One of the biggest challenges facing society and that I have experienced firsthand, is the crisis of mental health. My family has a long history of struggles with mental health. When I was 10 my uncle took his own life after a battle with addiction and depression. When I was fourteen my dad took his own life after a long struggle with mental health and depression. After he died I fell into a deep depression myself and coped with drugs. I was in a dark place for a long time, and eventually, I was sent to rehab. During my stay in rehab, I learned to cope with my depression, which in turn helped me cope and understand why I did drugs. I am the only one responsible for my mental health and I currently put all my focus on personal growth, and my ability to succeed. I have continued to remain sober, and I have focused on the main part of my success life. I am excelling in school, and work over thirty hours a week as a shift lead at Tropical Smoothie. I have become a huge advocate for mental health, as I help many of my friends navigate how they cope with their struggles with mental health. I am now a freshman at Virginia Tech pursuing higher education in Engineering. I plan to become an engineer, and as I become an adult I continue to raise my advocacy for mental health and to help my family especially. I am a firm believer in servant leadership and being responsive to the needs of others. Helping others is a value that I want to contribute, I like to engage in programs that will continue my work related to emergency preparedness, environmental issues, and mental As a person in recovery one of my most significant achievements was my mental health initiative; teaching younger males the importance of taking care of the environment this includes mental health. In this service project, I helped to build benches and signs made from recycled material in my neighborhood of Norfolk, VA. Both teenage and elderly patrons now have a place to sit on the trail and signs to direct their way. Being a part of an organization that empowers men to give back has made me passionate about participating in meaningful service opportunities. One of the service projects I like to do within this organization is community outreach and education. I can lend my expertise to the program by creating marketing materials and conducting awareness workshops on male mental health. My goal is to become an engineer, a profession where there are helpers, and people willing to support others. I have become an active participant in my community and have been involved in student government, community service, and multicultural student organizations. I have come to understand that leadership and responsibility are synonymous. Supporting men in mental health has a lot to do with thinking critically and problem-solving. Mental health is a lifelong recovery. So for me, it’s important to start talking about it. At VTech, I hope to bring this uncomfortable conversation to the table, as men we can make a change in the stigma. I choose to share my story to be able to help others share their mental health journey. Mental health recovery is never linear. It is a series of give and take. The willingness to receive help and apply is like an engineering equation. I know I must be a well-intentioned and well-impacting global citizen. In these elemental values of leadership, I find the embodiment of connectivity, compassion, and community.

As humans, we are ever-evolving and ever-changing. My life has four points, you might say a square or even a box. As a person, raised in a single-parent household, the oldest male, and a person in recovery; I am reminded of how different I am daily. My four-point outline is the basis and foundation of why I want to write my own story. I am searching for my identity and figuring out how I want to show up in this world. My path has been rather unique, to say the least, filled with twists, turns, and tenacity. This is a story all about how my life changed on my journey to become something profound. Through my journey I have learned that leadership is all-encompassing, you must lead with intention and with empathy. At age fourteen, my dad took his own life. My Dad was half of my identity and I needed him at a point in my life, but he was gone. Imagine there were no goodbyes, no final words, and you're left to be the man of the house. I have experienced firsthand, the power of personal responsibility. My family has a long history of struggles with mental health. When I was 10 my uncle took his own life after a battle with addiction and depression. When I was fourteen my dad took his own life after a long struggle with mental health and depression. After he died, I fell into a deep depression myself and coped with drugs. I was in a dark place for a long time, and eventually, I was sent to rehab. Losing a parent that way is a pain that cannot be quantified. I turned to drugs to cope with the pain I was feeling and the lack of emotions I didn’t know how to express. , My mother has played an instrumental role in learning to do the right thing. I have learned a lot about having a shared commitment, during my stay in rehab I learned to cope with my depression, which in turn helped me cope and understand why I did drugs. I am the only one responsible for my mental health and I currently put all my focus on personal growth, and my ability to succeed. I have continued to remain sober, and am focused on the main part of my life to success. At rehab, I desired to go home, but nobody believed me. My own family thought I would relapse and fall into old habits. I had to show them the personal growth I had fought so hard for. When I came home, both family and friends were highly skeptical and worried about me. I surround myself with others who help push me to learn, evolve, and grow my skills and knowledge. I hope to challenge myself and inspire everyone around me to become their best selves. Fighting for a meaningful legacy starts with my loved ones, and ends with everyone I hope to change by making a difference. I excel in school and work over thirty hours a week as Shift Lead at Tropical Smoothie. I have become a huge advocate for mental health, as I help many of my friends navigate how they cope with their struggles with mental health. I believe that my struggles have helped me to understand what it means to be an effective leader. My main academic interest is chemistry and engineering. I have always wanted to be an engineer. I found my love for chemistry and finished with the highest grade in the class. I decided to combine my favorite subjects.

As humans, we are ever-evolving and ever-changing. My life has four points, you might say a square or even a box. As a person, raised in a single-parent household, the oldest male, and a person in recovery; I am reminded of how different I am daily. My four-point outline is the basis and foundation of why I want to write my own story. I am searching for my identity and figuring out how I want to show up in this world. My path has been rather unique, to say the least, filled with twists, turns, and tenacity. This is a story all about how my life changed on my journey to become something profound. Through my journey I have learned that leadership is all-encompassing, you must lead with intention and with empathy. At age fourteen, my dad took his own life. My Dad was half of my identity and I needed him at a point in my life, but he was gone. Imagine there were no goodbyes, no final words, and you're left to be the man of the house. I have experienced firsthand, the power of personal responsibility. My family has a long history of struggles with mental health. When I was 10 my uncle took his own life after a battle with addiction and depression. When I was fourteen my dad took his own life after a long struggle with mental health and depression. After he died, I fell into a deep depression myself and coped with drugs. I was in a dark place for a long time, and eventually, I was sent to rehab. Losing a parent that way is a pain that cannot be quantified. I turned to drugs to cope with the pain I was feeling and the lack of emotions I didn’t know how to express. , My mother has played an instrumental role in learning to do the right thing. I have learned a lot about having a shared commitment, during my stay in rehab I learned to cope with my depression, which in turn helped me cope and understand why I did drugs. I am the only one responsible for my mental health and I currently put all my focus on personal growth, and my ability to succeed. I have continued to remain sober, and am focused on the main part of my life to success. At rehab, I desired to go home, but nobody believed me. My own family thought I would relapse and fall into old habits. I had to show them the personal growth I had fought so hard for. When I came home, both family and friends were highly skeptical and worried about me. I surround myself with others who help push me to learn, evolve, and grow my skills and knowledge. I hope to challenge myself and inspire everyone around me to become their best selves. Fighting for a meaningful legacy starts with my loved ones, and ends with everyone I hope to change by making a difference. I excel in school and work over thirty hours a week as a shift lead at Tropical Smoothie. I have become a huge advocate for mental health, as I help many of my friends navigate how they cope with their struggles with mental health. I believe that my struggles have helped me to understand what it means to be an effective leader. I am a supervisor now, I speak to everyone with respect and answer questions to give clarity, but the most important skill is to listen.

As humans, we are ever-evolving and ever-changing. My life has four points, you might say a square or even a box. As a person, raised in a single-parent household, the oldest male, and a person in recovery; I am reminded of how different I am daily. My four-point outline is the basis and foundation of why I want to write my own story. I am searching for my identity and figuring out how I want to show up in this world. My path has been rather unique, to say the least, filled with twists, turns, and tenacity. This is a story all about how my life changed on my journey to become something profound. Through my journey I have learned that leadership is all-encompassing, you must lead with intention and with empathy. At age fourteen, my dad took his own life. My Dad was half of my identity and I needed him at a point in my life, but he was gone. Imagine there were no goodbyes, no final words, and you're left to be the man of the house. I have experienced firsthand, the power of personal responsibility. My family has a long history of struggles with mental health. When I was 10 my uncle took his own life after a battle with addiction and depression. When I was fourteen my dad took his own life after a long struggle with mental health and depression. After he died, I fell into a deep depression myself and coped with drugs. I was in a dark place for a long time, and eventually, I was sent to rehab. Losing a parent that way is a pain that cannot be quantified. I turned to drugs to cope with the pain I was feeling and the lack of emotions I didn’t know how to express. , My mother has played an instrumental role in learning to do the right thing. I have learned a lot about having a shared commitment, during my stay in rehab I learned to cope with my depression, which in turn helped me cope and understand why I did drugs. I am the only one responsible for my mental health and I currently put all my focus on personal growth, and my ability to succeed. I have continued to remain sober, and am focused on the main part of my life to success. At rehab, I desired to go home, but nobody believed me. My own family thought I would relapse and fall into old habits. I had to show them the personal growth I had fought so hard for. When I came home, both family and friends were highly skeptical and worried about me. I surround myself with others who help push me to learn, evolve, and grow my skills and knowledge. I hope to challenge myself and inspire everyone around me to become their best selves. Fighting for a meaningful legacy starts with my loved ones, and ends with everyone I hope to change by making a difference. I excel in school and work over thirty hours a week as a shift lead at Tropical Smoothie. I have become a huge advocate for mental health, as I help many of my friends navigate how they cope with their struggles with mental health. I believe that my struggles have helped me to understand what it means to be an effective leader. I am a supervisor now, I speak to everyone with respect and answer questions to give clarity, but the most important skill is to listen. I have measured my growth by setting goals and metrics. My main academic interest is chemistry and engineering. I have always wanted to be an engineer. I found my love for chemistry and finished with the highest grade in the class. I decided to combine my favorite subjects and passions into a field that includes real-world challenges. The Novelist Chimamanda Adichie talked about stereotyping, putting people in a box, and bounding people to one singular outcome. As we know every story is different, I have hit rock bottom and I still came back from it. As a leader, in my school with the golf team or working with the breast cancer club I am always looking for positive solutions. I have climbed my way up and I am trying to build a life for myself out of determination, grit, and resiliency. I proved I could do the right thing and succeed. In the nine months since coming home, I have been working full-time, and I am in the top 10% of my class with a 4.4 GPA. My goal is to become an active participant in the college community, and I plan to be involved in student government and create programs to help with men's mental health. My story is just beginning!

One of the biggest challenges facing society and that I have experienced firsthand, is the crisis of mental health. My family has a long history of struggles with mental health. When I was 10 my uncle took his own life after a battle with addiction and depression. When I was fourteen my dad took his own life after a long struggle with mental health and depression. After he died I fell into a deep depression myself and coped with drugs. I was in a dark place for a long time, and eventually, I was sent to rehab. During my stay in rehab, I learned to cope with my depression, which in turn helped me cope and understand why I did drugs. I am the only one responsible for my mental health and I currently put all my focus on personal growth, and my ability to succeed. I have continued to remain sober, and I have focused on the main part of my success in life. I am excelling in school, and work over thirty hours a week as a shift lead at Tropical Smoothie. I have become a huge advocate for mental health, as I help many of my friends navigate how they cope with their struggles with mental health. I am now a freshman at Virginia Tech pursuing higher education in Engineering. I plan to become an engineer, and as I become an adult I continue to raise my advocacy for mental health and to help my family especially. I am a firm believer in servant leadership and being responsive to the needs of others. Helping others is a value that I want to contribute, I like to engage in programs that will continue my work related to emergency preparedness, environmental issues, and mental As a person in recovery one of my most significant achievements was my mental health initiative; teaching younger males the importance of taking care of the environment this includes mental health. In this service project, I helped to build benches and signs made from recycled material in my neighborhood of Norfolk, VA. Both teenage and elderly patrons now have a place to sit on the trail and signs to direct their way. Being a part of an organization that empowers men to give back has made me passionate about participating in meaningful service opportunities. One of the service projects I like to do within this organization is community outreach and education. I can lend my expertise to the program by creating marketing materials and conducting awareness workshops on male mental health. My goal is to become an engineer, a profession where there are helpers, and people willing to support others. Becoming an active participant in my community, my involvement in student government, community service, and multicultural student organizations. I have come to understand that leadership and responsibility are synonymous. Supporting men in mental health has a lot to do with thinking critically and problem-solving. Mental health is a lifelong recovery. So for me, it’s important to start talking about it. At VTech, I hope to bring this uncomfortable conversation to the table, as men we can make a change in the stigma. I choose to share my story to be able to help others share their mental health journey. Mental health recovery is never linear. It is a series of give and take. The willingness to receive help and apply is like an engineering equation. I know I must be a well-intentioned and well-impacting global citizen. In these elemental values of leadership, I find the embodiment of connectivity, compassion, and community, especially for young men.

One of the biggest challenges facing society and that I have experienced firsthand, is the crisis of mental health. My family has a long history of struggles with mental health. When I was 10 my uncle took his own life after a battle with addiction and depression. When I was fourteen my dad took his own life after a long struggle with mental health and depression. After he died I fell into a deep depression myself and coped with drugs. I was in a dark place for a long time, and eventually, I was sent to rehab. During my stay in rehab, I learned to cope with my depression, which in turn helped me cope and understand why I did drugs. I am the only one responsible for my mental health and I currently put all my focus on personal growth, and my ability to succeed. I have continued to remain sober, and I have focused the main part of my success life. I am excelling in school, and work over thirty hours a week as a shift lead at Tropical Smoothie. I have become a huge advocate for mental health, as I help many of my friends navigate how they cope with their struggles with mental health. I am now a freshman at Virginia Tech pursuing higher education in Engineering. I plan to become an engineer, and as I become an adult I continue to raise my advocacy for mental health and to help my family especially. I am a firm believer in servant leadership and being responsive to the needs of others. Helping others is a value that I want to contribute, I like to engage in programs that will continue my work related to emergency preparedness, environmental issues, and mental As a person in recovery one of my most significant achievements was my mental health initiative; teaching younger males the importance of taking care of the environment this includes mental health. In this service project, I helped to build benches and signs made from recycled material in my neighborhood of Norfolk, VA. Both teenage and elderly patrons now have a place to sit on the trail and signs to direct their way. Being a part of an organization that empowers men to give back has made me passionate about participating in meaningful service opportunities. One of the service projects I like to do within this organization is community outreach and education. I can lend my expertise to the program by creating marketing materials and conducting awareness workshops on male mental health. My goal is to become an engineer, a profession where there are helpers, and people willing to support others. Becoming an active participant in my community, my involvement in student government, community service, and multicultural student organizations. I have come to understand that leadership and responsibility are synonymous. Supporting men in mental health has a lot to do with thinking critically and problem-solving. Mental health is a lifelong recovery. So for me, it’s important to start talking about it. At VTech, I hope to bring this uncomfortable conversation to the table, as men we can make a change in the stigma. I choose to share my story to be able to help others share their mental health journey. Mental health recovery is never linear. It is a series of give and take. The willingness to receive help and apply is like an engineering equation. I know I must be a well-intentioned and well-impacting global citizen. In these elemental values of leadership, I find the embodiment of connectivity, compassion, and community, especially for young men.

As humans, we are ever-evolving and ever-changing. My life has four points, you might say a square or even a box. As a person, raised in a single-parent household, the oldest male, and a survivor; I am reminded of how different I am daily. My four-point outline is the basis and foundation of why I want to write my own story. I am searching for my identity and figuring out how I want to show up in this world. My path has been rather unique, to say the least, filled with twists, turns, and tenacity. This personal statement is a story all about how my life changed on my journey to become something profound. When I was 10 my uncle took his own life after a battle with addiction and depression. At age fourteen, my dad took his own life. My Dad was half of my identity and I needed him at a point in my life, but he was gone. Imagine there were no goodbyes, no final words, and you're left to be the man of the house. Losing a parent that way is a pain that cannot be quantified. I am the only one responsible for my mental health and I currently put all my focus on personal growth, and my ability to succeed. My main academic interest is chemistry and engineering. I have always wanted to be an engineer. I decided to combine my favorite subjects and passions into a field that includes real-world challenges. My aspiration to become a chemical engineer starts with my fascination with transforming raw materials into products that benefit society. I am drawn to making advancements in society and minimizing environmental impacts. Becoming a chemical engineer would give me a broad range of ways to help the world. Ways such as pharmaceuticals and renewable energy interest me the most, and I was accepted to Virginia Tech's engineering program, which is my greatest achievement to date. I strongly advocate for environmental equity and am thankful that Virginia Tech allows such a wide variety of intellectual freedom. Through photography, I plan to spread awareness about environmental social issues and how they inform public policy. I see limitless opportunities at UPenn to tackle so many challenges that people face. Combining my love for the arts, chemistry, and engineering allows me to develop the capacity for problem-solving, and creativity, and remain to be an independent thinker. The uniqueness of Virginia Tech is unmatched and I am excited about the possibilities to grow there. After my father's death, I had to take the leadership role of becoming the prominent male figure in my younger brother's life as a helping my mom financially. Stepping into a role at such a young age shaped my perspective and priorities. Balancing my brother’s needs with my issues became a difficult and time-consuming challenge. Responsibility was forced upon me, but I learned that I could rise to the challenge. I am not just a sibling, but a father figure as well and I am proud of the difference I am making in his life. My mother has to pay for most of my college fees without financial aid and I am trying to help offset the cost by seeking scholarship funds. The Novelist Chimamanda Adichie talked about stereotyping, putting people in a box, and bounding people to one singular outcome. As we know every story is different, I have hit rock bottom and I still came back from it. As a leader, in my school with the golf team or working with the breast cancer club I am always looking for positive solutions. I have climbed my way up and I am trying to build a life for myself out of determination, grit, and resiliency. I proved I could do the right thing and succeed. In the nine months since coming home, I have been working full-time, and I am in the top 10% of my class with a 4.4 GPA. My goal is to become an active participant in the Virginia Tech community, where I plan to be involved in student government and create programs to help with men's mental health. My story is just beginning!

As humans, we are ever-evolving and ever-changing. My life has four points, you might say a square or even a box. As a person, raised in a single-parent household, the oldest male, and a survivor; I am reminded of how different I am daily. My four-point outline is the basis and foundation of why I want to write my own story. I am searching for my identity and figuring out how I want to show up in this world. My path has been rather unique, to say the least, filled with twists, turns, and tenacity. This personal statement is a story all about how my life changed on my journey to become something profound. When I was 10 my uncle took his own life after a battle with addiction and depression. At age fourteen, my dad took his own life. My Dad was half of my identity and I needed him at a point in my life, but he was gone. Imagine there were no goodbyes, no final words, and you're left to be the man of the house. Losing a parent that way is a pain that cannot be quantified. I am the only one responsible for my mental health and I currently put all my focus on personal growth, and my ability to succeed. My main academic interest is chemistry and engineering. I have always wanted to be an engineer. I decided to combine my favorite subjects and passions into a field that includes real-world challenges. My aspiration to become a chemical engineer starts with my fascination with transforming raw materials into products that benefit society. I am drawn to making advancements in society and minimizing environmental impacts. Becoming a chemical engineer would give me a broad range of ways to help the world. Ways such as pharmaceuticals and renewable energy interest me the most, and Virginia Tech's curriculum and engineering program would allow me to explore these options. I am a strong advocate for environmental equity and am thankful that Virginia Tech allows such a wide variety of intellectual freedom. Through photography, I plan to spread awareness about environmental social issues and how they inform public policy. I see limitless opportunities at UPenn to tackle so many challenges that people face. Combining my love for the arts, chemistry, and engineering allows me to develop the capacity for problem-solving, creativity, and remain to be an independent thinker. The uniqueness of Virginia Tech is unmatched and I am excited about the possibilities to grow there. After my father's death, I had to take the leadership role of becoming the prominent male figure in my younger brother's life as a helping my mom financially. Stepping into a role at such a young age shaped my perspective and priorities. Balancing my brother’s needs with my issues became a difficult and time-consuming challenge. Responsibility was forced upon me, but I learned that I could rise to the challenge. I am not just a sibling, but a father figure as well and I am proud of the difference I am making in his life. My mother has to pay for most of my college fees without financial aid and I am trying to help offset the cost by seeking scholarship funds. However, I proved I could do the right thing and succeed. In the nine months since coming home, I have been working thirty hours a week and brought my GPA up to 4.4. I am extremely proud of my growth and I will continue my path to self-discovery in college.

As humans, we are ever-evolving and ever-changing. My life has four points, you might say a square or even a box. As a person, raised in a single-parent household, the oldest male, and a survivor; I am reminded of how different I am daily. My four-point outline is the basis and foundation of why I want to write my own story. I am searching for my identity and figuring out how I want to show up in this world. My path has been rather unique, to say the least, filled with twists, turns, and tenacity. This personal statement is a story all about how my life changed on my journey to become something profound. When I was 10 my uncle took his own life after a battle with addiction and depression. At age fourteen, my dad took his own life. My Dad was half of my identity and I needed him at a point in my life, but he was gone. Imagine there were no goodbyes, no final words, and you're left to be the man of the house. Losing a parent that way is a pain that cannot be quantified. I am the only one responsible for my mental health and I currently put all my focus on personal growth, and my ability to succeed. My main academic interest is chemistry and engineering. I have always wanted to be an engineer. I decided to combine my favorite subjects and passions into a field that includes real-world challenges. My aspiration to become a chemical engineer starts with my fascination with transforming raw materials into products that benefit society. I am drawn to making advancements in society and minimizing environmental impacts. Becoming a chemical engineer would give me a broad range of ways to help the world. Ways such as pharmaceuticals and renewable energy interest me the most, and Virginia Tech's curriculum and engineering program would allow me to explore these options. I am a strong advocate for environmental equity and am thankful that Virginia Tech allows such a wide variety of intellectual freedom. Through photography, I plan to spread awareness about environmental social issues and how they inform public policy. I see limitless opportunities at UPenn to tackle so many challenges that people face. Combining my love for the arts, chemistry, and engineering allows me to develop the capacity for problem-solving, creativity, and remain to be an independent thinker. The uniqueness of Virginia Tech is unmatched and I am excited about the possibilities to grow there. After my father's death, I had to take the leadership role of becoming the prominent male figure in my younger brother's life as a helping my mom financially. Stepping into a role at such a young age shaped my perspective and priorities. Balancing my brother’s needs with my issues became a difficult and time-consuming challenge. Responsibility was forced upon me, but I learned that I could rise to the challenge. I am not just a sibling, but a father figure as well and I am proud of the difference I am making in his life. My mother has to pay for most of my college fees without financial aid and I am trying to help offset the cost by seeking scholarship funds. Heavy Metal plays one of the most important facets of my life. I grew up listening to Metallica and going to concerts every month with my dad. Metal defines who I am today as well as being an anchor during difficult times. The below songs showcase my journey and insight into who I am. Heavy metal isn't just tunes, it's a whole way of life! Diving deep into the dark depths of human emotions, this music pumps out strength and solace with its raw power. For me, heavy metal isn't just music - it's a fiery muse that sets my soul ablaze like no other genre can! I want to make my dad proud. In the words of Metallica “Life is ours, we live it our way.” 🤘

“America is too great for small dreams” As humans, we are ever-evolving and ever-changing. My life has four points, you might say a square or even a box. As a person, raised in a single-parent household, the oldest male, and a person in recovery; I am reminded of how different I am daily. My four-point outline is the basis and foundation of why I want to write my own story. I am searching for my identity and figuring out how I want to show up in this world. My path has been rather unique, to say the least, filled with twists, turns, and tenacity. This is a story all about how my life changed on my journey to become something profound. Through my journey I have learned that leadership is all-encompassing, you must lead with intention and with empathy. At age fourteen, my dad took his own life. My Dad was half of my identity and I needed him at a point in my life, but he was gone. Imagine there were no goodbyes, no final words, and you're left to be the man of the house. I have experienced firsthand, the power of personal responsibility. My family has a long history of struggles with mental health. When I was 10 my uncle took his own life after a battle with addiction and depression. When I was fourteen my dad took his own life after a long struggle with mental health and depression. After he died, I fell into a deep depression myself and coped with drugs. I was in a dark place for a long time, and eventually, I was sent to rehab. Losing a parent that way is a pain that cannot be quantified. I turned to drugs to cope with the pain I was feeling and the lack of emotions I didn’t know how to express. , My mother has played an instrumental role in learning to do the right thing. I have learned a lot about having a shared commitment, during my stay in rehab I learned to cope with my depression, which in turn helped me cope and understand why I did drugs. I am the only one responsible for my mental health and I currently put all my focus on personal growth, and my ability to succeed. I have continued to remain sober, and am focused on the main part of my life to success. At rehab, I desired to go home, but nobody believed me. My own family thought I would relapse and fall into old habits. I had to show them the personal growth I had fought so hard for. When I came home, both family and friends were highly skeptical and worried about me. I learned to be motivated by my community; we are a community of outsiders. In the beginning of high school I was struggling to find my place and I happened to find a diverse group of people who have varying perspectives and outlooks. We walk to the beat of our own drum. I have innate aspirations to expand my knowledge and intelligence, and to surpass my own limitations. I view challenges not as obstacles, but as new opportunities to refine myself and expand my horizons. I surround myself with others who help push me to learn, evolve, and grow my skills and knowledge. I hope to challenge myself and inspire everyone around me to become their best selves. Leaving a meaningful legacy starts with my loved ones, and ends with everyone I hope to change by making a difference in men's mental health.

am motivated by community both building community and maintaining community. At the beginning of high school, I was struggling to find my place and I happened to find a diverse group of people who had varying perspectives and outlooks. We walk to the beat of our drum. I have innate aspirations to expand my knowledge and intelligence, and to surpass my limitations. I view challenges not as obstacles, but as new opportunities to refine myself and expand my horizons. I surround myself with others who help me learn, evolve, and grow my skills and knowledge. I hope to challenge myself and inspire everyone around me to become their best selves. John Lewis said, “ When you see something that is not right, not fair, not just, you have to speak up. You have to say something; you have to do something.” I want to "make some noise" about it and am willing to get into "good trouble, necessary trouble is to spread awareness about environmental engineering and it affects not only structural issues but mental health issues. Many people may not see it but engineering has everything to do with how it informs public policy. My main academic interest is chemistry and engineering. I have always wanted to be an engineer. I decided to combine my favorite subjects and passions into a field that includes real-world challenges. My current aspirations to become a chemical engineer start with my fascination with transforming raw materials into products that benefit society. I am drawn to making advancements in society and minimizing environmental impacts. Becoming an engineer would give me a broad range of ways to help the world. I am a strong advocate for environmental equity and sensitivity. People do not tend to think about environmental injustice and how it intersects with racism and mental health. Both rural and low-income communities are exposed to many hazards such as toxic waste, pollution, and dilapidated living conditions. My will to persevere aligns with my will to change the world through stem. Covid-19 made people aware of daily injustices and compelled us to research young leaders like Courtney Cunningham, a pioneer in engineering who brought water drainage to rural areas in different areas. Developing into a great leader is essential in growth as well as being a well-rounded individual. I believe engineering is a necessary component to create social and environmental change. This shared purpose and commitment has strengthened my sense of resiliency and has fostered a sense of standing up for what is right. I will bring a collaborative spirit of empowerment and determination that contributes to the success of the objectives and goals of me and my community. I will not only be an engineer but a social engineer to prevent these societal disparities regardless of race or socioeconomic status.

As humans, we are ever-evolving and ever-changing. My life has four points, you might say a square or even a box. As a person, raised in a single-parent household, the oldest male, and a person in recovery; I am reminded of how different I am daily. My four-point outline is the basis and foundation of why I want to write my own story. I am searching for my identity and figuring out how I want to show up in this world. My path has been rather unique, to say the least, filled with twists, turns, and tenacity. At age fourteen, my dad took his own life. My Dad was half of my identity and I needed him at a point in my life, but he was gone. Imagine there were no goodbyes, no final words, and you're left to be the man of the house. I have experienced firsthand, the power of personal responsibility. My family has a long history of struggles with mental health. When I was 10 my uncle took his own life after a battle with addiction and depression. When I was fourteen my dad took his own life after a long struggle with mental health and depression. After he died, I fell into a deep depression myself and coped with drugs. I was in a dark place for a long time, and eventually, I was sent to rehab. Losing a parent that way is a pain that cannot be quantified. I turned to drugs to cope with the pain I was feeling and the lack of emotions I didn’t know how to express. , My mother has played an instrumental role in learning to do the right thing. I have learned a lot about having a shared commitment, during my stay in rehab I learned to cope with my depression, which in turn helped me cope and understand why I did drugs. I am the only one responsible for my mental health and I currently put all my focus on personal growth, and my ability to succeed. I have continued to remain sober, and am focused on the main part of my life to success. At rehab, I desired to go home, but nobody believed me. My own family thought I would relapse and fall into old habits. I had to show them the personal growth I had fought so hard for. When I came home, both family and friends were highly skeptical and worried about me. I learned to be motivated by my community; we are a community of outsiders. I view challenges not as obstacles, but as new opportunities to refine myself and expand my horizons. The Novelist Chimamanda Adichie talked about stereotyping, putting people in a box, and bounding people to one singular outcome. As we know every story is different, I have hit rock bottom and I still came back from it. As a leader, in my school with the golf team or working with the breast cancer club I am always looking for positive solutions. I have climbed my way up and I am trying to build a life for myself out of determination, grit, and resiliency. I proved I could do the right thing and succeed. In the nine months since coming home, I have been working full-time, and I am in the top 10% of my class with a 4.4 GPA. My goal is to become an active participant in the college community, and I plan to be involved in student government and create programs to help with men's mental health. My story is just beginning!

I am motivated by community both building community and maintaining community. At the beginning of high school, I was struggling to find my place and I happened to find a diverse group of people who had varying perspectives and outlooks. We walk to the beat of our drum. I have innate aspirations to expand my knowledge and intelligence, and to surpass my limitations. I view challenges not as obstacles, but as new opportunities to refine myself and expand my horizons. I surround myself with others who help me learn, evolve, and grow my skills and knowledge. I hope to challenge myself and inspire everyone around me to become their best selves. John Lewis said, “ When you see something that is not right, not fair, not just, you have to speak up. You have to say something; you have to do something.” I want to "make some noise" about it and am willing to get into "good trouble, necessary trouble is to spread awareness about environmental engineering and it affects not only structural issues but mental health issues. Many people may not see it but engineering has everything to do with how it informs public policy. My main academic interest is chemistry and engineering. I have always wanted to be an engineer. I decided to combine my favorite subjects and passions into a field that includes real-world challenges. My current aspirations to become a chemical engineer start with my fascination with transforming raw materials into products that benefit society. I am drawn to making advancements in society and minimizing environmental impacts. Becoming an engineer would give me a broad range of ways to help the world. I am a strong advocate for environmental equity and sensitivity. People do not tend to think about environmental injustice and how it intersects with racism and mental health. Both rural and low-income communities are exposed to many hazards such as toxic waste, pollution, and dilapidated living conditions. My will to persevere aligns with my will to change the world through stem. Covid-19 made people aware of daily injustices and compelled us to research young leaders like Courtney Cunningham, a pioneer in engineering who brought water drainage to rural areas in different areas. Developing into a great leader is essential in growth as well as being a well-rounded individual. I believe engineering is a necessary component to create social and environmental change. This shared purpose and commitment has strengthened my sense of resiliency and has fostered a sense of standing up for what is right. I will bring a collaborative spirit of empowerment and determination that contributes to the success of the objectives and goals of me and my community. I will not only be an engineer but a social engineer to prevent these societal disparities regardless of race or socioeconomic status.

As humans, we are ever-evolving and ever-changing. My life has four points, you might say a square or even a box. As a person, raised in a single-parent household, the oldest male, and a person in recovery; I am reminded of how different I am daily. My four-point outline is the basis and foundation of why I want to write my own story. I am searching for my identity and figuring out how I want to show up in this world. My path has been rather unique, to say the least, filled with twists, turns, and tenacity. At age fourteen, my dad took his own life. My Dad was half of my identity and I needed him at a point in my life, but he was gone. Imagine there were no goodbyes, no final words, and you're left to be the man of the house. I have experienced firsthand, the power of personal responsibility. My family has a long history of struggles with mental health. When I was 10 my uncle took his own life after a battle with addiction and depression. When I was fourteen my dad took his own life after a long struggle with mental health and depression. After he died, I fell into a deep depression myself and coped with drugs. I was in a dark place for a long time, and eventually, I was sent to rehab. Losing a parent that way is a pain that cannot be quantified. I turned to drugs to cope with the pain I was feeling and the lack of emotions I didn’t know how to express. , My mother has played an instrumental role in learning to do the right thing. I have learned a lot about having a shared commitment, during my stay in rehab I learned to cope with my depression, which in turn helped me cope and understand why I did drugs. I am the only one responsible for my mental health and I currently put all my focus on personal growth, and my ability to succeed. I have continued to remain sober, and am focused on the main part of my life to success. At rehab, I desired to go home, but nobody believed me. My own family thought I would relapse and fall into old habits. I had to show them the personal growth I had fought so hard for. When I came home, both family and friends were highly skeptical and worried about me. I learned to be motivated by my community; we are a community of outsiders. I view challenges not as obstacles, but as new opportunities to refine myself and expand my horizons. The Novelist Chimamanda Adichie talked about stereotyping, putting people in a box, and bounding people to one singular outcome. As we know every story is different, I have hit rock bottom and I still came back from it. As a leader, in my school with the golf team or working with the breast cancer club I am always looking for positive solutions. I have climbed my way up and I am trying to build a life for myself out of determination, grit, and resiliency. I proved I could do the right thing and succeed. In the nine months since coming home, I have been working full-time, and I am in the top 10% of my class with a 4.4 GPA. My goal is to become an active participant in the college community, and I plan to be involved in student government and create programs to help with men's mental health. My story is just beginning!

As humans, we are ever-evolving and ever-changing. My life has four points, you might say a square or even a box. As a person, raised in a single-parent household, the oldest male, and a person in recovery; I am reminded of how different I am daily. My four-point outline is the basis and foundation of why I want to write my own story. I am searching for my identity and figuring out how I want to show up in this world. My path has been rather unique, to say the least, filled with twists, turns, and tenacity. At age fourteen, my dad took his own life. My Dad was half of my identity and I needed him at a point in my life, but he was gone. Imagine there were no goodbyes, no final words, and you're left to be the man of the house. I have experienced firsthand, the power of personal responsibility. My family has a long history of struggles with mental health. When I was 10 my uncle took his own life after a battle with addiction and depression. When I was fourteen my dad took his own life after a long struggle with mental health and depression. After he died, I fell into a deep depression myself and coped with drugs. I was in a dark place for a long time, and eventually, I was sent to rehab. Losing a parent that way is a pain that cannot be quantified. I turned to drugs to cope with the pain I was feeling and the lack of emotions I didn’t know how to express. , My mother has played an instrumental role in learning to do the right thing. I have learned a lot about having a shared commitment, during my stay in rehab I learned to cope with my depression, which in turn helped me cope and understand why I did drugs. I am the only one responsible for my mental health and I currently put all my focus on personal growth, and my ability to succeed. I have continued to remain sober, and am focused on the main part of my life to success. At rehab, I desired to go home, but nobody believed me. My own family thought I would relapse and fall into old habits. I had to show them the personal growth I had fought so hard for. When I came home, both family and friends were highly skeptical and worried about me. I learned to be motivated by my community; we are a community of outsiders. I view challenges not as obstacles, but as new opportunities to refine myself and expand my horizons. The Novelist Chimamanda Adichie talked about stereotyping, putting people in a box, and bounding people to one singular outcome. As we know every story is different, I have hit rock bottom and I still came back from it. As a leader, in my school with the golf team or working with the breast cancer club I am always looking for positive solutions. I have climbed my way up and I am trying to build a life for myself out of determination, grit, and resiliency. I proved I could do the right thing and succeed. In the nine months since coming home, I have been working full-time, and I am in the top 10% of my class with a 4.4 GPA. My goal is to become an active participant in the college community, and I plan to be involved in student government and create programs to help with men's mental health. My story is just beginning!

As humans, we are ever-evolving and ever-changing. My life has four points, you might say a square or even a box. As a person, raised in a single-parent household, the oldest male, and a person in recovery; I am reminded of how different I am daily. My four-point outline is the basis and foundation of why I want to write my own story. I am searching for my identity and figuring out how I want to show up in this world. My path has been rather unique, to say the least, filled with twists, turns, and tenacity. At age fourteen, my dad took his own life. My Dad was half of my identity and I needed him at a point in my life, but he was gone. Imagine there were no goodbyes, no final words, and you're left to be the man of the house. I have experienced firsthand, the power of personal responsibility. My family has a long history of struggles with mental health. When I was 10 my uncle took his own life after a battle with addiction and depression. When I was fourteen my dad took his own life after a long struggle with mental health and depression. After he died, I fell into a deep depression myself and coped with drugs. I was in a dark place for a long time, and eventually, I was sent to rehab. Losing a parent that way is a pain that cannot be quantified. I turned to drugs to cope with the pain I was feeling and the lack of emotions I didn’t know how to express. , My mother has played an instrumental role in learning to do the right thing. I have learned a lot about having a shared commitment, during my stay in rehab I learned to cope with my depression, which in turn helped me cope and understand why I did drugs. I am the only one responsible for my mental health and I currently put all my focus on personal growth, and my ability to succeed. I have continued to remain sober, and am focused on the main part of my life to success. At rehab, I desired to go home, but nobody believed me. My own family thought I would relapse and fall into old habits. I had to show them the personal growth I had fought so hard for. When I came home, both family and friends were highly skeptical and worried about me. I learned to be motivated by my community; we are a community of outsiders. I view challenges not as obstacles, but as new opportunities to refine myself and expand my horizons. The Novelist Chimamanda Adichie talked about stereotyping, putting people in a box, and bounding people to one singular outcome. As we know every story is different, I have hit rock bottom and I still came back from it. As a leader, in my school with the golf team or working with the breast cancer club I am always looking for positive solutions. I have climbed my way up and I am trying to build a life for myself out of determination, grit, and resiliency. I proved I could do the right thing and succeed. In the nine months since coming home, I have been working full-time, and I am in the top 10% of my class with a 4.4 GPA. My goal is to become an active participant in the college community, and I plan to be involved in student government and create programs to help with men's mental health. My story is just beginning!

As humans, we are ever-evolving and ever-changing. My life has four points, you might say a square or even a box. As a person, raised in a single-parent household, the oldest male, and a person in recovery; I am reminded of how different I am daily. My four-point outline is the basis and foundation of why I want to write my own story. I am searching for my identity and figuring out how I want to show up in this world. My path has been rather unique, to say the least, filled with twists, turns, and tenacity. At age fourteen, my dad took his own life. My Dad was half of my identity and I needed him at a point in my life, but he was gone. Imagine there were no goodbyes, no final words, and you're left to be the man of the house. I have experienced firsthand, the power of personal responsibility. My family has a long history of struggles with mental health. When I was 10 my uncle took his own life after a battle with addiction and depression. When I was fourteen my dad took his own life after a long struggle with mental health and depression. After he died, I fell into a deep depression myself and coped with drugs. I was in a dark place for a long time, and eventually, I was sent to rehab. Losing a parent that way is a pain that cannot be quantified. I turned to drugs to cope with the pain I was feeling and the lack of emotions I didn’t know how to express. , My mother has played an instrumental role in learning to do the right thing. I have learned a lot about having a shared commitment, during my stay in rehab I learned to cope with my depression, which in turn helped me cope and understand why I did drugs. I am the only one responsible for my mental health and I currently put all my focus on personal growth, and my ability to succeed. I have continued to remain sober, and am focused on the main part of my life to success. At rehab, I desired to go home, but nobody believed me. My own family thought I would relapse and fall into old habits. I had to show them the personal growth I had fought so hard for. When I came home, both family and friends were highly skeptical and worried about me. I learned to be motivated by my community; we are a community of outsiders. I view challenges not as obstacles, but as new opportunities to refine myself and expand my horizons. The Novelist Chimamanda Adichie talked about stereotyping, putting people in a box, and bounding people to one singular outcome. As we know every story is different, I have hit rock bottom and I still came back from it. As a leader, in my school with the golf team or working with the breast cancer club I am always looking for positive solutions. I have climbed my way up and I am trying to build a life for myself out of determination, grit, and resiliency. I proved I could do the right thing and succeed. In the nine months since coming home, I have been working full-time, and I am in the top 10% of my class with a 4.4 GPA. My goal is to become an active participant in the college community, and I plan to be involved in student government and create programs to help with men's mental health. My story is just beginning!

One of the biggest challenges facing society and that I have experienced firsthand, is the crisis of mental health. My family has a long history of struggles with mental health. When I was 10 my uncle took his own life after a battle with addiction and depression. When I was fourteen my dad took his own life after a long struggle with mental health and depression. After he died I fell into a deep depression myself and coped with drugs. I was in a dark place for a long time, and eventually, I was sent to rehab. During my stay in rehab, I learned to cope with my depression, which in turn helped me cope and understand why I did drugs. I am the only one responsible for my mental health and I currently put all my focus on personal growth, and my ability to succeed. I have continued to remain sober, and I have focused the main part of my life on success. I am excelling in school, and work over thirty hours a week as a shift lead at Tropical Smoothie. I have become a huge advocate for mental health, as I help many of my friends navigate how they cope with their struggles with mental health. A funded education would allow me to pursue higher education in engineering. I plan to become an engineer, and as I become an adult I continue to raise my advocacy for mental health and to help my family especially. I am a firm believer in servant leadership and being responsive to the needs of others. Helping others is a value that I want to contribute, I like to engage in programs that will continue my work related to emergency preparedness, environmental issues, and mental As a person in recovery one of my most significant achievements was my mental health initiative; teaching younger males the importance of taking care of the environment this includes mental health. In this service project, I helped to build benches and signs made from recycled material in my neighborhood of Norfolk, VA. Both teenage and elderly patrons now have a place to sit on the trail, as well as have signs to direct their way. Being a part of an organization that empowers men to give back has made me passionate about participating in meaningful service opportunities. One of the service projects I like to do within this organization is community outreach and education. I can lend my expertise to the program by creating marketing materials and conducting awareness workshops on male mental health. My goal is to become an engineer, a profession where there are helpers, and people willing to support others. Becoming an active participant in my community, my involvement in student government, community service, and multicultural student organizations. I have come to understand that leadership and responsibility are synonymous. Supporting men in mental health has a lot to do with thinking critically and problem-solving. Mental health is a lifelong recovery. So for me, it’s important to start talking about it. In college, I hope to bring this uncomfortable conversation to the table, as men we can make a change in the stigma. I choose to share my story to be able to help others share their mental health journey. Mental health recovery is never linear. It is a series of give and take—the willingness to receive help and apply it like an engineering equation. I know I must be a well-intentioned and well-impacting global citizen. In these elemental values of leadership, I find the embodiment of connectivity, compassion, and community.

As humans, we are ever-evolving and ever-changing. My life has four points, you might say a square or even a box. As a person, raised in a single-parent household, the oldest male, and a person in recovery; I am reminded of how different I am daily. My four-point outline is the basis and foundation of why I want to write my own story. I am searching for my identity and figuring out how I want to show up in this world. My path has been rather unique, to say the least, filled with twists, turns, and tenacity. This is a story all about how my life changed on my journey to become something profound. Through my journey I have learned that leadership is all-encompassing, you must lead with intention and with empathy. At age fourteen, my dad took his own life. My Dad was half of my identity and I needed him at a point in my life, but he was gone. Imagine there were no goodbyes, no final words, and you're left to be the man of the house. I have experienced firsthand, the power of personal responsibility. My family has a long history of struggles with mental health. When I was 10 my uncle took his own life after a battle with addiction and depression. When I was fourteen my dad took his own life after a long struggle with mental health and depression. After he died, I fell into a deep depression myself and coped with drugs. I was in a dark place for a long time, and eventually, I was sent to rehab. Losing a parent that way is a pain that cannot be quantified. I turned to drugs to cope with the pain I was feeling and the lack of emotions I didn’t know how to express. , My mother has played an instrumental role in learning to do the right thing. I have learned a lot about having a shared commitment, during my stay in rehab I learned to cope with my depression, which in turn helped me cope and understand why I did drugs. I am the only one responsible for my mental health and I currently put all my focus on personal growth, and my ability to succeed. I have continued to remain sober, and am focused on the main part of my life to success. At rehab, I desired to go home, but nobody believed me. My own family thought I would relapse and fall into old habits. I had to show them the personal growth I had fought so hard for. When I came home, both family and friends were highly skeptical and worried about me. I surround myself with others who help push me to learn, evolve, and grow my skills and knowledge. I hope to challenge myself and inspire everyone around me to become their best selves. Fighting for a meaningful legacy starts with my loved ones, and ends with everyone I hope to change by making a difference. I excel in school and work over thirty hours a week as a shift lead at Tropical Smoothie. I have become a huge advocate for mental health, as I help many of my friends navigate how they cope with their struggles with mental health. I believe that my struggles have helped me to understand what it means to be an effective leader. I am a supervisor now, I speak to everyone with respect and answer questions to give clarity, but the most important skill is to listen. I have measured my growth by setting goals and metrics. My main academic interest is chemistry and engineering. I have always wanted to be an engineer. I found my love for chemistry and finished with the highest grade in the class. I decided to combine my favorite subjects and passions into a field that includes real-world challenges. The Novelist Chimamanda Adichie talked about stereotyping, putting people in a box, and bounding people to one singular outcome. As we know every story is different, I have hit rock bottom and I still came back from it. As a leader, in my school with the golf team or working with the breast cancer club I am always looking for positive solutions. I have climbed my way up and I am trying to build a life for myself out of determination, grit, and resiliency. I proved I could do the right thing and succeed. In the nine months since coming home, I have been working full-time, and I am in the top 10% of my class with a 4.4 GPA. My goal is to become an active participant in the college community, and I plan to be involved in student government and create programs to help with men's mental health. My story is just beginning!

“America is too great for small dreams” As humans, we are ever-evolving and ever-changing. My life has four points, you might say a square or even a box. As a person, raised in a single-parent household, the oldest male, and a person in recovery; I am reminded of how different I am daily. My four-point outline is the basis and foundation of why I want to write my own story. I am searching for my identity and figuring out how I want to show up in this world. My path has been rather unique, to say the least, filled with twists, turns, and tenacity. This is a story all about how my life changed on my journey to become something profound. Through my journey I have learned that leadership is all-encompassing, you must lead with intention and with empathy. At age fourteen, my dad took his own life. My Dad was half of my identity and I needed him at a point in my life, but he was gone. Imagine there were no goodbyes, no final words, and you're left to be the man of the house. I have experienced firsthand, the power of personal responsibility. My family has a long history of struggles with mental health. When I was 10 my uncle took his own life after a battle with addiction and depression. When I was fourteen my dad took his own life after a long struggle with mental health and depression. After he died, I fell into a deep depression myself and coped with drugs. I was in a dark place for a long time, and eventually, I was sent to rehab. Losing a parent that way is a pain that cannot be quantified. I turned to drugs to cope with the pain I was feeling and the lack of emotions I didn’t know how to express. , My mother has played an instrumental role in learning to do the right thing. I have learned a lot about having a shared commitment, during my stay in rehab I learned to cope with my depression, which in turn helped me cope and understand why I did drugs. I am the only one responsible for my mental health and I currently put all my focus on personal growth, and my ability to succeed. I have continued to remain sober, and am focused on the main part of my life to success. At rehab, I desired to go home, but nobody believed me. My own family thought I would relapse and fall into old habits. I had to show them the personal growth I had fought so hard for. When I came home, both family and friends were highly skeptical and worried about me. I learned to be motivated by my community; we are a community of outsiders. At the beginning of high school, I was struggling to find my place and I happened to find a diverse group of people who had varying perspectives and outlooks. We walk to the beat of our own drum. I have innate aspirations to expand my knowledge and intelligence, and to surpass my own limitations. I view challenges not as obstacles, but as new opportunities to refine myself and expand my horizons. I surround myself with others who help push me to learn, evolve, and grow my skills and knowledge. I hope to challenge myself and inspire everyone around me to become their best selves. Leaving a meaningful legacy starts with my loved ones, and ends with everyone I hope to change by making a difference in society. I am excelling in school, and work over thirty hours a week as a shift lead at Tropical Smoothie. I have become a huge advocate for mental health, as I help many of my friends navigate how they cope with their struggles with mental health. I believe that my struggles have helped me to understand what it means to be an effective leader. I am a supervisor now, I speak to everyone with respect and answer questions to give clarity, but the most important skill is to listen. I have measured my growth by setting goals and metrics. My main academic interest is chemistry and engineering. I have always wanted to be an engineer. I found my love for chemistry and finished with the highest grade in the class. I decided to combine my favorite subjects and passions into a field that includes real-world challenges. My current aspirations to become a chemical engineer start with my fascination with transforming raw materials into products that benefit society. I am drawn to making advancements in society and minimizing environmental impacts. Becoming a chemical engineer would give me a broad range of ways to help the world. The Novelist Chimamanda Adichie talked about stereotyping, putting people in a box, and bounding people to one singular outcome. As we know every story is different, I have hit rock bottom and I still came back from it. As a leader, in my school with the golf team or working with the breast cancer club I am always looking for positive solutions. I have climbed my way up and I am trying to build a life for myself out of determination, grit, and resiliency. I proved I could do the right thing and succeed. In the nine months since coming home, I have been working full-time, and I am in the top 10% of my class with a 4.4 GPA. My goal is to become an active participant in the college community, and I plan to be involved in student government and create programs to help with men's mental health. My story is just beginning!

As humans, we are ever-evolving and ever-changing. My life has four points, you might say a square or even a box. As a person, raised in a single-parent household, the oldest male, and a person in recovery; I am reminded of how different I am daily. My four-point outline is the basis and foundation of why I want to write my own story. I am searching for my identity and figuring out how I want to show up in this world. My path has been rather unique, to say the least, filled with twists, turns, and tenacity. At age fourteen, my dad took his own life. My Dad was half of my identity and I needed him at a point in my life, but he was gone. Imagine there were no goodbyes, no final words, and you're left to be the man of the house. I have experienced firsthand, the power of personal responsibility. My family has a long history of struggles with mental health. When I was 10 my uncle took his own life after a battle with addiction and depression. When I was fourteen my dad took his own life after a long struggle with mental health and depression. After he died, I fell into a deep depression myself and coped with drugs. I was in a dark place for a long time, and eventually, I was sent to rehab. Losing a parent that way is a pain that cannot be quantified. I turned to drugs to cope with the pain I was feeling and the lack of emotions I didn’t know how to express. , My mother has played an instrumental role in learning to do the right thing. I have learned a lot about having a shared commitment, during my stay in rehab I learned to cope with my depression, which in turn helped me cope and understand why I did drugs. I am the only one responsible for my mental health and I currently put all my focus on personal growth, and my ability to succeed. I have continued to remain sober, and am focused on the main part of my life to success. At rehab, I desired to go home, but nobody believed me. My own family thought I would relapse and fall into old habits. I had to show them the personal growth I had fought so hard for. When I came home, both family and friends were highly skeptical and worried about me. I learned to be motivated by my community; we are a community of outsiders. I view challenges not as obstacles, but as new opportunities to refine myself and expand my horizons. The Novelist Chimamanda Adichie talked about stereotyping, putting people in a box, and bounding people to one singular outcome. As we know every story is different, I have hit rock bottom and I still came back from it. As a leader, in my school with the golf team or working with the breast cancer club I am always looking for positive solutions. I have climbed my way up and I am trying to build a life for myself out of determination, grit, and resiliency. I proved I could do the right thing and succeed. In the nine months since coming home, I have been working full-time, and I am in the top 10% of my class with a 4.4 GPA. My goal is to become an active participant in the college community, and I plan to be involved in student government and create programs to help with men's mental health. My story is just beginning!

My main academic interest is chemistry and engineering. I have always wanted to be an engineer. In elementary and middle school I succeeded greatly at math and it became my favorite subject. During high school, I found my love for chemistry and finished with the highest grade in the class. I decided to combine my favorite subjects and passions into a field that includes real-world challenges. My current aspirations to become a chemical engineer start with my fascination with transforming raw materials into products that benefit society. I am drawn to making technological advancements in society and minimizing environmental impacts. Becoming a chemical engineer would give me a broad range of ways to help the world. Ways such as pharmaceuticals and renewable energy interest me the most, and the Virginia Tech (VA Tech) curriculum and engineering program would allow me to explore these options. I am also interested in taking courses such as digital film/ photography, leadership, and policy. Currently, I am excelling in school, and work over thirty hours a week as a shift lead at Tropical Smoothie. I have become a huge advocate for mental health, as I help many of my friends navigate how they cope with their struggles with mental health. I believe that my struggles have helped me to understand what it means to be an effective leader. I am a supervisor now, I speak to everyone with respect and answer questions to give clarity, but the most important skill is to listen. I have measured my growth by setting goals and metrics. My main academic interest is chemistry and engineering. I have always wanted to be an engineer. I found my love for chemistry and finished with the highest grade in the class. I decided to combine my favorite subjects and passions into a field that includes real-world challenges. The truth is my mom is a single mother; my brother and I lost my dad to suicide about 4 years ago. She has been figuring everything out by herself and I do not want her to have to pay for my college tuition so she can save that money for my brother. The Novelist Chimamanda Adichie talked about stereotyping, putting people in a box, and bounding people to one singular outcome. As we know every story is different, I have hit rock bottom and I still came back from it. As a leader, in my school with the golf team or working with the breast cancer club I am always looking for positive solutions. I have climbed my way up and I am trying to build a life for myself by utilizing teamwork, taking initiative, shared commitment, and resiliency. I proved I could do the right thing and succeed. In the nine months since coming home, I have been working full-time, and I am in the top 10% of my class with a 4.4 GPA. My goal is to become an active participant in the college community. My story is just beginning!

My main academic interest is chemistry and engineering. I have always wanted to be an engineer. In elementary and middle school I succeeded greatly at math and it became my favorite subject. During high school, I found my love for chemistry and finished with the highest grade in the class. I decided to combine my favorite subjects and passions into a field that includes real-world challenges. My current aspirations to become a chemical engineer start with my fascination with transforming raw materials into products that benefit society. I am drawn to making technological advancements in society and minimizing environmental impacts. Becoming a chemical engineer would give me a broad range of ways to help the world. Ways such as pharmaceuticals and renewable energy interest me the most, and the Virginia Tech (VA Tech) curriculum and engineering program would allow me to explore these options. I am also interested in taking courses such as digital film/ photography, leadership, and policy. Currently, I am excelling in school, and work over thirty hours a week as a shift lead at Tropical Smoothie. I have become a huge advocate for mental health, as I help many of my friends navigate how they cope with their struggles with mental health. I believe that my struggles have helped me to understand what it means to be an effective leader. I am a supervisor now, I speak to everyone with respect and answer questions to give clarity, but the most important skill is to listen. I have measured my growth by setting goals and metrics. My main academic interest is chemistry and engineering. I have always wanted to be an engineer. I found my love for chemistry and finished with the highest grade in the class. I decided to combine my favorite subjects and passions into a field that includes real-world challenges. The truth is my mom is a single mother; my brother and I lost my dad to suicide about 4 years ago. She has been figuring everything out by herself and I do not want her to have to pay for my college tuition so she can save that money for my brother. The Novelist Chimamanda Adichie talked about stereotyping, putting people in a box, and bounding people to one singular outcome. As we know every story is different, I have hit rock bottom and I still came back from it. As a leader, in my school with the golf team or working with the breast cancer club I am always looking for positive solutions. I have climbed my way up and I am trying to build a life for myself by utilizing teamwork, taking initiative, shared commitment, and resiliency. I proved I could do the right thing and succeed. In the nine months since coming home, I have been working full-time, and I am in the top 10% of my class with a 4.4 GPA. My goal is to become an active participant in the college community. My story is just beginning!

Participating in high school athletics has had long-lasting and definitive benefits for mental health and wellness in my life. My high school sport is golf and as an athletic leader for my team, I have been able to learn how to navigate challenges with a growth mindset. Every year, I look forward to playing for the team, which I have been on since freshman year. Through sports I have developed long-lasting friendships, and memories, and grown as a person individually. My coach selected me to be a Captain in my junior. This meant a great deal to me and taught me confidence, leadership, discipline, and accountability. Furthermore, my teammates have influenced me greatly by becoming my second family on and off the field. My teammates became my escape from reality and some of my happiest moments of high school were with them on the field. Sports has given me three specific skill sets that I can carry with me throughout life. First, I have gained a stronger sense of self-confidence in building relationships with others. Secondly, I have learned to have empathy and to develop a better understanding of how actions can affect others. Lastly, I have built foundations for lifelong fitness habits to live a healthy sustainable life. I hope to carry everything I have learned from my team and coaches further in life. Working out and participating in golf made me realize how much I loved directing and playing. As far as my career and major in college I plan to have an engineering focus. I am excelling in school, and work over thirty hours a week as a shift lead at Tropical Smoothie. I have become a huge advocate for mental health, as I help many of my friends navigate how they cope with their struggles with mental health. I believe that my struggles have helped me to understand what it means to be an effective leader. I am a supervisor now, I speak to everyone with respect and answer questions to give clarity, but the most important skill is to listen. I have measured my growth by setting goals and metrics. My main academic interest is chemistry and engineering. I have always wanted to be an engineer. I found my love for chemistry and finished with the highest grade in the class. I decided to combine my favorite subjects and passions into a field that includes real-world challenges. My current aspirations to become a chemical engineer start with my fascination with transforming raw materials into products that benefit society. I am drawn to making advancements in society and minimizing environmental impacts. Becoming a chemical engineer would give me a broad range of ways to help the world.

I am motivated by community both building community and maintaining community. At the beginning of high school, I was struggling to find my place and I happened to find a diverse group of people who have varying perspectives and outlooks. We walk to the beat of our own drum. I have innate aspirations to expand my knowledge and intelligence, and to surpass my own limitations. I view challenges not as obstacles, but as new opportunities to refine myself and expand my horizons. I surround myself with others who help push me to learn, evolve, and grow my skills and knowledge. I hope to challenge myself and inspire everyone around me to become their best selves. John Lewis said, “ When you see something that is not right, not fair, not just, you have to speak up. You have to say something; you have to do something.” The social justice issue I want to "make some noise" about and am willing to get into "good trouble, necessary trouble is to spread awareness about environmental engineering and it affects not only structural issues but mental health issues. Many people may not see it but engineering has everything to do with how it informs public policy. My main academic interest is chemistry and engineering. I have always wanted to be an engineer. I decided to combine my favorite subjects and passions into a field that includes real-world challenges. My current aspirations to become a chemical engineer start with my fascination with transforming raw materials into products that benefit society. I am drawn to making advancements in society and minimizing environmental impacts. Becoming an engineer would give me a broad range of ways to help the world. I am a strong advocate for environmental equity and am thankful that college will allow such a wide variety of intellectual freedom. People do not tend to think about environmental injustice and how it intersects with racism and mental health. Both rural and low-income communities are exposed to many hazards such as toxic waste, pollution, and dilapidated living conditions. My will to persevere aligns with my will to change the world through stem. Covid-19 made people aware of daily injustices and compelled us to research young leaders like Courtney Cunningham, a pioneer in engineering who brought water drainage to rural areas in different areas. Developing into a great leader is essential in growth as well as being a well-rounded individual. I believe engineering is a necessary component to create social and environmental change. I believe that my college community will be my family, my anchor, and as I navigate the college system. This shared purpose and commitment has strengthened my sense of resiliency and has fostered a sense of standing up for what is right. I will bring a collaborative spirit of empowerment and determination that contributes to the success of the objectives and goals of me and my community. I will not only be an engineer but a social engineer to prevent these societal disparities regardless of race or socioeconomic status.