Desiree Jeana Wapples Scholarship for Young Women

There are several people in my life that has been influential. As a result, there are things that people have done for me that I am truly grateful for. However there is one main thing and persons that stands out to me the most. The one person that stands is my Grandfather. My grandfather Thurman L Gilliam has done so much for me throughout my life and it has kept me in a place of happiness and with a spirit of gratitude. This is why I’m forever thankful for him. I have been through so many obstacles in my life and went through milestones that were very important to me. There are three things that I feel has made him the most important and inspiring person on my life and will be for my future. He has been my supporter, figure father and confidant. His support for me has been priceless. He showed up for everything even though he wasn't obligated to. Anytime I had something special happening or any events he is there without me asking even down to showing up for my cheerlead games, ring dance send-off, birthdays, Christmases, etc. I can also can confide in him about anything. He is a grandfather that listens to my problems, give me advice and tools to put me back on the right path. It's surprising to me the particular reason for this circumstance he really does not have to do so. Especially since he is my mother’s step father which makes it even more special to me because it shows the love he has for me is unconditionally, Which is why I show him so much gratitude and respect. As I mentioned previous, He has stepped up as a father figure to me, even though he didn't have to. There are time when I need to hear things that I need what to but I know that it will and has share me into the person have grown into. my grandfather taking the responsibility of stepping up as a father figure for me when I needed it the most has been the most powerful thing in my life. This gratitude has encouraged me to keep going and get through situations that seem impossible . It's shown me that I can lean on people who truly love me, and that people can genuinely do acts of kindness without wanting things in return. It's made me a stronger but emotional person at the same time. It makes me see certain situations differently which has truly been an eye opener for me. This ordeal is so special to me and it has transformed my character for the better, not be afraid of challenge and always finish what I start. This has made me expand as a person and as he would say all things as possible. So I can definitely say that this impacted me and my future in the most positive way it possibly could. To sum up everything that has been stated so far, I'm so thankful for him and how he does the unthinkable without me having to ask. He really has play a significant part in turned my life around for the better. Having him as my father figure, confidant and support system means so much to me, due to him not having to do all that he has done for me. So that's why his constant role in my life has surprised, motivated and pushed me. Today, I know I have the ability to be successful in any future endeavors. I am one blessed young lady.

Sitting in my living room with my pencil I created my first anime sketch. From this point on something sparked in me. I loved showcasing my different thoughts and ideas. Always catering artwork to my style. The more intrigued I was the harder the art became. This small interaction made me realize that I loved anything that allowed me to showcase my creativity. Which later led to my love of cooking. Cooking allowed me to mix and match a variety of flavors and recipes. I could use the resources around me to produce and alter meals. Which grew to be something I looked forward to doing. This experience is similar to my current experience with computer science. At the beginning of my junior year, I had no prior experience with anything STEM. All I knew was that it would challenge me, especially since I could always learn from this field. I took a huge leap and decided to join a computer science strand at a new school. I was stumped at first but eventually learned that being involved in STEM took out-of-the-box thinking. Luckily, I had amazing teachers to encourage me along the way. Specifically, my computational physics teacher, Dr. Bedir. He taught me that there were many ways to get to one solution. Oftentimes one small error could stop a code from running. It involved different worlds of creativity and determination. This strand was rigorous and time-consuming for me when I started but I feel like it paid off by my senior year. Dr. Bedir constantly embedded in us that we could do great things. With this motivation, I found that computer science created a world of constant learning and allowed me to add a twist to my work. These two things were very important to me when discovering my passion. Which heavily influenced my choice when it came to my major. I have two years of experience when continuing my computer science journey. These past years have given me what I would consider an advantage when it comes to the world of STEM. I feel a little more prepared and confident versus if I was to start my STEM journey as a college freshman. A quote that I keep with me is, “You all have great minds.” - Islam Bedir. These five words have been carried with me throughout my computer science journey and I plan to apply them to many other aspects as I open this new college chapter. My goal is to earn my bachelor's degree in computer science. With this degree, I hope to have the opportunity to work from home or be in a hybrid setting for a corporation. Along with my profession, I hope to one day be a mentor and support system for future students pursuing STEM careers. Especially students who are a part of minorities, like myself. I believe things like courses with a variety of learning styles, financial help, and advice can help the future of STEM excel. After building a foundation for myself, I want to aid in starting the foundation for the future workers of STEM similar to how Dr. Bedir did for me.

I have played field hockey since the ninth grade and before that I was involved in swimming and dancing. I enjoy playing sports and being a leader on the team. In eleventh and twelfth grade, I was team captain for my high school field hockey team. I have struggled with hearing loss since the age of four which has made sports a little harder for me. Having to really focus on my coaches to understand and hear them is something that has become easier for me. My field hockey coach always worked with me and made sure I heard her during practice and games. Despite being hearing impaired, I have been able to teach others how to play field hockey. I was a leader at a city-wide introduction for field hockey and I have taught incoming freshmen the basics of the sport. Children have a special place in my heart because there is so much room for them to grow and blossom for the future. I enjoy working with children, teaching them new things, and learning from them. Kids see things from a totally different perspective than adults and teenagers; it is interesting to hear things from a fresh mind. Last summer, I started working at a church for childcare and before that I was babysitting for family friends. I am not completely sure what my plans are for the future and my career, but I either want to coach or teach kids. I hope to be able to inspire kids and urge them to want to learn more and more. Whether I end up coaching, teaching, or both, I hope that I make an influence on these kids like my coaches and teachers have made on me. Some of my past teachers have really helped me grow into the person I am today. My ninth grade English teacher became a mentor to me while in tenth grade. She was always there for me to vent about what was going on at home, with friends, and anything else I needed. She helped inspire me into wanting to be there for students one day the way she was there for me. Tenth grade was probably the year I struggled the most within the past four years between family, relationships, and friends. It was nice having someone to get my worries out with before going home. She helped me understand the way things happened and would let me know everything would be alright. I am so thankful that she was more than a teacher and went above and beyond in her job.