastical place. Replace the charge of third-degree child rape and second-degree sexual misconduct with a girl my age with something happy, something warm, something comforting and underappreciated. Though I had developed the instinct to focus on the beauty in little things to combat the negativity lurking in their shadows--how the sun bleeds through the evergreens right outside of my window or pouring hot water over aromatic loose tea leaves--I neglected to also notice the beauty in the larger picture. My parents brought my sister, her boyfriend, and me together to a sushi restaurant we rarely eat at a couple of weeks ago. After multiple courses, they revealed the reason was that we had finally won the court case against my father’s persistence of visitation with me that had been lying in the back of every one of our thoughts for the past three years. The notice not only seemed to take a weight off of my shoulders, but it also cleared my vision. While I had successfully appreciated the dim lights of the restaurant and the vibrant color of the salmon on my plate, I realized that I failed to recognize the immense joy I felt spending time with my family. I’ve learned that it’s important to pay attention to the mundane rituals or routines, as they are what make up the majority of our lives. Being present prompts me to consider the things that make everything in my life feel like a blessing and fall in love with it all over again. However, I also learned that it may be even more important to focus on the grander things that bring joy and meaning to my life. Smaller beautiful features encourage consistent optimism, but a majority of the most joyous moments don’t require much scrutiny.

The branch of knowledge present in the science, technology, engineering, and math career category are incredibly beneficial to society, they explain and create phenomena that illustrate the concepts of the universe. But creativity is an integral part of STEM as STEM is to art; it helps explain scientific and mathematical ideas for those who numbers may be difficult to understand, or display variations of art never imagined before technology. Animation is my favorite example of a perfect balance of both categories; the creation and usage of its programs involve every letter of STEM. Science and mathematics develop the technology needed to create applications and include the physics required to make the end product realistic. Engineering produces the software itself and includes functional and structural elements to the art. Animators use different types of math such as geometry, trigonometry, and algebra to understand where and how certain aspects or characters need to be placed. Technology is the broader picture that wouldn’t be possible without the three other STEM topics and is needed to animate on a general platform. The underappreciated career is used to render fantasy into reality, making audiences’ fictions come to life. Undoubtedly, technology and sciences have existed in the art industry for decades before-- seen in inventions like the camera. But the variations of animation present in movie productions, advertisements, and video games created a drastic combination of the sciences and art. The capabilities of actors and props are limited; they can only challenge the laws of nature before reality hits. Animators, however, are able to draft an entirely new being with convincing emotions or create a city spanning hundreds of miles wide. The occupation also helps to illustrate abstract STEM concepts such as structures, diagrams, and systems; an essential component in modern society with presenting information to every generation globally. It has the ability to convey emotions or present ideas around the world in a unique and perceivable way that combines the key elements found in STEM careers and the creativity needed to convey such ideas and feelings out into the world. Being the youngest of three siblings, I’ve always felt reliant on at least one person at all times, whether that be my older sister or one of my parents. But after a divorce resulted in poverty and I had to learn about financial stability at a young age, I subconsciously noted the paths to a stable income. So when my passion and talent for art bloomed, the phrase “starving artist” slithered its way into every conversation about plans for my future. In pursuit of a career that my artistic soul enjoyed that was accompanied by money, the small town I come from where ambitions are concealed and dreams stay within the city limits hindered my mindset of the ability to achieve success and do what I loved. But in middle school, when I was one of the rare sixth-graders given a general technology class, I found that coding, 3D digital modeling, and the integration of art with software applications were things I enjoyed. The career finding quiz I took soon after recommended the genres of art and IT. So, with the plan to strive for a well-paid job, I decided to scrap my wish of joining the art category and focus solely on computer science. Yet, when I messed around with classes and programs to strengthen my knowledge of the workforce, I recognized the hidden jobs that incorporate art into technology. I temporarily signed up for a free Harvard “Intro to Computer Science” course where the first project I chose was to make an animation, joined a volunteer program for Cancer Kids First in their art category remotely, and even successfully sold my digital artwork on a freelance basis. I pride myself on setting my goals and seeing them through no matter the difficulty. I draft out a plan, no matter how big or small the goal in mind is, and take one step at a time to reach the destination. One of those near goals is attending college; it’s been an ambition since I watched Elle Woods attend Harvard in Legally Blonde. But unlike the main character in the hit film, my purpose consisted of a couple of different reasons: encountering new experiences only available in that environment and learning knowledge needed to pursue my dream career. I’d like to be able to go to college because the atmosphere of many campuses is a generally friendly community filled with hardworking students each striving to reach similar goals of graduation and a bulk of diverse knowledge and events at every corner. The requirements to fulfill a career in STEAM are also only learned through higher-level courses and programs. The more that I understand the topics related to my future career, the better quality my work will be. All in all, this scholarship would help my long-standing dream of uniting two passions that I previously thought were not combinable. This challenging profession requires higher education and further knowledge to produce excellent entertainment and digital transportation of information. Receiving this scholarship would further motivate me and aid in the access to obtain knowledge crucial to my future career.