“While I invest myself in all aspects of my life, there are really three issues in this whole world that matter so much to me that I’d die fighting for them: women’s rights, LGBT+ rights, and education for children. Most of my extracurriculars and hobbies involve fighting for a better tomorrow. I’m involved in numerous outreach clubs, but my favorite is called ‘Jumpstart’. Every week, I go to a daycare, situated in one of the underprivileged communities in Loudoun County, and I teach the kids staying there about STEM [Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math] and other life skills. I’ve attended summits, in and outside of the United States, in which women’s rights and LGBT+ rights have been discussed. I’ve volunteered at schools, provided women with sanitary supplies, and attended rallies to fight for my own rights as a bisexual woman. I have a strong, bold voice, and I love to use it. Throughout high school, I’ve come across all sorts of men and women who inspire me to be a better person each day. Hearing of women like Malala and Helen Rodriguez Trias inspired me to use my voice to further causes that affected all of us. Malala was taking bullets to fight[for] the right of education for women, while I was complaining about school; it didn’t feel right. After high school, I want to follow in the footsteps of women like Malala and Helen, but in my own style. Short term, I would like to go to college and major in clinical and pre-health sciences. I want to increase my involvement in research, and I also want to go abroad through outreach programs, so I can open my eyes and learn more about the world around us. Long term, I see myself working at a research children’s hospital. I want to pursue my passion for medicine, work with children so I can give them the future they deserve, and work on groundbreaking medical research that could change the whole platform of the health industry.” — Senior Amber Gulati