My name is Yumiko, and I am a 20-year-old college sophomore attending community college, pursuing a major in graphic design. As a first-generation college student from an immigrant family, my journey has been shaped by perseverance, hard work, and an unwavering belief in the power of education. I come from a background where opportunities were scarce, but my mother, a single parent and first-generation immigrant, taught me that with determination and effort, I could overcome any obstacle. She has been my guiding light, instilling in me the values of family, resilience, and the importance of building a better future for myself and those around me. My mother raised me and my three siblings without child support or any assistance from our biological father. She worked tirelessly, often juggling multiple jobs to provide for us. I watched her endure tough times with grace and strength. Her struggles have fueled my desire to succeed, not just for myself but to give back to her and others who face similar challenges. It is through her example that I learned the value of hard work, sacrifice, and the power of perseverance. Growing up in a household where financial resources were limited, I learned to appreciate the intangible things in life, such as creativity and love. These qualities, I believe, are what have made my passion for graphic design so meaningful. Art has always been a form of self-expression for me—a way to convey emotions, ideas, and beauty. Graphic design, in particular, allows me to combine my love for visual art with my desire to communicate with others tangibly. Through design, I have found my purpose: to create visual representations of what is beautiful in my eyes and to help others do the same. I believe that art has the power to transcend barriers, connecting people across cultures, backgrounds, and beliefs. Whether through a painting, a song, or a graphic design piece, art is a universal language that can speak to people’s emotions and experiences, often bridging divides that seem insurmountable. In a world increasingly divided by differences, art unites us, allowing us to see the beauty in each other’s perspectives. For me, art has been a life-changing force. It gave me a sense of purpose during difficult times and a way to express myself when words were not enough. Through art, I have been able to channel my emotions into something beautiful and meaningful, and it has allowed me to connect with others who share similar experiences. The process of creation has given me confidence, and now, as a graphic designer, I want to help others materialize their visions of beauty. I want to empower others to express themselves and to create something that resonates with their identity and experiences. Ultimately, I know that art has the power to transform lives. It connects us in ways that words alone cannot. Through my education in graphic design, I hope to refine my skills and use art to bring about change in the world. I want to help people see the beauty within themselves and the world, just as art has allowed me to do. My goal is to continue creating and inspiring others to do the same. In conclusion, I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to pursue my passion for graphic design, and I am committed to using my education to make a difference in the world. With the support of this scholarship, I will continue to build the skills necessary to impact society through art, while also honoring the sacrifices of my mother and family who have made this dream possible.

From as far back as I can recall clearly, I have struggled with life's misfortunes. I was born in Dallas, Texas, but most of my early life was spent in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. From the age of two to the age of twelve, I lived in Canada as an American-born citizen. The reason for this move was due to my mother being a first-generation immigrant who was never married but had three children with my biological father. She became a single parent as she moved to Canada to give us a better life, even if she had to move to a foreign nation, by herself with no family but her four kids, who were ages six, three, and two. While in Canada, the year of 2007, our family welcomed the birth of our baby brother Danny. While he was also born from the same mother and father as us sisters, our parents still did not marry, and our father continued to not provide any support. This made it more difficult with the reality that our brother Danny was born with Trisomy 21 Down Syndrome and was born as a Canadian citizen. As the years passed, we continued to move houses constantly by carrying our clothes, toys, TVs, furniture, and other items on our literal backs and by hand. We moved from the basement of a house owned by another family to the back of a hair salon shop to another basement, amongst many other places. While our living situation and finances were not desired, we were blessed to be able to attend school even as American citizens in Canada. This was only possible by the kindness of the president of the elementary school we attend; she made a special exemption for the three of us sisters to start going to her public school. While we went to school and eventually graduated, she also helped us to get into the high school that was attached (but not associated) with the elementary school. I was not able to graduate from this alternative middle school as the summer going into my eighth-grade year, my sisters and I moved to Pennsylvania. This was not a decision that my sisters or I had a say in, our mother decided to send us back to America by ourselves to live with guardians that she was promised were good people by our pastor. The reason for the move was that my oldest sister Teresa would be going into her senior year of high school and have to start applying for colleges, so to not get into legal problems and have to pay international student tuition, we moved her senior year to Pennsylvania so that she could get into an in-state college for more realistically affordable tuition. We moved from the big city of Toronto, Ontario, to the small rural community of Cabot, PA. This move not only uprooted us in the literal sense, it also turned our world upside down figuratively. My sisters and I lived with legal guardians who were not appointed by the court but by written and signed agreements from both parents. We were identified as non-accompanied minors and homeless, qualifying for the Free Lunch program and exemptions. I had to live through many struggles and adversity I endured as a child of separated parents, a single parent, the sibling of another with Down Syndrome, living below the poverty line, and being part of the minority as a person of color. Despite all this, I now attend community college, majoring in Graphic Design. I can clearly remember the first moment I fell in love with art, I was three years old and had yet to start school. It was during summer, and I drew a masterpiece of a beautiful sunny day. To many others, my artwork would be like the common unrecognizable scribbles of any child, to me, it was a life-changing moment. That day, I created something completely original all by myself with my own hands. Ever since that day, when I was able to materialize visually what my eyes perceived the beauty of the world to be, I knew that I would be an artist. When asked who inspires me, I look back upon my life and try to determine a singular individual that inspires me, but that is impossible. This is impossible because I can not decide on just one person out of all the lives that have touched me and impacted my life, I can say with certainty that four people motivate my drive for success in all areas of my life and continue to do so. My family is the reason I strive for higher achievement and push myself to continuously improve in education, work, art, and how I carry myself. My first role model is my single-parent and first-generation immigrant mother. Through her sweat, tears, and love for her children, I grew up learning the importance of family, love, education, and perseverance. My siblings are the last three people. My two older sisters paved the way and set examples of what I should or should not do in school and life. They set high bars of expectations for me to reach or surpass, while at first, I hated the idea of living up to my sisters and their reputations, as I grew older, I understood more and appreciated them more. It is because of my two older sisters that I fell in love with education and learned to always trust in myself and my abilities, as well as to never rely upon the pity of another or their opinions. The last of my siblings, my younger brother with Down Syndrome, Danny, gave me the purpose to move forward toward a better life and strive for the dreams of a future full of opportunities for myself. My family grounds me and keeps me on the right track, but they also are the ones who lift me and give me the hope to fly and achieve my dreams. With my family's support and love, as well as my love for art, I have dreamed and planned from an early age to become an artist. While this dream has changed from what it was originally, my initial reason for becoming an artist remains the same. I pledged to myself that I would use my artistic talent, love for education and improvement, and the attributes that my family and others have instilled in me to help others create beautiful moments and artwork that can capture even the littlest bit of this world's ethereal and indescribable beauty for the entire earth to see.

My earliest memory involving art was when I was in preschool, about three years old, I painted a masterpiece of a beautiful sunny day. To some, it might not have seemed like a masterpiece and confusing, but to me, it was the first taste of being an artist. It was my first taste of creating something of my own that reflected the beauty of the world in my little three-year-old eyes. Ever since that moment, I have continued to draw, paint, craft, and collage anything art-related I could learn. However, I am forever going to favor traditional sketching and painting. Now that I am much older and have learned much more about technique, technical terms, and also about the world, I have grown to love art and appreciate it even more. Art is a way to express myself when all else fails, when words cannot describe what I want to convey. Art is my joy in the best of happy times and my solace in my deepest and darkest hours. Especially now, in the world with all the strife and anger that builds, art allows me to discover my feelings and my beliefs. It also continues to allow me to appreciate the little things and moments in life as I look at memories, events, and nature through different lenses. As I try to capture what I see, I notice the little details, such as the way the sun shines on the water, the way that the autumn leaves fall to the ground, the fresh dew in the morning, the beauty of a thunderstorm and even all the loud and quiet moments with my family. I have many people who inspire me in all aspects of my life, from art to music to school and sports. However, looking back upon my life, five people motivate my drive for success in all areas of my life. My family is the reason I strive for higher achievement and push myself to continuously improve in education, work, and how I carry myself. My first role model is my single-parent and first-generation immigrant. Through her sweat, tears, and love for her children, I grew up learning the importance of family, love, education, and perseverance. My siblings are the last four people. My two older sisters paved the way, and my younger brother with Down Syndrome gave me the purpose to move forward. My family is the first reason I fell in love with art and also the first to encourage me to pursue it even when it is not the most financially stable major or career to pursue.

This scholarship will go a long way to help me reach my dreams, goals, and aspirations, especially since I am a first-generation and independent student. Starting from a very young age, I learned the struggles that money, especially not having enough or any money, can have upon a person and a family. So, to help my sisters and me, our mother made a tough decision to give us away and entrusted our care to guardians she appointed us. Starting in eighth grade, I moved from Toronto to Saxonburg, PA. My sisters and I lived with legal guardians who were not appointed by the court but by written and signed agreements from both parents. We were identified as non-accompanied minors and homeless, qualifying for the Free Lunch program and exemptions. In my first year at BC3, I was still considered homeless as my situation remained the same. In my second year, my living situation remains the same, and I continue to not receive any financial assistance from my family, only through grants and scholarships. With the reality of being a first-generation college student coming from a broken and lower-class family, my finances, experiences, and opportunities are limited. Even so, I still have dreams, I still have goals, and I still have countless ambitions that I continue to strive towards in the face of much adversity: being a minority, a person of color, and supporting myself financially. With this mindset and drive, in my senior year, I chose Graphic Design based on it being the most practical major in which I can utilize my artistic talent. However, I doubted my choice and deferred my acceptance to take a gap year. This was a hard choice because my classmates, counselors, and even my sisters doubted my decision to take a break. Through the wise advice from my sisters, I spent my gap year working four jobs, one of which was a Graphic Design internship. From that experience, I knew I wanted to major in Graphic Design to help others create their visions and dreams digitally. My short-term goals are to graduate from BC3 with an Associate of Applied Science in Graphic Design, strive for the PTK scholarship, transfer to Edinboro to continue my education and find and acquire the best Graphic Design internship to build my work experience and portfolio. My long-term goals are to graduate with a Bachelor's majoring in Graphic Design and minoring in Animation from Edinboro and find a job that will not only give me opportunities but also push me to set challenging goals I can work to achieve. My last goal does not have a time frame: to continuously improve.

Looking back upon my life, five people motivate my drive for success in all areas of my life. My family is the reason I strive for higher achievement and push myself to continuously improve in education, work, and how I carry myself. My first role model is my single-parent and first-generation immigrant. Through her sweat, tears, and love for her children, I grew up learning the importance of family, love, education, and perseverance. My siblings are the last four people. My two older sisters paved the way, and my younger brother with Down Syndrome gave me the purpose to move forward. But even though I love my family very much, I also struggle because of my family. From as young as I could remember, I struggled with my relationship with my biological father. I was told that my father did not want to be part of our lives and wouldn't in the future other than the necessity to renew our passports. I was born in Dallas, and my two older sisters were both born in Brooklyn. My mother moved us away to Toronto, Ontario, and became a single parent of four and a first-generation immigrant. From this continuous struggle, I learned to grow up and mature quickly and to never set my worth upon the approval of another. So, with all this, I grew up learning the values of the family, both birth and birth. As well as the importance of having dreams, hopes, and support. I also grew to have an important outlook and appreciation for education and how it helps to build an individual. So, with these life lessons I have learned, I chose to major in Graphic Design because I want to help others create their visions and dreams digitally with my artistic skills. This scholarship will go a long way to help me reach my dreams, goals, and aspirations, especially since I am a first-generation and independent student. Starting from a very young age, I learned the struggles that money, especially not having enough or any money, can have upon a person and a family. So, to help my sisters and me, our mother made a tough decision to give us away and entrusted our care to guardians she appointed us. Starting in eighth grade, I moved from Toronto to Saxonburg, PA. My sisters and I lived with legal guardians who were not appointed by the court but by written and signed agreements from both parents. We were identified as non-accompanied minors and homeless, qualifying for the Free Lunch program and exemptions. In my first year at BC3, I was still considered homeless as my situation remained the same. In my second year, my living situation remains the same, and I continue to not receive any financial assistance from my family, only through grants and scholarships.

My earliest memory involving art was when I was in preschool, about three years old, I painted a masterpiece of a beautiful sunny day. To some, it might not have seemed like a masterpiece and confusing, but to me, it was the first taste of being an artist. It was my first taste of creating something of my own that reflected the beauty of the world in my little three-year-old eyes. Ever since that moment, I have continued to draw, paint, craft, and collage anything art-related I could learn. However, I am forever going to favor traditional sketching and painting. Now that I am much older and have learned much more about technique, technical terms, and also about the world, I have grown to love art and appreciate it even more. Art is a way to express myself when all else fails, when words cannot describe what I want to convey. Art is my joy in the best of happy times and my solace in my deepest and darkest hours. Especially now, in the world with all the strife and anger that builds, art allows me to discover my feelings and my beliefs. It also continues to allow me to appreciate the little things and moments in life as I look at memories, events, and nature through different lenses. As I try to capture what I see, I notice the little details, such as the way the sun shines on the water, the way that the autumn leaves fall to the ground, the fresh dew in the morning, the beauty of a thunderstorm and even all the loud and quiet moments with my family.

Looking back upon my life, five people motivate my drive for success in all areas of my life. My family is the reason I strive for higher achievement and push myself to continuously improve in education, work, and how I carry myself. My first role model is my single-parent and first-generation immigrant. Through her sweat, tears, and love for her children, I grew up learning the importance of family, love, education, and perseverance. My siblings are the last four people. My two older sisters paved the way, and my younger brother with Down Syndrome gave me the purpose to move forward. Growing up in this way, I learned the value of family, education, perseverance, and hard work. And so, in my senior year, I chose Graphic Design based on it being the most practical major in which I can utilize my artistic talent. However, I doubted my choice and deferred my acceptance to take a gap year. This was a hard choice because my classmates, counselors, and even my sisters doubted my decision to take a break. Through the wise advice from my sisters, I spent my gap year working four jobs, one of which was a Graphic Design internship. From that experience, I knew I wanted to major in Graphic Design to help others create their visions and dreams digitally. Knowing my dream to help others, I have set goals for myself. My short-term goals are to graduate from BC3 with an Associate of Applied Science in Graphic Design, strive for the PTK scholarship, transfer to Edinboro to continue my education and find and acquire the best Graphic Design internship to build my work experience and portfolio. My long-term goals are to graduate with a Bachelor's majoring in Graphic Design and minoring in Animation from Edinboro and find a job that will not only give me opportunities but also push me to set challenging goals I can work to achieve. My last goal does not have a time frame: to continuously improve. I also plan to join many clubs once again, including but not limited to Best Buddies, Community Service, and Art Club. Right now, as I go to community college (the first step in my plan), I am the vice president of the Art Club on campus. As the vice president, I have many responsibilities. I am tasked with proposing ideas for activities at club meetings, events, trips, and competitions. After proposing, I help make these ideas possible by making more detailed plans on how to execute them and what finances will be required. I also try my best to keep the budget in mind by finding cheaper alternatives and getting approval from everyone necessary before making any purchase through the club. The impact our club wants to make is to provide a place where like-minded minds and those interested in any art form can gather.

At my church, New Life Christian Ministries, we have three-weekend services: Saturday nights at 6:30 PM, Sunday mornings at 8:30 AM, and 10:30 AM. During these services, I will serve at least once a week, sometimes all three. My position is the teacher's assistant/aid for any class/age group ranging from preschool to fifth grade. I might also be scheduled to serve in the nursery. My responsibility is to help the main teacher by preparing lessons, helping teach the lessons, and engaging the children calmly and soothingly. I also, at times, help with check-in before I head into classes. I also work at my church as a Graphic Design Intern and have been given the responsibility for the graphics of the Youth Ministry. I'm attending BC3 for an affordable and effective education. The amazing teachers at BC3 have taught me not just the basics but also the life skills I will need for my career in the future. One project opportunity I have been given is to work on BC3's FACETs Magazine. I am the vice president of the Art Club and starting a Community Resources Club as the president, both of which have taught me leadership, organization, teamwork, and patience. As the vice president, I have many responsibilities. I am tasked with proposing ideas for activities at club meetings, events, trips, and competitions. After proposing, I help make these ideas possible by making more detailed plans on how to execute them and what finances will be required. I also try my best to keep the budget in mind by finding cheaper alternatives and getting approval from everyone necessary before making any purchase through the club. The impact our club wants to make is to provide a place where like-minded minds and those interested in any art form can gather. I am also part of the community service club, and while I started out having no official position, I still do my best. Some of the ways I involve myself are to propose new ideas for activities at meetings, events, trips, and volunteer opportunities. I try to help make these ideas I propose by making plans on how to implement them and what finances will be required. Not knowing the budget, I try my best to find free trips or cheaper equipment for events. The impact and goal of the club is to volunteer and provide support for our community in any way possible that we students can.

I am a first-generation and independent student. Starting in eighth grade, I moved from Toronto to Saxonburg, PA. My sisters and I lived with legal guardians who were not appointed by the court but by written and signed agreements from both parents. We were identified as non-accompanied minors and homeless, qualifying for the Free Lunch program and exemptions. In my senior year, I chose Graphic Design based on it being the most practical major in which I can utilize my artistic talent. However, I doubted my choice and deferred my acceptance to take a gap year. This was a hard choice because my classmates, counselors, and even my sisters doubted my decision to take a break. Through the wise advice from my sisters, I spent my gap year working four jobs, one of which was a Graphic Design internship. From that experience, I knew I wanted to major in Graphic Design to help others create their visions and dreams digitally. In my first year at BC3, I was still considered homeless as my situation remained the same. In my second year, my living situation remains the same, and I continue to not receive any financial assistance from my family, only through grants and scholarships. I share this not because I pity myself but because I believe my experiences shaped who I am today and fueled my heart and desire to help others in unique or tough situations. The most immediate issue is the result of the recent presidential election and the impact it has had on the LGBTQIA+ community. Many of my friends, classmates, teachers, co-workers, and acquaintances are either part of the LGBTQIA+ community or know someone who is. While I'm Christian and have conflicting beliefs, and this issue has made me test my faith, I still stand beside my neighbors on this planet as they fear for themselves. While I cannot change the outcome of the election or turn back time, I can help propose other solutions that can alleviate some of the pain and fear for those in my community. With my knowledge learned not through school but through listening to others and my friends who are part of the LGBTQIA+ community, I can not guarantee my solution will fix problems but will provide comfort. I propose that at my community college, BC3, we offer a safe environment for those who identify differently or are struggling with their sexual identity. This can be done by the Community Resources Club that I am working to set up for next semester as the president. We plan to be a resource for the college to help set up an established LGBTQIA+ club and anonymous texting through an app called GroupMe for those who are either ashamed, questioning, struggling, or scared of others finding out. Another immediate opportunity is to provide transportation to the Pride parade in Pittsburgh for those interested but who lack transportation or company.

I did not grow up in Pennsylvania like the majority of my peers from preschool through elementary school. I moved from Toronto, Ontario to Pennsylvania in eighth grade. My exposure to numerous areas was lessened from middle school through high school. There was less ethnic exposure compared to the city. Everyone was either Christian or Atheist. I grew up in a very diverse school and city. It was not just diverse in race and ethnicity but also religion. So moving was a big shift in my life and what I was learning in and out of school. Being here has taught me many lessons, such as the importance of mercy and patience. I was more exposed to differing views in the city but moving to a small rural town that was mostly populated with the demographic of Caucasians, I had to learn to choose my fights. I learned that even in the toughest times and facing adversity, there is always a path out. My reason for moving was due to many underlying issues including citizenship, finances, and safety. Over the last seven years here in Pennsylvania, I have learned to be appreciative of education, a roof over my head, a warm bed and so much more. Going to school in Toronto versus the United States was a shift. There were many big and small differences such as the metric system or certain spellings of words such as "colour" and "color." But I also learned so much from my amazing educators, all from Math, English, Science, History, and Art to life skills, accountability, responsibility, and maturity. I learned the reality of expectations and how to meet some while also realizing that others are not worth reaching. I've learned about financial stability. I have learned how to balance a checkbook, open a bank account, and budget. I learned how to dress myself professionally for an interview. And how to answer questions and ask the interviewer questions. Pennsylvania is the place where I met my amazing guardians. It has been a place of growth in many aspects; emotionally, physically, academically, spiritually, and socially. Pennsylvania has changed me in many ways but there are still parts of me unchanged and others that are fundamentally the same but more evolved. I am still a family-first type of person and a Christian. But I have been exposed to many other views and beliefs and I love learning about them. I also have finally decided what I want to study in College that will allow me to chase my dream. I am currently studying Graphic Design at a community college. I plan to transfer to a four-year college where I will continue majoring in Graphic Design while also double majoring in Animation. It is because of my move to Pennsylvania that this is all possible. Through my passion for art and communication, I strive to create art that will speak to the audience. I love Disney and Studio Ghibli because of the way the animated movies are beautifully written and drawn and because of the emotions, they strive to evoke. That is my dream, to create something greater than oneself that will last past my life.

I did not grow up in Pennsylvania like the majority of my peers from preschool through elementary school. I moved from Toronto, Ontario to Pennsylvania in eighth grade. My exposure to numerous areas was lessened from middle school through high school. There was less ethnic exposure compared to the city. Everyone was either Christian or Atheist. I grew up in a very diverse school and city. It was not just diverse in race and ethnicity but also religion. So moving was a big shift in my life and what I was learning in and out of school. Being here has taught me many lessons, such as the importance of mercy and patience. I was more exposed to differing views in the city but moving to a small rural town that was mostly populated with the demographic of Caucasians, I had to learn to choose my fights. I learned that even in the toughest times and facing adversity, there is always a path out. My reason for moving was due to many underlying issues including citizenship, finances, and safety. Over the last seven years here in Pennsylvania, I have learned to be appreciative of education, a roof over my head, a warm bed and so much more. Going to school in Toronto versus the United States was a shift. There were many big and small differences such as the metric system or certain spellings of words such as "colour" and "color." But I also learned so much from my amazing educators, all from Math, English, Science, History, and Art to life skills, accountability, responsibility, and maturity. I learned the reality of expectations and how to meet some while also realizing that others are not worth reaching. I've learned about financial stability. I have learned how to balance a checkbook, open a bank account, and budget. I learned how to dress myself professionally for an interview. And how to answer questions and ask the interviewer questions. Pennsylvania is the place where I met my amazing guardians. It has been a place of growth in many aspects; emotionally, physically, academically, spiritually, and socially. Pennsylvania has changed me in many ways but there are still parts of me unchanged and others that are fundamentally the same but more evolved. I am still a family-first type of person and a Christian. But I have been exposed to many other views and beliefs and I love learning about them. I also have finally decided what I want to study in College that will allow me to chase my dream. I am currently studying Graphic Design at a community college. I plan to transfer to a four-year college where I will continue majoring in Graphic Design while also double majoring in Animation. It is because of my move to Pennsylvania that this is all possible. Through my passion for art and communication, I strive to create art that will speak to the audience. I love Disney and Studio Ghibli because of the way the animated movies are beautifully written and drawn and because of the emotions, they strive to evoke. That is my dream, to create something greater than oneself that will last past my life.

I did not grow up in Pennsylvania like the majority of my peers from preschool through elementary school. I moved from Toronto, Ontario to Pennsylvania in eighth grade. My exposure to numerous areas was lessened from middle school through high school. There was less ethnic exposure compared to the city. Everyone was either Christian or Atheist. I grew up in a very diverse school and city. It was not just diverse in race and ethnicity but also religion. So moving was a big shift in my life and what I was learning in and out of school. Being here has taught me many lessons, such as the importance of mercy and patience. I was more exposed to differing views in the city but moving to a small rural town that was mostly populated with the demographic of Caucasians, I had to learn to choose my fights. I learned that even in the toughest times and facing adversity, there is always a path out. My reason for moving was due to many underlying issues including citizenship, finances, and safety. Over the last seven years here in Pennsylvania, I have learned to be appreciative of education, a roof over my head, a warm bed and so much more. Going to school in Toronto versus the United States was a shift. There were many big and small differences such as the metric system or certain spellings of words such as "colour" and "color." But I also learned so much from my amazing educators, all from Math, English, Science, History, and Art to life skills, accountability, responsibility, and maturity. I learned the reality of expectations and how to meet some while also realizing that others are not worth reaching. I've learned about financial stability. I have learned how to balance a checkbook, open a bank account, and budget. I learned how to dress myself professionally for an interview. And how to answer questions and ask the interviewer questions. Pennsylvania is the place where I met my amazing guardians. It has been a place of growth in many aspects; emotionally, physically, academically, spiritually, and socially. Pennsylvania has changed me in many ways but there are still parts of me unchanged and others that are fundamentally the same but more evolved. I am still a family-first type of person and a Christian. But I have been exposed to many other views and beliefs and I love learning about them. I also have finally decided what I want to study in College that will allow me to chase my dream. I am currently studying Graphic Design at a community college. I plan to transfer to a four-year college where I will continue majoring in Graphic Design while also double majoring in Animation. It is because of my move to Pennsylvania that thus is all possible.

All my life I have loved to move and play sports. The longest sport that I partook in and continue to involve running. Ever since I was little, about kindergarten, I have run Cross Country. I love all my coaches. However, I was most impacted by my cross-country coach during my senior year of high school. Her name is Amy Formica and she was not just a coach to me, but a hero, a friend, and a supporter. Coach Formica has one of the best and most loving hearts I have ever met. She is intelligent as well as fair. Her judgement like herself was also just. Many practices were hard and days were difficult. Even with such days, she helped me mentally, physically, and emotionally. She inspired me to become not only a better athlete but a better person. The previous coach, Brahler was the opposite of Coach Formica. He was misogynistic, degrading, toxic, and uncalled for. Many times for the two years prior I have felt many dark thoughts because of him. I have felt like quitting and sometimes even worse. Those years were rough in all forms. Physically, he was not a runner so some of his training was not what most experienced runner coaches would suggest. Even more, to him recovery days were nonexistent, there were no such practices. He pushed us and many gained injuries or peaked too early in the season. The atmosphere of the boys and girls team was also bad, he pitted us against each other in a bad competition. We should have worked together to become better, instead we were at odds. And emotionally, Brahler made me a wreck. I felt like a failure and never good enough even when I did the best or at least my best. It was because of Coach Formica helping me remember that I was a fighter and not a quitter that I never quit and gave up. I worked hard and survived Brahler. With the help of my teamates and great coaches, I went to states as and individual qualifier. My girls high school team also went to states the first year I joined. For days when I wanted to quit, Coach Formica pushed me to be better and work harder. For days I felt like crying, but she comforted me. For days I was filled with anger, she talked me down and brought me back to reality. For days I felt discouraged and scared, she stayed with me and gave me strength. I can continue to talk about all the times she has helped me but the most important aspect is her trust in me, my potential, and my abilities. My senior year my coaches for track-and-field and lacrosse allowed me to participate in both. The two seasons both happen in spring. Because of the overlap, Coach Brahler never allowed me to do both sports. I was never able to run track under his watch. When Formica took over, I asked if I could do both and she believed I could and trusted me. In my senior year, I was at all the practices, I would start at track practice for two hours and then run straight to lacrosse practice only five minutes late into the warm-up runs and finish the remaining one hour and fifty-five minutes of practice. I went to every race and game, sometimes I would have to run first in the morning and play a lacrosse game later that night.

All my life I have loved to move and play sports. The longest sport that I partook in and continue to involve running. Ever since I was little, about kindergarten, I have run Cross Country. I love all my coaches. However, I was most impacted by my cross-country coach during my senior year of high school. Her name is Amy Formica and she was not just a coach to me, but a hero, a friend, and a supporter. Coach Formica has one of the best and most loving hearts I have ever met. She is intelligent as well as fair. Her judgement like herself was also just. Many practices were hard and days were difficult. Even with such days, she helped me mentally, physically, and emotionally. She inspired me to become not only a better athlete but a better person. The previous coach, Brahler was the opposite of Coach Formica. He was misogynistic, degrading, toxic, and uncalled for. Many times for the two years prior I have felt many dark thoughts because of him. I have felt like quitting and sometimes even worse. Those years were rough in all forms. Physically, he was not a runner so some of his training was not what most experienced runner coaches would suggest. Even more, to him recovery days were nonexistent, there were no such practices. He pushed us and many gained injuries or peaked too early in the season. The atmosphere of the boys and girls team was also bad, he pitted us against each other in a bad competition. We should have worked together to become better, instead we were at odds. And emotionally, Brahler made me a wreck. I felt like a failure and never good enough even when I did the best or at least my best. It was because of Coach Formica helping me remember that I was a fighter and not a quitter that I never quit and gave up. I worked hard and survived Brahler. With the help of my teamates and great coaches, I went to states as and individual qualifier. My girls high school team also went to states the first year I joined. For days when I wanted to quit, Coach Formica pushed me to be better and work harder. For days I felt like crying, but she comforted me. For days I was filled with anger, she talked me down and brought me back to reality. For days I felt discouraged and scared, she stayed with me and gave me strength. I can continue to talk about all the times she has helped me but the most important aspect is her trust in me, my potential, and my abilities. My senior year my coaches for track-and-field and lacrosse allowed me to participate in both. The two seasons both happen in spring. Because of the overlap, Coach Brahler never allowed me to do both sports. I was never able to run track under his watch. When Formica took over, I asked if I could do both and she believed I could and trusted me. In my senior year, I was at all the practices, I would start at track practice for two hours and then run straight to lacrosse practice only five minutes late into the warm-up runs and finish the remaining one hour and fifty-five minutes of practice. I went to every race and game, sometimes I would have to run first in the morning and play a lacrosse game later that night.