My name is Agapito and I am studying to help find solutions to some of the world’s most difficult and important environmental issues. My passion is finding and restoring connections to Mother Nature that humans have destroyed. Through the years humans have always strived to overcome and become masters of their surrounding environments. But since the early 1900\’s there has been drastic changes in the earths atmospheric climate, causing negative changes in the biosphere and some of earths most important ecological systems such as our oceans and forests.
With an increasingly more demanding population, shrinkage in earth’s natural resources and unforgiving pollution from a corrupt corporate system, the earth will no longer be able to sustain itself. We are already seeing major die offs of coral reefs and other important oceanic life forms. Society no longer understands the deep connection we have with the earth and are over stepping our boundaries. My goal is to change the way society looks at our environmental issues, and to make the biggest positive impact possible on these issues, if not solved completely.
In order to have a deeper understanding of my goals and ambitions you must first know a little about myself. I am a 24 year old disabled Mexican American Veteran. I never knew or met my father whom is currently in prison. My mother never graduated high school and was in prison for the first few years of my life as well. I grew up with little to nothing, am one out of five children, and I bounced from home to home until I was 16 and I moved out on my own. I pushed myself through school, challenging myself with rigorous curriculum, taking extra honors classes every chance I got. I was class president my junior year, a tri athlete with track, basketball and football all 4 years.
A week after graduating High School I married and signed a 6 year contract with the US Army as a combat medic. When I was 20, I was promoted and put in charge of a small emergency room on the boarder of Iraq and Kuwait. I saw things no 20 year old should have to see. I was put in situations that I reflect on daily and will have to live with for the rest of my life. Upon returning I was diagnosed with PTSD and labeled disabled, which soon led to my divorce. Although society has these negative connotations on disabled VETS, I see myself as a stronger person because of this. I currently live in a small poor community in north Los Angeles County called Palmdale. I am absolutely determined to succeed and leave my own mark and make a name for myself.
During my short time on this earth I have traveled, I have excelled, and I have struggled. Though all were important, the struggles are what made me who I am today. You should choose to award me this scholarship because I deserve it. It would be going towards a promising future and career in global environmental sciences. Receiving my degree is only the first step, the real challenges lay ahead. I am asking for your help. I cannot think of a better use of this scholarship than to help ensure a healthy and safe future for our future generations to come. I thank you for your time and consideration in helping me achieve my endeavors.
