LoginJoin Bold.org
user profile avatar

Aaliyah Summons

1x

Finalist

1x

Winner

General information

Location
Port Jervis, NY

Hobbies & Interests

  • Songwriting
  • Acting And Theater
  • Writing
  • Sports
  • Piano
  • Music
  • Music Production
  • Band
  • Choir
  • National Honor Society (NHS)
  • Social Justice
  • Learning
  • Community Service And Volunteering
  • Education
  • Baking
  • Spending Time With Friends and Family
  • Gaming
  • Advocacy And Activism
  • Television
  • DECA
  • Theater
  • Movies And Film
  • Music Composition
  • Music Theory
  • Volunteering
  • Comedy
  • African American Studies
  • Business And Entrepreneurship
  • Spanish
  • Singing
  • Dance
  • Food And Eating
  • Mental Health
  • Global Health
  • Studying
  • Student Council or Student Government
  • Science Olympiad
  • Track and Field
  • Playwriting
  • Finance

Reading

  • Academic
  • Action
  • Romance
  • Horror
  • Short Stories
  • Contemporary
  • Chick Lit
  • Classics
  • Adventure
  • Drama
  • Education
  • Realistic Fiction
  • Young Adult

I read books multiple times a week.

Bio

My name is Aaliyah Summons, I am a 18-year-old residing in NYS. I am a volunteer in my community and strive to be a role model. At a young age, I discovered my passion for music and learned the power of prose. In the future, I aspire to professionally write and produce music. Through this art, I hope to inspire and connect with the world around me. I am a dreamer. I have been from a young age. Driven and motivated for success, I only thought of doing things my future self would thank me for. I am not only motivated by my family, friends, and the role models around me, but myself and my passion for a brighter tomorrow, taking great leaps, trusting I will always end up on my feet, and working to reach my full potential. It is not without knowing setbacks that I’ve gotten to where I am today, but also not without triumphs that I’ve learned to always be my best. In life, I’ve sat with pen and paper. I’ve been both a pen; a voice for myself and others and paper; a canvas for life. Once blank, the clean pages are now filled with the stories of the past: others etched and torn away, some lines erased, but never entirely reduced from what they formerly were, the strokes and indents have weathered the pages and been erased, but still in sight, perceived in the gray shadows of lines, moments seeking to be shared and dreams on a list waiting to be crossed off. To paraphrase I am a dreamer, meaning I will continue reaching for the stars even if the day may never come, because even in failure there is a lesson, and it is only to try again.

Education

Hofstra University

Bachelor's degree program

2022 – 2026

Majors:
  • Music

Port Jervis Senior High School

High School

2018 – 2022

Miscellaneous

Desired degree level:
Bachelor's degree program
Majors of interest:
Music
Medical school interest:
No

Career

Miscellaneous

Dream career field:
Music
Dream career goals:
Producer/Songwriter
Has nursing license:
No

Future Interests

  • Advocacy
  • Politics
  • Volunteering
  • Philanthropy
  • Entrepreneurship
Sunni E. Fagan Memorial Music Scholarship
Music has always been an integral part of me; it has gotten me through all the phases of emotions a teenage girl could go through in the confusing time of adolescence. It was always available to me and whenever I was upset I knew that I could write or create something that would help me share my experiences or tell what I was going through. Life was not always kind in the past, and writing allowed me a place to put all of my energy into good or bad. Many times, I’d forgotten that I, a dreamer, had expectations that took time. Often, so much of my life was consumed by the many passions in me that grew restless in the dull times I spent in prolonged periods of procrastination and reflection. I thought I was owed time because elements of my life weren’t promising, and began to take it for granted, but through this pain, tears, and sculpting of myself, I found art. I found music. Music was everywhere, in every component of life. Music didn’t have rules, I was free to express emotion into an outlet that only powered me to be the best I could be. This rewrote my vision for myself in an almost therapeutic way that allowed me to empty my emotions into music instead of keeping them bottled up. This is why I write music. For expression, emoted through what I love. Even more, I feel music is my gift. I want to share it with the world in hopes that it may inspire others. I desire to do what I love, creating art you cannot see, letting the words and melodies create the image that makes it worth anything to those who’ll listen. With my career, I strive to open up music to younger audiences, so it can be utilized not only to heal but also to spread positivity and joy within communities that are lacking the resources to do so. Not only that, but I hope to amplify the voices and creators that need to be heard, hopefully inspiring a world of people through music. Music is a language; it embodies the very passion of its creators' creative spirit and translates into a dialect that needs no explanation or introduction. It is felt and understood; comprehensible with anyone's interpretation. Music is the universal language that we all speak; even without all of its significant attributes, such as lyrics or a popularized pop melody, music has the potential to leave a lasting impact. It’s something that connects us. My dream is to pursue a career in music, creating art forged from the emotions and passions that reside within me. I aspire to create sounds and pen lyrics that feel like happiness, love, relatability, and understanding or mirror the spirit of contentment or a good time: holding a presence that could raise someone from the depths of despair or make a good day better. When I attain those aspirations, I hope to inspire anyone who listens; confident music will propagate positivity. My music alone won't change the world, but the help of people young and old could spark a catalyst for change; starting a revolution of love and good vibes.
Sloane Stephens Doc & Glo Scholarship
To me, a dreamer is a visionary. They learn to see the world in different hues than those around them. To them, ordinary is incomplete, needing extra: time, hard work, direction, dedication, and patience to be cultivated into something extraordinary. Driven by great passion and strength, they notice potential and see more than what is presented before them, they seek fulfillment in goals and aspirations. Though everyone does it, dreaming is not for the faint of heart because sometimes what you imagine is not what you see when you finally open both eyes, but if a dream is worth anything a dreamer will see it through. They know fear as an inhibition that limits the potential of what they could be, so they take every shot even if they expect to miss them all. I am a dreamer. I have been from a young age, always believing in attaining any goal and following any path that was presented on my journey through life. Life has graced me with formidable obstacles; obstacles that threatened to get in the way of the ambitions and goals I’d set for myself as I grew and sought more from the world around me. It was that dreaming spirit and perseverance which guided me through those trials and taught me how to give my best performance, even in the face of adversity. What you can, with what you have, a phrase that always echoes within me, and gives me reason to believe; to try even when I may be unsure or doubtful, to leap in any given circumstance even if I may fall, and to climb even when all odds are stacked against me. I don’t do it merely for myself, but for my loved ones and a community of people like me. I want to create an impact wherever in life I may trek, and the characteristic of perseverance makes it all the more possible. Naturally, with my persevering spirit, I have worked in my community, garnering almost 100 hours of community service in the last three years, advocating for issues surrounding equality, mental health, & against the usage of drugs and alcohol amongst teens and younger kids. It is apparent that with the characteristic of perseverance that has been instilled in me, I will not be deterred easily. My learned resilience will aid me in all my future endeavors. Whether it be in music where I hope to produce and write for myself and others; amplifying the voices and creators that need to be heard, and hopefully inspiring a world of people through the power of music, as well as bridging the gap for women, especially those of color in my field. Or it is in the social stratosphere where I hope to continue advocating and creating positive change within the world around me. Scholarships like these lend hope to the idea of pursuing a higher education without the burdens of debt, and give way to more successful and prosperous futures for other dreamers and persevering people all over the world. I can only hope my essay was able to resonate and make your process of deliberation a little bit harder.
1st Generation People Of Color Patrick Copney Memorial Music/Arts Scholarship
Winner
Music is a language; it embodies the very passion of its creators' creative spirit and translates into a dialect that needs no explanation or introduction. It is felt and understood; comprehensible with anyone's interpretation. Music is the universal language that we all speak; even without all of its significant attributes, such as lyrics or a popularized pop melody, music has the potential to leave a lasting impact. It’s something that connects us. My dream is to pursue a career in music, creating art forged from the emotions and passions that reside within me. I aspire to create sounds and pen lyrics that feel like happiness, love, relatability, and understanding or mirror the spirit of contentment or a good time: holding a presence that could raise someone from the depths of despair or make a good day better. When I attain those aspirations, I hope to inspire anyone who listens; confident music will propagate positivity. My music alone won't change the world but could affect the individuals that have the potential to create a difference. Music has always been an integral part of me; it has gotten me through all the phases of emotions a teenage girl could go through in the confusing time of adolescence. It was always available to me and whenever I was upset I knew that I could write or create something that would help me share my experiences or tell what I was going through. Life was not always kind in the past, and writing allowed me a place to put all of my energy into good or bad. Many times, I’d forgotten that I, a dreamer, had expectations that took time. Often, so much of my life was consumed by the many passions in me that grew restless in the dull times I spent in prolonged periods of procrastination and reflection. I thought I was owed time because elements of my life weren’t promising, and began to take it for granted, but through this pain, tears, and sculpting of myself, I found art. I found music. Music was everywhere, in every component of life. Music didn’t have rules, I was free to express emotion into an outlet that only powered me to be the best I could be. This rewrote my vision for myself in an almost therapeutic way that allowed me to empty my emotions into music instead of keeping them bottled up. This is why I write music. For expression, emoted through what I love. Even more, I feel music is my gift. I want to share it with the world in hopes that it may inspire others. I desire to do what I love, creating art you cannot see, letting the words and melodies create the image that makes it worth anything to those who’ll listen. Music will always be a vital part of me. Whether I'm listening to it or creating it, I want to leave something behind in this world that I know could have impacted someone else. Furthering my education in music, I hope to lay the foundation that all my dreams will form upon. Music enriches the very being that is me, and being able to pursue a career in the field would not only be a dream come true but a step in all the directions that lead right. In my hands, I hold the power to create something timeless that transcends all time and can draw love from all hate; that is the power in prose and strength in music, that we all must come together to enjoy. Music to me holds a place for everyone.
Aaliyah Summons Student Profile | Bold.org