Biomedical sciences have always been a fascinating topic for me. I have always loved learning about the "ins and outs" of the human body. I think it is interesting just how detailed our bodies truly are. It is amazing to see how even the smallest details make up a single person; and how one flaw can throw off an entire organ system. Ever since I was a young child, I knew I wanted to become a doctor. I wanted to become a doctor to truly have an impact on the world we live in. I wanted to be able to help people and to make someone's life easier for them. It wasn't until I grew up that I realized I wanted to be a dermatologist. I feel as a dermatologist, I can fully understand and help people to the best of my abilities. As most young teens do in middle school, I struggled with my self-image. I struggled with constant acne, and I had no idea how to make it go away. I hated the way I looked on the outside, and that eventually translated to how I felt about myself on the inside, too. However, one trip to the dermatologist turned my life around. She was able to help me with my acne, and this resulted in my self-confidence growing immensely. I was able to feel proud of the way I looked and I was able to carry myself in a better manner. I think this experience for me helped me realize how much of an effect doctors can have on patients and the world around them. Even a dermatologist, a doctor whose specialty is often overlooked in the medical field, can have a great effect on someone's life. She was able to change my life for the better, and I hope to be able to give someone that chance someday. My main goal is to be able to allow someone to feel comfortable in their skin. Especially in today's world, It is important to have confidence in yourself. For many people, this starts on the outside. If a person isn't able to appear confident on the outside, it can be very noticeable to others and even have an effect on the person's internal feelings toward themselves. That is why I want to be a dermatologist. I want to be able to help people feel like the best version of themselves. I want them to feel respected, confident, and proud of the way they present themselves.

Since a young age, I have always been fascinated by books. By the time I was in school, I had fallen in love with reading. It opened up a whole new world for me to explore. Over time, the pictures in the books were replaced by pictures I was able to create in my own mind. My life was forever changed by the gift of reading, and I wish that everyone was able to experience the same kind of joy I get from books. Even though the books I read are mostly fiction, they still have many lessons to offer me. Reading books has taught me that family is not merely defined by blood. It has taught me that life is not what you are given, but how you work and overcome your hardships. Growing up in a single-parent household from the age of 14, I was embarrassed to be seen as "different." I did not want people to look at me differently now that my life had changed so drastically. I was afraid for people to assume that I was broken or damaged because of my circumstances. I just wanted to be seen as my normal self. But, mostly, I was afraid of being compared to my absent father. I was ashamed to have someone so close to me be such a horrible person. I wished more than anything to be seen as myself, and not who my estranged father defined me as. However, reading books showed me that I was not alone in my feelings and that it wasn't impossible to make my own story. It showed me that I was not defined by the unfortunate things that happened to me. I was able to choose my own family, and this revelation led me to meet my best friend of 4 years. Reading also inspired me to be great. It told me not to stop at greatness, but to work harder and become even greater than before. The world of books proved to me that I was so much more than the circumstances I was given. My goals changed from working hard to working harder. I went from the mentality of "Be good." to "Be great." This mentality is one of the reasons I was able to be so successful in my academics. I not only wanted to be a good student, but I wanted to be the best student I could be. It is crazy to think that all of these life lessons and goals were connected to my love of reading. I am very blessed to be able to sit here today and thank reading for all of the opportunities it has given me. Books have given me many laughs, tears, and smiles that have turned me into the person I am today.

I've played volleyball since the 4th grade. Before then, I had no clue that the sport even existed. My friends convinced me to try out for our middle school team, and since then, I've been in love with the sport. The sport of volleyball has taught me many lessons, some harder to learn than others. Volleyball has taught me that life is unfair. It showed me that no matter how hard you work or how much time you put into something, the outcome might not always be what you wanted. No matter how much blood, sweat, and tears you give to something, you still can't control the outcome. I learned this lesson during my sophomore season. My team was top 5 in the state, with good odds of winning it all. My team was filled with people who had a drive to get better every day. I was blessed to be a starting varsity member that year. Of course, every year teams hope to win the state title, but that year was different. You could feel in the energy at practice that we went business, and we weren't going to give up without a fight. Flash-forward to the end of the season. The team had made it to the state tournament and we were in the quarterfinals. The entire town was there to cheer us on, against a very beatable opponent. Unfortunately, the game did not go our way and we were left devastated. I sat and wondered why our best wasn't good enough. Our team did everything right. We worked hard at practice, supported one another, and never gave up. Looking back on this moment I realized that sometimes that is just how the world works. It was a hard lesson to learn, but it taught me that it is not how hard you fall, but how fast you get back up. Throughout my volleyball career, I've always tried to be the "go-to" player. I wanted to be the player that the team could rely on to take over any spot if needed. Even when I doubted my abilities as a player, I kept on pushing. When my hitting would get consistent, I would go and work on my back row defending/passing. When that would get consistent, I would work on my timing and blocking. I've spent countless hours in practices and open gyms to become the player I am today. When I set my mind to something, I become so determined to get the best possible outcome. I always try to never give up or lose confidence in myself. I already use this mindset in the classroom. I strive to get the best grade I can get in any class. Even if I don't understand the lesson taught to me at first, I will ask questions and try to understand the lesson as best as possible. I always try to make sure I can be successful in my academics. I am sure this mindset will follow me from high school to college, and hopefully, to medical school.

Since I started my academic journey in Pre-K, the only person that has been there for me is my mother. Every night, my mom would show me flashcards to help me learn my sight words. I would get so frustrated when I kept missing the same words over and over again. My mom would always notice me being hard on myself and would encourage me to keep trying. No matter how much I would complain, she would never let me quit. This experience at a young age has helped me to become the student I am today. I wouldn't have learned to be resilient without my mother. I believe the most valuable lesson I have learned from my mom, that still helps me in my educational journey today, is the one she never had to tell me. She taught me to never give up on myself. Growing up in a single-parent home since the age of 14, I found myself watching how my mother handled herself. I watched how she would be stressed every time the bills would come around. I also noticed that every time she would sense me around, her whole attitude would change. Instead of worrying about the bills piling up, she would always ask me about my day or if I needed any help with the homework. I also realized that no matter what, the bills would always get paid. My mother never gave up, even when the odds seemed stacked against her. She worked her tail off and kept a smile on her face while doing it. She stayed humble, kind, and brilliant through it all. My mom would always bet on herself, and I think that way of thinking rubbed off on me. Throughout school, I always strive to be the best. I don't want to let my mother down, but I also never want to let myself down. Like my mother always did, I find a way to be successful. Even now, as a senior in high school, I still use my mom's philosophies to get through my day-to-day life. No matter how hard my class gets, or how mean someone treats me, I never give up. Giving up has never been an option for my mom, and it will not be an option for me. I wish there were enough words to thank my mother for everything she has taught me, especially the lessons she taught me when she thought no one was looking.