Computer science, interdisciplinary in nature, allows me to explore my different interests, from performing and visual arts to social justice. Ever since I was young, I knew that my career path had to have the purpose of serving others. Computer science is a field where I can utilize both the analytical and creative sides of my personality to contribute to a project that can have astronomical effects on underserved communities. I participated in Girls Who Code’s Summer Immersion Program the summer before junior year. During the last week of the program, we were tasked with creating a website for a cause that we were passionate about. I decided to make mine about the disparity of Black representation in STEM. What started as a mandatory project soon turned into something that I became passionate about. With the proper dedication and enhancements, I truly believed that my efforts could lead to a real difference. After the program, the idea of socially impactful technology never left my mind. Computer science and software development programs could effectively mobilize voters in all elections, from a city’s school board to the nation’s president. Introducing computer science to a class of Black and Brown middle schoolers can show them that they can advance beyond their current situation. I aim to combine my passion for computer science with my goals of giving back to the community by educating the younger generation on multiple topics. After learning about social injustices and inequalities as well as political and financial literacy, it became very apparent that these are topics that the general public should be well-educated on. Developing easily accessible mobile applications that effectively relay this knowledge would provide these communities with vital education, guidance, and resources to advance socioeconomically. I plan to get a bachelor’s degree in computer science and a master’s degree in human-centered computing. Various certificates such as those from Google or Oracle will also be obtained as an avenue for career advancement. I currently see my career starting in software development, making my way up to project manager, and hopefully becoming the founder of a successful venture. I have always known that I wanted my career path to be based on social philanthropy. As a software engineer, I want to help develop and manage websites and applications for small businesses and nonprofits. The thought of helping somebody’s vision in their head come to life fulfills my life goal to give back to the community. Being a part of a big project also appeals to me. That is why another one of my career goals is to have work experience at a well-known technological company or join a start-up business. My ultimate dream is to found a non-profit program that introduces underserved children to the diverse field of STEM through interactive and engaging activities that are internet-based but best suited to be completed in community settings. Classrooms, after-school programs, and summer camps are the main stakeholders in this program because the goal is to reach as many children as possible. As a child, having a place to go where education and exploration are celebrated is crucial, and I want to create a diverse, passion-filled environment that does just that.

I’ve never considered myself a one-track-minded person, so I’ve known ever since I was young that my career had to be all-encompassing. I sought a career where I could be analytical, creative, and collaborative, and still lead my own work. Computer science, interdisciplinary in nature, allows me to explore my different interests, from performing and visual arts to social justice. Ever since I was young, I knew that my career path had to have the purpose of serving others. I plan to get a bachelor’s degree in computer science and a master’s degree in human-centered computing. Various certificates like those from Google or Oracle will also be obtained as an avenue for career advancement. I currently see my career starting in software development, advancing to project manager, and hopefully becoming the founder of a successful venture. As a software engineer, I want to help develop and manage websites and applications for small businesses and non-profits. The thought of assisting in somebody’s vision in their head comes to life and fulfills my life goal to give back to the community. Being a part of a big project also appeals to me. That is why another one of my career goals is to have work experience at a well-known technological company or join a start-up business. I want my career to be technology-based social philanthropy. After participating in the Girls Who Code Summer Immersion Program, the idea of socially impactful technology never left my mind. Computer science and software development programs could effectively mobilize voters in all elections, from a city’s school board to the nation’s president. Introducing computer science to a class of Black and Brown middle schoolers can show them that they can advance beyond their current situation. I aim to combine my passion for computer science with my goals of giving back to the community by educating the younger generation on multiple topics. After learning about social injustices and inequalities as well as political and financial literacy, it became very apparent that these are topics that the general public should be well-educated in. Developing easily accessible mobile applications that effectively relay this knowledge would provide these communities with vital education, guidance, and resources to advance socioeconomically. My ultimate dream is to found a non-profit program that introduces underserved children to the diverse field of STEM through community-oriented, interactive, and engaging activities. The children will be able to explore STEM applications and build the confidence to pursue a passion in STEM, possibly a career. Classrooms, after-school programs, and summer camps are the target audience for this program because the goal is to reach as many children as possible. As a child, having a place to go where education and exploration are celebrated is crucial, and I want to create a diverse, passion-filled environment that does just that.

As a rising senior, the cost of college applications would be the area where I would spend all $1,000. Currently, my preliminary college list is just around twenty schools, and the application fee total is just above the $1,000 mark. I plan on narrowing down my list, but the overall application fee will continue to be hefty. Given my financial situation, I do not believe that my family meets the requirements to gain application waivers. If application fees were non-existent, I would use $250 to begin my investment journey. Developing diverse sources of income from a young age will allow me to demonstrate sophisticated financial literacy. Placing my money in stocks will motivate me to learn about how the stock market works in more detail and how it will specifically benefit my life. An investment as small as $50 can potentially gain a substantial profit in the long run. Five different shares of $50 in different companies provide the opportunity for multiple streams of income. The profit could be used for international travel or rent as I complete an unpaid internship during the summer. The remaining $750 will be divided between my checkings and savings account, $500 and $250, respectively. Currently, my checking account is used for everyday items, eating out, spontaneous shopping sprees, and outings with friends. I am not specifically saving up for anything, so the money will be used for emergencies. Overall, I would distribute $1,000 in a manner that would best benefit me.

1. The money was mine for starters. It belonged to my great-aunt before she died. There was a typo in her will and it ended up in your hands. I’m constantly reminded how the money was always destined to be mine. Gamma always said that she would give it to the relative most like her. Just like her, I am very determined and will do anything to get what I want. 2. My paramount career goal is to become a doctor for toys. Growing up, I always watched Doc McStuffins’ reality show and was so intrigued by her work. From that point on, I knew exactly what I wanted to do with my life. I want to work under Doc McStuffins and be her mentee. Maybe I can open my toy clinic one day! 3. I auditioned for the circus after I got a unicycle for my birthday. Teachers believed I was good enough to become the opening act. I froze up at the first test of the audition: jumping over a vicious lion, blindfolded. Suddenly, I was shoved down the ramp against my will. By the time I knew it, I was on the other side! Alive and the circus’ new opening act!

Although it sounds materialistic and surface level, allowing women to have the same economic opportunities and prospects would lead to the most effective empowerment of women. It would be naïve of me to say that money was not one of the most effective ways to gain power in most, if not all, societies. "Economic opportunities and prospects" is used as an umbrella term that considers factors that cause economic prosperity, such as academic opportunity. The ability to succeed financially can then lead to an ascent in the social hierarchy. This broad categorization also allows for these solutions to be applied to a diverse selection of societies. Everybody on this planet does not live in the same environment, thus creating different starting points for women in various societies. Providing women with sufficient academic preparation from a young age has a better chance at granting economic success when it comes to jobs and careers. Women who have control over their finances and that can make their own money are more likely to live a fulfilling life. Having the financial means to live on their own could prevent domestic abuse or forced domesticity. Women would be able to make decisions that are best for themselves when they can support themselves and not rely heavily on others. Women and men having the same formal education allow for the assurance that they would both be open to the same opportunities. It also empowers women because it makes for one area where they do not feel inferior to men. Even in societies where women have been granted very little access to education, if any at all, a slight increase in educational equality can have a profound impact. With more education, women are granted more opportunities to obtain more skilled positions that pay well. Perhaps even leadership roles. Education has the power to lift women out of poverty and enable them to generate generational wealth. Generational wealth does not only imply economic growth, but also social growth. Social generational wealth relates to women's empowerment because successful women pass on the lessons and resources to the next generation. This process is the only way that women's empowerment will succeed and sustain. Women would utilize their education and economic success to elevate their position to prove to young girls and women of the next generation that nothing is impossible. Also, because of their elevated position, women would be able to advocate for the continuation of women's empowerment and be a part of the amazing transformations.

It was pretty much always a given that I would be going to college. I’m not sure when I had first heard the term or became familiar with the basic process, but I do know that I first dived into exploration during a sixth-grade project. It really got me thinking and I haven’t stopped since. My mother always tells me that my education is the one thing that nobody can take from me. I take philosophy to heart. I am constantly working to get the best grades in order to get to the next advanced opportunity. I want to learn as much as I can so that I can help others as much as possible. As a child, I had always been blessed with academic advantages. Before thinking about my future, I never really had a real reason to care. But now, my short-term goal is to keep up my grades to supplement my chances of going to a university like UC Berkeley, UCLA, Georgia Tech, and more. Academic education is not the most important to me though. As I go through life, I am realizing how important it is to learn from real-life situations concerning yourself and others. Unorthodox ways of learning are what I believe will fulfill my need to understand and help others. I have always wanted to do something that would have a lasting impact on at least one person. With college applications coming up in the next year and a half and the increasingly competitive applicant pool, most kids only do something for the sake of their application. I witnessed one of my childhood friends conduct a program that I did not think would achieve the impact that they advertised it would. At that point, I knew that I could not just start any program or any initiative. I had to establish something that I knew would make a difference. I struggled with figuring out what I wanted to do for the longest time. I wanted my "project" to be for a cause that I genuinely cared about and for it to be an initiative that would continuously impact lives. My “project” had to be one that would grow with me and eventually grow into a national and possibly even international initiative. Computer science has been my field of interest for about two and a half years, but I never made any advancements to learn more and gain experience until recently. This past December, I decided to take charge of my future and learn more about what I wanted to make a career out of. I have attended several online events, presentations, and conferences and followed a multitude of social media pages related toSTEM and youth success. Not even one month into my STEM journey, I noticed a pattern when it came to diversity in the field. Most of the events I attended were catered to women interested in STEM, mainly women of color. That meant that their overall goal was to inspire all women of color. Although they were catered to the demographic as a whole, I noticed that only one group of color was primarily present at these events. There was nobody that looked like me presenting at these events. There was nobody that visually showed me that I belonged in the space that I was in. At one of the conferences that I attended, I met another black girl that I instantly connected with. We met again virtually to discuss any ideas about initiatives or projects that we could work on together. It turns out that we both had similar ideas of how we wanted to make a difference in our communities. The lack of professionals that looked like us being front and center of our field was something that hit home for us both. We arrived at the consensus that if we were to bring STEM to more black communities and involve black kids, even at the elementary school level, it could bring in more black representation to the STEM field. If Black children are exposed to STEM from a young age, then they will be less likely to turn away from it as they get older because they would have been doing it all their lives.

I never thought that I would ever say that I wanted to be a song. Music has always been a visceral part of my life, but no song has ever resonated with me as much as this one. “Carnaval del Barrio” from the Broadway musical, In the Heights, never fails to get the same reaction out of me every time that it begins. As the first suspended line emerges from a nearby speaker, I erupt with a sudden burst of energy and passion. Apart from the initial reaction, there is also a sense of longing as the song continues. Identity, community, and culture are three things that I have spent most of the past year thinking about. Of course, there are so many things that I would want my identity to capture, but organic aspects, such as community and culture, are what I felt were missing. I never realized how important community was until I no longer had any traces of it. Throughout my life, I had never truly known what community meant. I just thought that it was the people that I was around all of the time. I have now come to realize that a community is a group of people who can connect with you through one thing, but through that characteristic, your relationship becomes much more. Your community is your chosen family. Within the community shown in “Carnaval del Barrio”, various cultures and backgrounds of Washington Heights, New York City come together for a neighborhood party. Along with community, this song is also rich with culture. From the Latin influences in the musical features to the singing in Spanish to the pride that each member from different parts of Latin America holds for their country. Their connection to their culture is what keeps their community as alive as it is. I never thought that my Ghanaian culture was something to be proud of. With the lack of a Ghanaian community in my life as a child and international diversity, I thought that anything other than American tradition was unwelcome. But, as I become older, I’m realizing how much of a privilege it is to be able to experience and embrace other cultures. The immense pride that the residents of Washington Heights have for their respective countries is where I want to be ultimately. Despite some of them never having been to their “home countries” or living in America all of their life, they still hold allegiance to where they come from. Because I initially had rejected my culture, it is taking me a while to accept myself for who I am. After getting through the phenomena of imposter syndrome, I will be ready to completely emerge myself into Ghanian culture. I strive and long for a community of my own where I can embrace my Ghanaian culture along with other African cultures. Maybe I’m not jealous of a song after all. It just serves as a blueprint for what I truly want going forward in life.

I started my STEM journey less than three months ago, but I have already learned so much. Although I attend a STEM-focused school, I decided to begin my STEM journey outside of school because I didn’t want to wait until my second semester to begin learning about what I am interested in. While learning independently, not only do you learn the material, but you also discover a lot about yourself. I want to share something that means more to me than material. I want to share something that has changed how I go about my life and my mentality. My STEM studies have not only included classes but also listening to other’s experiences in STEM. Most of the events and accounts that I invest my time into are marketed towards women, women of color, and increasing diversity in the field. Not even one month into my STEM journey, I noticed a pattern when it came to diversity in the field. Although the events catered to the demographic as a whole, I noticed that only one group of color was primarily present at these events. There was nobody that looked like me presenting at these events. There was nobody that visually showed me that I belonged in the space that I was in. While this realization may deter some people from continuing their journey, it has done nothing but motivate me. Throughout my whole life, I have been either the only or one of the only black girls in any advanced space. Because of those experiences, I believe that I have a purpose for wanting to contribute to the STEM community. During my STEM studies, I have learned and realized my purpose in this space.

I have always wanted to do something that would have a lasting impact on at least one person. With college applications coming up in the next year and a half and the increasingly competitive applicant pool, most kids only do something for the sake of their application. I witnessed one of my childhood friends conduct a program that I did not think would achieve the impact that they advertised it would. At that point, I knew that I could not just start any program or any initiative. I had to establish something that I knew would make a difference. I struggled with figuring out what I wanted to do for the longest time. I wanted my "project" to be for a cause that I genuinely cared about and for it to be an initiative that would continuously impact lives. My “project” had to be one that would grow with me and eventually grow into a national and possibly even international initiative. Computer science has been my field of interest for about two and a half years, but I never made any advancements to learn more and gain experience until recently. This past December, I decided to take charge of my future and learn more about what I wanted to make a career out of. I have attended several online events, presentations, and conferences and followed a multitude of social media pages related toSTEM and youth success. Not even one month into my STEM journey, I noticed a pattern when it came to diversity in the field. Most of the events I attended were catered to women interested in STEM, mainly women of color. That meant that their overall goal was to inspire all women of color. Although they were catered to the demographic as a whole, I noticed that only one group of color was primarily present at these events. There was nobody that looked like me presenting at these events. There was nobody that visually showed me that I belonged in the space that I was in. At one of the conferences that I attended, I met another black girl that I instantly connected with. We met again virtually to discuss any ideas about initiatives or projects that we could work on together. It turns out that we both had similar ideas of how we wanted to make a difference in our communities. The lack of professionals that looked like us being front and center of our field was something that hit home for us both. We arrived at the consensus that if we were to bring STEM to more black communities and involve black kids, even at the elementary school level, it could bring in more black representation to the STEM field. If Black children are exposed to STEM from a young age, then they will be less likely to turn away from it as they get older because they would have been doing it all their lives. Our goal is to make fun and engaging activity kits, primarily for science and technology, to send to schools in primarily Black neighborhoods for them to be distributed to the kids. We hope that this narrows the gap between Black children and those of other races in their interest in STEM. Schools in low-income areas usually have a high African American population and are not as well funded as those in other areas, so we want to give them the resources that are needed to help the kids thrive in this rapidly changing world. We also want to provide the kids with these opportunities and resources at an early age because we want them to know that they can succeed in STEM. We want them to have so much confidence in themselves that no one can ever tell them that they can’t do STEM. All my years of schooling couldn’t compare to the amount of information I learned on my own in 2020. I never lived in a predominantly Black community, so I never explicitly knew how deep the injustices ran against the community. With that knowledge came the desire to eradicate institutional, systematic, and systemic racism in any capacity possible. Exposing Black kids to STEM will expose them to careers that tend to have higher salaries, which would change the narrative financially. Academically, letting them know that subjects like math and science can be fun could change their attitudes towards school in general and improve test scores. As more Black people obtain roles in the STEM field, they serve as representation and inspiration for those who come after them. Since STEM is a field that is interdisciplinary with many others, once more Black representation is seen at the higher levels of management, the sooner companies can take action to dismantle practices that prevented those from underrepresented groups from thriving in the STEM field.

Cultivating my story has always been a struggle for me. What exactly do I talk about? How can I hone in all of my life experiences in just a couple of paragraphs? So, I’ve decided to lay it all out. My name is Audrey Bediako, I’m fifteen, and my story is whatever I make it out to be. Ambition is the single thing that drives me and keeps me going. As I have gotten older, I have heard, seen, and met multiple people that say not to plan out my life because I will end up disappointed. While I have taken what they have said into consideration, I have never let it deter me from my fundamental goals. I am no stranger to change. As a military child, I have gone through multiple transitions during my life. Of course, some went better than others, but I have always adapted and learned from those experiences. With these multiple transitions came differences in academic practices between my different schools. Education has always been important to me because I know that it is the only thing that nobody can take away from me. Education also opened my eyes to the world that is around me. I have never been one to settle for an average academic experience. Since second grade, I have enrolled in advanced classes and curriculums, even through multiple school transitions. Before our most recent move last year, I was researching high schools that would provide me with a quality education that pertains to the industry that I am interested in. I am now attending a STEM-focused academy, taking challenging classes, and learning about subjects that interest me. Although academic education is a significant part of my life, non-formal education has also become just as important to me over the past few months. Since March 9th, 2020 I have found myself spending more time on social media than ever before. With that increased screen time, also came information that I would not have learned anywhere else. Over time, I have learned to value this information just as much as the academic education that I am receiving. This is because the information that I learn online directly applies to the present day; I learn things that aren't included in the academic curriculum. Further education has also sparked additional passions that I do not believe I would have had until later in life if it wasn’t for social media. I have learned information that relates to social justice, equality, equity, and how different groups of people live their lives. Before this year, my goals were solely STEM-based. But after the year that we had experienced, along with additional research in the field that I am interested in, I realized that I could combine these two passions to have one main end goal for myself. Before reaching that end goal, there are steps that I have to take and experiences that I must have. Computer science interests me specifically. I intend on obtaining a Bachelor’s degree, a Master’s degree, and probably a Doctorate as well. I also plan on getting involved in research that deals with the connection between computer science, human interaction, and need. With computer science, I can include any of my interests or hobbies in my professional work. I am also able to engage in any field or professional area because computer science is interdisciplinary. In particular, computer programming and software development have caught my attention. Creating apps and websites for small businesses or myself is the basis of what I want to do. Applications that bring awareness to causes that I am also passionate about - racial injustice, gender injustice, basic political literacy and knowledge, global issues, and more - and reach people on large scales is the initial personal goal. After learning so much this year, I want to share the knowledge that is not well known with people. I believe that education in all aspects is a big part of how we can progress as a society and avoid making mistakes that have already been made. My absolute end goal is to become a founder of a successful non-profit organization that serves underrepresented and underserved communities. The education gap between socioeconomic classes and minorities is something that I will spend my whole career working to diminish. Providing education, guidance, and resources for children in these communities and having a direct, positive impact on their lives is my number one goal. I plan to start with information and resources about my specific field, then branch out from there. The goal is to branch out until we are a STEM-focused organization. This initiative will not only be online-based, but I also want to build physical centers in these communities. As a child, having a place to go where education and exploration are celebrated is crucial; especially for kids who live in communities where their passions may not be easily embraced. Of course, my end goal is bold, but I aim to start working towards it as early as this year. I am actively trying to become involved in initiatives that educate my generation about things that we do not learn in school and current events. At my current school, I am the secretary of the Technology Student Association. I am currently working with our chapter to create media that will increase our outreach and encourage incoming students to join our club. Although it is in its early stages, I have also partnered up with another member to start a local initiative of educating young girls about technology. Being new to the area has not hindered me from becoming involved in the community, but as I become more familiar with it, I plan to become even more involved and start my own projects.

Over quarantine, I came to the realization that the person I was, was not the person that I wanted to be. Ever since middle school, I had primarily focused on prospering academically. My personality was not one that would allow me to live life to the fullest. This playlist embodies the type of person I aspire to be, channels the confidence that I strive to build, and reminds me of my inspirations and mottos that keep me going.