Everyone’s hands become stained shades of red, green, yellow and purple. Rubber bands stretch wide as spirals unfold into striking, unique patterns. The colorful mess of our tie-dye shirts not only bonds us as a team, but also connects us to patients at Children’s Hospital of Colorado (CHOC). In addition to the shirt we make for ourselves, we donate several more to patients, symbolizing that they are not alone in their journey. Following personal appointments and volunteering in the creative play department at the CHOC, I started the Helping Hands Club (HHC) at my school to share my gratitude for the medical professionals who supported me. Through the HHC, I have brought students together to engage in creative service projects to support families affected by pediatric illnesses. We have since benefited several of our local communities and nonprofits including the CHOC, the Denver Ronald McDonald House, and the Shining Stars Foundation. Some of my favorite service projects we have completed include: a holiday toy drive for children facing cancer, cooking meals for families staying nearby their children at a nearby hospital, as well as creating cheer cards, masks, and door decorating kits for pediatric patients. I was determined to share my mission of the HHC, and did so through word of mouth, social media, flyers, videos, and our local newspaper. Just as dye permeates fabric and captures the eye, the HHC developed over time, connecting with more local charities and community members. In fact, my work with the HHC under my school’s Family, Career, and Community Leaders of America chapter (FCCLA) gained national recognition at the 2024 National FCCLA Leadership Conference. However, I do not plan on stopping there, as I have implemented leadership positions with underclassmen to continue the sustainability of the HHC. My passion for giving has further stretched out to one of inclusion. As a member of a group called the Accessibility Team, I have had many rewarding opportunities to work towards my passion for promoting inclusivity and accessibility. Some of my favorite experiences include presenting on how to make STEM education more accessible at the statewide Colorado science teacher conference, as well as organizing and hosting “Inclusion Night,” a community open house event featuring various inclusive stations like Adapted Physical Education, ASL, Braille, and more. My service experiences have given me insight into the patient care side of healthcare, allowing me to develop essential skills related to human services. These service experiences have further given me a sense of direction with my own career path as I am interested in the healthcare sector, specifically in Occupational Therapy, with a focus in mental health. In my academic pursuits, I have enjoyed making connections between my psychology and science classes in school. I find topics such as neural signaling and cell division especially fascinating as they also apply to Occupational Therapy and understanding sensory input responses and genetic disorders. Pursuing these interests in my undergraduate studies through an interdisciplinary approach with integrative physiology, neuroscience, and psychology is a dream of mine as this knowledge would allow me to help individuals seeking help. Through Occupational Therapy, I desire to enhance the lives of individuals in my community who need the right support to adapt and thrive both mentally and physically. Through my service experiences, I have come to see the elasticity and real beauty in connecting with others.

Everyone’s hands become stained shades of red, green, yellow and purple. Rubber bands stretch wide as spirals unfold into striking, unique patterns. The colorful mess of our tie-dye shirts not only bonds us as a team, but also connects us to patients at Children’s Hospital of Colorado (CHOC). In addition to the shirt we make for ourselves, we donate several more to patients, symbolizing that they are not alone in their journey. Following personal appointments and volunteering in the creative play department at the CHOC, I started the Helping Hands Club (HHC) at my school to share my gratitude for the medical professionals who supported me. Through the HHC, I have brought students together to engage in creative service projects to support families affected by pediatric illnesses. We have since benefited several local nonprofits including the CHOC, the Denver Ronald McDonald House, and the Shining Stars Foundation. Some of my favorite service projects we have completed include: a holiday toy drive for children facing cancer, cooking meals for families staying nearby their children at Children’s Hospital, as well as creating cheer cards, masks, and door decorating kits for pediatric patients. I was determined to share my mission of the HHC, and did so through word of mouth, social media, flyers, videos, and our local newspaper. Just as dye permeates fabric and captures the eye, the HHC developed over time, connecting with more local charities and community members. In fact, my work with the HHC under my school’s Family, Career, and Community Leaders of America chapter (FCCLA) gained national recognition at the 2024 National FCCLA Leadership Conference. However, I do not plan on stopping there, as I have implemented leadership positions with underclassmen to continue the sustainability of the HHC. My service experiences have truly given me insight into the patient care side of healthcare, helped me develop essential skills related to human services, and taught me how to effectively communicate with external organizations. Further, the HHC has also given me a sense of direction with my own career path as I am interested in the healthcare sector, specifically in Occupational Therapy with a focus in mental health. Through Occupational Therapy, I desire to enhance the lives of individuals in my community who need the right support to adapt and thrive both mentally and physically. To me, community service allows me to be a part of something much larger than myself. I believe that charities create a framework, but that communities must come together to fill in the gap through collective giving. I aim to continue the outward ripple of bright compassion through every service experience I undertake. Through my service experiences, I have come to see the elasticity and real beauty in connecting with others.