Personal Statement

What kind of opportunity is there to be discovered after parting from this tiny city? I
come from the city of Merced. It is limited because there is not much opportunities due to the
low employment rate and small city. My parents has struggled living in Merced. Both my
parents commute about fifteen minutes to work each day to make a living. I realized it is hard to
support your family when you are limited to what you can do. I could not do much but just rely
on my parents to support more. I always viewed Merced as limited boundary that I could never
leave because of financial issues. I began to question if there were more opportunities outside of
Merced.
As I attended high school, I thought about the possibilities of attending a CSU or UC out
of Merced because of its limitation. I often tried to look for a job to help support my parents but
they denied my assistance and wanted me to focus on school. I established a non profit
organization called the Leo Club. The acronyms represent Leadership, Experience, and
Opportunity. This club propelled me to help serve the community in any way possible. It
opened my eyes in life, helping out and giving back to my community made me feel satisfied
with what I was doing. It also made me realized I was doing something right.
I constantly ponder about my future. I finally decided to follow my dream which is to
attend a college out of Merced. I want to explore new opportunities and experience life outside
of Merced. My parents has influenced and taught me that education is most important at the
moment. I plan to attend a CSU or UC and majoring in computer science and engineering. I
also plan to complete a minor in management and business economics.

My leadership quality has grown over the past few years and will only continue to grow
more as I progress in the future. It has opened my eyes and shaped who I am. I did not realized

how much of a person I have changed into after this experience. It has influenced my philosophy
on life, personality, and mindset.
I attended a junior high called Winton Middle School. I was an active student always
asking questions, conversating, and participated in school activities. I knew majority of the
people in my graduating class. I was so excited as we were all graduating junior high and
transitioning to high school together. I soon found out that I wasnt going to attend the same
highschool as them. I began to worry a bit about how it would affect my highschool life but
nonetheless just carried on. As I transferred from Winton Middle School to Merced High School
I didnt know anyone. As I walked in the hallways as a freshman I didnt recognize a single face.
I was afraid and too timid to meet new people. I was in fear because I was in a different
atmosphere than what I was used to. During breaks and passing periods I would just head to my
locker to get my books. Then I would just circle around a classroom building until the bell rang.
During lunch I would just sit on the side of a classroom building or be in the library doing
homework. I started to notice that high school has clicks. There were different groups
everywhere. I started to feel disoriented and unsure of what to do. As I progressed through the
year I became less and less of the person I used to be. I felt depressed because I wasnt able to fit
in. When I struggled with my classes I wasnt able to rely on a friend. Throughout the school
year I struggled emotionally. Towards the end of my freshman school year I found out I was
transferring to a new high school in Merced called El Capitan High School. I was terrified that I
was transferring but I thought of it as a new opportunity to start fresh. About a week after a
student approached me and ask if I wanted to create a club at the new high school. I thought
about it for a few days. I thought this was a great opportunity for me to change my high school
life and start over, so I accepted. I got elected as treasurer. I realize I had a responsibility to

furthermore improve the club and lead the club. I started to improve my social skills and
leadership skills along the way. I began to have better networking with people and advisors in
the club. I learned how to manage my time with school and community service. As my
sophomore year came to an end I began to notice how participating in community events
changed me as a person. Ive learned professionalism, networking, and communication skills. I
was elected as vice president for my junior year. I had more responsibility to oversee the club
and continued to fixate it as a whole. I learned just because you have authority doesnt mean
youre above anyone else. Cory Booker once said, Leadership is not a position or a title, it is
action and example. Albert Einstein also said, I speak to everyone in the same way, whether
he is the garbage man or the president of the University. These quotes reflects some of the life
lessons that Ive learned through my experience. It is significant in my life to have been able to
experience this obstacle and to overcome it. As I look back at the past Im thankful for
everything. It has shaped me to be the person I am today from all different types of angles
whether it be professionally, as a student, and most importantly a human being.