What have you done to make your school or your community a better place?
I love my school community so it makes it that much easier to be a leader. I immerse myself in clubs such as yearbook, ASB,school ambassadors and key club. When I was a freshman, I was looking for a place to fit in, a place where I could actually give back to my school. I chose to be in ASB because I feel like being one of those people behind the curtain, making everything happen is important to me. I wanted to help organize and engage students in school events. My goal was to have new incoming freshman feel the same love I had for HTHI. When I was a sophomore I noticed a few classmates organizing rallies for our sports team. School spirit is so important for a child in highschool; it gives that student a sense of pride in his school. I wanted to be apart of scheduling rallies and events to raise money for our school. In junior year I wanted to be involved in yearbook and I wanted to become an ambassador. When I was in ASB I worked mainly in planning events; and yearbook documents them. So yearbook wasn't a huge stretch for me. So far, being an ambassador has been the most enjoyable thing I could do for my school. Like I've said before, I love my school; so to be able to share that love with visitors who come to my school is awesome. I like to think that I've influenced and made my school a better place to be in by being positive and encouraging the younger class men to be immersed in school culture.
What is the one thing that you think sets you apart from other candidates applying to the University of California?
I think I am an incredibly unique individual. There is no other possible person like me who has the same goals and achievements. I am an adopted child who has seen first hand what it looks like to go down the wrong road. I am so thankful to live a better life because of my Mother (biological aunt). I am a first generation child to go to college and I’m so excited to be an example to my siblings. There is nothing that would make me happier than to know that my younger siblings look up to me. Knowing that I have them following in my footsteps gives me determination. People have showed pity towards me because I am adopted; to me it is truly a blessing that God has given me my mother. She has pushed and pushed me through school only to show me that I can be better than my past; teaching me about positivity and love. I have a type of confidence and gratefulness in my heart that keeps me going every morning. I am so grateful to have the opportunities in my life; and I intend to take advantage of them. Every morning I wake up and try my hardest at school so I can make my family proud and make something of myself. I not only want to be an example to youth in my family but also to those in my neighborhood, who think they will never make it out of low-income areas. During one of my history classes we analyzed statistics that show the probability of minority teenagers going to college after high school (based on previous data). I am determined not to be another statistic. So answering the direct question, what separates me from other students: I am driven. I am committed to being successful. I am ready to face any challenge set before me in order to get to where I want to be.
Describe how you have taken advantage of a significant educational opportunity or worked to overcome an educational barrier you have faced.
Earlier this year I made a big decision to participate in a Political Science college course. My first college lecture was new to me, so I wasn’t very fond of this class from the beginning. Going to a project based school we get lectures once in awhile; so taking this class was exposing me to college life. Once I started following my current event, I got interested in what I was doing. My first college midterm went better than I had expected. The night before, I was determined to re-read the whole textbook and notes. I was driven to excel in this class. It took awhile for me to realize how helpful this course was to me academically. I learned to be engaged for a long period of time, write long essays, read and take important information, be able to study. The challenge of balancing all my classes, was quite hard but I did it. Facing this challenge was one of the best academic decisions I’ve made.
Describe an example of your leadership experience in which you have positively influenced others, helped resolve disputes, or contributed to group efforts over time.
I've learned and improved my group skills over the years of my high school career. Just recently my class completed a project that took the whole semester to do. It was a great project that had a great lesson behind it. We were trying to portray to the audience that the American dream is different for everyone and has changed through decades in the 1900’s. This was not the first time someone who was not reliable got put into my group. I go to a project based school so there is bound to be someone who I bump heads with. This particular person was being a problem to others and I included her in my group so she could help out in some way. I just didn’t want her grade to suffer just because she didn’t get along with others. Just so happened that we don’t get along very well either. We had different visions for the end product and different work ethics. I’m a team player when it comes to disagreements because it’s not that big of a deal to me. The issue is being able to pitch in equal or more work in a group. I like to be a leader in most of the groups I am in, so when members pick tasks for them to do, not only do teachers expect you to complete them, I do as well. Because at the end of the day, the task must be done, and if someone is not capable of doing it, someone has to pick up that slack and move on. I ended up picking up that slack from this individual and moved on. She certainly did not get the grade I received, and in the end I learned a great deal more about team work. I learned that being bitter towards this person would not help her nor me in this situation; all I could do is try to push her in a positive academic way.