From a young age, I learned that perseverance, protection, and compassion are more than values, they’re ways of showing up for others.

When a teacher once told me that “not everyone is meant to be an A student,” I decided that I’d never let someone else define my limits. That lesson became my drive to keep pushing forward and achieve goals, no matter how big the challenge.

When I saw classmates pick on my younger siblings, I learned the importa...