Most afternoons during elementary school, I could be caught perusing my grandpa's National Geographic collection, while my mom was at work. Neither the aroma of my grandma's food nor her scolding me to eat could keep me away from the pages of those magazines. Only after many minutes would I get up to enjoy the food she had made. Soon after, I would rush back to explore the photographs, traveling the world. Realizing my interest in photography, my grandpa gave...

Every Sunday morning, I would see my fellow Venture Crew members joylessly walk into the meetings. I joined the crew because I saw a brochure for Venturing, depicting high adventures and young adults practicing leadership and technical skills. However, our meetings involved a flag ceremony and scouts scrolling through their phones until it was time to go home. I knew that I was not receiving the ideal experience from being in this scout crew, but rather than joining another crew,...

As I walk through any tourist destination, I see cameras of all kinds, pointed in every angle imaginable. With just one click, we can retain a memory that may have otherwise lasted a millisecond. For me, photography is not just a way to capture memories. It is art. As with many beginning artists, I was sometimes discouraged. My skills were not developed and I worried that I did not have the right gear to be successful. I did not have...

I took all my struggles to my mom. Even though she was not fluent in English, she helped me work on poems for my third grade assignments. When I was too scared to ask for the bathroom key at McDonald’s, I begged her to ask for me. If I did not understand the material in class, I asked my mom rather than the teacher. I was an extremely shy child, and she was my voice. I survived by relying...

Kids, ages six to eleven, eagerly hold their robots, waiting for their turn to race. Six hours prior, none of them had ever touched a robot-making kit. They come from low-income families that do not have the finances to provide them with this experience. However, by the end of the day, they have learned how to build a robot and program simple commands for it. As Vice President of Programs of the non-profit, STEM in Motion, I am responsible for...

Growing up in a low-income household, with my mom having breast cancer and losing her job, I noticed her overwhelming concern about healthcare. As I became older, I realized the roots of her concerns. There is a discrepancy in healthcare processes among different socioeconomic classes. Thus, physicians have a responsibility to know how their patients’ financial stability relates to their healthcare and pharmaceutical options. As a pre-medical student studying Public Policy at USC Price, I will choose the Health Policy...

I have been immersed in the arts my whole life. A guitar and keyboard sit in my room while my charcoal, watercolor and pastel drawings plaster a quarter of one of my bedroom walls. However, I am most fond of the camera and lens that lay on my shelf. Being a photographer, I often network with videographers. I quickly found myself pressing the video start button almost as much as the shutter release button. I started to make travel videos,...

Instead of worrying about her health and procedures for her breast cancer, my mom was concerned about medical insurance and losing her job. There was a new treatment at UC Davis for my sister’s alopecia that seemed promising. It would cost $10,000, so she never contacted them. When I needed my wisdom teeth removed, she searched for months to find a clinic that would accept our medical insurance. As I grew up, I realized the roots of my mother’s...

Throughout my tour of Tufts, one characteristic stood out that my tour guide mentioned: collaboration. She told us how students from disparate areas of study would meet each other in Tisch library to discuss and learn. She once missed class for sports, but a classmate did not hesitate to review the lesson with her. As a pre-medical student, I hope for supportive peers who will lead me to new perspectives in my undergraduate years. She also said that students at...

Kids, ages 6 to 11, eagerly hold their robots, waiting for their turn to race. Six hours prior, none of them had ever touched a robot-making kit. They come from low-income families that do not have the finances to provide them with this experience. However, by the end of the day, they have learned how to build a robot and program simple commands for it. As Vice President of Programs of the nonprofit, STEM in Motion, I am responsible for planning the...

At Duke, I will pursue a major in Public Policy with a certificate in Child Policy. As the Vice President for STEM in Motion, a non-profit providing disadvantaged youth with robotics workshops, not only have I led workshops, but I also spearheaded the expansion of the workshops to young girls. As a swim instructor, I give free lessons to families that otherwise could not afford them through Safety around Water. Working with these children has deepened my interest in how...

When I was 4 years old, I remember sitting on old rusted stairs outside of an apartment building as my mom held back her tears, my little sister in her arms, waiting for my uncle to come pick us up because we had been evicted for not paying the rent on time. Over the next thirteen years, I lived in many places. We rented apartments and mobile rooms. Our longest and most recent place was a shared room. There was no...

I have always wanted to throw a birthday party at home. However, there was a problem: I did not have one. When I was 4 years old, I remember sitting on old rusted stairs outside of an apartment building as my mom held back her tears, my little sister in her arms, waiting for my uncle to come pick us up because we had been evicted for not paying the rent on time. Over the next thirteen years, I lived in...

I dry off during my 5 minute break. I have just finished teaching my private swim lesson. However, my next class is different. Each year, the YMCA hosts Safety Around Water, a program providing low-income youth with free swim classes. I excitedly greet my new students and their parents and we hop in the water, refreshed from the scorching sun. My laminated lesson plan is propped up, ready to go. As I progress through the lesson, I struggle to successfully teach...