I was three years old when I watched my cousin compete in her first swim meet. She stood on the blocks, focused, and she moved through the water as if she belonged there. I remember thinking, I want to feel that. I signed up for lessons the next week, clinging to the wall at first. But my cousin's example pushed me forward, and within months, I was crossing the pool without stopping. What started as a childhood curiosity quickly became a huge part of my life. In Connecticut, where winters are long and gray, the pool at the gym is warm, bright, and predictable. I loved the discipline of practice, the way my body grew stronger, the satisfaction of beating myself time and again. Swimming gave me something school couldn't, and it also became the thing that I turn to unwind from stress. Swimming's greatest impact has been on who it shaped me to become. The 5 a.m. wake-ups taught me discipline I now apply to my classes and homework. Pushing through tough sets when my muscles burned taught me resilience, or on days where you don't want to do anyhting pushing through and still doing a few laps. I manage my time better, I handle pressure more calmly, and I understand that growth requires discomfort. This is where I feel most connected to Cynthia Vino's legacy. She didn't just swim, she taught, mentored, and gave back. I've tried to do the same. Last summer, I volunteered with a swim program, working with kids and adults who reminded me of my younger self, hesitant to let go of the edge. I held their hands in the water. I cheered when they finally put their faces in, when they crossed the pool for the first time without any assistance. Watching their confidence grow meant more than anything else to me. Swimming also taught me what community means; the coaches and teammates are my very closest friends. We suffer through morning practice together, celebrate wins together, and show up for each other outside the swimming pool, too. When one teammate lost her grandfather, we organized meals for her family. When another struggled with anxiety before meetings, we sat with her until she felt ready. Swimming created a family that stayed with me even after I finished swimming. Cynthia Vino believed in helping young people reach their potential and become active. Swimming has given me that exact purpose. Whether I'm mentoring a younger swimmer, cheering for others, or simply showing up. I started swimming because I looked up to my cousin, but it continued because it made and built me.

If awarded the KC MedBridge scholarship, I would use the $1,000 to pursue a CNA course, ignorer to get more hands-on medical skills before college. It would also help with shadowing opportunities with surgeons and physicians, helping me explore and build mentorship connections. I’d also put it towards more medical textbooks/books which I love (and have a small collection now) and online courses in anatomy or bioethics to strengthen my academics. Additionally, I would put some funds to expand my Pre-Health Club by inviting guest speakers and organizing volunteer events, inspiring my friends and peers to engage with healthcare. Finally, any remaining funds would go to research opportunities. I know this is ambitious but this is all the very least that I want to do in the near future and this would really help me do that.