Education has always been a part of my life. Long before my first day of kindergarten, my family’s love of learning has heavily influenced me. My maternal grandfather told me stories of people in places long ago with the same excitement and joy when I was five as he did when I was fifteen. I savor every moment I spend in my Uncle’s living room, their cozy furniture and reading lamps a mere practicality, while the books lining every shelf stole the spotlight. At nearly every stage in my elementary schooling, my mom inspired me to persevere and fought alongside me. Whether I needed to sew moccasins or make new friends or be encouraged to focus on a simple worksheet, my mom was present. My dad shared his love of language, proclaiming each day
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As a future engineering student, I try to understand how different components of a concept function together. In my AP Physics 1&2 course, my lab partner and I initially struggled during the electric circuit unit, partially due to an absence of previous experience. But as we took more notes from the lectures and fiddled with different set ups, the successes were rewarding, and interesting. Many of my passions remain an integral part of my eighteen-year-old identity, and will further empower me to thrive, grow, and share with the Calvin community. I have learned at my youth group that I am loved and I belong and that I will never be alone. I have seen the power of individuals coming together for one unified cause. I work to model my life after the teachings of Jesus, who dedicated his time on earth to serving the outcasts, the marginalized people who suffered the most. As I educated myself alongside my church community, my heart broke for the teenagers who lived tremendously different lives simply because they were born somewhere else. My leadership in The Cambodia Initiative was intense and at times strenuous, but the skills I’ve developed and the thrilling vitality I’ve extended to my own community and the community of teenagers in Banteay Meanchey, Cambodia will enable me to rally my peers at Calvin. I plan to be an advocate for the environment, grounded in the belief that
As a future engineering student, I try to understand how different components of a concept function together. In my AP Physics 1&2 course, my lab partner and I initially struggled during the electric circuit unit, partially due to an absence of previous experience. But as we took more notes from the lectures and fiddled with different set ups, the successes were rewarding, and interesting. Many of my passions remain an integral part of my eighteen-year-old identity, and will further empower me to thrive, grow, and share with the Calvin community. I have learned at my youth group that I am loved and I belong and that I will never be alone. I have seen the power of individuals coming together for one unified cause. I work to model my life after the teachings of Jesus, who dedicated his time on earth to serving the outcasts, the marginalized people who suffered the most. As I educated myself alongside my church community, my heart broke for the teenagers who lived tremendously different lives simply because they were born somewhere else. My leadership in The Cambodia Initiative was intense and at times strenuous, but the skills I’ve developed and the thrilling vitality I’ve extended to my own community and the community of teenagers in Banteay Meanchey, Cambodia will enable me to rally my peers at Calvin. I plan to be an advocate for the environment, grounded in the belief that