Growing up in and around the Gulf Region, I’m no stranger to the devastation hurricanes leave in their wake. I was a baby when Hurricane Katrina ruined much of Louisiana in 2005, and in 2008, my hometown, Houston, was utterly decimated by Hurricane Ike. Like many Americans, I watched in horror as media outlets showed the impact of Hurricane Harvey across the Gulf Coast in 2017. The situation was dire, and, whilst I was too young in 2005 and prepping for college in 2022, I was ready and determined to help in person however I could. I contacted several disaster response organizations, but they weren’t able to offer volunteer opportunities. A few mornings after the storm hit, I caught a National Public Radio interview with David Campbell who had recently founded Hands on USA (or HOUSA). They were on the ground in Biloxi, Mississippi, and seeking immediate disaster assistance from willing and able volunteers. Recognizing this as one of the hardest-hit areas, I booked a flight right away. I had no idea what to expect from my first time as a disaster volunteer. I remember being picked up at the airport and, even before we made the journey back to the program base, we helped unload a cargo plane carrying aid, delivered goods to a local distribution center, collected supplies, and made a trip to a supermarket so I could buy a tent to sleep in. It was clear right away that this was going to be a full-on but rewarding experience. We were up before dawn each day and didn’t get back to our base until near dark. Then there was our nightly program meeting, the next day’s job signup, our evening meal, and any chores or repairs needing doing. At night, volunteers would gather around a campfire together or enjoy some time alone to rest before starting again the next day. It was intense, heart-wrenching, and magical. I’ve never experienced anything quite like it since! My fellow volunteers were thoughtful and passionate and, as this was such an unprecedented storm, and federal governmental assistance was lacking, we wanted to address some of the major challenges experienced by displaced residents. We were able to build a picture of the most pressing needs by going door-to-door in several neighborhoods. Many families were forced to live on the slabs and patches of land where their homes once stood and so we coordinated with donors to supply coolers, tarps, tents – anything to provide respite from the unrelenting heat. We also replaced the street signs in greater Biloxi which had been ripped off in the storm surge to help direct response workers. Leaving the program after the initial 10 days I committed to was such sweet sorrow. There was still a lot of work to be done and I didn’t want to leave, but my flight home was booked and I had a job interview lined up. While dropping me back at the airport, a fellow volunteer told me he’d be returning in three days in case I wanted to come back. I ended up being offered the job I interviewed for so I had a tough decision to make. I chose to return to Biloxi and support the HOUSA team and it changed my life, my work ethic, and my career trajectory forever. I love HOUSA and everything they stand for. The numerous skills I have acquired have been invaluable in various aspects of my life. Going forward, I aim to find ways to help anyone in need, a simple "Can I help you" is all I need to achieve this.

I've always wanted to be a teacher, although I'm not exactly sure what I want to teach or what grade level yet. I used to want to be a high-school band director, but they're usually older white men, so I gave that up. Now all I know is that my greatest passion is teaching. Helping people quench their curiosities and better understand the world around them is something I love and want to do for the rest of my life. One of the reasons why I'm so passionate about teaching is it lets me create a safe space for my students to thrive and learn. Some kids do not have a place where they feel comfortable enough to ask questions or be their most authentic selves. I want to be able to provide a place where people can grow at their own pace and enjoy doing it. I want my students to feel comfortable enough to talk to me if they don't understand what I'm doing and provide me with suggestions on how I can better help them understand and/or enjoy what I am trying to teach. I believe the best teachers stay as students their whole lives, constantly learning and growing in knowledge with their students. I love learning, and becoming a teacher guarantees I will never stop doing so. I will continuously learn more about what I am teaching to improve as a teacher every day. In addition to creating a safe learning environment, I want more students and teachers to be excited about going to school. Students can tell when their teacher does not want to be in a classroom. I had a teacher that taught me the curriculum, whom I never really got to know, and because of that, they were just OK. I had teachers that didn't teach me the curriculum but taught me life lessons instead, and those teachers were my favorite and were the main reason I got interested in the education field. I also had teachers that didn't teach anything at all and did the bare minimum, and seeing them frustrated me. Some kids enjoy having classes in which nothing productive is done, but it only irritated me even more. If I can have a classroom where people are excited to come to learn, I'll know I have accomplished something grand. Being a teacher isn’t going to make anyone rich—but for me, it is one of the most rewarding careers on the planet and is so much more than just the income. A teacher can have a massive impact on a child’s life, and to see a child progress and grow is something that brings great joy to my life as well. I want to teach for the rest of my life, for both myself and the generations of kids to come in the future.

The most crucial matter we should always take priority in caring for is our own body, they are the vessels that carry us through life and enable us to do all the things we enjoy. Our bodies are complex systems that require proper care and maintenance to function at their best, exercise, eating the right foods, and caring for our mental health are all factors that play into our overall health, and they are all activities I have started to incorporate into my lifestyle as of late to be more healthy. Exercise is essential for maintaining good physical health. It helps to keep our hearts healthy, keep our bodies in good shape, and reduce the risk of chronic diseases, it can even improve your overall happiness. In the past I was very inactive, spending hours on end sitting on a chair and browsing the internet every day, I began to experience problems such as back pain and fatigue. I knew there were multiple reasons why I was feeling like this, the main one being a lack of physical activity, which is why I have begun to incorporate an exercise routine into my morning schedule. The routine consists of 20 push-ups, 30 squats, 3 sets of toe touches, and if I have the time 10 sit-ups, I found that doing this every morning helps me feel energized after waking up and gets my mind ready for the rest of the activities I have to do for the day. I also find leisure in walking around the large pond by our house once I'm done with said work to unwind and relax my stiff body. Whether you decide to hit the gym, run in your residential area, or even climb a tree, they all are good options to improve your health. I believe the most important mindset I have adapted into was to learn from others' life experiences, both to get inspired by people who are also working towards a healthy lifestyle and to learn about new activities I can incorporate into my life to improve myself even further. If you stop to think about it, our main goals in life are to develop as people, experience new things, and learn from others and our own experiences. The best method to increase your knowledge and learn new things is to be motivated by other people and learn from their accomplishments. I'll never forget the first time I felt inspired by someone on Twitter. It was about four years ago when I started exercising and paying attention to my eating habits, and it was thanks to this Twitter user that I was able to pick up new exercises to try out and discover new recipes I enjoyed making that were both healthy and delicious. Getting started on your health and fitness journey isn't easy to initiate, I would know as it took serious dedication on my part to stick with this new lifestyle, but remember that it is a gradual process and that even the smallest change to your lifestyle can make a huge difference in your and other people's lives. Nothing I did was accomplished by myself though, all of my exercise routines and dieting plans were inspired by others who were already taking the same path toward a healthy lifestyle or have already achieved it. As I once heard from someone special to me: you can't come up with everything purely by yourself, ideas are meant to be shared and grow off of each other, and doing so will allow us to accomplish so much more and achieve our greatest dreams.

Everyone needs an inspiration whose impact changes their life from ordinary to extraordinary. In my life, there are many people to whom I owe my life. Teachers, friends, parents, relatives, siblings, all of them influence me more or less, but the person whose impact is the most on my life is definitely my Mom who has shaped me from rugged to fine and from rotten to ripe. All the mothers in this world create an impact on their kids, but what my Mom has done for me is indeed special. I have expressed her impact on my life in the form of a poem. Oh mother, how you are always here for me; there when I was depressed, filling me with glee. You are my backbone, my support, my ultimate strength, You gave me the motivation to pursue what I have dreamt. You love and care for your family in the most beautiful way, even teaching me how to prevent my brothers from going astray; but when I find myself unable to keep them in check, you're always a phone call away to help me deal with this wreck. She is the one, whose loving and kind, and is quick to forgive whenever things go wrong. A helpful trait I inherited, bearing in mind, one that's helped me prevent arguments from being overdrawn. For eighteen long years, you raised us under your wing, Your undying devotion is deserving of a crowning. I can’t ever forget those valuable lessons that she shares; My Doctor, Teacher, she’s my Supervisor for whom I care. Ever since we were young, our mother always told us one thing: strive to be a better person than you were yesterday, it's a message I still remember to this day and it's what inspired me to pursue my dream of engineering. My mother is a devoted Christian, teaching us to follow God faithfully. She always tells us to remember this verse to live in- "Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers our multitude of sins." Every moment becomes ecstatic when she is around, No mother better than her could be found She is the woman with a pure soul, my dearest mother, She is the one who provides wings to my resting feathers. My Mother's beauty is in the way she smiles, Her charm could be seen in her gleaming eyes for miles. She is a woman of substance, Suave and Sophisticated. She embodies feminism with confidence regenerated. Oh dear mother, what would I do without you Without your guidance, I wouldn't have any sort of virtue Thankfully, you raised me in a way that best prepares me for life, Now I feel confident to take on the world with minimal strife. My Mother doesn't let disappointments keep her down, she knows that her circumstances will soon turn around. It's a mindset she urges her children to follow, one she knows will prevent our future lives from being hollow. Oh mother, how sweet is your embrace Your undying love, the smile on your face Although you were persistent, it was all for my fate Your loving yet stern rule ultimately led to me being great.

There are two types of people on earth, those who ‘ live in order to eat’ and others who ‘ eat in order to live’. The type of lifestyle people choose put them under the category of a healthy or unhealthy lifestyle and can lead them toward either positive or negative consequences due to the outcome of the choices they made. Do "healthy eating habits" really make any difference in our lives? Let’s go step-by-step to understand the topic of concern affecting one and all, through the importance of food, and the advantages and disadvantages of healthy and unhealthy eating habits respectively. Following unhealthy habits like eating junk food regularly leads to the risks of obesity, cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, liver disease, and certain types of cancers too! Poor diet habits can compromise the capacity to work and gradually develop tiredness and stress which contribute further to the risk of being overweight, high blood pressure, tooth decay, and some other illnesses. Processed or packed foods that are frozen or canned contain much extra sugar, salt, oil, calories, and preservatives which increases the food’s shelf life but collectively all these increases the risks of hypertension, high sugar levels, heart disease, etc. By following healthy eating habits, The first advantage you can see is lowering the risk of heart disease. It will help you to boost your mood and reduce stress levels, and also will help you to perform all daily physical activities well. Food with good nutrition combined with physical activity will help you to lead a healthy weight and lifestyle and reduces the risk of chronic diseases like cancer. Diets rich in fiber such as vegetables and fruits may reduce the risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes, and other common health problems. Healthy eating habits overall help you gain the benefit of weight loss, stroke prevention, efficiency, and building a better mood and memory. I too used to follow unhealthy eating habits and over time I started to feel the effects take a toll on my body, I was experiencing back pain, stomach pain, drowsiness, low attention span, and even increased aggression towards others. I didn't like how I was feeling at all, so I started to research why I was experiencing this, which led to me learning about my eating habits and the negative effects they came with. Ever since then, I decided to cut down on the number of snacks I ate throughout the day and put more veggies and fruits into my diet, I also began to exercise more to burn down the extra calories I accumulated over the two years. Now, I feel much more energized and attentive to others and my surroundings, by applying these activities to my daily life I saw my lifestyle curving back towards the right path. I hope by now you understood the importance of healthy eating habits, the type of food intake, and the disadvantages of unhealthy food habits. Sometimes, even unconsciously, you follow such unhealthy habits under certain circumstances, but don't think that it's impossible to get out of this situation, it's never too late to turn your bad habits around and start anew.

If I could have everyone read one book, without a doubt it would be the Bible. Reading the Bible daily has taught me a lot about life, it was a source of comfort when I was stressed, showed me the right thing to do when facing a moral dilemma, and helped me develop inner peace. The Bible, I believe, is a great source of wisdom, I'll even say it's the most important book on earth due to how many lessons it teaches you. I like to dedicate time out of my busy life to sit down, relax, and read a chapter of my bible every day, whether it's to calm down after a day of endless writing and errands or just to gain more insight on how to better myself and help others, my bible has helped me with all of that and more. The Bible is a great source of true comfort and reassurance when you need it, whenever you're feeling stressed or stuck on how to deal with a problem, the Bible will have a solution to your exact situation, that's how powerful this book is. The Holy Bible is also great because it makes you closer to the Holy Spirit just by reading it. This book contains a message at its very core. It is a message to all people everywhere, in every era, relevant to their everyday lives. It claims to be the very words of God… an audacious claim, for sure. It is for you to decide whether to believe the message of this book and apply it to your own life. If you never knew anything about God, you will know a great deal about God after reading this book. If you believe you know much about God, you will know even more about him after you read this book. You may even decide to re-evaluate your knowledge of God after reading it. Keep turning the pages of this remarkable book. Read it with an open mind and open heart. It contains pure truth about God, about life, the nature of mankind, and our own hearts as human beings. The Gospel of John is a wonderful place to start, but read the whole thing — Old and New Testaments, I did and it gave me a whole new outlook on life. You’ll be amazed at what you discover about God, and about yourself.

Where are you from? This simple question – a staple icebreaker within any social circle – prompts a much longer response from the military child. I always hesitate before answering, “Texas,” and am generally met with more questions. Ramble through an uncomfortable explanation, count states on your fingers, share your life story, squirm in the silence that follows. “Are your parents military?” Growing up in a military family, you start to notice substantial differences between your concept of “normal” and that of the average child. Your friends take an annual vacation to Key West? Your family makes an annual trek to Eglin Air Force Base to unwind on the military beach in American flag backpack chairs. Your friends were born in connecting hospital rooms? You aren’t sure of the exact hospital you were born in, nor have you ever returned. For a shy, introverted student who made their mom order for them at restaurants until the unacceptably old age of 11, moving every two years was terrifying. The first time pulling up to a new school, I always begged my mom to reconsider homeschooling. Thankfully, she forced me to go and I dedicate my excellent education to her refusal to let me hide at home. In a culture of rules and orders, military children have a heightened discipline, which extends beyond cleaning your room or finishing your chores before being allowed to play. In my own life, this learned discipline fostered internal expectations that today lead me to carefully budget my time, dedicate countless hours to school and strategically plan out my future. Watching my father, my father’s father, and my mother’s father exercise discipline and diligence both in and out of uniform, it felt natural to follow suit. The most important thing I’ve learned watching my dad is service. Service to your friends, service to your family and indiscriminate service to your country. Behind each Soldier is a powerful purpose to defend, protect and preserve. Unlike the average profession with a monetary motivation, military men and women chose to sacrifice themselves for a worthy cause. Entering adulthood, Army brats carry key values with them: loyalty, duty, respect, selfless service, honor, integrity and personal courage. Sound familiar? I thank my dad for being an inspiring military leader and dedicating himself to the country. I thank my dad for teaching me to look beyond myself and recognize my social obligation. I thank my dad for raising me a military child. Maybe I get restless living somewhere for longer than three years, maybe I don’t know where my second-grade best friend ended up, maybe I don’t know where my dad was for my first birthday. But I do know that my dad was always home at night to sit with me until I fell asleep. I always knew despite the obvious absence that my dad loved me – and loved his country. When I graduate next year, I know I want to go out into the world and do something that matters. 2 years later from then, I am now studying at Houston Community College working towards my associate degree in electrical engineering, seeing my dad working with electronics on the field is what inspired me to pursue this career. Born rough and tough, military children are recognizably different. My values, beliefs, and goals are shaped by my upbringing. As a military child, I would like to thank my military family and all other military families not only for their sacrifice but also for making me a better human being – one national anthem at a time.

My name is Sirel Baptiste, I was born and raised in Houston, Texas, and currently live a pleasant life with my parents and younger brothers, whom I take pride in caring for daily. I live in a Christian family and we enjoy going to church every Sunday to learn more about our heavenly Lord and Father, however, I like to dedicate time out of each day to reading my bible to gain more insight into how I can positively impact the people around me. Through reading the Bible, I learned about the things that God says are sins, acts you should never commit, these acts include lying, being arrogant, devising wicked plans, being quick to turn to evil deeds, being a false witness for others, causing trouble for others, and lastly, hands that shed innocent blood. This last one I feel is a major issue and one I, unfortunately, hear in media often, especially in the controversial topic known as abortion, which is an important social issue that needs addressing. The abortion debate is the ongoing controversy surrounding the moral, legal, and religious status of induced abortion. Those who oppose abortion in all or most circumstances generally think the best way to reduce the number of abortions is to make it illegal. By eliminating legal availability, they believe abortion will cease to exist. They hold this view despite undeniable evidence that women continue to have abortions in countries where it is outlawed, under illegal and unsafe conditions that often result in a terrible tragedy. Close to 70,000 women a year die from unsafe abortion and numerous others suffer grave injuries, including infection, hemorrhaging, and infertility. This hurts women, their families, and whole communities, but it does very little to reduce abortion. I believe the better way to go about reducing the number of abortions is to make it less necessary. One way to do so is to reduce the incidence of unintended pregnancy. Half of all pregnancies in this country are unintended, and half of those end in abortion. Unintended pregnancy could be reduced significantly if we showed true commitment to 1) comprehensive sexuality education that includes medically accurate information about abstinence and contraception; 2) insurance coverage of and public funding for family planning services; 3) greater access to emergency contraception (which prevents pregnancy and does not cause abortion); and 4) programs that curb domestic violence and sexual abuse. Women who are able to avoid unintended pregnancy do not have to make the difficult decision of whether to have an abortion. Abortion is a sad and controversial topic, but I still stand by the Biblical fact that it's wrong to kill another, especially if it's a child that never got a chance to live in the outside world yet. I know that if we appropriately address this problem in a way that results in as few people getting hurt, it will positively impact the world and change it for the better. One of the ways I'm helping to make a change is by being politically active on the matter, I'm doing this by raising awareness, sending reminders, helping the homebound fill out absentee ballots, and providing transportation to the polls. And once we elect people, we need to work with them! That means getting to know the state and federal lawmakers who represent us and communicating with them about abortion. I know that through God and prayer, I and anyone can help carry out these changes and make a positive impact on others because anything is possible through Him.

My name is Sirel Baptiste, I was born and raised in Houston, Texas, and currently live a pleasant life with my younger brothers and parents. I have just reached the age of 19 years and have started to think about what I want to do after high school. After dwelling on the topic and getting advice from peers and my parents, l have decided that my next step will be to seek further education by getting into college, Houston Community College to be exact, to fulfill my dream of becoming an electrical engineer in the far future. Going along this path will be no easy task as I'm sure there will be numerous challenges along the way, but I know that with the help of my family, community, funding from scholarships, and sheer willpower, I will achieve this dream of mine. I have my reasons for Houston Community College being my choice, the most influential one being some advice I got from my high school history teacher. He was lecturing the class on why it's a bad idea to go straight to university after high school, one notable point he brought up was that it is much better to start at a community college than a university. He went on to explain how community colleges cost less, have flexible schedules, are usually closer to home so dorms and travel aren't necessary, and some allow you to transfer to a university after you finish your years there. Hearing this inspired me to research community colleges and see if any were worth attending. Houston community college caught my eye as its very close to home, offers classes that teach subjects that electrical engineers specialize in, and comes with programs that set me up to transfer to Texas A&M University, the university I was considering going to after high school. Thanks to my teacher's excellent wisdom, I saw my life going down the right path toward my dream career. I find technology, science, and the aspect of electricity fascinating, I love to dream about how the world would look and function with developing technology being brought into reality, it's what got me interested in engineering in the first place. I have always wanted to be part of the team of engineers that help advance technology past its development phase, which is why I chose electrical engineering as the engineering field I want to pursue. I plan to make a positive impact on the world through my engineering career by working together with a team of like-minded people to contribute to the development of emerging tech and revolutionize our current tech to make it better for the world and human society. I hope that when I become an electrical engineer I will be able to bring out both my and others' ideas into the world in full force and help the world move forward toward a bright, innovative future. Throughout my engineering career, I will strive to be more empathetic towards others in my decision-making process, finding ways to design products that directly help others in need, not just for profit or commercial use. When coming up with new ideas for inventions I want to focus on the well-being of the world, the underrepresented groups, people with disabilities or injuries, and even the health of animals and our planet, I want to find ways to alleviate issues in all these areas utilizing my expertise in technology. I know that by using my problem-solving skills and working with others who follow the same path, I and the engineering community will achieve all this and more.

While serving as a career naval officer and since returning to civilian life, I’ve enjoyed the experience of traveling the world. My wife, kids, and I have sampled the rich and unique cultures of many countries and it’s been great fun but nothing ever quite matched the joy and pleasure we always felt on returning home to America. It was then that we realized just how fortunate we were, through an accident of birth and no effort on our part, to be citizens of the greatest nation on earth. Being an American means believing in a shared and unifying ideal of democracy lived out day to day in a particular place called the United States of America. It is imagining and believing in the promise that anything is possible in America as opportunity abounds no matter your circumstances, race, or ancestors’ place of origin. An ideal many of us have bought into America and why we seek the promised rights, equality, and freedom espoused to the world is the underpinning of our country’s founding on that July 4, 1776, and ratified by us all, ordinary Americans, as our expressed right to “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” Those words have become such a unique and aspirational expression of our shared values as Americans. Being an American also means aspiring to and being able to achieve anything in a country that despite its complicated history of inequality and contradictions remains, in essence, free and noble in its pursuit of opportunity and equality. It’s historically a welcoming beacon of hope that millions aspire to. The place that is my home by choice if not by birth. A land of contrasts where many have found our common and shared identities based on the promise of equality, opportunity, and freedom. This wonderful, difficult, brave, at times bittersweet, land of ours of which the great American poet Langston Hughes expressed, “O, let my land be a land where Liberty is crowned with no false patriotic wreath, But opportunity is real, and life is free, Equality is in the air we breathe.” The same land that I dream of for my children and their children, and their children. Lastly, As a nation of immigrants, being American means understanding and learning from one another, it also means welcoming, caring, and alleviating the sufferings of people around us, being ready to sacrifice something for me, my family, my neighborhood, my community, and my country. Being American means respect, protection, and safety for all. No matter what language you speak, what religion you practice, or what culture you hold onto, you’re still American.

Parenting is no easy task, and raising children as a single parent can be overwhelming. Single parents rarely have downtime, especially if they are attending a college or university, they often find themselves at work or school for most of their day, and then as the sole caregiver for their child the little time they have at home. It is difficult to balance working and caring for your family, so often a single parent doesn’t have time and energy for additional obligations such as going to college. Despite these circumstances, many other single parents and I have found ways to manage and succeed in college life while raising our children well, and I know that if others can do it then every parent out there can if they don't give up and keep hold of the dream. I tried to go to college before but didn't have the motivation to go through with it, having my daughter gave me back that motivation. Seeing her every day made me want to provide for her and to work towards self-fulfillment, she made me want to have a job where I can be happy and feel happy every day. I went back to school because without higher education, you can't raise your family, and I wanted to create the best life for my daughter. Coming back to school was challenging, but I did it because I knew my daughter would have a better future thanks to my selfless actions. I wanted to be the figure she was proud of, someone she looked up to. I want her to know that she can overcome any obstacle she wants if she puts her mind to it. I plan to make a positive impact on my society by finding ways I can help others in need, especially if it involves education and parental advice. One of the quickest ways of making a long-lasting impression on someone is by helping them out of challenging situations, and this is what I hope to do for other single parents who are struggling to balance college life with their parenting life. I aim to do this by talking to the single parents, fully understanding the situation they're in, and giving out suggestions on how to achieve stability. My goal with this project is to touch lives, encourage others, and motivate them toward achieving this balance. There is no downside to attempting to help someone in need, as James Keller once said: a candle loses nothing when it lights others. Being a single parent who is earning an education takes hard work and dedication. There are many obstacles in the way, from financial limitations to time commitments, but we are never truly alone in this, single parents can and should seek out assistance. Organizations can help with the financial and time burden associated with childcare, while scholarships like these will help with tuition costs. Earning a degree as a single parent is difficult but not impossible with a bit of help.

My name is Sirel Baptiste, I was born and raised in Houston, Texas, and currently live a pleasant life with my younger brothers and parents. I have just reached the age of 19 and started thinking about what I want to do after high school. After dwelling on the topic and getting advice from peers and my parents, l have decided that to fulfill my dream of becoming an electrical engineer in the far future I will seek further education by getting into college, Houston Community College to be exact. Going along this path will be no easy task as I'm sure there will be numerous challenges along the way, but I know that with the help of my family, community, funding from scholarships, and sheer willpower I will get there. I've faced many challenges in the past, from working on group projects to writing essays for scholarships, but all of them pale in comparison to the biggest challenge I have ever dealt with, one that happened at my last part-time job. I and two other coworkers worked in a storage facility sorting out supplies for them to be shipped elsewhere, everything was going fine until one day both members were laid off and I was suddenly left with the workload of three people. I fell behind fast and knew I couldn’t keep up in the long term, so I asked my manager for help on this dilemma. We came up with a solution that involved hiring new recruits, getting temporary help from another team, and streamlining our new team’s processes to be more efficient, too. The experience taught me a lot in terms of communication, time management, and problem-solving, and I think I’m even better prepared for the next problem or challenge I’ll face since I overcame that previous obstacle despite it feeling hopeless initially. I find technology, science, and the aspect of electricity fascinating, I love to dream about how the world would look and function with technology that is currently in development being brought into reality. I have always wanted to be one of the people to help advance technology past its development phase, which is why I chose electrical engineering as the engineering field I want to pursue. I plan to make a positive impact on the world through my engineering career by working together with a team of like-minded people to revolutionize our current tech to make it better for the world and human society. I hope that when I become an electrical engineer I will be able to bring out both my ideas and others into the world in full force and help the world move forward toward a bright innovative future. As I stated before, the path to becoming an electrical engineer will be a massive challenge, but one that will be worthwhile if I devote enough of my time and attention to it. Thanks to the experience I gained from the challenges I overcame in the past, I know I will be able to overcome this trial through time and dedication. To leave off, I want to tell everyone that whenever you feel hopeless in the face of a big challenge just remember to not focus on the negatives of the situation, but instead on the progress you're making little by little, the more you focus on the small victories the closer you'll find yourself to success.

My name is Sirel Baptiste, I was born and raised in Texas and currently live a comfortable life with my younger brothers and parents. I have now reached the daunting age of 18 years, the age when your parents expect you to know what you want to do in life and how you plan to accomplish it. I have decided that I want to further my education by getting into college, Houston Community College to be exact, to fulfill my dream of becoming an electrical engineer in the far future. Going along this path will be no easy task I'm sure, but I know that with the help of my family, community, funding from scholarships, and sheer willpower I will get there. It has always been my dream to become an engineer when I grow up, it was a dream I kept since I was 14 years old. My dream to become an engineer originates from the shows I watched as a kid, they all had to do with science, technology, construction, and nature, watching these programs after coming home from school was a favorite pastime of mine. Over time I became inspired and indulged by the subjects they explained, and I wanted to learn more about them and be involved with them, this is what eventually led to me learning about the engineering field. My dream to become an electrical engineer specifically comes from the fact that we still know so little about how electricity works, and it's my dream to become a part of the team that researches and unlocks the true potential of electricity and to discover ways for it to help humanity even more than it currently does. Dreams are important. As human beings, I think it is essential to have a goal. We all need somewhere to head to, and something to believe in. I'm passionate about fulfilling my dreams because it gives me something to anchor onto in life, if I didn't have anything to follow in life, or any goal to work towards, I would feel lost and confused, and those feelings stress me out. Whether our dream is related to our career or a personal mission, believing in something and wanting to achieve brings with it a certain zest and enthusiasm for life. It is the opposite of simply drifting along—it is changing for the better. It can be the difference between excitement and apathy. As quoted by Thomas Jefferson- "Nothing can stop the man with the right mental attitude from achieving his goal; nothing on earth can help the man with the wrong mental attitude." This is my story on why I dream of becoming an electrical engineer, my passion for the subject, and what I hope to bring about in the world from this career. I believe it's always essential to have a dream to follow in this journey called life, otherwise, we would be washed around by life's currents and could wind up in random situations we wouldn't like. We might not have the same dream that we carried with us when we were little, after all, we are always evolving and growing as people, and new experiences can nurture different passions, one thing must always remain important though and it's that we follow what we love doing.

Perseverance is sticking with things and being determined. It means being hardworking and finishing what is started, despite barriers and obstacles that arise. It’s difficult not to lose motivation and enthusiasm after a certain point, I experience this all the time; however, perseverance teaches you how to continue working hard until you succeed. I believe that a perseverance mindset is the best way to approach problems we face in life and to improve ourselves mentally. There are many times when I lack the motivation to do a task and therefore find it hard to persevere, one example is when I'm applying for scholarships. I have been applying for essay scholarships like these for a while now and I haven't won a single one ever since, but I knew these scholarships would be one of my only ways to pay for college to get closer to my dream career. I kept on writing and applying for as many scholarships as I could until one faithful day I checked the scholarship website to find out that I won one of the scholarships I applied for. I was amazed when I saw my icon on the scholarship page showing that I won. I knew that if I was able to win this scholarship then I definitely could win more, all I had to do is stay diligent in applying for more scholarships. Perseverance is important because it leads to the mastery of a subject, makes you resilient, and it teaches you how to manage crises and be an effective problem solver. Perseverance in the face of challenges indicates leadership qualities. Perseverance signifies stepping outside your comfort zone and staying focused on your efforts. It also means that you have a growth mindset, that is, the belief that you can develop essential qualities through your efforts. In summary, perseverance is the act of working toward your goal despite challenges and setbacks. It’s the persistence you display, even if there is a delay in achieving goals or success. I am not perfect in keeping my perseverance, few people are, but I know that if we practice not giving up and aiming to improve ourselves little by little, we will achieve our goals. Persevering in the face of problems makes you a more optimistic person and lets you envision a brighter future. You learn not to give up because you believe that the power remains in your hand, as long as you keep at it.

Growing up in foster care can be challenging. It can also be a good thing, as weird as that sounds. Some children come from terrible situations within their biological families and they will be helped in a home where there is love and support; at times foster care can provide more opportunity and a better quality of life than a traditional family. For me, it was a mixed bag. I had both good and bad experiences during my 12 years in state care. I went into my first long-term placement when I was 7 years old. I stayed there for about five years, but they weren’t the most pleasant years. At first, I was the only girl in the home, with three boys. By the time I was moved, five years later, there were six boys there, and I was still the only girl. Only one of the boys was my biological brother. During my time in that home, I was physically and sexually manipulated. So many things happened there, but only my outbursts were reported to my social worker. I even was put in the home of a different member of that family so that the foster parent would continue getting paid. I spent the rest of my seven years in state care constantly being moved from home to home. I was put in group homes and in – and quickly out of – “first-time” or “trial” foster homes. In at least five of my homes, I lived with foster parents who were newly licensed or ones who had never had foster children, much less a teenager who had been emotionally, physically, and sexually abused. I discovered that so many people get involved in fostering for the money and not to make a lasting impact on a child’s life. But I had a few good short-term/respite, foster parents, and they are the ones who are still in my life today. To me, the foster parents who didn’t want to foster full-time were better mentors and parents. The lady I call “Mama” today was one of my short-term foster parents. I was 18 and pregnant when I went into her home. She made me feel so welcome. She gave me my room, called me “daughter” and consoled me when I was sad. I was moved from her home after a different parent had finished her training hours to be licensed and wanted to try fostering. “Mama” continued supporting me after they moved me by picking me up to run errands, checking on my son after he was born, and taking me shopping. I still spend holidays and special occasions with her, and she is still a positive role model in my life. Throughout my time in care, I also developed close relationships with some of my social workers. I had one who talked to me as if I were a younger sister and I found I could trust her. That was a big deal for me because one of my biggest challenges was learning to trust people. My life could have turned out differently had I not made the best of the better circumstances. Had I not kept in contact with those few good apples, I could have become a victim of the system but instead, I remain victorious. Today I am an undergraduate at the University of Alabama, majoring in social work. I hope to earn my Master of Social Work degree and do some public speaking and coaching for teenagers in foster care. I want to show them that no matter where they came from, they can succeed.

Modern technology is fantastic, it powers our homes and appliances, improves our way of travel, lets us communicate over long distances, and even helps keep people alive. The more we advance into the future the better our technology will get at helping us in everyday life. Technology and its future have always fascinated me as a kid, and I loved to come up with inventions of my own and imagine them being brought out into the world for others to use. This passion as a kid is what led to me learning about the engineering field and has now led to me wanting to pursue electrical engineering as a STEM major. As for why I choose electrical engineering as my major of choice, it has mainly been because of my childhood dream of becoming an engineer, but there are reasons other than this for why I choose electrical engineering. First, I always strive to find a way to help others, so getting a career where I can help others through technology would allow me to continue that goal and make a living off of it. Secondly, I have always been captivated by robots and how they could impact and improve the everyday lives of people, and it has been a dream of mine to make a machine that does a specific task well. The last reason is that my uncle works in the same field I want to be in. Learning more about his career and seeing that he is living a successful life because of the career gave me more confidence that I can be successful too. Knowledge is an increasingly important resource in our society. Science contributes significantly to the growth of communities and the innovation of ideas, allowing us to gain more insight into how we can better solve problems. For this reason, I believe science is important in our society for communicating and sharing innovative ideas for the improvement of the technology that we use in our lives and to make it more accessible to others. Science and technology are always growing and improving thanks to how it helps society, and it shows no sign of stopping soon. Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics are all very important to our growth as a community, and we should all thank the brilliant minds who came up with the inventions we enjoy and utilize today that helped us get this far. I hope that one day I can achieve my dream of becoming an electrical engineer so I can help out the people of the world and enjoy my career at the same time. I know the path that I have to follow to achieve this dream of mine, and I know that this scholarship will bring me one step closer to achieving my dream of becoming an electrical engineer, and I am grateful for the opportunity the Bold community has given me.

Rapid climate change is a vast and ever-growing problem, we hear about it all over the news and other media and how it's making the world go down a very bad path. Despite the seriousness of the situation, for years positive trends have accumulated and there is finally some good news and a clear path toward our collective climate goals. People around the world are coming up with many different solutions to combat climate change, some more impactful than others, that's when I sat down to ask myself "what is the best way to deal with climate change and how can contribute?" While there is no definitive answer to this question as there are multiple factors to climate change, I have a great suggestion to combat climate change, one that has been in development for a while. Society has advanced a lot over the last few decades and so has our means of producing energy. One such energy production method that is still being researched is algae biofuel, a type of oil that is made from algae or seaweed. The unique thing about algae fuel is that it's carbon negative, meaning it doesn't produce any carbon when it's being made or used, it gets all of its energy from solar photosynthesis and only emits water and air when used. Algae also have the added benefit of sucking carbon dioxide out of the air when it's being cultivated, so not only is it not producing any harmful gases it's also getting rid of them at the same time. Algae has the potential to become a great alternative to fossil fuels if enough time and research are put into it and I believe it is a great way to reduce the amount of CO2 entering the atmosphere. When people hear about the problems of rapid climate change they may wonder how they can combat it in their daily life, I also thought of ways I can reduce my carbon footprint on the world, so I started to look into ways I could reduce my emissions. One thing I do is that I don't use my car that much and ride my bike instead, which helps with the amount of carbon dioxide entering the atmosphere, I also started taking care of various plants as a hobby which makes my room feel a lot nicer, another thing I do is instead of using disposable plastic water bottles I carry around a reusable metal mug to hold my drinks in, it also keeps them cooler for longer. While my efforts may be dwarfed by the systemic reality of global emissions, I see it as doing my tiny part to work towards the systemic change we need. Algae biofuel still needs a lot of time and research, which means it's expensive, but if we get enough support and funding from the community and the government this could become a much easier goal to accomplish. As investment pours in and technology improves and begins to scale, the cost of algae fuel technology will likely drop in the next few decades. With how the world is currently climate change doesn't seem to be slowing down, we can't just sit around and let the situation get any worse, we need to act and implement solutions now, if we can pull this off we will get one step closer towards ending climate change.

One day, on a sunny Saturday afternoon, I was going for a walk alongside a small stream in the neighborhood with my family. My brothers were goofing off as usual and I was enjoying taking in the scenic views of the surrounding plains and forest. Our carefree times were cut short though, as while I was surveying the area I caught a glimpse of something approaching, a stray bulldog. My brothers eventually noticed the dog in the distance and began to freak out, I on the other hand was still calm as I knew If we simply didn't move closer to the dog it would leave us alone. I told this to my brothers and they eventually listened and followed my lead out of the park, both the dog and my family were unharmed. My mother, who was also with us, said that she loved how calm I was in situations like these and that it's one of my more redeemable qualities, I also believe that my ability to not get bothered by many things and people is a good characteristic of myself. I enjoy staying to myself, which is why I prefer not to bother myself with the trivial stuff of the world and instead focus on what I like doing and what I need to do. Others and sometimes even my mom say that this isn't a good way to think all the time, while that is true sometimes, I know when it is and isn't a good time to worry about a problem, and when its time for me to act. I'm not immune to every inconvenience, some things really get under my skin, but when those arise I just let myself know that "this too will soon pass", I just have to hope and pray that I can put up with it and find a way around it. From reading the Bible I learned that it's best to put your hope and trust in God when problems arise and not to worry so much over them, especially if you don't fully know how to solve them, this fact is where my "carefree" lifestyle originates from. Knowing that God has everything covered for me alleviates a lot of pressure on me. There are times I still struggle to do this, but I know that if I keep practicing it will help me a lot in my future life as I won't have to stress over every problem or circumstance I come across and instead live a calm and peaceful life.

When I hear the term "recovery" I interpret it in two different ways. Recovery to me means not being alone through the good, the bad, and the ugly moments of life. Also being able to navigate situations without responding with my previous “coping skills” that were not very healthy. And to be grateful for everyone and everything in my life today. I also see recovery as starting a new life, learning to live without substances to adjust to my reality, this involves significantly changing my day-to-day actions and thought patterns. I’ve had to put my mom in the psych ward and watch my dad go through back surgery and stayed sober. I use AA and the fellowship around me to lean on and learn from. This is how I see recovery, and I believe I have been doing good getting back on the right path.

I think one thing we should make a habit when school starts is to to set up some kind of routine once you know the basics about your classes and what they require you to do. Making routines early into the year and following them is very beneficial as it will help you get used to them quicker, prevent you from being distracted easily, reduce stress from making decisions, and make you more diligent during your work. Not making a routine at some point in our school year could come with its consequences, sudden events and projects could come up that you weren't prepared for, and stressing out trying to complete them in time could have effects on your mental health. Handle: sighwalker18

My mom was diagnosed with advanced-stage sporadic ALS last November. She passed away approximately five months after receiving her diagnosis. Her quest to find answers to her “floppy foot,” began over a year ago, which was the initial symptom. With no family history of the disease, she spent over a year going to doctor appointments, actively searching for answers. She was determined to get her life back, visiting her PCP multiple times and seeking answers from several neurologists. She was told it was due to a nerve compression in her spine and untreated scoliosis, was scheduled for surgery, and she was hopeful. She endured the surgery and subsequent rehab isolated from her family, but, unbeknownst to her, she was entering a battle for which she was not given the ammunition. We need to do better. ALS patients deserve better. Due to her diagnosis of advanced-stage ALS, she was unable to participate in clinical trials. Providing more funding to create more opportunities for clinical trials, including trials for all stages of ALS, is essential. My Mom would have participated in any type of trial that might stop or slow the progression of her condition, anything that could provide some kind of hope for her. My mom, like most ALS patients, had been healthy her whole life, and she faced the news of her ALS diagnosis courageously. She fought to the best of her ability, at 79 years of age, against this brutal disease but also had to contend with the denial of services by Medicare that was so needed, such as PT, OT, speech, and respiratory therapy. CMS determined that she would not benefit from these services, although fiercely advocated by ALS specialists. She deserved every tool available to fight this disease and to be given the appropriate equipment in her arsenal. She was so much more than her member ID. Her mind remained unchanged during all of this as she gave witness to what ALS was doing to her body. She was unable to talk, hug her family, cry, or even scream over the frustration of it all. There is nothing more heartbreaking. Our family was also faced with the costs of providing 24-hour care to meet the needs of her rapidly declining health. I applied for grants and assistance where I could, but the financial costs, even with her long-term care insurance, could not keep up with the overwhelming burden. The cost of bringing in aides to help with her care in her last few months cost $35,000. For many families, covering these types of medically necessary costs is problematic, as these are unforeseeable circumstances that are difficult to plan for in retirement or at any point during one’s lifetime. How does ALS affect my life? It took away an irreplaceable part of my light, laughter, joy, and a piece of my heart. Her case can never be an example of what others should go through. We have the doctors, the services, and the specialists available to make ALS a livable disease by 2030. What we are missing is funding for research, awareness, educating, and training for PCPs, treatments and insurance benefits to aid those in their battle. My mom was not given a fair fight, she had more to contribute, more love to share, and more people to inspire. ALS might have won in her battle, but I am now her voice and I will fiercely advocate and continue the fight against this disease for her and others.

My favorite scientific discovery I can remember is learning about algae biofuel. Air pollution is an ever-growing problem, and we are still trying to come up with ways to stop it, alternative energy sources like algae fuel are great candidates to help resolve and reverse this problem. Algae fuel, algal biofuel, or algal oil is an alternative to liquid fossil fuels that uses algae as its source of energy-rich oils, its green energy since its renewable and cannot be exhausted from its source, unlike the unrenewable resources such as coal and petroleum. Algae oil as an energy source isn't just good because of its limitless availability, its also amazing because it doesn't emit any harmful toxins into the air when its used. The main problems of air pollution is that it emits toxins into the air that are harmful to the health of humans and other living beings and badly affect the climate, plant life, and environment of the area. Air pollution is a significant risk factor for a number of pollution-related diseases such as heart disease and lung cancer. Switching to using algae fuel instead of the toxic ones we are using today would slow down the amount of harmful gases being put into the atmosphere and would help with returning it to back to normal. One more reason why I like the idea of algae fuel is because it just sounds cool, promising, and exciting. I always disliked walking around my neighborhood and seeing trash all around, even the sky seemed discolored sometimes, I always felt gloomy seeing the world in this state, and I wanted something done about it. I believe that if algae fuel is developed and used in the future it will make the world a better place environmentally, this thought always makes me hopeful.

These past 2 to 3 years haven’t been the best for most of us, we can all agree on that. We can probably come up with a list of things that went wrong (some ongoing) these past few years but complaining about the past and present is a waste of time and energy, we should try our best to look at the bright side and envision a positive future. I have been striving to do exactly that during this era of our lives, and although it was tough, I feel like I’m succeeding. It isn’t easy to ignore the things going on all around us, but that’s a strategy I used to stay positive and optimistic through these times. I found that just ignoring the pessimistic news reports and removing myself from all the drama helped a lot with my stay happy amidst everything. Another tactic I used was reading and looking at the improvements that are happening in society, there are many great things that are being invented, talked about, and improved all around us, and I find it very relaxing to just read up on all of these as they make me fantasize about a bright future. One last thing that I do that helps me find inner peace is to isolate myself, whether that be in my room or a park, and relax and do my own hobbies, it lets me be in my own peaceful world. If I learned anything from these practices, it would be patience. I like to remind myself that things won’t stay horrible forever and that one day, we will start to see things improve. We may not know exactly how things will go about improving, but we can stay optimistic knowing that they will improve.