Mrs.Hirsh was not just my high school culinary teacher, she was the person who helped me discover that cooking was more than a class elective. It is my passion and ultimately the direction I want my life to take. I first walked into her culinary classroom when I was a freshman, mostly thinking that the class would be easier than the other electives and because I needed the extra credit. I had always helped out in the kitchen at home, but I never considered it a skill that was meant for me. The classroom however felt different from the start. I knew that Mrs. Hirsh was a good chef and when I saw her classroom, it made me feel like I was in a professional kitchen. The stainless steel counters were gleaming under bright lights, the scent of fresh herbs were lingering in the air, and her positivity made the room feel so safe and comfortable to be in. Mrs. Hirsh was standing at the front of the room waiting patiently for everyone to arrive. Straight from the beginning, she made it clear to all of us that culinary arts is not just about following recipes. "cooking is discipline" and "It's creativity built on precision" she would often say. She demanded focus, teamwork, and accountability. If we chopped vegetables unevenly she would show us how to take control of the knife and not to be afraid of it and cut the vegetables with precision. If we wasted ingredients she would remind us of the cost, not just the money, but in effort and opportunity. At first her high standards intimidated me, but slowly started to motivate me. One day she assigned us a cooking project, we were to get into groups of 4 and make a food sale. We had to make our own little food truck made out of paper, make a name and logo, figure out what we were going to sell, and make the prices (we used Monopoly money to make purchases). When she gave the directions for all of this, I felt a sense of excitement rather than anxiety, because this project meant that we were slowly advancing through the course. What made her influence so powerful was that she didn't just teach us the basic chef skills; she taught mindset. She emphasized resilience the most, for example, we made strawberry muffins before we went home and the recipe that our group tried to make, ended up in a disaster. We ended up overfilling the baking trays and the muffins got too big and it didn't cook properly. But, Mrs. Hirsh told us not to worry about anything because she said "learn from your mistakes" and the next day, we made the same recipe but did it properly that time. By the time I finished her class, I knew I didn’t want cooking to remain just a hobby. It was where I felt focused, creative, and confident. Mrs. Hirsh helped me see that passion clearly and gave me the courage to pursue it seriously. Even now, whenever I step into a kitchen, I hear her voice reminding me to taste, adjust, and never settle for “good enough.” She didn’t just teach me how to cook, she helped shape the way I approach my goals, my work, and my future.

Hello, my name is Taylor Gchachu (pronounced Jaw-Chu) and I am 17 years old with a big, loving family of 6 brothers in total- three older, two younger, and me right in the middle. Big family, I know! While my 2 older brothers have moved out and started their own journey, it's now me and my two younger brothers at home. Being part of such a large family has shaped who I am in so many ways. It has taught me responsibility, patience, leadership, and most importantly, how powerful food can be in bringing people together. Growing up in a house full of brothers meant that our home was rarely quiet. There was always laughter, competition, and someone asking what was for dinner (especially me). With so many different personalities under one roof, meals became the one time we could all sit down and just enjoy a meal as a family. But after losing both my mother and my brother, those moments around the table became even more meaningful. Their absence changed our family dynamic forever, but it also strengthened my desire to carry forward the love they poured into our home, especially through cooking. My mom was the base of our family. She would always smell like lavender because of the shampoo and body wash she used. She was such a hard working mom, and I love her deeply for that. She took amazing care for me and my brothers even with a low income. I knew that we had a low income and didn't get to do much, but my mom always tried to make things fun for us. I still remember her smile that made everyone else want to smile, and her laugh that made everyone else laugh. But most of all, I remember the love she gave to everyone. She used to make soup every Sunday night and give it out to homeless people that were in the area, and I want to continue that when I finish culinary school. My brother Gilbert Walter (Jr) Gchachu, who we lost too soon, had a completely different energy. He was, funny, and full of life. He loved to read and play outside and do puzzles. If I had one word to describe him it would be "Genius" he was the smart one of the family. He would be able to do math in his head (which me and my two younger brother's struggle to do) and he can memorize pretty much anything he found interesting. There is a very special memory that will never disappear from my brain, and it's about me and Jr. reading a book together, we were reading "Big Nate" a comic book and me and him were laughing so hard that we started crying and couldn't breathe. We were so loud that our uncle had to come into the room and tell to be a little more quieter. Jr. was my role model when it came to school or anything related to education because of how smart he was. My goal is to attend Le Cordon Bleu and graduate from there. Once I am done with culinary school I would love to work in Michelin star restaurants and make my career go up from there. I want to become a professional chef not only because I love cooking, but because I understand the impact it can have. Food can comfort, celebrate, and bring people together during both joy and grief. Everything I create in the kitchen carries a piece of them. Becoming a professional chef isn’t just my dream, it’s my promise to them.

My name is Taylor Gchachu and I am 17 years old, and I want to be a professional chef. I didn’t always want to be a chef, I figured out that cooking is amazing when I was 15 years old. Before I started cooking I played basketball, and basketball is what I originally wanted to do but I heard it was really hard to get on a professional team, so I started exploring different hobbies and then cooking came into my life. Cooking kind of runs in the family because all my aunts and uncles cook so much that it looks like they made Thanksgiving all over again. But my main reason why I’m passionate about my career in culinary arts is because of my uncle, he is the one I am going to thank if I get accepted into Le Cordon Bleu (my dream school). I am doing all of this for my family, friends, and for anyone else who wants to go into the culinary world. But most of all, I am doing this for my mom, brother, and my uncle. My passion for cooking started in Colorado Springs, my uncle adopted me and my 2 younger brother’s after our mom had passed away, and then a few years later my older brother passed away. And our uncle took care of us, he’s the one who helped me learn everything I know right now about being a chef, taught me the basic’s such as knife skills, mise en place, time management, and discipline. He set me up for culinary classes in my freshman year, a 4 week culinary camp, and many more. He inspired and convinced me to continue my culinary journey. I was taught many things by my mom and dad before our uncle adopted us, taught me how to be kind and respectful to everyone even if they aren’t being kind or respectful back. Also, taught me to be grateful for everything and anything even if you don’t like it. My mom used to say “don’t take things for granted” all the time, because we grew up pretty poor and didn’t have much. So I learned from a young age to not take things for granted and just be grateful. Because of these important life knowledge that I have received from my mom, I will pay my education forward by teaching and helping everyone who wants to start their own journey in the culinary field. I believe I will be able to do everything I just said and make my family proud.

I have lost 2 immediate family members, my brother (Gilbert Jr. Walter Gchachu) and my mom. My mom passed away when I was about 5 or 6 years old from a car crash. My brother passed away when I was 13 years old from suicide. I remember both of the days when I lost them, when my mom passed me and brother’s were just getting out of school, walking home because our school was really close to where we were living. And when we got back from school, everything was fine until our dad started wondering where our mom was, he wasn’t panicking at first until he received a phone call from someone. All I can say to describe everyone’s emotions is “absolute pure sadness”. My 2 younger brother’s didn’t understand what was going because they were too young to understand about what just happened. But I felt like they knew something was wrong because of the emotions around the room because they started crying as well. After we got done with the funeral and everything, our dad couldn’t take care of me and my brother’s by himself because of financial problems so our uncle took us in (mom’s brother) and we didn’t like him because he was too strict with everything. But we were able to live with him for a few years without any serious problems. Until another dreaded day arrived, my second oldest brother just graduated from high school and our uncle took him and our youngest brother to Hawaii to celebrate, and left me, my second youngest brother, and Jr. at home with our other uncle (mom’s other brother). I’m not exactly sure why Jr. decided to do what he did, but I did some research and found some information that matched Jr.s emotions and vibe on that day. I had a feeling something was wrong that day because it just felt weird, I can’t explain what I felt that day but I somehow knew something was wrong. And I was right, I just didn’t know it until it was too late… I have also seen how he passed away but it was after the cops found him first. I was told to go to therapy or talk to someone you trust, and I did just that. I talked to my best of my best friends about it and she comforted me and said everything will be okay. Everything is okay now. I am now currently 17 years old now, getting ready to go to culinary school and applying for scholarships (becoming an adult…) and I am doing fine, slowly reaching my goal, slowly advancing in life, and enjoying life as best as I can. I am doing all this for my family especially for my mom and for Jr. I will make them proud by doing this.

I was born into a family without that much money, and I don’t really care about finance because family is more important than anything in the world. But, since family isn’t the topic and money is. Here is my personal story. When I was little there was nothing else in the world that could get me to ignore my parents fighting over their finances then watching culinary shows. I would think to myself that one day I will be able to get on one of these shows and make my parents happy, help them with finances and just be free for once. I remember we used to wear the same limited amount of clothes we had and stitch anything up that ripped just so we can save money. I have a big family, 6 other brothers… (2 younger brothers and 4 older) so my parents were working too hard to keep us healthy and in school. My dad would work overtime just to get a little more money to buy food, clothes, and other necessities. While my mom had to take care of us at home. Both of my parents were hard workers and I love them deeply for taking care of us. But just as I was beginning to think that everything was great, my mother was driving to the store to get some more food and supplies and got into a fatal accident. Her injuries were severe and ended up not surviving the crash, everyone was devastated about her passing. My dad was the most devastated because he knew that we were already in financial trouble and now that our mom has passed he just broke down, he broke down so much that me and my brothers got taken away and adopted by our mom’s brother. Our uncle was living alone and doing great with financial business, but he was strict. Even though we were doing better than our life before we got adopted it didn’t feel right. Maybe it was because we were able to get stuff that we weren’t able to get before, and just because our uncle got us stuff didn’t mean that me and my brother’s liked him. He would often get on our nerves for the smallest things. Over time we got used to him being annoying and coped with it, but we didn’t understand that our uncle was only doing good when he was alone, and ever since he adopted us we have been draining his money. So we went from barely scraping by, to doing good, now slowly going back to barely scraping by. My older brother’s have turned old enough to move out, so now it’s just me and my 2 younger brother’s. We are still struggling, but living a happy life. I am now 17 years old, getting ready to be the first in my family to go to college. Which is a lot of pressure because I’m the very first. I have kept the dream of getting on a culinary show or becoming a professional chef in mind, and decided to try and get accepted into Le Cordon Bleu. Me and my uncle are currently doing everything we can to get and save money, and we are very slowly reaching the goal that is needed. I hope that we do reach the goal so I can make my family proud, especially my mom and dad who have done everything they can to make me the person I am now.

I used to think that watching cooking shows was boring, and doing the cooking was boring too. But, once you actually start experiencing it, everything changes. This is what happened to me when I first started cooking, it was just a hobby at first but soon became a clear career goal. This is my story about how I became the man I am today. My name is Taylor Gchachu (pronounced Jaw-Chu) and I want to attend Le Cordon Bleu and become a professional chef. My Uncle and my older brother are both chefs and they both inspired me to want to become a chef as well. They aren’t professional chefs but they do know things that will help me on my journey, My uncle has been a chef for about 7 years now(not completely sure) and my brother has been a chef for about 3 years now. Me and my two younger brother’s are adopted by our uncle after our mom passed away and our dad couldn’t raise us by himself because of financial problems. After we got adopted by our uncle he was strict because he wasn’t used to having kids around all the time, but he did cook us some amazing food. When he was in the kitchen I would watch him cook but didn’t help because I felt like I would mess up the recipe and he would tell me how to do stuff correctly. I didn’t start to love cooking until I was 15 when I was in my freshman year, and since my uncle taught me some basic chef skills he enrolled me in a culinary class. The culinary class is also what inspired me to become a chef. The teacher was amazing, the other students were helpful and the food we made were fabulous. But of course all good things must have an end, and we ended up moving away back to Alaska before I got to finish culinary ll. When we moved back to Alaska I was sad, angry, and annoyed because I really loved it in Colorado. But, since Alaska is where I was born and raised I have an unbreakable bond with it, it is where my mom passed away and where we learned where our half side of our of our heritage is from (me and my brothers are half Zuni and half Inupiaq). But I specifically learned what kind of food is being cooked and served here in Alaska, it has helped me enhance my culinary skills and learn more about the different cuisines that are here. I am now 17 years old now and I am applying for scholarships and getting ready for college (becoming an adult…) and my older brother is teaching me things that are essential for being a chef. I am currently unemployed but is in the process of looking for jobs, specifically restaurant jobs but since I’m not 18 yet, no luck… I do side jobs such as shoveling drive ways, baby sitting, and anything else that gets me money for my savings account. Everything that is being done for me to go to college and start a career as a chef is all thanks to my Uncle, brother, and my culinary teacher when I was in my freshman year. They had helped me get to where I am now. If I do get accepted for this scholarship it will help so much, and I will be the first of everyone in my family to go to college! Thank you for your time and the opportunity for this scholarship Sincerely, Taylor Gchachu

Growing up in a single parent and low income household has shaped who I am in powerful ways. After my mom passed, and my dad couldn’t take care of me and my younger brothers because of financial problems. Our uncle took us in and he was pretty strict about everything. And after losing my mom and not being able to live with my dad and living with a strict uncle forced me to grow up quickly, I learned how to be responsible, patient, and strong, even when things felt overwhelming. Watching my family struggle taught me the value of hard work and perseverance. There were times when things felt uncertain, but giving up was not an option because I knew my little brothers looked up to me just like how I look up to my older brothers for help. Being there for them gave me a sense of purpose and pushed me too keep going, even when life didn’t feel fair. These experiences have motivated me to pursue a career in the culinary field. Food brings people together, and I want to use my skills to create comfort and joy for others, especially for the families going through hard times. In the future, I hope to give back to my community by mentoring kids who are interested in doing culinary, and by supporting families in need. Right now, I am actively working towards my goals by preparing for culinary school, applying for scholarships, saving money, and looking for job opportunities. My past has not held me back at all, if I had to say one word about it then it would be “determination”.

As I prepare to begin culinary school, I am already thinking carefully about how I will manage and reduce my future student loan debt. I understand that student loans can be very helpful, but they can also become a long term financial burden if they are not handled responsibly. Because of that, my plan is to only borrow only what I will truly need and make thoughtful financial decisions throughout my education. I am currently 17 years old and is also currently unemployed because me and my family have moved a lot recently. But I am in the process of looking for a job. And I am still am earning money by doing side jobs, such as shoveling snow, baby sitting, and anything else that is helping the community while also earning some decent amount of money. And the first part of my plan to address my future student loan debt is to apply for the students loans, but only after I have explored every other possible source of financial support. My family is helping me out with looking for scholarships and finding jobs, and just donating some of there leftover money they don’t need. I love them deeply and am very grateful for all of their help. Another important part of my plan is to be realistic about my lifestyle and why I want to continue my education. I do not plan on to overspend or spend any money on things that are not necessary. I am focused on budgeting carefully for essentials like housing, food, transportation, and school materials. Living within my means will help me avoid borrowing extra money that I would later have to repay with interest. After graduating, I plan to be proactive about repayment. My goal is to find steady employment in the culinary field as soon as possible, whether that is working in a restaurant, hotel kitchen, catering business, or bakery. And once I start making a consistent income, I want to start making payments right away, even if the payments are small they still are lowering my debt. Over time, I hope to grow in my culinary career and eventually increase my income through experience, promotions, or maybe one day owning a restaurant(s). As my income grows, I plan to put extra money toward paying my loans off faster. Becoming debt free is important to me because I will be able to help my family become debt free as well, and it will help me focus on my future goals. Overall, my plan is based on being responsible, and disciplined. By borrowing only what I need, working when possible, budgeting carefully, and committing to repayment after graduation. I believe that I will be able to manage my student loan debt in a healthy and sustainable way Thank you for your time and the opportunity of this scholarship. Sincerely, Taylor Gchachu

The people who have supported me in my educational journey are my family, especially my older siblings and relatives who stepped in when my parents could not. After my mom passed away from a car crash, and our dad couldn’t take care of me and my brother’s by himself because of financial problems, my life changed dramatically. Our uncle who we barely knew adopted me and my brothers. And I knew that I would have to be more mature since we didn’t know our uncle that well. Luckily I had help from my family members and even when the support wasn’t perfect it still is the foundation that keeps me pushing towards my goals today. My older brothers are the one’s who became my first role models. Since, we moved in with our uncle who was strict, because he wasn’t used to being with kids, since he was single and living by himself before he adopted us.But, we had no one else to live with because our uncle was financially stable and able to care for us. And my brother’s had helped him as well, with watching me and my younger brothers when our uncle was at work. Since, our mother’s passing and our father not capable of taking care of us, we were grieving because of the sudden change. But since we were all together there strength has taught me resilience. To keep moving forward and not giving up on my education. I also love and honor my mom through my education. Even though she is no longer here, I carry her love and memory everywhere I go. I think about the kind of life she would have wanted me to have, one with opportunities, stability, and happiness. When school is overwhelming me or I just feel like quitting. I remind myself that succeeding is what will make her proud. Doing well in my education is what I will be doing to make her spirit alive in my life. Even though that my mom wasn’t the one who was a chef or in any culinary arts. She is still the one I will be doing it for. My dad was the one who got me into culinary he gave me tips about becoming a proper chef, and taught me the basic chef skills that is needed to become a chef. He was working in a restaurant that paid just enough to keep our apartment and get groceries. When he wasn’t at work, me and him would go into the kitchen to make some delicious food, so we can all sit down at the table and enjoy a meal. I plan to build all of this support I’ve received by pursuing my dream of attending Le Cordon Bleu and becoming a professional chef. Cooking is more than just a future career, it is a way to bring people together, just like how cooking has done for me. I want to create dishes that make people feel comforted and cared for. As I work towards culinary school and a future in the culinary world, I will carry my family’s lesson about hard work, teamwork, and resilience with me. One day, I hope to support them the way they have supported me.

Gilbert (Jr) Walter Gchachu was my older brother, he was a such a good brother too. When he passed away that memory of him on his bed would never escape my mind, it is something that haunts my memories even when I try not to think about it. Jr. was someone who never really got mad at anything unless it was something he really disliked, he didn’t even get into any fights or arguments because he didn’t want to hurt anyone else. He carried himself with quiet strength and I didn’t know how much that shaped me until he was gone. There is this memory that will never go away, because it is something that me and Jr. only did. Jr. and I always liked to play outside together in our backyard, we would find large sticks and start sword fighting with them(pretending that we were Jedis from star wars or Ninjas that use swords) we would chase each other around yelling at each other like we were warriors ready for battle, (then we would get into trouble for being so loud) but that didn’t stop us from having a good time. After we got tired of running around so much, we would eat some peanut butter on spoons(lick them like ice cream) and just sit there in silence until we were done. All of that changed when he passed away, since he was always quiet, nobody knew what he was feeling on the inside. And I guess someone or something was bothering him because he caused his own passing. Even though the pain has been hard for a long time, it has also changed how I see other people. I have become more patient and aware that everyone is fighting their own personal problems. And because I know what it feels like to lose someone very important, I try to become more careful with people’s feelings. Jr. was always gentle in the way he dealt with others, and I see myself trying to be the same way. Almost as if I am continuing the kindness and love he gave me when he was here. My brother’s death didn’t just let me show and give kindness to other people. It also gave me a sense of purpose. I think about he I still have the opportunities he didn’t get to have, and that makes me want to make my life more seriously. I want to make choices that will make him proud of me, and by doing that I will be more kinder, work harder, and do something meaningful in my life. It has now been 5 years since my beloved brother’s passing. And now I want to become a chef. Food is what kind of runs in the family and Jr. loved eating. Also, cooking has always been something that connects people, and after losing my brother, that connection has become more meaningful to me. Food has a way of bringing comfort to people when something is going on. Brings family and friends together to create heartfelt memories. And I want to be able to provide that comfort to people through my cooking, and hopefully make other people comfortable with the way they are experiencing life.

My decision to pursue an education in Culinary arts comes from both inspiration and passion. Cooking has always been more than just a skill for me, it is a way to express your creativity, gain friends and socialize. I decided to do pursue an education in culinary arts because of my uncle and my brother, and I owe much of what I know to their guidance and encouragement. I didn't start cooking until I was 16 years old which was about a year ago, but ever since I started to love cooking I would help my uncle and brother in the kitchen with cooking dinner for my younger brothers. They have showed me that cooking isn’t just about making amazing food, but is about discipline, teamwork, and pride in your work. My uncle has helped me gain more experience by signing me up for culinary classes and camps. Just recently, I have completed a 4 week culinary bootcamp that had helped me enhance my culinary skills. These basic foundations have given me the confidence and showed me how much there is still to learn in the culinary world. My brother has also helped me a lot in shaping my goals. He has been working as a chef for about 3 years now, and I would often ask him questions about how to become a better chef. From him I have learned about time management, handling pressure, and the importance of always willing to learn. Hearing from my older brother’s life about his culinary jobs have made me excited and achievable. Seeing someone that is close to me succeed in this career has kept me motivated to work harder and follow his path. Because of these experiences, I want to pursue a formal education in culinary arts to keep building up my skills. Culinary school will allow me to develop advanced techniques, understand the different types of cuisines, and gain the professional training that is needed for succeeding in professional kitchens. One of my biggest goals is to get accepted into Le Cordon Bleu and graduate from their program. Attending Le Cordon Bleu will be challenging but I believe that I will be able to finish it, and it will expand my skills. One day I dream of opening up my own restaurant. However, before taking that big step, I want to gain as much experience as possible. Another major goal that I have in mind is to work in a Michelin star restaurant, working in a professional environment would help me improve every day, learn from some of the best chefs, and learn the true power of excellences in cooking. Even after finishing high school, I want to continue to learn and grow. The culinary arts represents more than just a career to me, it is passion, family, and a future full of opportunities. And with my dedication, education, and hard work, I hope to turn my passion into a lifelong profession. Thank you for your time. Sincerely, Taylor Gchachu