I've often heard the saying, "What doesn't kill you will make you stronger." Although I am only eighteen years old, my life epitomizes that saying. At a young age, I learned that my circumstances do not define who I am or who I will become. I had to decide to remove myself from an environment that was not conducive to my growth and development as an individual.  As a constant presence in my life, my father tried his best to shield us from the dreadful reality of life, though as the oldest, I found myself at the center of it all. I endured the physical challenges and emotional turmoil brought on by my biological mother's decision to no longer care about her children's well-being. Her absence left feelings of neglect and abandonment that I never believed I would overcome. The pain of my situation felt truly insurmountable, but my faith in God encouraged me to turn my pain into purpose. I decided to use my experience to fuel my strength and resilience rather than remain engulfed by sorrow. I grew to understand that even though I cannot change the past, I can learn and grow from it. Every challenge taught me valuable lessons about perseverance, empathy, and the importance of self-acceptance and has allowed me to cultivate a more profound sense of compassion.  My childhood experiences have also motivated me to study psychology. Understanding the mind and the struggles people face will empower me to help others who've felt lost, as I once did. I hope to one day work with children and families, guiding them on how to grow together. I believe that creating a supportive environment may give families the ability to navigate their differences and difficulties. It is often assumed that children from broken homes are at a disadvantage. This is something I often heard throughout my childhood, but I refused to become another statistic. Though my childhood was filled with much difficulty, it is now a source of motivation because I use the challenges I've faced as a catalyst for positive change in my life, and I hope to inspire others to do the same. I hope to give encouragement, motivation, and guidance to children in situations similar to mine. Though my obstacles may have left a few scars, they do not define me. They are symbols of my strength and a reminder that I am continually becoming who I'm meant to be.

My childhood experiences have motivated me to pursue an education in psychology, and I aspire to have a career working with children and families. As a child, I had to decide to remove myself from an environment that was not conducive to my growth and development as an individual. As a steadfast figure in my life, my father tried his best to shield us from the dreadful reality of life, though as the oldest, I found myself at the center of it all. I endured the physical challenges and emotional turmoil brought on by my biological mother's decision to no longer care about her children's well-being. My brother and I tried our best to articulate our feelings. Still, as young children, we didn't always know how to, often resulting in unnecessary arguments and misunderstandings. Her absence left feelings of neglect and abandonment that I never believed I would overcome. The pain of my situation felt truly insurmountable, but my faith in God encouraged me to turn my pain into purpose. Though my faith in God kept me strong, I have always wondered how having a mediator might change the course of events. I want to be a mediator for children in situations such as this. Pursuing a career in psychology will allow me to understand the mind and the struggles people face and will empower me to help others who've felt lost, as I once did. I decided to use my experience to fuel my strength and resilience rather than remain engulfed by sorrow. I grew to understand that even though I cannot change the past, I can learn and grow from it, but if I didn't have a supportive environment, I would not have been able to come to these conclusions. I know not everyone has a strong support system, so I aspire to use my career to be that support for someone. My goal is to become a children and family therapist or work in a school setting with young children, and I am determined to use my education to do so. I also currently have experience working with children ages 4-14. Working at various after-school programs and summer camps has truly empowered my aspirations. I try my best to be a role model for those who need it most, as I can relate to many of the struggles the children I work with face. Though my childhood was filled with much difficulty, it is now a source of motivation because I use the challenges I've faced as a catalyst for positive change in my life, and I hope to inspire others to do the same. If I have the ability to turn that situation into something good, I can do the same with anything that comes my way.

My childhood experiences have motivated me to pursue an education in psychology, and I aspire to have a career working with children and families. As a child, I had to decide to remove myself from an environment that was not conducive to my growth and development as an individual. As a steadfast figure in my life, my father tried his best to shield us from the dreadful reality of life, though as the oldest, I found myself at the center of it all. I endured the physical challenges and emotional turmoil brought on by my biological mother's decision to no longer care about her children's well-being. My brother and I tried our best to articulate our feelings. Still, as young children, we didn't always know how to, often resulting in unnecessary arguments and misunderstandings. Her absence left feelings of neglect and abandonment that I never believed I would overcome. The pain of my situation felt truly insurmountable, but my faith in God encouraged me to turn my pain into purpose. Though my faith in God kept me strong, I have always wondered how having a mediator might change the course of events. I want to be a mediator for children in situations such as this. Pursuing a career in psychology will allow me to understand the mind and the struggles people face and will empower me to help others who've felt lost, as I once did. I decided to use my experience to fuel my strength and resilience rather than remain engulfed by sorrow. I grew to understand that even though I cannot change the past, I can learn and grow from it, but if I didn't have a supportive environment, I would not have been able to come to these conclusions. I know not everyone has a strong support system, so I aspire to use my career to be that support for someone. My goal is to become a children and family therapist or work in a school setting with young children. I currently have experience working with children ages 4–14. Working at various after-school programs and summer camps has truly empowered my aspirations. I try my best to be a role model for those who need it most, as I can relate to many of the struggles the children I work with face. Though my childhood was filled with much difficulty, it is now a source of motivation because I use the challenges I've faced as a catalyst for positive change in my life, and I hope to inspire others to do the same. If I have the ability to turn that situation into something good, I can do the same with anything that comes my way.

My childhood experiences have motivated me to pursue an education in psychology, and I aspire to have a career working with children and families. As a child, I had to decide to remove myself from an environment that was not conducive to my growth and development as an individual. As a steadfast figure in my life, my father tried his best to shield us from the dreadful reality of life, though as the oldest, I found myself at the center of it all. I endured the physical challenges and emotional turmoil brought on by my biological mother's decision to no longer care about her children's well-being. My brother and I tried our best to articulate our feelings. Still, as young children, we didn't always know how to, often resulting in unnecessary arguments and misunderstandings. Her absence left feelings of neglect and abandonment that I never believed I would overcome. The pain of my situation felt truly insurmountable, but my faith in God encouraged me to turn my pain into purpose. Though my faith in God kept me strong, I have always wondered how having a mediator might change the course of events. I want to be a mediator for children in situations such as this. Pursuing a career in psychology will allow me to understand the mind and the struggles people face and will empower me to help others who've felt lost, as I once did. I decided to use my experience to fuel my strength and resilience rather than remain engulfed by sorrow. I grew to understand that even though I cannot change the past, I can learn and grow from it, but if I didn't have a supportive environment, I would not have been able to come to these conclusions. I know not everyone has a strong support system, so I aspire to use my career to be that support for someone. My goal is to become a children and family therapist or work in a school setting with young children. I currently have experience working with children ages 4–14. Working at various after-school programs and summer camps has truly empowered my aspirations. I try my best to be a role model for those who need it most, as I can relate to many of the struggles the children I work with face. Though my childhood was filled with much difficulty, it is now a source of motivation because I use the challenges I've faced as a catalyst for positive change in my life, and I hope to inspire others to do the same. If I have the ability to turn that situation into something good, I can do the same with anything that comes my way.

My childhood experiences have motivated me to pursue an education in psychology, and I one day dream of having a career working with children and families. As a child, I had to decide to remove myself from an environment that was not conducive to my growth and development as an individual. As a steadfast figure in my life, my father tried his best to shield us from the dreadful reality of life, though as the oldest, I found myself at the center of it all. I endured the physical challenges and emotional turmoil brought on by my biological mother's decision to no longer care about her children's well-being. My brother and I tried our best to articulate our feelings. Still, as young children, we didn't always know how to, often resulting in unnecessary arguments and misunderstandings. Her absence left feelings of neglect and abandonment that I never believed I would overcome. The pain of my situation felt truly insurmountable, but my faith in God encouraged me to turn my pain into purpose. Though my faith in God kept me strong, I have always wondered how having a mediator might change the course of events. I want to be a mediator for children in situations such as this. Pursuing a career in psychology will allow me to understand the mind and the struggles people face and will empower me to help others who've felt lost, as I once did. I decided to use my experience to fuel my strength and resilience rather than remain engulfed by sorrow. I grew to understand that even though I cannot change the past, I can learn and grow from it, but if I didn't have a supportive environment, I would not have been able to come to these conclusions. I know not everyone has a strong support system, so I aspire to use my career to be that support for someone. My goal is to become a children and family therapist or work in a school setting with young children. I currently have experience working with children ages 4-14. Working at various after-school programs and summer camps has truly empowered my aspirations. I try my best to be a role model for those who need it most, as I can relate to many of the struggles the children I work with face. I believe the best is yet to come because, though my childhood was filled with much difficulty, it is now a source of motivation. I use the challenges I've faced as a catalyst for positive change in my life, and I hope to inspire others to do the same. If I have the ability to turn that situation into something good, I can do the same with anything that comes my way.

My childhood experiences have motivated me to pursue an education in psychology and one day have a career working with children and families. As a child, I had to decide to remove myself from an environment that was not conducive to my growth and development as an individual. As a steadfast figure in my life, my father tried his best to shield us from the dreadful reality of life, though as the oldest, I found myself at the center of it all. I endured the physical challenges and emotional turmoil brought on by my biological mother's decision to no longer care about her children's well-being. My brother and I tried our best to articulate our feelings. Still, as young children, we didn't always know how to, often resulting in unnecessary arguments and misunderstandings. Her absence left feelings of neglect and abandonment that I never believed I would overcome. The pain of my situation felt truly insurmountable, but my faith in God encouraged me to turn my pain into purpose. Though my faith in God kept me strong, I have always wondered how having a mediator might change the course of events. I want to be a mediator for children in situations such as this. Pursuing a career in psychology will allow me to understand the mind and the struggles people face and will empower me to help others who've felt lost, as I once did. I decided to use my experience to fuel my strength and resilience rather than remain engulfed by sorrow. I grew to understand that even though I cannot change the past, I can learn and grow from it, but if I didn't have a supportive environment, I would not have been able to come to these conclusions. I know not everyone has a strong support system, so I aspire to use my career to be that support for someone. My goal is to become a children and family therapist or work in a school setting with young children. I currently have experience working with children ages 4–14. Working at various after-school programs and summer camps has truly empowered my aspirations. I try my best to be a role model for those who need it most, as I can relate to many of the struggles the children I work with face. Though filled with much difficulty, my childhood is now a source of motivation because I use the challenges I've faced as a catalyst for positive change in my life, and I hope to inspire others to do the same.