“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it,” I poured cold water from the bucket over my head. I shivered as it ran down my malnourished body. The small candle cast a faint glow in the bathroom. Even if the electricity returned, the lightbulb had been out for a year, and buying a new one would cost months of work. My empty stomach growled; I checked the fridge several times that day, but again, nothing to eat. Still, my mother smiled. People were welcoming and kind, as if we weren’t all struggling to survive. In Venezuela, soap was gold, and mangoes meant life for thousands, but a smile was worth even more. “Don’t forget your Spanish while you’re over there. If you don’t practice, you’ll forget,” said my grandma, smiling but with tears running down her cheeks as she hugged my grandpa. As we drove to the airport, her words echoed; Why would I forget my Spanish? Once we landed, I found myself in a place where I couldn’t understand anything, but food was unlimited, showers were warm, and I even had a bike. At school, kids would come to me with their iPads, translating funny messages, and that is how I met my first friends—one from the U.S., another from Kenya, and another from Uzbekistan. They talked to each other, but I couldn’t understand; it was frustrating. I went home crying. My parents said it would be okay; I just had to keep practicing. I practiced, kept trying, and repeatedly made mistakes. Thankfully, my friends were kind enough to correct me most of the time without laughing. I had terrible headaches sometimes from trying to cram in the language, but then, in about a year, I spoke English! Not perfectly, but I could communicate. Now that I am older, I understand that building a future in Venezuela was nearly impossible given the country's conditions. Coming from a country where opportunities were limited, where students risked their lives protesting, not for political power but for a future, made me realize the opportunities and freedom in the U.S. This awareness led me to see history as a guidebook. The Civil Rights movement in the U.S. shows us that we can create meaningful change without violence. The Holocaust teaches that dehumanization and hatred result in genocide. Mismanagement of wealth, like in Venezuela, can lead to corruption and poverty. But I believe the most important lesson that history teaches is resilience, never giving up on working towards a brighter future, and that humans can learn from the past and create change for the better. There are countless inspiring stories of resilient people who rise from hardship. Motivated by these lessons and by my own experience, I aspire to work with NGO’s first, then become a diplomat, someone who can unite humanity to achieve great things by bringing governments together in collaboration for humanity. I am the Student Association president at my school. Over the past year, our team carried out different service projects, such as a food drive and raising $300 for breast cancer research. I am currently planning a volunteer trip with 30 students to volunteer at a food bank. This is very dear to me as I understand hunger firsthand. I have made a difference in my community, but my goal is much greater. I want to make a difference in the world, to speak to those who can’t and to stand up for justice. Guided by history’s lessons, empathy, and resilience, the values reflected in the spirit of this scholarship and the legacy of Ryan T. Herich.

Preparing for the SAT really pushed me in ways I didn't expect. It has been a real challenge, staying up late and feeling tired and wiped out some nights. I would get discouraged and think about quitting because I felt so out of my comfort zone, but then I had to remind myself of the bigger picture and what this would mean if I reached the score I wanted. I had to set aside all the distractions and even some personal issues to keep going. That part wasn't always easy. As an immigrant student, studying is much more important to me. I cannot apply for federal financial aid, and scholarships are limited for me as I can’t check the U.S. Citizen Checkboxes. My mom always told me to work twice as hard because of my status, and that sticks with me. It drives me to push through, even when it becomes extremely hard to do so sometimes. This is why I have made decisions that are tough, like turning down hangouts with friends or time with my girlfriend to study instead. Saying no like that hurt, but it showed me discipline matters for the future. And it reminded me of “no pain, no gain”. My preparation for the test involves many official practice tests. I go over every mistake and try to spot patterns in what I mess up. Math foundations need work, and reading comprehension too, plus better strategies for the test. When I got a 1170 the first time, it was not great, but I saw it as a place to start from. Now I am aiming for 1350, just by keeping at it consistently. It seems like focused practice makes a difference, though some days it feels slow; I know there is still progress. Studying for the SAT didn’t just apply to the test; it also applied in my academic life. Math and reading are stronger, so tackling problems feels less scary. I am more confident when working under pressure, too. Hard work does pay off when you stick with it. That is one thing the SAT has taught me. I want to major in Global Studies. I will one day work with NGOs helping communities that need it, dealing with big global issues such as hunger and the shortage of education in certain countries. Long-term, I will become a diplomat, promoting peace and cooperation between governments, and helping humanity to work together. These lessons I learned from my SAT preparation, like perseverance and not quitting, I plan to use in college and beyond. I want to apply the lessons I’ve learned in real life, to work hard and to never quit, no matter how big the challenge is. With the right support, like this scholarship, I can keep moving forward. I am determined to work twice as hard to create a future for myself, and having a good SAT score is just one step out of the many steps I need to take to finally one day be able to create lasting change in our world. I dream big, and I know that achieving a Higher score is possible with hard work and perseverance.

I poured cold water from the bucket over my head. I shivered as it ran down my malnourished body. The small candle cast a faint glow in the bathroom. Even if the electricity returned, the lightbulb had been out for a year, and buying a new one would cost months of work. My empty stomach growled; I checked the fridge several times that day, but again, nothing to eat. Still, my mother smiled. People were welcoming and kind, as if we weren’t all struggling to survive. In Venezuela, soap was gold, and mangoes meant life for thousands, but a smile was worth even more. My parents decided to immigrate. I found myself in a place where I didn’t understand, but food was unlimited, and showers were warm. At school, kids would come to me with their iPads, translating funny messages, and that is how I met my first friends; they were all from different countries. They talked to each other, but I couldn’t understand; it was frustrating. I went home crying. My parents said it would be okay; I just had to keep practicing. I practiced, kept trying, and repeatedly made mistakes. I had terrible headaches sometimes from trying to cram in the language, but then, in about a year, I spoke English! Not perfectly, but I could communicate. Now that I am older, I understand that building a future in Venezuela was nearly impossible given the country's conditions. Coming from a country where opportunities were limited made me realize the opportunities and freedom in the U.S. But my story doesn't end there. My name is Samuel Latouche, and I am a high school senior at a Christian boarding school. I plan to major in Global Studies. With my knowledge in this field, I plan to work with NGOs and non-profits that make a significant impact for people who suffer and whose voices are silenced in this loud world. I am currently the Student Association President at my school. Over the past year, our team carried out different service projects, such as a food drive, raising $400 for breast cancer research, and sending out letters to encourage people in our community, along with some treats. I am currently planning a volunteer trip with 30 students to volunteer at a food bank. This is very dear to me as I understand hunger firsthand. I have also had different opportunities to give speeches at my school, where I share the lessons of Jesus and I encourage the students to help others. I believe that helping others is one of the most rewarding experiences. Bringing joy to others who need support is why we are created. I have made an impact in my community, but I don’t want to stop there, and that is why this scholarship would be of great help to me because, as an immigrant, I can’t check the U.S. Citizen checkboxes, which limits only tens of things, but I can do another thousand. Life has shown me that Love and kindness are the way. If I started a charity, I would work on feeding children from all over the world. I starved, and it was a terrible experience. I will one day work as a diplomat to work with governments to make food a human right, primarily for children.

There is a joke that goes around Hispanics that says the real American Dream is being able to dream while at work, because you’re so exhausted from working late the night before. What makes this joke funny is how relatable it is. Many immigrants work tirelessly just to live and thrive in a society that demands constant effort. Hard work is not optional; it is survival. As immigrants, we often work the hardest because we understand what it means to lack opportunities. We know what it is like to struggle to find food, to witness our countries fall apart, and to live without stability. In the United States, however, we are allowed to make our efforts worthwhile and to find stability, and that opportunity is one immigrant refuse to waste. To me, the American Dream is not always fair. We are constantly told that if we work hard and take advantage of opportunities, we will succeed. Yet despite working harder than most, I am still struggling to pay for university. I cannot qualify for loans. I cannot check the box that says, “U.S. citizen” or “permanent resident,” because I am neither. In just a few weeks, my situation changed; suddenly, I went from having Temporary Protected Status (TPS) to having no legal status at all and seeking asylum. The dictatorship in Venezuela continues to oppress and harm innocent people, and returning could mean jail for treason or an extremely unstable and unsafe life. I try my hardest not to think about my immigration status. Worrying too much brings nothing but sadness. Instead, I choose to focus on working hard, continuing my education, and living my life with purpose. I made the decision not to let checkboxes define or defeat me. While my status prevents me from doing a few things, it is only ONE out of thousands of possibilities. There is far more that I am able to do than what I cannot. When we look back at the history of the United States, it becomes clear that every wave of immigrants has endured hardship while chasing the American Dream. Even the first colonists who arrived in Jamestown, Virginia, came with the hope that their hard work would lead to prosperity. That same vision has driven immigrants for centuries and continues to do so today. Millions come not only for themselves, but for their children, carrying hope for a future built on opportunity, freedom, and stability. I believe that the American Dream is still real today and will remain so as long as the Constitution is upheld and democracy is protected. While many immigrants now face an unfair and complex system, they refuse to give up, and neither will I. Through faith and perseverance, God has helped me come farther than I could ever have imagined. I plan to pursue a career in Global Studies and International Relations, aiming to become a leader who collaborates with immigrants to make their pursuit of the American Dream more accessible than it is today, while also upholding American values. Laws can be changed. Dreams can be chased. And love can be shared.

As a Senior at a Christian and a leader at a Seventh-day Adventist boarding school, I have had many different chances to share Christ and speak on the values that the Bible gives us up front, using my speech skills to tell others about Christ and his soon coming, and to also share the lessons and amazing things found in the Bible. When I am speaking up front i feel that God makes things flow and makes the words make sense. Without His help, it wouldn't make sense for me to speak. I have not specifically been in any speech class, and nobody really taught me how to speak in front of an audience. I learned it from my dad, who is a pastor. Over many years, he has done many sermons, the great majority in Spanish, as we come from Venezuela, and he has a great speaking voice, and I tried to copy the way he would express himself during my speeches. From then on, I developed my own way, and I feel much more comfortable speaking. I believe that it wasn't me who became any better than before, yes, a small aspect of how I would communicate changed a bit, but what really made the difference was trusting God to lead my words and that his words be His and not mine own. As I move on to university and then to Life, I want to keep using the talent that God has given me to share his word and to convince others that God is the truth, the way, and the life. I will soon be studying Global Studies, a branch of Political Science, at Andrew's University, where I hope to become part of a debate club as I also love to debate and discuss facts because it can really change one's perspective of the world, and it is an opportunity to also share Christ as the other person is more open minded during debates. I believe that being able to speak up front and being able to share ideas with others is one of the most amazing privileges that our creator has given us; for that reason, I will not shut up, and I will always stand up for truth and for justice. In our world, there is much pain and much suffering, but my words won't focus on that. God tells us that he will be with us through all of the pain and the struggles, so why speak more about negativities? Why not speak about solutions and love? The gift of speaking is only worth it if it is God and the truth that speaks.

Kindness in Action: I believe that kindness is the way that love is shown to our fellow humans. It is extremely beneficial to live a life where we show kindness and positivity towards others, not only because this makes others feel good and creates a connection, but also because it betters our overall health and quality of life. I read a book called "Como hacer que pasen cosas buenas" by Marian Rojas Estapé, a psychologist. She talks about the importance of being kind and how showing love to others and maintaining a positive attitude can lead to good things happening in life. I have applied this in many aspects and situations of my life, and I have discovered that the best way to feel good and fulfilled is by helping others and doing favors for other people. It is easy to fall into complaining and to view life from a perspective of grief, but the way to deal with life is to have a positive outcome on everything. one instance where I felt fulfilled because I showed kindness and helped others was when with a group of my church, we went to visit a nursing home and spent about two hours with the people talking to them and making cards for their family, many of them could not write. I played guitar and sang with the group. It was a meaningful and important moment for me; it made me really happy to be able to help and to bring happiness to the people at this nursing home, many of them at the end of their lives, and they were extremely happy that people showed that they cared for them. Life, I believe, is about loving and about sharing and bringing people special moments. “Creating Connection” At my school, I am currently the Student Association President. With the help of the group of people I work with, we were able to organize a banquet that created a meaningful experience for the students at my high school. High schools are always full of drama and people not liking each other and problems between different people for reasons that sometimes aren't even valid. During the event, I could tell the school of about 86 students was more united than ever; people who I thought despised each other were having fun talking and taking pictures, enjoying the music at the banquet, and just having a good time. I thought that everyone was going to be in their own cliques, as it usually is at school, but the event that we planned, with games and different opportunities for people to mingle, I believe allowed everyone to mingle and create new connections with people that they maybe didn't even talk to. I know I enjoyed the banquet even though I was busy with all the work it takes in the background; I was able to participate in one of the games and interact with people that I had not really had a chance to at my school. This was the biggest event that the SA planned, which helped bring the school together and stopped many ongoing discussions or conflicts between the students. I was very grateful to have the opportunity of planning such an event and to work with the great students at my school.

I was born in Maracaibo, Venezuela. My childhood was marked by discussions about the politics at the time, about the scarcity of food, about the "empire", and about the news feeding us lies. I didn't understand what was being talked about or what the issue was. I was only 10, a child, and I understood that there was a correlation between the fridge being empty, the protests in the streets, and the violence we saw on the streets when walking back from an empty store. and what the adults talked about, but I didn't really understand it. One night, I remember hearing my dad crying; he never does. I understood the next day that it was because they had decided to leave the country while they could. not an easy thing for them at all, having to leave family behind, a job behind, a life behind to start a new one. My dad flew to the U.S. to save up money. The plan was to move to Spain. But plans changed, and we ended up moving to the U.S. after being fortunate by having our visas approved. I saw my dad after 5 months. I remember vividly the moment when I first saw him at the airport next to a rusty gray van, all of us ran up to him and hugged him. That marked the beginning of our new lives here in the United States. My brother and I were enrolled in an elementary school. I was 10. I didn't speak any English and struggled to fit in with the American kids. I could not understand what anyone was saying, and I felt very alone in a school full of people. It was a rough time for younger me. But I wanted to learn english and I wanted to fit in with everyone else, so I would study with Duolingo. And in about a year, I could even speak it. As I grew older and started making more friends, I met people from so many different places. I had friends from Uzbekistan, Mexico, Honduras, China, India, and Pakistan. This made me realize that the world is big and that we are all searching for safety and for a good life despite our differences. This is what has sparked my interest in politics and in history. I want to understand our world and how we can all live together, sharing the world that we have. without conflicts, without hate, and promoting unity and a global community. I struggled as an immigrant. I faced injustice in my country, lots of money has been spent on lawyers, but it hasn't done much, because of the changing laws, and especially this past year, we struggled with losing our TPS(temporary protection status), and we had to figure out other ways to stay in the country legally. Being an immigrant isn't easy, but it's better than staying in our home countries, where there is corruption and injustice. I wish that the injustice and corruption hadn't even happened, but this is the world we live in. The one thing I can do to fight against injustice for people and help the countries facing injustice is to study and apply my knowledge to work on ways that will benefit people around the world. Many are starving, many who suffer because of war, and I want to be part of a solution, to promote peace and cooperation everywhere. One day, I want to become a Diplomat, to work together with other nations to fight injustice, and work on cooperation between nations to make a united and peaceful world.