Mochahope Black Excellence Scholarship

In elementary school, my foundation was shaped in the classroom and on the playground. Being accepted into the Marietta Center for Advanced Academics was instrumental in my development as a well-rounded individual and teammate. The rigor in the classroom was exciting and challenging, but the thrill and energy exhausted on the playground also contributed to my development. Over the years, my love for sports grew into more than just a passion. From learning how to work as a team, training under new coaches, and working with new teammates, I have learned that working hard despite challenges could lead to more than just winning games. I have learned that doing my part, being on time, and being ready to go at each practice was teaching me how to be a leader and accountable for my actions. How I participated in practices and games was reflected in my teammates. Earning the role of captain meant the team was looking to me to set the tone. When I played hard, the team played hard. When I pushed harder, the team pushed harder. I have given encouraging talks, not just to myself, but to my peers to ensure we never gave up and kept trying until the end of the game. Sometimes we celebrated successes, sometimes we learned to try harder. Playing soccer has taught me that staying focused on goals can equal huge success. Taking a moment to train, study and analyze your mistakes can help you perform better in your next competition. I have been able to apply this work ethic to my classwork. Reviewing my past assignments and communicating with my teachers and peers, all contribute to excelling in the classroom. By working together to learn new topics, I was able to have success in the classroom. I can remember in Middle School, playing so much FIFA, Fortnite, and Super Mario Brothers that my parents encouraged me to attend a computer course. I selected a web development camp. It was here that I saw firsthand how powerful coding can be. Seeing my creation come to life was exciting. Others may use pen and paper to show their imagination, my web page showed mines. I used my knowledge of Fortnite Battle Royale to build a page explaining how to be successful and win the game. I explained hidden secrets in the game and the best locations to find the treasure chests. At camp, talking to the student teachers about their majors introduced me to Computer Science and showed me there are a lot of things that you can do with technology. Through these experiences, I learned that everyone has something valuable to contribute and that we can always learn from one another if we are willing. I opened myself to new opportunities, new ideas and new ways of thinking. It may have started with playing soccer, but has grown to be much more. When I graduate, I want to use technology to improve our way of living in the future. Whether it is developing the next exciting video game, or creating a program to improve functionality, I look forward to using my college experience to complete my tasks. Knowing how to be on a team, being willing to work hard despite challenges, staying focused on goals, and celebrating triumphs with my communities -- these are traits I am proud to leverage in building upon the legacy that attending college will offer.