Some of the most meaningful people in my life are the ones who have made me feel seen, included, and valued. Because of this, the way people make others feel and the impact they have on others are qualities I admire most and what I strive to bring into my own relationships every day. I truly believe that one present moment has the power to make people feel like they matter, lift them up from depression, and inspire them to achieve their dreams - just as it happened to me when a Psychologist who cared for me years ago positively impacted my life. This is one of the reasons I plan to study psychology and nursing in college - careers that are centered around helping people feel supported and cared for during vulnerable times. Growing up in a single-parent household in California, I watched my mom struggle financially and even consider moving our family into a shelter during threatening times, until we eventually relocated to a one-bedroom apartment for a couple of years. I have seen firsthand what it means to put our family first despite enormous opposition forces and still show up for others with kindness and love. Because of this, my most important relationships are with my mom, my younger brothers, and our family dog. I would do anything to help and make them proud. I love sports and volleyball has been my favorite since I was around 11 years old. It has played a major role in shaping who I am today. As a four-year varsity setter and top-level club athlete, my role was to create opportunities for others and put my teammates in the best position to succeed. This position has helped me develop a deeper understanding of leadership as not necessarily just being overt or in the front, but in a supportive role lifting others up. It has also helped me forge deeply meaningful relationships with my teammates, many of whom are my best friends. I also value the relationships I have built with younger athletes first as a volunteer mentor and later as an assistant club coach. I love having helped them not only to improve their skills, but also to build their confidence and mindset so they can learn to believe in themselves - just as I had to learn when I felt life was overwhelming and nothing was going my way. As I look forward to attending a four-year university, I am deeply committed to furthering my education, skills, and passion for helping others into making a positive impact in healthcare, through psychology, nursing, mentorship and community support. Receiving this scholarship would be an enormous blessing because it would allow me to pursue my college education while staying focused on my long-term goal of helping others not only physically but also emotionally. More importantly, this opportunity would allow me to carry forward the values Thomas embodied - kindness, compassion, meaningful connections, and making others feel seen and supported in the broader community.

Pursuing higher education without consistent financial support has required me to be realistic, disciplined, and determined about my future. I have been raised primarily by my mother, who has worked hard to provide for my brothers and me. While she has always done everything she can, the cost of college is a significant challenge for our family, and I understand that I will need to take on a large part of that responsibility myself. Because of this, I have approached my education with a strong sense of independence. I have worked to keep my grades up while balancing the demands of being a four-year varsity volleyball player, competing at a highest level in club volleyball, and working as a club coach of younger athletes whenever I had an opportunity. These commitments have required time management, focus, and consistency, but they have also prepared me for the discipline needed to now navigate college without relying heavily on my mother for financial support. In addition to academics and athletics, I have taken on leadership and volunteering responsibilities. I mentored younger volleyball athletes and supported their development both on and off the court. I volunteered in cancer fundraising events, including making joy jars for children at the Joy Factory, alongside my whole Foothill High School team - a very fun experience that reminds me how small acts of kindness can have a big impact on others who may need encouragement. I have also taken on important responsibilities at home as the oldest sibling, helping care for my younger brothers. These experiences have strengthened my ability to stay organized, manage competing priorities, and remain dependable even under pressure. Without the ability to rely fully on family or entirely on federal financial aid, I have had to think carefully about my college path. After being admitted into 13 universities and being awarded some merit scholarships, I took the time to analyze and compare my financial options to choose the best path forward. While I hope to attend the University of Hawaii at Manoa, with an estimated cost of around $20,000 per year, I plan to use the credit I have built to help secure student loans and look for a part-time job while in Hawaii to cover some costs. I am also actively applying for scholarships and seeking opportunities that will allow me to continue my education while minimizing financial strain so I can stay focused on my academics. My background and experiences have shaped my sense of responsibility and my future goals. I plan to pursue a career in healthcare, where I can support others not only physically, but emotionally during difficult times. I understand what it means to face challenges and uncertainty, and I want to use that perspective to help others feel supported and not alone. Although navigating college without full financial support is challenging, it has motivated me to work harder, stay focused, and take ownership of my future. I am committed to continuing my education and building a career that allows me to give back and make a meaningful difference.

Success to me means turning challenges into motivation and using every opportunity to create a better future for yourself, your family, and the communities you hope to serve. Success is not measured only by achievements or awards. It is measured by the ability to keep moving forward despite the obstacles you may encounter. Growing up in a family that faced housing and financial challenges after my parents' divorce when I was in middle school, I learned early that success requires sacrifices, determination, discipline, community support, and resilience. Throughout high school, I balanced rigorous academics, competitive athletics, and family responsibilities while dealing with personal issues stemming from my circumstances. As the oldest sibling, I had to consistently manage my emotions and struggles to put myself in a situation where I could succeed and also help my younger brothers with homework, transportation, and encouragement in their own activities. I did all of that while dedicating countless hours to volleyball and my studies - always striving to become both a Scholar Athlete and a leader on my team. Volleyball has taught me discipline, leadership, and perseverance. As a varsity setter, I learned that leadership is not about individual success but about lifting others up and helping the entire team grow. Through many hours of practice, tournaments, and travel competitions, I helped lead my team to major milestones and historic achievements for our school, including two league championship wins, CIF Finals competition, and a State Championship appearance. I also received Scholar Athlete awards four consecutive years, All League recognition, and All County nomination. These experiences and initial successes have shaped my desire to study psychology. I am fascinated by how resilience, support systems, and mentorship can shape a person's path. Now, as I embark into other collegiate challenges, I hope to use my education to help individuals, especially young people from underserved communities develop confidence, mental strength, and gain opportunities for success. Receiving this Helping Hand Fund scholarship would allow me to focus on my education and continue pursuing opportunities that make a positive impact on others. Financial support would help me relieve some of the family low income barriers I currently face, allowing me to devote more time to my studies, leadership, and community involvement. My goal is not only to succeed personally but also to use my education to support and uplift others who face similar challenges as I did growing up.

Financial literacy often begins at home, but not every family has the same access to resources or guidance when it comes to managing money. My understanding of finances developed gradually through painful personal experiences from my middle school years onwards, when my family experienced significant housing and financial changes following my parents' divorce. As a result, I became more aware of the cost of everyday decisions and the importance of thoughtful financial planning. As a competitive volleyball player, I quickly learned that pursuing a sport at a high level involves many expenses. Club fees, tournament travel, equipment, and training all required careful budgeting. I began to understand that every opportunity came with a financial commitment, and that my mom was making extraordinary sacrifices to support my goals. This awareness helped me develop a deeper appreciation for the resources I was getting and encouraged me to approach opportunities with responsibility and gratitude. Instead of viewing financial limitations as obstacles, I began to see them as lessons in discipline and prioritization. I learned to think carefully about how money was spent and to focus on what truly mattered. Whether it was reducing unnecessary expenses, or balancing commitments between school, sports, and family responsibilities, these experiences taught me that financial awareness is closely tied to personal responsibility. These lessons have also influenced how I think about my future. As I prepare for college and the next stage of my life, I understand that financial decisions will play a significant role in shaping my opportunities. I plan to approach these decisions with the same discipline and long-term perspective I developed through my experiences growing up. This means carefully evaluating education costs, managing expenses responsibly, and building financial habits that support long-term stability rather than short-term convenience, like never spending more than I make. Financial education is not only about earning or managing money; it is about understanding how to use resources wisely. I hope to continue learning about budgeting, investing, and long-term financial planning so that I can make better informed decisions throughout my life. More importantly, I want to use this knowledge to create stability for myself and eventually help support others in my community who may not have had access to financial guidance. My experiences taught me that financial literacy is not just a practical skill but also a form of empowerment. Understanding how money works provides individuals with the ability to make thoughtful choices, pursue opportunities responsibly, and build a more secure future. The lessons I learned through my family's challenges have given me a strong foundation, and I intend to carry those lessons forward as I continue becoming an independent adult.

Many disadvantaged students from underserved backgrounds face significant challenges and have to work twice as hard just to avoid falling behind in this highly competitive world. We face circumstances we didn't create but must overcome anyway. We don't lack motivation or work-ethic; we often only lack access to resources and support, which is why we deserve opportunities like scholarships to help uplift ourselves and our families. I know this because I've had to overcome severe financial challenges in the past five years. This scholarship speaks directly to students like me - driven, strong in math and quantitative science, connected to the area, and deserving of an investment in our potential. Although I grew up in California, my mom's roots are in New York. She lived in Long Island and New York City before I was born, and my grandparents and extended family still live in the trial-state area that I visited often when I was little. As such, New York has always felt like part of who I am. When my father stopped supporting us and subsequently removed us from our home, my mom suddenly had to raise me and my two little brothers alone. We were briefly homeless, sleeping in motels until we found a one-bedroom apartment. She worked multiple jobs and used all of her retirement funds and savings to provide for us and to fight an ongoing custody battle to keep us safe. For over a year, the four of us and our little dog shared that small space, eventually relying on public assistance to get by. Watching my mom give up comfort and stability so we could work peacefully toward a better future taught me that resilience isn't optional - it's a requirement. Despite our circumstances, I stayed focused on my education and growth as a student-athlete. I've taken multiple AP and Honors courses, including Precalculus, Statistical Reasoning, and Physics; and I currently hold a 3.8 GPA. I am a four-year varsity volleyball Student-Athlete, two-time league champion, D3 CIF Runner Up, All-League and All-County Setter, and D2 State Championship competitor. We can't afford tutors, private trainers, or another year of club volleyball to get recruited, so I stay up late finishing assignments, do daily setting drills at home, film and edit my own highlight videos, write college emails, and manage my athlete profiles. I've seen what happens when there is no safety net, and witnessed also what it takes to rebuild with integrity. That is why this scholarship matters so much to me, because it would mean that I don't have to choose between pursuing my field of study in college and making the safest financial decision for my family. It would allow me to study psychology and a quantitative area such as business or statistics so I can help others build confidence and resilience, using both data and understanding of the mind. My experiences are not a burden, they are the foundation for the impact I hope to make as an adult.