Exuberant anticipation peeled my face into a grin as I dashed through the woods, my backpack bumping along behind me. Scanning the forest floor, I glimpsed what I was seeking. "Witches' butter!" I exclaimed. Plopping myself in the soggy leaves at the base of a decaying log, I admired my treasure. Upon hearing my gleeful shout, my first-grade peers crowded around to examine the fungus, tremella mesenterica. As a curious learner, I wondered about the brilliant golden hue and gelatinous...

Upon entering mural-clad Expresiónes, Lorenzo beamed, “I got in, Madeline!” We fistbumped as peers joined with cheers. He’d be first in his family to attend high school, his dream. Together, we’d worked on his application for a technology magnet program in which he shared how his love of learning propelled him past barriers he encountered as a Guatemalan immigrant. Vital to empowering students like Lorenzo is a socio-historical understanding of BIPOC communities, a deep interest of mine....

With fellow students at Brown, I desire to guide young people to be impactful leaders; share a delight for learning new things; and together serve our campus community, the city of Providence, and the world beyond. While staying home this summer, I created a middle school environmental science curriculum, incorporating activities like using medicinal plants and observing an elodea plant’s photosynthesis. With Brown’s Outdoor Leadership & Environmental Education Program, I’d collaborate with my peers to design workshops and...

Cool air whips into my lungs and pries open my drowsy eyes. Leaving my burdens behind, I enter a world where I experience an ever-expanding freedom. On ice, I can move five times faster than on dry land, spin endlessly, and jump with elegance. But to gain this freedom, I first have to sacrifice it. I have spent countless hours in training and endured bruises to my body and pride. Yet the process of challenging myself physically and conditioning my...

Tracing my bright white star, I noticed new splotches encircling it, a solar system expanding on my skin. In fifth grade my first patches of vitiligo emerged, followed by insecurity. Amid failed treatments and cakey coverups in middle school, a stranger offered, “Hey, vitiligo’s gorgeous. Look up Winnie Harlow, a Black model with the condition.” This catalyzed true self-acceptance leading me to likewise encourage others to embrace their unique value. As a sophomore, I co-launched Lead Like a Girl,...

Upon entering bright, mural-clad Expresiónes, Lorenzo beamed, “I got in, Madeline!” We fist-bumped as peers joined with cheers. He would be first in his family to attend high school. Together, we had worked on his admissions essay for a technology magnet program, in which he shared how his love of learning propelled him past barriers he faced as a Guatemalan immigrant. By simply equipping Lorenzo with tutoring and encouragement, I participated in making his dreams a reality. Vital to...

Sometimes it’s hard to find warmth in a Zoom call, but I found just that and more in a Tufts information session. I felt genuinely welcomed and left feeling inspired. I came to love Tufts’ kind, collaborative culture and its synergistic environment of leading and learning. At Tufts, I can pursue my dream of becoming a globally-minded educator and environmental advocate through dual-majoring in Education and Environmental Studies and minoring in Native American & Indigenous Studies. By integrating courses like...

A harmony of aromas wafts from the large stew as I peer up at Nana. Our stew symbolizes Nana’s graciousness, as she retrieves the unchopped potato I plunked in; her relational intentionality, as she asks me questions while we cook; and her service to her community, as she donated the meal to the houseless. That was many years ago, but her selflessness still awes me. Her recipe? “When I realized that life isn’t about myself but loving others,...

A harmony of aromas wafts from the large stew, filling the room with comfort. I peer up at Nana, beaming. “We did it!” I celebrated. My first cooking endeavor. Our stew simultaneously symbolizes Nana’s patience, as she retrieves the whole potato I plunked in before chopping; her relational intentionality, as she asks me questions while we cook; and her service to her community, as the meal was donated to the houseless. I’ve always been awed by my nana�...