I was ready for my high school journey to finally come to a close. Freshman year started off rocky. My family and I had recently had a housefire, so at the start of my freshman year, we had to move from our home to several temporary spaces in a short period of time. I felt out of place, and the usual flow of things was disrupted. My older brother had left for college, my football season was not going well, and my new braces prevented me from eating some of my favorite foods. Could it get any worse? All of these things threw me into a depression, and my grades suffered. I had so much anger built up inside, and I no longer wanted to be around my peers or my family. It was a dark place. I was able to bounce back with the help of counselors, family, and friends. This was not an easy process because I initially did not open up. It was hard to articulate what I was feeling. My parents did not give up on me, and more importantly, I did not give up on myself. I started practicing techniques to help me cope with the issues in my life. I became more attentive in class and focused more on my schoolwork. By junior year, I was back to making all A’s and B’s. Something else also happened. My creativeness emerged. All of sudden I wanted to create things. I painted, sewed, played instruments, and designed. This felt good! My new activities helped me to stay calm when things would otherwise upset me. I learned to channel my emotions. By the end of high school, I had a new outlook on life. I knew that I wanted to become a men’s fashion designer, so I was very excited when I was accepted in the art and design school in my area. Towards the end of my first year, my dad suddenly passed. Life has been up and down since then. This 3rd year of college has been very difficult. During the fall quarter, I had to make the difficult decision to withdraw from my classes in order to take care of my mental health. With the onset of a severe case of depression, it was very challenging for me to attend classes, focus, and therefore achieve the level of academic standards that I had reached in previous quarters. Depression affected my overall well-being. After speaking with my counselor, I was ready to do what I could to catch up and turn things around with my classes. While this seemed like a good plan, I continued to struggle no matter how much I desired to push through. The weight of it all was unbearable. I considered taking winter quarter off, but decided to continue in order not to fall too far behind. I was able to complete the classes but not with the focus and attention needed, so my grades suffered. Here we are at the end of the spring quarter, and I am in a much better place. I am so proud that I have earned A's an B's in my classes. I am very hopeful that I will continue this momentum. I realize how my past has hurt me, but I have chosen to overcome it and work hard to achieve my goals. Since I recognize the pattern of depression, I reach out to my family and friends that start to withdraw from life. I encourage them or find ways to make them laugh in hopes that they can see that someone cares. I realize that we have to be there for one another.

I was ready for my high school journey to finally come to a close. Freshman year started off rocky. My family and I had recently had a housefire, so at the start of my freshman year, we had to move from our home to several temporary spaces in a short period of time. I felt out of place, and the usual flow of things was disrupted. My older brother had left for college, my football season was not going well, and my new braces prevented me from eating some of my favorite foods. Could it get any worse? All of these things threw me into a depression, and my grades suffered. I had so much anger built up inside, and I no longer wanted to be around my peers or my family. It was a dark place. I was able to bounce back with the help of counselors, family, and friends. This was not an easy process because I initially did not open up. It was hard to articulate what I was feeling. My parents did not give up on me, and more importantly, I did not give up on myself. I started practicing techniques to help me cope with the issues in my life. I became more attentive in class and focused more on my schoolwork. By junior year, I was back to making all A’s and B’s. Something else also happened. My creativeness emerged. All of sudden I wanted to create things. I painted, sewed, played instruments, and designed. This felt good! My new activities helped me to stay calm when things would otherwise upset me. I learned to channel my emotions. By the end of high school, I had a new outlook on life and was ready for college. Toward the end of my first year of college, my dad suddenly passed. Life has been up and down for me since then. During the fall quarter, I had to make the difficult decision to withdraw from my classes in order to take care of my mental health. With the onset of a severe case of depression, it was very challenging for me to attend classes, focus, and therefore achieve the level of academic standards that I had reached in previous quarters. Depression affected my overall well-being. After speaking with a counselor, I was ready to do what I could to catch up and turn things around with my classes. While this seemed like a good plan, I continued to struggle no matter how much I desired to push through. The weight of it all was unbearable. I considered taking winter quarter off, but decided to continue in order not to fall too far behind. I was able to complete the classes but not with the focus and attention needed, so my grades suffered. Here we are at the end of spring quarter, and I am in a much better place. I am so proud that I have earned A's and B's in my classes. I am very hopeful that I will continue this momentum. Since I recognize the pattern of depression, I make sure that I check on my friends and relatives that I see withdrawing from life. I encourage them or just find ways to make them laugh. I hope this lets them know that someone cares. We have to be here for one another.

To me, design means the art of creating something beautiful, functional, and innovative. It is the process of bringing ideas to life through a combination of creativity, problem-solving skills, and technical expertise. I discovered my love for creativity as a Junior in high school and decided that I wanted to study Fashion Design in college. As a student at Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD), my desire to create continues to grow. A career in design will be transformative for me as it will allow me to unleash my creativity and passion. Pursuing my dream will give me the opportunity to work on exciting projects that can have a positive impact on society. My artistry is inspired by the world around me. Nature brings me back to a calm state and clears my mind. Being in the center of nature give me ideas of textures, colors, and abstracts. Design is my passion, and I want to reveal something different each time I create. Call me an old sprit, but I am fascinated with vintage fashion. I love the to watch the fashion in old movies. It allows me to think of how I could make it fit in today's fashion. I love to thrift shop for good finds. I then turn the items into something new and different. Upcyclying, the process of transforming old products into something new, is one of my favorite pastimes. I can spend hours in a thrift store looking for items to transform. I envision adding buttons, patches, pockets, etc. I am currently in the process of designing a shoe. I am getting first hand experience working with a manufacturer. Although I am in school, my passion for fashion sends me to projects outside of school that I feel compelled to pursue. My desire for design also extends to furniture. I am intrigued by how wood can be made into beautiful art known as furniture. The interest in furniture led me to minor in Interior Design. When most people hear this, they think that I am interested in decorating a room with accessories, but I am interested in designing unique pieces of furniture. I am very excited to see where my love for design will lead me. I feel confident that I will produce beautiful pieces of art in the form of clothing, shoes, furniture and more. I am committed to continuing on the creative path and tuning in to the things that inspire me the most.

My vision for developing my apparel line is driven by a passion for fashion, a commitment to originality, and a belief in the power of self-expression. Coming into high school I was unsure of what I wanted to do with my life. I always found myself interested in different forms of art, but it was not until I began working on fashion projects, that I truly felt special. I started sewing and attending classes a couple of years ago. I knew I had found my passion because I was unbothered by the fact that I was in a field predominantly filled with women of all ages, making me the outlier. I believe I can make significant contributions to the fashion industry. I currently have a small independent brand where I design pants, shoes, hats, and other apparel. My initial design release was a huge success. I sold out after only a couple of hours. Since then, I have begun my studies at SCAD, The Savannah College of Art and Design pursuing a Bachelor of Art degree in Fashion Design. The learning opportunity has improved the skills that I use throughout my creative process. Developing an apparel line is not just about creating clothes. It is about bringing a vision to life. My vision for my apparel line is rooted in my passion for fashion and a desire to create garments that are truly uncommon. My inspiration behind my line lies in its extraordinary design elements, which draw from a combination of personal experiences, cultural influences, and contemporary trends. Each piece is carefully crafted to convey a story and evoke emotions. To bring this vision to fruition, I follow a series of steps, from researching and sketching designs, to sourcing materials and manufacturing the garments. The process of developing and launching my apparel line is a labor of love, and I am excited to embark on this journey. Beyond the creative aspect, the significance of my apparel line is its ability to empower individuals to express themselves authentically. By wearing my designs, people can embrace their individuality and use clothing as a means of self-expression. In a world where conformity often prevails, my apparel line serves as a platform for people to showcase their unique personalities and make a statement. Developing my apparel line is important to me because I want to inspire others to embrace their true selves and foster a sense of confidence and empowerment.

To me, design means the art of creating something beautiful, functional, and innovative. It is the process of bringing ideas to life through a combination of creativity, problem-solving skills, and technical expertise. I discovered my love for creativity as a Junior in high school and decided that I wanted to study Fashion Design in college. As a student at Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD), my desire to create continues to grow. A career in design will be transformative for me as it will allow me to unleash my creativity and passion. Pursuing my dream will give me the opportunity to work on exciting projects that can have a positive impact on society.

I was raised to think for myself and not just follow the crowd. I became lost along the way, but found my way back to being myself. I was crushed after not getting a starting position on my high school football team. To deal with it, I distanced myself from the sport and began to explore my true interests. The only reason I was playing football was because it was my dad's dream. In my junior year of high school, I gained a new group of friends. These friends marched to their own beat. They expressed themselves in the way they dressed, by their hairstyles and in their many talents. I felt like myself when I was with them, no longer being judged. We focused on our schoolwork, then we enjoyed things like skateboarding, graphic design, video games, fashion, and guitars. We were not the most popular students, like the athletes or the super smart students. We were artistic and fueled each other's creativity. Our expressions of creativity were sometimes misunderstood by others. Since high school, I have remained true to myself. I chose the college that was the right fit for me even though none of my friends would be there. I continue to surround myself with genuine people. We support each other during both happy and difficult times. It is good to be accepted for who I am. I am majoring in Fashion Design and minoring in Interior Design. I am one of the few male students in the program. My artistry gives me the boldness to be unique. My short stature, my hair, and the way I dress make me stand out from others. I used to be ashamed that my family and I were not tall people, but not anymore. I have learned to embrace who I am and appreciate the things that make me different from others. Upon college graduation, my hope is to find a position with a reputable fashion company in Atlanta or New York. Wherever I land, I will make it a point to speak to students in the community about accepting themselves for who they are. We cannot all be the same. When we learn to love ourselves, we boost our self-esteem and can boldly go out and do the things that bring us joy. I think every young person needs to know this, and I will do my part in sharing this in the community in which I live.

What I value most about myself is my creativity. My creativity includes drawing, sewing, painting, and many other outlets. It is a form of escape, and it gives me a place to put my emotions. My work says what I cannot say. My goal is to bring my thoughts and ideas to fruition through garments. Currently, I attend the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) as a fashion major and interior design minor. I also run a small independent brand where I design pants, shoes, hats, and other clothing. My creativity is definitely needed as I pursue these endeavors. In school, we are given a variety of projects that require us to think outside the box. Some examples are a cardboard architectural project and an abstract self-portrait. My creative spirit is thriving in this learning environment. It has given me new ways of thinking. I have acquired important skills and have learned about various material and tools that I would have otherwise thought useless. I also get to see the ideas of my peers. We give each other in-progress critiques and final critiques of our work. Seeing their vision helps to bring forth my own ideas. My creativity is the driving force for my education. I started designing and selling items prior to attending college. I started my business during COVID when there was little else to do. I practiced on my sewing and started upcycling, which is repurposing used clothing. My creativity is at work when I see a garment and imagine it in a different form. When I showed my reformed items to my friends, they loved my work, and I was convinced that I could make a business of this. I created a website and began posting my repurposed items for sale. My first launch was a huge success. My hope is that my creativity will continue to emerge and take me to great places. I will be starting my second year of college soon where I will be taking fashion courses now that I am done with foundational courses. I will also begin to concentrate on landing an internship. Since I attend the Atlanta campus, I have connections to many nearby prominent companies. Upon graduation, I would like to work as a creative for a major company. My ultimate desire is eventually grow my own design label. I feel confident that creativity, my most valued quality, will continue to help me achieve the life of my dreams.

Thank you for this opportunity to earn money towards my education. My wrong answers are below. 1. I do not deserve this scholarship because I have not spent a lot of time turning things around to ensure my college acceptance to achieve my career goals. Maybe someone else is more deserving, but I thought I would at least try. 2. My academic goals are to not remain focused in my fashion design curriculum. I have no aspiration to succeed in the industry. It does not make sense to reach for earning all A's. Studying, obtaining a tutor, having discussions with my professors are ways to fail. Are career goals really that important? I am sure I will find something to do. 3. I remember when I could not decide about which socks to wear. I was wearing a red sweater and some faded blue jeans. I decided I would wear my black boots, but could not decide on which socks to wear? I had some green and black polka dots socks, some red socks with white triangles on them, and some plain red socks. After careful consideration and getting my mom's opinion, I decided on the green polka dots. Whew! I had a great day.

Sewing is one of my favorite things to do. It started in my junior year of high school when my eyes were opened to fashion. I started dreaming up clothing designs and realized that I wanted a sewing machine. Fortunately, my dad had bought my mom a sewing machine years ago that she never really used. I took it down from the attic, and a new life began. My mom enrolled me in sewing classes. I knew I had found my passion because I was unbothered by the fact that the classes were predominantly filled with women of all ages, making me the outlier. Once I was able to learn more about sewing, I began upcycling clothing by shopping at thrift stores then re-using the fabric or adding my design touch to them. This went so well that I launched a website to sell some of my creations. That was exciting, but I realized that my real enjoyment came from just sitting at the sewing machine testing out the creations that were in my head. I still spend hours at a thrift store searching for unique fabrics to turn into my own work. After sewing on my mom’s sewing machine for about a year, I was ready to upgrade to my very own. I requested a sewing machine for my birthday. I carefully searched for the features that I wanted in order to create my design visions. The fortunate thing about my sewing hobby is that I am able to pursue it in college. I was elated when I was accepted to The Savannah School of Art and Design. They say working in a field that you are passionate about makes it not feel like work. I will test this out because I love sewing so much that I want to make it my full-time pursuit and not just a hobby.

I had a log of things going on in my life during my freshman year of high school that threw me into a depression. My grades suffered because of it. I had so much anger built up inside, and I no longer wanted to be around my peers or my family. It was a dark place. I was able to bounce back with the help of counselors, family, and friends. This was not an easy process because I initially did not open up. It was hard to articulate what I was feeling. My parents did not give up on me, and more importantly, I did not give up on myself. I started practicing techniques to help me cope with the issues in my life. I realized two things once I got heathier mentally. First, I needed to fix my grades immediately because my grade point average was not strong enough to get me into a desirable school. Lastly, I did not know what I wanted to do with the rest of my life. I became more attentive in class and focused more on my schoolwork. By junior year, I was back to making all A’s and B’s. Something else also happened. My creativeness emerged. All of sudden I wanted to create things. I painted, sewed, played instruments, and designed. This felt good! I gained a new group of friends who marched to their own beat. They expressed themselves in the way they dress, by their hairstyles and in their many talents. I felt like myself when I was with them, no longer being judged. We focused on our schoolwork, then we enjoyed things like skateboarding, graphic design, video games, fashion, and guitars. My new activities helped me to stay calm when things would otherwise upset me. I learned to channel my emotions. By the end of high school, I had a new outlook on life. I knew that I wanted to become a men’s fashion designer. I always found myself interested in different forms of art, but it was not until I began working on fashion projects, that I truly felt special. I knew I had found my passion because I was unbothered by the fact that I was in a field predominantly filled with women of all ages, making me the outlier. I believe I can make significant contributions to the fashion industry. I initially did not think I wanted to attend college because I hated the thought of more schoolwork. Fortunately, I came to realize that obtaining a college degree would give me the business acumen to further expand my brand. My desire is to obtain a Bachelor of Art degree in Fashion Design from SCAD, The Savannah College of Art and Design which is where I am attending. I visited other schools, but SCAD seemed to be the best fit for me. It has one of the top fashion design programs in the country, and it is also close to my hometown. Additionally, attending SCAD’s Atlanta campus allows me to work and make connections with other creatives. I have worked hard on my craft and will continue to strive to reach my goals. I am hopeful that scholarships will help turn my dream into a reality. I realize how my past has hurt me, but I have chosen to overcome it and work hard to achieve my goals.

From a very young age, I learned the importance of community service. My mother made sure that my brother and I were actively engaged in doing for others. I remember sorting food at a Thanksgiving drive and singing Christmas carols at a senior assisted living facility. It was a good feeling to know that I played a part in brightening someone else’s day. Because I was accustomed to helping others, it came naturally that when I saw a friend in need, I was eager to help. When a friend of mine needed new shoes and could not afford any, I gathered up some of our mutual friends to contribute to purchase him new shoes. My mother questioned the withdrawal from my account since I had to contribute half of the cost after the other donations. When I explained the situation to her, she was proud of me for stepping up to help my friend. Last year my mother and I volunteered at The Salvation Army. It was during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic and many people were either out of work or had reduced hours. Kids were learning school lessons from home. People in the community needed help. We worked with a team, all wearing masks, and sorted food items that had been donated from various places. We packed about a hundred boxes in anticipation for the vehicles that would show up at noon. As the vehicles drove through, our team placed food boxes in their trunks, back of trucks, or back seats as the drivers instructed. These were local residents in need of assistance. There were old cars, new cars, and luxury cars, but there was no judgement or questions as to why someone showed up to receive a box. In addition to food, we also supplied both baby and adult diapers as needed. What I learned that day was that it took many of us working together to provide impactful resources to our community. First, individual and companies donated food and supplies, some being the result of food drives that they coordinated. Then employees at The Salvation Army made requests for volunteers to come out to sort food and pack boxes. Finally, the volunteers came together as strangers to provide care packages for those in need. The experience allowed me to reflect on how fortunate my family and I are not to need assistance, but that if we did, I would want to be helped in the same non-judgemental way.

My freshman year of high school started off rocky. My family and I had recently had a housefire, so at the start of my freshman year, we had to move from our home, to a hotel, and later to a couple of different apartments. I felt out of place, and the usual flow of things was disrupted. My older brother had left for college and my new braces prevented me from eating some of my favor foods. Also, up to that time I had always based my life around football, and I was not having a great season. Could it get any worse? All of these things threw me into a depression, and my grades suffered. I also started distancing myself from my friends and activities. I was able to bounce back with the help of counselors, family, and friends. They reminded me that I had the resilience to move forward. Music was part of my therapy. It relaxes me and removes any anxieties. Clairo's music reminds me of attempted relationships that did not survive. However, it is not a fatality but more of a revelation that I am not alone and that I am a survivor. I realized two things once I got heathier mentally. I needed to fix my grades immediately because my grade point average was not strong enough to get me into a desirable school. Lastly, I no longer knew what I wanted to be when I grew up. I became more focused in my classes and ended my senior year with at 3.0. This may not sound like much, but for what I had been through, it was a victory. During this time, my creativeness begin to emerge. I always found myself interested in different forms of art, but it was not until I began working on fashion projects, that I truly felt special. When I enrolled in sewing classes, I knew I had found my passion because I was unbothered by the fact that I was in a field predominantly filled with women of all ages, making me the outlier. Out of all of the schools that I visited, Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) was the best fit for me. It has one of the top fashion design programs in the country, while also being close to my hometown. Additionally, SCAD’s Atlanta campus allows me to work and make connections with other creatives. I was thrilled when I received my acceptance letter from SCAD, and my parents were very proud of me. I have worked hard on my craft and will continue to strive to reach my goals. Scholarships like this can help turn my dream into a reality.

I was raised to think for myself and not just follow the crowd. I became lost along the way, but found my way back to being myself. I was crushed after not getting a starting position on my high school football team. To deal with it, I distanced myself from the sport and began to explore my true interests. The only reason I was playing football was because it was my dad's dream. In my junior year of high school, I gained a new group of friends. These friends marched to their own beat. They expressed themselves in the way they dressed, by their hairstyles and in their many talents. I felt like myself when I was with them, no longer being judged. We focused on our schoolwork, then we enjoyed things like skateboarding, graphic design, video games, fashion, and guitars. We were not the most popular students, like the athletes or the super smart students. We were artistic and fueled each other's creativity. Our expressions of creativity were sometimes misunderstood by others. Since high school, I have remained true to myself. I chose the college that was the right fit for me even though none of my friends would be there. I continue to surround myself with genuine people We support each other during both happy and difficult times. It is good to be accepted for who I am.

As a Black male, it is important to me to show other Black males how to rise above inequality that has kept us down for so long. It has been no fault of our own, but of the lack that exists in our communities. I would fight for overall fair treatment of all people regardless of race, gender, sexual preference, age, or abilities. So many prejudices exist among us. I would be vocal against these prejudices. I would be recognized as someone the cares about and believes in others. I would express how there is strength in our differences. Being a highly influential person comes with a responsibility, and I would welcome the opportunity to enlighten others on fair treatment for all. It is important that our youth are taught to respect people that are different from them. I would sponsor youth camps that would reiterate the importance of respecting others and yourself. Children are our future. If they are not prepared to do the right things, our world cannot improve. If I want the world that I envision (one free of bigotry and hate), as a highly influential figure, I will certainly do my part to train the youth to have better views. I am well aware that my influence will not have an effect on some people that refuse to change their ways. However, this will not deter me from continuing my fight against injustices.

Independence is being responsible to handle your own business. Of course, we sometimes have to rely on family, but it should always be our goal to put ourselves in a position to do things for ourselves. Because I was the youngest child in the family, I was accustomed to being taken care of by my parents, grandparents, and older siblings. During senior year, when I turned 18, I began to think about being on my own. I realized that I needed to sharpen certain skills like organization and let go of bad habits like procrastination in order to succeed. My parents were proud of me for gradually taking care of things on my own. I set alarms and reminders. I made my own appointments, kept them, and drove myself there. I was determined to prove to myself that I have what it takes to move away from home for college. On college move-in day, I felt ready, but was still apprehensive. Was I ready to do this alone? I was not sure, but I needed to jump right in. It began with saying good-bye to my parents and letting them know that they did not need to stick around a second day. Before they left though, I gained some reassurance by allowing them to explore the campus and city with me. By the end of the first week, I was very proficient in my new life as a college student living away from home. This included getting proper rest, eating right, working on assignments, meeting new friends, and having a tough conversation with my roommate. I am proud of the way that I am working toward independence.