I, Marlin Nuñez, am a senior at Murry Bergtraum High School for Business Careers.  I am an honors student with a 92 average majoring in marketing.  Upon graduating from high school I wish to attend New York University to study elementary education.  My high school transcript reflects all my academic achievements; the personal interests and activities section of the application reflect my hobbies, and the recommendation letters enclosed with this application illustrate what teachers conceive of me.  This essay will depict my life goals and myself.

        At least once in our lives we were all asked the famous question, "What do you want to be when you grow up?"  Every time I encountered a new hobby I would think of it as being like a new career, just like any child who curiously explores different fields.  Throughout the years, my mind has wandered through various fields, but a force, which seems sort of magnetic to me, always pulls me in one direction -- the teaching career.  My career achievement is to be an elementary school teacher.
During my high school years, I majored in marketing where I took courses in business management, advertising, retailing, and business applications.  I gave up much of my social time to study and apply myself to my academic studies.  Of course there were times when I became frustrated but I always knew that in the long run all my hard work would be compensated.  I believe that academics are only part of what makes a successful student and thus participated in various activities related to my interests.  I am currently a member of the National Honor Society and am the editor of my school Yearbook.  Also, in preparation for college I recently completed a college level Psychology Class in which I received an A-.

        Experience is something very valuable which I was fortunate to obtain in both the education and marketing fields.  For six months I volunteered at the Hamilton-Madison Houses, a Head Start program for children aged 3 to 5.  Every week after school I set some time apart from my schedule to assist the teachers with recreational activities for the children.  From the first day I met the children and felt the amiable environment, I immediately knew that teaching was the career for me.  I loved to help the children and answer their questions as they curiously explored their surroundings. Every day that I was there I felt an unexplainable feeling of delight and comfort.

        After gaining this experience in education I decided to take part in a marketing internship.  For two months this summer I was a full time marketing intern at Hurricane Technology, a licensing company.  I assisted the director of marketing in various projects including the preparation of marketing kits for the sales staff and trade shows, research for the marketing department, preparation of materials for the telemarketing staff which was working on an industry portal, general office duties, as well as preparations for an industry symposium in which Hurricane Technology participated.  I gained invaluable experience at this internship.  However, after comparing my volunteer job at Hamilton and my marketing job at Hurricane Technology I concluded that my instincts were correct - I plan on pursuing a career in the education of young children.

        I am qualified for this career and for acceptance into New York University.  I have a lot to offer as my academic skills as well as my social skills demonstrate.  I am a friendly, creative, intelligent, and reliable person.  I consider myself to be a leader rather than a follower and always strive to achieve the best in life.  Coming from a Dominican background has shaped the development of my own personal identity in various ways and while many would consider being a minority a negative factor, I consider it to be the contrary.  I have never seen my culture as a hindrance but rather as an asset to my identity and believe that I have encountered the luxury of two cultures -- American and Dominican.  For that reason I believe I am twice as valuable.