When my mom and dad took me to Alaska in 2019 to show me where they had spent some time in their younger years and then arranged a tour of the University of Alaska Fairbanks campus, I immediately fell in love with the area and knew that I wanted to be there, but at the same time, I realized what a huge financial burden it would be to travel 2500 miles from my home in Nevada, at only 18 years old and be by myself, in a strange and mostly frozen land, at a time when my mom is on disability and my dad is retired. My mom and dad did do some planning for my college education, but the expensive of college in Alaska and the cost of living is so much more than other places in the United States. I work a part-time job 3 days a week, and I know it takes away from my studies, but I do not want to be any more of a burden on my parents than I already am while I work to complete my education in oceanography and biological ocean sciences. Any scholarship that is awarded, diminishes my need to work by a few days here and there, so I can focus more on my studies, to put more value into my education and ultimately secure a career in my field. I had an opportunity in the summer of 2023 to do research work down in Seward, AK for 2 weeks and I absolutely fell in love with the research side of oceanography and biological sciences. It is my hope and dream to secure a research position that allows me to live in the Fairbanks area, but travel to the coastal areas of Alaska and other parts of the world to study microorganisms around unique features in the ocean, I.E. seismic troughs, heat vents and the polar regions, to learn more about how our earth works: it's historical climate cycles, volcanic and seismologic events, and maybe, someday, finding an unknown organism that will help unlock pathways to cures to various disease like cancers, Parkinson's, and ALS. All things in Earth and life are interconnected. I believe that my generation, and the generation succeeding me, will play a valuable and crucial role to finally understanding things that we have only had the technology to begin to study for the past 20-30 years. As technologies evolve to allow us to go deeper into the oceans, and to peer deeper inside of life, we will learn about things that we have only been able to theorize. Bringing light to theory will help all living things live a better and more productive life that will be beneficial to all mankind. It will allow us to better plan and use our resources and provide better, definitive health care to those stricken with disease. This is an exciting time for STEM studies for my generation and I am excited to be a part of it.

I started out in a private, Christian school in Nevada. I was homeschooled for several years, and finished my K-12 education at Douglas High School before my 17th birthday. I took honors and AP classes; competed in Trampoline and Tumbling; and spent three years on the marching band flag team. But before all that, my parents, wanted to ensure that my education was one that was tangible. For example, when my mom was homeschooling me and teaching about the California trail and the gold rush, we went to Sutters Mill in California; we went to Virginia City and touched the silver. We also went to Elko and to BLM California Trail Interpretive Museum. As we pulled indians and the Spanish into my history lessons, we went to Chaco canyon, Bandelier National Monument, and Pecos National Monument as well as Effigy Mounds in Iowa To understand science better, we went to the Mississippi River Museum, also in Iowa. My mom not only wanted me to be connected with the history that formed this country, she wanted me to learn and grasp more recent events. The summer after 8th grade, she sent me on trip to Washington D.C and New York City. I saw structures and monuments in our Nation's capitol. I witnessed the changing of the guard at the tomb of the unknown soldier, but what really drove things home was New York. Times Square was fascinating, but when we went to the 9-1-1 Memorial and I stood at ground zero, I realized how small and defenseless I was in this big world. We followed that with the Holocaust Museum, and I must admit, it was a very emotional day. My dad was a firefighter at the time, and worked at a Marine Corps Base. They had a piece of steel in the entry way of the fire house that I would see when we went to visit. It was just a chunk of metal, but going to ground zero to see where it came from…wow! My short life has got some perspective. In 2019, my dad took us on a summer long trip up thru Canada and Alaska. I heard his stories of living on Adak Island and I heard how he and my mom lived in Delta. But, wow! To hear stories is one thing. To look at pictures or a book is another. And then, you go there. Eyes wide opened! Now that I am on my own in Alaska, it's not the big things that Alaska is known for that the tourists flock up here for every summer that impress me. Yes, Denali is impressive, for me, it's just another mountain. It's the little things, like the International Ice carving contest; witnessing the changing of fall colors in only 7-10 days. The Inupiat, Athabaskan, Yupik, Aleutian and others, proudly share and exhibit their art, customs and way of life. They are the true Alaskans. The bush pilot is as common as driving a truck in the lower 48. Someday, I will become a bush pilot as it will allow me access to remote areas of Alaska. I also plan on becoming a -40 below member when I turn 21. That is when you dawn swimwear when it reaches -40 degrees and head to a thermometer display, to get your picture taken. Alaska is a wild land. It has much to teach us and it must be respected. I love being a part of this great state and can't wait until I finish my education and have more time to devote to understanding and living the Alaskan life.

I am currently attending the University of Alaska Fairbanks and I am studying to major in oceanography and biology with a minor in geology. I chose these subjects/topics because I am interested in learning more about the biological and geophysical aspects of our oceans. Prior to transferring to UAF as a junior in the fall of 2022, I was dual enrolled at UAF and Western Nevada College working on my Associates of Science and Associates of Arts. I was born and raised in Nevada. My dad graduated from Adak, and I am looking forward to completing my education at UAF, exploring research and opportunities in the area and making Fairbanks my permanent home. I want to use my educational knowledge to contribute to the ongoing research and exploration of ocean sciences to gain enough experience to do research of my own. I am particularly interested in using geologic knowledge to understand underwater tectonics and apply this to how we understand how oceans function, and hopefully help mankind discover more environmentally and ecologically friendly ways to harness the wave action of oceans and subtle, daily tectonic plate movements, to develop more sustainable energy, as well as underwater earthquake predictors that will allow, not only coastal areas to better plan, but to build predictable wave harness generators that will feed power to populations around the globe. Another area that fascinated me is the polar ice caps, as they hold the secrets of our planet. Being a Marine Science Oceanographer with an emphasis on the biological and Geosciences of oceans, will allow me to be a part of unlocking global temperatures cycles, discovering new life forms and hopefully, in these new discoveries, finding cures for some of the diseases that ravish mankind. I believe, with the oceans and the ice caps, that are largely still unexplored, will yield ground-breaking discoveries during the next 100 years and any work and research in these areas will be pivotable to sustaining life in a harmonious fashion on planet earth. I believe, the University of Alaska Fairbanks, and the numerous research opportunities offered, not only thru the university, but with NOAA and the NSF, will provide me an exceptionally strong STEM education and research opportunities that I am looking for as I embark on my education to support my career and bust thru that so called glass ceiling. I want to prove to other young women, that it doesn't matter how shy or popular you are, or what ethnic background you come from, that as long as you have a passion for helping your fellow human by getting out into the world, and exploring and never taking no for an answer, that they too can help shape the world and make it a better place for all mankind.

My grandma is Filipino, and I have always called her Nanny. I have always been very close to my Nanny. She is the most gentle and kind hearted person I have ever known. By spending time with my Nanny, she has told me many stories, but the one that sticks out most is the story of her birth. When she was a baby, her mom, my great-grandma, was in California visiting. This was in the 1940s. A month before my great-grandma was due to give birth to my Nanny, she was scheduled to take the boat back to her home in the Philippines to give birth, but there was a problem when it came time to board. When the captain discovered that my great grandma was 8 months pregnant, he refused to let her board the ship and transport her back home where she could give birth to my grandma. Having no long-term options to stay in California, the captain made some phone calls and somehow my great-grandmother got to stay with the California governor's family. As such my grandmother, Anne, was made a naturalized citizen of the United States being born on U.S soil. My great-grandmother stayed an extra couple months before she could secure passage back home to the Philippines, and had made several friends. Shr decided that she wanted to make California her home. She eventually made it back to the Philippines, gathered her things, and settled in California. As my Nanny was growing up, she ended up on the East Coast where she graduated and got married and ironically ended up back in California as her husband was in the Navy. Nanny and her husband finished their careers on the Island of Adak, Alaska and then moved to Nevada. When I listen to Nanny tell me the stories of the places that she has lived and stories of her mother and her experiences living out in the Philippines, I realize she has covered a lot of real estate on this planet. My Nanny is a petite woman, and her mom was even smaller. When I see Nanny displaying her maternal mother hen traits in her petite body, it makes me very proud that, being Filipino, a very small minority of people's living in the United States, that she was able to stand her ground and carve out a place in this world for her family. My Nanny has taught me to be proud of who I am and where I come from, and to write my own history by making my own decisions and carving out my own little niche in the world. She is proud that I have chosen Alaska as my home, though she also tells me, don't live out in the islands...it's too cold, the wind always blows, and you'll never have fresh fruit or soft bread. I want to be a Marine Science Oceanographer with a minor in Geosciences so I can explore the oceans and seas. Someday, I hope my studies, or job, will offer me an opportunity to visit where my great grandma grew up in the Philippines so I can a have a deeper appreciation of where my Nanny came from and my family heritage. Through my Nanny's kindness and warm heart, I have learned compassion and have become that friend that others lean on during trying times. She has told me that I have strong shoulders for my friends to lean on and that's what it takes to be a good boss and a good parent. I guess that's why she is called the mother hen.

My parents never used the race and ethnicity card when they were raising me, because they are not a deciding factors in who we are as human beings. Everyone, regardless of race or ethnicity, are equal when born, it is not only as we grow that we look to find points on which to decide or unite people. As I learned to appreciate my grandmother's Filipino ancestry, and grew to listen and pay more attention to her stories as a child and young adult, and the stories of her mother's life and transpacific adventures, I started to understand better how I fit into this world. Having an appreciation from where you are from and learning about your heritage and traditions, allows me to value myself and others as human beings. It helps enrich my values and ethics and share those with others, and hopefully enrich their lives in some small part. Having a family history that started on land locked islands, also allows me more to better understand limited resources and the need to protect, extend and diversify to meet various challenges and needs of an ever growing and changing society. I am still learning about the Filipino side of my family. I'll likely spend my entire life learning and exploring my past, for it is our past that we learn and grow from; pasts that's build foundations; pasts that builds bridges and networks between other societies. We all live on and share this planet. We all must learn to stop looking at each other's differences and just start accepting and learning from one another. We must all teach other and extend the hand of freedom and support to each other l, as we are all brothers and sisters on planet earth. This is how I live my life and how I want to help influence others to live, share and care about one another. If we all help each other out of common goodness and desire to succeed and be better, than we all win.

As and Geoscience oceanographer, it is my goal to dive deep into the vastly unexplored ocean canyons to make new discoveries of live around geothermal vents, and possibly learn how to harness the energy from deep ocean vents to provide alternative energy for land living, energy hungry populations of earth.

This wonderful planet holds everything we need to survive, and we continue to learn the importance of animal and plant life co-dependence on one another, and the impact that humans have on this planet. The polar ice caps hold the secrets of our planet. By studying the ice caps, we are unlocking global temperatures cycles and discovering new life forms, and hopefully, in these new discoveries we will learn how to be better custodians of planet Earth. But, as we spend the next 100 years unlocking Earth's secrets, we all need to take positive steps now to reduce our impact on resources that are contributing to environmental climate change. There is no ONE thing that has contributed to climate change except for humankind's presence on Earth. Eliminating cars is not the answer, nor is eliminating plastics or coal fired power plants. Everything on Earth as we know it, is dependent on these, and to simply eliminate one, severely impacts other things. But, reducing the use of all things that humankind produces and uses, is the only logical way to combat global environmental climate change. From a global corporation stand point, all manufacturers must be held accountable to reduce emissions thru the use of scrubbers on emissions stacks and limiting production days with mandated shut down days; reuse and repurpose products; reclaim spend products in environmentally friendly ways; eliminate environmental strip mining to claim raw materials, such as lithium. On an individual level, we need to be more self-sustaining. Every home size needs to be reduced. No home over 2000 sq.ft. and each home or apartment must be outfitted with solar. This should have been started 20 years ago! Every homeowner/apartment dweller must have a dedicated grow area, be it a 40' x 40' outdoor garden area, or a half dozen 5-gallon containers for use on balconies and patios. To encourage gardens, that will increase Earth's Oxygen and take in CO2, people will have to offered some sort of "credit" for 20 years that can be used to offset grocery or energy needs. Over 20 years, a generation will learn that this is just a way of life. In-house worm composting must also become a way of life. Worm compost systems are fed leftovers and spoiled food. This has no smell if done properly and will not only reduce what goes into the trash or down the garbage disposal and into our waste water systems, but will yield fertilizer that can be used in those gardens. Catch water systems are also a must. Not necessarily whole house catch systems, as Earth relies on rain water to recharge groundwater systems, but every house and apartment should have a rain barrel or two to sustain small gardens. People must dress appropriately for winter, and that includes wearing a sweater in the home instead of shorts and T-shirts, thereby lowering comfortable thermostat temperatures to 63-65 degrees, NOT 70-72 OR 80 degrees, saving power and fuel consumption. Geothermal heating needs to be a part of apartment and new home construction. This is extremely reliable, has minimal moving parts, and is self-sustaining. As for my family, we have solar, and raise chickens for meat and eggs, and they eat food scraps. We have a garden that yields about 20 lbs of potatoes, 4-5 lbs of green beans, and a dozen quart jars of tomatoes winter use. We reuse wash water in our garden. Our primary car gets 48 mpg, and runs on recycled vegetable oil fuel. I walk to my classes and most other places within a mile, and use public transportation when available.

The polar ice caps hold the secrets of our planet and being a Marine Science Oceanographer with an emphasis on polar sea life and Geoscience will allow me to be a part of unlocking global temperatures cycles, discovering new life forms and hopefully, in these new discoveries, finding cures for some of the diseases that ravish mankind. This wonderful planet holds everything we need to survive and we continue to learn the importance of animal and life co-dependence on one another. Somewhere, in the various life forms on this planet, there are organisms looking for a host...organisms that feed on things like cancers and spent uranium. I believe, with the oceans and the ice caps, that are largely still unexplored, will yield ground-breaking discoveries during the next 100 years and any work and research in these areas will be pivotable to sustaining life in a harmonious fashion on planet earth. I believe, the University of Alaska Fairbanks, and the numerous research opportunities offered, not only thru the university, but with NOAA and the NSF, will provide me an exceptionally strong STEM education and research opportunities that I am looking for as I embark on my education to support my career and bust thru that so called glass ceiling. I want to prove to other young women, that it doesn't matter how shy or popular you are, or what ethnic background you come from, that as long as you have a passion for getting out into the world and exploring and never taking no for an answer, that they too can help shape the world and make it a better place for all mankind.

The polar ice caps hold the secrets of our planet and being a Marine Science Oceanographer with an emphasis on polar sea life and Geoscience will allow me to be a part of unlocking global temperatures cycles, discovering new life forms and hopefully, in these new discoveries, finding cures for some of the diseases that ravish mankind. This wonderful planet holds everything we need to survive and we continue to learn the importance of animal and life co-dependence on one another. Somewhere, in the various life forms on this planet, there are organisms looking for a host...organisms that feed on things like cancers and spent uranium. I believe, with the oceans and the ice caps, that are largely still unexplored, will yield ground-breaking discoveries during the next 100 years and any work and research in these areas will be pivotable to sustaining life in a harmonious fashion on planet earth. I believe, the University of Alaska Fairbanks, and the numerous research opportunities offered, not only thru the university, but with NOAA and the NSF, will provide me an exceptionally strong STEM education and research opportunities that I am looking for as I embark on my education to support my career and bust thru that so called glass ceiling. I want to prove to other young women, that it doesn't matter how shy or popular you are, or what ethnic background you come from, that as long as you have a passion for getting out into the world and exploring and never taking no for an answer, that they too can help shape the world and make it a better place for all mankind.

The polar ice caps hold the secrets of our planet and being a marine biologist with an emphasis on polar ice sea life will allow me to be a part of unlocking global temperatures cycles, discovering new life forms and hopefully, in these new discoveries, finding cures for some of the diseases that ravish mankind. I believe, with the oceans and the ice caps, that are largely still unexplored, will yield ground-breaking discoveries during the next 100 years and any work and research in these areas will be pivotable to sustaining life and understanding global warming and cooling cycles so that all humanity can live in a harmonious fashion on planet earth. Policy makers need to embrace research studies by the National Science Foundation and NOAA and increase funding to the universities located near the polar regions and the research facility in Antarctica so studies in the Polar regions, the sea life and the ocean floors, can help provide better understanding to global climate cooling and heating cycles. Policy needs to not only embrace alternative energies, but include the recycle of energies...such as spent uranium from nuclear reactors, which happen to be very clean burning. Policy needs to shift from one country blaming another to forming lasting global coalitions that have the same ideas with different STEM scientists that see things from different perspectives and whom can come together at global coalitions setting or United Nations, to share discoveries and trends as well as share suggestions that policy makers can further act on. Only by coming together will we ever home to find answers and save humanity for future generations.

Saving money for anything is a problem that people young and old struggle to accomplish, but there are a couple simple tricks that my parents taught me that makes it really easy. First off, don't try to put your savings in any uncategorized account or sock. Label your money. If you assign say $20 every payday to envelope labeled groceries; $20 to envelope that says car tires; and $20 to an envelope labeled ski pass, it is much easier to not spend the money that goes into these envelopes because you see exactly what it is for and you know if you spend it, you won't have it for those items. Secondly, always have emergency, discretionary cash on hand of about $500. This is out of site, out of mind and for a TRUE emergency, like when your roommate just up and leaves on the first week of the month and doesn't front you even the first week of rent that he owes you, or if you break an arm and know your out of pocket expense will be at least $500, or God forbid, a parent or loved one dies, and you need the cash to get to them and at least make a deposit at the mortuary to get things going. A final word on savings that both my grandpa and my parents taught me was to pay yourself first. If you work paycheck to paycheck, you have to pay yourself first ... Even if it's only $20. That's YOUR MONEY. No else can have it. If you don't pay yourself first, that's when you really hate the mundane job that is just getting you by. $20 to take your girlfriend to Dairy Queen, or RedBox a movie, is cheap date for mental well-being.

I believe, the oceans and the ice caps, that are largely still unexplored, will yield ground-breaking discoveries during the next 100 years and any work and research in these areas will be pivotable to sustaining life in a harmonious fashion on planet earth. I believe, the University of Alaska Fairbanks, and the numerous research opportunities offered, not only thru the university, but with NOAA and the NSF, will provide me with exceptionally strong STEM education and research opportunities that I am looking for as I embark on my education to support my career and bust thru that so called glass ceiling. I want to prove to other young women, that it doesn't matter how shy or popular you are, what ethnic background you come from, that as long as you have a passion for getting out into the world and exploring and never taking no for answer, that they too can help shape the world and make it a better place for all mankind.

Work and college is a tough balancing act when you are determined to graduate without a student loan, but remembering to schedule time for yourself and friends is equally important when it comes to mental health. In college, most of your friends take different career paths and go to different schools, but keeping those friendships are an important of college and adulting success. Just because you can't see each other every day, or even every week, or go to every hot, new movie release, doesn't mean you can take time to coordinate with each other's schedules once a month to share lunch and a casual day of shopping or watching a movie at one of your friends' house to keep these valuable friendship connections. When it comes to routine self-care, its important to schedule "me time" once a week. Whether it's extra time in bath for a facial or hair care, or setting college books down and picking up a good read and piling on the couch for 3 hours with a furry baby and cup of coffee or tea. This time allows you to stay grounded and connected to the everyday things in your life that matters most, but can easily be neglected. Don't ever be afraid to block time for yourself on an already busy work-study calendar. You mental health is worth 2-3 hours a week of selfish "me-time."

Push past what you don't know and embrace the opportunity to learn something new. Life is scary when we start adulting, and let's face it, high school really doesn't do much to give us basic life skills that we need to actually get started in life. I might have been "job ready," but the skills I need to "live" are not taught anymore. We want to figure things out on our own, and don't like asking our parents for help, but seriously, they are the ones that know how to balance a checkbook, know what a credit score is and it's importance for something as basic as housing and owning a car, and the importance of keeping a solid month of extra rent hidden in the sock draw or a book. I might have been able to get a job on my own, but I had no idea how to actually "adult" when it came to finances, and neither did my friends, most who are a year older. My mom has been very patient and deliberate in teaching me how to keep my checkbook, get a PayPal account and a credit builder loan so I can be a "blip" on a credit score to get a credit card and my own apartment at school, and be in a stronger position with consumer buying power. She and my dad have even started talking to me about starting and IRA, something I'm still learning, but everyone says if I put $1000 in now, and then treat it like a savings account and put a $500-1000 in each year to start, it will be a nice "fall back" for retirement. They can't be wrong. My dad is a firefighter retiring at 52. Remember, we are part of the adult club. We got this.

The polar ice caps hold the secrets of our planet and being a marine biologist with an emphasis on polar ice sea life will allow me to be a part of unlocking global temperatures cycles, discovering new life forms and hopefully, in these new discoveries, finding cures for some of the diseases that ravish mankind. I believe, with the oceans and the ice caps, that are largely still unexplored, will yield ground-breaking discoveries during the next 100 years and any work and research in these areas will be pivotable to sustaining life and understanding global warming and cooling cycles so that all humanity can live in a harmonious fashion on planet earth. Policy makers need to embrace research studies by the National Science Foundation and NOAA and increase funding to the universities located near the polar regions and the research facility in Antarctica so studies in the Polar regions, the sea life and the ocean floors, can help provide better understanding to global climate cooling and heating cycles. Policy needs to not only embrace alternative energies, but include the recycle of energies...such as spent uranium from nuclear reactors, which happen to be very clean burning. Policy needs to shift from one country blaming another to forming lasting global coalitions that have the same ideas with different STEM scientists that see things from different perspectives and whom can come together at global coalitions setting or United Nations, to share discoveries and trends as well as share suggestions that policy makers can further act on. Only by coming together will we ever home to find answers and save humanity for future generations.

This wonderful planet holds everything we need to survive and we continue to learn the importance of animal and life co-dependence on one another. Somewhere, in the various life forms on this planet, there are organisms looking for a host...organisms that feed on things like cancers and spent uranium. I believe, with the oceans and the ice caps, that are largely still unexplored, will yield ground-breaking discoveries during the next 100 years, and any work and research in these areas will be pivotable to sustaining life in a harmonious fashion on planet earth. However, to work in these extreme environments, you need a host of STEM educated individuals to come together and design equipment that can go deeper I to the seas; drill deeper into the polar ice caps; employ the development of new textiles, fabrics and electronic technologies to not only keep human researchers warm, but have electronics and equipment that are capable of withstanding harsh working environments. The Elan Musk's of the world need to come together and not only push the envelope of space, but put heads (and money) together to forget deeper into the secrets of our planet. I believe, the University of Alaska Fairbanks, and the numerous research opportunities offered, not only thru the university, but with NOAA and the NSF and their partnering with public and private entities,, will provide me with an exceptionally strong STEM education education and research opportunities that I am looking for, as I embark on my education to support my career and bust thru that so called glass ceiling. I want to prove to other young women, that it doesn't matter how shy or popular you are, what ethnic background you come from, that as long as you have a passion for getting out into the world and exploring and never taking no for answer, that they too can help shape the world and make it a better place for all mankind.

A woman need to first believe in herself and stand tall before society will recognize her, or any other of equal merit. We all put our pants on one leg at a time, put women have, and always will be, the caretakers of families, both their children, and later in life, with the wheels turned, helping their aging parents. This makes it extremely difficult for women to pursue AND stay in their career field. Employers with over 500 employees need to be required to offer child care to their employees for no more than 10% for a person salary. Child care that cost as much as rent has got to stop. Yes, it's an expensive and challenging problem, but getting large companies on board will be a huge step in aiding women starting their careers. Companies with 250 employees need to have opportunity to partner with large companies or have a consortium of childcare. For small companies, states and counties need to have more programs and providers in place that work on sliding scale that between non-profit subsidies, philanthropist and company payment...something like a social security deduction where employees with children pays 1-2% and the employer pays 3-4%...that generates continuous monies that, combined with other funding sources, can allow a consortium of child care providers that parents have access to that can offer that sliding scale of child care. Continued education must be offered more regular with larger employers too. There are many free and low Cost online CEU and classes for credit, that can be offered so women have better access to opportunity for not only self improvement but development of job skills to make them more valuable to employer as well as providing skills and educational opportunity to advance at another company or in a different career field as life changes. As women get older and their kids are finishing their high school education, there needs to be push for them to learn and save for their retirement as they now have income not spent on children, to redirect into retirement plans, AND a new deduction at a state level that they can start at age 35, like .25% that can goes into a special money market type account that is designed to help with the care of aging parents that may need a nursing assistant once a week as they get to be 70-75 and things like diabetes, heart problems or cancer, start to become a part of the life dynamic and women again are struggling between time off work and paying for an aide to help with a parent, so they can work. This program would also have an option of working an extra 2-8 hours per month that is paid at 1//2 rate with the other half being banked as comp time leave, that would support any FMLA as paid leave for medical situations. Insurance statistics prove that people are over 50 they need more time off for medical reasons, either their own, or to support an aging family member. Unfortunately, it took COVID to finally bring many of societies short coming to politicians attention. We don't need a socialist Society where things are just given to us, but we need "safety nets." Some if these safety nets can be like mandatory social security that comes out of our pat checks. I think that mandatory minimal and nominal withholding of like 0.25% out of everyone's paycheck from age 18-30 that goes directly to state or county childcare subsidy programs would be well received. Childcare solutions will empower women and lead to career advancement.

Benjamin Franklin discovered and invented so many things we take for grant it: the fire service; library; postal service; the Franklin stove; swim fins; lighten rod. While not generally seen as a scientist, he is a true pioneer in the early sciences. Because if his efforts, he opened the door into many scientific fields if study.

I live in a very small, yet very connected rural community...a community filled with veterans and seniors. When the weather is nice, you can almost be guaranteed to see this one veteran, who lost his leg, using his old style wheel chair and navigating the 1/4 mile long 3% slope of a road to his home. I've spoke to him a few times and he is really nice. I offer to give him a push up the hill on days that I meet up with him, and he always politely refuses, telling me that this "exercise" is what keeps him "young." I respect his space, and always let him know that if sees me and there is day he needs a little help, that I'd be glad to assist him Sadly, he is also one of our veterans than falls thru cracks in the system. This is where my local VFW unit 3630 steps up to fill the need. I have volunteered for this organization for over three years. Each month they host a community breakfast and various raffles to raise money to help out our local veterans that keep falling thru the cracks, or have a hiccup in their day to day living that causes a temporary hardship. The youngest member or volunteer with the VFW is easily in their 60s with 3 of the active members now in their 90's. My grandpa and my mom started taking me to the breakfasts when I was about 10 and I would pick up dirty plates. Now, as the youngest volunteer, I do a little bit of everything on breakfast mornings: set up tables; scramble eggs; sell raffle tickets. I see first hand the hard work it takes to host a breakfast for 50-80 people and what it takes for the VFW to continually raise funds and have the resources to pay power bills, buy groceries, pay for a prescription, pay for gas for a volunteer who is taking a vet 100 miles to Reno for an appointment at the VA, or assist with getting durable medical equipment or a ramp built so veteran has easier access to their home. So many people think that our veterans are taken care of, and things have gotten better in the past decade, but sadly, there are too many Veterans that 1) fall thru the cracks, 2) are too proud to ask for help from the VA...they don't think that hearing loss from launching 16" shells; losing and eye to shrapnel; or having diabetes/heart disease AND being exposed to Agent Orange, as "disabilities" that the VA would cover. Or, 3) the VA turned them down (an amputee) and they are not wasting any more of their time going thru all the bureaucracy to only be turned down again. I know that frustration. My grandpa applied in the 1970s and was turned down. He applied again in the 90's after a 5-way by-pass, and again denied. My mom and I went thru his paperwork and she had me making copies and she researched his USMC unit to confirm his "boots on the ground' status in Vietnam. Three years and a couple of appeals, my mom got my grandpa 100% disability. Sadly, he passed 6 months later. The VFW 3630 helped my grandpa when his hot water heater went out, and helped get senior meals, and brought him groceries monthly while he and my mom kept after the VA. I would not volunteer for an organization that I did not believe in or that I couldn't see first hand the positivity of their impact.

The polar ice caps hold the secrets of our planet and being a marine biologist with an emphasis on polar ice sea life will allow me to be a part of unlocking global temperatures cycles, discovering new life forms and hopefully, in these new discoveries, finding cures for some of the diseases that ravish mankind. This wonderful planet holds everything we need to survive and we continue to learn the importance of animal and life co-dependence on one another. Somewhere, in the various life forms on this planet, there are organisms looking for a host...organisms that feed on things like cancers and spent uranium. I believe, with the oceans and the ice caps, largely still unexplored, that the next 100 years will prove to be very exciting and any work and research in these areas will be pivotable to sustaining life in a harmonious fashion on planet earth. I believe, the University of Alaska Fairbanks, and the numerous research opportunities offered, not only thru the university, but with NOAA and the NSF, will provide me with an exceptionally strong STEM education education and research opportunities that I am looking for as I embark on my education to support my career and bust thru that so called glass ceiling. I want to prove to other young women, that it doesn't matter how shy or popular you are, what ethnic background you come from, that as long as you have a passion for getting out into the world and exploring and never taking no for answer, that they too can help shape the world and make it a better place for all mankind.

Living in rural community with an hour bus ride to school, my music director, Mrs. Tammy Owens, was a great influence on my high school years, and always pushing and challenging, not only me, but all her students, to give their very best and be respectful to one another. Matter of fact, I just learned this week, that Mrs. Owens was named Nevada Educator of the year! Something she certainly deserves, especially with this year being her final year after 34 years of teaching. So what makes a person like her such a fantastic teacher to kid like me? She's tough, but honest. She's disciplined and fair. She plays no favorites. She gives us her best and demands that we do the same. Because the music program is always the last program to be funded and the last to be allocated field time for band practice, she was often to school by 630am so the Jazz club could have 40 minutes of practice before first bell. She stayed until 8pm....long after her paid day ended at 4pm, so that her students 1) had a safe study environment in the band room, 2) seek out general advice and counsel from a non judgemental third party, and 3) be there so that band and flag team could have field practice time after football was done. So in a word...SACRIFICE! That is what Mrs. Owens has taught me. Anything you want to do right is worth the sacrifice...be it late night study; early or late practice sessions; giving up friend socials for the commitment of excellence in academics, extra curricular activities, or personal growth. Everything in life worth achieving required sacrifice. NOTHING is given. Life, and all it's challenges are earned. Mrs. Owens explained to me, much like my mother did, the importance of staying home and utilizing community colleges to get as much education that I can in order to save money to transfer to my 4-year university of choice...the University of Alaska- Fairbanks. She stressed that as much as young people want to graduate high school, get a job and get out of the house, those that succeed, take advantage of the free room and board by taking community college classes and stepping up at home, and with a part-time job, and learning vital "adulting" skills that we will need in 2-3 years when we do move out, be it to continue our education, or take a full time job and begin finding our own path in this world. Mrs. Owens was like a second mom to me and the advice and challenged she gave me, I will always cherish.

Tyra Best discovers new polar ice invertebrate species that has biomarkers linked to certain cancer variants in humans...at least that is what I hope I read in a trade journal or splashed across the New York Times in 10-15 years. I've always had a passion for wildlife, wolves, bears, snowshoe hares, but it wasn't until my parents and I embarked on a 6 week camping trip thru Canada and into Alaska, and then going on a tour at the University of Alaska-Fairbanks and then Seward Sea Life Center, that Marine Biology and working year round in this beautiful and extremely dynamic climate, hit me. Out on the boat in the polar ice fields seeing people in kayaks paddling a couple hundred feet from seals, sea otters and whales made my heart and mind race. I knew then, this this calling to animal life that I have had since I was about 8 years old in 4H, was for the wildlife of the seas! I knew then that was was going to be a huge logistical and financial endeavor, but when I told my great great Aunt Peggy, who was one of the first lady marines in WWII that was also an NCO and ran the mess hall in Southern California, she told me a story of how she had to fight to even get to enlist into the Corps. You see, she tried to enter the Corps prior to WWII, but was told she was too short. Determined not to be denied, she helped lobby to lower height restrictions and when they did, she answered the call to serve her country proudly and with distinguish. She raised 6 children, 5 of them boys, 3 who served in the military. All of her children were pushed to excellence by her example. She never backed down whether it was trying to secure books for the county jail, or helping her husband, also a Marine, lobby for the introduction of elk in the State of Nevada. My Aunt Peg could walk circles around you well into her 90's and when she entered a room, she had a way of commanding respect. She is the epitome of a self-empowered, no-gruff, petite, yet powerful, beautiful Greek woman. My aunt just passed at Christmas at 97 from complications due to a broken hip. To sim it up, she broke her hip and was refused care in the ER because she was coming from a retirement community that had been on lock down during this COVID mess, do they sent her to acute inpatient rehab, who assumed she was being transfer from the hospital after having surgery. They came in to access her and picked her leg up with her broken hip and and then it became a displaced fracture and sepsis set in. A week later she died...because of stupid people refusing treatment. Two weeks prior she was her usual spry self. Yes, she was old and lived a good life, but this was a medical negligence and a senseless death. To add insult to injury, they put complications due to COVID down on death Certificate. Complete wrong. My whole family is still angry and working with attorneys. The grand kids, nieces and nephews, that are in college, all vowed to dig deep and try graduate with 3.5 GPAs as we work on our respective degrees, AND always be there to be voice for our parents who will inevitably have their turn actually needing emergency medical care...and we don't care whose stupid rules we have to break, or toes we step on. My mom has health issues and is already disabled. I want her to know that I wi always be her voice in her time of need. As for my Aunt, I will always carry her memory and tough woman attitude with me. I will always remember the day she told me about having to fight to be allowed to join the Marine Corps. She inspired me not only as a women who pushed boundaries, but as one who never backed down from what she wanted. I will not back down from achieving my Master's degree in Marine Science Biology, and I will push myself, and the boundaries of the artic polar regions, to secure my spit and make my path on research teams...teams that are largely made up of men. The polar ice regions naturally deters most, but it calls to me and I plan to embrace the physical, technological and climatological fierceness and make new discoveries that will help the world unlock secrets to climate, food sustainability, biodiversity, pharmacology...so many fields if study are wrapped up in polar Ice Marine Biology...and I will be a part of it!

The polar ice caps hold the secrets of our planet and being a marine biologist with an emphasis on polar ice sea life will allow me to be a part of unlocking global temperatures cycles, discovering new life forms and hopefully, in these new discoveries, finding cures for some of the diseases that ravish mankind. This wonderful planet holds everything we need to survive and we continue to learn the importance of animal and life co-dependence on one another. Somewhere, in the various life forms on this planet, there are organisms looking for a host...organisms that feed on things like cancers and spent uranium. I believe, with the oceans and the ice caps, largely still unexplored, that the next 100 years will prove to be very exciting and any work and research in these areas will be pivotable to sustaining life in a harmonious fashion on planet earth. I believe, the University of Alaska Fairbanks, and the numerous research opportunities offered, not only thru the university, but with NOAA and the NSF, will provide me with an exceptionally strong STEM education education and research opportunities that I am looking for as I embark on my education to support my career and bust thru that so called glass ceiling. I want to prove to other young girls, that it doesn't matter how shy or popular you are, what ethnic background you come from, that as long as you have a passion for getting out into the world and exploring and never taking no for answer, that they too can help shape the world and make it a better place for all mankind.

I live in a very small, yet very connected rural community...a community filled with veterans and seniors. When the weather is nice, you can almost be guaranteed to see this one veteran, who lost his leg, using his old style wheel chair and navigating the 1/4 mile long 3% slope of a road to his home. I've spoke to him a few times and he is really nice. I have even offered to give him a push up the hill on days that I meet up with him when I walk down to our little, local market, and he always politely refuses, telling me that this "exercise" is what keeps him "young" (he's looks to be a Vietnam era vet). I respect his space, and always let him know that if sees me and there is day he needs a little help, that I'd be glad to assist him Sadly, he is also one of our veterans than falls thru cracks in the system. This is where my local VFW unit 3630 steps up to fill the need. I have volunteered for this organization for over three years. Each month they host a community breakfast and various raffles to raise money to help out our local veterans that keep falling thru the cracks, or have a hiccup in their day to day living that causes a temporary hardship. The youngest member or volunteer with the VFW is easily in their 60s with 3 of the active members now in their 90's. Needless to say, when my grandpa and my mom started taking me to the breakfasts when I was about 10 and my mom would make me get up with her and go around and offer to pick up dirty paper plates after people were done eating, kind of instilled the need to want to help out, especially with all these nice "grandmas and grandpas." Now, as the only teen (and youngest able body) I do a little bit of everything on breakfast mornings from setting up tables to scrambling eggs or selling raffle tickets. I see first hand the hard work it takes to host a breakfast for 50-80 people and what it takes for the VFW to continually raise funds and have the resources to pay power bills, buy groceries, pay for a prescription, pay for gas for a volunteer who is taking a vet 100 miles to Reno for an appointment at the VA, or assist with getting durable medical equipment or a ramp built so veteran has easier access to their home. So many people think that our veterans are taken care of, and things have gotten better in the past decade, but sadly, there are too many Vietnam era and even, WWII veterans that 1) fall thru the cracks, 2) are too proud to ask for help from the VA...ironically, from my experience, these guys think the VA is only there to help paraplegics, or multiple amputees, and don't think that their hearing loss from launching 16" shells; losing and eye to shrapnel; or having diabetes and heart disease AND being exposed to chemicals used in Vietnam, as "disabilities" that the VA would cover. Or, 3) the VA turned them down (an amputee) and they are not wasting any more of their time going thru all the bureaucracy to only be turned down again. I know first hand that frustration. My grandpa applied for benefits in the 1970s and was turned down. When he moved by us, my mom tried to help him. He had applied again in the 90's after a 5-wY by-pass, and again denied. My mom and I went thru his paperwork and she had me making copies and she researched his USMC unit to confirm his "boots on the ground' status in Vietnam. Long story, 3 years and and a couple of appeals, my mom kept my grandpa together and got him to appointments and he finally got 100% disability. Sadly, he passed 6 months later, but he was the happiest I had seen him. 71 years old and finally not having to cut his medications; able to buy what he wanted at the grocery store; able to buy a tank of gas when he needed it so he could be more a part of my life by taking me to gymnastic practice or 4H meetings. The VFW 3630 helped my grandpa when his hot water heater went out, and helped set him up for senior meals, and brought him groceries monthly while he and my mom kept after the VA. I would not volunteer for an organization that I did not believe in or that I couldn't see first hand the positivity of their impact. Most people think that veteran groups are limited to veterans only, but I can tell you, most of them are desperate for volunteers...veterans or not. Volunteering for veterans groups is what drives them and they need young people to step up. It's actually pretty sad. I hear the men and women talk, and I am the ONLY young person in my community that volunteers for our 2-3 local community groups. There are days I actually feel singled out because of all the praise I get. One one hand, it makes feel good, but on the other hand, I know most of the 16-20 year olds in my community and it makes me a little mad that they dont step up once in a great while to help out the community. Call me weird, but I actually enjoy being around all these alder seniors on breakfast days. The ladies are always giving me good practical advice.

Tyra Best discovers new polar ice invertebrate species that has biomarkers linked to certain cancer variants in humans...at least that is what I hope I read in a trade journal or splashed across the New York Times in 10-15 years. I've always had a passion for wildlife, wolves, bears, snowshoe hares, but it wasn't until my parents and I embarked on a 6 week camping trip thru Canada and into Alaska, and then going on a tour at the University of Alaska-Fairbanks and then Seward Sea Life Center, that Marine Biology and working year round in this beautiful and extremely dynamic climate, hit me. Out on the boat in the polar ice fields seeing people in kayaks paddling a couple hundred feet from seals, sea otters and whales made my heart and mind race. I knew then, this this calling to animal life that I have had since I was about 8 years old in 4H, was for the wildlife of the seas! I knew then that was was going to be a huge logistical and financial endeavor, but when I told my great great Aunt Peggy, who was one of the first lady marines in WWII that was also an NCO and ran the mess hall in Southern California, she told me a story of how she had to fight to even get to enlist into the Corps. You see, he tried to enter the Corps prior to WWII, but was told she was too short. Determined not to be denied, she helped lobby to lower height restrictions and when they did, she answered the call to serve her country proudly and with distinguish. She raised 6 children, 5 of them boys, 3 who served in the military. All of her children were pushed to excellence by her example. She never backed down whether it was trying to secure books for the county jail, or helping her husband, also a Marine, lobby for the introduction of elk in the State of Nevada. My Aunt Peg could walk circles around you well into her 90's and when she entered a room, she had a way of commanding respect. She is the epitome of a self-empowered, no-gruff, petite, yet powerful, beautiful Greek woman. My aunt just passed at Christmas at 97 from complications due to a broken hip. I will always carry her memory and tough woman attitude with me. I will always remember the day she told me about having to fight to be allowed to join the Marine Corps. She inspired me not only as a woman who pushed boundaries, but as one who never backed down from what she wanted. I will not back down from achieving my Master's degree in Marine Science Biology, and I will push myself, and the boundaries of the artic polar regions, to secure my spit and make my path on research teams...teams that are largely made up of men. The polar ice regions naturally deters most, but it calls to me and I plan to embrace the physical, technological and climatological fierceness and make new discoveries that will help the world unlock secrets to climate, food sustainability, biodiversity, pharmacology...so many fields if study are wrapped up in polar Ice Marine Biology...and I will be a part of it!

Thru 4H my mom's helped me get started with raising cchickens and learning the value and versatility of the egg, and the chicken. Thru FFA I learned how to raise plants from seed and how care for larger farm animals. Providing care, and even bonding with the animals that provide me a source clean nutrition has allowed me to see how valuable the local farmer...how they are not on contract to raise mass of animal in confined spaces; how they are more connected to the earth and the cycle of life and how they take personally the loss of 1-2 animals out of 100 where a contract farmer sees anything less than 10% loss as just a fact of life. Having fruits and vegetables that smaller farms can devote more hand time to weeding and inspecting plants to remove pests or to only apply earth and human friendly pesticides, like simple soap and water to remove aphids on a few plants verse spraying chemicals on an entire field. Small farms are also more focused on Non- GMO seed stock and feed to ensure their entire product line is clean, pure and natural, like mother nature intended. I understand the need for huge mega farmers, but what most don't realize, is that roughly 70% of all farm lands held in the U.S. wi change hands over the next 20 years. This is growing trend of long time 100-500acre family farms not being able compete with mega farms and the generation of farming dying out. We all must support local small farms and do our part to be self sufficient, even if only for a month of two, buy having container or vertical wall gardens if your are an apartment dweller, to turning in a nice 10x20 corner of a yard into yearly garden and keeping a couple chickens for egg production. City dwellers have lost touch with our roots as being farmers. Incorporated cities need to be turning vacant lots into community gardens. Many areas have seen huge success by renting plots that allows resturaunts to source their foods. Limiting pesticides, steroids and GMO manipulations must be limited now. Humans are not cattle in feed lot and protecting our planet and it's water supplies is essential for global survival of all species...not just mankind.

Tyra Best discovers new polar ice invertebrate species that has biomarkers linked to certain cancer variants in humans...at least that is what I hope I read in a trade journal or splashed across the New York Times in 10-15 years. I've always had a passion for wildlife, wolves, bears, snowshoe hares, but it wasn't until my parents and I embarked on a 6 week camping trip thru Canada and into Alaska, and then going on a tour at the University of Alaska-Fairbanks and then Seward Sea Life Center, that Marine Biology and working year round in this beautiful and extremely dynamic climate, hit me. Out on the boat in the polar ice fields seeing people in kayaks paddling a couple hundred feet from seals, sea otters and whales made my heart and mind race. I knew then, this this calling to animal life that I have had since I was about 8 years old in 4H, was for the wildlife of the seas! I knew then that was was going to be a huge logistical and financial endeavor, but when I told my great great Aunt Peggy, who was one of the first lady marines in WWII that was also an NCO and ran the mess hall in Southern California, she told me a story of how she had to fight to even get to enlist into the Corps. You see, he tried to enter the Corps prior to WWII, but was told she was too short. Determined not to be denied, she helped lobby to lower height restrictions and when they did, she answered the call to serve her country proudly and with distinguish. She raised 6 children, 5 of them boys, 3 who served in the military. All of her children were pushed to excellence by her example. She never backed down whether it was trying to secure books for the county jail, or helping her husband, also a Marine, lobby for the introduction of elk in the State of Nevada. My Aunt Peg could walk circles around you well into her 90's and when she entered a room, she had a way of commanding respect. She is the epitome of a self-empowered, no-gruff, petite, yet powerful, beautiful Greek woman. My aunt just passed at Christmas at 97 from complications due to a broken hip. I will always carry her memory and tough woman attitude with me. I will always remember the day she told me about having to fight to be allowed to join the Marine Corps. She inspired me not only as a women who pushed boundaries, but as one who never backed down from what she wanted. I will not back down from achieving my Master's degree in Marine Science Biology, and I will push myself, and the boundaries of the artic polar regions, to secure my spit and make my path on research teams...teams that are largely made up of men. The polar ice regions naturally deters most, but it calls to me and I plan to embrace the physical, technological and climatological fierceness and make new discoveries that will help the world unlock secrets to climate, food sustainability, biodiversity, pharmacology...so many fields if study are wrapped up in polar Ice Marine Biology...and I will be a part of it!

The polar ice caps hold the secrets of our planet and being a marine biologist with an emphasis on polar ice sea life will allow me to be a part of unlocking global temperatures cycles, discovering new life forms and hopefully, in these new discoveries, finding cures for some of the diseases that ravish mankind. This wonderful planet holds everything we need to survive and we continue to learn the importance of animal and life co-dependence on one another. Somewhere, in the various life forms on this planet, there are organisms looking for a host...organisms that feed on things like cancers and spent uranium. I believe, with the oceans and the ice caps, largely still unexplored, that the next 100 years will prove to be very exciting and any work and research in these areas will be pivotable to sustaining life in a harmonious fashion on planet earth. I believe, the University of Alaska Fairbanks, and the numerous research opportunities offered, not only thru the university, but with NOAA and the NSF, will provide me withvan exceptionally strong STEM education education and research opportunities that I am looking for as I embark on my education to support my career and bust thru that so called glass ceiling. I want to prove to other young girls, that it doesn't matter how shy or popular you are, what ethnic background you come from, that as long as you have a passion for getting out into the world and exploring and never taking no for answer, that they too can help shape the world and make it a better place for all mankind.

At 5'0 and 98lbs my Aunt Peggy was one of the first lady marines in WWII that was an NCO and ran the mess hall in Southern California. She tried to enter the Corps prior to WWII but told she was too short. She helped lobby to lower height restrictions and when they did, she answered the call. She raised 6 children, 5 of them boys, 3 who served in the military. All of her children were pushed to excellence by her example. She never backed down whether it was trying to secure books for the county jail, or helping her husband, also a Marine, lobby for the introduction of elk in the State of Nevada. My Aunt Peg could walk circles around you well into her 90's and when she entered a ro, she had a way of commanding respect. She is the epitome of a self-empowered, no-gruff, petite, yet powerful, beautiful Greek woman. My aunt just passed at Christmas at 97 from complications due to a broken hip. I will always carry her memory and tough woman attitude with me.

All answers will come from the sea and the ice. Ok, maybe not ALL answers, but I firmly believe that the polar ice and the sea and animal life that live in that environment, hold the keys to the world unlocking answers to things from climate change to curing cancer. As a Marine Biologist I want to be a part of this cutting edge scientific research and be part of team that is commuted to exploring in, on and under the polar ice fields. The world is desperate for STEM graduates. Recruitment and exposure needs to start in the grade schools and be nurtured thru high school. My parents ensured I had exposure to many different environments and fields of interest that would help shape and develop my desire to choose my path in this life. I choose Fisheries and Marine Biology with an emphasis in Polar Ice Research and Development.

The polar ice caps hold the secrets of our planet and being a marine biologist with an emphasis on polar ice sea life will allow me to be a part of unlocking global temperatures cycles, discovering new life forms and hopefully, in these new discoveries, finding cures for some of the diseases that ravish mankind. This wonderful planet holds everything we need to survive and we continue to learn the importance of animal and life co-dependence on one another. Somewhere, in the various life forms on this planet, there are organisms looking for a host...organisms that feed on things like cancers and spent uranium. I believe, with the oceans and the ice caps, largely still unexplored, that the next 100 years will prove to be very exciting and any work and research in these areas will be pivotable to sustaining life in a harmonious fashion on planet earth. I believe, the University of Alaska Fairbanks, and the numerous research opportunities offered, not only thru the university, but with NOAA and the NSF, will provide me with the education and research opportunities that I am looking for as I embark on my education to support my career.