iMatter Ministry Memorial Scholarship

I believe I deserve this scholarship for many reasons. I’ve studied hard during all my school years and have maintained an A/B average in all AP classes and passed all my AP tests. I’m a student-athlete participating in football, basketball, and track. I’m proud to say that my school, each year in all three significant sports, reaches the playoffs. I’m a National honor society member and an active church member. Any scholarship would be a substantial blessing for my family and me. My parents taught me that hard work is the only way to go. The principles of being a scholar have played a crucial role in my academic and athletic success. I believe my character and academic success were achieved through hard work and perseverance, which is why being a scholar is essential. Scholarship, to me, means achievement through dedication to academic success. I have achieved so much due to my countless hours of studying and completing schoolwork. Me thinking like a scholar has helped me keep up my grade point average, allowing me to have success in the classroom and success when I go to college. Being a person of service is to do good things for your community or the people around you, and it is also an essential part of being a scholar. I, in particular, do not like to do selfless acts for praise but for a smile on that person’s face because I believe that’s what service is about. I volunteer to clean up my church every other month. I feed the homeless with my church because I feel that helping others is one of the best things we, as people, can do. as a person of service, I will help keep my self-esteem up, which will ultimately help me accomplish my goals by having a positive attitude and helping me have the right mindset as an adult in college. To be a scholar, you must separate yourself and be a leader. As a leader, you must set expectations for others who may not fully understand what to do. For example, leadership plays a huge role in football because you must lead by example so your teammates won’t mess up. Me being a leader on and off the field expresses my ability to guide my peers in the right direction by keeping them motivated and focused on the task at hand. I will continue to use my leadership skills not only for my success but for the success of the people around me. Being a leader is personal because I play team sports that require cooperation and leadership. Character, to me, is the most critical aspect of being a scholar. To have a good character, you must know how to act and what to say. Thinking before you speak is an underrated character trait I do every day. I feel that I must always think before I speak because I want to respect others and not offend anyone. This also can prevent you from being in altercations that can get you in trouble in school or even in prison as an adult. Having a good character can take you a long way in life and help you be successful in whatever you do. The aspects of being a scholar have played a massive role in my success in academics and sports. These tactics can help me continue to be a successful scholar in today’s world. This is why going to college and having a career is essential.

Hands, the word is precisely one syllable, comprised of 27 bones, and is one of the easiest ways to connect with another person. With elegant yet thin hands, impacting my community was bigger than me and was a courageous act. When I joined Girl Scouts in kindergarten, I became committed to improving my community. Some of the activities I have taken part in included working with homeless people in the Houston area, fixing over 10,000 sandwiches for those who lived in food deserts, and protesting with other women who bravely marched in the rain for reproductive rights. However, working with special needs kids left a mark on me. In eighth grade, I volunteered to serve as a life-skills aid for Mrs. Cooks' class. I assisted them with classwork and participated in life skills exercises such as cooking with the teacher. Through our conversations, Mrs. Cooks helped me understand that my community is broad and even includes those without a voice or the ability to use their hands. Not only did the enrichment I took part in during her program touch me, but it unknowingly exposed me to the lack of inclusivity within discussions about nutrition for special needs people inside public schools. These standard programs never considered the deformities, lack of mobility, and how some foods may be inaccessible to them due to financial restraints. While attending the Spelman Early College Program last summer, I began formulating my Gold Award project for Girl Scouts. I immediately thought about the awareness I could bring to the issue and how passionate I was about it. I planned out my project, which includes a web seminar, an in-person workshop with educational activities, pamphlets for administrators on how they can educate others, and the importance of refraining from using ableist language in their day-to-day lives. I planned to also adequately explain the benefits of teaching these concepts to children who are non-disabled as well. I began officially filling out my application and starting the process. Praying that the council would approve me, I turned it in and waited impatiently for an email approving for me to start. Soon enough, my mentor delivered a glowing email that I had been approved and could start my project and research. I felt so excited my hands shook. Currently, I am finishing my research, cultivating my website and pamphlets, and pouring good intentions into this new endeavor. Being able to advocate for those within my community who may not have the means or voice means a lot to me. It has allowed me to be an example for multiple people and think outside of the box. I hope to continue to inspire and motivate people to examine the policies being applied within public schools and within America as a whole.