Growing up as the middle child in a household with three brothers and one sister taught me that competition was a part of everyday life. My siblings constantly pushed me to become better, whether through sports, academics, or simply trying to keep up with one another. However, my perspective on family and responsibility changed when my parents divorced, and my mother became my primary guardian. After the divorce, I watched my mother adjust to the emotional and financial responsibilities of raising our family. I noticed changes in her routine, the sacrifices she made, and the effort she put into making sure my siblings and I continued to have opportunities despite our circumstances. Seeing those changes at a young age gave me a sense of responsibility that extended beyond myself. I began to understand that the people who care for us can carry burdens we may not always see. More importantly, I developed a level of empathy that has shaped the way I view other people and their struggles. That experience motivated me to become more independent and intentional about my future. I wanted my mother’s sacrifices to mean something, so I challenged myself to take advantage of every opportunity available to me. In high school, that drive led me to wrestling. After being cut from multiple sports in middle school, wrestling allowed me to prove to myself that setbacks did not define me. It taught me discipline, resilience, and the importance of continuing forward when circumstances are difficult. My junior year tested that mindset when I underwent surgery to remove a subdural hematoma and missed the beginning of my wrestling season. Watching my teammates compete from the sidelines was difficult, but I returned midway through the season with a renewed appreciation for the opportunity to compete. I ultimately put together one of the best seasons of my career. That same determination carried into my education. I earned Honor Roll, took the ACT and SAT a combined twelve times to reach my goal score, earned the Bright Futures Scholarship, and was accepted to the University of Central Florida. Today, as an Advertising major, I serve on the Executive Boards of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. and the NAACP, where I use leadership and service to positively impact others. Being raised by my mother after my parents’ divorce taught me that resilience is not only about overcoming personal challenges; it is also about recognizing the sacrifices others make for you and using those sacrifices as motivation. My goal is to build a successful career in advertising while creating opportunities for others who may face circumstances similar to mine. I want my education to become more than a personal achievement, it is a way to honor my mother’s sacrifices, serve my community, and help level the playing field for those coming after me.

Growing up in a low-income household taught me that success is not always about having the most resources; sometimes, it is about making the most of what you have. As the middle child in a family with three brothers and one sister in my household, I watched my parents find ways to make what they had stretch across all of us. I did not always understand the financial challenges my family faced when I was younger, but as I grew older, I began to recognize the sacrifices my parents made to give their children a stable and meaningful childhood. That became especially clear after my parents divorced. My mother suddenly had to carry the responsibility of providing for her children as a single parent. Rather than allowing our financial circumstances to drastically change the opportunities we had, she worked year-round as a teacher, including during the summer, to make sure she could continue providing for us. I could see the moments when she was struggling to make everything work. What stayed with me most, however, was not the struggle itself. It was her determination to keep moving forward for her children. Watching my mother taught me to appreciate things that I might otherwise have taken for granted. It taught me that opportunities come with a responsibility to make something of them. Her example also changed the way I view hard work. I learned that perseverance is not always dramatic; sometimes it looks like showing up every day, continuing to work, and putting your family before yourself even when things are difficult. I carried those values into high school. When I struggled with confidence after returning to school from the COVID-19 pandemic, I found a new sense of purpose through wrestling. The sport taught me that setbacks do not determine your future, your response to them does. I brought that same mindset into my academics, taking the ACT and SAT a combined twelve times to reach my goal score, earning Honor Roll recognition, receiving the Bright Futures Scholarship, and eventually being accepted to the University of Central Florida. Today, I am pursuing a degree in Advertising at UCF because I want to combine creativity, technology, and communication to create meaningful work. My interest in art and technology gives me a way to tell stories, connect people, and communicate ideas that can have an impact beyond myself. I also want to use the opportunities I have been given to help others, which is why I continue to pursue leadership and service through organizations such as Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. and the NAACP. My mother's determination is one of the biggest reasons I am ambitious today. I know firsthand that circumstances can make the path forward more difficult, but I also know that difficult circumstances do not have to determine where you end up. I want to honor the sacrifices my family made by making the most of my education, building a career that allows me to create and serve, and eventually giving others the opportunities that my parents worked so hard to provide for me. Growing up with financial limitations taught me to value every opportunity, work for what I want, and never lose sight of the people who helped me get there. My goal is not simply to succeed despite where I came from, but to use that success to make a difference for others. Lastly, thank you to the Pereira Foundation for supporting students like me and creating opportunities for those who have faced financial challenges while pursuing their dreams.