“What do you want to be when you’re older?” is a question that haunted my childhood. Lacking a solid plan of what I wanted to do in the future, my curiosity kept me from settling on only one career up until high school. I was certain nursing would be the last career I would pursue. While I hold a high respect for healthcare-related fields, my upbringing in a Filipino-American household forced me to defy unsaid expectations – one that is distinguishable from the 4% of Filipino nurses in America. “I’m still thinking about it,” was always my response. It wasn't until I immersed myself in community affairs that I realized what I wanted to achieve. I volunteered my free time at events supporting women and children. Growing up in the Central Valley greatly influenced this choice, having opened my eyes to the disparity many families face. Issues, such as financial struggle and a constant lack of resources, profoundly impacting many lives of those around me, including my closest friends. While I am fortunate not to have experienced these struggles firsthand, I find giving back even more important. Guided by my encounters in community service as I explored my career options, I grew to recognize how the foundation of my interests remained the same: contributing to the enrichment of my community and providing for those around me. It was then that I began to view nursing in a different light. Nursing has illustrated itself as a field that embodies the perfect union of my profound passion for service and the rich tapestry of my cultural legacy. Equitable health services are a necessity that I find lacking, leading to my belief that providing inclusive healthcare and improving lives is my way of shaping the future. Upon this realization, I sought opportunities to combine my growing experience in the medical field with my dedication to helping others. This mindset guides me every time I step into the privately owned daycare for developmentally disabled elderly, where I have interned for since last July. Before each weekly 4 hour shift, I ask myself, "How can I brighten their day?" I shadow my mom's former coworker, building relationships with each patient I assist. My first patient, a former patient of my mother's, consistently greets me warmly: "How are you doing, sweetheart?". With little to no vision, I usually sit with him during mealtime to help him finish the last bites of his meals. My second patient, a quiet gentleman, rarely speaks but often giggles when we share his magazines and I point out pictures of dogs. By my second month, he trusted me enough to let him spoon-feed him – a connection that my mentor describes as challenging at times. My third patient, who is nonverbal, arrives by bus at 3:30 p.m. each day. I meet him outside of his bus, wheel him back in for dinner, and practice my basic sign language skills with him by asking about his day at "school." The caregiver skills I have strengthened thus far will be further applicable in my future, deepening my desire to become a nurse. "I'm Nurse Practitioner Ashea, and I will be assisting you today." This is how I will introduce myself in the future. Whereas nursing was once the last career I dedicated myself to, it speaks to my deepest values and aspirations. Supporting my community is not only my personal calling; it is the culmination of my growth and passion for service. Empowered by the expertise and opportunities from my education, I am committed to advancing healthcare equity and improving lives through nursing.

The ketchup bottles stared back at me as I decided which would accompany my fried chicken and rice. Would I rather have the typical ketchup that I grew up with? Or would I better enjoy the uncharacteristically sweet yet welcoming banana ketchup instead? My Nanang and Tatang emigrated to America in the 80s, tenaciously seeking labor to provide for their family in the Philippines. Coming to America without a high school degree failed to hinder their accomplishments, as both of my grandparents were granted the opportunity to work in the bountiful fields of the Central Valley. While the sacrifices they made initially left them unable to complete their education, my mother, aunties, and uncle were able to pursue success. My Nanang inspires me to pursue my education. The concept of education as a means to escape poverty is deeply ingrained within Filipino culture; furthermore, it is why she instilled a strong respect for it and the value of hard work in my growing mind. Her emphasis on education has become a foundation for my self-discipline and success. Resultantly, I have consistently excelled in academics and involved myself in various extracurriculars, many of which being related to community service. Without my Nanang’s sacrifices, I wouldn't have been given the opportunities I have had so far. I chase my success – a testimony to the American Dream she envisioned for our family. My pursuit of education will empower me to assist others through nursing. Providing quality healthcare and improving lives is my way of shaping the future. Nursing is a field that builds flexibility and resilience in those who pursue it. Learning becomes continuous as nursing is ever-evolving. The combination of helping others, receiving gratitude, and facing daily challenges is what I seek in a fulfilling career. Togetherness is another core value my Nanang has pushed me to embrace. Not only is it the value that brings my family together, but it's the value that fuels my determination to give back to the community. Growing up Filipino-American has demonstrated the significance in which togetherness exists: to grant a community the strength and support necessary to succeed. My most significant career goal is advocating for equitable healthcare beyond social class. After numerous visits back home, I realize that many families out there need help. At some point in my career, I hope to return to the Philippines to provide quality care and resources in the province my parents grew up in. As I reach for the banana ketchup, I am reminded how my culture will always be a defining part of who I am. My Filipino-American community reminds me of the strength of those who came before me, motivating me to carry the same strength as I strive to make a difference through nursing. I look forward to a future of meaningful growth and giving back to my distinct community. Upon receiving this scholarship, overcoming college becomes another step of my journey toward accomplishment. I will be equipped to fully dedicate myself to achieving my academic and career goals, further capable of contributing to a brighter future for my people.

Being raised by immigrant parents, I was no stranger to choosing a path in nursing. Yet, I was determined to explore other dreams before I even considered becoming a nurse. From my family of nurses, I frequently witnessed a remarkable display of generosity and compassion. I played with the ideas of various other career choices: vet, lawyer, and even fashion designer! Yet, I realized that these dreams would not bring me the fulfillment I sought. My most significant career goal is to care for those around me and be a reliable figure. Growing up around healthcare professionals painted nursing to be the most fitting career for me. Beyond providing exceptional healthcare, nursing builds flexibility and resilience in those who pursue it. The field is boundless, with a multitude of areas to pursue. Learning becomes continuous as nursing is ever-evolving. The combination of helping others, receiving gratitude, and facing daily challenges is what I seek in a fulfilling career. I focus my unwavering dedication on pursuing a career in pediatric nursing, recognizing the indispensability of compassion and generosity. My devotion to these values reflects my academic achievements and community involvement. I intend to become a pediatric nurse practitioner because I believe our youth are the key to the future. Providing quality healthcare and improving lives is my way of shaping the future. In particular, I plan to serve underrepresented communities. I hope to touch the lives of many patients; ensuring their time under my care is positive and impactful is most desirable. This summer, I have been fortunate to work on a research opportunity for pediatrics. Through attendance of the webinars with the program, I have gained exposure to various subjects in pediatrics. Immunizations, pediatric oncology, and chronic illness scratch the surface of the topics covered. I find excitement in learning about the subjects presented by healthcare professionals. Notably, the webinars have emphasized the significance of educating and advising families. As a pediatric nurse practitioner, I hope to help families raise their children to be joyful and healthy. Most importantly, I envision myself helping my community thrive. As a pediatric nurse, I hope many find my guidance to be helpful. My nanang inspires me to pursue my education. From a young age, my nanang instilled a strong respect for education and the value of hard work in me. To honor my nanang’s sacrifices, I pursue my success—a testimony to the American Dream she envisioned for our family. I am excited to embark on this next chapter of my life, driven by a passion for helping others and my dedication to making a difference in pediatric healthcare.

Being raised by Filipino immigrant parents, I was no stranger to choosing a path in nursing. Yet, I was determined to explore other dreams before I even considered becoming a nurse. From my family of nurses, I frequently witnessed a remarkable display of generosity and compassion. I played with the ideas of various other career choices: vet, lawyer, and even fashion designer! Yet, I realized that these dreams would not bring me the fulfillment I sought. My most significant career goal is to care for those around me and be a reliable figure. Growing up around healthcare professionals painted nursing to be the most fitting career for me. Beyond providing exceptional healthcare, nursing builds flexibility and resilience in those who pursue it. The field is boundless, with a multitude of areas to pursue. Learning becomes continuous as nursing is ever-evolving. The combination of helping others, receiving gratitude, and facing daily challenges is what I seek in a fulfilling career. I focus my unwavering dedication on pursuing a career in pediatric nursing, recognizing the indispensability of compassion and generosity. My devotion to these values reflects my academic achievements and community involvement. I intend to become a pediatric nurse practitioner because I believe our youth are the key to the future. Providing quality healthcare and improving lives is my way of shaping the future. In particular, I plan to serve underrepresented communities. I hope to touch the lives of many patients; ensuring their time under my care is positive and impactful is most desirable. This summer, I have been fortunate to work on a research opportunity for pediatrics. Through attendance of the webinars with the program, I have gained exposure to various subjects in pediatrics. Immunizations, pediatric oncology, and chronic illness scratch the surface of the topics covered. I find excitement in learning about the subjects presented by healthcare professionals. Notably, the webinars have emphasized the significance of educating and advising families. As a pediatric nurse practitioner, I hope to help families raise their children to be joyful and healthy. My nanang inspires me to pursue my education. From a young age, my nanang instilled a strong respect for education and the value of hard work in me. To honor my nanang’s sacrifices, I pursue my success—a testimony to the American Dream she envisioned for our family. I am excited to embark on this next chapter of my life, driven by a passion for helping others and my dedication to making a difference in pediatric healthcare.

Ambitious. Generous. Compassionate. These are qualities that I have exhibited throughout my years of pursuing education. Whether challenging myself academically or tutoring other students, I have always held myself to high expectations. I have consistently contributed to my community and demonstrated strong character. As a rising high school senior with a 3.9 GPA, I have balanced my academics with extracurricular activities like Varsity Tennis, Jazz Band, and Colorguard. I have taken on leadership roles such as Secretary for the Class of 2025 and President of Zonta International at Monache High School. My commitment to service is evident through my recognition from Congress for contributions to my city. I am passionate about pursuing a career in nursing, a field where compassion and generosity are essential. My dedication to these values is reflected in my academic achievements and community involvement. I've chosen to pursue pediatric nursing because I believe that our youth are the key to the future. Providing quality healthcare and improving lives is my way of shaping the future. In particular, I plan on serving underrepresented communities, hoping to touch the lives of many patients and ensure their time under my care is positive and impactful. Inspiring me to continue the pursuit of my education is my Nanang. From a young age, she instilled a strong respect for education in me. To honor her sacrifices, I pursue my own success—a testimony to the American Dream she pursued.

When I first entered her class my sophomore year, I remember how overwhelmed I was by the amount of energy my AVID teacher, Ms. Martinez-Cisneros. I was even more alarmed when a classmate told me she didn't drink coffee - her boundless enthusiasm bounced off of those around her, including myself. Despite being a new student in an already-established class, I knew from the first day I belonged there. AVID, which stands for Advancement Via Individual Determination, is a program that advocates deeply for hard work to cultivate college and career readiness. It is respected highly as a triumphant yet rigorous program at my school. A strong patron of AVID and a course-completer herself, Ms. Martinez-Cisneros attained her first-ever (and only, hopefully) AVID class during my first year of high school. Aside from AVID, Ms. Martinez-Cisneros instructs diligently as a Spanish teacher. Concurrently, she is also pursuing her doctorate in education. While in college, she was an esteemed Gates Scholar, receiving a full-ride scholarship from Bill and Melinda Gates to UC Berkeley. As an AVID teacher, she is responsible for aiding my classmates and me in our high school journeys while following the program's curriculum. Throughout my time in her class, Ms. Martinez-Cisneros' approach to teaching truly transcends beyond her classroom. Her bubbly personality and bright smile never fail to brighten our days. Regardless of the number of students in her class at any given time, she is attentive to each individual and ready to assist them with anything. I have never met anyone as selfless and hardworking as her. The care she upholds for her students is admirable to those who witness it. As rare as it is, anybody who enters her classroom can see that she cares deeply for her students. Myself and many others look forward to having her class after a long school day. Words fail to express her greatness in and out of the class. Of all the educators I have ever had the pleasure to have, Ms. Martinez-Cisneros inspires me the most because she is a true example of excellence. Her accomplishments thus far have proved that success comes to those willing to work hard enough for it - a principle I have since been careful to integrate into my life. Having her as an instructor allowed me to develop an ampler appreciation for the value of hard work. She also fostered my greater emphasis on fulfilling a balanced lifestyle through her larger-than-life anecdotes and meaningful advice shared during class. Approaching my senior year, known as the most beneficial year in AVID, it is indisputable that the lessons accumulated over our years with Ms. Martinez-Cisneros will be most valuable. Her influence has shaped my outlook on life, instilling the drive to succeed and the wisdom to maintain balance. It would be hard to imagine a successful senior year without her guidance. Because of her, the stress and uncertainty of college have significantly diminished - I know I can rely on her to support me toward the most prosperous outcome. If I were given the chance to give myself advice during my first year of high school, I would have urged the younger me to join AVID sooner. My only regret in high school was not meeting my great mentor, educator, and friend, Ms. Martinez-Cisneros, any sooner.

My friends were unsure of how to consult me after the movie had finished; I was sobbing into the couch pillow. The last thing I expected was to be so touched and resonate so deeply with the message it personally told me. A typically rebellious teen during the transition between middle school and the first year of high school, the relationship between my mother and I increasingly strained. Despite it being a time when I was trying to find my identity, I failed to realize how my mother was struggling to keep me connected with her.  Watching 'Everything Everywhere All At Once' reminded me of the inner conflict I had harbored during our struggle. I saw myself on screen with my mother, each of us playing our respective roles. The Wangs were just another Asian-American family that was trying to adapt to the Western way of life in an unfamiliar place, just like my own. The mother and daughter butt heads in the beginning. Their relationship heavily contrasts with traditional mother-daughter relationships portrayed in the media. As the movie suggested, Evelyn and Joy were just another version of Menchu and Ashea.  Towards the end, Evelyn told her only daughter, “I will always, always, want to be here with you”. The sincerity she portrayed was evident in her voice, while her daughter seemed unable to comprehend this. The emphasis on the second “always” was cemented in my mind as we watched the rest of the movie, making me wonder if my mother felt the same. This scene particularly upset me the most but in the best way possible. I related to Joy and understood her inner turmoil. I witnessed the perspective of my mother just trying to express her love to her daughter. Evelyn’s consistent chasing of Joy in every universe showed me the unbreakable bond between mother and daughter.  EEAAO expresses the deep love a mother has for her daughter. It’s expressed in a manner that simplifies it enough for daughters to understand (to me- I think this part depends on who you ask). Between the cinematography, sophisticated acting, and message it had for me, EEAAO allowed me to accept the truth that I have wrongfully ignored: the fact my mother is here to support me amidst all my challenges. Whatever construct I had created in my mind believing otherwise was wrong. She had never been against me and only wanted me to succeed. In the adapting journey I’ve gone through while growing, my mother has always been my foundation- whether it’s implicitly or explicitly. She had and always will be my favorite supporter.  Despite my admiration for this masterpiece, I have only seen EEAAO once. Ironic, right? Yet, its influence has plagued my daily life and, significantly, my relationship with my mother. In the most humble way possible, I have matured well enough since freshman year to understand the different messages my mother shares through her actions. My friends could not understand the reason I was crying because of the inability to even express what had upset me.  EEAAO greatly inspired a reevaluation of my mother and I’s relationship. Since I first watched this film, a greater sense of appreciation has developed for my mother. As I move forward to face adulthood and the challenges it presents, I hold my mother’s unconditional love close to me. Witnessing the masterpiece of EEAAO was more than enough for me to implement its immeasurable message of a mother’s love in the life I lead today.

I remember the days I would spend after school at my older sister’s high school tennis matches. Then, I couldn’t even imagine myself falling in love with the sport- just like she had. I didn’t even play tennis during my first year of high school. It took the help of my close friend to get me into playing tennis the following year. Now entering my junior year, I’ve realized that I’ve learned a lot from playing tennis, getting me to where I am now and influencing me to move forward. Through continuous practice and strenuous determination, I worked my way into a promising position during my first season and played second chair for JV singles. As a learning season, I developed my important skills: time management, mental and physical resilience in the face of adversity, and most importantly, determination. It also developed my sense of identity. Adding another extracurricular on top of the ones I'm already involved in and the amount of schoolwork I was receiving seemed manageable at first. My tennis season takes place at the same time as my band/colorguard season. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, I often spend around 14 hours at school- having to stay after tennis games to attend whatever time was left for colorguard practice. I remember October being the worst month of all for this reason, as the tennis season would come to an end and the band season hit its peak. The very little time I had outside of school pushed me to become more efficient during school and my classes while highlighting the importance of maintaining sustainable time management. I was constantly busy, yet tennis became more rewarding on days when I completed all my work during class. Throughout this time of balancing, I was sure to communicate with my coaches and instructors to compromise. During my second season, I had the opportunity to play fifth-seat varsity. The transition from JV to varsity was sudden, although anticipated and welcomed. However, this new change didn’t come without its hardships. Games were longer, and I could physically feel the sun beating down on me harder in a twistedly-inspiring manner. I remember my first scrimmage pre-season, where I played my first 2 sets of a 6-game pro set. Even now, that has been the longest I’ve ever played. I remember how enduring it was, as well as the mutual respect that developed between me and my opponent for playing continuously. After both winning a set, it led to my first tiebreaker. When the sun set and the wind came, the conditions were out for both of us. Despite losing that game, I’ll never forget how I felt when my opponent told me that the game we played was the best one she had ever played. Something that the game taught me was to keep playing and to keep pushing through. This mindset has influenced my lifestyle since, fostering my motivation to be continuously determined to succeed. Lastly, tennis has taught me the importance of finding my self. From playing, I was able to separate myself from the shadow of my older sister and instead build up my confidence to become truly myself. Through the wins and losses on the court, I’ve learned to embrace my individuality and define my path. Coming close to my senior year and soon entering the next chapter of my life, I am grateful for the impact tennis has had on me- both shaping my identity and equipping me with the resilience, determination, and time management skills necessary to pursue my dreams.