Throughout high school, my world was centered in room 123 — the fine arts room.Starting in freshman year, hours were poured into projects and relationships, becoming integrated into the art community myself. I admired the older students for the skills and passions that drove their work forward, and their dedication to the program permeated into the lives of younger students, inspiring us to grow into artists ourselves. When National Art Honor Society was introduced to my high school in my sophomore year, it was only natural that I clung to the group, excited to be included in a body of people that would bring more art into the surrounding community. I grew as a person and as an artist through this club, ultimately becoming a leader in the position of vice-president during my senior year. From admiring the work of the older kids to becoming one myself, I understood that I could help have an impact on the art community. While being an officer in NAHS, the club had increased membership, raised hundreds of dollars for hurricane relief in Puerto Rico through the sales of student-made ceramic necklaces, and instituted an “artist-of-the-month” display in the entryway of my high school to highlight talented student artists and raise awareness for the school’s art department. With National Art Honor Society, I experienced the satisfaction of making a difference through something you love first hand, encouraging me to continue to do so in the future.

This past year, I completed a full portfolio for AP Studio art during my senior year of high school. Within this portfolio I explored many different mediums, including creating a series of punch needle embroidery landscapes and designs, as well as a series of portraits in graphite pencil. My portfolio was displayed at our region-wide art show, where I designed and executed the plans for my artist booth. As a freshman at Brown University this past fall taking engineering classes, I utilized my drawing skills to create detailed hand drawings for engineering projects in our design workshop. As I continue my undergraduate studies, I plan to become more engaged with the artistic community on campus and explore more of my artistic interests — such as continuing to pursue my love for visual arts, as well as delve into more creative writing and research.