My name is Victori Rodriguez and for as long as I can remember, I have been an avid reader. In elementary school, I was the kind of kid that would go to afterschool care and read my book until I finished it and would go back and get a new book every day. The books I read in elementary school taught me things such as resilience, believing in myself, and dreaming big. These books helped me start thinking about my future goals and allowed me not to limit myself when it came to my dreams and goals. These books were only the beginning of a bright future for me. As I started middle school, my love for books only grew. Over the summer before seventh grade, I got a library card and would take my weekly trip to the public library. During this time, I discovered young adult fiction and fell in love with the drama and imagery within the books I read. These books taught me to appreciate the things I have and not take life for granted. These books helped me with learning that my goals can be tied into what I already do and it is okay to occasionally fail or not know where you want to go in life. From elementary school up until this point, my dreams had changed so much, but the person I was never stopped dreaming big. As high school was around the corner, life got hard. My mental health began to decline and I used literature and writing to cope. I started writing poetry in order to release all the negativity within and people fell in love with this outlet I used to cope and express. During my freshman year, I fell in love with horror. I loved horror for the excitement and the feeling of wanting to turn the page because you are on the edge of your seat. Now, as a soon-to-be high school graduate, my favorite author is Stephen King. You may think that there isn't much to learn from horror books, but I have learned so much. Through King's books and other horror books I have read, I have learned that you are your greatest enemy. Through things such as insecurity, self-doubt, and lack of perseverance, we become the main thing that holds us back. While my dreams have changed so much over the course of my life, I will never stop being that little girl that loves books. Books have taught me so much and it is these lessons that I will take with me into adulthood. These lessons have helped shaped my goals because they have allowed me to know that my possibilities are endless, that I can achieve anything I put my mind to, and that I will go far in life. These lessons have allowed me to dream big while empowering myself; I have used books to uplift me and keep me grounded. I will never forget the experiences and joy I get from reading books and the lessons I've learned have shaped not only my goals but the intelligent woman I am today.

DUIs and drunk driving are things that not only affect the driver but also affect everyone else on the road. In both real life and on TV, there have been numerous cases and situations where families have been torn apart and hit with tragedy due to accidents from someone driving under the influence. This is a situation that has impacted the world for centuries and without finding a way to prevent driving under the influence, this will remain a problem. One way we can prevent DUIs is by changing the driving laws related to blood alcohol concentration (BAC) limits. According to the CDC, Utah decreased its law to a BAC of 0.05 g/dL and this decreased their crash death per mile driven by 18%. This law passed was also associated with fewer crashes involving alcohol. Another way to prevent DUIs is to make a law that anyone under the age of 21 cannot drive no matter the amount of alcohol in their system. There are many DUI cases that involve teens and college students because partying with alcohol and underage drinking have been problems for the longest. With this law, we can keep drunk teens and young adults off the road and essentially put fewer people at risk. Another method can be ignition interlocks. After a DUI offense, even first-time offenders can have ignition interlocks installed on their vehicles. This can be helpful in preventing DUIs because the driver's BAC has to be below a specific level in order to start their cars. Drunk driving and DUIs are problems that will continue to affect us unless we step in and figure out a solution. It is up to us as citizens and as people to figure out solutions to make our streets safer.

I was raised by a single mother in a small coastal North Carolina town. About 5 years ago, we moved to Raleigh, NC, so my mom could get a better job with health benefits. Since then, the idea of going to college and pursuing greater opportunities has come to light for me; I never knew there was so much that I could do and be. For the last 2 years, my mom was diagnosed with and has been fighting breast cancer and now, in the last week, we’ve received the news that her cancer has recurred. So to have a scholarship would be helpful, to not only me but also to my mom and not having to worry about how she will help me get through college. I have always worried about how I will be able to attend college because of my family’s inability to pay. However, I recently learned that I can attend a top university or college and pay for it; I have the ability to dream beyond my local community or community college. For college, I will be attending Meredith College to pursue computer science and computer engineering. Post college, I plan to go into software development and computer programming. Through the Couch Oil Cares Scholarship, I not only plan to learn more and grow as a person but become a person that will use my knowledge to help others by paying it forward. I plan to have a positive impact on my community and become the person that will make a difference; the daughter that my mother will be proud of. This scholarship would be only the beginning of my road to success and I would use this scholarship to not only pay for my education but to influence others along the way. My ultimate goal of exposing more people to STEM will be able to be accomplished; more communities can be reached and helped through the power of technology. My mother exposed me to STEM and I have shared a lifelong passion for STEM with her. I can help with shaping the next generation of young leaders and the next generation of innovators. My generation will create change for the better and will show future generations that the possibilities are endless. With my knowledge, I’ll help create a better world for not only current generations but for generations to come; a world that thrives on technology.

I am described by others as a natural leader. I care about the well-being and success of others, as well as myself. At school, I have always helped other students, whether it was showing them to a class or giving them study tips. I also maintain healthy, yet professional relationships with teachers and faculty at my school. I greet everyone I see and I always ask how they’re doing. I am also compassionate and empathetic; I take time to listen to other people when they want to be heard. Within my friendships, I listen to them when they want to vent and I provide them with comfort. I also set goals for myself that are attainable and continue setting goals as I achieve previous goals. Another quality that makes me an effective leader is that I love helping my community and it brings me joy knowing I can leave a positive impact in the lives of others. I love volunteering and during my 4 years at Vernon Malone, I have volunteered outside of school. From being Junior Staff at the Boys and Girls Club to helping teach senior citizens with Kramden Institute, I love helping others no matter their age. Through this scholarship, I not only plan to learn more and grow as a person but become a person that will use my knowledge to help others by paying it forward. I plan to have a positive impact on my community and become the person that will make a difference; the daughter that my mother will be proud of. In early 2021, my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer. This has been a challenge for my family because it causes us to wonder how my sister and I are going to be able to find our education. Throughout college, I will be working 2 jobs in order to pay for my college education and I will barely be making ends meet for myself. Having a scholarship is important to me because it will help with relieving some of the stress and financial burden put upon me. This scholarship would be only the beginning of my road to success and I would use this scholarship to not only pay for my education but to influence others along the way. My ultimate goal of exposing more people to STEM will be able to be accomplished; more communities can be reached and helped through the power of technology. My mother exposed me to STEM and I have shared a lifelong passion for STEM with her. I can help with shaping the next generation of young leaders and the next generation of innovators. My generation will create change for the better and will show future generations that the possibilities are endless. With my knowledge, I’ll help create a better world for not only current generations but for generations to come; a world that thrives on technology. I plan to use my knowledge to pay it forward to expand the number of communities with access to technology and help educate others on the benefits of technology.

As a Latinx engineer, I would not only be finding solutions to different problems, I would be finding better alternatives to current solutions. This not only requires collaboration but a variety of views. Coming from a middle-class and formally single-parent household, I have learned to not only use my resources but use them to the best of my ability. My view as an LGBTQ+ Latinx will allow me to come up with solutions in innovative and effective ways, while also continuing to create an inclusive environment. Growing up and being left out of things has taught me to treat everyone the same regardless of their background or situation. Having the view of an LGBTQ+ woman of color gives me the power to spread awareness on many different topics relating to my various backgrounds. I have always made an inclusive environment, whether it’s inviting someone to eat lunch with me or walking someone to class. I also plan to use my voice to advocate for not only inclusivity but equity within the workplace; I would use my voice to create an inclusive and equitable community within my workplace and my community that is ideal for collaborating to solve the world’s problems. I would help to continue the efforts to protect and build relationships with the LGBTQ+ community and help with creating a workplace where underrepresented groups are put within positions of leadership. An issue that has affected the Latinx community is being underestimated and not having the opportunity to seek certain opportunities. History has repeated this situation of people of color, especially Hispanics being underestimated or seen as less than their white peers due to their heritage or background. I have encountered this in group projects when my opinion wasn't as valued because I'm a Latinx woman. From people of the Latinx background not being able to seek promotions to the racial wage gap, the Latinx community has always been seen as less than others. This is an issue due to ignorance and a lack of education, but there is a way to change this. For example, we can create a more equitable atmosphere within the workplace and schools that allow people to seek equal opportunities. Another solution is having situations where everyone is allowed to voice their opinions without worrying about judgment or criticism. This generation is the future and we can help with setting this foundation that works towards true equity and change. Ways that I can encounter this issue in my community is that I can propose diversity within group projects to allow many different backgrounds to be represented. We can also elect government officials that represent us better and enforce laws that move our community toward equity and true growth.

I am described by others as a natural leader. I care about the well-being and success of others, as well as myself. At school, I have always helped other students, whether it was showing them to a class or giving them study tips. I also maintain healthy, yet professional relationships with teachers and faculty at my school. I greet everyone I see and I always ask how they’re doing. I am also compassionate and empathetic; I take time to listen to other people when they want to be heard. Within my friendships, I listen to them when they want to vent and I provide them with comfort. I also set goals for myself that are attainable and continue setting goals as I achieve previous goals. Another quality that makes me an effective leader is that I love helping my community and it brings me joy knowing I can leave a positive impact in the lives of others. I love volunteering and during my 4 years at Vernon Malone, I have volunteered outside of school. From being Junior Staff at the Boys and Girls Club to helping teach senior citizens with Kramden Institute, I love helping others no matter their age. Through this scholarship, I not only plan to learn more and grow as a person but become a person that will use my knowledge to help others by paying it forward. I plan to have a positive impact on my community and become the person that will make a difference; the daughter that my mother will be proud of. This scholarship would be only the beginning of my road to success and I would use this scholarship to not only pay for my education but to influence others along the way. My ultimate goal of exposing more people to STEM will be able to be accomplished; more communities can be reached and helped through the power of technology. My mother exposed me to STEM and I have shared a lifelong passion for STEM with her. I can help with shaping the next generation of young leaders and the next generation of innovators. My generation will create change for the better and will show future generations that the possibilities are endless. With my knowledge, I’ll help create a better world for not only current generations but for generations to come; a world that thrives on technology. I plan to use my knowledge to pay it forward to expand the number of communities with access to technology and help educate others on the benefits of technology.

I have been raised by a single mother in a small coastal North Carolina town. About 5 years ago, we moved to Raleigh, NC, so my mom could get a better job with health benefits. Since then, the idea of going to college and pursuing greater opportunities has come to light for me; I never knew there was so much that I could do and be. After coming out to my mom, my relationship with my mom wasn't all that good and I had to rebuild my foundation of trust with her. To this day, we don't talk about my identity as an LGBTQ+ woman in America. I find it easier not to talk to her about my dating life and my experiences being LGBTQ+ because it is hard on her knowing that she isn't supportive of me and the fact that she has a lot to be stressed over such as having breast cancer. For the last 2 years, my mom was diagnosed with and has been fighting breast cancer and now, in the last week, we’ve received the news that her cancer has recurred. So to have a scholarship would be helpful, to not only me but also to my mom and not to worry about how she will help me get through college. I have always worried about how I will be able to attend college because of my family’s inability to pay. However, I recently learned that I can attend a top university or college and pay for it; I can dream beyond my local community or community college. Through this scholarship, I not only plan to learn more and grow as a person but become a person that will use my knowledge to help others by paying it forward. I plan to have a positive impact on my community and become the person that will make a difference; the daughter that my mother will be proud of. This scholarship would be only the beginning of my road to success and I would use this scholarship to not only pay for my education but to influence others along the way. My ultimate goal of exposing more people to STEM will be able to be accomplished; more communities can be reached and helped through the power of technology. My mother exposed me to STEM and I have shared a lifelong passion for STEM with her. I can help with shaping the next generation of young leaders and the next generation of innovators. My generation will create change for the better and will show future generations that the possibilities are endless. With my knowledge, I’ll help create a better world for not only current generations but for generations to come; a world that thrives on technology.

I am described by others as a natural leader. I care about the well-being and success of others, as well as myself. At school, I have always helped other students, whether it was showing them to a class or giving them study tips. I also maintain healthy, yet professional relationships with teachers and faculty at my school. I greet everyone I see and I always ask how they’re doing. I am also compassionate and empathetic; I take time to listen to other people when they want to be heard. Within my friendships, I listen to them when they want to vent and I provide them with comfort. I also set goals for myself that are attainable and continue setting goals as I achieve previous goals. Another quality that makes me an effective leader is that I love helping my community and it brings me joy knowing I can leave a positive impact in the lives of others. I love volunteering and during my 4 years at Vernon Malone, I have volunteered outside of school. From being Junior Staff at the Boys and Girls Club to helping teach senior citizens with Kramden Institute, I love helping others no matter their age. Through this scholarship, I not only plan to learn more and grow as a person but become a person that will use my knowledge to help others by paying it forward. I plan to have a positive impact on my community and become the person that will make a difference; the daughter that my mother will be proud of. This scholarship would be only the beginning of my road to success and I would use this scholarship to not only pay for my education but to influence others along the way. My ultimate goal of exposing more people to STEM will be able to be accomplished; more communities can be reached and helped through the power of technology. My mother exposed me to STEM and I have shared a lifelong passion for STEM with her. I can help with shaping the next generation of young leaders and the next generation of innovators. My generation will create change for the better and will show future generations that the possibilities are endless. With my knowledge, I’ll help create a better world for not only current generations but for generations to come; a world that thrives on technology. I plan to use my knowledge to pay it forward to expand the number of communities with access to technology and help educate others on the benefits of technology.

Since I was around 5 years old, I have always loved learning about computers and computer programming. I was introduced to the idea of computer programming by my mom through programs such as Scratch and Alice. Little did I know these programs would only be the beginning of my falling in love with programming and computer science as a whole. As time continued and I got older, I began doing programs such as Codecademy and Hour of Code. I also learned more about computers and how to troubleshoot. Coming from a STEM background, I come from a family that enforces the idea of using your resources and trying your best to solve problems on your own. If you are having trouble finding the answer to a math question, for example, I was taught that you must use your resources and try to solve the problem before accepting help. This helps me with computers and computer programming because it allows me to accept the challenge that programming and computers provide. For me, programming can be frustrating at times, but nothing can compare to the rush and satisfaction I feel when I finally figure it out. I find this idea captivating because it allows me to be challenged in a way that I enjoy. For me, learning isn’t just about learning concepts and skills; it is about learning how to face challenges. Being academically challenged is something I enjoy because I like to be challenged and forced to exceed my expectations. In the fall, I will be attending Missouri State University to pursue computer science with a software development concentration. Post college, I plan to go into software development and computer programming. I not only plan to learn more and grow as a person but become a person that will use my knowledge to help others by paying it forward. I plan to have a positive impact on my community and become the person that will make a difference; the daughter that my mother will be proud of. This scholarship would be only the beginning of my road to success and I would use this scholarship to not only pay for my education but to influence others along the way. My ultimate goal of exposing more people to STEM will be able to be accomplished; more communities can be reached and helped through the power of technology. My mother exposed me to STEM and I have shared a lifelong passion for STEM with her. I can help with shaping the next generation of young leaders and the next generation of innovators. My generation will create change for the better and will show future generations that the possibilities are endless. With my knowledge, I’ll help create a better world for not only current generations, but for generations to come; a world that thrives on technology.

Growing up, I grew up with my mom enforcing this idea of volunteering and giving back to the community. From doing small gestures such as holding the door to volunteering with Wake County EMS in the Christmas parades, I have always loved helping people and putting others first. I have always loved helping people because I am making a difference in people’s lives and putting a smile on someone’s face. Knowing I can impact others in such a positive way makes me feel accomplished. This idea of helping others was reinforced at the Youth Leadership Institute through the Hispanic Scholarship Fund. While we discussed a variety of topics, they constantly reinforced the idea of paying it forward and paying it back. Fall of my freshman year, I started going to a branch of the Boys and Girls Club called the Teen Center. It is a place for high school teens to go after school and during summer break. During my time here, I have taken initiative by not only volunteering for different events and activities but helping others with the members. Throughout my time here, I have given tours around the Teen Center, helped new members get acclimated, edited videos for special programs, and helped with homework and studying for tests. Whenever a member needed help, I would not only walk them through what they needed help with, but I also helped them seek the resources they need for them to do well. If I could not help, I would help them with finding either videos or websites that could help. With studying, I would help them go over the material by quizzing them and offering studying and test-taking tips if they needed them. The Teen Center is a place where I have met people from many different backgrounds and I am glad that I could help others here. I am motivated to help others because I find joy in helping others. Knowing that I can positively impact others is the best feeling. I also volunteered with Kramden Institute. Through this volunteering, I taught senior citizens basic skills, like how to alter and create documents. My mom initially registered me, but I was excited from day one to volunteer. After just one day of volunteering, I kept coming back whenever possible and helping out. I was remembered by so many of the students; every time I came, we’d catch up. This experience was a lot more than volunteering; it was also building relationships. I felt such happiness and satisfaction with helping others, especially on a topic I have so much love and admiration for. I was able to pursue an activity that captivated me in more than one way. I have always had a passion for helping others and for STEM, so I enjoyed an activity where I was able to do both and positively impact others.

Growing up, I grew up with my mom enforcing this idea of volunteering and giving back to the community. From doing small gestures such as holding the door to volunteering with Wake County EMS in the Christmas parades, I have always loved helping people and putting others first. I have always loved helping people because I am making a difference in people’s lives and putting a smile on someone’s face. Knowing I can impact others in such a positive way makes me feel accomplished. This idea of helping others was reinforced at the Youth Leadership Institute through the Hispanic Scholarship Fund. While we discussed a variety of topics, they constantly reinforced the idea of paying it forward and paying it back. Fall of my freshman year, I started going to a branch of the Boys and Girls Club called the Teen Center. It is a place for high school teens to go after school and during summer break. During my time here, I have taken initiative by not only volunteering for different events and activities but helping others with the members. Throughout my time here, I have given tours around the Teen Center, helped new members get acclimated, edited videos for special programs, and helped with homework and studying for tests. Whenever a member needed help, I would not only walk them through what they needed help with, but I also helped them seek the resources they need for them to do well. If I could not help, I would help them with finding either videos or websites that could help. With studying, I would help them go over the material by quizzing them and offering studying and test-taking tips if they needed them. The Teen Center is a place where I have met people from many different backgrounds and I am glad that I could help others here. I am motivated to help others because I find joy in helping others. Knowing that I can positively impact others is the best feeling. I also volunteered with Kramden Institute. Through this volunteering, I taught senior citizens basic skills, like how to alter and create documents. My mom initially registered me, but I was excited from day one to volunteer. After just one day of volunteering, I kept coming back whenever possible and helping out. I was remembered by so many of the students; every time I came, we’d catch up. This experience was a lot more than volunteering; it was also building relationships. I felt such happiness and satisfaction with helping others, especially on a topic I have so much love and admiration for. I was able to pursue an activity that captivated me in more than one way. I have always had a passion for helping others and for STEM, so I enjoyed an activity where I was able to do both and positively impact others.

I was raised by a single mother in a small coastal North Carolina town. About 5 years ago, we moved to Raleigh, NC, so my mom could get a better job with health benefits. Since then, the idea of going to college and pursuing greater opportunities has come to light for me; I never knew there was so much that I could do and be. For the last 2 years, my mom was diagnosed with and has been fighting breast cancer and now, in the last week, we’ve received the news that her cancer has recurred. So to have a scholarship would be helpful, to not only me but also to my mom and not having to worry about how she will help me get through college. I have always worried about how I will be able to attend college because of my family’s inability to pay. However, I recently learned that I can attend a top university or college and pay for it; I have the ability to dream beyond my local community or community college. For college, I will be attending Missouri State University to pursue computer science with a software development concentration. Post college, I plan to go into software development and computer programming. Through the Amelia Tucker Capehart Memorial Scholarship Fund, I not only plan to learn more and grow as a person but become a person that will use my knowledge to help others by paying it forward. I plan to have a positive impact on my community and become the person that will make a difference; the daughter that my mother will be proud of. This scholarship would be only the beginning of my road to success and I would use this scholarship to not only pay for my education but to influence others along the way. My ultimate goal of exposing more people to STEM will be able to be accomplished; more communities can be reached and helped through the power of technology. My mother exposed me to STEM and I have shared a lifelong passion for STEM with her. I can help with shaping the next generation of young leaders and the next generation of innovators. My generation will create change for the better and will show future generations that the possibilities are endless. With my knowledge, I’ll help create a better world for not only current generations, but for generations to come; a world that thrives on technology.

I am described by others as a natural leader. I care about the well-being and success of others, as well as myself. At school, I have always helped other students, whether it was showing them to a class or giving them study tips. I also maintain healthy, yet professional relationships with teachers and faculty at my school. I greet everyone I see and I always ask how they’re doing. I am also compassionate and empathetic; I take time to listen to other people when they want to be heard. Within my friendships, I listen to them when they want to vent and I provide them with comfort. I also set goals for myself that are attainable and continue setting goals as I achieve previous goals. Another quality that makes me an effective leader is that I love helping my community and it brings me joy knowing I can leave a positive impact on the lives of others. I love volunteering and during my 4 years at Vernon Malone, I have volunteered outside of school. From being Junior Staff at the Raleigh Girls Club to helping teach senior citizens at Kramden Institute, I love helping others no matter their age. Since my freshman year, I have been going to the Club Teen Center. During my time here, I have gone from being a member to working my way up to being a staff. I have exhibited leadership here in many ways, from entering a competition called Youth of the Year to introducing our CEO to the governor, the mayor, and several board members. However, my example of leadership is the program I started this school year called Step Up Step Out. Due to being an older member here, I started a program to help others with college and career readiness. With this program, I wanted to inform younger members about important things such as budgeting and financial aid before they were seniors in high school. While this program was conversation-based as compared to the lecture style, I have talked about many different topics such as budgeting, mental health, coping, living on campus, etc. With the lessons I have helped to teach, younger members will be prepared to get jobs when they are old enough and they will be prepared to apply for college applications during their senior year. From my experience here, I have not only been able to help others, but I have learned the ways I enjoy helping others.

Post college, I plan to go into software development and computer programming. I believe that technology is the future and I want to be able to change the future through technology. Through software development and computer programming, I can work with a variety of different people to design software that creates innovations to support the healthcare industry. I want to help design code that can help change the world and develop medical solutions. My degree will allow me to help others in two fields I am forever passionate about, computers and medicine. With my degree, I can help with STEM and engineering community to create different forms of technology that can increase the precision of surgeries, make the diagnosis of diseases easier, etc. Even after my undergraduate, I plan to go back and get a master's degree. While in school, I will establish myself within the STEM professional community and begin working to make the workplace within STEM more equitable. As a female engineer, I would not only be finding solutions to different problems, I would be finding better alternatives to current solutions. This not only requires collaboration but a variety of views. Coming from a middle-class and formally single-parent household, I have learned to not only use my resources but use them to the best of my ability. My background will allow me to come up with solutions in innovative and effective ways. Growing up and being left out of things has taught me to treat everyone the same regardless of their background or situation. Having the view of an LGBTQ+ woman of color gives me the power to spread awareness on many different topics relating to my various backgrounds and it helps me to further create an inclusive community; a community where someone won’t be excluded for their identity. I have always made an inclusive environment, whether it’s inviting someone to eat lunch with me or walking someone to class. I also plan to use my voice to advocate for not only inclusivity but equity within the workplace; I would use my voice to create an inclusive and equitable community within the STEM field that is ideal for collaborating to solve the world’s problems. I would help to continue the efforts to protect and build relationships with the STEM community and given the opportunity, I would continue to expand and work within the STEM field for LGBTQ+ people of color.

As an engineer, I would not only be finding solutions to different problems, I would be finding better alternatives to current solutions. This not only requires collaboration but a variety of views. Coming from a middle-class and formally single-parent household, I have learned to not only use my resources but use them to the best of my ability. My background will allow me to come up with solutions in innovative and effective ways. Growing up and being left out of things has taught me to treat everyone the same regardless of their background or situation. Having the view of an LGBTQ+ woman of color gives me the power to spread awareness on many different topics relating to my various backgrounds and it helps me to further create an inclusive community; a community where someone won’t be excluded for their identity. I have always made an inclusive environment, whether it’s inviting someone to eat lunch with me or walking someone to class. I also plan to use my voice to advocate for not only inclusivity but equity within the workplace; I would use my voice to create an inclusive and equitable community within the STEM field that is ideal for collaborating to solve the world’s problems. I would help to continue the efforts to protect and build relationships with the STEM community and given the opportunity, I would continue to expand and work within the STEM field for LGBTQ+ people of color. Throughout middle school and high school, I have dedicated time to giving back and volunteering. I have been going to the Teen Center for 4 years now. During my time here, I have gone from being a member to working my way up to being a staff. I have exhibited leadership here in many ways, from entering a competition called Youth of the Year to introducing our CEO to the governor, the mayor, and several board members. However, my example of leadership is the program I started this school year called Step Up Step Out. Due to being an older member here, I started a program to help others with college and career readiness. With this program, I wanted to inform younger members about important things such as budgeting and financial aid before they were seniors in high school. While this program was conversation-based as compared to the lecture style, I have talked about many different topics such as budgeting, mental health, coping, living on campus, etc. With the lessons I have helped to teach, younger members will be prepared to get jobs when they are old enough and they will be prepared to apply for college applications during their senior year.

I grew up in Jacksonville, North Carolina with a tech-oriented family. Due to this, I was introduced to STEM at a young age and my family became my biggest support system for pursuing STEM. They not only gave me the resources and support needed to dream big, but they helped me in growing a passion for STEM. By being introduced to different aspects of technology such as Scratch and Alice, I have always dreamed of pursuing a career and education in STEM. This lifestyle I have lived has always led to me wanting to learn more about STEM, so I have always chosen classes that allow me to expand my knowledge in STEM. My family has allowed me to explore many interests, yet I never stray away from pursuing STEM. STEM is one field where I keep pushing myself to do better and where I don’t give up when faced with challenges; I keep going until I figure it out and it’s the most satisfying thing when I finally figure it out. My family has been a team of my biggest cheerleaders and has always helped me in any way they could. Without my family, I wouldn't have such an admiration for STEM and it is my family that helps my love for STEM continue to grow. Post college, I plan to go into software development and computer programming. I believe that technology is the future and I want to be able to change the future through technology. Through software development and computer programming, I can work with a variety of different people in order to design software that create innovations to support the healthcare industry. I want to help design code that can help change the world and develop medical solutions. I believe I am the best person for this scholarship because I want to change the world through technology and this scholarship will allow me to fund my education since my family isn’t able to fully fund my education.