When I first decided to continue my education after getting clean my original plan was to get into social welfare and join the addiction and recovery movement. At this juncture I am learning it is s futile, revolving door with no hope in sight, which originally really discouraged me. Being 47, and having only to skill sets, being an Executive Chef and culinarian (in turn being able to teach those with the slightest passion the art), and the other skill set revolves around the medical marijuana business, which always leads to relapse for me, or a Federal prison term. But after some soul searching, some internet investigation, and fond memories of volunteer work I did in the gifted program I was in as a teenager, I have changed my educational focus to working with disabled adults, in particular those on the Autism spectrum, and Downes syndrome. I am currently signed up to start volunteering with SANDS in Tucson. I was wanting to be an advocate for adults with Downes Syndrome, or Autism, but I am also wanting to work one on one with them in almost a Home Economics type fashion (or whatever the proper nomenclature is now). I believe I have found s as way to do both with a good idea that blends knowledge of my previous field of work, with my new passion. I would like to open a non-profit, small to medium size catering company that also has an on-site culinary academy that works with those that have potential to procure employment how to work in a restaurant, or other food service business from the ground up. I also envision a small hall where we can have Mach buffets and have other people either in need, but I was thinking senior citizens, or other members thst volunteer at other non profits can come a help train by playing our customers, so not only could we train cooks, chefs, dishwashers, but front of the house positions, depending on levels of ability. We could potentially cater larger full service events, and not only employ these adults, but also teach them how to support themselves and eventually get jobs at s restaurant, be supervisors, and how to handle stressful situations. This will be a definite way to build confidence, and hopefully help them to become self supporting. And from learning the ins and outs of the restaurant business, they will be learning how to pay bills, plan ahead, manage time, and be responsible stewards of a businesses money as well as there own. In order to do all this, I do need a general introduction into social work, casework, working with individuals in a group setting, ethics of social work, and a general knowledge of how the social welfare system works, how to apply for grants for non-profit programs, and a minor in business administration would broaden my knowledge on how to keep this running with as little grant money as possible, necessities of insurance and payroll, etc. I believe an AAS in Social Sciences is the first stepping stone in this process, and believe the scholarship money would be put to good use. I believe it would set a good model for other focuses of adults with different disabilities, and could make a very positive impact on many peoples lives.

I am a recovering addict that is a member of Narcotics Anonymous that lost my wife to addiction. My entire life, in one way, or another, has been centered around drugs and alcohol. Before the age of 10, both my grandparents on my father side died of alcoholism, my grandmother of wet brain ate age 4, my grandfather of cirrhosis at age 7. This was my first understanding of alcoholism and addiction running in my family, and was also the main factor of being a statistic in s broken family. I was raised by my mother, she was an alcoholic and addict. At 9 I showed signs of depression and anxiety that were overlooked because of everyone's drug use, and the fact that I was being sexually abused My male role models weredrug dealers, those of the upper echelon on growing up next to the border. By my sophomore year I was expelled for selling LSD (with a 3.8 GPA), and became second in charge of a medium sized marijuana smuggling ring from Mexico to Philadelphia. The money I made fueled what was already a biologically and environmentally predetermined drug addiction, and by the age of eighteen I was serving my first prison term. When I got out I decided this wasn't what I wanted from life and enrolled at the local community college in Tucson in 1997 for the same major I enrolled in 26 years later, two weeks ago, Unfortunately the stress of normality was foreign to me, I relapsed on methamphetamines, and ended up back in prison. After a tumultuous next four years of intravenous drug use, selling narcotics and starting a drug gang with the ex-president of the Tucson Hells Angels, I finished my second prison term, met my wife, and left California in 2002 to start a new life. I got spiritual, stopped drinking, and we both stopped doing meth, got married and had a child two years later... but unfortunately I found out that without a program of recovery, and with adverse mental health running through her family (just name it), my son and I ended up in a emotional hostage situation. The marijuana maintenance wasn't working for her anymore, and she moved on to benzodiazepines in 2011, muscle relaxers in 2012. We kept warning her, and I threatened to leave. I was working 50 hours a week as an executive chef, and 10 hours a week at a legal pot grow to keep up with the bills, her drug habit, and was ran into the ground. In 2014 her father passed from drug use, so she quit using pills. Then, on her 42nd birthday, she went out with her cousin and accidentally ingested 600 doses of some street drug we've never heard of, leaving my son motherless. I relapsed after 12 years of being clean on alcohol and meth and ended up with federal drug trafficking charges in Kansas 10 months to the day she overdosed. I've spent the passed seven years in federal prison and on parole, all while intermittently using drugs. I have recently moved back to Arizona, got clean, and I am facing my demons head on, and have found recovery here if all places. My best friend is head manager at community bridges of Arizona. She took me in until I was able to get my own apartment, a decent job while I get my education, so I can be an example and inspiration to someone else that is ready for help there substance abuse. I want to be on the frontline so my wife's tragedy wasn't in vain.