The best piece of financial advice that I have received is to invest in the mutual fund known as Vanguard . I was taught by a former teacher of mine that mutual funds are similar to a basket of eggs but instead of eggs you have stocks and or shares of a company. Within the mutual fund we can experience diversification in investing. Diversification in terms of investing is purchasing stocks of many different companies. I was also taught to invest in spiders (spy's) it is said that people work for their money however when it comes to investing in spiders they will work for you and give you a return on your investment. I am aware that in the future when I am in need of social security that the possibility of me retrieving social security is slim to no possibility at all because it may run out. With the assistance of my mutual fund the spiders or the cubes (QQQ) I will be able to strengthen my financial empire and have enough money when the social security may run out. I was also taught to never stop investing because the payoff will always come back to you in the end. I am very fortunate to have gained this knowledge of mutual funds and spiders at such a young age. I will definitely be passing this information down to my kids and the next generation.

Squat down and give me 50! It is not what I expected to hear at 9am on a Saturday. My friends always get to sleep and play video games. Not in my house. My mother introduced me to fitness at a young age. I was taught about different things , including nutrition, exercise, mindsets and self-love. Being the only kid at Bootcamp and with a disability was an overwhelming experience. Over time I did come to love the process. Each week our trainer assigned motivational audios to listen to and obtain knowledge. One of my favorite videos was about David & Goliath. This video spoke directly to me because I wasn't even the average David. The storyline was David overcoming the giant. This story resonates with me because I am in a never-ending battle with my Goliath. However, with each clash with the giant, I become stronger and stronger. I will conquer the next battle. Each battle boosts my self-confidence, and a new lesson is always learned. I will listen to motivational stories to inspire me when my next war comes. I am very grateful for having the opportunity to experience this lifestyle. I have learned about discipline, overcoming obstacles, and how food is vital in keeping your body and your mind alert. My way of saying thank you for all that I was taught is to mentor others and pay it forward My message is to spread knowledge about how important it is to be self-confident and have a positive attitude. The most important lesson is learning to love yourself. When you learn to love yourself, you will take care of your body and strengthen your mind. Imagine if every kid in today's world were fit, healthy, and happy in their bodies, they would have the foundation for success.

A creative lifestyle is normal for a kid with a disability. Everyday tasks such as knowing your left from your right were challenging for me. Maneuvering throughout my daily life was also a challenging task for me, especially during my workout sessions with my mom. Due to my challenging lifestyle, I have become creative in various ways. I have a disability with my vision. It fluctuates from day to day. By the age of 5, I had to label my shoes, stating which was left and my right. Thankfully now I can overcome this challenge. While I do not get much time to express my creativity in the classroom, I can still participate in discussions and fun activities with my friends, such as sports, video game sessions, and more. One Saturday, when I was ten years old, my mom invited me to come with her to her exercise camp. I was nervous at first because I did not know how to incorporate my crutches into the workout without tripping or falling. By my third week of coming, creativity struck me once again. I knew that the BootCamp routines would become more complex as time went on. My time for creativity came when we had to hop backward through the ladders without stopping. I knew that If I were to complete this, I would need to maintain my balance while also jumping at the same time. So when I jumped from square one, I had my crutches in the square for balance. On square, too, my crutches were outside of the box, and I maintained my momentum by alternating between these two different formats through the exercise. Thankfully I now know how to access my creativity when needed because I know that challenges in the future will come, and I'm ready.

I finally accepted that I was not the average teenager. It took me many years to realize that. I was born with a disability called cerebral palsy. I was faced with many situations that reminded me I was disabled. For example, going to school was a battle for me, from learning classroom lessons to doing homework and maneuvering around the classroom. As far as I can remember, teachers always provided notes on the boards, whether in front or back of the class. Unfortunately for me, this became an everyday problem. I met with the vision teacher to explain my challenge. We concluded that I needed a computer with a camera to see the notes on the board. Homework has never been hard for me; however, when writing or drawing is required, I cannot participate due to the tightness in my hands. I reached out to my advisor and gave examples of the scenarios where I had the challenge, and we concluded that I would need to advocate for myself and a teacher's aide who would assist me in the classroom. I always thought that the high school classrooms would be more extensive; this was not the case. Sadly, there was not enough room to maneuver or a place to put my crutches in high school. I would always get nervous when the bell would ring because it took me a while to gather my things. Because I learned from my other two circumstances, I went to my advisor and requested to be moved to the front of the class to be out of the way of traffic while also allowing me time to get myself situated before leaving the class. Living with these struggles at such a young age has taught me a valuable lesson of being an advocate and overcoming obstacles that may arise. It also taught me that whether you have a disability or not, there will always be struggles in your life, but how you handle them is the most important lesson learned. I will always strive to be involved in the disabled community and be aware of their needs. My dream is to become a Robotics Engineer and build a voice-activated robot that is universal to all disabled people. The robot will have a control panel of different disabilities to choose from and accommodate the daily functions to make their lives easier. My passion will always be for robotics and people with disabilities. My goal will be to overcome these problems and help make their lives exciting and meaningful.

My mother received a phone call in the middle of the night from the doctor saying her son has cerebral palsy, and I will follow him until he is eight years old. My mother just sat there in the dark and started to cry. She was scared and confused and didn't understand what was going on. I was born with a disability called cerebral palsy, which means I have tightness in my hands and legs. When I was born, my mother didn't know any other parent who had a child with a disability. We ventured out and finally found Shriners Hospital. Once I became a patient there, my whole world had changed. I was surrounded by children who had many different types of disabilities. I felt as though I was part of a community. There was so much love and support there; I promised myself I would give back to the community one day. My first opportunity to give back actually happened at Shriners. I was asked to speak at a physical therapist conference. The conference was geared towards parents who might have a child who would benefit from treatments like mine. I was asked to speak about the surgeries and physical therapy that I have endured and what steps I think could have been done better. I was even asked to walk across the room for the therapist to see how far my progress had come. Looking back today, I am very grateful to Shriners for letting me see that I am fortunate that I don't have to face the challenges that someone with severe CP has. The meeting at Shriners also gave me the courage to speak and discuss my problems outside of my trusted community. They laid the first steps for me to become an advocate.

"This is Incredible" was the first thing that came out of my mouth when they brought me my first Visio computer. Homework for me has always been a challenge due to my disability. I was born with Cerebral Palsy and, I have tightness in the hands and issues with my left eye. Reading the chalkboard was always a difficult task because I was not able to see it. Once positioned, the camera on the computer would zoom in and take a photo of the board, and then I would copy the notes from the image. Another challenge to overcome was the tightness in my hands. Writing down numbers and letters became a chore. The computer had a particular font size, text with color, enhanced visuals, and photos taken with a large computer screen. There was also a microphone which would dictate my words Thankfully with the advanced technology today, I can continue participating in my daily classroom activities and aim for higher education. My dream is to become a Robotics Engineer and build a voice-activated robot that is universal to all disabled people. The robot will have different types of disabilities to choose from and will accommodate the daily functions to make their lives easier.

My mother was always famous in the family for saying one of Benjamin Franklin's quotes, "A true friend is the best possession." Since I was a kid, I always heard this quote, and as I grew older, my curiosity was peaked. I wanted to find out who Benjamin Franklin was and what he was known for. In my history class, I learned a lot about Benjamin Franklin and was fascinating with his legacy. With only two years of education, Benjamin Franklin was considered one of the most brilliant minds. He was a tenacious person from a young age. Despite his situations and challenges, he overcame and became one of the most influential scientists of all time. One of my favorite things that he invented is the bifocals. Benjamin Franklin originally invented the bifocal glasses for librarians and the elderly to see; however, it is expected that people after forty will begin to notice a change in their vision and require bifocals to help them with their reading. Another reason I love the invention of the bifocals is that this invention is very dear to my heart. I was born with mild Cortical Visual impairment. I wear bifocals to help me with my vision to see and participate in classroom activities. I would not have achieved so much in school without bifocals helping me with my everyday assignments. I genuinely believe that if Benjamin Franklin lived today, he would be honored to know that his invention did not go to waste and how he has impacted people all over the world. His creation today allows people the ability to continue to read. Without reading, there would be no child development, students learning in school, or helping people grow mentally, emotionally, and psychologically

Some people think having a disability is a misfortune. I was born with cerebral palsy, which can cause movement and posture problems and even impair vision or hearing—having a disability has taught me how to adapt to different situations in my everyday life. Adaptability and mindset are the two gifts that I have learned to help me become a stronger person. Adaptability is my simple secret of survival. Being a teenager on crutches in high school is not an easy task. Maneuvering around obstacles in the classroom. A simple task such as carrying books in a backpack which one would find a simple task, has become a balancing act for me. I had to learn how to carry. My backpack is on my back while keeping balance on crutches. Classroom activities have also come as a challenge for me. It is hard for me to take notes and do basic things like homework with difficulties in my hands. I meet with a teacher's aid who assist me in writing things down for me on my homework. Even when the class ends just leaving the classroom, it takes me a while to leave. I have learned to wait patiently and allow the other kids to leave before I do. One might think that facing these challenges every day may feel defeating; however, my mindset has become vital for my survival. I meet with a physical trainer five days a week to work on my body and help me build a strong mindset. I am constantly receiving positive feedback and videos overcoming obstacles. I have learned to see myself not as a kid with a disability but as a champion—one who will rise to the occasion when a challenge is thrown at them. My dream is to give back to the community. . I glanced across the Thanksgiving table, I thought to myself, what a shame that everyone in my family has a low-income job and barely gets by every month. There were many opportunities to dream big and follow their passion; however, they placed their dreams on the back burner due to financial responsibilities. My high school instructor significantly impacted my decision to attend college. He explained that with a college degree, many doors would open up for me. Later my instructor had arranged a meeting with my parents to discuss college. It was explained to them that I had so much potential in math that I should pursue a career in Engineering. After meeting with my instructor, I got excited and started thinking about living out my dreams, going to college, and becoming an engineer. My friends talked about which colleges they were going to apply to. I immediately ran home and researched what colleges would be the best college for an engineering degree. I also researched the cost associated with a bachelor's degree. As I sat down and presented my research to my parents. I first told them I had a dream, and it was to become an engineer. I stated that I wanted to be the first generation that has a college degree and to be able to live a lifestyle where I can have the job of my dreams, enough money to pay my bills, and still enjoy some of the luxuries of life. I explained that I loved to learn. With this opportunity to get an excellent education, I can pay it forward to my family by being an example of what a college education can offer you. the impact can have on your life My typical day starts at 5 am Monday through Sunday, where I thank god for everything he has given me. Next, I start with my house chores: making my bed, cleaning my room, taking out the trash, and feeding Canelo my dog. One of my passions is soccer. My dad and I are avid soccer fans; we love to watch games on tv and sometimes go to soccer games in town. Our favorite team is Manchester United. Exercise is massive in my family we go to the gym five days a week at night and attend a weekend Bootcamp. Nutrition is another critical factor in a healthy lifestyle; my mother and I prepare meals for the week. My trainer provides assignments in which we listen to motivational videos every day to encourage us and educate us on why it is vital to remain healthy. I want my dog to be healthy too. I take him around the park and let him play and get exercise. One of my talents is singing. I love to sing with my family and other organizations in my community. After dinner, I spend time watching tv shows on Netflix. My favorite tv show is Cobra Kai, and I cannot wait for the next season. There is nothing better than a good mystery book. A good mystery book draws you in and starts to stimulate your curiosity. When I am reading, I get so intrigued by the story that I start to research where the mystery took place to obtain a better understanding of the story. Sometimes I go to the library to look up the book's author and research the objects mentioned in the book. Once I am done, I receive a different perspective on the story, making the story come to life. I have always been curious about what it would be like to sing in a choir. I asked the music teacher at my school how I could enroll in a class to learn how to sing. He told me to go and audition to be in the choir. Once I got the audition, I asked the music teacher which artist had the same tone. My curiosity got the better of me again, and so through youtube. I dove into researching male artists who have the same tenor tone as me to practice. I even asked friends and family to listen to my songs and give me feedback to ensure that I performed best.

Money has always been an essential topic in my family. My dad came from an emerging country where he had to learn how to work and save money at a young age. His dad died when he was a baby, and his mother had five boys to feed. With little income coming in, my uncles had to learn how to sell goods for their families to survive. My mother also came from a low-income family, and instead of going off to college, she had to work to bring money home to help pay the bills. Because of this, my parents have always instilled the value of money into me. Starting from the age of five, my dad bought me my first piggy bank, and every time I received gifts in the form of cash, I was instructed to place my money in the piggy bank and not spend it. Some would see this as cruel it was my money; however, we counted how much money was saved and later purchased a computer for school at the end of the year. Later on, I wanted a cell phone and didn't have enough funds in my piggy bank and asked my dad to charge it on his credit card. My dad sat me down and explained how the credit card system works. He said that if he didn't make the payments on time, we would have to pay interest, which would make the fees go up and would ruin our credit. Instead of paying an amount of $100.00, we would now be paying $175.00 because of late payments. This lesson stuck to me because it would cost me more than just paying for the phone in cash. I will never forget the day that my dad took me to the bank for my 13th birthday. He explained to me that I was going to open up my own savings account. I felt like I was on top of the world. When we walked into the bank, the teller explained to me what a savings account is. She handed me a bank card and told me that I could use that card to deposit money. She also gave me a deposit book to record my transactions and watch my money grow. I never thought I would be as happy as I was for that birthday. Now I am 17 years old, and the big payoff is coming. I have saved funds in the bank to help me with items that I will need for college. They will be happy to see that their philosophy on money has paid off.