Art is a broad topic that I feel can be applied to anything; it’s about making something yours. This is why I feel engineering and art go hand in hand. Growing up I would always find comfort in pulling out the colorful filled box of crayons and the blank white paper, to then fill with my new ideas and latest creations. In preschool I was adorned with the nickname “Artist of the Class,” and I took so much pride in that, maybe a little too much pride. Creativity flowed through me and not just through illustration. I would create elaborate costumes out of construction paper and colored tapes and construct the most amazing pillow forts you had ever seen. They would be complete with hanging lights, board games, and my Ipad mini. I received my first piece of technology at a young age, that Ipad mini unlocked a whole new world for me. It showed me the power of technology: I could record videos, and I could find the answer to any question at any moment and learn about a new application. I held that pink and black rubber case between my hands with my eyes glued to the screen in amazement. I have grown with technology, and I’m so grateful for it. I always wanted to see the next best thing and wanted to know how it worked. Figuring out something's function was always a goal of mine. My dad has nurtured that part of my mind since day one; I have a vivid memory of my mom hiding in the living room while eight year old me was helping install outlets in our kitchen. I wanted to know about the different colored wires, and why I shouldn't touch one to the other. I always tried to wear my father’s tool belt and pretend to fix things around the house. I think that's what pushed him to get me this blue plastic tool case for kids, it came complete with a flashlight, hammer, screwdriver, pliers, and gloves. Just before I was about to start high school. I toured Waukesha South and received a pamphlet on the Engineering Academy; I knew I had to go. I can’t stand going through normal school, I need something different and this seemed perfect for me. This academy ended up giving me the greatest gift of all: a love for design. I was exposed to CAD in a much larger way compared to in my middle school years. I was shown how I could create digital modelings and turn them into hard plastic ones. I was shown how to use countless softwares like Autodesk Inventor, Revit, Multisim, MD Solids and more. I built Legos, a train, houses, trusses, outlined circuits as well as programmed for CNC machines, but it felt like something was missing. Within the engineering academy the percentage of female students was most likely around 30. This created a huge gap that didn't cause problems with everyone, but as a women I would be shut out of conversations, assumed to be weak, and helpless. It surely did anger me with the casual sexism being thrown around by some of my fellow peers. In the end of it all I knew I was in the right place I found so much joy in design. The defining moment was wen I scored of the highest test scores on the Autodesk Inventor Certification test within the Academy; a lovely 900/1000.

I remember how the plush couch felt, and how looking through the window out at the gray sky only made me feel more numb. That was the day I realized humans are mortal, the death of my grandfather was an event that would affect me throughout the years to come. Everyone experiences grief, I know my story may not seem unique because of that. This isn’t about the grief itself though, it’s about how it’s triggered other events that have made me who I am today. In the beginning, his passing was abrupt and a shock to my whole family. It just so happened that my depression had begun just before this. Truly it was like gasoline to the flame. This is where my mental health journey began, and when school became that much more of a challenge. I grew up on the idea that work was a priority and it became so addicting to get good grades. This was the only way to feel accomplishment in what I was pushing out. My mind relied on grades and appearance to determine my self worth. That was a mindset that was gonna harm me for a while. Assignments became harder and harder because my mind was constantly overthinking. I eventually developed restricting eating habits and a poor self image. My challenge was to fight grief and find balance, but I didn’t even know it yet. I would go through each school day assuming everyone had the same issues as me. All I did was wonder “why can’t I do it like everyone else?” The tornado of grief, mental illness and hormones may have been why. The feelings of emptiness and the crumbling of my self worth continued at full speed ahead for four years straight. I tried to keep pushing myself, while shoving my emotions to the side. I never wanted anyone to view me as weak. That pushing can’t last forever, I was finally pushed all the way to a doctors office. My practitioner told me that “Your Brain is Broken.” I will never forget those words. I don’t know if she understood how damaging it could be to say to anyone with a form of mental illness, but let me tell you that lit a new fire within me. A fire that had a passion of advocating to those who struggled, as well as helping others best I could. I wanted those that struggled everyday to understand that they aren’t broken, they just have barriers that don’t make them any less of a person. Eventually I found a therapist who I now see regularly, who has helped me find ways to cope with my barriers and make life less challenging. In the end, I found myself within my own struggles. I don’t want anyone to feel alone in these moments like I did, so each day I do my best to make those around me know that they aren’t. I am lucky to be able to afford therapy, but many are not as lucky. Just having support is better than nothing. Anything I can do to provide it, I try to make it happen. The relationships I’ve formed with others who have been in similar situations is truly what has gotten me through school. We make each other feel less alone. It has improved my relationship with my education. While I am still partially driven by wanting to achieve success, I am also driven by my peers. Finding ways to work together can create a better learning dynamic as well as can make projects seem less daunting. I have reached a point where I can learn and live again. That is the main challenge that I have gotten through, aside from a whole pandemic but that's a story for another time.

As mental health continues to be pushed further into the light we have been pushed to face it ourselves. I personally have been affected in many ways, I have struggled; it took me a long time to realize I was deserving of help. Eventually I even wanted to help others who were struggling just like me. Growing up is hard and self image has always been hard for me; it started all the way back in fourth grade. I was commonly bullied for my glasses, the old nerd trope. That treatment programmed me to become hyper self aware of how I looked. It lead to intense depressive mood, an eating disorder and body dysmorphia. I also struggle with anxiety, especially surrounding my looks. Before I had names and tools to fight these growing symptoms I was constantly trying to face it all on my own. I had a fear of seeming weak and I was not kind to myself in any way. These long nights with an empty stomach and a head full of self hatred drove me to act out. I had no energy and no joy. It broke me and I had several breakdowns in front of my family. It had pushed them to take me to the doctors office. My practitioner told me that “Your Brain is Broken.” I will never forget those words. I don’t know if she understood how damaging it could be to say to anyone with a form of mental illness, but let me tell you that lit a new fire within me. A fire that had a passion of advocating to those who struggled, as well as helping others best I could. I wanted those that struggled everyday to understand that they aren’t broken, they just have barriers that don’t make them any less of a person. Eventually I found a therapist who I now see regularly, who has helped me find ways to cope with my barriers and make life less challenging. Later on, I became a co president of my schools club Students Against Destructive Decisions. We advocated for mental health. We had speakers come in, we presented during homeroom and even created green ribbon pins to wear. We handed these pins out one morning after creating a few thousand of them the night before and let me tell you that hard work paid off. As I watched people from all different backgrounds wearing them proudly around the school; that created a sense of connectivity. I knew that people could feel less alone and realize they aren't weak for reaching out.

Figuring out something's function was always a goal of mine. My dad has nurtured that part of my mind since day one; I have a vivid memory of my mom hiding in the living room while eight year old me was helping install outlets in our kitchen. I wanted to know about the different colored wires, and why I shouldn't touch one to the other. I always tried to wear my father’s toolbelt and pretend to fix things around the house. I think that's what pushed him to get me this blue plastic tool case for kids, it came complete with a flashlight, hammer, screwdriver, pliers, and gloves. Fastforwarding a bit into middle school, sixth grade was a nightmare. I hated waking up in the morning, school wasn’t engaging and I didn’t feel it was a good use of my time. In seventh grade My father encouraged me to enroll into the accelerated learning program at my school named FLIGHT Academy, I promise we never flew planes. FLIGHT was different; it gave me a chance to research topics I enjoyed and learn time management on my own. I researched topics like Plastic injection molding, SFX Makeup and Body Dysmorpiha. I created presentations and felt like I was actually learning something interesting. The other great part about this school was the amount of field trips we went on. I loved the hands-on experience of seeing body tracking technology, the water processing plant, the museum of science and industry in Chicago and many more. This school made me find my appreciation for engineering and grew my knowledge on what technology can do. Just before I was about to start high school. I toured Waukesha South and received a pamphlet on the Engineering Academy; I knew I had to go. I can’t stand going through normal school, I need something different and this seemed perfect for me. This academy ended up giving me the greatest gift of all: a love for design. My main Instructor Mr. Schmitt exposed me to CAD in a much larger way compared to in my middle school years. I was shown how I could create digital modelings and turn them into hard plastic ones. I was shown how to use countless softwares like Autodesk Inventor, Revit, Multisim, MD Solids and more. I built Legos, a train, houses, trusses, outlined circuits as well as programmed for CNC machines, but it felt like something was missing. During my Senior year of high school, I was able to take art classes again. I engaged in topics like drawing, painting, photography and ceramics. I found that same comfort again, the creative drive. Being able to create these art pieces alongside my engineering topics gave way to this new emotion. I finally felt like I found what I was supposed to do. I can use my creativity and artistic eye to problem solve through engineering. Aesthetics have become much more prevalent in today's market and I think that’s amazing. I always put my skills into my work. I will always thank my father for pushing me to follow what felt true to myself. I have been able to combine my passions for Art and Engineering and that is the greatest gift I have ever received. I’m excited to pursue these passions, I just need a little help finding them. I am going to MSOE to specialize in Mechanical engineering and User Experience. I wanna create something that is both emotional and fixes a need. That’s what I intend to do.

Art is a broad topic that I feel can be applied to anything; it’s about making something yours. This is why I feel engineering and art go hand in hand. Growing up I would always find comfort in pulling out the colorful filled box of crayons and the blank white paper, to then fill with my new ideas and latest creations. In preschool I was adorned with the nickname “Artist of the Class,” and I took so much pride in that, maybe a little too much pride. Creativity flowed through me and not just through illustration. I would create elaborate costumes out of construction paper and colored tapes and construct the most amazing pillow forts you had ever seen. They would be complete with hanging lights, board games, and my Ipad mini. I continue to integrate art into my life and work. If I can ever add creative details to my project I will.

Within my Life Self-Care has become more of a focus. When Depression struck in my early middle school years I found myself in deep stress. I had to learn was to cope with these newfound intense emotions, they were also harming my self confidence. I was later on exposed to Skincare. It became almost a game for me, I would save some money and buy products to form a routine for myself. I created something that was set time to better myself. It’s the way I start my day and end it. It has helped me through all these years where I am now a senior in High School. I will always recommend to someone to find a way to give back to themselves. This world is harsh and everyone deserves a way to feel good. You can go for walks, meditate or do your hair. Simple things like this go a long way.

Art is a broad topic that I feel can be applied to anything; it’s about making something yours. This is why I feel engineering and art go hand in hand. Growing up I would always find comfort in pulling out the colorful filled box of crayons and the blank white paper, to then fill with my new ideas and latest creations. Figuring out something's function was always a goal of mine. My dad has nurtured that part of my mind since day one; I have a vivid memory of my mom hiding in the living room while eight year old me was helping install outlets in our kitchen. I wanted to know about the different colored wires, and why I shouldn't touch one to the other. I always tried to wear my father’s toolbelt and pretend to fix things around the house. I think that's what pushed him to get me this blue plastic tool case for kids, it came complete with a flashlight, hammer, screwdriver, pliers, and gloves. Just before I was about to start high school. I toured Waukesha South and received a pamphlet on the Engineering Academy; I knew I had to go. I can’t stand going through normal school, I need something different and this seemed perfect for me. This academy ended up giving me the greatest gift of all: a love for design. I was exposed to CAD in a much larger way compared to in my middle school years. I was shown how I could create digital modelings and turn them into hard plastic ones. I was shown how to use countless softwares like Autodesk Inventor, Revit, Multisim, MD Solids and more. I built Legos, a train, houses, trusses, outlined circuits as well as programmed for CNC machines, but it felt like something was missing. In my Engineering and Design class, I produced a tea bag holder. I completed it with a smiley face, so it would appeal to more people and give off a positive emotion. Another project was to create a board game. I created game pieces out of clay and mapped out the board game. I have always leaned into the projects that have a physicality to them; I love creating something tangible for people. This is why I love mechanical engineering: it brings in design and product production. At the end of the day I want to use my creative thinking as well as engineering mindset to bring joy to people. During the pandemic, I fell through many deep dives on Youtube to distract myself from my own isolating doom. One night the path sent me to a video on the history of Imagineering; I had never seen that word before despite my love for the Disney theme parks and franchise all together. Walt Disney was a man of many strange habits, but the one thing that I will respect him for was hiring artists to design his theme park. This one move created a whole new type of engineering: people who were creative and problem solvers. I soon discovered that people like me exist, that there are other engineers that create these intricate machines that are also just giant art projects. My dream job down the road is to be an Imagineer, I know that both current me and Childhood me would be proud.

Art is a broad topic that I feel can be applied to anything; it’s about making something yours. This is why I feel engineering and art go hand in hand. Growing up I would always find comfort in pulling out the colorful filled box of crayons and the blank white paper, to then fill with my new ideas and latest creations. In preschool I was adorned with the nickname “Artist of the Class,” and I took so much pride in that, maybe a little too much pride. Creativity flowed through me and not just through illustration. I would create elaborate costumes out of construction paper and colored tapes and construct the most amazing pillow forts you had ever seen. They would be complete with hanging lights, board games, and my Ipad mini. I received my first piece of technology at a young age, that Ipad mini unlocked a whole new world for me. It showed me the power of technology: I could record videos, and I could find the answer to any question at any moment and learn about a new application. I held that pink and black rubber case between my hands with my eyes glued to the screen in amazement. I have grown with technology, and I’m so grateful for it. I always wanted to see the next best thing and wanted to know how it worked. Figuring out something's function was always a goal of mine. My dad has nurtured that part of my mind since day one; I have a vivid memory of my mom hiding in the living room while eight year old me was helping install outlets in our kitchen. I wanted to know about the different colored wires, and why I shouldn't touch one to the other. I always tried to wear my father’s toolbelt and pretend to fix things around the house. I think that's what pushed him to get me this blue plastic tool case for kids, it came complete with a flashlight, hammer, screwdriver, pliers, and gloves. Fastforwarding a bit into middle school, sixth grade was a nightmare. I hated waking up in the morning, school wasn’t engaging and I didn’t feel it was a good use of my time. In seventh grade I ended up enrolling into the accelerated learning program at my school named FLIGHT Academy, I promise we never flew planes. FLIGHT was different; it gave me a chance to research topics I enjoyed and learn time management on my own. I researched topics like Plastic injection molding, SFX Makeup and Body Dysmorpiha. I created presentations and felt like I was actually learning something interesting. The other great part about this school was the amount of field trips we went on. I loved the hands-on experience of seeing body tracking technology, the water processing plant, the museum of science and industry in Chicago and many more. This school made me find my appreciation for engineering and grew my knowledge on what technology can do. Just before I was about to start high school. I toured Waukesha South and received a pamphlet on the Engineering Academy; I knew I had to go. I can’t stand going through normal school, I need something different and this seemed perfect for me. This academy ended up giving me the greatest gift of all: a love for design. I was exposed to CAD in a much larger way compared to in my middle school years. I was shown how I could create digital modelings and turn them into hard plastic ones. I was shown how to use countless softwares like Autodesk Inventor, Revit, Multisim, MD Solids and more. I built Legos, a train, houses, trusses, outlined circuits as well as programmed for CNC machines, but it felt like something was missing. During my Senior year of high school, I was able to take art classes again. I engaged in topics like drawing, painting, photography and ceramics. I found that same comfort again, the creative drive. Being able to create these art pieces alongside my engineering topics gave way to this new emotion. I finally felt like I found what I was supposed to do. I can use my creativity and artistic eye to problem solve through engineering. I get to design products the way I feel will work and will look good. Aesthetics have become much more prevalent in today's market and I think that’s amazing. I always put my skills into my work. In my Engineering and Design class, I produced a tea bag holder. I completed it with a smiley face, so it would appeal to more people and give off a positive emotion. Another project was to create a board game. I created game pieces out of clay and mapped out the board game. I have always leaned into the projects that have a physicality to them; I love creating something tangible for people. This is why I love mechanical engineering: it brings in design and product production. At the end of the day I want to use my creative thinking as well as engineering mindset to bring joy to people. During the pandemic, I fell through many deep dives on Youtube to distract myself from my own isolating doom. One night the path sent me to a video on the history of Imagineering; I had never seen that word before despite my love for the Disney theme parks and franchise all together. Walt Disney was a man of many strange habits, but the one thing that I will respect him for was hiring artists to design his theme park. This one move created a whole new type of engineering: people who were creative and problem solvers. I soon discovered that people like me exist, that there are other engineers that create these intricate machines that are also just giant art projects. My dream job down the road is to be an Imagineer.