Throughout my life I have been taught to be honest and help others. However, I never really understood how or when I'd know I've made a real difference in someone's life. It wasn't until I reached out to my community and people in my life that I soon learned that even just through the simplest things, like volunteering or being there for someone, can make the biggest impact. I have volunteered in elementary schools and in my community from clubs I participated in high school. I believe that everyone's experience and skills begin by what they learn and perceive when they are young. So by helping young students and educators, through setting up a greater environment for them to learn impacted their motivation to learn and the skills they obtained. Another one of my passions is athletics, and I have volunteered in summer soccer camps throughout high school to teach young athletes the love and discipline needed of one of my favorite sports. I have learned to enjoy that through volunteering I could help touch peoples lives in ways I never thought I could. My current major is Kinesiology in which I plan on pursuing a career in Physical therapy. This may be a slightly different path from the places and people I have volunteered with but this career has been a goal since my interest for helping others with their rehabilitation. I have suffered with my mental health because of injuries and the frustration of trying to be healthy again. Through these challenges I've faced, I realized I want to be able to help people recover and return back to their lives in a better state than they were before. Physical Therapists not only help athletes, but they can also help people struggling after having a stroke or any other serious injury that has led them to be in pain or have lack of movement. I want to be able to help children, adults, and the elderly to have a better life so they can live life to the fullest. My father a couple years ago suffered from an injury to his hip that left him in pain and without work for a while. Physical therapy changed his life for the better and allowed him to recover, go back to work and do all the things he used to love and do, especially hiking. I plan on getting a Physical therapy degree and eventually opening my own PT clinic to help as many people as I can. As life is so short, I live by one quote "live your life to the fullest" and with my life I want to make a difference in people's lives and in my community.

My father has been a border patrol agent for over 20 years and I have learned to appreciate all that not only my father has done for me but as well as all other first responders and law enforcement do as well. My father has had to work during holidays, family events, and through tiresome days and nights. He has had to make many sacrifices such as staying multiple weeks from his family to have trainings in El Paso and even Virginia. As I write this essay he is actually staying in El Paso for 5 weeks for another K9 training. It has been difficult at times for both my family and me but we know that all he has done and will continue to do is making a difference in our community. He protects us from dangerous people, illegal trafficking of people and substances in not only our nearby communities but in our country as well. My father has dedicated a lot of time and effort into protecting our borders. About 6 years ago we actually relocated to where I am now living because of my father’s work. Even though there are a lot of sacrifices my father and family have had to make, it still has provided for many memories and opportunities for us. He has worked hard throughout the 20 plus years he has been a border patrol and is currently a border patrol driving instructor, a K9 instructor, and a K9 handler. I am very grateful for him and what he has done for us and that has made me more grateful towards other first responders, as they are doing the same for others all while making sacrifices for the people they care about. I am currently majoring in Kinesiology and plan on becoming a Physical Therapist. This scholarship would greatly help me in supporting me in furthering my education in order to make a difference in my community as my father has done in mine. This scholarship would also be a great motivation to keep pursuing my goals and that everything that I have done so far has been worth it. I would like to make a difference in my community wherever I go and help others in any way I can. Earning a Doctorate of Physical Therapy degree is difficult but I know that with hard work I can achieve this goal. This scholarship as well will help push my goal to success and in helping others.

Friendship is something that many people including me strive to have. It is someone that will always be by my side no matter what. To me a friendship means having someone that will support me, care for me, cry with me, laugh with me, share with me, and always being there for me. It is pretty rare to have such a friendship as this, but that is why I strive to change that and be that friend that people need. Frienship is very meaningful to me because no matter how bad or good of a situation is going for me, that friendship that you hold will never change. They are always happy for me and will always be my number one supporter next to family. Actually Friends become family, they are someone that I can always tell them anything. Friendship allows for me to be myself around them and not be judged. Friendships give me a relationship where I can be the best person I can be just by being around them.