Pain opening my eyes. I can't keep anything down, yet so thirsty, but I'm so nauseous. Throbbing debilitating pain, and pain with every single noise. Migraines. I have suffered stress induced migraines since middle school and it affected my attendance in school, my contributions to my family (I am the eldest of five kids), and my social life scheduled close to test day. You can imagine how quickly you can get behind in middle and high school with block scheduling when you miss one day. I've had years where my absences and tardies were in the double digits. Finally, I got help from a neurologist who prescribed a preventative medication and that made a huge impact. Although I would not have been able to get to that precipice or accomplish everything I did without the compassion and support of my high school attendance administrator Mrs. Copeland and my middle school counselor Mrs. Lopez. They showed me kindness and understanding when others looked down on me, as if I was exaggerating, like I really didn't want to go to school or they would say belittling comments like "Seriously, it's just a headache, can't you just take a Tylenol and man up". Those experiences have taught me that pain like so many other aspects of life are subjective, empathy or sympathy is not inherent and to appreciate the angels that life gives us on our journeys through. My parents were some of those angels never judging and always willing to be flexible with my chores or when I couldn't even get out of bed to minimize light, noise and all the love and space I needed at the time. Another defining hurdle to overcome was during my junior year of high school, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, my beautiful mother just happened to be carrying my now 16 month old brother Benjamin. On February 17th, hours after her scheduled C-section, I was informed with the haunting information that I could've potentially lost my mother without knowing anything had gone wrong. At 2:03 am, while I was asleep with my three other siblings, I received a series of text messages from my mother, "Hi, I'm sorry, things took a turn, 4 bags of blood transfusion, I love you". These were the words I woke up to, I didn't hear from my mother again for another seven and a half hours. While my mother had been away in the hospital, about a week total, I was left to care for my three younger siblings, the oldest being 8 at the time. As one can imagine, during those nerve wrecking hours, not knowing what my mother’s condition was like or if she was even still with us were unbearable. My mother didn't come home for another few days after her near-death experience. A sight that if just a mere half liter of blood more was lost, I may have never gotten to see again. Almost losing my mother has put into perspective how delicate and fragile human life is. Something that seems like it lasts forever but can be taken away in a split second. These experiences helped shape my decision on career paths, I will become a doctor as well. Specializing in dentistry instead of neurology or obstetrics! Pain is pain and, as subjective as it is by nature, it can be a power source for some, and debilitating for others; that shouldn't mean that they are less worthy of human compassion. I will practice Dentistry with my own experiences and give the compassion and empathy I was denied many times.

Pain opening my eyes. I can't keep anything down, yet so thirsty, but I'm so nauseous. Throbbing debilitating pain, and pain with every single noise. Migraines. I have suffered stress induced migraines since middle school and it affected my attendance in school, my contributions to my family (I am the eldest of five kids), and my social life scheduled close to test day. You can imagine how quickly you can get behind in middle and high school with block scheduling when you miss one day. I've had years where my absences and tardies were in the double digits. Finally, I got help from a neurologist who prescribed a preventative medication and that made a huge impact. Although I would not have been able to get to that precipice or accomplish everything I did without the compassion and support of my high school attendance administrator Mrs. Copeland and my middle school counselor Mrs. Lopez. They showed me kindness and understanding when others looked down on me, as if I was exaggerating, like I really didn't want to go to school or they would say belittling comments like "Seriously, it's just a headache, can't you just take a Tylenol and man up". Those experiences have taught me that pain like so many other aspects of life are subjective, empathy or sympathy is not inherent and to appreciate the angels that life gives us on our journeys through. My parents were some of those angels never judging and always willing to be flexible with my chores or when I couldn't even get out of bed to minimize light, noise and all the love and space I needed at the time. Wrangling young kids all under the age of eight to be quiet, compassionate, and considerate is a miracle on its own. For it to be my younger siblings brings me to happy tears, recalling how I could hear them shushing each other reminding my other siblings to be quiet because I was trying to sleep, and I had a migraine. Going through this helped shape my decision on career paths, I will become a doctor as well. Specializing in dentistry instead of neurology; however, still the head nonetheless! Pain is pain and, as subjective as it is by nature, it can be debilitating for some and that should not mean that they are less worthy of human compassion. I will practice Dentistry with my own experiences and give the compassion and empathy I was denied many times.

My idol is a beauty queen, high-school dropout. Just two of the descriptive words that could be attributed to my phenomenal mother. Others would be articulate, loving, fierce, and educated. See, my mother dropped out before completing the ninth grade. She started working at fast food restaurants to support herself at age 14 as she couch surfed wherever she could find a place. However, she went on to NOVA Community College, got x-ray certified and became a dental assistant at 17. Her dental career went on to include contract negotiations, managing doctors, training doctors, AP/AR, HR and every other facet of the business you can think of, and she did it all with her common sense and drive. Not too many people can say that they stopped learning traditionally at 14 but still went on to do inspiring things with their careers. My mother later went on to get her Paralegal Certification and then her Advanced Paralegal Certification through George Mason University in Immigration Law, Business Law, Estate Planning, Bankruptcy Law, Family Law, Entertainment Law, and Intellectual Property Law. She did that while raising me and my 4 other siblings with love, fun, creativity, grace, and with an 8th grade education. If she could do that, I could certainly be a student and an athlete simultaneously! You may ask yourself why would I myself be eager to attain higher education when my hero, my genius mother, showed me that she could be successful without a traditional education in high school or college. Well the answer is quite simple, my mother told me so. My mother made it clear that she was not the norm, that she was the exception. Exceptional, she is. She told me that whatever accomplishments she was able to attain would have been overshadowed by who she could have been had she finished high school and gone to college. She wants the best for me and she has never steered me wrong, she knows everything by the way. I want her to be proud of me, I need to be proud of myself, and the only way to do that is to reach higher and climb farther than her. She has inspired me and guided me my entire life, it's the least I can do to repay her. She's my hero. However, that's not where my dream ends, I want to be able to give to her everything that she has given me and siblings. I want to take care of her the way she selflessly took care of us all these years. From baking cookies to teaching all of us how to read, she has been an anchored resource of wisdom and cheerleading always in our corner; always having our six. I want to give her the world, she deserves it.

Two liters of blood lost, another half liter lost and the risk of death is almost certain. During my Junior year of high school, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, my beautiful mother just happened to be carrying my now 15 month old brother Benjamin. On February 17th, hours after her scheduled C-section, I was informed with the haunting information that I could've potentially lost my mother without knowing anything had gone wrong. At 2:03 am, while I was asleep with my three other siblings, I received a series of text messages from my mother, "Hi, I'm sorry, things took a turn, 4 bags of blood transfusion, I love you". These were the words I woke up to, I didn't hear from my mother again for another seven and a half hours. While my mother had been away in the hospital, about a week total, I was left to care for my three younger siblings, the oldest being 8 at the time. As one can imagine, during those nerve wrecking hours, not knowing what my mothers condition was like or if she was even still with us were unbearable. My mother didn't come home for another few days after her near death experience. A sight that if just a mere half liter of blood more was lost, I may have never gotten to see again. Any and every moment taken for granted felt infinitely heavier than they did before February 17th. Almost losing my mother has put into perspective how delicate and fragile human life is. Something that seems like it lasts forever, but can be taken away in a split second. I value and cherish every second spent with everybody in my life, because you truly never know when it'll be the last time.

As the oldest of five children I have grown up being a leader. I have been a trailblazer the majority of my life. I'll be the first to graduate from high school and I'm the first to attend college. The hiccups and stones I have tripped over will serve as a map for my siblings so that they can avoid some of the bumps I lived through. For instance, applying to colleges in the fall of senior year will ensure consideration for merit and need based scholarships, some colleges will not consider the application for such scholarships past a certain deadline. Navigating even the scholarship process has been a learning experience for myself and my parents, it’s all new to us. Family is of great importance to me, it's what drives me. They have been what has grounded me and given me focus. My goal is to graduate with a degree in business with a focus on sport management. With this degree my dream would be to open a sports training facility where I can help youths and high school athletes achieve a higher level of excellence in their sport of choice. My vision is to have youth clubs, clinics for isolated training, health professionals to give support in diet and exercise, as well as training professionals in soccer, basketball, baseball, and football. My goal is to create successful and honest relationships with collegiate and professional sports scouts and sports lawyers so that the participants of my training facility get a holistic approach to their choice to pursue sports as their career. What fuels my life? Using this dream and my life experiences to reach back and pull my four younger siblings on my level; if I am able to, push them farther ahead of me, that's what fuels me.

As the oldest of five children I have grown up being a leader. I have been a trailblazer the majority of my life. I will be the first to graduate from high school and I am the first to attend college. I aspire to use the next 20 years as a reference tool to help my siblings achieve higher education and get to a higher level than our parents and grandparents. Navigating even the scholarship process has been a learning experience for myself and my parents, it’s all new to us. The hiccups and stones I have tripped over will serve as a map for my siblings so that they can avoid some of the bumps I lived through. For instance, being in an advanced placement of math in the third grade will help to allow for a year further in math once one arrives in high school. Taking summer high school classes will allow for extra credits when it’s time to graduate. Applying to colleges in the fall of senior year will ensure consideration for merit and need based scholarships, some colleges will not consider the application for such scholarships past a certain deadline. Family is of great importance to me. They have been what has grounded me and given me focus. My goal is to graduate with a degree in business with a focus on sport management. With this degree my dream would be to open a sports training facility where I can help youths and high school athletes achieve a higher level of excellence in their sport of choice. My vision is to have youth clubs, clinics for isolated training, health professionals to give support in diet and exercise, as well as training professionals in indoor and outdoor soccer, basketball, baseball, and football. My goal is to create successful and honest relationships with collegiate and professional sports scouts and sports lawyers so that the participants of my training facility get a holistic approach to their choice to pursue sports as their career. I currently have a mentor who is a sports attorney and realize the need for this type of institution in the market from me being an athlete and assistant basketball coach, as well as from his assessment of the sports industry. Tying together the different avenues that are required from an athlete, business, diet, skill, and physical well being. To me, success equals continuing to use this dream and my life experiences to reach back and pull my four younger siblings on my level; if I am able to, push them farther ahead of me.

Two liters of blood lost, another half liter lost and the risk of death is almost certain. During my Junior year of high school, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, my beautiful mother just happened to be carrying my now 9 month old brother Benjamin. On February 17th, hours after her scheduled C-section, I was informed with the haunting information that I could have potentially lost my mother without knowing anything had gone wrong. At 2:03 am, while I was fast asleep with my three other siblings, I received a series of text messages from my mother, "Hi, I'm sorry, things took a turn, 4 bags of blood transfusion, I love you". These were the words I woke up to, I didn't hear from my mother again for another seven and a half hours. While my mother had been away in the hospital, about a week total, I was left to care for my three younger siblings, the oldest being 8 at the time. As one can imagine, during those nerve wrecking seven hours, not knowing what my mothers condition was like or if she was even still with us were unbearable. All while needing to keep my composure in order to not spook or alert my siblings. My mother didn't come home for another few days after her near death experience. It wasn't till I saw my mother walk through the front door of our house till the reality of the situation truly hit me. A sight that if just a mere half liter of blood more was lost, I may have never gotten to see again. Any and every moment taken for granted felt infinitely heavier than they did before February 17th. Moments where I couldn't spend time with my mom, nights I chose sleep over watching a movie with my mom, every moment played in my head like a broken projector playing the same scenes over and over again. The pain of losing a parent is something I've seen my friends experience first hand, it's an unexplainable feeling, one you can only sympathize with if not experienced in one's own life. I got lucky, blessed even, to not have to go through that distress. Almost losing my mother has put into perspective how delicate and fragile human life is. Something that seems like it lasts forever, but can be taken away in a split second. I value and cherish every second spent with everybody in my life, because you truly never know when it'll be the last time.