Many times in my life, I have found my family acting as a team. For a team to be successful, each member must do their part to better the whole and to keep the balance. My family finds strength in this unity. I have many different jobs as a team player in my family. For one, I provide balance. Within a family of four children, the state in our house is often chaos.

My older sister is loud and strong. When I am around my sister, I am quiet. I provide her balance. When her mind is rushing with thoughts, and she is overwhelmed, I am her calmness. I slow things down and help her gather her thoughts. Often times, when she is upset with schoolwork and relationships with her friends, I help her become less stubborn, and see the other side of the story.

My older brother is quiet, shy and conservative. When I am around him I provide his balance of joking and laughter. Through the high school years we spent together, I was often the energy in the car rides to school and his funny companion helping to find a good way to remember that bañarse means "to bathe oneself," and helping him get that extra point on his Spanish quiz that he would not have, otherwise.

My younger sister is insecure and lacks confidence. I am her source of fearlessness. When she was lost and unsure how to make friends at her new school, I was her balance of outgoingness and warmth. We had countless mock conversations that I now see her have with her friends.

My mother gives, and gives, and gives some more. I am her sense of selfishness. I provide the balance she needs to think about herself, and to stop worrying about things like how my sibling and I act, that is far out of her control. We have conversations about helping my little sister bring her grades up and encouraging her to want to do her homework, to encouraging my brother to make friends outside of the hockey team, and supporting my older sister to appreciate and take full advantage of her opportunities.

My dad is a perfectionist. He loves to share his knowledge of all subjects, and often I am his sense of uncertainty. At dinner, I ask questions that put a smile on his face, like, "why that guy I have a crush on won’t text me back?" Questions that are a reminder of all that he still has to learn and understand.

Family and teamwork are not a one-way street. For all the balance I provide my family, they do their jobs as teammates, and supply me with mine. From my older sister, I get companionship and amiability that I otherwise would not pursue. With her loud and welcoming personality, she automatically attracts a crowd of friends, ones that I would not have without her outgoingness. From my brother, I get my leadership. He is a silent leader, setting a good example in his academic and athletic achievement, his drive, and diligent manner. The compassion I have is from my mother. With her giving manner and selflessness, she gives me the desire to help those around me, and always have an open heart for people and learning. Lastly, for everything I have ever been passionate about, such as competitiveness and love for science, I get from my father. His dedication to his work and his family and doing what he loves has molded me to follow in his footsteps and pursue questions that I want answers to, and to dream and achieve big. I am who I am today because of those around me, and the balance we provide each other.