Community service is something that I value highly. Doing good for the planet and all creatures on it will always be my main priority. My curiosity has led me to pursue activities and ideas outside of my normal routine, including volunteering over Zoom to help Ukrainian teens learn and practice English. This niche opportunity is never something I had imagined doing, but it intrigued me and has led to meaningful, cross-county and cultural connections. I love to cook, and I make dinner each night for my family. I joined the peer leadership part of my school's social justice club, which reminded me that there is plenty of work to be done right in my community to combat racism, sexism, and anti-LGBTQIA bias. I have loved volunteering at my local farmers market and community garden, both initiatives that fill me with joy at their simple ways of providing produce that makes a massive impact on the town and planet. In addition to internships where I learned so much about educating and how nonprofits function, I have spoken at conferences and advocated for plant-based lunch offerings at my school. This scholarship will help me broaden my knowledge of environmental issues through studying an environmental major in college. The most important life goal I hold is to work towards a more just and sustainable planet for all. One of the primary ways I want to achieve my goal is by making our food system less reliant on industrial animal agriculture and with greater respect for farmers and the earth. I want to do this through advocacy, education, and outreach. I hope to explore the intersections between issues such as climate change and social injustice, and their relation with our food system. I have already worked to understand these intersections by joining various youth groups whose purpose is to create more awareness of and solutions to, the problems with our food system. With these groups, I presented to over 200 people, along with working to create and widely share a resource packet designed to empower educators to incorporate the benefits of a plant-based diet into their curriculum. I want to expand knowledge on a societal level of issues facing the planet and its inhabitants. This will include engaging within the community to promote tangible actions that everyday folks can take to combat huge issues such as pollution and racism, for example, that negatively impact everyone. I also plan to work to change laws and implement new policies that will ensure a better future. Already in Massachusetts, I have been working with a statewide coalition lobbying for more nutritious, plant-forward, climate-friendly meals. I have also held three internships with nonprofits that share similar goals. My excitement to take action translates itself into diving in headfirst, and I'm willing to spend the time needed to make my results as powerful as possible.

Generational wealth is an opportunity available for those who understand how the stock market works and grows to passively earn money on their existing funds. Generational wealth means the ability to be stable and to give children or other younger family members a headstart as they navigate a complicated world that runs on money. Oftentimes, our society emphasizes individual worth based on their income or economic status. It's difficult to succeed in our world without money, even if you just want the basics, such as a house, food, and clothing. Generational wealth is a way to be smart about how we give to others and leave a legacy that aids future inhabitants of the planet. It is the opportunity to give a gift that keeps on gaining and giving instead of a one-time cash influx. I plan to achieve generational wealth by continuing to invest now. I don't spend my money on many frivolous things or material items that will go out of fashion soon. Instead, I invest my money in accounts that have a higher return rate than a simple savings account. I do make sure to put money into my savings account so I have an emergency fund if needed. But, I know that if I invest my money now, I'll have much more to spend later and a very comfortable retirement in which I won't have to be worried about how much longer I will live for fear that I might outlive my money. I'm grateful that my mom is already started this process for me as she is very financially, smart and has been investing for a long time. She has taught me that on average money invested doubles about every 7 years. I frequently calculate how much I want to have invested by the time I turn 18 so that amount will have doubled 6 times by the time I'm 60. I will continue to invest as much as I can each month and hopefully work with a company that will offer a generous match program for a 401(k). Additionally, as a basic principle, I will always live beneath my means as to not overspend, or become accustomed to a life I cannot afford. This isn't to say I'll never spend my money for fun or unnecessary things, but in general, I prioritize needs in the future over present, fleeting desires. Another important way I want to use my generational wealth is to help other marginalized folks build generational wealth. Too often, people of color in the US are presented with many unjust barriers that make it harder for them to build this type of wealth, so I want to use my knowledge, money and position of privilege as a white person to help them achieve a similar advantage.

I have been very successful academically, participated in a wide variety of sports throughout the past 10 years, and contributed greatly to my community. I love to cook, and I make dinner each night for my family. I joined the peer leadership part of my school's social justice club, which reminded me that there is plenty of work to be done right in my community to combat racism, sexism, and anti-LGBTQIA bias. I have loved volunteering at my local farmers market and community garden, both initiatives that fill me with joy at their simple ways of providing produce that makes a massive impact for the town and planet. In addition to internships where I learned so much about educating and how nonprofits function, I have spoken at conferences and advocated for plant-based lunch offerings at my school. I studied abroad in Spain for the first semester of my senior year. There, I improved my ability to understand verbal communication as a whole, as I had to not only translate literal words that I didn’t understand in Spanish but also meaning and intent in a culture I wasn’t born into. I’ve become even more independent, navigated and adapted to cultural differences, and, of course, majorly improved my Spanish. This scholarship will help me broaden my knowledge of environmental issues through studying an environmental major in college. The most important life goal I hold is to work towards a more just and sustainable planet for all. One of the primary ways I want to achieve my goal is by making our food system less reliant on industrial animal agriculture and with greater respect for farmers and the earth. I want to do this through advocacy, education, and outreach. I hope to explore the intersections between issues such as climate change and social injustice, and their relation with our food system. I have already worked to understand these intersections by joining various youth groups whose purpose is to create more awareness of and solutions to, the problems with our food system. With these groups, I presented to over 200 people, along with working to create and widely share a resource packet designed to empower educators to incorporate the benefits of a plant-based diet into their curriculum. I want to expand knowledge on a societal level of issues facing the planet and its inhabitants. This will include engaging within the community to promote tangible actions that everyday folks can take to combat huge issues such as pollution and racism, for example, that negatively impact everyone. I also plan to work to change laws and implement new policies that will ensure a better future. Already in Massachusetts, I have been working with a statewide coalition lobbying for more nutritious, plant-forward, climate-friendly meals. I have also held three internships with nonprofits that share similar goals. My excitement to take action translates itself into diving in headfirst, and I'm willing to spend the time needed to make my results as powerful as possible.

This scholarship will help me broaden my knowledge of environmental issues through studying an environmental major in college. The most important life goal I hold is to work towards a more just and sustainable planet for all. One of the primary ways I want to achieve my goal is by making our food system less reliant on industrial animal agriculture and with greater respect for farmers and the earth. I want to do this through advocacy, education, and outreach. I hope to explore the intersections between issues such as climate change and social injustice, and their relation with our food system. I have already worked to understand these intersections by joining various youth groups whose purpose is to create more awareness of and solutions to, the problems with our food system. With these groups, I presented to over 200 people, along with working to create and widely share a resource packet designed to empower educators to incorporate the benefits of a plant-based diet into their curriculum. Throughout the past four years, I have learned so much about prioritizing, organization, and perseverance. Additionally, I greatly practiced independence and bravery when I studied abroad in Spain for 4 months. That experience helped me gain so much cultural and intellectual knowledge while having an amazing time exploring a different country. In high school, I also plan to work to change laws and implement new policies that will ensure a better future. Already in Massachusetts, I have been working with a statewide coalition lobbying for more nutritious, plant-forward, climate-friendly meals. I have also held three internships with nonprofits that share similar goals. My excitement to take action translates itself into diving in headfirst, and I'm willing to spend the time needed to make my results as powerful as possible.

I have always thrived academically. I'm reliably the person who participates most, and I am always happy to help those who are struggling. After taking all AP classes in my junior year without much difficulty, I decided that studying abroad in Spain would be a great opportunity to further my education and challenge myself in a way I hadn't previously done. In Spain, all of my classes were taught in Spanish meant for native speakers, while I am more of an advanced intermediate speaker. I lived with a host family and became more and more knowledgeable about the culture of Spain. I improved my ability to understand verbal communication as a whole, as I had to not only translate literal words that I didn’t understand in Spanish but also meaning and intent in a culture I wasn’t born into. I learned more about persistence than I thought I knew and also learned how it feels to struggle academically. Learning Spanish in the classroom gave me the basics I needed to confidently travel to Spain, but my curiosity to dive deeper and live there has allowed me to grow as a person. I’ve become even more independent, navigated and adapted to cultural differences, and, of course, majorly improved my Spanish. In my community, I have been working with a statewide coalition lobbying for more nutritious, plant-forward, climate-friendly meals. I have also held three internships with nonprofits that share similar goals. I have spoken at conferences and advocated for plant-based lunch offerings at my own school. Joining the peer leadership part of my school's social justice club has reminded me that there is plenty of work to be done right in my community to combat racism and sexism, and anti-LGBTQIA bias. I have loved volunteering at my local farmers market and community garden, both initiatives that fill me with joy at their simple ways of providing produce that makes a massive impact on the town and planet. My curiosity has led me to pursue activities and ideas outside of my normal routine, including volunteering over Zoom to help Ukrainian teens learn and practice English. This niche opportunity is never something I had imagined doing, but it intrigued me and has led to meaningful, cross-county and cultural connections. I learned how to cook, opening my eyes to an endless range of dishes, flavors and ingredients I am eager to try and continue to make dinner each night for my family. I have also shared with them ways we can be more conscious of our impact on the planet and reduce the harmful effects we might cause. I hope my community and family will remember my positive, ambitious energy that led to many beneficial developments in my area. Furthermore, I hope that I have inspired others to see what actions they can take in their daily lives to reduce the harm caused to the planet and its inhabitants.

“Protect the Planet!” I have always agreed with this sentiment, but for most of my life I thought that it meant recycling and not letting the water run when I brushed my teeth. Over the past three or so years, with the help of my AP Environmental Science course and a lot of hours of learning outside of the classroom, I have become more aware of the ways that the planet is in distress and how the majority is anthropogenic. This realization, along with the environmental science class, has led me to decide on pursuing a degree in Environmental Studies. In class, I loved researching beyond what I read in my textbook and often wrote double the minimum on our weekly current event assignment without even thinking about it. As I learned more in school, I continued learning at home. I read climate and environmental news, and followed climate focused organizations on social media. I read books such as “Braiding Sweetgrass” and “Under the Sky We Make” – both of which discuss planetary health problems and how we as humans often cause them, but possess the ability to aid the Earth as well. With my Environmental Studies degree, I hope to explore the intersections between social justice, food systems, and the planet. Learning more about the ways our planet is in distress and how we got to where we are will allow me to educate others and innovate ways to proceed. I have a compost bin in my backyard that I turn routinely, even when that means I have to trek through snow to get there. I often bike to the homes where I babysit to avoid using a carbon-emitting car. I bring my clunky and slightly cumbersome mason jars to the store so that I can buy dry pantry staples without acquiring a mound of plastic packaging. I spent half of my week-long summer vacation in northern California drawing and posting flyers around the city in hopes of boosting awareness of diet-related climate issues. I encourage folks in my life looking to lower their carbon footprint to try small changes similar to the ones I listed above. Additionally, I would encourage them to vote in both local and national elections and participate in political lobbying. we need both individual AND systemic change. While I don't know the exact career I want yet, I know that I want to aid the earth and its inhabitants. I want to educate folks about crucial facts regarding climate change and biodiversity loss. I especially want to work to raise awareness of the huge negative impact that animal agriculture has. With that, I hope to reduce the rate at which people consume animal products, not only improving issues such as pollution and habitat loss, but also improving human health and reducing suffering. Additionally, I want to explore the intersections between environmental racism and other aspects of social inequities and to work towards environmental and social justice. This will involve elements from within the healthcare and food systems, for example, working to eradicate food deserts while championing the consumption of local food. While my future career doesn't have a definite name like doctor or lawyer, I know the issues that I want to address and I have the passion, patience and persistence to tackle them all.

The quality that I value most in myself is my curiosity. I am filled with questions, and love to search out answers. This curiosity has led me to all sorts of meaningful pursuits. For example, I studied abroad in Spain for the first semester of my senior year. There, I improved my ability to understand verbal communication as a whole, as I had to not only translate literal words that I didn’t understand in Spanish but also meaning and intent in a culture I wasn’t born into. I found myself laughing out loud daily, truly joyful when thinking about pasta “wearing a sauce” (“llevar” is a verb that can be used to talk about the clothes you're wearing or ingredients in a dish) or the idea that you can add diminutives such as “-ita” to almost every word, to create a more descriptive word, such as “perita” (little pear) and “hambrecita” (little hunger). Learning Spanish in the classroom gave me the basics I needed to confidently travel to Spain, but my curiosity to dive deeper and live there has allowed me to grow as a person. I’ve become even more independent, navigated and adapted to cultural differences, and, of course, majorly improved my Spanish. My curiosity has led me to pursue activities and ideas outside of my normal routine, including volunteering over zoom to help Ukrainian teens learn and practice English. This niche opportunity is never something I had imagined doing, but it intrigued me and has led to meaningful, cross-county and cultural connections. When I am curious about something or assume an idea to be true, I push myself to search until I have uncovered a fuller and more representative picture. So, in the spring of 2020, when a family friend recommended a documentary that opened my eyes to the animal agriculture industry, I began devouring information about this topic and learned more about the ethical dilemma - towards both human and non-human animals - and the impact on the environment that eating animals has. Soon after, I decided to shift my diet to completely plant-based and began to alter the way I look at the usage of animals in our society. I felt inspired to examine the world more deeply and to ask questions about what I assumed to be true. This experience only heightened my appreciation of seeking out voices and perspectives different from mine. After this significant lifestyle change, I continued to look for other ways to put my beliefs into action, and after asking for advice and talking to different folks in my community, I found fitting volunteer positions at my local community garden and farmer’s market. I know continuing to ask questions and nurture thoughts that begin with “I wonder..” will aid me to be the best person I can be and to accomplish my goal of aiding the Earth and its inhabitants.

“Protect the Planet!” I have always agreed with this sentiment, but for most of my life I thought that it meant recycling and not letting the water run when I brushed my teeth. Over the past three or so years, with the help of my AP Environmental Science course and a lot of hours of learning outside of the classroom, I have become more aware of the ways that the planet is in distress and how the majority is anthropogenic. This realization, along with the environmental science class, has led me to decide on pursuing a degree in Environmental Studies. In class, I loved researching beyond what I read in my textbook and often wrote double the minimum on our weekly current event assignment without even thinking about it. As I learned more in school, I continued learning at home. I read climate and environmental news, and followed climate focused organizations on social media. I read books such as “Braiding Sweetgrass” and “Under the Sky We Make” – both of which discuss planetary health problems and how we as humans often cause them, but possess the ability to aid the Earth as well. I have a compost bin in my backyard that I turn routinely, even when that means I have to trek through snow to get there. I, occasionally begrudgingly, bike to the homes where I babysit to avoid using a carbon-emitting car. I bring my clunky and slightly cumbersome mason jars to the store so that I can buy dry pantry staples without acquiring a mound of plastic packaging. I spent half of my week-long summer vacation in northern California drawing and posting flyers around the city in hopes of boosting awareness of diet-related climate issues. While I don't know the exact career I want yet, I know that I want to aid the earth and its inhabitants. I want to educate folks about crucial facts regarding climate change and biodiversity loss. I especially want to work to raise awareness of the huge negative impact that animal agriculture has. With that, I hope to reduce the rate at which people consume animal products, not only improving issues such as pollution and habitat loss, but also improving human health and reducing suffering. Additionally, I want to explore the intersections between environmental racism and other aspects of social inequities, and to work towards environmental and social justice. This will involve elements from within the healthcare and food systems, for example, working to eradicate food deserts while championing the consumption of local food. While my future career doesn't have a definite name like doctor or lawyer, I know the issues that I want to address and I have the passion, patience and persistence to tackle them all.