My ethnicity identifies me, but my actions define me. Living as a minority in America has taught me many life lessons; I have been put down, scrutinized, and have experienced racism through stereotyping and unfair treatment. However, I embraced it built my character and the lessons it taught me are priceless. For more than eleven years I lived in Cavite, a suburb of Manila in the Philippines. My Filipino culture taught me to respect my elders, close family structures, and modesty. My family then moved to America. I lived here through my more formative years and have been greatly influenced and shaped by its culture. Having experienced both of these contrasting cultures, I became a mixture of the two.
My American upbringing instilled in me confidence, independence, and a capitalistic mindset. With the combination of my two cultures, I gained a deeper understanding of the world. I experienced two socio-economic realms, which gives me a wide perspective
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Having lived in two countries and multiple states, I have amassed countless friends. They all find that my personality and character is rare. For many years, I have been an avid chess player and have competed in tournaments for as long as I can remember. In addition to chess, sports have played an important role in my development. I participated in soccer for four years, made varsity my last two years, and honored as captain of the team. I also ran cross-country my freshman year, swam my sophomore year, and managed the girls soccer team my junior year.
Academically, I helped lead the Speech and Debate club in its myriad of successes. I gained a lot of leadership skills in my various clubs, and believe this skillset will benefit me in all my future endeavors. Furthermore, I joined the Jewish student connections club through the Hebrew Educational Alliance, introducing me to a new culture. Lastly, I am a tech crew member for the school's upcoming spring