I don’t like to take the easy route in life me and the easy route don’t get along so good. I’m very driven and very motivated. I love to do things that challenge me. A lot of hate in my life and a lot of people telling me what I can and can’t do. I Chose a career that is really difficult, people never failed to remind me how difficult of a career it is to get. I hear all the time. Are you sure you can do that?. Or isn’t being a physician assistant really hard?. Have even had a lot of people tell me that I won’t be able to do it and then I should pick something easier. But I’ve heard this all before improved them wrong. Even though I have nothing to prove to others, I like to prove to myself that I can do the hardest of things. In my high school anatomy class we had a big test that was open note. I do not want to use my Notes because I knew that I knew all I needed to know. I love anatomy and anatomy all the time. When my teacher saw, I didn’t have my notes. She said Amira you should get your notes or you will fail the test. She told me there was everything I needed to know for the test. Along with all my other classmates, she assured me without my notes I would be able to test. I could’ve listened to my classmates, some teachers and went and got my notes. I mean, that would’ve made it easier. But like I said, I don’t like the easy route. And even though nobody in that room will lead me I believed in myself. I know my limits and I know what I can and can’t do. So I did the test without my notes or without a partner to help me. Nobody got 100% on this test. The highest score was 98%. The lowest of scores was a 20% in the class average was about 50%. Everybody was talking about who could’ve then the one person to get a 98%. I looked down at my paper and smiled. As I saw the 74 out of 75 on my paper. I could’ve went and told everyone that I was the one that got the highest score in the class even though they all doubted me. But I didn’t do it to prove to them that I could do it. I did it prove to myself that I could. So in my seat, I just sat and smiled If you let others put limits on you, you’ll never know how far you can go. Unfortunately, I am most of the time have to be my number own number one fan. My junior year, I decided that my senior year I was going to do college and high school part time. I was ahead because I took high school classes in middle school. So there was nothing left for me to do at high school, but I didn’t want to graduate early. So I took medical classes while being in high school and working two jobs. Many people told me I would not be able to balance this life and that I would fail. Next month, I’ll walk across the stage with all my college credits and my high school diploma. I never let what others said about me define my life. Thank God, the sky is a limit for me no matter what other’s say.

Growing up as a kid my family did not always have much. I was constantly bullied because I didn’t have the coolest shoes. Or the coolest clothes my parents are always stressed because of money. I don’t understand much about money until I got older. But now that I’m 17, I know a lot more about money than I did back then. My parents do make enough, but they never have enough. They have so much money and credit cards and I see how the debt affects them. So I started to do my own research on credit cards. I learned from my mistakes that you should not just spend the money because you can. If you can’t buy it, you shouldn’t buy it at all, which is something I live by. I will be responsible and I immediately pay back. For the points and benefits and pay it back every month in full to build a good credit score. I learned by doing research online and talking to people. I know that are wealthy. Seeing my parents struggle with credit card that made me never want that for myself. As I got older, I realize my parents do a lot of reckless spending. Not only if they have credit card debt, but they had debt from buying things like timeshares. Which they pay thousands to every month. With all their money, going towards paying off timeshares and credit card debt along with other debts. It’s nearly impossible to pay for bills. So I work two jobs I pay my own car insurance my own I buy my own food. I’m very financially independent for 17 I budget my money responsibly. But working two jobs and being in college would make it so that I can’t spend as much time focusing on my studies as I would like. I spent so long working so hard and I don’t wanna have to take out loans and get more debt. So far, I have no debt and I would like to keep it that way, so getting the scholarship would help me to stay financially out of trouble. And help me to financially support myself through college. I’m thankful that I got to watch and learn from my parents mistakes so that I didn’t make the same. I’m thankful for all the people in my life my teachers grandparents that taught me about finance. And there are so many things on the Internet, such as YouTube or TikTok that has so good financial advice.

What is leadership? that is a question that I’ve been figuring out the answer to the past four years in high school. To me a leader, someone you look up to. There’s a quote I like that says lead in a way that makes others want to follow you. My freshman year of high school I started gymnastics at a gym that was mostly white. And when I was little in the gym, I never saw people that looked like me doing amazing flips. I worked hard every day. I was the first person in the gym and the last person to leave. One day, I was practicing my no hand backflip I kept failing and landing on my head. I wanted to give up and walk out of the gym. Then I saw a group of little girls watching me through the other side of the window. Even if I couldn’t master the flip on the first day. I knew that I could show the girls behind the window no matter how many times you fall you can always get back up. Being a leader doesn’t mean that you’re perfect. So although that day, I didn’t get to show those girls what a perfect flip look like. I got to show them that you should never give up no matter how many times you fall. I did eventually get the flip just not that day. After falling on my head numerous times and getting back up, I was about done for the day. As I was walking out of the gym, a little girl came up to me. She said I watched you do your flips and they were so cool. She told me that she’s been practicing her cartwheels and that she’s been falling down a lot lately. But she told me you fell, and you got back up. Next time I go to practice, no matter how many times I fall. I’m gonna keep trying. She said maybe one day I’ll be like. I replied and said as long as you never give up, you can reach any dream. My failures got inspire someone that day. When you ask people what they want to be, you probably never hear them say an inspiration. Just like I inspired that girl in the gymnastics gym. I want to inspire other little girls, especially girls of color. That they can reach any dream they have if they don’t give up. I hope one day as a physician assistant, a little black girl. Will know that one day she can do it too.