Government officials from the city council to capital members are in attendance. 4.5 million pounds of alloyed metals are propelled into outer orbit at speeds of 7 miles per second. The room roars with cheers, claps, and confetti. I just launched a project into space to be observed by astronauts on the ISS. I was approached by the President of Junipero Serra High School to join a project given by Northrup Gruman. We were tasked to pick a project that was to be sent to the International Space Station. Out of 12 schools in the entire United States, Serra would be one of those schools to do this project. I felt honored that I was chosen out of the other 400 students that attended Serra but I didn’t know anything. I thought about how I was going to be able to contribute to such a massive project without any prior knowledge of electronic functions or mechanical mechanisms. I believed that this was too far out of my league and I should deny the request for my involvement, but I said “Yes.” At our first ISSP meeting, we discussed what the project should be about. Many topics were discussed, such as bacteria growth in microgravity, protein crystallization growth, etc. After rounds of elimination based on safety, cost, etc, our final decision for the project was seed germination. The reason we settled on seed germination is because it will lower the cost of space trips and possibly expand humanity beyond Earth. To send a pound of food and water into space it will cost approximately between $9,000 to $18,000. Figuring out how to grow food in microgravity is very difficult simply because of the lack of gravity and light. Without gravity, the water can’t be absorbed into the plant's roots, and without ample light, plants can’t photosynthesize. Though our project is small and will not be growing any potatoes, it will give astronauts and scientists a clue on how to grow food in space. This whole project took 7 months to build. Every day after school, our team would meet in the lab to build and test the seed germination tube. Many components of the project had been split up into 5 sections. The section I had to work with was the current of electricity across the circuit board. I was given resistors, light-emitting diodes ( LEDs), and breadboards to figure out how much power we needed to grow the plant. In working out the power we needed I blew a lot of LEDs and broke the resistors. After working on the project, I would watch YouTube tutorials on how to read resistors and connect power from the positive side of the board to the negative side of the board. I soon grasped the concept and figured out how to connect alternating currents to direct currents.       After the project was finished, we were recognized by the city of Gardena and the California Senate for our work. We were awarded certificates of acknowledgment. We met with news TV stations who covered our project and interviewed us. Meeting high-ranking officials within and outside of my community put into perspective how big this project truly was. These seven months proved to me my adaptability to a constantly changing issue. At the start of the project, I believed this was out of my league. Despite that, I completed the project and excelled in electrical engineering which I didn’t think I could do. Looking back at the time I spent building the project before school and after school, made me feel a sense of accomplishment and pride.

My dad passed away on January 8th, 2024. There was nothing wrong with him, he wouldn’t tell if it was anyway. He collapsed in my arms in front of my grandma’s house. All the close hospitals were full and they had to take him to a hospital far away. By the time they made it there, it was too late. I didn’t know what to think or do. I couldn’t blame anybody, couldn’t find a reason and I couldn’t hide. Seeing his body that was just full on life a couple of hours ago, now fully emptied of it. The moment didn’t feel real, it was like I was in a dream or a movie. Any second I was just expecting him to wake up but that second never came. He devoted his life to God but after this, I couldn’t do the same. He took the man who feared and preached his name from a son who was going to make it big academically and athletically. Why didn’t God take those thugs, gangsters, drug-addicted, alcohol addicted? All they do is take lives and make other's lives miserable, it would make sense to take them, they serve no purpose other than to take up space. That is what I thought all of January and February. No one could tell me different. It wasn’t until recently that I fully went back to God and realized his glory. Though it may be tough for me to think about, I think his passing was needed for me to continue whatever mission I set out to do by God. On the day of his funeral, my football team came out and gave their support. Everyone knew my dad because he was the loudest in the stands, complaining about the playcalling and rooting us on. His presence was felt. My dad loved that I played football and that I started varsity this year. He saw me get my first offer from the University of La Verne. Just that offer alone made him so happy. He was shining the whole week. Now I am heading to the University of Southern California on many scholarships and as a preferred walk-on for the football team. He never got to see this happen in motion but I believe in Heaven he made it happen. He opened their ears and let the words that carry my name seep in. The way I have envisioned myself paying it forward and conquering the devil’s plan for me to fall is to do what my dad always told me. Stay hungry and be great. Very simple. He knew I did”t need much to motivate me. In his memory when I step on the USC football field for summer, I will dominate and work my way to the top. They said they needed me to play center or guard. Positions I am well versed in. Those hours me and my dad spent at the park, training will never go to waste. I am a beast awoken who has his eyes set out for nothing but success.

The most influential person in my life would be my parents. My mom is a warrior and a teacher. When times get tough and the stress becomes too much, my mom is there to guide me and give me a solution. She is my foundation and my reason why I want to college. She always believed that I could do anything that I could put my mind to. Now I look back, and I see why she always got on me when I brought home bad grades or a report on bad behavior. She knew I could do better. When I started to put effort into my work I received better results. I became a straight-A student. She taught me to give 100% in anything I do and never quit. My mom told me, “Quitting is admitting that the objective overpowered you and you couldn’t handle it. You failed to work around the problem and you let it take hold of you. You are Travis Leonard, no challenge can overpower your desire for success.” This was the warrior side of my mom. She always says these speeches and phrases right when I need to hear them. It is like she adds gasoline to a fire that is lit beneath me, causing it to surge into a great flame that can't be put out. These words changed my mentality towards everything I did. I strived to produce quality work that would earn nothing but an A+. This behavior has been instilled throughout my school career and I have to thank my mom for it. My dad is a builder and a provider. He introduced me to Christianity which I follow to this day. He would take me to Church every day, where I could hear the stories of Jesus Christ and witness the miracles that he can perform. Afterwards we would have bible study about what verses and chapters we read while in Church. This was to ensure that I understood what was being taught. He wanted the Holy Spirit to resonate within me not forced as a part of my being. He constructed how I view the world. He never saw things in black and white but instead the cause and actions of what happened. Every action has its opposite reaction. Make bad decisions, and live with the consequences. Through this, I was able to build my moral code on what I deemed acceptable and pass the line. From these simple actions, I became more mentally mature. I could express how I was feeling and have plans in place to deal with my daily issues. I lifted them to God. Though my Dad's passing this year has damaged my relationship with God, I already feel the gap starting to heal. It is the understanding that God called him home and he couldn't ignore the call. I will never forget his teachings and I will pass them on to my kids when I get older.