I am a resilient and individual who was born and raised in South Philadelphia. I take great pride in my Philadelphia roots and am grateful for the opportunities and education I have received from two outstanding schools in the city. For the past 17 years, I have proudly participated in the Philadelphia Mummers Parade alongside my father and other members of my family. This tradition has been an important part of my life and has taught me the value of commitment, teamwork, tradition, and community. Most importantly, my family has played a significant role in shaping the person I am today. I am incredibly thankful for the lessons, values, and strong work ethic they have instilled in me, and I will continue to carry those principles with me throughout my life. As I look toward my future, I have developed a strong desire to serve our country and give back to something greater than myself. My commitment to service is a major reason I am applying to two of our nation’s service academies. I understand that attending a service academy requires discipline, perseverance, leadership, and an unwavering commitment to others, and I am eager to challenge myself to grow in each of these areas. I hope to build upon the values I have learned from my family, education, and community and use them to become a leader who serves with purpose and integrity.
I began working at Russo's Market in May 2023 right after I graduated the 8th grade. I worked seasonally from late May to late August due to my school schedule. Hired as stocker, I was responsible for taking inventory of store items. I took inventory of all items in the store, retrieved needed items from the stockroom, and refilled any missing items during the work day. I also helped clean the outdoor tables during the day. During my 3rd summer working at Russo's, I was trained for closing. Since I was able to work longer hours due to my age, I was able to help close the store for the day which meant disposing of perishable items, cleaning the store, and stocking up on inventory. This most recent summer, I was finally trained to cook. I would help the two main owners make items such as cheesesteaks, wraps, and burgers. I was trained on the various cooking equipment such as the griddle, char-broiler and deep fryer.