I was born on a Sunday at Swedish Medical Center in Seattle, Washington, to mother, Audrey Purganan, and father, Dennis Mendoza, weighing in at 6 lbs. 4.3 oz. and measuring 20 inches long. Many family & friends came to visit me at the hospital.

On the same day I celebrated my first birthday, I was baptized at Immaculate Conception Church in Seattle, Washington, with my family and godparents at my side who helped to shape my life of faith.

I've lived in Burien, Washington my whole life. My first home was a brick house with a zip line in the backyard. Our dog, Teara, was my childhood companion for many years before she passed away in 2011. I would always be excited when we would give her a bath because it meant that she was allowed to roam freely in the house. I received my first parlor grand and my passion for playing the piano bloomed. In 2012, I said goodbye to the brick house as we moved to the Mendoza Manor. As a baby, I loved Winnie-the-Pooh, Disney Princesses, the Wiggles, and Clifford the Big Red Dog. I was also a student of Momentum Music and Dance Academy for three years learning ballet, tap, modern dance, and a bit of piano. I was always surrounded by family and friends who loved, supported, and cared for me - I am deeply blessed and would not be the person I am today without them in my life.

I attended St. Bernadette Parish School from kindergarten up until eighth grade when I graduated as the Class of 2015. As an elementary school student, going to Camp Long was my favorite time of the year, where I had the chance to bond more with my classmates. I also joined the soccer team in third grade and played every year thereafter. Going into middle school, I was excited to go to Camp Waskowitz. I grew to be more outgoing as I met new people from different schools. Spending quality time in the woods with my classmates made me feel proud to be part of the St. Bernadette community. Out of all nine years as a Panther, nothing could compare to the last. It gave me a chance to become a better leader and a role model for the school. I also never felt closer to my friends than that year. From sneaking our phones into class to going on fun retreats, I was given memories that I would never forget. It was an amazing and wonderful time of my life as I grew in faith and created lasting friendships.

My transition into a public high school was intimidating, but as school started, I learned that it was not as difficult as I thought it would be. Attending Franklin High School, I made many great friends and have stuck with them for all four years. They helped me to find my positive and outgoing self, and it gave me the confidence to step outside of my comfort zone and try new things. I continued to play soccer my freshman year and sustained my first injury, which led me to join the swim team sophomore year. I rejoined the soccer team my senior year. My love for K-pop grew, which drew me to join K-pop Club sophomore year. We performed at the winter assembly and I felt proud to have danced with the group. During my junior year, I wanted to explore and be more active in the Franklin community, so I joined Key Club and Link Crew. For my last year as a Quaker, I decided to become a yearbook editor along with two other classmates.