Hello, my name is Alina Young Lee. 

I entered my essay to this competition because I believed that mixing my Korean-American culture through my childhood kimbap experiences would enthrall readers to keep reading. 

After writing my essay, I learned that if I try my best to be creative, I can take something so mundane as kimbap and artistically make it symbolize what it means to me to be Korean in a non-Korean society. 

My goal in the future is to study either pre-medicine, pre-veterinary medicine, or pre-optometry.  My hobbies and personal interests include listening to music, writing in my diary, dancing, and traveling. 

My personal hero is my sister, Belinda.  I admire her generosity, independence, and motivation to do everything as best she can.  She taught me to accept mistakes made in the past and learn from them for the future.

Ellicott City, MD
Centennial High School (12th gr)