Time: only so much one can do, so, I try to make the most of it! From studying at Starbucks while enjoying a refreshing drink to jumping on a wakeboard, both scenarios require a tremendous amount of dedication. To perfect your craft, it takes hundreds of hours (sometimes more) to even get a foot in the door of success. When it comes to my joy of wakeboarding, the first step is realizing you are immediately bound by the boots. This reality check is unlike most other sports where limiting factors include athleticism or agility. As you step into the chilling waters, everything goes blank. A moment of Zen takes hold of you as you slowly drift away from the boat. Being ripped out of the water is nothing short of a wakeup call, as it is now ‘go time’. Now, twenty feet away from the boat, using every bit of strength possible, you slingshot across the wake and fly through the air. SPLASH! Diving headfirst from a fifteen-foot jump vertically is not very fun at speeds of twenty miles per hour. However, you take a deep breath to recoup your bearings and grab that rope to go again. While wakeboarding may be difficult, it is the zeal that keeps me pushing to better myself, day-in and day-out. The perseverance, dedication and persistence of my hobby has taught me to appreciate and enjoy the small things in life. I can apply these same characteristics to my achievements in high school. Throughout the past four years, I’ve strived to excel in the classroom, knowing that I intended to go to college after graduation. From my dedication to maintaining my high GPA average, to involvement in National Honor Society and participating in both Junior & Varsity Soccer, I’ve strived to put forth my best effort possible, not wanting to just settle for the ordinary or what was expected. My strong interest in mathematics, physics and architecture, has prompted me into looking at how they interact with each other in day-to-day life. I consider myself to be an over-thinker, and interested in the aspect of how and why things work. I want to go beyond the basics of just understanding the material presented before me. This on-going knowledge is prevalent in engineering and I have developed a strong dedication in pursuing this as my future career. Living near the Johnson Space Center, in Houston, Texas, all my life, I have always imagined working at NASA, such a prestigious organization. It was difficult at times to think I was capable enough to pursue or even achieve this dream. My hope is to secure an internship at NASA, while in college, allowing me to have greater options upon my graduation. Proving to myself that I am capable of pushing the limits further than I expected, I intend on achieving my Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering and to be the first person in my family to graduate with a bachelor’s degree. The most interesting accomplishment of my junior year in high school was to be involved in a NASA Hutch Program, a project which I worked with a few fellow students to design and built a functional nano-lab designated to maintain the life of crickets isolated in space travel for up to 30 consecutive days. Receiving feedback from NASA affiliates to help with improving our design, the final prototype placed us in the top 5 finalists in our respective category, of over 2500 projects internationally. I understand with the rising cost of tuition, books and other educational expenses, annually, it presents a financial difficulty for myself and my dad. I intend on working part time, hopefully with a work-study program to reduce some of the strain off my father’s shoulders. By earning a Jonas Griffith Scholarship, it would definitely help offset some of the upcoming expenditures and allow me to dedicate a more focused attention toward my academics. This would ultimately aid towards the future I want to be able to build for myself. My ultimate goal is obtaining an Engineering career at NASA, possibly in the F1 industry, or even an industry like UTMB Health. I plan on using my acquired skills and talents where I can positively benefit our country and to be influential in future generations. As memories of my time at home and outside of school will fade over time, I look forward to venturing out into the ‘real world’ with anticipation and excitement. Thank you for your consideration.

Growing up with divorced parents is not a unique situation, but since my parents shared joint custody, having to alternate every other week between each parent for fifteen years was difficult. Having to juggle the differences bi-weekly, from our school studies and activities to household responsibilities, proved to be strenuous and at times stressful. My twin sister and I learned to rely on and support each other, from school to sports, we’ve strived to put forth our best effort, while continuing to maintain high grades. For the last year, my sister and I have been living full time with our father, who has encouraged our desire to attend college and be the first in our family to graduate with a bachelor’s degree. Having to adjust to the strained relationship with our mother, with little to no contact with her, nor any commitment toward our continued education, has presented many emotional challenges for us as we begin our educational path toward college without her presence or support. This leaves the financial stress of supporting 2 college students upon our dad. There are one-hundred-sixty-eight hours in one week. Subtracting school, sleep, and time to eat leaves you with roughly seventy hours of free time. I learned the hard way how important those seventy hours are when you pick up a part time job, participate on the varsity soccer team and still keep up with honors classes. Sure, making money was good and self-satisfying, but was it worth taking up half of my free time and leaving very little time to spend with family and friends? Were the thirty and forty-hour workweeks worth the paycheck? The first step was realizing that losing sleep and staying up till two in the morning to study for an exam was becoming the normal routine. Not to mention, by repeating this over and over, you somehow expect yourself not to be tired the next day. The work life is rough, but it is doable, and that has kept me motivated to strive in my classes, extracurricular activities and take on the biggest challenges possible within high school. I look forward to the next chapter in my life, beginning with pursuing my degree in Mechanical Engineering. I feel work is essential, but maybe to a lesser degree. With the continuous rise of tuition and related expenses, earning the Frantz Barron Scholarship would help reduce and ease the burden of those forty-hour work weeks, thereby allowing me a greater amount of time to focus and dedicate toward my academic goals. Thank you for your consideration.

Growing up with divorced parents is not a unique situation, but since my parents shared joint custody, alternately every other week between each parent for fifteen years was difficult. Having to juggle the differences weekly, from study patterns to household responsibilities, proved to be strenuous and at times stressful. My twin sister and I learned to rely on and support each other, all through school. For the last year, my sister and I have been living full time with our father. Having to adjust to the strained relationship with our mother, with little to no contact with her, nor any commitment toward our continued education, has presented many emotional challenges for us as we begin our college journey without her presence or support. Living near the Johnson Space Center, in Houston, Texas, all my life, I have always imagined working at NASA, such a prestigious organization. It was difficult at times to think I could achieve this dream, but consider myself as an over-thinker and interested in the aspect of how and why things work. This on-going knowledge is prevalent in engineering and I have developed a strong dedication in pursuing this as my future career. Recently, I spent 27 weeks in my Architecture and Civil Engineering class modeling and constructing a functional nanolab. As a part of the NASA HUNCH program, my group, under the guidance of our teacher, Mr. Merritt, was tasked with creating a self-sustainable remote food source that would last in space and replenish itself over time. We created a working ventilation system, a light-coordinated timer, and waste control, all for 6-12 crickets within a 2000 cubic centimeter chamber. After attending multiple design reviews at NASA, we received feedback from NASA engineers resulting in changes that were implemented into our final design review. Upon completion, our team was selected as a finalist out of 2,500 students with 400 schools internationally competing. Throughout the 27-week journey, Mr. Merritt was my single greatest asset for engineering and academics. By instilling our class with key values such as respect and time management, he truly made every person give it their all for 55 minutes a day. This not only benefited me within the engineering department, but rather, his teachings helped me utilize my time in other classes more effectively. My newfound approach to studying persuaded me to take on my own challenges outside of school, where I self-taught Python, Fusion 360, and I will be starting C# right after Java. To say Mr. Merritt was just a teacher would be an understatement; he completely altered my view on learning and reignited my passion for engineering more enthusiastically. With my intent on pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Texas in Austin, I understand the cost of tuition, books, and other educational expenses will be high, but I am determined to work as much as possible. By earning the Resilient Scholar Award it would definitely help offset some of the college expenses and reduce the pressure of ‘having’ to work full time giving me an opportunity to dedicate a more focused attention toward my academic goals. During college, I hope to secure an internship at NASA, allowing me to have greater options upon my graduation, proving to myself that I am capable of pushing the limits further than I expected. My ultimate goal is obtaining an Engineering career at NASA, possibly in the F1 industry, or even an industry like UTMB Health. I want to use my acquired talents where I can impact my community and hopefully the world. Thank you for your consideration.

Living near the Johnson Space Center, in Houston, Texas, all my life, I have always imagined working at NASA, such a prestigious organization. It was difficult at times to think I could achieve this dream, but consider myself as an over-thinker and interested in the aspect of how and why things work. This on-going knowledge is prevalent in engineering and I have developed a strong dedication in pursuing this as my future career. Recently, I spent 27 weeks in my Architecture and Civil Engineering class modeling and constructing a functional nanolab. As a part of the NASA HUNCH program, my group, under the guidance of our teacher, Mr. Merritt, was tasked with creating a self-sustainable remote food source that would last in space and replenish itself over time. We created a working ventilation system, a light-coordinated timer, and waste control, all for 6-12 crickets within a 2000 cubic centimeter chamber. After attending multiple design reviews at NASA, we received feedback from NASA engineers resulting in changes that were implemented into our final design review. Upon completion, our team was selected as a finalist out of 2,500 students with 400 schools internationally competing. Throughout the 27-week journey, Mr. Merritt was my single greatest asset for engineering and academics. By instilling our class with key values such as respect and time management, he truly made every person give it their all for 55 minutes a day. This not only benefited me within the engineering department, but rather, his teachings helped me utilize my time in other classes more effectively. My newfound approach to studying persuaded me to take on my own challenges outside of school, where I self-taught Python, Fusion 360, and I will be starting C# right after Java. To say Mr. Merritt was just a teacher would be an understatement; he completely altered my view on learning and reignited my passion for engineering more enthusiastically. With my intent on pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Texas in Austin, I understand the cost of tuition, books, and other educational expenses will be high, but I am determined to work as much as possible. By earning the Dr. Michal Lomask Memorial Scholarship, it would definitely help offset some of the college expenses and reduce the pressure of ‘having’ to work full time giving me an opportunity to dedicate a more focused attention toward my academic goals. During my college journey, I hope to secure an internship at NASA, allowing me to have greater options upon my graduation, proving to myself that I am capable of pushing the limits further than I expected. My ultimate goal is obtaining an Engineering career at NASA, possibly in the F1 industry, or even an industry like UTMB Health. I want to use my acquired talents where I can impact my community and hopefully the world. Thank you for your consideration.

Living near the Johnson Space Center, in Houston, Texas, all my life, I have always imagined working at NASA, such a prestigious organization. It was difficult at times to think I could achieve this dream, but consider myself as an over-thinker and interested in the aspect of how and why things work. This on-going knowledge is prevalent in engineering and I have developed a strong dedication in pursuing this as my future career. Recently, I spent 27 weeks in my Architecture and Civil Engineering class modeling and constructing a functional nanolab. As a part of the NASA HUNCH program, my group, under the guidance of our teacher, Mr. Merritt, was tasked with creating a self-sustainable remote food source that would last in space and replenish itself over time. We created a working ventilation system, a light-coordinated timer, and waste control, all for 6-12 crickets within a 2000 cubic centimeter chamber. After attending multiple design reviews at NASA, we received feedback from NASA engineers resulting in changes that were implemented into our final design review. Upon completion, our team was selected as a finalist out of 2,500 students with 400 schools internationally competing. Throughout the 27-week journey, Mr. Merritt was my single greatest asset for engineering and academics. By instilling our class with key values such as respect and time management, he truly made every person give it their all for 55 minutes a day. This not only benefited me within the engineering department, but rather, his teachings helped me utilize my time in other classes more effectively. My newfound approach to studying persuaded me to take on my own challenges outside of school, where I self-taught Python, Fusion 360, and I will be starting C# right after Java. To say Mr. Merritt was just a teacher would be an understatement; he completely altered my view on learning and reignited my passion for engineering more enthusiastically. As I intend on pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, I understand the cost of tuition, books, and other educational expenses will be high, but I am determined to work as much as possible. By earning a Text-Em-All's Foundation Scholarship, it would definitely help offset some of the college expenses and reduce the pressure of ‘having’ to work full time, giving me an opportunity to dedicate a more focused attention toward my academic goals. I hope to secure an internship at NASA, allowing me to have greater options upon my graduation, proving to myself that I am capable of pushing the limits further than I expected. My ultimate goal is obtaining an Engineering career at NASA, providing an opportunity to participate with the space exploration program. I want to use my acquired talents where I can positively benefit our country and to be influential in future generations. Thank you for your consideration.

Living near the Johnson Space Center, in Houston, Texas, all my life, I have always imagined working at NASA, such a prestigious organization. It was difficult at times to think I could achieve this dream, but I was determined to earn a bachelor’s degree and to be the first in my family to achieve this goal. I consider myself as an over-thinker and interested in the aspect of how and why things work. This on-going knowledge is prevalent in engineering and I have developed a strong dedication in pursuing this as my future career. Recently, I spent 27 weeks in my Architecture and Civil Engineering class, modeling and constructing a functional nano-lab. As a part of the NASA HUNCH program, my group was tasked with creating a self-sustainable remote food source that would last in space and replenish itself over time. We created a working ventilation system, a light-coordinated timer, and waste control, all for 6-12 crickets within a 2000 cubic centimeter chamber. After attending multiple design reviews at NASA, we received feedback from NASA engineers resulting in changes that were implemented into our final design review. Our team was selected as one of the finalists out of 2,500 students, with 400 schools competing internationally, giving us a successful sense of accomplishment and pride. Throughout this 27-week journey, Mr. Merritt was my single greatest asset for engineering and academics. By instilling our class with key values such as respect and time management, he truly made every person give it their all for 55 minutes a day. This not only benefited me within the engineering department, but rather, his teachings helped me utilize my time in other classes more effectively. This newfound approach to learning persuaded me to take on my own challenges outside of school, where I self-taught Python, Fusion 360, and I will be starting C# right after Java, giving me a tremendous feeling of success on what I can accomplish. To say Mr. Merritt was just a teacher would be an understatement; he completely altered my view on learning and reignited my passion for engineering more enthusiastically. Moving forward under Mr. Merritt’s influence, I intend to pursue an engineering degree at a top university, and hope to secure an internship at NASA, allowing me to have greater options upon my graduation, proving to myself that I am capable of pushing the limits further than I expected. My ultimate goal is obtaining an engineering career at NASA, possibly in the F1 industry, or even an industry like UTMB Health. I want to use my acquired talents where I can impact my community and hopefully the world. The successful acquiring of a scholarship definitely provides a better opportunity to alleviate some of the financial burden of college expenses, both for myself and my father. Knowing that I would need to also work while attending college, earning a scholarship, could provide a big advantage. By reducing the hours I may need to work, that in itself gives me the opportunity to dedicate a more focused attention toward my academic goals. Thank you for your consideration.

Living near the Johnson Space Center, in Houston, Texas, all my life, I’ve have always imagined working at NASA, such a prestigious organization. It was difficult at times to think I could achieve this dream. As my divorced parents shared joint custody, for several years, I would alternate every other week with each parent and have to develop different study patterns at each household. Sometimes, I wouldn’t have the necessary materials at one place and would have to improvise, causing some difficult challenges at times. From elementary to high school, I never wanted to “just achieve” but continually strived to over-achieve. This on-going knowledge is prevalent in engineering, as I always feel the need to understand why something works. Recently, I spent 27 weeks in my Architecture and Civil Engineering class modeling and constructing a functional nanolab. As a part of the NASA HUNCH program, my group, under the guidance of Mr. Merritt, was tasked with creating a self-sustainable remote food source that would last in space and replenish itself over time. We created a working ventilation system, a light-coordinated timer, and waste control, all for 6-12 crickets within a 2000 cubic centimeter chamber. After attending multiple design reviews at NASA, we received feedback from NASA engineers resulting in changes that were implemented into our final design review. Which we were selected finalists out of 2,500 students with 400 schools internationally competing. Throughout the 27-week journey, Mr. Merritt was my single greatest asset for engineering and academics. By instilling our class with key values such as respect and time management, he truly made every person give it their all for 55 minutes a day. This not only benefited me within the engineering department, but rather, his teachings helped me utilize my time in other classes more effectively. This newfound approach to learning persuaded me to take on my own challenges outside of school, where I self-taught Python, Fusion 360, and I will be starting C# right after Java. To say Mr. Merritt was just a teacher would be an understatement; he completely altered my view on learning and reignited my passion for engineering more enthusiastically. In addition to pursuing an engineering degree at a top university, I hope to secure an internship at NASA, that can allow me to have greater options upon my graduation. Whether that would be obtaining a position at NASA, in the F1 industry, or even an industry like UTMB Health, I want to use my talents where I can impact my community and hopefully the world. Thank you for your consideration.

Living near the Johnson Space Center, in Houston, Texas, all my life, I have always imagined working at NASA, such a prestigious organization. It was difficult at times to think I could achieve this dream, but consider myself as an over-thinker and interested in the aspect of how and why things work. This on-going knowledge is prevalent in engineering and I have developed a strong dedication in pursuing this as my future career. While in high school, I’ve succeeded in several AP and Honors classes and strived to keep myself in the top 10% of my class. This being my senior year, I’m currently ranked #22 of 491 students, of which I’m very committed in preserving and improving as I continue onward with my educational journey. Recently, I spent 27 weeks in my Architecture and Civil Engineering class, modeling and constructing a functional nano-lab. As a part of the NASA HUNCH program, my group was tasked with creating a self-sustainable remote food source that would last in space and replenish itself over time. We created a working ventilation system, a light-coordinated timer, and waste control, all for 6-12 crickets within a 2000 cubic centimeter chamber. After attending multiple design reviews at NASA, we received feedback from NASA engineers resulting in changes that were implemented into our final design review. Our team was selected as one of the finalists out of 2,500 students, with 400 schools competing internationally, giving us a successful sense of accomplishment and pride. Throughout this 27-week journey, Mr. Merritt was my single greatest asset for engineering and academics. By instilling our class with key values such as respect and time management, he truly made every person give it their all for 55 minutes a day. This not only benefited me within the engineering department, but rather, his teachings helped me utilize my time in other classes more effectively. This newfound approach to learning persuaded me to take on my own challenges outside of school, where I self-taught Python, Fusion 360, and I will be starting C# right after Java, giving me a tremendous feeling of success on what I can accomplish. To say Mr. Merritt was just a teacher would be an understatement; he completely altered my view on learning and reignited my passion for engineering more enthusiastically. Moving forward under Mr. Merritt’s influence, I intend to pursue an engineering degree at a top university, and hope to secure an internship at NASA, allowing me to have greater options upon my graduation, proving to myself that I am capable of pushing the limits further than I expected. My ultimate goal is obtaining an engineering career at NASA, possibly in the F1 industry, or even an industry like UTMB Health. I want to use my acquired talents where I can impact my community and hopefully the world. The successful acquiring of a scholarship definitely provides a better opportunity to alleviate some of the financial burden of college expenses, both for myself and my father. Knowing that I would need to also work while attending college, earning a scholarship, could provide a big advantage. By reducing the hours I may need to work, that in itself gives me the opportunity to dedicate a more focused attention toward my academic goals. Thank you for your consideration.

Living near the Johnson Space Center, in Houston, Texas, all my life, I have always imagined working at NASA, such a prestigious organization. It was difficult at times to think I could achieve this dream, but consider myself as an over-thinker and interested in the aspect of how and why things work. This on-going knowledge is prevalent in engineering and I have developed a strong dedication in pursuing this as my future career. While in high school, I’ve succeeded in several AP and Honors classes and strived to keep myself in the top 10% of my class. This being my senior year, I’m currently ranked #22 of 491 students, of which I’m very committed in preserving and improving as I continue onward with my educational journey. Recently, I spent 27 weeks in my Architecture and Civil Engineering class, modeling and constructing a functional nano-lab. As a part of the NASA HUNCH program, my group was tasked with creating a self-sustainable remote food source that would last in space and replenish itself over time. We created a working ventilation system, a light-coordinated timer, and waste control, all for 6-12 crickets within a 2000 cubic centimeter chamber. After attending multiple design reviews at NASA, we received feedback from NASA engineers resulting in changes that were implemented into our final design review. Our team was selected as one of the finalists out of 2,500 students, with 400 schools competing internationally, giving us a successful sense of accomplishment and pride. Throughout this 27-week journey, Mr. Merritt was my single greatest asset for engineering and academics. By instilling our class with key values such as respect and time management, he truly made every person give it their all for 55 minutes a day. This not only benefited me within the engineering department, but rather, his teachings helped me utilize my time in other classes more effectively. This newfound approach to learning persuaded me to take on my own challenges outside of school, where I self-taught Python, Fusion 360, and I will be starting C# right after Java, giving me a tremendous feeling of success on what I can accomplish. To say Mr. Merritt was just a teacher would be an understatement; he completely altered my view on learning and reignited my passion for engineering more enthusiastically. Moving forward under Mr. Merritt’s influence, I intend to pursue an engineering degree at a top university, and hope to secure an internship at NASA, allowing me to have greater options upon my graduation, proving to myself that I am capable of pushing the limits further than I expected. My ultimate goal is obtaining an engineering career at NASA, possibly in the F1 industry, or even an industry like UTMB Health. I want to use my acquired talents where I can impact my community and hopefully the world. The successful acquiring of a scholarship definitely provides a better opportunity to alleviate some of the financial burden of college expenses, both for myself and my father. Knowing that I would need to also work while attending college, earning a scholarship, could provide a big advantage. By reducing the hours I may need to work, that in itself gives me the opportunity to dedicate a more focused attention toward my academic goals. Thank you for your consideration.

Living near the Johnson Space Center, in Houston, Texas, all my life, I’ve have always imagined working at NASA, such a prestigious organization. It was difficult at times to think I could achieve this dream, but consider myself as an over-thinker and interested in the aspect of how and why things work. This on-going knowledge is prevalent in engineering and I have developed a strong dedication in pursuing this as my future career. While in high school, I’ve taken several AP and Honors classes and strived to keep myself in the top 10% of my class. This being my senior year, I’m currently ranked #22 of 491 students, of which I’m very committed in preserving and improving as I continue onward with my educational journey. Recently, I spent 27 weeks in my Architecture and Civil Engineering class modeling and constructing a functional nanolab. As a part of the NASA HUNCH program, my group was tasked with creating a self-sustainable remote food source that would last in space and replenish itself over time. We created a working ventilation system, a light-coordinated timer, and waste control, all for 6-12 crickets within a 2000 cubic centimeter chamber. After attending multiple design reviews at NASA, we received feedback from NASA engineers resulting in changes that were implemented into our final design review. Our team was selected as one of the finalists out of 2,500 students, with 400 schools competing internationally, giving us a successful sense of accomplishment and pride. Throughout the 27-week journey, Mr. Merritt was my single greatest asset for engineering and academics. By instilling our class with key values such as respect and time management, he truly made every person give it their all for 55 minutes a day. This not only benefited me within the engineering department, but rather, his teachings helped me utilize my time in other classes more effectively. This newfound approach to learning persuaded me to take on my own challenges outside of school, where I self-taught Python, Fusion 360, and I will be starting C# right after Java, giving me a tremendous feeling of success on what I can accomplish. To say Mr. Merritt was just a teacher would be an understatement; he completely altered my view on learning and reignited my passion for engineering more enthusiastically. Moving forward under Mr. Merritt’s influence, I intend to pursue an engineering degree at a top university, and hope to secure an internship at NASA, allowing me to have greater options upon my graduation, proving to myself that I am capable of pushing the limits further than I expected. My ultimate goal is obtaining an engineering career at NASA, possibly in the F1 industry, or even an industry like UTMB Health. I want to use my acquired talents where I can impact my community and hopefully the world.

Living near the Johnson Space Center, in Houston, Texas, all my life, I’ve have always imagined working at NASA, such a prestigious organization. It was difficult at times to think I could achieve this dream, but consider myself as an over-thinker and interested in the aspect of how and why things work. This on-going knowledge is prevalent in engineering and I have developed a strong dedication in pursuing this as my future career. While in high school, I’ve taken several AP and Honors classes and strived to keep myself in the top 10% of my class. This being my senior year, I’m currently ranked #22 of 491 students, of which I’m very committed in preserving and improving as I continue onward with my educational journey. Recently, I spent 27 weeks in my Architecture and Civil Engineering class modeling and constructing a functional nanolab. As a part of the NASA HUNCH program, my group was tasked with creating a self-sustainable remote food source that would last in space and replenish itself over time. We created a working ventilation system, a light-coordinated timer, and waste control, all for 6-12 crickets within a 2000 cubic centimeter chamber. After attending multiple design reviews at NASA, we received feedback from NASA engineers resulting in changes that were implemented into our final design review. Our team was selected as one of the finalists out of 2,500 students, with 400 schools competing internationally, giving us a successful sense of accomplishment and pride. Throughout the 27-week journey, Mr. Merritt was my single greatest asset for engineering and academics. By instilling our class with key values such as respect and time management, he truly made every person give it their all for 55 minutes a day. This not only benefited me within the engineering department, but rather, his teachings helped me utilize my time in other classes more effectively. This newfound approach to learning persuaded me to take on my own challenges outside of school, where I self-taught Python, Fusion 360, and I will be starting C# right after Java, giving me a tremendous feeling of success on what I can accomplish. To say Mr. Merritt was just a teacher would be an understatement; he completely altered my view on learning and reignited my passion for engineering more enthusiastically. Moving forward under Mr. Merritt’s influence, I intend to pursue an engineering degree at a top university, and hope to secure an internship at NASA, allowing me to have greater options upon my graduation, proving to myself that I am capable of pushing the limits further than I expected. My ultimate goal is obtaining an engineering career at NASA, possibly in the F1 industry, or even an industry like UTMB Health. I want to use my acquired talents where I can impact my community and hopefully the world. The successful earning of a scholarship would definitely provide a better opportunity to alleviate some of the financial burden of college expenses, both for myself and my father, therefore, allowing a more focused attention of my studies.

Living near the Johnson Space Center, in Houston, Texas, all my life, I’ve have always imagined working at NASA, such a prestigious organization. It was difficult at times to think I could achieve this dream, but consider myself as an over-thinker and interested in the aspect of how and why things work. This on-going knowledge is prevalent in engineering and I have developed a strong dedication in pursuing this as my future career. While in high school, I’ve taken several AP and Honors classes and strived to keep myself in the top 10% of my class. This being my senior year, I’m currently ranked #22 of 491 students, of which I’m very committed in preserving or improving moving forward. Recently, I spent 27 weeks in my Architecture and Civil Engineering class modeling and constructing a functional nanolab. As a part of the NASA HUNCH program, my group was tasked with creating a self-sustainable remote food source that would last in space and replenish itself over time. We created a working ventilation system, a light-coordinated timer, and waste control, all for 6-12 crickets within a 2000 cubic centimeter chamber. After attending multiple design reviews at NASA, we received feedback from NASA engineers resulting in changes that were implemented into our final design review. Which we were selected finalists out of 2,500 students with 400 schools internationally competing. Throughout the 27-week journey, Mr. Merritt was my single greatest asset for engineering and academics. By instilling our class with key values such as respect and time management, he truly made every person give it their all for 55 minutes a day. This not only benefited me within the engineering department, but rather, his teachings helped me utilize my time in other classes more effectively. This newfound approach to learning persuaded me to take on my own challenges outside of school, where I self-taught Python, Fusion 360, and I will be starting C# right after Java. To say Mr. Merritt was just a teacher would be an understatement; he completely altered my view on learning and reignited my passion for engineering more enthusiastically. Moving forward under Mr. Merritt’s influence, I intend to pursue an engineering degree at a top university, and hope to secure an internship at NASA, allowing me to have greater options upon my graduation. My ultimate goal is obtaining a position at NASA, in the F1 industry, or even an industry like UTMB Health, and I want to use my talents where I can impact my community and hopefully the world.

Living near the Johnson Space Center, in Houston, Texas, all my life, I’ve have always imagined working at NASA, such a prestigious organization. It was difficult at times to think I could achieve this dream, but consider myself as an over-thinker and interested in the aspect of how and why things work. This on-going knowledge is prevalent in engineering and I have developed a strong dedication in pursuing this as my future career. While in high school, I’ve taken several AP and Honors classes and strived to keep myself in the top 10% of my class. This being my senior year, I’m currently ranked #22 of 491 students. Recently, I spent 27 weeks in my Architecture and Civil Engineering class modeling and constructing a functional nanolab. As a part of the NASA HUNCH program, my group was tasked with creating a self-sustainable remote food source that would last in space and replenish itself over time. We created a working ventilation system, a light-coordinated timer, and waste control, all for 6-12 crickets within a 2000 cubic centimeter chamber. After attending multiple design reviews at NASA, we received feedback from NASA engineers resulting in changes that were implemented into our final design review. Which we were selected finalists out of 2,500 students with 400 schools internationally competing. Throughout the 27-week journey, Mr. Merritt was my single greatest asset for engineering and academics. By instilling our class with key values such as respect and time management, he truly made every person give it their all for 55 minutes a day. This not only benefited me within the engineering department, but rather, his teachings helped me utilize my time in other classes more effectively. This newfound approach to learning persuaded me to take on my own challenges outside of school, where I self-taught Python, Fusion 360, and I will be starting C# right after Java. To say Mr. Merritt was just a teacher would be an understatement; he completely altered my view on learning and reignited my passion for engineering more enthusiastically. In addition to pursuing an engineering degree at a top university, I hope to secure an internship at NASA, that can allow me to have greater options upon my graduation. Whether that be obtaining a position at NASA, in the F1 industry, or even an industry like UTMB Health, I want to use my talents where I can impact my community and hopefully the world.

Living near the Johnson Space Center, in Houston, Texas, all my life, I’ve have always imagined working at NASA, such a prestigious organization. It was difficult at times to think I could achieve this dream. As my divorced parents shared joint custody, for several years, I would alternate every other week with each parent and have to develop different study patterns at each household. Sometimes, I wouldn’t have the necessary materials at one place and would have to improvise, causing some anxiety at times. From elementary to high school, I never wanted to “just achieve” but continually strived to over-achieve. This on-going knowledge is prevalent in engineering, as I always feel the need to understand why something works. Recently, I spent 27 weeks in my Architecture and Civil Engineering class modeling and constructing a functional nanolab. As a part of the NASA HUNCH program, my group was tasked with creating a self-sustainable remote food source that would last in space and replenish itself over time. We created a working ventilation system, a light-coordinated timer, and waste control, all for 6-12 crickets within a 2000 cubic centimeter chamber. After attending multiple design reviews at NASA, we received feedback from NASA engineers resulting in changes that were implemented into our final design review. Which we were selected finalists out of 2,500 students with 400 schools internationally competing. Throughout the 27-week journey, Mr. Merritt was my single greatest asset for engineering and academics. By instilling our class with key values such as respect and time management, he truly made every person give it their all for 55 minutes a day. This not only benefited me within the engineering department, but rather, his teachings helped me utilize my time in other classes more effectively. This newfound approach to learning persuaded me to take on my own challenges outside of school, where I self-taught Python, Fusion 360, and I will be starting C# right after Java. To say Mr. Merritt was just a teacher would be an understatement; he completely altered my view on learning and reignited my passion for engineering more enthusiastically. In addition to pursuing an engineering degree at a top university, I hope to secure an internship at NASA, that can allow me to have greater options upon my graduation. Whether that be obtaining a position at NASA, in the F1 industry, or even an industry like UTMB Health, I want to use my talents where I can impact my community and hopefully the world.