Greetings. My name is Brianna Peterson, and I am a high school senior at Catawba Ridge High School in Fort Mill, South Carolina. Throughout my high school career, I’ve embraced leadership and service, holding roles such as Senior Class President (2024-2025) and Track and Field Freshman Captain (2021-2022). I co-founded the Black Student Union, served as chairwoman, and founded the step team, where I acted as captain, fostering community and cultural pride. With over 550 hours of service at the YMCA before becoming Child Care Assistant Manager (2024-current), I’ve also volunteered 150 hours supporting AAU track meets and fun runs. My passion for storytelling shines through my work as a lead anchor on CRN-TV, pop culture editor for the yearbook, and head writer for the newspaper. Balancing academics, cheerleading, and entrepreneurship with my business Charm, and community engagement, I aim to uplift others and leave a meaningful impact. When I was in the eighth grade. It was my first time being exposed to broadcast journalism. In this class I took, me and the team would go live every single day giving news to the school and other cool add-ons like talk shows, etc. My classmates would cheer me on as I presented stories or created videos, which fueled my passion. I remember seeing the thrill of their reactions to my work and it boosted my confidence. This inspired me to continue my skills in media, and broadcasting, and eventually shaping my aspirations in the future. Entering high school, for three years I worked as a news anchor for my high school's nationally ranked student television network, CRN-TV, which gave me first-hand experience in the media and broadcast industry. From having to craft compelling stories from scratch and delivering them to the air, I learned the importance of communication, authenticity, and hard work. In addition to this throughout my high school career, I’ve been a part of the Journalism staff at my school, where I serve as a Pop Culture and student life editor. As someone who has worked in the media, I know the responsibilities that come with storytelling. Words and images have power. They can influence perspectives, challenge norms, and also drive progress. I want people to resonate with people who inspire them to think, feel, and act. My dream is to become an ESPN sports reporter, combining my love for sports and storytelling. Sports journalism has always been a source of excitement, and camaraderie for me and I want to be a part of an industry that brings people together through shared experiences and emotions. My love for being in front of the camera, along with my dedication to storytelling, drives me to pursue a career in broadcast journalism. Through this field, I hope I can share my passion through stories that matter and leave a lasting impact on the world. Receiving this scholarship, journalism will open the door to top-tier programs that will enable me to access unparalleled education and resources.

Participating in the Miss Catawba Ridge Pageant at my school is one accomplishment or experience that I value highly. Being more active in school and pursuing my aspirations was my junior year goal. I saw the pageant program's success throughout my time in high school. I believed that participating would be a fantastic opportunity for me. I had the interview process and was chosen, which was a huge accomplishment for me as it gave me the chance to push myself beyond my comfort zone and prove to others that I am capable of doing difficult things. It was all fairly new to me during the three months of the process. A brief speech, a panel interview, a dance routine, and our own walks all needed to be practiced. Because I didn't think I could do it or had confidence in myself, it was difficult at first. However, the girls and counselors there gave me confidence boosts and were very supportive. One thing that I noticed as I was participating in the pageant was, I was the only person of color participating out of 42 girls. At first, I was scared, and I kept doubting myself because I felt alone but my mom expressed to me that being different is okay. When my grades were returned after the program I had almost perfect scores on all of the subjects, and I was proud to have won Miss Junior that evening. After the pageant, many girls who had different cultural backgrounds told me that they gained the confidence to go out for it the next year because they saw me as their role model on that stage. With the theme being “true colors” I was able to be the joyful, cheerful person I know I am. In the end, this opportunity gave me the confidence to run for senior class president for the 2024-2025 school year which I currently hold. When I graduate high school, I would like to attend a four-year university. I have a passion for being in front of and behind the camera, which is why I am interested in broadcast journalism and want to minor in mass communications or journalism. From having to craft compelling stories from scratch and delivering them to the air, I learned the importance of communication, authenticity, and hard work. In addition to this throughout my high school career, I was a part of a nationally ranked student television show working as head anchor. I've also been a part of the Journalism staff at my school, where I serve as a Pop Culture and student life editor. As someone who has worked in the media, I know the responsibilities that come with storytelling. Words and images have power. They can influence perspectives, challenge norms, and also drive progress. I want people to resonate with people who inspire them to think, feel, and act. My dream is to become an ESPN sports reporter, combining my love for sports and storytelling. Sports journalism has always been a source of excitement, and camaraderie for me and I want to be a part of an industry that brings people together through shared experiences and emotions. My love for being in front of the camera, along with my dedication to storytelling, drives me to pursue a career in broadcast journalism. Through this field, I hope I can share my passion through stories that matter and leave a lasting impact on the world.

Throughout my high school career, I’ve embraced leadership and service, holding roles such as Senior Class President (2024-2025) and Track and Field Freshman Captain (2021-2022). I co-founded the Black Student Union, served as chairwoman, and founded the step team, where I acted as captain, fostering community and cultural pride. With over 550 hours of service at the YMCA before becoming Child Care Assistant Manager (2024-current), I’ve also volunteered 50 hours supporting AAU track meets and fun runs. My passion for storytelling shines through my work as a lead anchor on CRN-TV, pop culture editor for the yearbook, and head writer for the newspaper. Balancing academics, cheerleading, and entrepreneurship with my business Charm, and community engagement, I aim to uplift others and leave a meaningful impact. When I was in the eighth grade. It was my first time being exposed to broadcast journalism. In this class I took, me and the team would go live every single day giving news to the school and other cool add-ons like talk shows, etc. Since then, I have been in love with it ever since. My classmates would cheer me on as I presented stories or created videos, which fueled my passion. I remember seeing the thrill of their reactions to my work and it boosted my confidence. This inspired me to continue my skills in media, and broadcasting, and eventually shaping my aspirations in the future. Entering into high school, for three years I worked as a news anchor for my high school's nationally ranked student television network, CRN-TV, which gave me first-hand experience in the media and broadcast industry. From having to craft compelling stories from scratch and delivering them to the air, I learned the importance of communication, authenticity, and hard work. In addition to this throughout my high school career, I have been a part of the Journalism staff at my school, where I serve as a Pop Culture and student life editor. As someone who has worked in the media, I know the responsibilities that come with storytelling. Words and images have power. They can influence perspectives, challenge norms, and also drive progress. I want people to resonate with people who inspire them to think, feel, and act. My dream is to become an ESPN sports reporter, combining my love for sports and storytelling. Sports journalism has always been a source of excitement, and camaraderie for me and I want to be a part of an industry that brings people together through shared experiences and emotions. The journey I began in the eighth grade, has shaped me into the person I am today, passionate, confident, and determined. My love for being in front of the camera, along with my dedication to storytelling, drives me to pursue a career in broadcast journalism. Through this field, I hope I can share my passion through stories that matter and leave a lasting impact on the world. Receiving this scholarship for my intended major journalism, will open the door to top-tier, expensive universities that will enable me to access unparalleled education and resources. it is a step toward achieving my dream of excelling in broadcast journalism an become an influential sports analyst.

One achievement or experience that I cherish greatly is competing in my school's Miss Catawba Ridge Pageant 2024. My objective for my junior year was to become more involved in school and pursue my dreams. All through my high school career, I witnessed the success of the pageant program. I thought it would be a great opportunity for me to participate. I went through the interview process and was selected, which was a great achievement for me because it allowed me to step outside of my comfort zone and show people that I am capable of overcoming challenges. For the three months that the process lasted, I was largely ignorant of it. On the first day of practice, I realized out of 32 girls, I was the only African American. I felt really out of place and uncomfortable, but having this opportunity made me channel in and be able to tap into my creativity and embrace my culture. When I learned that the pageant's theme was True Colors, I got very excited because it allowed me to use my imagination and think creatively. We had to rehearse a dance routine, a panel interview, a short speech, and our walks. It was challenging at first since I didn't think I could succeed or had faith in my abilities. Still, I felt a lot more confident and supported by the girls and counselors there. When I learned that the pageant's theme was True Colors, I got very excited because it allowed me to use my imagination and think creatively. It was my first pageant, so I was nervous the day of the competition because I always thought I would make a mistake. I was happy to have placed second in Miss Junior that evening and to have nearly perfect scores in all of my subjects when my grades were returned. Making new friends has been a rewarding experience as it has pushed me to be the genuine, happy person I know I am and to express who I am. I wouldn't change this performance or this experience. After the pageant, many people of color came up to me and told me that they were inspired to go out for a pageant next year. When I began to question why they didn't audition the most common answer I received was “I was too scared and I didn't see a lot of people that looked like me so I don't think I would do well”. I was happy to see that people looked up to me as someone that determined to strive for greatness as well. Since this experience, I have been able to achieve the unacheveable by becoming the first African American female to become senior class president, start my own business, attend Girls State, and write a childrens book on self confidence.

My name is Brianna Peterson and I am a senior at Catawba Ridge High School in Fort Mill, South Carolina. Throughout my high school career, I’ve embraced leadership and service, holding roles such as Senior Class President (2024-2025) and Track and Field Freshman Captain (2021-2022). I co-founded the Black Student Union, served as chairwoman, and founded the step team, where I acted as captain, fostering community and cultural pride. With over 550 hours of service at the YMCA before becoming Child Care Assistant Manager (2024-current), I’ve also volunteered 50 hours supporting AAU track meets and fun runs. My passion for storytelling shines through my work as a lead anchor on CRN-TV, pop culture editor for the yearbook, and head writer for the newspaper. Balancing academics, cheerleading, and entrepreneurship with my business Charm, and community engagement, I aim to uplift others and leave a meaningful impact. When I was in the eighth grade. It was my first time being exposed to broadcast journalism. In this class I took, me and the team would go live every single day giving news to the school and other cool add-ons like talk shows, etc. Since then, I have been in love with it ever since. My classmates would cheer me on as I presented stories or created videos, which fueled my passion. I remember seeing the thrill of their reactions to my work and it boosted my confidence. This inspired me to continue my skills in media, and broadcasting, and eventually shaping my aspirations in the future. Entering into high school, for three years I worked as a news anchor for my high school's nationally ranked student television network, CRN-TV, which gave me first-hand experience in the media and broadcast industry. From having to craft compelling stories from scratch and delivering them to the air, I learned the importance of communication, authenticity, and hard work. In addition to this throughout my high school career, I have been a part of the Journalism staff at my school, where I serve as a Pop Culture and student life editor. As someone who has worked in the media, I know the responsibilities that come with storytelling. Words and images have power. They can influence perspectives, challenge norms, and also drive progress. I want people to resonate with people who inspire them to think, feel, and act. My dream is to become an ESPN sports reporter, combining my love for sports and storytelling. Sports journalism has always been a source of excitement, and camaraderie for me and I want to be a part of an industry that brings people together through shared experiences and emotions. The journey I began in the eighth grade, has shaped me into the person I am today, passionate, confident, and determined. My love for being in front of the camera, along with my dedication to storytelling, drives me to pursue a career in broadcast journalism. Through this field, I hope I can share my passion through stories that matter and leave a lasting impact on the world. Receiving this scholarship for my intended major journalism, will open the door to top-tier, expensive universities that will enable me to access unparalleled education and resources. it is a step toward achieving my dream of excelling in broadcast journalism an become an influential sports analyst.

One time I had to face adversity was during my time as a volunteer in 2021. In 2021 I just moved from Florida to South Carolina and it was a big challenge. I felt like I didn't fit in and that it was difficult to make new friends. So my mom suggested that I volunteer at the YMCA in the before and after school program. It was my first time volunteering during the Christmas holidays and as part of the program, there was a New Year's party for the children. Various activities were going on towards the end. My manager brought pizzas. There was a limit of two slices per child and the little girl proceeded to ask for more. I offered her a snack but before I could give her instructions, she told me that she wasn't eating anything at home. The little girl told me that her mother works the third shift at a hospital and her sixteen-year-old brother ignores her and refuses to give her anything to eat. At this moment I had to come out of my comfort zone and deal with a real-life situation at a young age which prepared me for the real world. Knowing that a child didn't eat much in a day bothered me. Later that day, I had a very impactful conversation with the child's mother and that was the day that I realized that I could help make a difference in my community. In this moment I was able to deal with a real-life situation at a young age which prepared me for the real world. From that experience, I strived to keep volunteering at the YMCA because I learned that not everyone is the same and I should start giving back to a community that does the same for me ended up volunteering for over a year serving over 1000 hours of community service not only at the YMCA but other programs like fun runs, fundraisers, to make me become a more well-rounded person. I was hired at age 15, and now I am an assistant manager for the YMCA summer camp program. Some advice I would give to someone who has a hard time facing adversity is to become confident in yourself to be able to speak up and eventually that is apart of growing up. The reason this is important is because many people in the world don't have anyone to talk to if they are having problems and they are constantly going unnoticed. If a child or anyone for that matter, opens up to you it is a sign of someone wanting to get help, build up your confidence, and be able to speak whether it is good or bad. At the end of the day, you are helping someone and in today's society, we need to come together and lift each other.

Angie Thomas’s *The Hate U Give* is a powerful narrative that resonates deeply with young Black women like myself, navigating the complexities of race, identity, and injustice in America. The story of Starr Carter, a 16-year-old Black girl who witnesses the unjust police killing of her friend Khalil, not only highlights systemic racism but also speaks to the importance of finding one’s voice in a world that often silences people of color. For me, this book became more than just a fictional account; it was a mirror reflecting the struggles, doubts, and resilience that have defined my journey. Growing up as a young Black woman, I’ve faced my own set of challenges, many of which parallel Starr’s internal conflict between her predominantly white private school and her Black neighborhood. For much of my life, I struggled with the feeling of not fitting in. In predominantly white spaces, I was often the only Black girl in the classroom, which brought its weight. Questions like “Are you from Africa?” or comments about how I was “too dark” created a sense of alienation. These remarks weren’t just innocent curiosities; they reinforced the idea that my Blackness was “other,” something that set me apart in a way I wasn’t yet comfortable embracing. Like Starr, I found myself code-switching—adapting my behavior, tone, and language to fit in with my surroundings. At first, this felt like survival, but over time, it began to feel like erasure. I realized that silencing parts of myself to make others comfortable only perpetuated the cycle of exclusion. It took years of reflection, conversations with mentors, and finding books like "The Hate U Give" to understand that my identity is not something to be diluted. One of the book’s key lessons is the importance of using your voice to advocate for change, even in the face of adversity. Inspired by Starr’s courage, I began to channel my own experiences into action. I founded the Black Student Union (BSU) at my high school, where the diversity rate is only 35%. My goal was to create a safe space where students of color could feel seen and celebrated. Through the BSU, we organized cultural events, advocated for curriculum changes, and held discussions about race and representation. These efforts not only strengthened our community but also educated our peers, fostering understanding and empathy. In addition to my work with the BSU, I sought to make a broader impact by dedicating myself to community service, ultimately completing 1,000 hours. Whether mentoring younger students, volunteering at local organizations, or hosting events to uplift marginalized voices, I wanted to embody the change I wished to see in the world. This commitment to service culminated in my election as my school’s first Black female senior class president, a role that allowed me to advocate for equity and inclusivity on an even larger scale. "The Hate U Give" taught me that silence is complicity, and as a young Black woman, my voice is my most powerful tool. The hardships I’ve faced—feeling like an outsider, battling stereotypes, and navigating systemic inequities—have shaped me into a resilient, driven individual. Like Starr, I refuse to let injustice define me. Instead, I use my experiences to fuel my passion for change, ensuring that I leave a legacy of empowerment and progress for those who come after me.

When I was in the eighth grade. It was my first time being exposed to broadcast journalism. In this class I took, me and the team would go live every single day giving news to the school and other cool add-ons like talk shows, etc. Since then, I have been in love with it ever since. My classmates would cheer me on as I presented stories or created videos, which fueled my passion. I remember seeing the thrill of their reactions to my work and it boosted my confidence. This inspired me to continue my skills in media, and broadcasting, and eventually shaping my aspirations in the future. Entering into high school, for three years I worked as a news anchor for my high school's nationally ranked student television network, CRN-TV, which gave me first-hand experience in the media and broadcast industry. From having to craft compelling stories from scratch and delivering them to the air, I learned the importance of communication, authenticity, and hard work. In addition to this throughout my high school career, I have been a part of the Journalism staff at my school, where I serve as a Pop Culture and student life editor. As someone who has worked in the media, I know the responsibilities that come with storytelling. Words and images have power. They can influence perspectives, challenge norms, and also drive progress. I want people to resonate with people who inspire them to think, feel, and act. My dream is to become an ESPN sports reporter, combining my love for sports and storytelling. Sports journalism has always been a source of excitement, and camaraderie for me and I want to be a part of an industry that brings people together through shared experiences and emotions. The journey I began in the eighth grade, has shaped me into the person I am today, passionate, confident, and determined. My love for being in front of the camera, along with my dedication to storytelling, drives me to pursue a career in broadcast journalism. Through this field, I hope I can share my passion through stories that matter and leave a lasting impact on the world. Receiving this scholarship for my intended major journalism, will open the door to top-tier, expensive universities that will enable me to access unparalleled education and resources. it is a step toward achieving my dream of excelling in broadcast journalism an become an influential sports analyst.