After taking just 10 steps inside Flynn’s Arcade, I freeze to look at the ceiling and all around me. I’m surrounded by a kaleidoscope of neon colors and lights. The vibrant glow is cast across every person I see. Rows of arcades are lined up and down all across the room, each marquee illuminating the current player. In the back of the building, I meet a few people surrounding one guy who’s working on a monitor. I’m instantly intrigued and learn that he’s building a game in Unity, and he is teaching others how to as well. I feel nothing but excitement, and I know that I want to share this feeling with everyone else too. As I began high school during the coronavirus pandemic, many stressors like isolation, fear, and boredom, were soothed through my love for gaming. I met many new friends online who gave me a sense of community through the mass quarantine. For this reason, gaming kept me hopeful for the future until mandates were lifted. Unfortunately, many of my peers don’t have a similar experience for those same two years. Even after society reverted to normal conditions, these negative effects increased among my generation. Some experts suggest that a lack of “third spaces” is a potential reason why. A third space can be defined as a location one regularly visits that is not their home, school, or workplace. Third places encourage interaction to fulfill social needs, and Flynn’s Arcade was mine until I moved to Texas. From a young age, I loved video games. That time playing alone, with family, or with friends regulated my stress, improved my relationships, and kept me looking forward to the future to play again. Today, I went from playing video games to learning how to make them. I’ve met so many people through the game development community and so I want to pursue a career in interactive software. Many others share a similar sentiment for gaming as it’s a popular hobby that creates social circles. But what about the kids who don’t have an expensive gaming console, much less afford the newest games that increase in price by the day? I aspire to create a third space, similar to the one I had, for the sake of our youth’s mental health. An eccentric arcade here in Killeen, Texas, that would provide teens an opportunity to share their own game design projects, work as an employee, meet new friends with similar interests, have access to expensive devices, eat and socialize, or even just study on their lonesome using a provided computer. This would dramatically improve the mental health of the next generation. Keeping the prices of use and entry reasonably low for teenagers is imperative to ensure they have access to come in the first place, as well as some free activities/services. An official workshop where I can teach others how to build games is also a part of this aspiration. This would strengthen the youth’s intrapersonal skills, mental health, and relationship with their community. This is why I want to become a computer science major with a minor in entrepreneurship, at the University of Houston. By day, I want to operate an arcade in which teenagers feel safe and can be themselves, regardless of how much money they have. And by night, I want to build games with immersive stories, like the ones I played as a young girl. Once I graduate, I hope to use both the business and tech skills obtained to give the next generation a supportive third space, much like the one that supported me.

Hollywood has had tremendous impact on their global audience. The portrayal of Russians always being heartless evil villains during the Cold War and the communist masterminds during the Red Scare is only one example of manipulation. It's no surprise that the United States had utilized movies as a means to influence public opinion. After all, film is a powerful medium, and Hollywood has used this power for both good and bad. It's rather well known that movies are emotionally engaging, and with those emotions come stronger feelings, opinions, and reactions. During wartime, Hollywood has used film to derail the enemy's image, while demonizing an entire demographic of people in the process. But even in peacetime, movies that perpetuate harmful stereotypes continue to release. Whether it's about race, gender, or other identities, some clichés do more harm than entertaining. For example, Short Circuit (1986) stars an Indian immigrant played by a white actor in brownface, reinforcing stereotypes about South Asian people. The more positive aspects to Hollywood's influence would be starting conversations through meaningful social commentary. To name a few "Cult Classics" among film aficionados here in the United States; The Matrix (1999) serves as a visual metaphor for seeing past societal illusions and to move past the "script" handed to each person for them to follow blindly. The Shawshank Redemption (1994) is a prison escape entailing powerful commentary on hope and justice. And Fight Club (1999) features dudes throwing punches, and critiques consumer culture and society's parameters to define masculinity. These movies may be popular movies to watch with friends, but they opened up many real conversations with real impact on the audience, begging them to question their current beliefs they hold true. As of now, film is currently celebrated for increased representation which generated even more thoughtful social commentary. Since more women and people of color take roles in film production both in front and behind the camera, new perspectives spark more engaging content. To name a few examples; Parasite (2019) by Bong Joon-ho explores class differences and poverty in South Korea, Get Out (2017) by Jordan Peele is a renowned thriller for the commentary on race relations in the United States, and The Kids Are All Right (2010) by Lisa Cholodenko, which focuses on family dynamics through a same-sex couple's family, commenting on acceptance and love. Each movie carrying a strong sense of relevance to their time of release. Although the primary goal may not be to change public opinion regarding any particular political issue, but each of these films allow people of different backgrounds to be seen. Hollywood could be best described as the juggernaut shaping American culture, how we perceive each other, and our understanding of new perspectives. From inspiring the young minds who seek rich stories and representation, to perpetrating propaganda to support a plethora of causes throughout history. The advancement of harmful stereotypes and motivational narratives alike are expressed through Hollywood, proving film to be the most powerful art form.

As I began high school during the coronavirus pandemic, many stressors like isolation, fear, and boredom were soothed through my love for gaming. I met many new friends online who gave me a sense of friendship through the mass quarantine. For this reason, gaming kept me hopeful for the future and mentally sane until the mandates were lifted. Unfortunately, many of my peers don’t have a similar experience for those same two years. Even after society reverted to normal conditions, these negative effects continued to increase among my generation. Recently I came across a post online, highlighting potential reasons for this negative spike in the mental health of today's youth. Many causes were listed such as social media, standardized testing, and processed foods. But the primary cause that caught my attention was a lack of third spaces. A third space can be defined as a location one regularly visits that is not their home, school, or workplace. Third places encourage interaction to fulfill social needs, and many teenagers lack such a space to do so. Most forms of public entertainment typically come with a hefty price tag, while the police are heavy on loitering and skateboarding among teens. For those who experience bullying at school, and lack stability at home, they typically cope through addictive internet usage or substance use. From a young age, video games were what I used to cope with any mental challenges. That time playing alone, with family, and friends regulated my stress, improved my relationships, and kept me looking forward to the future to play again. Today, many others share a similar sentiment for gaming as it’s a popular hobby that creates social circles. But what about the kids who don’t have an expensive gaming console, much less afford the newest games that increase in price by the day? Volunteering with my city’s youth council, I learned that many students my age attend church and volunteer as a means to have a third place, even if they don’t necessarily enjoy the activity at hand. But living in Florida until my junior year of high school, my third place was perfect. Flynn’s Arcade was the best afterschool spot. I met other people my age who shared my interests while learning about new hobbies, bought snacks and drinks (the water was free), and played video games on all types of computers, consoles, and even plenty of monitors you could plug your laptop into. Games weren't limited to video form either, they had cards, dominoes, board games, and roleplay tabletops such as Dungeons and Dragons. I aspire to create a third space, similar to the one I had, for the sake of our youth’s mental health. A modern arcade here in Killeen, Texas that provides teens an opportunity to work as an employee, meet new friends with similar interests, have access to expensive devices, eat and socialize, or even just study on their lonesome using a provided computer, would dramatically improve the mental health of my generation. Keeping the prices of use and entry reasonably low for teenage wallets is imperative to ensure they have access to come in the first place, such as providing free water and free activities/services. Services could even be accessed through volunteer hours as a second form of payment. This could potentially strengthen the youth’s relationship with their community, intrapersonal skills, and mental health. Through the international organization DECA, I began to learn the principles of entrepreneurship and attain investors/loans. Once I graduate college, I hope to use the business skills obtained to successfully gift the next generation a third space.

My world is built around my passion for tech. From being a young girl playing Mario Kart with her family, to becoming a young adult learning the basic principles of building software. This passion not only drives me to pursue software engineering and computer science, but also to encourage more people who may not see themselves represented to embrace their true interests no matter how “nerdy” they are perceived. I have felt discouraged in enjoying my interests more times than I could count, but I am destined to achieve my dream and change the narrative for women in both tech and nerdy spaces. At home, as much as there was a shared love for gaming, my family had more traditional views on what career decisions were appropriate for a woman. They would much prefer I pursue pre-med or law, fields which they believed were more feminine and highly respected. I find it so upsetting particularly because their belief is based on a rigid stereotype of computer science majors and programmers; unhygienic lazy men who never leave their room. Not only is this preconceived idea insulting, but it is also wildly incorrect. Almost every successful business today is built on the back of programmers such as Amazon, Facebook, and Apple. By becoming a software engineer, I would work against this narrative and prove to the world that programmers include feminine, successful people. When I am alone, trying to relax following my coursework, part-time job, and household tasks, I am playing a video game or learning to create one of my own. It was last year that I learned of my high school’s game design club. The poster was practically calling my name with the 8-bit font. I headed towards the club room during lunch and immediately found that I was one of 4 girls in this room of 25 kids. What set me apart was that I was not an artist, but a programmer. Being the only female programmer in the club was nerve-wracking for me. My insecurities had convinced me that I did not belong and that I would not be able to keep up with the other programmers, for no reason outside the fact I was a minority. Upon learning that practically all the other members knew just as much as I did regarding coding and software, I realized that we joined the club for the same reason; to learn. Funnily enough, the rigorous content and coursework of engineering do not intimidate me at all. The only discouraging aspect to me is being one of few women in a male-dominated industry. I am far from the only person who feels this way, which is exactly why I must follow my pursuit of a software engineering career. To inspire other people to face those challenges and persevere in their feats regardless is what drives me to do the same. Setting that example for young women who relate to me and giving them that representation will allow them to consider pursuing STEM based on what matters; ambition and purpose.

Self-assured, dependable, courageous, and kind; every trait I work to implement in my daily life until that is who I am.

I love Florida. Not for the beaches, fun parties, tropical climate, or amusement parks, but for the people there who make this state home. It's my family who resides along the roaring coast and tall palm trees, as well as the massive community of Caribbeans that welcome me. Being a first-generation Jamaican to a single mother meant one thing for me, to carry on a legacy. My family's legacy is bringing me to this country. To achieve the heights my predecessors believe I am destined to reach. It started with my mother only 18 years old and pregnant with me, alongside my grandmother at 33, immigrating from Saint Catherine, Jamaica to New Brunswick, New Jersey. Once I was born, Mom and Grandma were the two faces I knew while my father was deployed in Afghanistan for several months at a time. As imperfect as the dynamic may have seemed, I loved it. Grandma's unforgettable cooking every day, Mom's entertaining stories that could run on for hours, witnessing my little sister Summer's milestones as she grew, and Dad's surprise returns followed by his favorite games we would all play together. This dynamic lasted until my parents separated when I was 10. My dad remained on active duty and moved across the country. But my mom had missed the hot tropical weather of home, so she made her way south to Florida with my sister and me, while my grandmother remained up north. Much like the rest of the world, our family was struck hard physically, emotionally, and financially following the Coronavirus pandemic. My grandmother fell ill from the coronavirus, resulting in losing her job and eventually being unable to maintain rent. The virus paired with her sprained ankle and broken collarbone only intensified the poor condition of her health. It was a blessing the day she was discharged from the hospital and travel limits were lifted, but the effects of such circumstances are long-lasting. In 2022, due to the costs of medical treatments and moving Grandma to Florida, my sister and I had to leave my mother's care and move in with my father in Texas. Even with the distance and restrictions keeping us apart, it was the technology that kept us together. The video calls on Facetime and Skype, the relentless rounds of Scrabble Go, and the entertaining stories uploaded to WhatsApp, are what made me feel like I never left. I never lost touch nor did I lose hope in returning to my family. Moving back to Florida after graduating high school allows me to be close to my relatives, especially my grandmother. And once I return, I will be prepared to provide for my loved ones and support them in the next emergency. With this scholarship, I will be aided in paying the cost of out-of-state tuition. Attaining a degree in software engineering at an accredited university like Embry-Riddle would grant me the skills and accolades to secure a salary under a company, or even develop my own projects for a living. I will be the first in my family to own their home, so we will never have to leave each other again. In due time I will start my own family, and give my children the full and loving home I wish I still had. That is my legacy.

I never enjoyed math, not until this year at least. I always found myself discouraged when introduced a math equation of any kind, especially if it contained fractions. Giving up on my own ability paired with the lack of support from my former instructors, made math my least favorite subject. Despite feeling this way for most of my K-12 education, last fall semester, I began to take pre-calculus. My instructor, Mrs. Harrison, was intimidating at first. She was blunt and always went straight to the point, but my favorite thing about her was that she listened to her students and always kept our best interest in mind. I gave her my full attention in class, took notes to the best of my ability, and still struggled to pass. Math was my primary obstacle to graduating in my eyes. That was until Mrs. Harrison came to my aid. She answered all my questions and never seemed annoyed to help. When I came to her with personal problems of my own she gave me her best advice, and opened my eyes to many new perspectives. Through practicing and tutoring, I greatly improved in math. I learned to take better notes that contain clear instructions, step-by-step. Through honest conversations, I learned to consider new ways to understand others and myself. Now I love math. Every time that I correctly answer an intimidating equation, my confidence grows, not only in my ability to solve math problems, but also my ability to conquer any problem I face in my life. Math taught me that if I get the wrong answer now, I can always reach out for help to get the right answer when I try again.