Heart Strength by Giancarlo

Heart Strength by Giancarlo - February 2014 Scholarship Essay

“Welcome and congratulations in making it to Intel ISEF 2012! You are all winners; You represent the brightest young minds on the planet.” This was said as the opening statement at Intel ISEF 2012 in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. Sitting as one of 1200 other finalists from around the world, every one of those words was especially meaningful and impactful. I interpreted them not only as a welcome but also as a sort of call to action: to make the stories of our projects matter as much as the technology behind it. I had never felt such pride and responsibility. It was humbling and heart-lifting at the same time. They are one of the reasons why I want to be an engineer.

The road to that moment and the chance to represent Puerto Rico at ISEF started in the 8th grade. To the surprise of many of my teachers, I had produced a project that earned the first place in the junior category. See, though recognized as a hard worker and as a “fine respectful young man” I was not commonly associated as a high scholar as my older sisters had been. Winning over all those projects was as much a goal as it was a dream for me. But I had won and that earned me a spot as an observer in ISEF 2010 in San Jose, CA. The projects I saw there were extraordinary and opened my mind to even greater dreams. But the life-changing experience was meeting young people focused on their studies and their dreams; these young people were humble, honest, and mature...and I wanted to become like them. I was determined to come back as a finalist in 2012.

Making this a bit more dramatic was the fact that both my sisters had won the senior category before and represented PR at ISEF. Amanda had done it in 2009 and Danielle in 2011. The pressure to reach that level of excellence was immense. Every night I would sleep thinking of what would happen if my project wasn't good enough. There is a quote by Hiroumu Arakawa that became a mantra for me: “There's no such thing as a painless lesson...they just don't exist. Sacrifices are necessary...you can't gain anything without losing something first. Although...if you can endure that pain, and walk away from it...you will find that you now have a heart strong enough to overcome any obstacle”. Science Fair was a test of my determination. I sacrificed hours of family and friends time in order for me to achieve my goal.

I was on my way to understanding my priorities and acting correctly according to them. I understood the importance of organizing my day so I could continue meet the demands of my classes and still have time to experiment, run trials, build prototypes, and learn more about science. I understood the value of dedication and patience to achieve one’s goals. Paradoxically, with more things to do, I found myself doing much better academically. I also saw myself wanting to lead student activities and participate more in clubs and committees. Nonetheless, I had to overcome my internal obstacles, put aside my anxiety to focus on creating the best project possible.

With all the lessons that I learned that year I succeeded. I won that year. I represented Puerto Rico at Intel 2012.

This journey of hardship and dedication is what allowed me to hear those wonderful words of welcome and challenge. The Intel ISEF experience did not just give me the opportunity to compete. It also gave me the opportunity to learn to focus my efforts over a long period of time, to be self-aware of my strengths, and to recognize my desire to measure up to those words as a professional, as a member of society, as a dreamer.