Rev. Ethel K. Grinkley Memorial Scholarship

“Pray about it.” -Every Church Auntie ever. Praying about something is more than asking for it, it’s about believing—truly having faith—that God will take care of your troubles. My mother would tell me this all the time and I never understood her until I grew older. For me, I had a unique upbringing when it came to religion. My father grew up as a Jehovah’s witness while my mother grew up in the Baptist church. The religion I decided to follow was Baptist because not only did I wholeheartedly agree with the beliefs, but it felt right. It felt like that’s where I belonged and the religion made me feel comfort, love, and joy. Throughout my life, I made sure to put God first and ask him for the guidance I need to make the correct choices. Although I've strayed off path, I never lose sight of what’s most important—God. I want to be Christ-like. I want to embody the teachings and philosophy that God intended for us to follow. However, I understand that doing this comes with time, wisdom, and patience. In order for one to become Christ-like, one has to serve the Lord through serving one’s community. What I mean is that community service is one of the best ways to make a positive impact on the world. By starting small, you make a ripple effect that can be larger in the grand scheme of things. Which is why I have volunteered at my local library to help shape the young, upcoming minds of today, cleaned local parks to set an example for the next generation and give back to my community, and sang in church choir to use my voice to spread the Lord’s word. I do this because it contributes to my community in a positive way and allows me to lead with my faith and understand what it truly means to be Christ-like. When I go to Howard, I'll be studying international business to become a corporate lawyer. I believe that this is path God has given me in this life so I can eliminate the harmful business practices done by big corporations. In an economy full of uncertainty, big corporations have consistently hurt small businesses, individuals, and our beautiful earth. By understanding international markets and trade regulations, it allows me to help bridge the gap between these small businesses, fight for better pay when it comes to people working for these corporations, and protect the Earth. Becoming rich requires people to abandon all morals and principles, something that the Lord is against. I plan to lead with the love that God has blessed me with, the faith that I have in the Lord to help the people in need, and the community service that has given me the foundation I need to accomplish my goals. After working for a decade helping small businesses and individuals who have been wronged by big corporations, I will open my own law firm that focuses on criminal cases. There, I can help individuals who believe they have been wrongly accused and haven’t been protected by the law or prosecute criminals that belong behind bars. I can set others on the righteous path and offer help beyond the legal perspective but rather the spiritual perspective. I was raised to care for others and guided to use my passion for law to make a lasting impact on this world with the life the Lord has given me. So no matter what I do in life, no matter where I go, I will always make sure to “Pray about it.”

Dreams are where we build our hopes, which lead us to strive and be successful in life. However, it comes with obstacles that are meant to facilitate growth. The struggles I endured in life encouraged me to lean closer to jesus. I have dealt with bullying, moved to another country, and struggled economically growing up. Although these may appear to be disappointments in my life, it is what encouraged me to strive for success and know that if god is for you who can be against you. The first obstacle that I recall occurred when I attended school in Jamaica, my home country. I had a very socially awkward personality and barely had friends. Therefore, it caused me to be a target for bullying. My pencils, homework and lunch money were stolen continuously. Despite this, I still had hope that my Lord Jesus would not allow me go through this in vain. I learned how to stand up for myself by saying no, learned how to talk more confidently, and command presence in a room where people didn’t believe I belonged. I was able to show resilience in a manner that I had never been able to express in the past. The second struggle was leaving my country in 2020. I was fortunate to come to this beautiful country, however I now had a new challenge of adapting to American culture. Adapting was difficult because I spoke differently, which was ostracizing at the time because people had difficulty understanding me. In addition, I struggled with adapting to American schools due to the language barrier. With diligence and patience, I learned to speak English better. It assisted me greatly in being able to comprehend what was being taught in order to complete my coursework. I refused to allow my disadvantages hinder me from the opportunities presented to me. The third obstacle I endured was growing up in impoverished conditions. In Jamaica the government does not provide relief to needy families. It took an emotional toll on me to see my mother work three jobs to put food on the table, and my father work and barely get paid. There were also times my parents did not eat to ensure I did not go hungry. We lived in a small board house in what you might call the ghetto. When it rained, we had to get buckets to catch the water dripping through the roof. Experiencing these difficulties and set backs provided me the determination to rise above the circumstances and enabled me to focus on my education. Even through our struggles, I can still remember every Sunday morning my mom used to wake me up at 8:39 to get ready for church because even though they were going through life, they knew that without Jesus there is no way out. My favorite Bible verse is Psalm 34:8: “Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed are those who take refuge in Him,” and I a testimony of that today. I will be the first person to go to college and get a degree. I will be studying business finance at University of North Florida, and I know it’s going to be hard, but I have no fear because I serve a God who saved Noah from the great flood, who gave Abraham’s wife a child at 90 years of age, who led Moses and the Israelites out of Egypt by splitting the Red Sea. He is the God that created the heavens and the earth, and all men shall bow down to Him.

“To whom much is given, much will be required.”(Luke 12:48) My goal in life is to serve others. Life can be very difficult to get through. I have first hand experience with this; my mom died in a domestic violence incident when I was 8.5, and I was placed in foster care, leaving all of my belongings and friendships behind. My biological parents did not have a college education or a steady income. I was eventually adopted by my foster mom, a single lady who was a teacher at a local elementary school. Many people came alongside me when I was going through a hard time. No one could bring my mother back, but people would spend time with me, which really helped alleviate some of my pain. I had a mentor in elementary school who would just sit with me, and she was able to help me be calm and focused during school. I had a family friend who would spend time each week tutoring me in math, which inspired my interest in engineering. My grandparents would spend time with me each week, taking me on long bike rides and driving me to appointments. My mom and I worked daily on getting my school work completed. Other family friends would include us in their family vacation plans, and one couple even took me on a trip to Europe. I was given much, and I know that much is required of me. I have spent the last ten years growing in my experiences of helping others. The judge who presided over my adoption gifted me with a dog, and my mom and I used to take him to our local nursing home. I was able to use an animal given to provide comfort to me to provide comfort to others. My grandfather and I serve quarterly at the soup kitchen. I learn new cooking skills while also helping others, and my grandfather takes me around the eating area as he visits with different folks. I have been serving at my church with a group of girls for the past 6 years, starting when they were in 1st grade and going all the way through with them - now they are in 6th grade. I have gotten up each Sunday morning to worship, play games, and have small group time. Our church has a strong foster/adopt ministry, so I have been able to take my experiences of foster care and adoption and help the younger girls experiencing that in their own families. I plan on serving throughout college and making it a way of life for the future. I am going to pursue a degree in civil engineering. As an engineer, I can partner with organizations and help create community centers and green spaces in areas that are under resourced. I can be someone who recognizes a need and steps in. I would love to mentor a younger student and provide support, just as my mentor supported me. I am confident that the skills I acquire through education will help me grow into someone who can model “to whom much is given, much is required”. Gun violence totally disrupted my life, but I have the opportunity to not let it destroy me, and instead to let it shape me.

What would Jesus do? I have learned that if I were to ever find myself in a dilemma or even an everyday interaction, I should take a moment to ask myself, “What would Jesus do?” Jesus taught us to love one another and ourselves, and when I set out into the world, I plan to take that value with me. I will enter adult life with the love I received, hold it close, and pass it on to all I encounter. I will continue to take the time to notice a person’s feelings and behaviors in hopes that I can somehow brighten their day. I will express my negative emotions healthily to limit the amount I let anger and irritation choose my actions. Giving into emotions like that rarely has a positive impact on anyone. An irritable person is less likely to think of others or the struggles that others may be going through. I never want to be that person or to set an example to those younger than me to be that person. Being in church has taught me many valuable things. When I was younger, I would go to church ready to tell my faith-filled brothers and sisters about an issue I was having at school with my peers. Each time, they would advise me not to judge them, for they are lost and have not yet learned that the Lord loves them. They said to try to befriend them and to help them find their way to the Lord. At that time, I took those words with a grain of salt, but now that I’m older, I know we live in a world of lost individuals. Some have never been taught of the Lord, and just as I have learned to do, I teach and spread awareness to anyone with an open ear. I tell those who want to listen that sin is skin-deep, while the Lord’s love for us knows no bounds. I don’t tell them they need a church to find the Lord but that they need a Bible, an open heart, and an open mind. Some people I have told this to have progressed and tried to find their place with the Lord, while some still need more time. Knowing what I know now, I don’t judge; I ask the Lord to help guide them to Him. The kindness that the Lord has provided me with, I try to pass to others in many ways. I find that I prefer to lend a helping hand. I help in small ways, such as lending a helping hand to someone carrying something, offering to help someone clean up, helping a friend with homework, or even donating some of my clothes. While things like this feel small, I’ve found that the effect can be prominent. The person I helped carry something with is now my friend, and we help the people we work with and each other with different activities. That friend I helped with homework graduated, and she is becoming a teacher. As for the donated clothes, they are spreading far and wide, hopefully helping to clothe those in need. Kindness goes a long way; all people need to do is open their hearts to the idea.