Pursuing further education is important to me because it translates into the chance to break free from the cycle of poverty and dysfunction that has been a decades-long issue within my family. Growing up, I witnessed first-hand the destruction of addiction and how it hurts families, particularly the abuse and neglect brought about by my parent's use of drugs. My learning isn't all about getting facts and sitting examinations—it's gaining knowledge and know-how to build a better future for me and escape from the self-destructive cycles that have ensnared my family for generations. By continuing my education, I hope to acquire the knowledge and skills that will allow me to make actual changes in my life and, in the future, help others in my community who are as disadvantaged as I am. Film, or movies, has been a major part of my life, giving me a sense of direction and understanding that the adults in my life could not provide. I did not have many role models to model myself after when I was growing up. My parents, and especially my mother, were on drugs, and the chaos that circulated around our house made it difficult for me to feel stable in any aspect. And through films, however, I was introduced to characters who struggled through adversity, struggled with personal demons, and triumphed despite their dysfunctional circumstances. These fictional stories, as fictional as they were, gave me something to work toward—a vision of a life attainable despite the hardship I had experienced. They taught me lessons about perseverance, toughness, and the power of decision. Movies, with their stories of challenge and triumph, have provided me with the ethical framework I was denied due to the abandonment I had experienced during my youth. The lessons learned from films have inspired me to push forward even when it feels like everything is against me. They have given me hope and reminded me that change is possible, no matter how insurmountable the obstacles may seem. Seeing characters survive tribulation encouraged me to think that I, too, could overcome the troubles with which I was born, and that learning would be the optimum means by which to make that a reality. Unfortunately, the example of my parent's drug-fueled abuse had a heavy bearing on my morale and directly affected my studies. The emotional harm of having to live in such a toxic environment left me feeling defeated, and it was hard to focus on school when so much of my time was wasted being scared and anxious at home. But despite all of this, I took solace in movies—both as an escape route and for inspiration. The films that I saw on screen provided me with the psychological resilience to continue, even when I didn't believe I had the strength to go on. These films taught me that however poor things were, there was always a chance for redemption, and that if I worked hard enough, I could change my own fate. I am determined to use education to end the cycle of addiction and poverty that has existed in my family. This will not be easy, but the strength I've gained through art, and film in particular, gives me the confidence to overcome future challenges. My experiences with the drug issues within my family and the abandonment I endured only served to bolster my resolve to achieve academically and personally. I am set on using the education and what I've learned from both real life and film to create a better life for myself and to encourage others who are battling similar battles.

Jack Terry's biography is such an inspirational one because it stands as a testament to the power of resilience, determination, and hope in the face of unimaginable adversity. Born in Poland in 1930, Jack's young life was shattered when he lost his entire family in the Holocaust. Having survived the horrors of three Nazi concentration camps, he was alone at the end of the war. Despite overwhelming adversity, Jack was given a second lease on life when an American Army officer sponsored him to come to the United States. At 15 years old, with no education and no knowledge of the English language, Jack's determination to succeed was nothing short of phenomenal. His story is so inspirational because of the way in which he rose above adversity. Jack struggled through high school and college, continuing on to become a geological engineer and later a psychoanalyst. His path also led him to serve in the U.S. Army as a 1st Lieutenant, to become a standout athlete, and to become a loving father and grandfather. In his older age, Jack devoted much time to speaking with students about his life, teaching, and providing inspiration. His ability to overcome personal tragedy and hardship, while doing everything he can to improve himself, is a testament to the power of perseverance and the human spirit. The story applies to children who have parents in prison while they are in early childhood. Like Jack, children in these situations are likely to face extreme hardship, with their lives altered in ways they cannot control. The pain of losing a parent to incarceration can be psychologically damaging, and these children, like Jack, must navigate a harsh world without the support system that they deserve. However, as is apparent from Jack, there is always space for redemption and growth despite these challenges. His life shows that resilience, hard work, and the assistance of others can pave the way toward a brighter tomorrow, irrespective of the pitfalls in one's past. In my life, the studies I have done have prepared me for the future by providing me with the abilities and knowledge to overcome challenges. Like Jack, I have found that success is not always easy to attain, but with persistence and knowledge, a person can overcome adversity. By working hard at my studies and striving to continue learning, I am equipping myself to meet challenges in the future and to have a beneficial effect on the world that surrounds me.

Growing up in a family that was never really financially secure, I had to always rely on the government's aid just to survive. My family's income level was always a source of tension and uncertainty, and soon I realized that mere external assistance would never make me financially secure in the long term. This realization encouraged me to want to take control of my financial education myself. I began researching on the internet at a young age about how to manage money, and I ultimately determined that I was going to break the cycle of poverty. I got the fundamentals of personal finance from the internet—articles, videos, podcasts, and personal finance websites. I understood how to budget, save, and track spending even when there was nothing much. I understood credit scores, debt traps, and how tiny investments would add up and make a humongous difference in attaining financial stability. This DIY knowledge empowered me to make improved financial decisions, and I felt I now had the ability to manage my finances like never before. Apart from self-learning through the internet, I was also fortunate to study business subjects in school. These subjects provided me with more structured lessons in finance where I can study subjects such as cash flow management, company budgeting, and long-term financial planning. Having formal business studies and self-study provided me with the knowledge not just to study personal finance but also how money works in a wider context, such as in entrepreneurship and investment. The money education I've gained has been eye-opening. I now see money as a means to an end, an end to open doors of opportunity but not necessarily something that's outside of my control. I understand the importance of long-term financial planning and the importance of building credit and saving early. My current goals are to go to college and pursue further education in business and apply my education in finance in order to eventually create a secure and independent financial future. In the future, I plan on using the concepts of finance that I have learned in order to improve my own financial condition and help others who are in my position. By using the lessons of budgeting, saving, and investing, I am confident that I will be able to have a better life ahead of me and my community, and one day be beyond the financial woes of my past.

I have always discovered film to be a deep and personal resource for me, one that has shaped the way I understand the world and understand emotions. When I was a child, I frequently felt disconnected from the grown-ups in my life. I did not always get the advice or compassion that I required, and I came to use films as a place of comfort and explanation. The characters, themes, and narratives of the films I screened spoke to me in a way that no other person could. In some ways, the medium spoke to me as my guide, sending me messages and concepts that I had not yet been receiving through the individuals within my surroundings. What I adored about film was its ability to express emotions and ideas in a way that resonated deeply with me. Film provided me with a language I could understand, a language through which I could reflect on life and struggle through the process of coming of age. Film became not just a source of entertainment, but also an image of my own difficulties and triumphs. They allowed for companionship, although this was usually with imaginary people or stories. From film, I learned empathy, resilience, and the importance of seeing the world from other people's perspectives. My journey through film has changed my life significantly over the years. Not only has it altered my outlook in the world, but it has also given me an artistic forum to express my own emotions and ideas. The passion has connected me with a lot of other like-minded individuals who share my experiences and points of view. By way of cinema, I have found others with an understanding of the strength of the narrative and the emotional potential of it. Such friendships have been invaluable, giving comfort as well as inspiration as we engage our mutual interest in the craft. Film has allowed me and my fellow colleagues to be artistic in a safe and rewarding way. It gives us a venue in which to express feeling and thought that perhaps is not possible to do otherwise. Whether making our own movies or discussing someone else's films, whether simply sharing our critique, film has given us a vehicle for self-expression and emotional purging. This shared experience has been a source of personal growth for all of us, as we’ve been able to explore our identities, confront our fears, and process our emotions in a healthy and productive way. In addition to imparting personal growth, film has also been the key to knowing and understanding. It has made me see outside of my own existence and sympathize with others from other lives and perspectives. The most beautiful thing about film is that language and culture do not need to be understood and that it makes us learn from the human experience that transcends all of us. This broadened view helped me become a tolerant and forgiving person, not just to other people but even to myself. In short, cinema has been more than just a hobby or entertainment—it has been a source of inspiration, unity, and emotional release. It has shaped the way I look at the world, provided me with a medium of self-expression, and allowed me to share myself with others who have the same interest and develop serious relationships. Through cinema, I have discovered a community that guides me to develop and helps me make sense of the intricacies of life. It has provided me with a voice and platform to speak my mind, and for that, I will always be thankful.

Imagine yourself younger, sitting with a close friend who shares a lot of interests with you; the two of you have a great bond, but they have some mental handicaps that make it difficult for them to express their feelings. Then imagine what happens when someone who doesn't try to understand how they think meets them and what this may lead to, specifically for younger children. What it leads to is severe bullying due to a lack of understanding and that is exactly what happened to me and a friend when I was in elementary school. I am diagnosed with bipolar and anxiety disorders and my friend who I mentioned had severe autism. We were both bullied constantly, not for our disorders, but for how these disorders made us act, because those bullying us didn't understand we had disorders they just thought we were weird. This constant harassment growing up made me decide something pretty early in my life: I will never let another person feel what I've felt due to a lack of empathy. The first action I took to achieve this goal was to understand why kids lacked empathy. In my experience, I believed it was almost always because they were just bad, but through research online I found a much more mature explanation: they didn't know, or had been influenced by the deeds of their parents. As an adult, this is a pretty easy concept to grasp, but in my little mind, it completely blew me away, since I am more mature now, I feel I must spread this knowledge to those who aren't aware. This has caused me to work with my church to recruit younger people who engage in this behavior and give them a safe environment where everyone is respectful so that they can communicate why they commit their actions. We can share just how damaging what they do can be to others and since we prioritize talking to them as if they are an adult, it usually comes to be that they are more open to listen to us and to change how they act towards others. This is how I deal with physical bullying, but as far as online bullying goes, I do a few alternative things. First, I join groups that teach people the effects of bullying to possibly prevent it, then I will go to specific users posts that may be dangerous and calmy explain to them what their doing can cause. finally if all else fails I report the content, as some people really don't care about learning and reporting it is the last option. Overall, I try my best to prevent bullying of all types by informing the perpetrators of possible causes and damages behind their actions, because I myself was made to feel terrible through bullying as I grew up due to lack of education on the topic of bullying among my peers. As I enter Higher education I would like to spread these thoughts to even more communities, but due to my low economic status it is sometimes hard to go out to spread your message, due to this I feel it nessicary to get as much money as I can to fund my future in higher education, so monetarily I need a medium-high amount of money from scholarships to make my ventures more affordable. Bullying in all forms affects copious amounts of people everyday and at times it can be seen as too large to stop, but by creating an environment of understanding amongst communities, it may become a reality.