Lead with Love, an expression that translated to action….My greatest achievement to date has been the opportunity to help an at-risk youth in my community turn away from bad choices and get back on track in the classroom. He was having behavior issues at school, but no one took the time to find out why he was acting out. In my mentoring sessions with the young man, I learned he had recently lost his father and his mother kept bringing random men home trying to take his father’s place and he was struggling to balance his grief with the resentment he was feeling towards his mom for trying to replace his dad as if he didn’t exist. This experience lit an inner fire in me to mentor youth and be a beacon of light to those that are struggling silently to find positive outlets and create a network of students who can be a safe space for other struggling youth who just need someone to talk to in order for them to go from struggling to thriving! Through my peer mentorship I learned what makes me feel most alive is to be of service to others and that by serving others with love and compassion, you can change the entire trajectory of someone’s life. It might seem like a small act, but that one word of encouragement amidst the battlefield of the mind can literally save someone’s life. My hope in life in the future is to pursue work that is both fulfilling and contributes to leaving this world a little bit kinder, compassionate and bridge the gap between struggle and success. I want to attend college so I can earn a business degree with an emphasis in finance as I have seen and experienced first hand what a lack of financial resources and education can do to a family who wants the best for their kids, but doesn’t make enough money to afford the opportunities they so desperately want to give to their kids or doesn’t know how to properly manage money to build not just for the necessities of right now, but to provide stability for their long term future. I would like to open my own business that also has a philanthropic focus that allows me to give back to the youth in my community through the establishment of a youth to youth mentoring program that will be a bridge between struggle and prosperity.