Education is the key to continued progress and growth. Those individuals who are committed to educating themselves are empowered with a deeper understanding of the world around them and how to best enact change and contribute to the society they choose to participate in. I have had the privilege of growing up in a community that supports its members in their moments of need and is the first to celebrate them in their moments of triumph. Families in need are sponsored during the holidays not only with food but gifts for their little ones so that no one feels alone or unable to provide joyous experiences and memories. I have watched my community rally at a moment's notice in response to catastrophic flooding that forced families from their homes. Massive donations of food, clothing, and necessities were organized, and not only was the community able to provide for our own, but we had more than enough to donate to other local communities in need. I could not have had a better example of the meaning of loving your fellow man and what it means to actually make a difference in the lives of others. I plan to use my education to make real-life contributions to the people around me. I hope to use my degree in business management and dance to open my own dance company and expose more children to the arts. I hope to inspire them as I was inspired and pass on the lessons of hard work, discipline, tenacity, respect, and self-worth that were role-modeled for me. I hope that I can expose the next generation of kids to opportunities that they may not have imagined and outlets that they may have never known were available to them; enact change on a smaller scale that will hopefully ripple through and affect wider circles as time goes on. I have set a path for myself and worked hard for years to not only achieve those goals but to surpass them in any way possible. As a competitive elite dancer for ten years and a national winning dancer in tap and contemporary, I have learned the value of dedication and perseverance. Being a varsity cheerleader for four years and a volunteer cheerleading coach for our town rec organization has taught me leadership and the importance of giving back. My role as an assistant dance teacher for four years and working as a staff member at Brain Freeze, a local small business, has given me practical experience in management and operations. I have also been a member of the National Honor Society and the Spanish National Honor Society for two years each, and I have been actively involved in the Community Service Club for four years. These experiences have shaped my character and have instilled in me a sense of responsibility to contribute positively to my community. I hope to continue to work hard to earn the privilege of being awarded this scholarship and honor those who provided me with the opportunity by demonstrating that I will never take for granted the gift that was given. Winning this scholarship would not only help me financially but also serve as a testament to the values and lessons my community has taught me. It would be a step towards achieving my dream of making a positive impact through education and the arts.

“Dancing with friends is like a synchronized heartbeat, perfectly in tune,” “one heart, one beat.” Born of the same place and time, studying, and learning under the same roof, teachers, and mentors, I found my best friends. The sisters of my heart. Three souls that have laughed and cried together, struggled, failed, celebrated, and won together, grown together all to one beat. I would not have them if it were not for this passion for dance that we share and has driven me all my life. Our friendship and journey have been much like a choreographed dance, created by taking opposing elements and winding them together to make one cohesive piece that inspires. Melinda embodies grace and beauty, elegantly alluring. She is our compass and grounding force, navigating and flowing through obstacles with ease. Unapologetically herself and the essence of joy, Francesca is the fire and strength, drawing all who watch her in. Fearless, she will push us to go beyond our comfort zones to experience new things. I have been told that I am the passion and drive, inspiring others to experience emotions and take the journey with me. Fiercely loyal, deeply loving, and single-minded in pushing us to our greatest achievement while holding us to a higher level. Through time and dancing together, we have come to know each other as well as we know ourselves. Thoughts do not need to be voiced when one look conveys a full story. Moods are instantly gauged and navigated without words. When we dance together, we are as one. Tempos move faster or slower organically, and our movements mirror each other because the individual parts of who we are have, through time, blurred and melded into each other, creating a seamless connection. “One heart, one beat” is what I have lived these last eleven years of my life. It is what defines one of the single most important relationships that I expect to have in my life. The bond that these girls and I have forged through a shared love has endured time, obstacles, and the growing pains of youth. We will now enter a new era where we must choose our separate paths and discover who we are without the daily influence and connection to each other. We will take on the role of spectators watching each other’s lives play out from the sidelines, and trust that the threads we have woven together in this life will continue to vibrate in the same tempo it has always known. “Like a drum my heart never stops beating for you”, “one heart, one beat.”

"Great things are done by a series of small things brought together," - Vincent Van Gogh. I am a seventeen-year-old student who has spent the majority of my life gathering small lessons from every teacher and turning them into a passion for dance. Each experience has inspired me, and with the goal of creating a stable and financially successful business to support my family, I dream of building and running my own dance company. I want to pass forward all of those small, gathered things to the next generation. It is the challenge to use my passion for dance to inspire others while advancing my entrepreneurial career. I am fully aware that with my aspirations for life, I may not have a wide-reaching impact on the world at large, but I am confident that I can make a meaningful difference within a smaller community. My goal is to inspire and empower this smaller community, knowing that the positive effects will ripple outwards, creating a lasting impression as it extends its influence. As a dance mentor and teacher, I see the opportunity to shape and nurture young minds through exposure to the arts. I want to instill the techniques and abilities that will propel them forward on their unique journeys. Drawing from my own experiences, I have been deeply influenced by mentors who have become like family. Their guidance has impacted my life in ways I never anticipated. Through dance, I have learned the value of focus, hard work, and determination, even in the face of adversity. These are the invaluable lessons, combined with a deep passion for the art form, that I am eager to pass on to the future dancers I have the privilege to work with. At the end of my life, I wish to have made a positive impact on as many people as possible and become a role model for them just as others have for me. I'm currently working as an assistant teacher at the studio where I study and as a coach for the junior recreational program in our town. It is incredibly fulfilling to see the kids I work with grow in their abilities, confidence, and pride. Guiding them through their moments of uncertainty, being a stable, soft place to land, and seeing the joy on their faces when they achieve their goals and come to celebrate them with me is a privilege that I will never take for granted. My goal is to continue this work on a larger scale and with more autonomy by starting my own dance company, which I will do after completing my college education. Once I establish and grow my dance studio, I hope to fulfill my dream of being a mentor and positive influence for all the young dancers I will one day educate. All the small things will come together to make one of the greatest accomplishments of my life.

"Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world," said Nelson Mandela. If there was one change that I could enact in the world today it would be removing all forms of barriers to education. When it is possible for an individual to be educated and is given the gift of seeing the world through enhanced lenses imbued with a deeper knowledge and understanding of where they originated, the pitfalls they faced to get to where they are, and the vision to see where they can go, you create the space for and empower everyone with the tools to effect change. An ever-evolving and enlightened world can only benefit society at large. Removing the barriers to education would mean that all people, regardless of their background or circumstances, would have the opportunity to learn and grow. Children in underserved communities would have access to quality schools and resources. It would mean that adults looking to improve their skills and knowledge could do so without financial constraints. It would mean that the world would be filled with more evolved and enfranchised individuals who can contribute to society in meaningful ways. I have seen firsthand how education can transform lives, open doors and create opportunities for individuals to achieve their goals and dreams. My journey has been shaped by my educational experiences as a student, working towards achieving and maintaining a goal of a 4.0 GPA, a ten- year national-winning competitive dancer developing and honing my skills so that I may then go forward and teach others and a proud member of the National Honor Society and the Spanish National Honor Society where I was exposed to other like minded individuals who valued the gift of learning. These opportunities provided me the space to learn discipline, teamwork, and the importance of dedication. As a rising college freshman at The University of Maryland College Park, I am excited to pursue my studies and hope to use my education to make a positive impact. I want to create opportunities for others to learn and grow, just as I have been fortunate enough to do. By removing the barriers to education, we can create a world where everyone has the chance to reach their full potential and make a difference. I am committed to being a part of this change and believe that the help of Kenyada Me'Chon Thomas Legacy Scholarship I can continue to take the steps needed to achieve my goals. With this scholarship, I can continue my education and work towards a future where education is accessible to all.

“Great things are done by a series of small things brought together,” -Vincent Van Gogh. I am a seventeen-year-old student who has spent much of her life taking small things from every teacher and lesson that I have been gifted and turning them into this great big, amazing journey and passion for dance. Each experience has inspired me and from them, the dream of building my own dance company, where I could pay forward all of those small, gathered things to the next generation began. I am fully conscious that with my aspirations for life, I will not be impacting the world at large and that my effect will not extend to an extraordinary number of people. However, what I do hope to impact is a smaller community that can then go on and affect another small community and continue to ripple and exact its impression as it moves through the rings. As a dance mentor and teacher, I will have the opportunity to expose young minds to the arts. I will endeavor to teach of the greats and impart information that will equip them with the techniques and abilities that would drive their own journey. I have met countless mentors who have been like family to me and have influenced my life in ways I never anticipated. I was taught to trust in my own instincts and look inward for worth and validation, fostering a confidence that is now enabling my drive to fulfill my dreams. In this shared journey, I will guide them to learn the value of focus, hard effort, and determination as I did. These are the lessons along with the pure love for the art form that I aim to pass on to the future dancers I educate. At the end of my life, I wish to have made a positive impact and become a role model to those dancers just as many others did for me. I wish to use the tools I have gained to go forward to teach, guide, and mold my students. Once in possession of my own dance studio, I would use my vision and role as director of my company to finally be able to fulfill my dream of being a mentor and positive influence on a completely new generation of young dancers. All the small things will come together to make one of the greatest things that I have ever done.