Undergraduate / UCI Supplemental- what DECA has done for me. [NEW]

Prompt: In your application you may have mentioned an extraordinary talent/skill or academic achievement. This may include participation in Junior Olympics, national debate competitions, recognition for musical talent, etc. Please take this opportunity to share with us more detailed information about the level of your achievement, depth of participation, and passion for this particular area.

For the past three years, Castro Valley High School DECA has been my passion. DECA is an international club that prepares high school student leaders and entrepreneurs for careers in marketing, finance, hospitality and management. I joined DECA because I knew early on in my high school life that the area of business was one that I wanted to pursue. I was also new to Castro Valley High School when I joined DECA and I knew that joining the club would help me make friends that also shared the same interests as me. I wanted to compete against other schools to practice presenting in front of my peers others and expand both my base of knowledge and my social network. I hoped to develop skills that I could use in the future through DECA while simultaneously pushing myself to my limits and as I approach the end of my high school life, I know that I've achieved my goals.

I'll never forget my first DECA competition. I have never worked so hard on an eleven-page report for a Fashion Promotion Plan. At times I was tossed into adversity and when my partner dropped out a week before the competition, I knew late nights were sure to come. The heart pumping, stomach dropping, adrenaline-rushing feelings as I started my presentation are experiences I will never forget. After my presentation, the feeling of accomplishment that rushed to me and as they called my name to take the stage for placing in the top eight the next day solidified the idea that this is what I wanted to do throughout high school. I continued on to the State level again competing in the second most competitive category, Fashion Promotion Plan. Although I did not place, I looked forward to redeeming myself the next year. And I did...

The following year I competed in the Advertisement Campaign event with my best friend. With teamwork and long nights of preparation we placed top eight at the Northern California and State level. All our hard work had paid off. My final year of DECA, my partner and I competed again in the category Advertisement Campaign. Although we did not place at the Northern California or State level, we were proud of our project. Two years in the making, we poured our souls into our eleven page written and had an amazing experience at the conferences. DECA conferences have been an adventure for me. Through my projects, I have proven to myself that hard work pays off. I have developed my professional writing skills and now know every step that it takes to plan business events. At competitions, I have expanded my network and made long-lasting friendships that I will take with me into the future. I've experienced first hand the competitive business world through DECA and now I am able to compete professionally. These competitions have pushed me to power through any adversities. They have taught me the importance of staying organized, planning ahead, and staying prepared for anything; skills that I will take me with into college and my future career.

My junior year, I was elected by my former officers to be the Vice President of Civic Consciousness. As Vice President of Civic Consciousness, I organized community service activities that our DECA chapter participated in. As a chapter, we participated in sorting cans for the Thanksgiving food drive, collected school supplies for children in Africa, and made 200 cards for the Oakland Children's Hospital. We also raised $700 for the American Cancer society through our annual DECA Variety Show and DECA Battle of the Bands. As an officer, I was invited to attend the two-day Leadership Development Conference where I attended seminars that further improved my leadership skills especially in the field of Civic Consciousness. During my senior year I was elected to the position of secretary. As a secretary, I continued all the officer duties from last year and took on new responsibilities such as coaching new officers, designing flyers for all DECA events, planning DECA week, and taking notes at all meetings. I also shed my light onto the younger members still finding their way in the vast DECA world. I took pride in thoroughly reading their written and providing feedback that I knew judges want to see.

Being a DECA officer for two years have truly been a blessing. I have gained so many valuable leaderships skills such as time management, leading by example, staying organized, delegating tasks, communicating effectively, and staying passionate no matter what. Being an officer opened the doors to many opportunities such as attending the Leadership Development Conference and participating in planning and organizing club events. I learned to prioritize my time to make sure I attended the extra officer meetings and events and also have time for school and basketball. I am thankful to have experienced leadership roles in DECA. It was hard work, but a rewarding experience because now I am confident that I will have the fundamentals to succeed as a leader in any business role in the future.

DECA has impacted my life tremendously because my three-year experience has been truly phenomenal. Over the years, I have enhanced my co-curricular education through a comprehensive learning program that integrates classroom instruction, applies learning, connects to business, and promotes competition. Through competitions, I was enabled to create long-lasting memories, celebrate deserving victories, and form life-long networks. Through my officer positions, I have developed team-working skills, leadership skills, and fundamentals that every businesswoman should know. DECA has given me a confidence to take on the world. That heart pumping, stomach-dropping feeling has disappeared because now I feel comfortable presenting in front of my peers and adults. I know as I make the transition into college I will have the fundamental skills to expand my network, be a leader, and be successful businesswomen.

Undergraduate / UCI Supplemental Essay- Separation and Moving Schools [4]

My parents have had marital problems since I was 8 years old. Every time they would separate, I would pack up my life into a couple of suitcases and move to wherever my mother could afford. My father and I were never close, partly because I was not born a boy and partly because we had nothing in common. During the times of separation, my father would abandon me both financially and supportively. Eventually, my parents would reconcile their differences and I would pack up my life again and move back in with my father and we'd become a family again. Continuously moving was hard at times, and my grades suffered. Moving constantly weighed me down, but I always did my best to get through things to the best of my abilities.

I attended Bishop O' Dowd High School in my freshman year. It was a new experience for me because it was the first time I attended a small and private religious school. At O' Dowd, I had to rise to the occasion because they expected more out of me than a public school. O' Dowd presented great opportunities for me to give back to the community through a variety of community service projects. I also had great opportunities to expand my knowledge through religious classes and rigorous curriculum. I loved the challenge and expectations that the teachers set for me and felt that I was being more challenged than a public school. My freshman class became my family. I was a member of the freshman council as a homeroom representative and that gave me the opportunity to meet new people and become more involved in making a difference for my class. I also had the opportunity to be an active member of the California Scholarship Federation, Key Club, the Filipino Club, and the athletics program. Bishop O' Dowd is known for having highly competitive teams and playing basketball for the O'Dowd Dragons, I knew I was bound to succeed athletically. At the end of my freshman year, my parents decided it would be best to separate again. I abruptly packed my life up again and moved to my grandmother's house because my mom couldn't afford my tuition and an apartment of our own. Attending Bishop O' Dowd eventually became a financial burden for my mother and we decided it would be best to attend my local public school instead and the next year, I transferred to Castro Valley High School. The move was hard for me because I had to leave all the opportunities that Bishop O' Dowd presented me behind. I missed my friends, team, council, club members, and all the familiarities that I had attending Bishop O' Dowd. It was a challenge adjusting to the new curriculum and atmosphere. I had to take an Algebra 2 class at Laney College during the summer to put me on the appropriate math track. I was accustomed to a small private school and was not ready to be submerged into a school that had three times as many students. I was forced to make new friendships and adjust to the large campus. It was hard finding my place at Castro Valley High School because everyone had already settled into their friendships, clubs, teams, and roles at school. The first week of school I had lunch by myself and was shy towards my peers. It was horrible; I felt isolated and lost. I didn't know how I would survive in a school completely opposite from the one I came from. It felt like no matter what I did to try to fit in, I couldn't. It was a feeling that I've never felt before because I usually was able to fit in so easily. On top of that, I was still trying to settle into my new home and constantly moving back and forth between my parent's houses.

I knew that isolating myself wasn't going to solve my problems. I needed to make the best of my situation and take action if I wanted to succeed. The solution for me was staying positive. I looked at my move as an opportunity to start fresh and make new friends. I made a turnaround in my attitude and I began putting in an effort to introduce myself to others, join clubs, try out for the basketball team, and adjust to the new curriculum. In just a couple of months I began to find my niche at my new school. I was able to continue playing basketball at the junior varsity level and that ultimately helped me keep afloat. I was able to rekindle the friendships that I made in middle school and joined the California Scholarship Federation and DECA. I also felt like I had an advantage over the other students because of the higher expectations that Bishop O' Dowd set for me. I appreciated the diversity and the tremendous school spirit that Castro Valley presented to me.

Attending Castro Valley High School helped me realize the good in change. Change brings with it new opportunities and the chance to make new things happen. I never gave up during the transition and continued to stay positive and maintain my grades at Castro Valley High School. The move between schools was challenging, but I was determined to be resilient and make my experience at Castro Valley High School memorable and successful. I know life will always bring me challenges to get over, whether its family, transferring school, or jobs. Through this experience I have learned that I can get through any situation that life throws at me by staying optimistic and resilient.