I learned about finances through fear, not a textbook. When my sister was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and chronic anxiety, my family wasn't just affected emotionally—they were abused financially. Doctors, prescriptions, therapy sessions, unexpected hospital stays—they added up quickly. My parents, immigrants from Turkey, suddenly faced a cruel reality: emotional well-being costs money, and lots of it. We weren’t irresponsible. We never spent beyond selfish needs. But we also didn’t know how to plan for an emergency like this. We lacked the tools. We lacked financial literacy. That was the first time I questioned why something so vital—how to manage money—wasn’t taught in school. I watched my parents struggle not because they didn’t work hard, but because they didn’t have the knowledge to protect what they earned. It felt like we were being punished for not knowing a language we were never taught. I promised myself I’d learn that language, the language of financial literacy. In high school, I joined DECA, an organization providing business competitions to young passionate teens, because I believed I could learn budgeting. I created a product- a prototype of a half-plastic and half-thawing cutting board- to combat and bring awareness to high rates of food-borne illness spread in kitchens, incorporating my passion for business regarding public safety and innovation. But behind the scenes, I was learning something else entirely: profit margins, budgeting, product pricing, consumer behavior. It was the first time I saw business as a tool for more than just profit and innovation, but for impact. Outside the classroom, I became president of my synagouges Youth Community Service group. I led clothing drives, organized meal-packing events, and visited elderly patients who rarely had visitors. But even then, I saw the role finances played: families going hungry because they couldn’t afford groceries; elderly patients lacking care because of understaffed facilities. Poverty limits people in ways I'd never imagined before- in ways of accessing their needs, knowledge, and opportunity. That’s what financial literacy means to me. Not just learning how to budget or invest, but using that knowledge to help people who never got the chance and create meaningful change. My goal is to study business, specifically entrepreneurship and leadership, in order to develop affordable tools that improve the financial and physical health of families like mine. I want to create ventures that provide mental health resources to accessible financial coaching. I’ve seen firsthand how financial stress devastated my family, and I’ve also seen how business, when done right, can help others through their financial misery. I will be the one person in my family who uses my profit and business to protect people. Because no family should have to choose between mental health and financial survival. And no teenager should learn money through fear.

I have been failed by the business industry. When my sister was first diagnosed with bipolar disorder, depression, and anxiety, I saw my family collapse under the weight of a system that was supposed to help. Trying our best to support my sister, I realized therapy appointments were expensive, medications were hard to afford, and insurance rarely covered what we truly needed. Even with any support provided, I had always wondered, with all the time and effort put forth to my sister, how come she still suffered? That was when I realized that without true passion, business and healthcare lose their power to truly help people. As my curiosity regarding my sisters health peaked, it sparked a question I couldn’t ignore: What if business, one run by a passionate individual, could be used to prevent this kind of suffering rather than profit from it? In DECA, an organization providing business competitions to young passionate teens, I channeled that question into something tangible. Working with a group of peers, we designed a half-thaw, half-hard plastic cutting board prototype in response to the rising rates of of bacterial infections from poor kitchen sanitation. This product resonated with me because I had seen how rushed meal prep in high-stress households could lead to unsafe food practices, which could lead to long-term health consequences and added medical costs that many families, including mine, simply can’t afford. After working on a 10-page research paper about foodborne illnesses and creating a model this board, my knowledge about the health industry expanded, and I became even more interested in providing health care for others. My passion in creating something that could protect families like mine increased. Presenting this idea and advancing to the state level validated something powerful for me: business innovation, when done right, can literally protect lives. My passion quickly shaped my academic and professional goals. I want to study business with a concentration in health innovation and entrepreneurship. My dream is to launch a company that develops products and services for mental health support for overall household wellness. I aim to make health care more accessible and affordable for families in times of crisis when mines couldn't. I want to build something that gives people a chance to breathe, to heal, to feel safe. My community work has always mirrored this mission. Over the past four years, I’ve led clothing drives and organized meal-packing events for underserved communities, providing essentials to families in need. As president of the Youth Community Service group in my town, I coordinated hospital visits for elderly individuals experiencing daily loneliness, spending hours talking with them and playing games to brighten their day. I am so grateful to help and create a loving connection between young volunteers and both elderly and underserved communities. Through this process, I’ve come to cherish the joy I can bring to other families, always holding onto the hope that one day, that same joy will find its way to my sister. My sister’s diagnosis changed my life. It taught me that behind every business lies the potential to build small, supportive systems that create massive and meaningful change. I believe the future belongs to entrepreneurs who lead with both heart and innovation, and I’m ready to be one of them.

I have been failed by the business industry. When my sister was first diagnosed with bipolar disorder, depression, and anxiety, I saw my family collapse under the weight of a system that was supposed to help. Trying our best to support my sister, I realized therapy appointments were expensive, medications were hard to afford, and insurance rarely covered what we truly needed. Even with any support provided, I had always wondered, with all the time and effort put forth to my sister, how come she still suffered? That was when I realized that without true passion, business and healthcare lose their power to truly help people. As my curiosity regarding my sisters health peaked, it sparked a question I couldn’t ignore: What if business, one run by a passionate individual, could be used to prevent this kind of suffering rather than profit from it? In DECA, an organization providing business competitions to young passionate teens, I channeled that question into something tangible. Working with a group of peers, we designed a half-thaw, half-hard plastic cutting board prototype in response to the rising rates of of bacterial infections from poor kitchen sanitation. This product resonated with me because I had seen how rushed meal prep in high-stress households could lead to unsafe food practices, which could lead to long-term health consequences and added medical costs that many families, including mine, simply can’t afford. After working on a 10-page research paper about foodborne illnesses and creating a model this board, my knowledge about the health industry expanded, and I became even more interested in providing health care for others. My passion in creating something that could protect families like mine increased. Presenting this idea and advancing to the state level validated something powerful for me: business innovation, when done right, can literally protect lives. My passion quickly shaped my academic and professional goals. I want to study business with a concentration in health innovation and entrepreneurship. My dream is to launch a company that develops products and services for mental health support for overall household wellness. I aim to make health care more accessible and affordable for families in times of crisis when mines couldn't. I want to build something that gives people a chance to breathe, to heal, to feel safe. My community work has always mirrored this mission. Over the past four years, I’ve led clothing drives and organized meal-packing events for underserved communities, providing essentials to families in need. As president of the Youth Community Service group in my town, I coordinated hospital visits for elderly individuals experiencing daily loneliness, spending hours talking with them and playing games to brighten their day. I am so grateful to help and create a loving connection between young volunteers and both elderly and underserved communities. Through this process, I’ve come to cherish the joy I can bring to other families, always holding onto the hope that one day, that same joy will find its way to my sister. My sister’s diagnosis changed my life. It taught me that behind every business lies the potential to build small, supportive systems that create massive and meaningful change. I believe the future belongs to entrepreneurs who lead with both heart and innovation, and I’m ready to be one of them.

I entered the Turkish market to buy a bag of pistachios and more Turkish tea. I give my items to the cashier. As he scans my items, I hear the news coming from the T.V above me, “Israel Defense Forces announced Friday it is ‘expanding ground operations’ in the Gaza Strip and ‘operating forcefully’ on all fronts to fulfill its goals in war with Hamas.” The cashier shakes his head and starts talking to me in Turkish, “What a terrible country Israel is. Always acting with aggression,” and goes on to mumble even more. I froze. Was it wrong for me to stay silent? My own cultural background, Turkish, would want me to stay silent. But my religious identity, Jewish, would want me to advocate against this man's beliefs. I was stuck in the middle with who I was. If I were to choose 'one side’ would the 'other side’ of me be disconnected? I mean, I am both Turkish and Jewish, so I had to favor one side over the other, right? In a world brimming with political wars and hatred, I chose to ensure that both my cultures are valued, respected and embraced. I will empower the voice I lost in the Turkish market and listen to others who also want their voices heard. I want to inspire a generation of teens who feel hopeless and stuck-in-the-middle as I did through engaging in social action. This led me to being the founder of the Multicultural Club in my school. My club was established– regardless of the limited ability of spots for clubs and few supporters. My club was a free space for any cultural person. It was no easy task, during lunch time I would walk around the hallways and promote my club endlessly. I remember standing in class, starting my lesson with my seven members, when all of a sudden a bunch of kids walked through the door. What once started from a seven member club, soon turned into a club with thirty members. Kids with different races, backgrounds, and ethnicities entered. From that moment on, I knew that I would consistently put in the effort to develop engaging lessons and activities. I organized a series of slides to broaden their understanding of other cultures, followed by a popular game or tradition from that culture to elevate their experience and make it enjoyable. In fact, it became popular for club members to present their own cultures. Although my club wasn’t funded, it didn’t stop me from organizing bake sales at school. Volunteers would join me after school to sell traditional snacks in efforts to raise funds for charity. Additionally, my club offers volunteer services with the elderly as a way to unite– which was my primary goal for this club– and serve our community. I transformed my negative experience from the Turkish market into a positive one. I made a multicultural club that has made others appreciate and connect with their cultures. Out of the entire year, I told my club members to keep one thing in mind as the school year was ending: “This space was made because of you and for you. Who you are brought you here. So embrace your identity and never be ashamed.” This message applies to those who shy away from their identity, for whatever reason it may be. No war, rejection, hatred, insecurity, or even the fake media should be the reason why you can’t accept yourself. We are all born with a purpose. Use your unique background to inspire others, as I did.

As a high schooler, I've never been particularly determined to pursue any specific path, but I always knew my passion was in literature and advocacy. Ever since I can remember, I’ve loved reading books. Stories ignite my imagination and deepen my curiosity about the world. While reading a compelling story, which prompted me to do more online research, I learned from Libraries For Literacy that 78% of South African 10-year-olds cannot read. Only 8% of South African public schools have a library, and 58% of its children don’t have access to books. I can’t imagine a life without books, education, or imagination. Every child deserves the right to enjoy stories as much as any other. The heartbreaking reality motivated me to become an advocate and event planner for Trekking For Kids, a non-profit, and Britara, a local jewelry business. Through planning events, my goal was to raise significant funds to build a library in Africa and provide books for their community, while also promoting the local business. Thanks to my literary skills and advocacy techniques, such as online promotion and word-of-mouth, many people were inspired to join this cause. We successfully raised over $800, which enabled us to achieve our main goal of establishing a library and providing books for kids. I believe that through any business, there is an opportunity to positively impact and change someone's life, even if it's just one person. I also believe that education creates more opportunities for children, which is why children need access to books. Additionally, my commitment to making a difference in my community through my literacy skills inspired me to participate in a volunteer program. In this program, I tutor and mentor elementary to middle school students, dedicating several hours each week to helping them with subjects like reading, writing, math, and science. Witnessing their confidence in learning is incredibly rewarding for me. Volunteering has also taught me valuable skills such as patience, communication, and leadership. My volunteering experience showed me the benefits it served for these children to excel academically, which proves my point about the importance of accessing education and other opportunities. This has also taught me why businesses should prioritize community impact. My dream career and goals soon became clear: I aspire to earn a bachelor's degree in business administration and literature, with a minor in marketing. With these degrees, I aim to host successful events that continue to raise funds and advocate for underprivileged communities, while also increasing awareness among others. This aligns with my passion for making a positive impact through business and literature. Thank you for considering my essay. I look forward to your response.

In a world brimming with diversity and challenges, I am driven to achieve unity in my community through my compassion. As a first-generation American with roots from Turkey and Israel, my journey is about a more connected and empathetic global community. I began volunteering at my town's synagogue in ninth grade, shortly after the COVID-19 pandemic. Since 2021, I have dedicated four hours weekly to meaningful activities. This includes visiting elderly homes to compete in game sessions that bring joy and companionship to the residents, along with getting involved in serious, or even amusing, conversations with the elderly. Additionally, I participate in preparing and packing meals to raise funds for various charities, such as packing nutritious snacks, and baking homemade foods to distribute to homeless individuals in our community. I remember my friend once questioned whether my interactions with the elderly were truly beneficial for society as a whole. However, I recalled back to what my mother told me about community service, which truly inspired me. She said, “As long as you make a single person a little happier than they were before, then that is community service.” I firmly believe that any effort, whether it's picking up litter from the ground, spending time with elderlies, mentoring children, or even just watering the grass, can positively impact the world we live in. The thing about community service is that no act is too small or too big. Whatever you do, the help is always valuable. The more time I spent with the elderly, the more I realized how much they looked forward to our service days, the competitive activities, and even dance battles we did. These joyful moments make them cherish each day. Participating in community service benefits not only others around me but also myself– it’s a win-win situation. Helping others through voluntary service helped me overcome the depression I experienced during COVID-19. Community service became a way for me to discover self-love and appreciate my own abilities through supporting others. I knew then that I wanted to be even more involved, and so I took more action. A year later, I joined a small volunteering program from my school and started tutoring and mentoring young students from elementary through middle school. Each week, I spend several hours helping younger students with any academic subject such as reading, writing, math, and science. My support boosted their confidence towards learning as I actively engaged with them. Additionally, I assist them on their organizational skills, helping them beyond academics. Students revisit me to show me their academic improvements after my tutoring efforts, which truly furthers my passion for service. For me, seeing their progress is deeply fulfilling. Voluntarily tutoring has also taught me valuable lessons such as patience, communication, and leadership. Furthermore, I am proud to say that I also inspired other high school students to join the tutoring service, which contributed to the growth and greater unity of this program. This experience has been very rewarding for both the students and me. In conclusion, my commitment and dedication to community service has improved the lives of many. Whether it’s mentoring young children or participating in game nights with elderlies, my service has helped me gain valuable skills, such as empathy and leadership. Moving forward, I intend in continuing my volunteer services through making a positive impact and creating meaningful change in my community.