Since the beginning violence and criminal activity have played a role in my life, I grew up in a rough neighborhood where gang activity, drug use, and death were prevalent. My father was a repeat criminal offender and often went in and out of prison which left me and my mother to fend for ourselves in this harsh environment. My earliest memories of my father are not fond ones. I remember watching my father indulge in many different kinds of drugs and alcohol. I remember my father selling illegal substances in front of my eyes. I remember my father always being angry towards the world. I remember his depressive episodes and states of mania. For a long time, I despised him because of these memories. I always questioned why he would choose a life of crime over me and my mother. I never thought I could ever understand him and I did not want to. I believed he was a terrible person. About five years ago my father began to change. He stopped indulging in criminal activity and became a part of my life. At first, I pushed him away, until one day he came home and I saw him cry for the first time. He poured out his apologies and regrets and I allowed him to. For the first time, I didn't believe he was a terrible person. The truth was that my father struggled with mental health. From the beginning, he lost his mother to gun violence and anyone who meant anything to him to the streets. He was alone and instead of coping with those losses he pushed his feelings to the side and went into survival mode. He spent years running the streets to have food for himself and a place to stay. Throughout this time he was exposed to unimaginable horrors. He witnessed people die, he was subjected to traumas, and along the way, he lost himself. I realized then that my father never had anyone to go to to deal with his issues. Maybe if he did he would have never led down such a dark path. In the black community, going to a therapist is taboo. We are taught from an early age that our mental health does not matter and this has led our community and many other minority communities to sweep our feelings and mental health under the rug. My father is a prime example of this generational curse. It took him a long time to be able to come out of that vicious cycle of incarceration and find himself. I want to help others who have indulged in or will indulge in criminal activity, find their way just as my father has. Currently, I am an Agnes Scott College undergrad student who is majoring in Psychology. After earning my bachelor's degree I will continue my education in forensic psychology and become a Forensic Psychologist. With my education in forensic psychology, I can provide information in eyewitness testimony, research rehabilitative mental health tactics for criminals to lower repeated offenders, improve criminal profiling, and help people find themselves. Right now our prison systems lack rehabilitation, we believe throwing people in a cell will undo the traumas they have been through pre-incarceration and somehow turn people into outstanding citizens when they leave. I plan to make a difference and make our prisons rehabilitative and mentally healthy so people like my father can follow a path of healing.

From the moment I was born, I faced adversity. I was born prematurely with a heart defect that left me ill for a long time. I battled scoliosis and went through a series of doctor visits. I had a parent who was in and out of prison which left me and my mother financially stricken for as long as I can remember. I grew up in a poor neighborhood with high levels of criminal activity and inadequate education systems. I went through every possible scenario and came out as a current sophomore at Agnes Scott College pursuing a bachelor's degree in Psychology. Growing up in a harsh environment led me to be subjected to a poor educational system. My school rarely could afford textbooks or reading books. My school was equipped with teachers with no teaching experience which caused me to become academically behind throughout the years. Although I grew up in a poor area I tried to make the most of my education, however, I faced other obstacles that held me back through my educational journey. As a child, my health complications from my birth prohibited me from doing certain activities throughout my academic career. I wasn't able to learn like the others and my frequent doctor visits for my heart defect and my scoliosis constantly got in the way of my studies. Besides my health, my father's absence created instability within my household and my education. I have bounced continuously around from one home to the next and endured traumatic experiences of abandonment, which hindered me from trying my best in the earlier years of my education. I was more preoccupied with wondering what our next meal would be than multiplication and writing comprehension. One complication after the other seemed to affect my education. However, like my mother always told me, "Succeed where success is not expected". I studied harder and pushed myself to my fullest potential. I started going to tutoring to get a better understanding of our material. I read every night to boost my grammar and writing comprehension. I began to succeed when I did not think success was possible. I overcame the odds and received good grades and numerous awards for my accomplishments. Although I overcame the odds and have enrolled in a 4-year accredited college, I am once again faced with a challenge that I must overcome. Just last year my mother got into a severe car crash which left her out of work and struggling financially for months. This has put a strain not only on our household but on my enrollment at Agnes Scott College. To continue to stay at my school I will need to come out of pocket around $10,000 which is not an option at this moment as my mother and I are struggling to make ends meet. If I win this scholarship I will continue to pursue a bachelor's degree in Psychology and overcome this financial hurdle that is keeping me from continuing my education. With my education in Forensic Psychology, I can provide information in eyewitness testimony, research rehabilitative tactics for criminals to lower repeated offenders, make improvements in criminal profiling, and create preventative measures for children who grew up in harsh environments to not indulge in criminal activity in the future. With this scholarship, I can still "succeed where success is not expected".

Me and my mother have been on our own since the beginning. My father was in and out of incarceration which left us to struggle financially and emotionally. We often moved from one place to the next which put my mother in numerous difficult situations. I remember many nights witnessing my mother cry yet she woke up every morning with a smile on her face and a promise of change. She worked hard for us and eventually, we went from living home to home to having a place of our own. Soon after my brother came along and things were looking better for us, until my mother lost her job and we were back to living from one house to another. My mother spent the next 4 years working hard until we eventually were able to move to Georgia and establish a life for ourselves. My mother's strength and determination to further my academic success were the source of her hard work through the years. Through our times of difficulty, she stressed to me the importance of education. She believed education was the key to success and I wholeheartedly took on her ideal. Although I grew up in a neighborhood with a poor education system, I managed to make the most out of the education I had access to. I received many awards and recognition for this success and made my mother proud. Now I am a sophomore in college and have still managed to keep a smile on my mother's face. Without her sacrifice, I would have never made it to this point in my life. She is the reason I keep going and I hope that one day I can be a mother my future kids can look up to just as I look up to her. Recently my mother got into a major car crash that put her out of work for many months. Due to this car crash, we have been financially struggling to maintain our lives here in Georgia. This setback has affected my financial aid and has made my chances of attending school for the upcoming semester very slim. To continue my education at Agnes Scott College, I will need to come out of pocket roughly $10,000. Once again my mother is left to figure out our financial situation at home and my financial situation at school. For the first time in years, I witnessed my mother's tears. At Agnes Scott College, I am majoring in Psychology. I plan to graduate with a bachelor's in Psychology and enroll in a graduate program for Forensic Psychology. With my education in forensic psychology, I can provide information in eyewitness testimony, research rehabilitative tactics for criminals to lower repeated offenders, make improvements in criminal profiling, and create preventative measures for children who grew up in harsh environments to not indulge in criminal activity in the future. With this scholarship, I will be able to lessen the financial burden of my college expenses and be able to continue my education at Agnes Scott College. I desperately want to put a smile on my mother's face and to lessen her stress, this scholarship would be beneficial for our desperate situation.

As a first-year student at Agnes Scott College, I was allowed to travel to Belize on a one-week SUMMIT immersion experience called Global Journeys. At my institution, my education is based on SUMMIT which is a curriculum centered around global learning and leadership development. Part of every first-year Global learning experience involves a one-week getaway to various countries around the world to study the topics of Globalization, Identity, Colonialism, and Ethics of Travel. During my stay in Belize, I witnessed and learned about the exploitation and colonization of Mayan culture by foreign countries through the research my class conducted at St. Herman's Cave and Xunantunich Ruins, tourist attractions, and important Mayan landmarks in Belize. Other than tourist attractions I researched about the exploitation of Chocolate and its importance to the Mayan people. Our findings were then published and presented at our school's annual Spring Annual Research Conference based on our four topics; Globalization, Identity, Colonialism, and Ethics of Travel. Although my time there was fruitful based on research my travel proved to be a transformative experience that allowed me to grow as a person and change my perspective on the world. I was able to learn to not be a tourist but rather an ethical traveler due to this experience. When I arrived in Belize I was instantly captured by its beauty and had a tourist mindset. I initially ignored the people who lived in poverty and enjoyed their country from my lavish hotel. I ignored the high levels of corruption in the country and swam in their waters with the sea creatures. I ignored the corrupt political situation and enjoyed a nice hike near St. Herman's Cave. Until I began conversing with local Belizeans. I began to see them and their situation and began to have a different perspective. I not only saw Belize as a beautiful country but as a beautiful country that has its issues and to ignore it in the beginning was only because of my ignorance as a privileged American. The experience I received from Belize will forever have a major impact on me. I learned to change my perspective and to realize that the world is much bigger than my dorm room and that my ignorance of the world around me will only bring harm and no good. Cooking with the local families taught me to appreciate my own even more and make time for them. Listening to the local's financial hardships made me realize my ignorance of other's around me who are going through the same hardship. Witnessing Belize's education system made me work harder at the outstanding education I was blessed to receive. Tourism teaches nothing but traveling teaches people life-long lessons that will contribute to their success in this world. Although Belize made me more appreciative of my family and my life it taught me respect, empathy, love, strength, perseverance, and openness which I will forever carry with me.

Since the beginning violence and criminal activity have played a role in my life, I grew up in a rough neighborhood where gang activity, drug use, and death were prevalent. My father was a repeat criminal offender and often went in and out of prison which left me and my mother to fend for ourselves in this harsh environment. We went many nights wondering what our next meal would be and bounced around from one home to the next. With such instability as a child, I was forced to grow up quickly. The day my father came back home from prison, I was ecstatic. He promised me the world and made it his mission to become a better person for me and my mother and I believed him. Until he got arrested a few days later and left us once more. That day I knew I wanted to work in the criminal justice system to help make neighborhoods like mine safer and to lessen the number of repeat offenders such as my dad. I wanted to make a difference in people's lives and to do that I knew that I needed to work hard. Since then I have strived towards my goal. I made the most of my poor education, thrived in academics, received awards and recognition for my success, and prioritized my future. Eventually, my father turned himself around and became the father I needed him to be which helped us to move to Georgia before my freshman year of high school in hopes of better educational opportunities. I started taking AP Political Science classes and paved the way to become a Lawyer, yet something was missing. I began to question whether becoming a lawyer was the career path I was meant to take. I started taking random classes to figure out the missing piece until I found Forensic Psychology. In my high school forensics class, we dove into a forensic psychology unit where I learned about the responsibilities of forensic psychologists. For once in my life I found a spark and I knew that this career was my life calling. I am currently going into my second year at Agnes Scott College receiving an education in forensic psychology. With my education in forensic psychology, I can provide information in eyewitness testimony, research rehabilitative tactics for criminals to lower repeated offenders, make improvements in criminal profiling, and create preventative measures for children, like me, who grew up in these harsh environments to not indulge in criminal activity in the future. Growing up around drug abuse and criminal activity was honestly a blessing because it showed me my purpose on this Earth. I will make it my mission to lower criminal activity and make our world safer.

As far as I can remember, my life has always been surrounded by crime and gang-related activity in Rochester NY. I spent many years as a child constantly worried for the safety of my friends, family, and myself. I was never able to play outside like a normal child, instead stayed in the house to avoid a bullet in my body. That was my life and has forever been my life until I moved into a safer neighborhood in Georgia in the year of 2019. To this day I still see violence and criminal activity continuing to happen in my old community and thousands of other communities throughout the U.S. There has been countless deaths throughout the years and the numbers keep rising every year. Growing up in this environment helped contribute to my goal of decreasing criminal activity throughout the U.S. Currently I am in my sophomore year of college majoring in psychology and working towards a future doctoral degree in Forensic Psychology. With this degree I plan to research the psychological makings of a criminal in order to help our court systems better determine if a person has committed the crime that they are being accused of. With my education in forensic psychology, I can provide information in eyewitness testimony, research rehabilitative tactics for criminals to lower repeated offenders, and to research the makings of a criminal to stop people from becoming criminals in the future. To reach towards this goal I am currently attending Agnes Scott College and majoring in psychology. I am also taking forensic classes in the Spring to gain more knowledge on criminal profiling. I have recently applied for scholarships to work in Georgia's Department of Community Supervision to gain firsthand experience is Georgia's correction system. Lastly, I am currently working in Childcare at the YMCA because I believe that many criminal gain a violent mindset from their childhood experiences and working with kids I have been able to touch the lives of many kids who come from places I grew up in and homes that have caused them trauma. With my job I have been able to create a safe space for the kids to be kids which might have saved a child from indulging in the violent activity that they were around. I will continue to work hard to achieve my goal of lower criminal activity and I plan to keep working hard to address this social issue.

Although I love every character in Stranger Things I believe that Eleven, Erica, and Max would be the best characters to form a squad and face off against a new supernatural threat. Each of those characters has something unique about them and would complement each other in a battle. Eleven would be a great asset to the squad mainly due to her telepathic abilities. Against a foe of great strength, Eleven would be able to put up a fight against the enemy in combat. Eleven also has highly favorable characteristics such as loyalty, adaptation, protectiveness, and willpower. Her loyalty to her friends and family is what drives her willpower to win in battle. She never wants to see her loved ones hurt due to her shortfalls so she uses her inner strength to exceed her limits to protect everyone. Although Eleven has great qualities she also has some weaknesses such as her impulsivity and independence. Eleven often acts on impulse rather than reason or logic which can leave room for the enemy to capitalize off of her. Other than her impulsivity, Eleven's independence in battle is another great weakness that could lead to her defeat. She often tries to fight alone and rarely relies on her peers to help her in her time of need which can be harmful to the team. Although Eleven has her shortfalls, Erica and Max could be great accomplices to ensure Eleven's shortcomings cannot lead to defeat. Erica is by far the youngest of the three characters, however, she possesses the best qualities to fight the enemy. In battle Erica is level-headed, she makes decisions through deep thought and less emotion than Max and Eleven. She learned to separate her emotions from decision-making which makes her strategies in combat highly effective against enemies. Other than her decision-making skills, Erica is highly intelligent. She is practically a nerd (don't tell that to her face) and she bases her decisions on her intellect. With such a smart character on this squad, great battle strategies could be used to help them win against the enemy. However, Erica is highly weak in combat. Due to her age and inexperience, she would not be great in a physical battle, however, Eleven and Max make up for her incompetence. Lastly, Max would be a great asset to balance out everyone's weaknesses and strengths. Max may not be the strongest or brightest of the three, however, she is the most observant, daring, and empathetic of the three. With Eleven's impulsiveness and Erica's rational perspective, Max has an open mind and is daring to try things outside of the box without impulsivity. Max reacts from the basis of emotion but not to the point of her being impulsive, she critically thinks about her actions and makes a decision. Although Erica makes level-headed decisions, Max steps out of the norm and makes decsions that wouldn't be textbook, which would be great in the battle to surprise the enemy. She is also very empathetic towards individuals. Eleven and Erica possess the will to win no matter the cost but Max has the will to change an individual rather than necessarily defeating the enemy. However, Max will fight if necessary to protect everyone. She is also very observant which can be helpful when coming up with strategies to take down the enemy or finding the enemy's weakness.

As a child growing up in Rochester, NY, my village instilled the importance of perseverance which equated to my survival. At the tender age of five, I was exposed to the hardships of my environment which entailed poverty, gun violence and drug abuse. While running errands, one of my earliest memories is looking out the back seat window of my mother’s car and distinctly observing my people laced with despair, wearing gang-banging colors and exchanging drugs. Coming from Rochester where only suffering, pain, death, and imprisonment lie, Ihave the responsibility of giving back to the community to ensure the next generation will have a better upbringing. As an active member of the Black Student Union, Zetta Gamma Rho Step Team, National Honor Society, Wheeler Student Council and much more, one of the ways I differentiate from my peers is by utilizing my stature in each organization to promote social advocacy. Recently, I sought to spread awareness concerning the disparities between the Magnet program, STEM, AVID and the general school population about the knowledge of school activities, scholarships and college readiness. These matters were discussed in an open forum consisting of faculty members at Wheeler Highschool and elected officials representing the student body. The lack of transparency offered by all levels of employment within the Cobb County School District is a prime example that we have yet to “reach the mountain top” and as a result, it's hindering the elevation of lower- and middle-class citizens who are predominately comprised of minorities. Besides bringing the inequalities of our academic system to the limelight, I also advocate social media to bridge the gap between cultural points of view concerning police brutality and the importance of voting. My participation in #BlackoutTuesday which is a mass media protest against racism and police brutality entails reposting victims of these injustices, retelling their stories and sharing the credentials of socially responsible non-profit organizations that spread positive messages of reform. Although I am not of age to vote, I strongly urge those who can participate to witness a positive social change in our nation. Demonstrations of this can be seen by my involvement in the #RockTheVote movement and more importantly, making my peers aware of the key issues at hand in this election which includes women's rights. In the short years that I’ve been on this earth, I’ve advocated for numerous causes surrounding social, economic, and environmental issues faced by society. With my strength of mind and love of others, I will seek to correct the wrongdoings of our society.

Throughout my life, I have been interested in the minds of others. Witnessing the generational wounds that have prevailed within the African American community has created a sense of duty for us all to educate and protect the mindset of this and future generations to come. The lack of mental care fuels the extremities of suicide, depression, and criminal activities that are constantly growing among teenagers and young adults in our society. In social sciences, I am predominately interested in Psychology and the impact that it has on our society. The study of the human mind creates a sense of curiosity which has me constantly questioning the ideology and circumstantial events leading to suicide and depression. Is suicide a coping mechanism instilled into the brain’s consciousness? Are there general psychiatric patterns that relay depression? Do specific brain mechanisms cease to function through poor mental health? These questions are just a few that arise concerning the human psyche and from here, I hope to uncover ways that we can combat this health crisis that’s prominent among minorities. There appears to be a correlation between the rising rates of suicide and the number of criminal offenses committed within our community. Through psychology, we can uncover preventive measures that result in fewer convictions and suicide attempts. Child trauma is the primary source of criminals committing offenses. With the study of criminals, in particular serial killers, adolescent experiences have a strong correlation with the offenses committed, which can be addressed early to prevent future transgressions. The in-depth function of the human brain and its alterations from personal experiences attracts my attention to the finer details of humans and the vast individual perceptions that are created; both good and bad. I strongly believe that psychology will enable me to strengthen my understanding of social behaviors and how they correlate to mental infringements of the human psyche. My lifelong goal is to research methods that can identify early signs of childhood trauma and in return create ground-breaking coping mechanisms thru the usage of STEM research and other modernized visual technologies that appeal to our community. With such knowledge, we could see a significant reduction in crime rates, and suicide attempts and ultimately break the negative stigma surrounding our consciousness of mental health and seeking professional help. Psychology offers vast opportunities for me to spread awareness and the importance of mental health throughout our communities and ultimately change the world.

As an active member of the Black Student Union, Zetta Gamma Rho Step Team, National Honor Society, Wheeler Student Council and much more, one of the ways I differentiate from my peers is by utilizing my stature in each organization to promote social advocacy. Recently, I sought to spread awareness concerning the disparities between the Magnet program, STEM, AVID and the general school population about the knowledge of school activities, scholarships and college readiness. These matters were discussed in an open forum consisting of faculty members at Wheeler Highschool and elected officials representing the student body. The lack of transparency offered by all levels of employment within the Cobb County School District is a prime example that we have yet to “reach the mountain top” and as a result, it's hindering the elevation of lower- and middle-class citizens who are predominately comprised of minorities. Besides bringing the inequalities of our academic system to the limelight, I also advocate on social media to bridge the gap between the cultural point of view concerning police brutality and the importance of voting. My participation in #BlackoutTuesday which is a mass media protest against racism and police brutality entails reposting victims of these injustices, retelling their stories and sharing the credentials of socially responsible non-profit organizations that spread positive messages of reform. Although I am not of age to vote, I strongly urge those who can participate to witness a positive social change in our nation. Demonstrations of this can be seen by my involvement in the #RockTheVote movement and more importantly, making my peers aware of the key issues at hand in this election which includes women's rights. In the short years that I’ve been on this earth, I’ve advocated for numerous causes surrounding social, economic, and environmental issues faced by society. With my strength of mind and love of others, I will seek to correct the wrongdoings of our society. Knowing this, you can best believe that my path will not waver but instead, it’ll strengthen as I leap into my next journey in my psychology career. Witnessing the generational wounds that have prevailed within the African American community has created a sense of duty to educate and protect the mindset of this and future generations to come. The lack of mental care fuels the extremities of suicide, depression, and criminal activities that are constantly growing among teenagers and young adults in our society. My lifelong goal is to research methods that can identify early signs of childhood trauma and in return create ground-breaking coping mechanisms thru the usage of STEM research and other modernized visual technologies that appeal to our community. With such knowledge, we could see a significant reduction in crime rates, and suicide attempts and ultimately break the negative stigma surrounding our consciousness of mental health and seeking professional help. This scholarship will offer vast opportunities for me to use my advocacy background and spread awareness of mental health throughout our communities to ultimately change the world.

As an active member of the Black Student Union, Zetta Gamma Rho Step Team, National Honor Society, Wheeler Student Council and much more, one of the ways I differentiate from my peers is by utilizing my stature in each organization to promote social advocacy. Recently, I sought to spread awareness concerning the disparities between the Magnet program, STEM, AVID and the general school population about the knowledge of school activities, scholarships and college readiness. These matters were discussed in an open forum consisting of faculty members at Wheeler Highschool and elected officials representing the student body. The lack of transparency offered by all levels of employment within the Cobb County School District is a prime example that we have yet to “reach the mountain top” and as a result, it's hindering the elevation of lower- and middle-class citizens who are predominately comprised of minorities. Besides bringing the inequalities of our academic system to the limelight, I also advocate on social media to bridge the gap between the cultural point of view concerning police brutality and the importance of voting. My participation in #BlackoutTuesday which is a mass media protest against racism and police brutality entails reposting victims of these injustices, retelling their stories and sharing the credentials of socially responsible non-profit organizations that spread positive messages of reform. Although I am not of age to vote, I strongly urge those who can participate to witness a positive social change in our nation. Demonstrations of this can be seen by my involvement in the #RockTheVote movement and more importantly, making my peers aware of the key issues at hand in this election which includes women's rights. In the short years that I’ve been on this earth, I’ve advocated for numerous causes surrounding social, economic, and environmental issues faced by society. With my strength of mind and love of others, I will seek to correct the wrongdoings of our society through my love for psychology. Through psychology, I can uncover preventive measures that result in fewer convictions and suicide attempts. With the study of criminals, in particular serial killers, adolescent experiences have a strong correlation with the offenses committed, which can be addressed early to prevent future transgressions. I strongly believe that the Trees for Tuition Scholarship will enable me to strengthen my understanding of social behaviors and how they correlate to mental infringements of the human psyche. My lifelong goal is to research methods that can identify early signs of childhood trauma and in return create ground-breaking coping mechanisms thru the usage of STEM research and other modernized visual technologies. With such knowledge, we could see a significant reduction in crime rates, and suicide attempts and ultimately break the negative stigma surrounding our consciousness of mental health and seeking professional help.

As an active member of the Black Student Union, Zetta Gamma Rho Step Team, National Honor Society, Wheeler Student Council and much more, one of the ways I differentiate from my peers is by utilizing my stature in each organization to promote social advocacy. Recently, I sought to spread awareness concerning the disparities between the Magnet program, STEM, AVID and the general school population about the knowledge of school activities, scholarships and college readiness. These matters were discussed in an open forum consisting of faculty members at Wheeler Highschool and elected officials representing the student body. The lack of transparency offered by all levels of employment within the Cobb County School District is a prime example that we have yet to “reach the mountain top” and as a result, it's hindering the elevation of lower- and middle-class citizens who are predominately comprised of minorities. Besides bringing the inequalities of our academic system to the limelight, I also advocate social media to bridge the gap between cultural points of view concerning police brutality and the importance of voting. My participation in #BlackoutTuesday which is a mass media protest against racism and police brutality entails reposting victims of these injustices, retelling their stories and sharing the credentials of socially responsible non-profit organizations that spread positive messages of reform. Although I am not of age to vote, I strongly urge those who can participate to witness a positive social change in our nation. Demonstrations of this can be seen by my involvement in the #RockTheVote movement and more importantly, making my peers aware of the key issues at hand in this election which includes women's rights. In the short years that I’ve been on this earth, I’ve advocated for numerous causes surrounding social, economic, and environmental issues faced by society. With my strength of mind and love of others, I will seek to correct the wrongdoings of our society. My lifelong goal is to research methods that can identify early signs of childhood trauma and in return create ground-breaking coping mechanisms thru the usage of STEM research and other modernized visual technologies that appeal to our community. With such knowledge, we could see a significant reduction in crime rates, and suicide attempts and ultimately break the negative stigma surrounding our consciousness of mental health and seeking professional help. The experience I have gained from my community efforts has offered me vast knowledge on how I can spread awareness and the importance of mental health throughout our communities to change the world.

“The greatest glory in living lies not in never failing, but in rising every time we fall~Nelson Mandela." As a child growing up in Rochester, NY, my village instilled the importance of perseverance which equated to my survival. At the tender age of five, I was exposed to the hardships of my environment which entailed poverty, gun violence and drug abuse. While running errands, one of my earliest memories is looking out the back seat window of my mother’s car and distinctly observing my people laced with despair, wearing gang-banging colors and exchanging drugs. Coming from Rochester where only suffering, pain, death, and imprisonment lies, I shout that victory has prevailed! But like every victory, you must pay homage to the obstacles you’ve overcome. Rochester coerces minorities into atrocious deeds which later becomes the route of misery; creating generational wounds. I have witnessed people in my life perish or become offenders of our judicial system and unfortunately, my father is no exception. During my father’s adolescent years, he aspired to finish high school and attend college. His dream soon fell short and became a victim of the “streetlife” following the murder of his stepfather and nephew. After years of alcohol and drug abuse rehabilitation programs, my father turned his life around and his dream soon became mine; a fight to break the cycle and become the first “Yancey” to attend college. Although both of my parents’ families reigned from drug abuse, my mother’s adolescent years possessed physical and emotional abuse as well. The horrors she endured helped to mold her; which later became the pivotal source of her determination to excel in life. Although both of my parents are currently thriving, their trials and tribulations remain a reminder of how my success will bring their testimonies full circle. Despite my parents’ efforts to shield me from the harshness of this world and the disadvantages bestowed upon me, I’ve found myself in races where my peers possessed a running start that could have derailed me from my destiny. In countless scenarios, I have witnessed disparity between the city, suburban and private schools. I recall attending a summer youth program held at a private school in Rochester where it became evident that the resources provided to me in the inter-city public school system were vastly different from my “well-off” counterparts. It became apparent that I would have to study harder than my peers due to the District’s underfunded budget. Besides the challenges of persevering academically, the extremities of my environment caused emotional trauma with the increase in criminal activities. Regrettably, loss of life became normalized and the most heartbreaking moment that sparked the consecutive shootings in our city started with the Boys and Girls Club massacre. Their loss was internalized by us all and remains an emotional burden on my soul today. Nonetheless, the knowledge passed down from my parents indirectly to the lessons learned from my own experiences, helps me to remain optimistic about my future. My circumstances have made the “American dream” low in obtainability but those circumstances will not shape my future. Through hard work, I persevered into an exceptional student with exponential potential. Being a first-generation student in college on my father’s side, I will break generational wounds and bring forth a generation of scholars. I will create mental health clinics, restore proper educational necessities, and lower crime rates to ensure the safety of my people. I have overcome the obstacle that was unattainable to overcome and will overcome all hardships to shed light on the disadvantaged and to help those in need overcome their obstacles.

“The greatest glory in living lies not in never failing, but in rising every time we fall~Nelson Mandela." As a child growing up in Rochester, NY, my village instilled the importance of perseverance which equated to my survival. At the tender age of five, I was exposed to the hardships of my environment which entailed poverty, gun violence and drug abuse. While running errands, one of my earliest memories is looking out the back seat window of my mother’s car and distinctly observing my people laced with despair, wearing gang-banging colors and exchanging drugs. Coming from Rochester where only suffering, pain, death, and imprisonment lies, I shout that victory has prevailed! But like every victory, you must pay homage to the individuals and obstacles you’ve overcome. Rochester coerces minorities into atrocious deeds which later becomes the route of misery; creating generational wounds. I have witnessed people in my life perish or become offenders of our judicial system and unfortunately, my father is no exception. During my father’s adolescent years, he aspired to finish high school and attend college. His dream soon fell short and became a victim of the “streetlife” following the murder of his stepfather and nephew. After years of alcohol and drug abuse rehabilitation programs, my father turned his life around and his dream soon became mine; a fight to break the cycle and become the first “Yancey” to attend college. Although both of my parents’ families reigned from drug abuse, my mother’s adolescent years possessed physical and emotional abuse as well. The horrors she endured helped to mold her; which later became the pivotal source of her determination to excel in life. Although both of my parents are currently thriving, their trials and tribulations remain a reminder of how my success will bring their testimonies full circle. Despite my parents’ efforts to shield me from the harshness of this world and the disadvantages bestowed upon me, I’ve found myself in races where my peers possessed a running start that could have derailed me from my destiny. In countless scenarios, I have witnessed disparity between the city, suburban and private schools. I recall attending a summer youth program held at a private school in Rochester where it became evident that the resources provided to me in the inter-city public school system were vastly different from my “well-off” counterparts. It became apparent that I would have to study harder than my peers due to the District’s underfunded budget. Besides the challenges of persevering academically, the extremities of my environment caused emotional trauma with the increase in criminal activities. Regrettably, loss of life became normalized and the most heartbreaking moment that sparked the consecutive shootings in our city started with the Boys and Girls Club massacre. Their loss was internalized by us all and remains an emotional burden on my soul today. Nonetheless, the knowledge passed down from my parents indirectly to the lessons learned from my own experiences, helps me to remain on course and optimistic about my future. My circumstances have made the “American dream” low in obtainability but those circumstances will not shape my future. Through hard work, I persevered into an exceptional student with exponential potential. I will research methods to identify early signs of childhood trauma and in return uncover coping mechanisms to help those in less fortunate standards treat poor mental health. With such knowledge, we could see a significant reduction in crime rates and suicide attempts and ultimately break the negative stigma surrounding mental health.

Throughout my life, I have been interested in the minds of others. Witnessing the generational wounds that have prevailed within the African American community has created a sense of duty for us all to educate and protect the mindset of this and future generations to come. The lack of mental care fuels the extremities of suicide, depression, and criminal activities that are constantly growing among teenagers and young adults in our society. In social sciences, I am predominately interested in Psychology and the impact that it has on our society. The study of the human mind creates a sense of curiosity which has me constantly questioning the ideology and circumstantial events leading to suicide and depression. Is suicide a coping mechanism instilled into the brain’s consciousness? Are there general psychiatric patterns that relay depression? Do specific brain mechanisms cease to function through poor mental health? These questions are just a few that arise concerning the human psyche and from here, I hope to uncover ways that we can combat this health crisis that’s prominent among minorities. There appears to be a correlation between the rising rates of suicide and the number of criminal offenses committed within our community. Through psychology, we can uncover preventive measures that result in fewer convictions and suicide attempts. Child trauma is the primary source of criminals committing offenses. With the study of criminals, in particular serial killers, adolescent experiences have a strong correlation with the offenses committed, which can be addressed early to prevent future transgressions. The in-depth function of the human brain and its alterations from personal experiences attracts my attention to the finer details of humans and the vast individual perceptions that are created; both good and bad. I strongly believe this scholarship will help me to strengthen my understanding of social behaviors and how they correlate to mental infringements of the human psyche. My lifelong goal is to research methods that can identify early signs of childhood trauma and in return create ground-breaking coping mechanisms thru the usage of STEM research and other modernized visual technologies that appeal to our community. With such knowledge, we could see a significant reduction in crime rates, and suicide attempts and ultimately break the negative stigma surrounding our consciousness of mental health and seeking professional help. With this opportunity, I can spread awareness and the importance of mental health can take place and ultimately change the world.

Helping others has been a leading strength for my passion for my potential career field and personal life. Growing up in the city of Rochester NY, where murder, poverty, and sadness prosper, I gained the strength to become more involved in my community. Witnessing the generational wounds that have prevailed within the African American community has created a sense of duty to educate and protect the mindset of this and future generations to come. The lack of mental care fuels the extremities of suicide, depression, and criminal activities that are constantly growing among teenagers and young adults in our society, hicwh has inspired my future career of being a forensic psychologist. As an active member of the Black Student Union, Zetta Gamma Rho Step Team, National Honor Society, Wheeler Student Council and much more, one of the ways I differentiate from my peers is by utilizing my stature in each organization to promote social advocacy. Recently, I sought to spread awareness concerning the disparities between the Magnet program, STEM, AVID and the general school population about the knowledge of school activities, scholarships and college readiness. These matters were discussed in an open forum consisting of faculty members at Wheeler Highschool and elected officials representing the student body. The lack of transparency offered by all levels of employment within the Cobb County School District is a prime example that we have yet to “reach the mountain top” and as a result, it's hindering the elevation of lower- and middle-class citizens who are predominately comprised of minorities. Besides bringing the inequalities of our academic system to the limelight, I also advocate on social media concerning police brutality and the importance of voting. My participation in #BlackoutTuesday which is a mass media protest against police brutality entails reposting victims of these injustices, retelling their stories and sharing the credentials of socially responsible non-profit organizations that spread positive messages of reform. Although I am not of age to vote, I strongly urge others to vote for positive social change in our nation. Demonstrations of this can be seen in my involvement in the #RockTheVote movement. In the short years that I’ve been on this earth, I’ve advocated for numerous causes surrounding social, economic, and environmental issues faced by society. With my strength of mind and love of others, I will seek to correct the wrongdoings of our society. Knowing this, you can best believe that my path will not waver but instead, it’ll strengthen as I leap into my next journey.