I was born and raised in Lowell, Massachusetts. Many call it the city that sparked the industrial revolution; however, I get to call it home. From the streets saturated in diversity to the endless assortment of urban pop culture, I wouldn't want to be from anywhere else. To me, home is where the heart is, and no place on earth has more love and compassion than mine.

As a first-generation Latino college student, my family plays a crucial role in my life. My family has given me the strength I needed to succeed. They believed in me when I did not believe in myself. My parents and grandparents came to the United States with the sole intent to improve the life of our future family and the generations to come. They taught me always to give back to where I came from. Without those roots ever being planted, I would have never bloomed. When I graduate from WPI, I plan on giving back to those who have helped many other students like myself. I never imagined myself wanting to become a high school science teacher. I don't even think my parents envisioned me falling in love with this profession. Yet, here I am today, longing for the day when I get to have a classroom of my own one day, with the full support of my family, biological and chosen. I can only dream to inspire my future students in the same manner my family has inspired me.

"They may forget what you said but they will never forget how you made them feel." — Carl W. Buehner