I grew up under the love of my mother and grandmother. My father was mostly absent, finally cutting ties when I was about 6. This, however, didn’t stop my mother and grandmother from raising me with a strong moral compass and an insatiable desire to learn. Both would be my north star in my quest to work towards and achieve my lofty dreams. When I was young, I was exposed to countless documentaries on science. I quickly took a liking to prehistory and spent much of my free time learning about dinosaurs and the animals that lived before and after them. However, dinosaurs weren’t my only passion.
In 5th grade, my interests took a hard left turn into the realm of astrophysics and quantum physics. I spotted my friend with a book concerning quantum physics. Intrigued, I asked to take a look at it and was immediately challenged by the completely abstract concepts the book had to offer. As surprised as I was, I was far more amazed than frightened by the door that had just been opened to me. Similarly to when I was younger, I took the time to thoroughly understand what I could about space and quantum physics. Being a 5th grader, I really hadn’t grazed the surface. Despite this fact, I still felt fulfilled chasing something so much larger than myself.
At the same time, I really became passionate about story writing and literature. When I wasn’t studying science, I was logging a new fictional story I had fabricated in my mind, as well as exercising my analytical writing skills. Towards the end of 5th grade when my teacher assigned her class to write about our favorite things, instead of writing the typical paper descriptions of dogs, cats, horses, and video games, my mind vaulted back into space where I explored black holes and dark matter. I interpreted the information I learned about astrophysics in great detail, and produced a paper I'm still proud of to this day.
In high school, I was tasked to write poetry in my creative writing class and submit my works to a local competition called the “Inland Empire Teen Poet Laureate”. I latched onto the challenge with prose describing my passions from flying to the environment. Lo, and behold, my creative ruminations earned me the designation of Poet Laureate finalist and Jane Block Teen Environmental Poet. The honors led to my work being officially published and brought me subsequent invitations and commissions to write more poetry and speak at formal events.
Over the years, I purchased and read many more books on physics and exercised my writing skills to the same degree. All of my many passions orbited around me in a beautiful, harmonious order. In 2020, I also adopted a strong passion for aerospace. The sheer amount of solitary time I had in 2020 became the genesis of my passion for aeronautics. When I visited an air museum for the first time, I was absolutely enthralled by the gargantuan flying machines that have existed for so long. How such creations could fly in the air became of much interest to me.
In 2022, I decided to pursue a pilot's license and flew a plane for the very first time. My maiden flight was one of the best experiences I’ve ever had. There were few times when I felt more liberated than in those moments when I soared several thousand feet in the air. I knew then that one of my career goals would be aerospace engineering. I wanted to know how aircraft ticked and what it took to create them myself. In addition to that, I still retained my passion for physics and intended to take that passion into the future along with aerospace.
With all of my passions in mind, I utilized my skills to bring as much as I could to the world of academics. One of my best high school achievements has been being a Senior Master sergeant in Air Force JROTC. When I first started ROTC, I was afraid of seeking out opportunities, fearing that I would fall short. However, my enthusiasm and passion for the program naturally led me to higher positions, camaraderie, and an education that encouraged me to mature as a man. It offered plenty of opportunities and, most importantly, leadership.
Being in charge of another person was initially frightening for me because I was responsible for their success and failure. I carefully monitored my teaching to ensure they understood what was being taught to the highest degree. But as time progressed, I naturally got used to teaching, and eventually, I started to love it. I deeply desired for people to reap the same benefits I had during the first year of the program, but I had to be patient, as not everyone shared the same passion I did.
As a leader, I had to learn to teach in ways that would benefit everyone and not just one person. I had to understand what kind of communication clicked with whom, and what I could do to form bonds. Finally, in my current position as a Senior Master Sergeant, second in command of my class, I’ve taught others how to teach and how to captivate the hearts of young cadets. I wouldn’t regret getting this opportunity in a lifetime, and I know I’ve become a better leader because of it.
In addition to ROTC, during my high school career, I’ve had the honor of representing my school for Student of the Month, which represents students who have done exceptionally well during hard times. Personally, my family has suffered from severe financial hardship as well as being relocated during the last 9 months. Nevertheless, I’ve adapted to the adversity and changed my work ethic, allowing me to continue to get my work done. I’ve also started an Aerospace club at my school, which aims to educate other high school students on the basics of aeronautics and rocket design as well as orbital mechanics. I also got to represent my school for American Legion’s Boys and Girls State, which is a prestigious summer leadership program with an emphasis on government policy education.
Nowadays, I’ve decided that once I graduate high school, I want to get a major in Aerospace Engineering and possibly double major in physics. In my graduate years, I would like to study quantum theory and make use of the limitless possibilities in which the quantum world can be useful to humanity, and even create bridges between aerospace engineering and quantum theory. I would like to take my education to the fullest and earn a Ph.D. in my field.
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