From the beginning, we are given two parents, many stay together, while others do not. But the one who remains in your life, showing unwavering, unconditional love, becomes the person you admire most. For me, that person has always been my mother. When I was a year old, my parents and I moved back to California from Florida to be closer to family. One day, my father never returned home, leaving my mother and me alone with only our rented house. To afford the payments, my mother sold every piece of furniture we owned except for the bed we shared for months until my grandparents helped us get back on our feet. The one thing I remember most from that time was my mother’s unshakable strength. I watched her pick up the broken pieces of our lives and put them back together, all while teaching me to show kindness and never show hate or anguish against anyone. She always told me not to hold resentment toward my father for leaving, explaining that some people make choices we cannot understand. Deep down, I knew she was hurt, as leaving wasn’t the only painful thing he had done to her and my family, but she never let her pain influence the relationship I might have with him, which I deeply admire. Elementary school brought new challenges. My mother wanted me to have the best education, so she enrolled me in Christian private schools, but they were not always welcoming to children of single parents. I endured bullying for years, but my mother always stood by me, advocating for my mental and emotional well-being. However, I wasn’t the only one who was judged. My mother also faced scrutiny, especially when she became pregnant with my younger sister. Churches that once welcomed us suddenly turned their backs, treating us as if we had done something wrong. When it was their beliefs that got in the way of building a relationship with us. We eventually stopped attending church. Experiencing that kind of rejection at a young age opened my eyes to how harsh the world can be, but my mother made sure I always felt wanted and loved. She also encouraged me to pursue my passions. At six, she enrolled me in art classes, hoping to give me an emotional outlet. What started as a simple activity soon became my greatest passion, pushing me through high school, winning awards for my art, and leading me to the University of Oregon, where I now study advertising with a minor in art history. Without my mother’s encouragement, I wouldn’t be where I am today. She always taught me that success doesn’t come easily unless the path is already paved for you, and ours never was. In our family, my mother is known as “Super Woman.” As my grandparents have aged, she has taken on their care while raising my younger sister, yet she has never stopped supporting me, even while I’m away at school. No matter what, she always makes sure I know how much I mean to her, just like the days when it was only the two of us, figuring out life together piece by piece.

I come from a one-parent low-income household. That's how my life has always been for me, always the one kid with the special lunch card cause mine was free or the kid with last season's clothes because the only place we shopped at was the thrift stores down the road from my house. That was all I knew as a kid. But one thing I also learned was that I had the most supportive family around me. Even though I never had my father constantly, I always had my mother. My father always struggled with drug abuse, and he never was present in my life, only for a few periods but would then leave again to return to his drugs. But my mother never made me feel less than others; she always cared for me physically and emotionally. And I'm grateful for how much she cared about me because it helped fill that void I was missing while growing up. Because one thing my mother always attempted to do was create memories that I would take with me into the future as an adult and traditions that I could pass on to my children. But the good memories always have the unfortunate ones that come with being a part of a financially unstable home. Growing up, I never got anything new; it was always from the thrift store or hand-me-downs from family friends. But even then, there were times when it was terrible; I remember when we had to sell all of our furniture to afford to stay in our home and that caused me to have to sleep with my mother on a single mattress. I'll never forget that experience, but we bought new furniture from the thrift store, and I had a bed to myself once more. But no matter the hardships my family and I faced, it always brought us closer together because when one of us struggled, we all did, and it would take all of us to get back on our feet. Throughout all these experiences, my passion for art flourished. Art has become such a large part of my life; besides my family, art has always been a hobby that I could rely on. My future is based on this foundation of love and admiration for the arts; I want to pursue a degree in Art History because my career goal is to work as an art curator. I'm grateful to have the support from my family to work towards this goal because many don't have that opportunity. In the future, whatever I do, I want to help others; it doesn't matter in what way, but I hope that something I do has an impact on someone's life that helps them get back to wherever they need to be. Because that is what my family has always done for me, I want to share that with others.

I come from a one-parent low-income household. That's how my life has always been for me, always the one kid with the special lunch card cause mine was free or the kid with last season's clothes because the only place we shopped at was the thrift stores down the road from my house. That was all I knew as a kid. But one thing I also learned was that I had the most supportive family around me. Even though I never had my father constantly, I always had my mother. My father always struggled with drug abuse, and he never was present in my life, only for a few periods but would then leave again to return to his drugs. But my mother never made me feel less than others; she always cared for me physically and emotionally. And I'm grateful for how much she cared about me because it helped fill that void I was missing while growing up. Because one thing my mother always attempted to do was create memories that I would take with me into the future as an adult and traditions that I could pass on to my children. But the good memories always have the unfortunate ones that come with being a part of a financially unstable home. Growing up, I never got anything new; it was always from the thrift store or hand-me-downs from family friends. But even then, there were times when it was terrible; I remember when we had to sell all of our furniture to afford to stay in our home and that caused me to have to sleep with my mother on a single mattress. I'll never forget that experience, but we bought new furniture from the thrift store, and I had a bed to myself once more. But no matter the hardships my family and I faced, it always brought us closer together because when one of us struggled, we all did, and it would take all of us to get back on our feet. Throughout all these experiences, my passion for art flourished. Art has become such a large part of my life; besides my family, art has always been a hobby that I could rely on. My future is based on this foundation of love and admiration for the arts; I want to pursue a degree in Art History because my career goal is to work as an art curator. I'm grateful to have the support from my family to work towards this goal because many don't have that opportunity. In the future, whatever I do, I want to help others; it doesn't matter in what way, but I hope that something I do has an impact on someone's life that helps them get back to wherever they need to be. Because that is what my family has always done for me, I want to share that with others.

I come from a one-parent low-income household. That's how my life has always been for me, always the one kid with the special lunch card cause mine was free or the kid with last season's clothes because the only place we shopped at was the thrift stores down the road from my house. That was all I knew as a kid. But one thing I also learned was that I had the most supportive family around me. Even though I never had my father constantly, I always had my mother. My father always struggled with drug abuse, and he never was present in my life, only for a few periods but would then leave again to return to his drugs. But my mother never made me feel less than others; she always cared for me physically and emotionally. And I'm grateful for how much she cared about me because it helped fill that void I was missing while growing up. Because one thing my mother always attempted to do was create memories that I would take with me into the future as an adult and traditions that I could pass on to my children. Like Christmas every year, we'd make the time to take a trip to the mountains and sledding in the snow. Or when instead of having a sweet sixteen, which was extremely expensive for my family, we went on a road trip p from San Diego to the British Columbia Border, and that trip was especially memorable. But just being able to have that time with my mom and sister, just the three of us, was so beautiful because, throughout our trip, our bond between us grew. Our little trio was all we knew; during that trip, it was us three against the world. But the good memories always have the unfortunate ones that come with being a part of a financially unstable home. Growing up, I never got anything new; it was always from the thrift store or hand-me-downs from family friends. For my mom, it was a plus that I was a tiny kid because mostly everything we received always fit. But even then, there were times when it was terrible; I remember when we had to sell all of our furniture to afford to stay in our home and that caused me to have to sleep with my mother on a single mattress. I'll never forget that experience, but we bought new furniture from the thrift store, and I had a bed to myself once more. But no matter the hardships my family and I faced, it always brought us closer together because when one of us struggled, we all did, and it would take all of us to get back on our feet. These are all parts of my life that have helped build me into the person I am today, and in the future, whatever I end up doing, I want to help others; it doesn't matter in what way, but I hope that something I do has an impact on someone's life that it helps them get back to wherever they need to be. Because that is what my family has always done for me, I want to share that with others.

I come from a one-parent low-income household. That's how my life has always been for me, always the one kid with the special lunch card cause mine was free or the kid with last season's clothes because the only place we shopped at was the thrift stores down the road from my house. That was all I knew as a kid. But one thing I also learned was that I had the most supportive family around me. Even though I never had my father constantly in my life, I always had my grandfather, who has always helped support my mother no matter what. When my grandfather was a child, he and his family immigrated to the United States from Torreòn, Mexico. He has become very familiar with struggle, but he was always there in my life no matter what. Every first Saturday of the month, he would take me to Home Depot for their kid's craft day, and we would have the best time together, and sometimes afterward, we would get ice cream at the Frostys Ice Cream Parlor by my home. I think about those memories because they have impacted my life and showed me that no matter how much you struggle, your family will always be there for you. Besides my grandfather being a significant person in my life, there was my mother, who made a considerable effort always to make memories that my sister and I would never forget. Like Christmas every year, we'd make the time to take a trip to the mountains and sledding in the snow. Or when instead of having a sweet sixteen, which was extremely expensive for my family, we went on a road trip p from San Diego to the British Columbia Border, and that trip was especially memorable. But just being able to have that time with my mom and sister, just the three of us, was so beautiful because, throughout our trip, our bond between us grew. Because besides my grandparents, our little trio was all we knew; during that trip, it was us three against the world. But the good memories always have the unfortunate ones that come with being a part of a financially unstable home. Growing up, I never got anything new; it was always from the thrift store or hand-me-downs from family friends. For my mom, it was a plus that I was a tiny kid because mostly everything we received always fit. But even then, there were times when it was terrible; I remember when we had to sell all of our furniture to afford to stay in our home and that caused me to have to sleep with my mother on a single mattress. I'll never forget that experience, but we bought new furniture from the thrift store, and I had a bed to myself once more. But no matter the hardships my family and I faced, it always brought us closer together because when one of us struggled, we all did, and it would take all of us to get back on our feet. These are all parts of my life that have helped build me into the person I am today, and in the future, whatever I end up doing, I want to help others; it doesn't matter in what way, but I hope that something I do has an impact on someone's life that it helps them get back to wherever they need to be. Because that is what my family has always done for me, I want to share that with others.

Numerous artists before our time have left their mark on the world and have inspired thousands with their work. They are the ones that inspire so many to do the same. Unfortunately, being raised in a one-parent low-income household, opportunities to grow in the arts are scarce because many classes are expensive. However, growing up, my mother always made sure that I was involved in various extracurriculars such as sports and numerous music classes, but the one that has always left a lasting impression was art. I began art classes around six years old and took them whenever possible. Whether they were with an art studio for children or in school, I always made sure that I was furthering my art skills. In the future, I wish to be able to inspire children who have a love for art because throughout my childhood, no matter what was happening in my life, I always had art, whether it was a simple doodle or a complete project with different media they have so much meaning. Any piece of work I have ever created has always been a part of me and my story, and I want the next generation to see that they have the opportunity not only to leave an impact on the world but every single person a part of it. As I begin my journey into the world of art, I will keep those thoughts in my mind as I create new pieces hoping that they will be able to convey my message to anyone who views it. Because every time I went to a museum, it always sparked that fire of wanting to one day have my art on those very same walls. Because knowing that my art could spark the same fire in someone else is the most victorious feeling ever. Furthermore, sharing the message that you can be something great no matter where you come from is what I wish to achieve with my art.

I grew up in a one-parent household, and my mom always ensured I had everything I needed, including art classes. She wanted to make sure that I grew up with some aspirations. Growing up, I was allowed to be a part of cheer, gymnastics, and different music classes, but none of them stuck with me as art has. I'm so fortunate to have my mom. Even if these classes weren't within our budget, she always ensured that I was there because she knew I loved art. I always took an art class during my childhood, no matter what school I attended. I have taken at least one art class every year throughout my high school career. And during my junior year, I won second place in the mixed media division in the GUHSD art show and walking off that stage and back to my mom, she couldn't stop telling me how proud she was of me, and that is what showed me that I wanted to study art. I had wanted to go into psychology because it interested me, and I also saw that it paid well. Still, it wasn't something I was passionate about, and I knew that if I studied that instead of art, I would be disappointed in myself. So I decided that I wanted to study either fine arts or art history because becoming an art curator is also a career that interests me. When I shared this with my mom, she was thrilled because she knew how much art meant to me. My mom has always supported me in all my artistic endeavors, allowing me to freely express myself without fear of disapproval because making my mom proud is something I aspire to do with all of my decisions. And being met with this overwhelming support from my mom has given me the confidence to know that I am going to study art because it's something that has always been there for me, even during the rough times growing up. Another dream of mine is to be able to study abroad to study art, and this is another thing my mom supports me in. She always tells me that no matter what I decide to do with my life in the future that it's something that I love and interests me. She has always wanted me to grow up and do everything I love, such as traveling around the world or becoming a professional artist, which I have always wanted to be since I took my first art class. And this is how art has become my life and why I wish to pursue it in my future and have worked hard to be where I am right now, but one thing is that my mom has always been there precisely, beside me supporting me with every decision I made. Thank you for reading about how art has left such a significant impact on my life.

In the past, the social hierarchy between women and men has always made women out to be less than, or become the socially acceptable "housewife". While being a housewife is still very important, but that ideology that all women have to be one has always followed every one of us. Growing up in a society where women are view as objects of pleasure or that our only purpose is childbearing and pleasing your spouse. It discouraged me while I was developing because many of these stereotypes about women became reasons that boys in school would harass young girls like myself saying that we were only "dishwashers", or to get back in the kitchen where we belonged. But getting older, and learning to brush off comments like that I have shown myself that I am strong and if my younger self could see me today, I believe that she would be proud. And knowing this feeling of empowerment is what other girls who are struggling with being suppressed should feel. If society would finally see us as something other than the stigma that has followed us for centuries then women all over the world would be able to finally have their voice heard, and their ideas listened to. Instead many of our rights have been revoked in many states, such as abortion clinics which offered so much more to both men and women than a healthy and safe abortion. Such as condoms, the many different methods of birth control were all offered at these establishments, but so many people believe that these clinics that provide healthcare to so many women are abominations to our society. Our society allows people to believe the lies that are spread through social media, which suppresses the demands that we need. And counteracts our fight for equality, but not just in healthcare in the workplace too. So many women are being cheated in the workforce because many are being paid less than their male coworkers. And for countless women, the workplace is known to be a toxic place where we are disrespected and harassed. Many women have experienced sexual assault while in the workforce, and the same goes for girls who attend school. As someone who has experienced sexual assault at a young age, and from someone I trusted the fight for women to be able to freely go about their day without the feeling of worry, or for women to be seen as something other than an emotional ticking time bomb. This stems from our menstrual periods which are known to heighten our hormones, allowing many to believe that women don't have strong control over their emotions. This creates another block in the fight for equality, many employers believe that women are unstable because of this belief. While many people can be mentally ill and express unhinged emotions women are seen as these types of people. And when expressing an issue or a concern people which are mainly men are always quick to say that it is just our emotions. Women need allies from the opposite gender because if our ideas are expressed and spread by someone who also believes that equality is a very important thing we need in our society for everyone, and not just women. Discrimination has always been around, but what comes with discrimination are stereotypes about people. And if these stigmas could be changed then society would finally allow equality for those who have been suppressed for so long. Thank you for your time.

Growing up smartphones were just getting their upgrade, and they were becoming touch screens. But it was different from how it is nowadays when we have become completely used to this type of technology. Children I currently know have their phones, but when I was their age I have the Nintendo DS that had just been released, or to pass the time I would play outside with my friends. I have a younger sibling who has never experienced what it is like to live without a screen always in front of their face. While visiting some friends who have younger children around the ages of 6 and 8 neither of them wants to go outside and go swimming, they would have rather stayed inside and continue to play on their phones. And what many people don't realize is that the very popular social media by the name of TikTok attracts very young users and I believe that it's disappointing that these children who are in the developing stages of their life are spending most of their time on an app, or their smartphones. Because I didn't get my first phone until I was 11, my mother always monitored me who wanted to make sure I was being safe on the internet. Almost everyone I know and including myself owns a smartphone, they have become the way of the future. And have become a very convenient way of communicating with others or shopping for necessities. But many people don't realize how much time they spend on their devices, either scrolling away on social media or doing some other activity that can distract someone from a task, or assignment. And as a person with underlining ADHD, I have had issues with my cell phone distracting me or pulling me away from my school work. And knowing that cell phones or other devices can become very distracting this has made them dangerous. People don't understand how important it is to be able to stay focused while driving, because just by only looking at your phone screen for a second can cause someone to lose their life. Rapidly we hear about the rising rate of accidents, or hit and runs in the news, and much of it has to do with being distracted while driving. Because as a driver you have the responsibility of being aware of your surroundings and being aware of the others around you. Many people think it is excssesive to have the police pull you over and fine you for being on your phone while driving, but they don't ever consider the families of those they have lost to distracted drivers. And I can understand this because I have lost a family member to a distracted driver. That experience caused me to begin to see my life differently, and how much of an impact that smartphones can have on someone's life. Thank you for your time.

Hello, my name is Sophia Hoover and I am the proud child of a very strong and independent single mother. Having only one parent never affected me growing up until my father started coming around. For the first several years of my life, my mother protected me from my father and all of his family's drama, which was the reason that led to their divorce. Because growing up it never bothered me that I didn't have a father in my life, because my grandfather had stepped up and acted as the father figure that I needed. Being a part of a single-parent home can get hectic sometimes, especially because my father who was required to pay child support never did. But even though when money was tight my mother always found ways to buy me the clothes I needed or wanted, or the shoes that everyone had. And I never noticed how hard my mother worked for me when I was younger when I got a little older to when I could finally see how much of a hard worker my mother is, it made me so thankful for everything she has ever done for me. Around the age of ten, my mother had started to get back into the dating scene, and as a result, we were blessed with my younger sister. But her father didn't want to be involved in her life either, which made me realize that I want to help give her the same fulfilled childhood I had even though I didn't grow up with a father. This made me mature really fast as I help raise my sister when she was a baby, which allowed me to see life in a different light. Because many of my friends weren't as involved in their sibling's life, because if they had a new baby sibling their parents would be the more involved figures in the baby’s life. During this time, my mom was going through a tough time and a lot of the emotional weight was put onto me, this is an example as to why I matured faster than many of my friends. But these life skills that I attained through these experiences in my life growing up have repaired me for the future, and for when I become a functioning adult in society. And I thank my mother a lot for helping me and always supporting me through my interests. Such as my art, ever since I was six my mother enrolled me in summer camps run by an art program which eventually sparked a love for art that would continue with me while growing up. And I've done multiple sports such as soccer, cheer, and tennis and through all of these times, she has always been my biggest supporter, even through the tough time in both of our lives. And she has never held me back, in 7th grade, she and both my grandparents paid for me to be able to travel to New York for a week with my school LMAAC, and I was given another opportunity to travel to Australia with my high school in March of 2022. In the future, I see myself in college pursuing my chosen major of Psychology because I have always wanted to be in the field of medicine ever since I was younger because I have always had a passion for helping others. I'm currently in high school so I'm taking courses such as AP Biology, and Honors English that would help establish a strong foundation for college and the courses I will need to take. And winning this scholarship would help immensely with the added cost that comes with applying, and attending college. Additionally, this scholarship will be able to show my mother how much I appreciate her even more than she knows now. Thank you for your time and reading about me and my mother, and our unbreakable relationship.

Hello, my name is Sophia Hoover, growing up I always loved to per a part of something bigger than me, and to help others was something I was always doing. Around the age of 9, I was allowed to go on a mission trip to Mexico where we were helped aid the process of homes being built. And the group I was with went to visit one of the small villages you would find on the side of the road or even the side of the freeways that were located near the border. Because I was so young at the time this really impacted the way I saw the world because growing up I knew about homeless people and their struggles, but to see children my age struggling with proper food or water, and even proper housing changed the way I saw myself from then on I knew that what I had growing up would be luxuries to these people which made every gift on my birthday, and future holidays even more special because I always knew there were other who were not receiving gifts on these days. When I was allowed to be a part of the Christmas gift drive my Mother and the Non-profit foundation my mother was working for at the time called CYMO Foundation directed these drives in our community for the less fortunate, and it was a lot of fun because I remember the happiness these children had when they were handed gifts, and meals we had prepared for these families. The instances will always be a part of me and will always fuel my desire to help others, even if they aren't human. During the Covid-19 quarantine time, I had the ability to work with Zazzy Cats, a cat foundation that fosters and adopts out cats either found on the streets or those who have been relinquished into their care. Before the time of my volunteer work, I had the opportunity to adopt two cats from their facilities and wanted to work with them as spring has come around and my stray cats have been found and were also pregnant. So for the past 5 months, I took in two pregnant cats and aided them with the births, and because one of the cats was feral and was not going to be able to be adopted out we were able to get her spayed and released her back into the wild. But the other cat we took in was recently announced as adopted and has a wonderful home. In total, I helped raise 8 kittens over this period of time, and knowing that all these kittens will be going to a wonderful home is a great and gratifying feeling. Change is always hard which is why it has been so hard for our world to change. I could say I want to see world hunger end and the number of homeless decreases but those problems will never be able to change if others don't want to help. In our society, these things are hard to bring to the surface because these things are seen as insignificant in some people's eyes. I could work on a plan to create small societies for the homeless, or give people without food farms to grow crops and produce food long-term for their families. But people have already done these things, and they have only made a small impact on our problems. These are changes everyone says when they are asked this question but if they acted on these problems and tried to create change, there would be a huge difference made. But many don't act and help serve those in need which doesn't help the problem. Helping others has always been gratifying because these events could impact another person's life, in just the same way it has mine. But people. can say they want these issues and problems to go away but never act upon these words, which is something I want to change, because if we change that we will be able to change our world for the better. Thank you for your time, and I hope you enjoyed reading this essay.