Maria Valentina Solis' College essay
Others saw flowers, but it wasn't clear to her what she had painted. She saw no distinct
figures in the painting, just the freedom to be and to let be. She had finished the artwork, and her surroundings became vibrant. The outside world stopped spinning, and with her are feelings of uniqueness and empowerment. Unique because she feels that no one but her has her thoughts. Power because no one or nothing can take it away.
Earlier in life, she felt stress and anxiety because of the pressure she put on herself. She
was trying to achieve perfection by being the person society saw as academically perfect. Although she worked hard, she felt like she wasn't doing enough to meet the academic standard of those around me. She will always remember this person, but she will never be her again.
She was able to burst the bubble of her anxiety by exploring her creativity. She realized that art was an effective coping mechanism. As she dipped her brush in paint and dragged it across the canvas, the colors of her emotions came to life, and she felt at peace. It was hard to express her feelings verbally, but they found their way out through art. She knew other people were searching for what she had found, and that is when she decided to reach out to others.
Letting emotions have a voice was key to the "Learning and Creating Enrichment
Workshop", a club she founded to help middle schoolers handle the academic and social
demands by learning to express themselves through creative activities. She hoped they
could graduate High School by finding a healthy way to face challenges. The entire school saw her excitement for her club. Middle schoolers joined the club. Her goal was clear: she wanted them to shamelessly believe in the value within themselves.
Her paintings aren't worth thousands of dollars, but they are priceless as they are evidence that her club's concept works. This makes her dedication, hard work, and enthusiasm feel worthwhile.
My club's success and the experience I felt throughout the creation process made me realize that I want to study psychology and, more specifically, work with children. Sharing moments with younger students and helping them grow on a path of wellness and success made me realize that this is what I want to do for the rest of my life. To help other people's worlds stop spinning as they do what they love.
Her name is Maria Valentina Solis and she is a senior. She is an 18-year-old teenage girl
graduating from St. Augustine Preparatory School. She is going to Texas Christian University to study a major in Psychology and a double minor in Child Development and Business. She is excited for her 4 years and college and will never stop doing what helped reach the place she is right now art.