To the philanthropists at Eldorado Tools, The Build and Make Scholarship Essay I am continuing my education with a degree in Environmental Conservation and Management at FLC to pursue a career in freelance project management. With a growing desire for affordable, and environmentally conscious infrastructure, a dedicated position to communicate the newest sustainability construction research can fill in that gap. Construction projects are a collaboration between contractors, design firms, engineers, etc.; Those that are involved ensure each element is successful. Through an environmental conservation consultation, companies can align with project management that prioritizes company goals, improves branding image through listening to community needs, and protects bio-urban wildlife. There are a multitude of methods available that improve local economies by creating jobs, increase community third spaces, and allow safe living for wildlife. My background education in sociology, business communication, and research analysis empowers me to unite collaborators over common goals. My passion for ecological cohabitation in urban areas drives me to make waves in current construction expectations. Responsible sourcing of recycled materials, natural resources and product waste lowers new material construction costs. This profit allows for future expansions, higher-wages, and opportunity to grow, benefiting the planet and the people. Prioritizing all living beings in the local community raises the standard of living and quality of life. The more projects I add to my portfolio, the more communities that have benefited, which gives further data to support sustainable construction methods. This data will build confidence in current and future project managers to follow suit. My experience in fine arts and education fields means that I am able to plan and present ideas verbally and visually to teach and inspire others. Current business practice understands that inviting communal spaces, increase traffic, desire, and ability to price products accordingly. Psychology shows that colors, formats, and ideologies used will drastically effect the way information is perceived; Therefor visual elements of projects should be equally as valued as others. Infrastructure needs to be secure, and it can also be made to be beautiful; Appreciated by those that inhabit the space. Full-time work while homeless has allowed me the financials to continue pursuing my education to devise this position. Being a dependable worker has allowed me to grow in my positions, earning more profit as a barista trainer. Support from Eldorado Tools Inc. will allow me to work less-hours, and focus on my vision for the future. I plan on using the scholarship funds to pay for my required textbooks and materials for my research analysis course, and ecology course for the upcoming spring semester. These courses are necessary to understand current sustainability methods, interpret and build a plan using the data, and communicate the plans simply, and effectively. I envision a future where we can all use our strengths to build a better community together. Thank you for your time in reviewing my submission. Have a blessed future, Zen Ashae Moreno

To the founders of the José Ventura and Margarita Melendez Mexican American Scholarship Fund and the philanthropists of the Borders family, Thank you for the opportunity to present my pursuit towards higher education. Zen Ashae Moreno Ambition, Drive, and Impact as a first-generation Mexican American college student With the hard-working father that my mother had, she developed the same value of education that Jose Ventura demonstrated. My grandfather, David Adolfo Moreno, started earning money at six-years old by selling candy off the streets of Reynosa in Mexico. His initiative never slowed down, starting five separate businesses in maintenance, food service, and auto repair services. Although none of his practices continued for long, they provided the finances necessary to move to the United States, raise four children and eight grandchildren at the time of his death in 1991. Although I never met my grandfather, I believe his drive for progress lives on through me. I began working for my uncle David Moreno JR at eight-years old, shredding old documentation. At nine-years old I began my volunteering experience through National Junior Honor Society and Avid. Including high school National Art Honors Society and INTERACT participation, I supported my local community in Houston, TX through over two-hundred and twenty-five hours of community service. At fourteen, the legal working age in Texas, I worked as a lifeguard, after school, and on weekends. Through various blue-collar work, customer-service jobs, and K-12 education positions, I will have completed my Associates of Arts at LSC, eighty-three credits from UH-D, and will be transferring to FLC to finish my degree in Environmental Conservation and Management. This education is a steppingstone to my vision of impacting my community positively through sustainable infrastructure and increased community interactment spaces. Like my grandfather, at six-years old I was on a mission to pursue. I envisioned creating spaces as an architect, making cardboard doll houses, popsicle stick diagram playgrounds, and endless blueprints. Through continued education and on the job experience, I learned the path towards creating that takes advantage of my individual strengths would be in Project communication management. This direction showcases my psychology, sociology, fine arts, and leadership knowledge. With a degree in ECM, communicating research data in a view that supports individual company goals will assure prospecting collaborators that together we can achieve all company missions, improve company image, raise business standards, and most importantly improve the local community. My lack of college-educated role models, financial support, or home security did not stop my ambition as a child. As an adult, I have been homeless for over one-year and paused my college education to work-full time to regain the financials necessary to continue, yet I remain as motivated as ever. My mother America Moreno, scholarship inspiration Jose Ventura, and I all understand, that education provides worthwhile opportunity for security and success. My grandfather stood for the American promise of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. I hope that he smiles down on me and that my journey honors his. Thank you again for your time reading through my submission, Zen Ashae Moreno

Allison Thomas Swanberg Memorial Scholarship In honor of Allison Swanberg, Thank you for the opportunity to continue the legacy of compassion and giving back by considering my essay for this scholarship. To fully thrive as social beings is to be an integral element of our community. There are the communities that we are born into, choose, and that find us. How we get there is not as important as what we do once we are. We are all connected as one larger community, still, individually we have our own gifts to offer. Community service is the act of each member contributing in the unique way they have been called to serve. My background and ongoing education offer a valuable perspective for advancements in collaborative project planning. With over 300hours in documented community service hours through Interact, and National Art Honors Society, I have learned hands-on the value each contribution has to the greater whole of any project. With my AOA at LSC and 83 total college credits transferring from UH-D with a focus in Fine Arts, I understand the importance of tedious continued effort for beautiful and groundbreaking innovation to occur. A vision remains unseen until it is expressed through the visionary. Trends in marketing show consumers' desire to support sustainable business practices and ethical human-worker systems. Trends for business owners, regarding finances and technology advancements, show the opportunity for cost-saving strategies. These two seemingly opposing paths can coexist given a shared mission and collaboration with experts in their given fields. Collaboration between sustainability researchers, civic engineers, and community project managers can reshape the focus on future infrastructure. To a business owner, high-profits and positive community image is important. To the engineers, effective and legalized systems are necessary to complete their jobs safely. To the sustainability advocates, protecting wildlife and natural resources is the only ethical way to progress. My call to serve my community is using my knowledge of communication and project planning to emphasis the achievement of everyone's priorities through collaboration. As a project team with direct community involvement, we will see higher quality of life ratings; Local economic flow through job opportunities, safe cohabitation with urban wildlife, increased community third spaces, and more. Assisting how I can, when I can, is important to me. My career goal will require a large support network throughout my time as a student, as well as networking through potential like-minded teams. Transferring to Fort Lewis College I know I will be surrounded by a community-centered learning system that will offer immense opportunity. As I earn my BECM (bachelor's in environmental conservation and management), I will learn the language necessary to showcase our common goals as one people. No man is an island, and it is together as a village that we continue to grow. Thank you again for your time, Zen Ashae Moreno

To the scholarship fund leaders at Live it Up, My name is Zen Ashae Moreno, thank you for your time in overviewing and considering my essay. I am addressing to you as an involved member of the queer community and future leader in bio-urban unity and sustainable construction marketing. As a transgender college student, I have a unique insight in balancing high aspirations while combating limiting outside factors. The T in LGBT is simultaneously in the spotlight and erased from government recognition. 120 bills in 2025 have been passed that threaten quality of life factors for transgender/transexual individuals. More information about the transgender community has been used to uplift, support and protect as well as misrepresent, target, and exploit. Either way, we have the floor; How we show up for ourselves and our community matters. The Ojibwe native tribe uses the phrase niizh manidoowag, translating to “two spirits” to address their non gender conforming leaders. Two-spirit and Transgender people have the wisdom of self-recognition, the bravery of social differentiation, and the light that shows others their authentic selves are not only acceptable, but beautiful. I view my journey of transition as an element of my journey of self-love. Respecting my mind and body enough to pursue a challenging, yet authentic road of social and medical transitioning. A body I validate is a body I am determined to take care of. A mind I set free is a mind that I nurture through pursued education, goals, forgiveness, and enlightenment. Taking care of my being mentally and physically is choosing to show up for myself and showcasing my ability to pursue for the greater good. In November of 2023 I started hormone replacement therapy. On June 23rd of 2025 I had chest masculinization, or “top surgery”. Hormonal fluctuations, a second puberty at an older age, and the toll of recovery after surgery are outside factors that have greatly affected me mentally and physically. Many times, I faced difficult questions such as “What if others are right and I can't trust my decisions?” or “these challenges are too difficult, am I better off quitting?”. By building my trust in myself, listening to my feelings, and riding out the challenging moments I am here, prouder than ever of how far I have come and what I achieved. Knowing what is next for me to achieve pushes me even farther. Flourishing humans need a purpose. A student strives to learn a field and advance in their competence. Therefore, a student is a human with a focused purpose through education. I desire fine-tuning my knowledge through a degree in Environmental Conservation and Management to understand the ecological life that I desire to protect, and how best to do so. Sustainable movements have made great progress thus far, but I believe by unifying each element of society and advancement under common visions, we can achieve far more. This model of communication requires high aspiration and determination as many roadblocks will be presented in today's educational, construction, and economic climate. I have been homeless and living in my car for over 1 year. I have been financially independent, relying on full-time work and government aid to achieve the 83 college credits I have now as a transferring student from UH-D to FLC. Financial and safety limitations are added considerations when I time-manage and feel-frustrated comparing my achievements to others. I treat my self-reliance and my ability to co-create visions through proper time-management as an added skill. Perspective change has been the greatest contributor to my continued positive outlook and overall happiness. Thank you again, Zen Ashae Moreno