Words cannot fully express how grateful I am for the opportunity to simply participate in this competition. Crafting a response to such a meaningful and important question within the space of a three-minute video was a truly beautiful challenge (and if you catch the bloopers, you’ll see just how nervous and excited I was… hope they bring you a smile!). Thank you for creating these opportunities for all of us.I feel like there is nothing I can say that you don’t already know, except that this is the dream of my LIFE. Just the thought of learning from leading scientists fills me with immense excitement, knowing that this experience could quite literally change my life.
I also want to use this space to thank Mario, my photography teacher and a wonderful storyteller, who so generously lent me his studio and shared his knowledge to help me make this video the best it could be. He chose to stay behind the scenes, but just like my family and friends, who patiently shared their feedback with me, even when I made them re-read all 20 versions of my script, they absolutely deserve this recognition and my deepest gratitude… If I make it far, it’s definitely because I walked this path surrounded by incredible people who have supported and shaped me along the way.
Overflowing with excitement and hope,
