Insurance is a vital component in life so that an individual can secure one's assets as well as provide family members or other beneficiaries a peace of mind in a worst-case scenario. Whether it be life, health, home, auto, workplace, or injury/dismemberment insurance, all play a significant role in helping to secure wealth and wellbeing for the policy holder. The most common reason people don't have insurance is price. People must shop around for the best rates for what they are looking to secure. I believe discounts should be given to all policyholders that have not had a claim in their historical profile. For example, auto insurance offers safe driver discounts and for automobiles that have updated safety features. Home insurance is a big topic these days as everyone's rates continue to rise. This is due to storm ravaged areas where many have claims that need to be addressed timely, but policyholders that have not incurred any damage should not be on the hook for increased premiums. Unfortunately, we cannot control mother nature and its negative power it exerts on homes. People that have storm shutters and even elevations that prevent flooding cannot escape the wrath of certain storms. The Midwest and inland areas have tornadoes, the west has earthquakes, flooding, and mudslides, and our pacific friends have volcanoes. Everyone should be mandated to have minimal insurance even if they do not have a mortgage that requires it. One solution would be contracted construction crews and supplies that can limit the insurance companies' liability. They can implement ceiling on how much can be spent on certain repairs such as roofing or flooring. They should not be on the hook for high end repairs. If the policyholder wants upgrades, they can pay the difference out of pocket. Deductibles should be reasonable and based on home value and or household income and not blanket deductibles or elective deductibles. Life insurance is a great benefit offered by many employers. Every employee should be offered a basic policy equal to their annual salary. Much like some health insurance policies, discounts should be given to those that are within ideal body weight range, non-smokers, and those that embrace a healthy lifestyle. Obesity is a big problem that leads to many health issues and diseases. This can be contained by offering lifestyle modification programs to its members that in the long run will reduce their out-of-pocket expenses. In summary, insurance has many benefits and very little downside. Although the price is a big factor when considering enrollment, the peace of mind in the event of accident is priceless. Not only will the policy holder be protected but so will their loved ones. Anything tangible can be replaced in time, but life is irreplaceable and should be protected at all costs.

In the delicate moments of my infancy, life hung by a thread. Born fragile and teetering on the edge of survival, I faced the daunting reality of being unable to swallow, forcing me to rely on a g-tube for nearly six years. The journey was long, marked by countless surgeries and uncertainties, but my spirit remained unbroken. Throughout those challenging times, one singular desire fueled my determination – the dream of sinking my teeth into a simple yet profound symbol of normalcy: a Cheeseburger. It was a seemingly ordinary wish, but for me, it epitomized the extraordinary resilience that would come to define my life. Amidst the medical procedures and the struggle for a basic function like speech, I found joy in the simplicity of existence. Anatomical abnormalities rendered my words indecipherable, leaving me in a world where understanding and being understood were constant struggles. Yet, within that realm of silence, I discovered an unwavering happiness, largely thanks to the unwavering support of my family. My brother, a beacon of comprehension in my unintelligible world, bridged the communication gap. His ability to decipher my thoughts became a lifeline, a connection that transcended words. In my innocence, I remained oblivious to the concept of 'different.' My family treated me with love and equality, allowing me to navigate childhood with an unburdened heart. Life took a transformative turn with a pivotal surgery that granted me the gift of speech. Empowered by newfound clarity, I dared to dream audaciously. The pursuit of my passions led me to an unexpected stage – the renowned Gotham Comedy Club in New York City. Imagine a once-silent kid, now armed with a voice, sharing laughter in the same space that launched the careers of comedic legends like Amy Schumer and Jerry Seinfeld. From the shadows of obscurity, I stepped into the limelight, unafraid and unabashed. Charge syndrome may be a rare genetic disorder, but I was fortunate not to bear its most severe burdens. As I thrived academically, my insatiable curiosity about the world led me to become a veritable encyclopedia on countries and cultures. Now, on the precipice of a new chapter, I carry with me a profound purpose. I aspire to major in psychology, driven by the desire to help the world navigate tragedies and foster mutual understanding through the appreciation of diverse cultures. My journey, marked by fragility and resilience, has imbued me with a unique perspective and an unwavering belief that overcoming adversity is the cornerstone of personal growth. I am prepared to overcome any future adversity.

I consider many elements when contemplating the pursuit of excellence in academia, career, or life in general. I firmly believe that dedication, determination, perseverance, time management, and happiness are the traits that I can relate to and practice on a daily basis. In order to attain excellence, a clear goal must be defined and then one needs to dedicate themselves to the tasks required to reach that goal not just to get it done, but to understand how it was done and what one can learn from it in attaining goals in the future. When setting up for success, determination is required to assure oneself of getting the job done right. The right mindset is needed each time the intended goal is pondered upon. A positive outlook is always needed when working on the plan to deliver on a goal with an excellent stamp of approval from your peers. It is not always an easy path to excellence as one must learn from failures first. Perseverance is needed in these times where one must press on despite any setbacks or challenges that seem incomprehensible. Time management is essential when confronted with setbacks. By prioritizing your steps and meeting deadlines in order to attain the ultimate goal at hand. One can gain much understanding if asking for help or critique from others when striving for excellence on a project or goal. This also helps in learning from mistakes and persevering through hard times. By maintaining positivity, accepting good or bad opinions, one gains insight into the final steps to excellence. Happiness is essential throughout as one balances life's joys with its disappointments. I remind myself in the saying “this too shall pass,” and “life’s too short,” when balancing work and play as well as hard times and good times. I have had success in my educational pathway to date by learning and advancing on many of these fundamentals. In my short four high school years, we were affected by closure due to the worldwide pandemic and had to learn remote learning as well as personal protective measures upon returning to school. Not long after that, we were devastated by Category 4 Hurricane Ian where our town and school was largely destroyed by 150 mph winds. We were without power, water, and phone service for weeks. These two events largely defined my high school education where one incident we were asked to stay as far apart as possible and not touch anyone to a community coming together and helping neighbors and strangers alike get basic needs setup like roofs, hot food, and water. Two completely different events, but the commonality is that we all need one another to persevere and reach that goal with grit and determination. I learned the above suggested fundamentals from those years and will continue to practice them in all my lifetime. As a current student at The University of Central Florida, I am accepting all challenges in the pursuit of academic excellence and graduation. I am working part time and balancing my studies as finances are falling short with my younger brother attending college next year. I plan on using time management and setting clearly defined goals to graduate early with my bachelor's degree in Biologic Sciences and minor in Business Management. My long term goals are to become a clinical nutritionist or pharmacist and work to better the health of my community with diets or products that will enhance well-being and prevent disease. I will succeed by practicing the core elements outlined above and achieve the marker of excellence in all I undertake in the future.

Throughout my club and high school soccer years as a starter on defense, I was never the biggest nor the fastest player on my team. The one characteristic I had been taught from a young age was resilience and perseverance. I had a younger brother that was born with a genetic disease called CHARGE syndrome. It was through my younger brother that I gained inspiration on the soccer field. At a young age, my parents enrolled me in the local youth soccer league and I never missed a season. I started developing my soccer skills at this time and practiced every spare moment I had. I soon matriculated to the local traveling club, where I sat entrenched on the bench for the first two years. As players moved on, I received my chance to start and showcase my skills as a defensive starter. Once again, I was not the fastest on the field, but I always placed myself strategically on the field so as not to let up a goal on my watch. As high school began, I set out to make the squad and become a starter. I enrolled in the weightlifting program at school and started conditioning with some of the varsity players. I made the Junior Varsity team in my freshman and sophomore seasons and started most of the games with solid performances. As time went on, and I grew stronger and faster, I made the Varsity team as a defensive starter in my Junior and Senior seasons. This is when all my mental and physical skills were on display on the field. These are the years that presented the best and worst moments in my playing career. At an away game in my junior year, our opponents were playing physically and dirty in a very closely matched game. There was one player who was very giving our team nasty gestures and mouthing foul words when close by so that a referee would not hear him. Nonetheless, I took matters to another level as I proceeded to get two yellow cards during the game. This was an embarrassing moment as I lost the battle of the better souls. They proceeded to score goals and win the game. I was coached well after that incident and have developed my mental focus better. My senior year was a much better highlight for me. I started every game and was a staunch and skilled defender on the field. I had more opportunity to move the ball forward and recorded my first goal and only goal of my high school playing days The shot was a bullet from well outside the box and the goalkeeper just missed with his hands. I was elated. I think my teammates were happier as it was an unexpected shot from me as I always pass the ball to assist. I was never a selfish player. I succeeded with the resilience and perseverance I learned from a tender age.

Greetings. You've worked hard to get to the summit. Take a moment to breathe deeply and look around the great vistas as far as one can see. The work is not over. Preservation of this wonderful environment will take mankind to put forth the smallest of efforts so that one day everyone can personally see from the top of the mountain. Since my childhood, I have enjoyed the outdoors more than an interior room. I have had the opportunity to trailblaze through neighborhood woods, hike through a rainforest, climb some smaller mountains, and enjoy the surf and sand at the ocean. Every day, the outside world presents a new adventure where interior walls remain stagnant. This mentality has given me focus on what I can do to keep the outdoors preserved as people disregard the privilege of the outdoors. When I was younger, my family and I used to walk the neighborhood street with trash bags picking up litter on the side of the roads. We picked up plastics, bottles, construction materials, and cigarette remnants. We often had a passersby honk or wave as we worked. This gave me a sense of satisfaction at a young age. I still pick up litter everywhere I go, doing my small part. I am also a strong advocate for recycling in the hope that less pollution in manufacturing can improve the air that we breathe. Since I started high school, I began working at Englewood Recycled Company where I performed various duties. The company made plastic chairs, tables, and benches from discarded plastic material and ultimately donates most of its products to local parks and communities. This is a double whammy in my book. It was a dirty job at times, but I could only grin and bear it. I knew my work was going for the greater good. I continue to work summers at the company when studies do not interfere. In the coming years, aside from doing my part, I plan to join school clubs and advocate conservation to those that have disregard for our environment. I want to educate on the value of air, land, sea, and wind. I will focus on my local and state environments as that is the most effective way to reach people with opposing views or inadequate awareness. I am attending the University of Central Florida as a freshman with aspirations of a career that helps mold our future days on this treasured earth.

Throughout my club and high school soccer years as a starter on defense, I was never the biggest nor the fastest player on my team. The one characteristic I had been taught from a young age was resilience and perseverance. I had a younger brother that was born with a genetic disease called CHARGE syndrome. It was through my younger brother that I gained inspiration in whatever bridge I was to cross. Despite his many surgeries, including two brain surgeries and being on a feeding tube in his first seven years of life, my brother was always optimistic and had a sunny disposition in life. It was heartbreaking to me, to see him laying in a hospital bed for weeks on end after these procedures. Shortly after his procedures, he went back to being his funny and outgoing self, as my best friend. As one can expect, much of the focus was on my younger brother while growing up, but I still had my activities and friends to fall back on as a respite to all else going on. My parents enrolled me in the local youth soccer league and I never missed a season. I started developing my soccer skills at this time and practiced every spare moment I had. I soon matriculated to the local traveling club, where I sat entrenched on the bench for the first two years. As players moved on, I received my chance to start and showcase my skills as a defensive starter. Once again, I was not the fastest on the field, but I always placed myself strategically on the field so as not to let up a goal on my watch. I was quite successful at my position and we made many state tournaments with strong finishes, but alas never reached the final game. The team was always solid and I am proud of my time playing club soccer. My brother and parents were always in the stands cheering our team on, win or lose. As high school began, I set out to make the squad and become a starter. I enrolled in the weightlifting program at school and started conditioning with some of the varsity players. I made the Junior Varsity team in my freshman and sophomore seasons and started most of the games with solid performances. As time went on, and I grew stronger and faster, I made the Varsity team as a defensive starter in my Junior and Senior seasons. Once again, our team was successful and reached post-season last year. My last year is still ongoing as I write this essay. I am happy to say that my younger brother and parents are in the stands for each game. I often look to the stands for my in-game inspiration from my family. I know what they went through, and that gives me strength to do my best each game even though I am still not the fastest or the strongest on the field.