My name is Yadira Aguilar, and I am a rising senior at Weatherford College, majoring in Nursing. As a Hispanic woman, I have always felt a strong connection to my community and a deep desire to make a positive impact. My ultimate goal is to become a nurse and help save lives. I want to help others around the world and be a role model for Hispanic women. From a young age, I watched my parents work tirelessly to provide for our family. Their determination and hard work have inspired me to pursue my dreams with the same dedication. I have always been drawn to the healthcare field because it is a profession where I can make a real difference in people's lives. Nursing, in particular, appeals to me because it combines medical knowledge with compassion and care. Throughout my time at Weatherford College, I have focused on my studies and maintained a strong academic record. My high school GPA was 4.0, and I have continued to excel in my college courses. I am committed to learning as much as I can to become the best nurse possible. I believe that education is the key to achieving my goals, and I am determined to make the most of the opportunities I have been given. The Bright Lights Scholarship would be a tremendous help in achieving my future plans. As a college student, financial challenges are a constant concern. This scholarship would allow me to focus more on my studies and less on the financial burden of tuition and other expenses. It would also enable me to take advantage of additional learning opportunities, such as attending workshops and conferences, which would further enhance my skills and knowledge. In addition to my academic pursuits, I am passionate about giving back to my community. I have volunteered at local clinics and participated in health fairs to provide basic medical services and education to those in need. These experiences have reinforced my desire to become a nurse and have shown me the importance of accessible healthcare for all. With the support of the Bright Lights Scholarship, I can continue to volunteer and serve my community while completing my education. As a future nurse, I want to be a role model for Hispanic women and show that with hard work and dedication, we can achieve our dreams. I want to inspire others to pursue careers in healthcare and help address the disparities in access to medical services. By becoming a nurse, I will be able to provide compassionate care to patients from diverse backgrounds and make a difference in their lives. In conclusion, my plans for the future are to become a nurse and help save lives. The Bright Lights Scholarship will help me achieve this goal by easing the financial burden of my education and allowing me to focus on my studies and community service. I am committed to making a positive impact in the world and being a role model for Hispanic women. Thank you for considering my application.

“What am I even doing here?” That’s the question that would always pop up in my head. Just as I look down the building, imagining what would happen if I just jumped. Although, I’ve never acted on the thought. I just stare, with my thoughts racing around my head. Eventually, my mind goes blank and goes back to reality. As simple as a flip of a switch in my head. I back away from the edge, and continue walking back down from the parking garage, enjoying the city view around me. Depression is a funny word to me. I was never the type of person to quite understand what exactly certain emotions mean. They’re all kind of a mystery to me, even now in the present, I don’t quite understand them. Most of the time I’m relatively numb or neutral to the world around me. Don’t get me wrong, I still get excited and laugh all the time but I’ve never really been attached or present. To further explain, I’m always in my head, thinking, and dreaming of all of the possibilities around me. Sometimes my knowledge of the world can consume me, to the point where I’m stuck in my head for long periods. This is my definition of depression. It may not be as severe as other people but that doesn’t make it any less serious. Thoughts will consume me and I get stuck in a world that doesn’t exist. I tend to use escapism anytime I feel the need to “feel” something. Eventually, when I awake to reality, I get sad and I don’t know why. I’m still trying to figure this out; it will happen out of nowhere and, sometimes, even in the happiest points of my life. I immediately feel the need to disassociate and reevaluate the things that are in my life. I’ll start to question my friendships, family, and even my own life. “What am I even doing here? Do I even really trust this person? Why do I feel the need to be alone and cut off everyone in my life?” These are the questions that circulate throughout my head, constantly. This familiarity of emotions and thoughts usually happens when my life hits a standstill. I grew cold to the world around me, becoming paranoid of everything, constantly questioning if I'm in danger, or if I can even trust them or myself so I became a loner; always trying to figure out what is wrong with me. Why am I different from everyone else? I think on a level that no one quite really understands, it can be frustrating sometimes. I usually wallow in self-pity and continue down this dark path for months until I finally snap out of it. That was until I found out something about myself that started to put all the puzzle pieces together. I am autistic, who would have thought? I chuckle every time I admit that phrase out loud but it makes perfect sense. My questions slowly began to be answered and I started to find myself again. Now that I gained this knowledge, I am trying to become the best version of myself. My depression season is back again and I continue to fight it. Although, instead of wallowing, I am attempting to find outlets to help my mental state. I started therapy, I write passages that I can relate to in a journal to help me process what I am feeling at that moment in time, and work out to help me get out of my head. Although I still feel the need to disassociate, I’m starting to find healthy ways to spend my time. I’m no longer as lost as I once was, I’m beginning to build a better and stronger relationship with myself and the world around me.

“What am I even doing here?” That’s the question that would always pop up in my head. Just as I look down the building, imagining what would happen if I just jumped. Although, I’ve never acted on the thought. I just stare, with my thoughts racing around my head. Eventually, my mind goes blank and goes back to reality. As simple as a flip of a switch in my head. I back away from the edge, and continue walking back down from the parking garage, enjoying the city view around me. Depression is a funny word to me. I was never the type of person to quite understand what exactly certain emotions mean. They’re all kind of a mystery to me, even now in the present, I don’t quite understand them. Most of the time I’m numb or neutral to the world around me. Don’t get me wrong, I get excited and laugh all the time but I’ve never been attached or present. To further explain, I’m always in my head, thinking, and dreaming of all of the possibilities around me. My knowledge of the world can consume me, to the point where I’m stuck in my head for months. This is my definition of depression. It may not be as severe as others but that doesn’t make it any less serious. Thoughts will consume me and I get stuck in a world that doesn’t exist. I tend to use escapism anytime I feel the need to “feel” something. Eventually, when I awake to reality, I get sad. I’m still trying to figure out why; it will happen out of nowhere, even in the happiest points of my life. I immediately feel the need to disassociate and reevaluate the things that are in my life. I’ll start to question my friendships, family, and even my own life. “What am I even doing here? Do I even really trust this person? Why do I feel the need to be alone and cut off everyone in my life?” These are the questions that circulate throughout my head, constantly. This familiarity of emotions and thoughts usually happens when my life hits a standstill. I grew cold to the world around me, becoming paranoid of everything, constantly questioning if I'm in danger, or if I can even trust them so I became a loner; always trying to figure out what is wrong with me. Why am I different from everyone else? I think on a level that no one quite really understands; it can be frustrating sometimes. I usually wallow in self-pity and continue down this dark path for months until I finally snap out of it. That was until I found out something about myself that started to put all the puzzle pieces together. I am autistic, who would have thought? My questions slowly began to be answered and I started to find myself again. Now that I gained this knowledge, I am trying to become the best version of myself. My depression season is back again, although instead of wallowing, I am attempting to find outlets to help my mental state. I started therapy, I write passages that I can relate to in a journal to help me process what I am feeling at that moment in time, and work out to help me get out of my head. Although I still feel the need to disassociate, I’m starting to find healthy ways to spend my time. I’m no longer as lost as I once was, I’m beginning to build a better and stronger relationship with myself and the world around me.

“What am I even doing here?” That’s the question that would always pop up in my head. Just as I look down the building, imagining what would happen if I just jumped. Although, I’ve never acted on the thought. I just stare, with my thoughts racing around my head. Eventually, my mind goes blank and goes back to reality. As simple as a flip of a switch in my head. I back away from the edge, and continue walking back down from the parking garage, enjoying the city view around me. Depression is a funny word to me. I was never the type of person to quite understand what exactly certain emotions mean. They’re all kind of a mystery to me, even now in the present, I don’t quite understand them. Most of the time I’m numb or neutral to the world around me. Don’t get me wrong, I get excited and laugh all the time but I’ve never been attached or present. To further explain, I’m always in my head, thinking, and dreaming of all of the possibilities around me. My knowledge of the world can consume me, to the point where I’m stuck in my head for months. This is my definition of depression. It may not be as severe as others but that doesn’t make it any less serious. Thoughts will consume me and I get stuck in a world that doesn’t exist. I tend to use escapism anytime I feel the need to “feel” something. Eventually, when I awake to reality, I get sad. I’m still trying to figure out why; it will happen out of nowhere, even in the happiest points of my life. I immediately feel the need to disassociate and reevaluate the things that are in my life. I’ll start to question my friendships, family, and even my own life. “What am I even doing here? Do I even really trust this person? Why do I feel the need to be alone and cut off everyone in my life?” These are the questions that circulate throughout my head, constantly. This familiarity of emotions and thoughts usually happens when my life hits a standstill. I grew cold to the world around me, becoming paranoid of everything, constantly questioning if I'm in danger, or if I can even trust them so I became a loner; always trying to figure out what is wrong with me. Why am I different from everyone else? I think on a level that no one quite really understands; it can be frustrating sometimes. I usually wallow in self-pity and continue down this dark path for months until I finally snap out of it. That was until I found out something about myself that started to put all the puzzle pieces together. I am autistic, who would have thought? My questions slowly began to be answered and I started to find myself again. Now that I gained this knowledge, I am trying to become the best version of myself. My depression season is back again, although instead of wallowing, I am attempting to find outlets to help my mental state. I started therapy, I write passages that I can relate to in a journal to help me process what I am feeling at that moment in time, and work out to help me get out of my head. Although I still feel the need to disassociate, I’m starting to find healthy ways to spend my time. I’m no longer as lost as I once was, I’m beginning to build a better and stronger relationship with myself and the world around me.

“What am I even doing here?” That’s the question that would always pop up in my head. Just as I look down the building, imagining what would happen if I just jumped. Although, I’ve never acted on the thought. I just stare, with my thoughts racing around my head. Eventually, my mind goes blank and goes back to reality. As simple as a flip of a switch in my head. I back away from the edge, and continue walking back down from the parking garage, enjoying the city view around me. Depression is a funny word to me. I was never the type of person to quite understand what exactly certain emotions mean. They’re all kind of a mystery to me, even now in the present, I don’t quite understand them. Most of the time I’m relatively numb or neutral to the world around me. Don’t get me wrong, I still get excited and laugh all the time but I’ve never really been attached or present. To further explain, I’m always in my head, thinking, and dreaming of all of the possibilities around me. Sometimes my knowledge of the world can consume me, to the point where I’m stuck in my head for long periods. This is my definition of depression. It may not be as severe as other people but that doesn’t make it any less serious. Thoughts will consume me and I get stuck in a world that doesn’t exist. I tend to use escapism anytime I feel the need to “feel” something. Eventually, when I awake to reality, I get sad and I don’t know why. I’m still trying to figure this out; it will happen out of nowhere and, sometimes, even in the happiest points of my life. I immediately feel the need to disassociate and reevaluate the things that are in my life. I’ll start to question my friendships, family, and even my own life. “What am I even doing here? Do I even really trust this person? Why do I feel the need to be alone and cut off everyone in my life?” These are the questions that circulate throughout my head, constantly. This familiarity of emotions and thoughts usually happens when my life hits a standstill. I grew cold to the world around me, becoming paranoid of everything, constantly questioning if I'm in danger, or if I can even trust them or myself so I became a loner; always trying to figure out what is wrong with me. Why am I different from everyone else? I think on a level that no one quite really understands, it can be frustrating sometimes. I usually wallow in self-pity and continue down this dark path for months until I finally snap out of it. That was until I found out something about myself that started to put all the puzzle pieces together. I am autistic, who would have thought? I chuckle every time I admit that phrase out loud but it makes perfect sense. My questions slowly began to be answered and I started to find myself again. Now that I gained this knowledge, I am trying to become the best version of myself. My depression season is back again and I continue to fight it. Although, instead of wallowing, I am attempting to find outlets to help my mental state. I started therapy, I write passages that I can relate to in a journal to help me process what I am feeling at that moment in time, and work out to help me get out of my head. Although I still feel the need to disassociate, I’m starting to find healthy ways to spend my time. I’m no longer as lost as I once was, I’m beginning to build a better and stronger relationship with myself and the world around me.

“What am I even doing here?” That’s the question that would always pop up in my head. Just as I look down the building, imagining what would happen if I just jumped. Although, I’ve never acted on the thought. I just stare, with my thoughts racing around my head. Eventually, my mind goes blank and goes back to reality. As simple as a flip of a switch in my head. I back away from the edge, and continue walking back down from the parking garage, enjoying the city view around me. Depression is a funny word to me. I was never the type of person to quite understand what exactly certain emotions mean. They’re all kind of a mystery to me, even now in the present, I don’t quite understand them. Most of the time I’m relatively numb or neutral to the world around me. Don’t get me wrong, I still get excited and laugh all the time but I’ve never really been attached or present. To further explain, I’m always in my head, thinking, and dreaming of all of the possibilities around me. Sometimes my knowledge of the world can consume me, to the point where I’m stuck in my head for long periods. This is my definition of depression. It may not be as severe as other people but that doesn’t make it any less serious. Thoughts will consume me and I get stuck in a world that doesn’t exist. I tend to use escapism anytime I feel the need to “feel” something. Eventually, when I awake to reality, I get sad and I don’t know why. I’m still trying to figure this out; it will happen out of nowhere and, sometimes, even in the happiest points of my life. I immediately feel the need to disassociate and reevaluate the things that are in my life. I’ll start to question my friendships, family, and even my own life. “What am I even doing here? Do I even really trust this person? Why do I feel the need to be alone and cut off everyone in my life?” These are the questions that circulate throughout my head, constantly. This familiarity of emotions and thoughts usually happens when my life hits a standstill. I grew cold to the world around me, becoming paranoid of everything, constantly questioning if I'm in danger, or if I can even trust them or myself so I became a loner; always trying to figure out what is wrong with me. Why am I different from everyone else? I think on a level that no one quite really understands, it can be frustrating sometimes. I usually wallow in self-pity and continue down this dark path for months until I finally snap out of it. That was until I found out something about myself that started to put all the puzzle pieces together. I am autistic, who would have thought? I chuckle every time I admit that phrase out loud but it makes perfect sense. My questions slowly began to be answered and I started to find myself again. Now that I gained this knowledge, I am trying to become the best version of myself. My depression season is back again and I continue to fight it. Although, instead of wallowing, I am attempting to find outlets to help my mental state. I started therapy, I write passages that I can relate to in a journal to help me process what I am feeling at that moment in time, and work out to help me get out of my head. Although I still feel the need to disassociate, I’m starting to find healthy ways to spend my time. I’m no longer as lost as I once was, I’m beginning to build a better and stronger relationship with myself and the world around me.

“What am I even doing here?” That’s the question that would always pop up in my head. Just as I look down the building, imagining what would happen if I just jumped. Although, I’ve never acted on the thought. I just stare, with my thoughts racing around my head. Eventually, my mind goes blank and goes back to reality. As simple as a flip of a switch in my head. I back away from the edge, and continue walking back down from the parking garage, enjoying the city view around me. Depression is a funny word to me. I was never the type of person to quite understand what exactly certain emotions mean. They’re all kind of a mystery to me, even now in the present, I don’t quite understand them. Most of the time I’m numb or neutral to the world around me. Don’t get me wrong, I get excited and laugh all the time but I’ve never been attached or present. To further explain, I’m always in my head, thinking, and dreaming of all of the possibilities around me. My knowledge of the world can consume me, to the point where I’m stuck in my head for months. This is my definition of depression. It may not be as severe as others but that doesn’t make it any less serious. Thoughts will consume me and I get stuck in a world that doesn’t exist. I tend to use escapism anytime I feel the need to “feel” something. Eventually, when I awake to reality, I get sad. I’m still trying to figure out why; it will happen out of nowhere, even in the happiest points of my life. I immediately feel the need to disassociate and reevaluate the things that are in my life. I’ll start to question my friendships, family, and even my own life. “What am I even doing here? Do I even really trust this person? Why do I feel the need to be alone and cut off everyone in my life?” These are the questions that circulate throughout my head, constantly. This familiarity of emotions and thoughts usually happens when my life hits a standstill. I grew cold to the world around me, becoming paranoid of everything, constantly questioning if I'm in danger, or if I can even trust them so I became a loner; always trying to figure out what is wrong with me. Why am I different from everyone else? I think on a level that no one quite really understands; it can be frustrating sometimes. I usually wallow in self-pity and continue down this dark path for months until I finally snap out of it. That was until I found out something about myself that started to put all the puzzle pieces together. I am autistic, who would have thought? My questions slowly began to be answered and I started to find myself again. Now that I gained this knowledge, I am trying to become the best version of myself. My depression season is back again, although instead of wallowing, I am attempting to find outlets to help my mental state. I started therapy, I write passages that I can relate to in a journal to help me process what I am feeling at that moment in time, and work out to help me get out of my head. Although I still feel the need to disassociate, I’m starting to find healthy ways to spend my time. I’m no longer as lost as I once was, I’m beginning to build a better and stronger relationship with myself and the world around me.

“What am I even doing here?” That’s the question that would always pop up in my head. Just as I look down the building, imagining what would happen if I just jumped. Although, I’ve never acted on the thought. I just stare, with my thoughts racing around my head. Eventually, my mind goes blank and goes back to reality. As simple as a flip of a switch in my head. I back away from the edge, and continue walking back down from the parking garage, enjoying the city view around me. Depression is a funny word to me. I was never the type of person to quite understand what exactly certain emotions mean. They’re all kind of a mystery to me, even now in the present, I don’t quite understand them. Most of the time I’m numb or neutral to the world around me. Don’t get me wrong, I get excited and laugh all the time but I’ve never been attached or present. To further explain, I’m always in my head, thinking, and dreaming of all of the possibilities around me. My knowledge of the world can consume me, to the point where I’m stuck in my head for months. This is my definition of depression. It may not be as severe as others but that doesn’t make it any less serious. Thoughts will consume me and I get stuck in a world that doesn’t exist. I tend to use escapism anytime I feel the need to “feel” something. Eventually, when I awake to reality, I get sad. I’m still trying to figure out why; it will happen out of nowhere, even in the happiest points of my life. I immediately feel the need to disassociate and reevaluate the things that are in my life. I’ll start to question my friendships, family, and even my own life. “What am I even doing here? Do I even really trust this person? Why do I feel the need to be alone and cut off everyone in my life?” These are the questions that circulate throughout my head, constantly. This familiarity of emotions and thoughts usually happens when my life hits a standstill. I grew cold to the world around me, becoming paranoid of everything, constantly questioning if I'm in danger, or if I can even trust them so I became a loner; always trying to figure out what is wrong with me. Why am I different from everyone else? I think on a level that no one quite really understands; it can be frustrating sometimes. I usually wallow in self-pity and continue down this dark path for months until I finally snap out of it. That was until I found out something about myself that started to put all the puzzle pieces together. I am autistic, who would have thought? My questions slowly began to be answered and I started to find myself again. Now that I gained this knowledge, I am trying to become the best version of myself. My depression season is back again, although instead of wallowing, I am attempting to find outlets to help my mental state. I started therapy, I write passages that I can relate to in a journal to help me process what I am feeling at that moment in time, and work out to help me get out of my head. Although I still feel the need to disassociate, I’m starting to find healthy ways to spend my time. I’m no longer as lost as I once was, I’m beginning to build a better and stronger relationship with myself and the world around me.

Doors slamming, people shouting, and endless amounts of fear surrounded me. The worst situation possible was slowly becoming a reality. The most frightening day of my life happened. Something that was supposed to be so beautiful quickly turned into a nightmare. My family and I began to worry when my mother looked pale in her hospital bed. She quickly went into labor and my relatives were rushed out of the room. Just before I left, I noticed my mother’s eyes were lifeless and the monitor started to erratically beep. Medical professionals immediately assembled in the room and shoved me out. We found out later that my mom went into cardiac arrest due to an anesthesiologist inserting the epidural incorrectly into the blood vessel three times. Thankfully, they were able to revive her and she is still with us today, along with my little sister. Ever since that day, I wanted to become someone who saves people, just like those doctors saved my mom. Eventually, I became determined to become a hero too. I explored thousands of options in the medical field, confused about which one I should be. Soon enough, an Orthopedic surgeon caught my attention when I injured myself participating in sports. I started learning about human anatomy and became fascinated with these doctors. Being an athlete, it's hard to live a life without sports. Being an Ortho surgeon, I can help critically injured athletes get back to the sport they love. Although, the fear of losing my mother continues to haunt me in the back of my mind. Nobody should ever have to experience a situation like this. On the bright side, I’ve learned what my future career path should be. Maybe one day, I could save someone and inspire them to become a hero too. Eventually, I plan to become somebody that can help others and change their lives for the better. I want to be able to see others achieve endless amounts of happiness that everyone on Earth longs for. No matter how difficult a situation a person goes through, I want to help them at least see the light at the end of the tunnel and help them maintain a positive mindset through the hardships of their life. With this degree I pursue, I can attend medical school and become the first person in my family to graduate from college, which would make my parents feel accomplished to see their child succeed. I am determined to become the best person I can be while still attempting to learn and grow as a person and go through the emotional roller coaster called life. When I become a successful healthcare professional, I will help represent Hispanic girls all over the United States and become a role model that minority girls can look up to and aspire to be. I plan to become successful not only for me but for the people who have doubts that Hispanic women can't make their way up the ladder. I aspire to motivate other women to become who they dream to be and this scholarship is the start of my journey to achieve just that.

My family and I began to worry when my mother looked pale in her hospital bed. She quickly went into labor and my relatives were rushed out of the room. Just before I left, I noticed my mother’s eyes were lifeless and the monitor started to erratically beep. Medical professionals immediately assembled in the room and shoved me out. We found out later that my mom went into cardiac arrest due to an anesthesiologist inserting the epidural incorrectly into the blood vessel three times. Thankfully, they were able to revive her and she is still with us today, along with my little sister. Ever since that day, I wanted to become someone who saves people, just like those doctors saved my mom. Eventually, I became determined to become a hero too. I explored thousands of options in the medical field, confused about which one I should be. Soon enough, an Orthopedic surgeon caught my attention when I injured myself participating in sports. I started learning about human anatomy and became fascinated with these doctors. Being an athlete, it's hard to live a life without sports. Being an Ortho surgeon, I can help critically injured athletes get back to the sport they love. Although, the fear of losing my mother continues to haunt me in the back of my mind. Nobody should ever have to experience a situation like this. On the bright side, I’ve learned what my future career path should be. Maybe one day, I could save someone and inspire them to become a hero too. Eventually, I plan to become somebody that can help others and change their lives for the better. I want to be able to see others achieve endless amounts of happiness that everyone on Earth longs for. No matter how difficult a situation a person goes through, I want to help them at least see the light at the end of the tunnel and help them maintain a positive mindset through the hardships of their life. With this degree I pursue, I can attend medical school and become the first person in my family to graduate from college, which would make my parents feel accomplished to see their child succeed. I am determined to become the best person I can be while still attempting to learn and grow as a person and go through the emotional roller coaster called life. When I become a successful healthcare professional, I will help represent Hispanic girls all over the United States and become a role model that minority girls can look up to and aspire to be. I plan to become successful not only for me but for the people who have doubts that Hispanic women can't make their way up the ladder. I aspire to motivate other women to become who they dream to be and this scholarship is the start of my journey to achieve just that.

Doors slamming, people shouting, and endless amounts of fear surrounded me. The worst situation possible was slowly becoming a reality. The most frightening day of my life happened. Something that was supposed to be so beautiful quickly turned into a nightmare. My family and I began to worry when my mother looked pale in her hospital bed. She quickly went into labor and my relatives were rushed out of the room. Just before I left, I noticed my mother’s eyes were lifeless and the monitor started to erratically beep. Medical professionals immediately assembled in the room and shoved me out. We found out later that my mom went into cardiac arrest due to an anesthesiologist inserting the epidural incorrectly into the blood vessel three times. Thankfully, they were able to revive her and she is still with us today, along with my little sister. Ever since that day, I wanted to become someone who saves people, just like those doctors saved my mom. Eventually, I became determined to become a hero too. I explored thousands of options in the medical field, confused about which one I should be. Soon enough, an Orthopedic surgeon caught my attention when I injured myself participating in sports. I started learning about human anatomy and became fascinated with these doctors. Being an athlete, it's hard to live a life without sports. Being an Ortho surgeon, I can help critically injured athletes get back to the sport they love. Although, the fear of losing my mother continues to haunt me in the back of my mind. Nobody should ever have to experience a situation like this. On the bright side, I’ve learned what my future career path should be. Maybe one day, I could save someone and inspire them to become a hero too. Eventually, I plan to become somebody that can help others and change their lives for the better. I want to be able to see others achieve endless amounts of happiness that everyone on Earth longs for. No matter how difficult a situation a person goes through, I want to help them at least see the light at the end of the tunnel and help them maintain a positive mindset through the hardships of their life. With this degree I pursue, I can attend medical school and become the first person in my family to graduate from college, which would make my parents feel accomplished to see their child succeed. I am determined to become the best person I can be while still attempting to learn and grow as a person and go through the emotional roller coaster called life. When I become a successful healthcare professional, I will help represent Hispanic girls all over the United States and become a role model that minority girls can look up to and aspire to be. I plan to become successful not only for me but for the people who have doubts that Hispanic women can't make their way up the ladder. I aspire to motivate other women to become who they dream to be and this scholarship is the start of my journey to achieve just that.

The artist Harry Style's song "Sign of the Times" is a song that has an important message to me. The reason was that there was a point in time when my family and I were going through some hardships. My uncle got diagnosed with lung cancer, my aunt had just attempted suicide, and I was going through some mental health issues at the time. The song showed me that everything will be okay. This isn't the end of what I thought was going to happen between the dark situations happening within my family. His song allowed me to become at peace with all of the problems that were happening. "Everything happens for a reason" so why should I try everything in my power to try and reverse fate? It helped me better understand my emotions and be able to be a stronger person for my family members so they could grieve. Eventually, my uncle became cancer free, my aunt is still with us today, and I got the psychiatrist help I needed. It forever changed my perspective and is something I admire talented artists for. Ever since then, music has been my escape to help me better understand my thoughts and emotions and I'm eternally thankful to have had a release from the issues around me.

Doors slamming, people shouting, and endless amounts of fear surrounded me. The worst situation possible was slowly becoming a reality. The most frightening day of my life happened. Something that was supposed to be so beautiful quickly turned into a nightmare. My family and I began to worry when my mother looked pale in her hospital bed. She quickly went into labor and my relatives were rushed out of the room. Just before I left, I noticed my mother’s eyes were lifeless and the monitor started to erratically beep. Medical professionals immediately assembled in the room and shoved me out. We found out later that my mom went into cardiac arrest due to an anesthesiologist inserting the epidural incorrectly into the blood vessel three times. Thankfully, they were able to revive her and she is still with us today, along with my little sister. Ever since that day, I wanted to become someone who saves people, just like those doctors saved my mom. Eventually, I became determined to become a hero too. I explored thousands of options in the medical field, confused about which one I should be. Soon enough, an Orthopedic surgeon caught my attention when I injured myself participating in sports. I started learning about human anatomy and became fascinated with these doctors. Being an athlete, it's hard to live a life without sports. Being an Ortho surgeon, I can help critically injured athletes get back to the sport they love. Currently, at my school, I am participating in a Certified Nursing Assistant program and I'm volunteering at the local Nursing Home in Bandera, Texas. I love helping out the residents that reside there and hope in the future, I'll be able to assist more patients. Although, the fear of losing my mother continues to haunt me in the back of my mind. Nobody should ever have to experience a situation like this. On the bright side, I’ve learned what my future career path should be. Maybe one day, I could save someone and inspire them to become a hero too. Eventually, I plan to become somebody that can help others and change their lives for the better. I want to be able to see others achieve endless amounts of happiness that everyone on Earth longs for. No matter how difficult a situation a person goes through, I want to help them at least see the light at the end of the tunnel and help them maintain a positive mindset through the hardships of their life. With this degree I pursue, I can attend medical school and become the first person in my family to graduate from college, which would make my parents feel accomplished to see their child succeed. I am determined to become the best person I can be while still attempting to learn and grow as a person and go through the emotional roller coaster called life. When I become a successful healthcare professional, I will help represent Hispanic girls all over the United States and become a role model that minority girls can look up to and aspire to be. I plan to become successful not only for me but for the people who have doubts that Hispanic women can't make their way up the ladder. I aspire to motivate other women to become who they dream to be and this scholarship is the start of my journey to achieve just that.

Doors slamming, people shouting, and endless amounts of fear surrounded me. The worst situation possible was slowly becoming a reality. The most frightening day of my life happened. Something that was supposed to be so beautiful quickly turned into a nightmare. My family and I began to worry when my mother looked pale in her hospital bed. She quickly went into labor and my relatives were rushed out of the room. Just before I left, I noticed my mother’s eyes were lifeless and the monitor started to erratically beep. Medical professionals immediately assembled in the room and shoved me out. We found out later that my mom went into cardiac arrest due to an anesthesiologist inserting the epidural incorrectly into the blood vessel three times. Thankfully, they were able to revive her and she is still with us today, along with my little sister. Ever since that day, I wanted to become someone who saves people, just like those doctors saved my mom. Eventually, I became determined to become a hero too. I explored thousands of options in the medical field, confused about which one I should be. Soon enough, an Orthopedic surgeon caught my attention when I injured myself participating in sports. I started learning about human anatomy and became fascinated with these doctors. Being an athlete, it's hard to live a life without sports. Being an Ortho surgeon, I can help critically injured athletes get back to the sport they love. Although, the fear of losing my mother continues to haunt me in the back of my mind. Nobody should ever have to experience a situation like this. On the bright side, I’ve learned what my future career path should be. Maybe one day, I could save someone and inspire them to become a hero too. Eventually, I plan to become somebody that can help others and change their lives for the better. I want to be able to see others achieve endless amounts of happiness that everyone on Earth longs for. No matter how difficult a situation a person goes through, I want to help them at least see the light at the end of the tunnel and help them maintain a positive mindset through the hardships of their life. With this degree I pursue, I can attend medical school and become the first person in my family to graduate from college, which would make my parents feel accomplished to see their child succeed. I am determined to become the best person I can be while still attempting to learn and grow as a person and go through the emotional roller coaster called life. When I become a successful healthcare professional, I will help represent Hispanic girls all over the United States and become a role model that minority girls can look up to and aspire to be. I plan to become successful not only for me but for the people who have doubts that Hispanic women can't make their way up the ladder. I aspire to motivate other women to become who they dream to be and this scholarship is the start of my journey to achieve just that.

As I exhaled, a sense of relief flooded my body. “I’m not crazy”, I told myself. My eyes started to get teary-eyed and a chuckle slipped from my mouth. I stopped listening to the psychiatrist and became lost in my thoughts. Everything in my life started to piece together and become clear. The feeling of being different, an outcast, was all because I have High Functioning Autism. At the age of seventeen, I found out I had High Functioning Autism. In short, I am autistic but I’ve learned to adapt and shield it from the world while trying to fight it constantly on the inside. Unknowingly, I’ve been suffering throughout my life. From the noise in stores hurting my ears to the intense anxiety from being overcrowded, and my need for things to be in a specific routine, all pointed to my autism. Even after learning all of the symptoms that autism included, I was in shock at how I fit into every single one. In my mind, I thought people with Autism were out of control and needed to be under special circumstances to function or they’d panic causing a scene. I didn’t realize that there are various types of Autism and that I could be a part of the neurodivergent community. Growing up, my schoolmates would always point out how different I act from other people. I would get picked on and hated by the “cool kids” because of my unusual personality. Frustrated with myself, I observed other individuals to see how normal people would present themselves. This allowed me to adapt to my surroundings, molding myself to fit these basic standards of society. For example, I became intimidating so people would stop picking on me. I joined sports to be included in all the extracurricular events and attempted to be the best at everything I did so I could be respected. As a result, I would come home extremely exhausted from being somebody else. Every day, my energy would drain causing me to be irritated with every action my family did. Which with time, took a toll on my mental health. When I was younger, I didn’t have many friends and, now, I am content with having only two close friends. My mother would worry about me being “antisocial” and force me to go out of the house. Although when I did go out, I would be quiet around people I wasn’t comfortable with and come off rude, even though that wasn’t my intention. I was cold-hearted with individuals because I had no clue how to express my emotions. My parents would argue with me since I couldn’t communicate how I was feeling. In my eyes, I genuinely felt indifferent to every situation and had no desire to care about things I should care about. Since I was able to overcome my other problems, I felt defeated by this situation due to failing every single time I tried to alter myself. Which now I realize is a symptom of Autism and I am getting prescribed medication to assist with anxiety. With the knowledge of how my neurodivergent mind works, I feel more secure and content with my view of the world. All of the difficulties I’ve faced possessing autism, make me feel that much more accomplished. The times I’ve cried and felt frustrated for not being able to be normal was due to not fitting into society’s standards. If anything, I’ve learned that being normal is boring. I rather continue to be myself, an outcast, being happy than mold myself into someone I’m not.

Doors slamming, people shouting, and endless amounts of fear surrounded me. The worst situation possible was slowly becoming a reality. The most frightening day of my life happened. Something that was supposed to be so beautiful quickly turned into a nightmare. My family and I began to worry when my mother looked pale in her hospital bed. She quickly went into labor and my relatives were rushed out of the room. Just before I left, I noticed my mother’s eyes were lifeless and the monitor started to erratically beep. Medical professionals immediately assembled in the room and shoved me out. We found out later that my mom went into cardiac arrest due to an anesthesiologist inserting the epidural incorrectly into the blood vessel three times. Thankfully, they were able to revive her and she is still with us today, along with my little sister. Ever since that day, I wanted to become someone who saves people, just like those doctors saved my mom. Eventually, I became determined to become a hero too. I explored thousands of options in the medical field, confused about which one I should be. Soon enough, an Orthopedic surgeon caught my attention when I injured myself participating in sports. I started learning about human anatomy and became fascinated with these doctors. Being an athlete, it's hard to live a life without sports. Being an Ortho surgeon, I can help critically injured athletes get back to the sport they love. Although, the fear of losing my mother continues to haunt me in the back of my mind. Nobody should ever have to experience a situation like this. On the bright side, I’ve learned what my future career path should be. Maybe one day, I could save someone and inspire them to become a hero too. Eventually, I plan to become somebody that can help others and change their lives for the better. I want to be able to see others achieve endless amounts of happiness that everyone on Earth longs for. No matter how difficult a situation a person goes through, I want to help them at least see the light at the end of the tunnel and help them maintain a positive mindset through the hardships of their life. With this degree I pursue, I can attend medical school and become the first person in my family to graduate from college, which would make my parents feel accomplished to see their child succeed. I am determined to become the best person I can be while still attempting to learn and grow as a person and go through the emotional roller coaster called life. When I become a successful healthcare professional, I will help represent Hispanic girls all over the United States and become a role model that minority girls can look up to and aspire to be. I plan to become successful not only for me but for the people who have doubts that Hispanic women can't make their way up the ladder. I aspire to motivate other women to become who they dream to be and this scholarship is the start of my journey to achieve just that.

Doors slamming, people shouting, and endless amounts of fear surrounded me. The worst situation possible was slowly becoming a reality. The most frightening day of my life happened. Something that was supposed to be so beautiful quickly turned into a nightmare. My family and I began to worry when my mother looked pale in her hospital bed. She quickly went into labor and my relatives were rushed out of the room. Just before I left, I noticed my mother’s eyes were lifeless and the monitor started to erratically beep. Medical professionals immediately assembled in the room and shoved me out. We found out later that my mom went into cardiac arrest due to an anesthesiologist inserting the epidural incorrectly into the blood vessel three times. Thankfully, they were able to revive her and she is still with us today, along with my little sister. Ever since that day, I wanted to become someone who saves people, just like those doctors saved my mom. Eventually, I became determined to become a hero too. I explored thousands of options in the medical field, confused about which one I should be. Soon enough, an Orthopedic surgeon caught my attention when I injured myself participating in sports. I started learning about human anatomy and became fascinated with these doctors. Being an athlete, it's hard to live a life without sports. Being an Ortho surgeon, I can help critically injured athletes get back to the sport they love. Although, the fear of losing my mother continues to haunt me in the back of my mind. Nobody should ever have to experience a situation like this. On the bright side, I’ve learned what my future career path should be. Maybe one day, I could save someone and inspire them to become a hero too. Eventually, I plan to become somebody that can help others and change their lives for the better. I want to be able to see others achieve endless amounts of happiness that everyone on Earth longs for. No matter how difficult a situation a person goes through, I want to help them at least see the light at the end of the tunnel and help them maintain a positive mindset through the hardships of their life. With this degree I pursue, I can attend medical school and become the first person in my family to graduate from college, which would make my parents feel accomplished to see their child succeed. I am determined to become the best person I can be while still attempting to learn and grow as a person and go through the emotional roller coaster called life. When I become a successful healthcare professional, I will help represent Hispanic girls all over the United States and become a role model that minority girls can look up to and aspire to be. I plan to become successful not only for me but for the people who have doubts that Hispanic women can't make their way up the ladder. I aspire to motivate other women to become who they dream to be and this scholarship is the start of my journey to achieve just that.

As I exhaled, a sense of relief flooded my body. “I’m not crazy”, I told myself. My eyes started to get teary-eyed and a chuckle slipped from my mouth. I stopped listening to the psychiatrist and became lost in my thoughts. Everything in my life started to piece together and become clear. The feeling of being different, an outcast, was all because I have High Functioning Autism. At the age of seventeen, I found out I had High Functioning Autism. In short, I am autistic but I’ve learned to adapt and shield it from the world while trying to fight it constantly on the inside. Unknowingly, I’ve been suffering throughout my life. From the noise in stores hurting my ears to the intense anxiety from being overcrowded, and my need for things to be in a specific routine, all pointed to my autism. Even after learning all of the symptoms that autism included, I was in shock at how I fit into every single one. In my mind, I thought people with Autism were out of control and needed to be under special circumstances to function or they’d panic causing a scene. I didn’t realize that there are various types of Autism and that I could be a part of the neurodivergent community. Growing up, my schoolmates would always point out how different I act from other people. I would get picked on and hated by the “cool kids” because of my unusual personality. Frustrated with myself, I observed other individuals to see how normal people would present themselves. This allowed me to adapt to my surroundings, molding myself to fit these basic standards of society. For example, I became intimidating so people would stop picking on me. I joined sports to be included in all the extracurricular events and attempted to be the best at everything I did so I could be respected. As a result, I would come home extremely exhausted from being somebody else. Every day, my energy would drain causing me to be irritated with every action my family did. Which with time, took a toll on my mental health. When I was younger, I didn’t have many friends and, now, I am content with having only two close friends. My mother would worry about me being “antisocial” and force me to go out of the house. Although when I did go out, I would be quiet around people I wasn’t comfortable with and come off rude, even though that wasn’t my intention. I was cold-hearted with individuals because I had no clue how to express my emotions. My parents would argue with me since I couldn’t communicate how I was feeling. In my eyes, I genuinely felt indifferent to every situation and had no desire to care about things I should care about. Since I was able to overcome my other problems, I felt defeated by this situation due to failing every single time I tried to alter myself. Which now I realize is a symptom of Autism and I am getting prescribed medication to assist with anxiety. With the knowledge of how my neurodivergent mind works, I feel more secure and content with my view of the world. All of the difficulties I’ve faced possessing autism, make me feel that much more accomplished. The times I’ve cried and felt frustrated for not being able to be normal was due to not fitting into society’s standards. If anything, I’ve learned that being normal is boring. I rather continue to be myself, an outcast, being happy than mold myself into someone I’m not.

I am determined to become somebody that can help others and change their lives for the better. I want to be able to see others achieve endless amounts of happiness that everyone on Earth longs for. No matter how difficult a situation a person goes through, I want to help them at least see the light at the end of the tunnel and help them maintain a positive mindset through the hardships of their life. With this degree I pursue, I can attend medical school and become the first person in my family to graduate from college, which would make my parents feel accomplished to see their child succeed. I am determined to become the best person I can be while still attempting to learn and grow as a person and go through the emotional roller coaster called life. When I become a successful healthcare professional, I will help represent Hispanic girls all over the United States and become a role model that minority girls can look up to and aspire to be. I plan to become successful not only for me but for the people who have doubts that Hispanic women can't make their way up the ladder. I aspire to motivate other women to become who they dream to be and this scholarship is the start of my journey to achieve just that.

Doors slamming, people shouting, and endless amounts of fear surrounded me. The worst situation possible was slowly becoming a reality. The most frightening day of my life happened. Something that was supposed to be so beautiful quickly turned into a nightmare. My family and I began to worry when my mother looked pale in her hospital bed. She quickly went into labor and my relatives were rushed out of the room. Just before I left, I noticed my mother’s eyes were lifeless and the monitor started to erratically beep. Medical professionals immediately assembled in the room and shoved me out. We found out later that my mom went into cardiac arrest due to an anesthesiologist inserting the epidural incorrectly into the blood vessel three times. Thankfully, they were able to revive her and she is still with us today, along with my little sister. Ever since that day, I wanted to become someone who saves people, just like those doctors saved my mom. Eventually, I became determined to become a hero too. I explored thousands of options in the medical field, confused about which one I should be. Soon enough, an Orthopedic surgeon caught my attention when I injured myself participating in sports. I started learning about human anatomy and became fascinated with these doctors. Being an athlete, it's hard to live a life without sports. Being an Ortho surgeon, I can help critically injured athletes get back to the sport they love. Although, the fear of losing my mother continues to haunt me in the back of my mind. Nobody should ever have to experience a situation like this. On the bright side, I’ve learned what my future career path should be. Maybe one day, I could save someone and inspire them to become a hero too. Eventually, I plan to become somebody that can help others and change their lives for the better. I want to be able to see others achieve endless amounts of happiness that everyone on Earth longs for. No matter how difficult a situation a person goes through, I want to help them at least see the light at the end of the tunnel and help them maintain a positive mindset through the hardships of their life. With this degree I pursue, I can attend medical school and become the first person in my family to graduate from college, which would make my parents feel accomplished to see their child succeed. I am determined to become the best person I can be while still attempting to learn and grow as a person and go through the emotional roller coaster called life. When I become a successful healthcare professional, I will help represent Hispanic girls all over the United States and become a role model that minority girls can look up to and aspire to be. I plan to become successful not only for me but for the people who have doubts that Hispanic women can't make their way up the ladder. I aspire to motivate other women to become who they dream to be and this scholarship is the start of my journey to achieve just that.

Doors slamming, people shouting, and endless amounts of fear surrounded me. The worst situation possible was slowly becoming a reality. The most frightening day of my life happened. Something that was supposed to be so beautiful quickly turned into a nightmare. My family and I began to worry when my mother looked pale in her hospital bed. She quickly went into labor and my relatives were rushed out of the room. Just before I left, I noticed my mother’s eyes were lifeless and the monitor started to erratically beep. Medical professionals immediately assembled in the room and shoved me out. We found out later that my mom went into cardiac arrest due to an anesthesiologist inserting the epidural incorrectly into the blood vessel three times. Thankfully, they were able to revive her and she is still with us today, along with my little sister. Ever since that day, I wanted to become someone who saves people, just like those doctors saved my mom. Eventually, I became determined to become a hero too. I explored thousands of options in the medical field, confused about which one I should be. Soon enough, an Orthopedic surgeon caught my attention when I injured myself participating in sports. I started learning about human anatomy and became fascinated with these doctors. Being an athlete, it's hard to live a life without sports. Being an Ortho surgeon, I can help critically injured athletes get back to the sport they love. Although, the fear of losing my mother continues to haunt me in the back of my mind. Nobody should ever have to experience a situation like this. On the bright side, I’ve learned what my future career path should be. Maybe one day, I could save someone and inspire them to become a hero too. Eventually, I plan to become somebody that can help others and change their lives for the better. I want to be able to see others achieve endless amounts of happiness that everyone on Earth longs for. No matter how difficult a situation a person goes through, I want to help them at least see the light at the end of the tunnel and help them maintain a positive mindset through the hardships of their life. With this degree I pursue, I can attend medical school and become the first person in my family to graduate from college, which would make my parents feel accomplished to see their child succeed. I am determined to become the best person I can be while still attempting to learn and grow as a person and go through the emotional roller coaster called life. When I become a successful healthcare professional, I will help represent Hispanic girls all over the United States and become a role model that minority girls can look up to and aspire to be. I plan to become successful not only for me but for the people who have doubts that Hispanic women can't make their way up the ladder. I aspire to motivate other women to become who they dream to be and this scholarship is the start of my journey to achieve just that.

Doors slamming, people shouting, and endless amounts of fear surrounded me. The worst situation possible was slowly becoming a reality. The most frightening day of my life happened. Something that was supposed to be so beautiful quickly turned into a nightmare. My family and I began to worry when my mother looked pale in her hospital bed. She quickly went into labor and my relatives were rushed out of the room. Just before I left, I noticed my mother’s eyes were lifeless and the monitor started to erratically beep. Medical professionals immediately assembled in the room and shoved me out. We found out later that my mom went into cardiac arrest due to an anesthesiologist inserting the epidural incorrectly into the blood vessel three times. Thankfully, they were able to revive her and she is still with us today, along with my little sister. Ever since that day, I wanted to become someone who saves people, just like those doctors saved my mom. Eventually, I became determined to become a hero too. I explored thousands of options in the medical field, confused about which one I should be. Soon enough, an Orthopedic surgeon caught my attention when I injured myself participating in sports. I started learning about human anatomy and became fascinated with these doctors. Being an athlete, it's hard to live a life without sports. Being an Ortho surgeon, I can help critically injured athletes get back to the sport they love. Although, the fear of losing my mother continues to haunt me in the back of my mind. Nobody should ever have to experience a situation like this. On the bright side, I’ve learned what my future career path should be. Maybe one day, I could save someone and inspire them to become a hero too. Eventually, I plan to become somebody that can help others and change their lives for the better. I want to be able to see others achieve endless amounts of happiness that everyone on Earth longs for. No matter how difficult a situation a person goes through, I want to help them at least see the light at the end of the tunnel and help them maintain a positive mindset through the hardships of their life. With this degree I pursue, I can attend medical school and become the first person in my family to graduate from college, which would make my parents feel accomplished to see their child succeed. I am determined to become the best person I can be while still attempting to learn and grow as a person and go through the emotional roller coaster called life. When I become a successful healthcare professional, I will help represent Hispanic girls all over the United States and become a role model that minority girls can look up to and aspire to be. I plan to become successful not only for me but for the people who have doubts that Hispanic women can't make their way up the ladder. I aspire to motivate other women to become who they dream to be and this scholarship is the start of my journey to achieve just that.

Character is nothing less than who you are. I believe that your character shows truest when you are faced with real challenges. While attending high school, I noticed a staff member verbally and emotionally abusing students at the school, in addition to mistreating me. I did not believe that this was morally right so I stood up for myself and others and reported the actions to the administration. An investigation was conducted to reveal how many students the staff member had affected. Eventually, after the findings were revealed, the school board took disciplinary action against the staff member and allowed the students who were victims to gain justice. While I took no joy in the process, I was proud of myself for taking a stand for myself and others. The greatest gift one can give themself is to give of themself to others. During my time in high school, I’ve been able to participate in service projects for the school and my community. I participated when our class decided to clean up litter around the school so that our school’s outward appearance reflects the great things that happen within the walls. Additionally, in Student Council, we help raise money to help students who can't afford necessities. We used the money we raised to buy items that kids needed for school. In FCCLA, all members help raise and sell wreaths to place on veterans' graves to honor them over the holiday breaks. For the National Honor Society, we volunteer at community events where we serve food to people that may not be able to afford meals. Currently, the Student Council is raising money to give back to the Uvalde community after the tragic events that took place there. Eventually, I plan to become somebody that can help others and change their lives for the better. I want to be able to see others achieve endless amounts of happiness that everyone on Earth longs for. No matter how difficult a situation a person goes through, I want to help them at least see the light at the end of the tunnel and help them maintain a positive mindset through the hardships of their life. With this degree I pursue, I can attend medical school and become the first person in my family to graduate from college, which would make my parents feel accomplished to see their child succeed. I am determined to become the best person I can be while still attempting to learn and grow as a person and go through the emotional roller coaster called life. When I become a successful healthcare professional, I will help represent Hispanic girls all over the United States and become a role model that minority girls can look up to and aspire to be. I plan to become successful not only for me but for the people who have doubts that Hispanic women can't make their way up the ladder. I aspire to motivate other women to become who they dream to be and this scholarship is the start of my journey to achieve just that.

Doors slamming, people shouting, and endless amounts of fear surrounded me. The worst situation possible was slowly becoming a reality. The most frightening day of my life happened. Something that was supposed to be so beautiful quickly turned into a nightmare. My family and I began to worry when my mother looked pale in her hospital bed. She quickly went into labor and my relatives were rushed out of the room. Just before I left, I noticed my mother’s eyes were lifeless and the monitor started to erratically beep. Medical professionals immediately assembled in the room and shoved me out. We found out later that my mom went into cardiac arrest due to an anesthesiologist inserting the epidural incorrectly into the blood vessel three times. Thankfully, they were able to revive her and she is still with us today, along with my little sister. Ever since that day, I wanted to become someone who saves people, just like those doctors saved my mom. Eventually, I became determined to become a hero too. I explored thousands of options in the medical field, confused about which one I should be. Soon enough, an Orthopedic surgeon caught my attention when I injured myself participating in sports. I started learning about human anatomy and became fascinated with these doctors. Being an athlete, it's hard to live a life without sports. Being an Ortho surgeon, I can help critically injured athletes get back to the sport they love. Although, the fear of losing my mother continues to haunt me in the back of my mind. Nobody should ever have to experience a situation like this. On the bright side, I’ve learned what my future career path should be. Maybe one day, I could save someone and inspire them to become a hero too. Eventually, I plan to become somebody that can help others and change their lives for the better. I want to be able to see others achieve endless amounts of happiness that everyone on Earth longs for. No matter how difficult a situation a person goes through, I want to help them at least see the light at the end of the tunnel and help them maintain a positive mindset through the hardships of their life. With this degree I pursue, I can attend medical school and become the first person in my family to graduate from college, which would make my parents feel accomplished to see their child succeed. I am determined to become the best person I can be while still attempting to learn and grow as a person and go through the emotional roller coaster called life. When I become a successful healthcare professional, I will help represent Hispanic girls all over the United States and become a role model that minority girls can look up to and aspire to be. I plan to become successful not only for me but for the people who have doubts that Hispanic women can't make their way up the ladder. I aspire to motivate other women to become who they dream to be and this scholarship is the start of my journey to achieve just that.

Doors slamming, people shouting, and endless amounts of fear surrounded me. The worst situation possible was slowly becoming a reality. The most frightening day of my life happened. Something that was supposed to be so beautiful quickly turned into a nightmare. My family and I began to worry when my mother looked pale in her hospital bed. She quickly went into labor and my relatives were rushed out of the room. Just before I left, I noticed my mother’s eyes were lifeless and the monitor started to erratically beep. Medical professionals immediately assembled in the room and shoved me out. We found out later that my mom went into cardiac arrest due to an anesthesiologist inserting the epidural incorrectly into the blood vessel three times. Thankfully, they were able to revive her and she is still with us today, along with my little sister. Ever since that day, I wanted to become someone who saves people, just like those doctors saved my mom. Eventually, I became determined to become a hero too. I explored thousands of options in the medical field, confused about which one I should be. Soon enough, an Orthopedic surgeon caught my attention when I injured myself participating in sports. I started learning about human anatomy and became fascinated with these doctors. Being an athlete, it's hard to live a life without sports. Being an Ortho surgeon, I can help critically injured athletes get back to the sport they love. Although, the fear of losing my mother continues to haunt me in the back of my mind. Nobody should ever have to experience a situation like this. On the bright side, I’ve learned what my future career path should be. Maybe one day, I could save someone and inspire them to become a hero too. Eventually, I plan to become somebody that can help others and change their lives for the better. I want to be able to see others achieve endless amounts of happiness that everyone on Earth longs for. No matter how difficult a situation a person goes through, I want to help them at least see the light at the end of the tunnel and help them maintain a positive mindset through the hardships of their life. With this degree I pursue, I can attend medical school and become the first person in my family to graduate from college, which would make my parents feel accomplished to see their child succeed. I am determined to become the best person I can be while still attempting to learn and grow as a person and go through the emotional roller coaster called life. When I become a successful healthcare professional, I will help represent Hispanic girls all over the United States and become a role model that minority girls can look up to and aspire to be. I plan to become successful not only for me but for the people who have doubts that Hispanic women can't make their way up the ladder. I aspire to motivate other women to become who they dream to be and this scholarship is the start of my journey to achieve just that.

In an instant, I already knew that this was it for me. The whole world fell in silence as the cracking noise echoed in my ears. Collapsing at the finish line, my mom immediately knew something was wrong and picked me up and sped to the hospital. After the doctors carefully examined my x-rays, my heel was fractured from continuously racing on a sprained ankle. Days after the “incident”, my life became a blur since my only sense of identity—sports— was snatched from my hands in a blink of an eye. My new reality of being outcasted on the sidelines. The pent-up anger I desperately tried to conceal in the classroom soon caused everybody to distance themselves from me. I was lost, hobbling around the school in my boot with the sparkle gone from my eyes. The frustration of falling behind physically and the fear of the unknown overtook my mind. My insecurities became to grow and there was no distraction from my reality. I watched all of my teammates practice in the gym while I sat on the bench. I became quiet, unhappy, and unapproachable to all of the teachers and students at my school. Realization struck when I realized I was completely alone from when I reluctantly pushed everyone in my life away, so I decided it was time to find a silver lining to this dark cloud over my head. Although sports were my sense of identity, I figured there is more to life than extracurriculars. As I was released to participate in athletics, I started to lift weights in my local gym since I still needed to stay active. While searching for a new identity, I found happiness in embracing the dorky side of myself by learning about anything and everything. I developed my sense of style and gradually started building my confidence in myself. I even cheer for my teammates from the crowd and push them to be better. I became fond of the medical field and plan to become an Orthopedic surgeon to help other kids, like myself, with their injuries. Despite still being handicapped from my injury, I’ve learned that it’s okay to sit on the sidelines and cheer for other people. I have also learned to participate in other hobbies and sports to strengthen my ankle. Even in the blistering cold, my foot will hurt but it's a reminder that I can't overdo things to the point of my body malfunctioning. In the end, my identity that was once lost has been found.

Dream big they always say to me. With this in mind, my goal is to be an inspiration for Hispanic women all across the world and finally feel the feeling of genuine happiness. There may not be an abundance of goals or dreams to have, and they may be near impossible, but this does not stop me from dreaming to obtain them.

I believe that I should receive this scholarship because it can help with my career plan since I am determined to become somebody that can help others and change their lives for the better. I want to be able to see others achieve excessive amounts of happiness that everyone on Earth longs for. No matter how difficult a situation a person goes through, I want to help them at least see the light at the end of the tunnel and help them maintain a positive mindset through the hardships of their life. With this degree I pursue, I can attend medical school and become the first person in my family to graduate from college, which would make them feel accomplished to see their child succeed. I am determined to become the best person I can be while still attempting to learn and grow as a person. When I become a healthcare professional, I will help represent Hispanic girls all over the United states and become a role model minority girls can look up to. I plan to become successful not only for me, but for the people who have doubts that it is impossible for Hispanic women to make their way up the ladder. I aspire to motivate other women to become who they dream to be and this scholarship is a start to my journey to achieve just that.

I want to go to college because it can help with my career plan since I am determined to become somebody that can help others and change their lives for the better. I want to be able to see others achieve excessive amounts of happiness that everyone on Earth longs for. No matter how difficult a situation a person goes through, I want to help them at least see the light at the end of the tunnel. With this degree I pursue, I can attend medical school and become the first person in my family to graduate from college. When I become a healthcare professional, I will help represent Hispanic girls all over the United states and become a role model minority girls can look up to. I plan to become successful not only for me, but for the people who have doubts that it is impossible for Hispanic women to make their way up the ladder. I aspire to motivate other women to become who they dream to be and going to college is a start to my journey.

Going to college is important to me because it can help with my career plan since I am determined to become somebody that can help others and change their lives for the better. I want to be able to see others achieve excessive amounts of happiness that everyone on Earth longs for. No matter how difficult a situation a person goes through, I want to help them at least see the light at the end of the tunnel. With this degree I pursue, I can attend medical school and become the first person in my family to graduate from college. When I become a healthcare professional, I will help represent Hispanic girls all over the United states and become a role model minority girls can look up to. I plan to become successful not only for me, but for the people who have doubts that it is impossible for Hispanic women to make their way up the ladder. I aspire to motivate other women to become who they dream to be and this college is a start to my journey.