My mother, you have to love her to understand her. My mother should have been tested for everything under the sun, HDHD, Autism, OCD, etc. Her personality fits all the traits. I loved and still love my mother. Now, it's a given that a woman who was once a little girl, should say awesome things about how wonderful my mother was but she was far from the Sears catalog mother. My mother was the only child of my maternal grandmother but 2nd born out of 17 children of my grandfather (at least that was the last count). My grandmother was a wonderful homemaker and she worked outside of the home but the focus in her life was her relationship with God. My grandmother told me of the stories of my mother's birth, her youth and I experienced her adult life. My mother was born at home in a little shack in Cairo Illinois. Mother was so cute as a little girl, pretty as a young girl and beautiful as a woman. Mother knew this and used it to her benefit quite often. My mother never had time to focus on the important things in life, her education, her health, her children (my sister and I). Mother focused on being the life of the party. My mother gave my sister and I to our grandmother, her mother and moved on with her life. I saw my mother physically when I was about 16 years old. Part of me was still in love with her and the other part of me hated my mother for leaving us. I struggled with the love/hate thing for a long time. I told my mother I hated her for leaving us but later in life, I apologized to her for saying I hated her. When my children were young, I wanted again to be close to my mother, hoping she could be a grandmother to them and I could enjoy watching my children with her, at least they could get the love I never received, I thought. The relationship between my children and their grandmother had it's moments for sure. How could I expect better than what I received? Nevertheless, we endured and I constantly tried to work on my relationship with my mother. I wanted my mother's love but I didn't understand, she gave me what she had. I began to understand her love as time went on and I accepted it the way she gave it as I did in my childhood. In 2014, my mother had a Cardiac Arrest and died. Her body was found 2 days later in her apartment. I had spoken to her a few days before and she also left a message on my phone apologizing for a spat we had. I I buried my mother. My relationship with my mother impacted me in a way that hurts everyday. That impact also reminds me of the importance of pushing through, even when I don't want to or it gets to be overwhelming. God comes first and when he comes first, he will help me through anything I go through and give me the insight and wisdom to make the right choices. My children are a blessing. I have my days when they test the very fiber of my nerves but then again, I got on somebody's nerves too.

The only reason why I'm a first-generation college student is that my mother never finished school. She never made it past the 8th grade, and then I came along. My grandmother told me that I danced before I could walk. I notice that I had a deep passion for dance as a child. Was a faithful viewer of Soul Train and any dance program that came on television. I imagined myself being a dancer on these shows. I often had dance performances in front of my dolls, who were the audience. When it came down to taking dance classes as a child, I was never supported. As a teenager, I took African dance classes in my neighborhood, and I knew then that dance was where I wanted to be. College was not something that was fostered in my grandparents' home, and I left my mother's home when I was 10 years old. I tried to go to a community college in St Louis and study computer programming. I finished the program, and the school filed for bankruptcy, and I never received my certificate. I moved to Mississippi after my children were born, and I was able to go to Hines Community College and earn my Associate's degree in Arts. I studied dance through this degree. I tried to attend Bell Haven University's dance program, but because I had children and I had to work, I couldn't complete the program, spending only a year in the program. Again, a lot of my dance experience was through personal study, going to classes, performances, and teaching within the communities that I resided in. Fast forward to today, I have been employed with the same school district for the last 13 years, nine of which have been spent as a dance educator. I wanna go back to school and complete my bachelor's degree in dance, but I lack the funds to do so. I love what I do, and my career goal is in effect. Need to complete my bachelor's degree so that I can earn more money than I make, which is $13 an hour, so that I can go to different dance workshops, professional developments in dance so that I can stabilize my career and life better.

After being transported to a women’s shelter in Bloomington, Indiana, I was reassure that the babies would be brought to me. I just cannot see my life moving forward without my babies. My children were transported and brought to the center, and when they knocked on the door of the room, they put me in. I opened the door and I couldn’t do anything or cry. They gave me my son and my daughter, and I just held them tightly. I proceeded to change my son‘s diaper, there was broken glass in his diaper. The glass came from with his father kicked the car window in to keep me from leaving. The shattered glass hit my children and me as well. I didn’t understand, but I experience abuse so I think a part of me this was a part of life. You seem a mother me as well, basically beating me for so much is looking at an album cover, which sent me to the hospital to get stitches in my head. I was told to put it behind me and act like it didn’t happen that I fell on glass. Fast forward to my adult life, at 19 I married a great guy who died three weeks after we got married as a result of car accident that was my daughter’s father. I met my son‘s father. I thought I could fix him or help him. Instead I learned that a man can beat you, threaten me with a gun, force me to have sexual relations to the point of partial miscarriage. He was told me why things happen to me is because I deserved it and I caused it. I never thought about anything other than trying to protect my children and pray for a better life. I contemplated suicide as it means I’m getting away from my son‘s father, that stopped me was what would happen to my children without me. So I guess they saved my life. I endure what seem like many years domestic violence. It was four years of turmoil! My family did not know what I was experiencing. After being brutally raped by this man who claimed to love me. I prayed to God, asking for my children be quiet. I got them dressed so that I can leave without him waking up. I walked into my children’s room. They never made a peep, and I dressed them both and got out of the house into my car and I never look back. I made it to my grandmother‘s house in Illinois. I eventually had to go to St. Louis and stay with my uncle because this man kept calling my grandmother‘s house and threatening her, me and said that he would kidnap my son and lose him in Chicago. Staying in St. Louis for a month, I got the guts to go back to my grandmother‘s. I slowly began to try to piece my life together. Fast-forward of the grace of God and his blessings and being able to move forward, but I am still damaged. One thing that will give me great choice to finish my degree teaching is my passion performing arts and education. I’m such a vigilant for my students, and I give them the best that I can. I want them to be proud of themselves even though I struggle to be proud of myself on a daily basis. Winning a scholarship and being able to complete a bachelors degree will help to build my confidence.

Dance is a deeply personal experience for me. Being a survivor of child abuse and neglect, dance has been a way for me to connect to my emotions and learn to live with my past. Through dance I have learned to let go and let God help me work through my struggles in life. Dance gave me a sense of belonging. My grandmother told me that I danced before I walked and even snapped pictures of me dancing with a smile as bright as the sun. I even have a picture of me doing a Plie when my grandmother nor I knew what a Plie was. I was a year old at the time of the picture. What I did not understand was why my grandmother did not nurture that passion when she saw it so early in my life? My mother had difficulty parenting and my father to this day, I have no clue who he is, and I am 56 years old, and I wonder if he had the same passion for dance as I do? Through dance, I have been able for the last 35 years, share my passion by teaching within my community and in the public and colligate school settings. I taught my first African dance class at the age of 17. For the last 10 years I have been teaching dance education within the same public school to which I started a Performing Arts program featuring dance and musicals. My grandmother took my sister and I in to live with her when I was about 9 or 10 because my mother said she didn't want us anymore and wanted to enjoy her life. My grandmama said that when I finish high school, I needed to get a job. College was never discussed in her home because college was not a reality. I did just as she instructed, finished high school and got a job. I was not happy. If I knew or was encouraged to go to college, my life would be so different. I would have my dance degree and not living in poverty with only an associate's degree. I ran away from home at the age of 19, and I got married. Three weeks after marrying my best friend, my husband died as a result of a car accident, leaving me with a child in utero that I did not know I had. God must have had a purpose for me because through my struggles my entire life, I am still here. That baby I carried while I buried her father, thanks to God, has a master's degree and is doing wonderful. Fast forward, I have had two more children, now ages 33 years old and owns his own business and 14-year-old, whom just like me, is a dancer!!! Seems like I have a great life, but I have worked hard to make sure my children were able to pursue their dreams. Without a direct example of higher education in my family, I had to navigate many challenges on my own, learning through trial and error most of the time. I am back in school, and I found a program that I can earn my dance/performing arts bachelor's degree, and I am so happy for this, and it has been a long time coming literally! I need my degree so that I can make more than $12.00 an hour as a dance educator in a public school full-time. I deserve more and I am working to earn my degree. My education means freedom, stability and the ability to uplift those around me.

My name is Chiquila Michele Pearson. I am a 56-year-old dancer (not a stripper), dance educator, mother, and grandmother. I have worked as a dance educator in the public school sector and the dance studio environment. For years I have devoted my free time to teaching African dance within the greater Jackson Mississippi area. I love dance education and performing. My dance education and performance inspiration is Katherine Dunham. Miss D as she was so eloquently called, was innovative and dedicated to dance and anthropology. Miss D blended African and Caribbean dance forms with modern contemporary dance techniques and thus created a unique dance technique called the Dunham Technique. The Dunham Technique pulls from storytelling, cultural movements, and religious traditions. Miss D was very committed to the preservation and celebration of African and Caribbean cultures. I have attended several Dunham Technique workshops as I continue to take a virtual class that meets every other Saturday. My goal is to become Dunham Technique Certified, however, certification requires not only personal study, and classes but also summer workshops, application, and audition to be accepted into the certification process. I am also looking into Horton certification through the Alvin Ailey Theatre of Dance. I want to stay fresh and up-to-date on my dance training and certification. As a teacher, I don't get to go to many workshops because I am working and teaching dance. I want to be able to give my students the best of me so my dance education is important. My dance experience stretches from dancing at Carnegie Hall, The Lincoln Center, Grand Ol Opry, classes at the Alvin Ailey Dance Center and Broadway Dance Center, performing with Tito Jackson, and performing for Obama, but my greatest achievement is teaching dance. Watching my students grow in dance and their academics brings joy to my life. Being able to pay down my student loan will allow me to continue to complete my bachelor's degree in Multi-disciplinary Studies and move on to a master's in Dance Education. I will improve my credit score and I can begin to see a home in my future. I will have extra income to put into savings because after all I am 56 years old and retirement is not far away. My financial health is not what it needs to be for me to survive when retirement comes and I need to get financially healthy. Paying down my loan will lower my physical stress by giving me peace of mind so that I will enjoy life more as I age. I want a healthier financial future and paying my student loan down is the first step.

How will the Concrete Rose Scholarship make an impact on my career goals? I am a 56-year-old rose, November 29, who continues to grow from concrete! I chose my career at the age of 7 as a dancer and a dance educator. I lived in a concrete jungle in Chicago known as the PROJECTS! I had no role model, yet I had two at different times. My mother (God forgives) was not home most of the time. When I was allowed to spend the weekend with my grandmother, I was encouraged to be faithful to God, graduate from high school, and get a job. To my grandmother, who did not progress past the 6th grade but was the smartest woman I had ever known, a high school diploma was a big deal! College was never considered. I was never told to complete high school and move on to college. So, I spend my days wishing I knew back then what I know now. I am the first in my family to earn an associate's degree, which is not much, I know, but I am still proud to have accomplished that much. I taught myself how to navigate through higher education, and let me tell you this, I jacked myself up so bad, that I am paying for it to this day. I would get the Pell Grant and live off the refund check, (as most ignorant young people do to this day). No, I did not as they say, "Ball", I was paying bills and trying to maintain. The Pell Grant refund should be used for my educational goals. I am at a point in my life where I have re-enrolled in school and trying to complete my bachelor's degree. I am a senior and it only took me years to get there! I am ashamed that I didn't know better. I had school counselors enroll me in classes I did not need and I didn't pursue my dream of being a dancer and dance educator. Oh, I am a dancer and dance educator, but I took the hard route. My associate's degree is in the arts (dance). I enrolled in a dance program and completed it a year before leaving because I thought I couldn't finish. I had dance educators tell me I was behind in my skills coming in compared to the much younger dance students. I guess I didn't fight to stand up to the educators who told me I was not built for the dance world, so I changed my major to International Studies, which I was not happy with. I am a dance educator. I am an elective dance teacher, but I teach dance to over 700 students! I have developed a dance and theatre program within our school. I get paid what a person with an associate's degree gets paid and believe me, people who work at McDonald's make more than me, but I have a passion and dedication to children and exposing them to the great beginnings of education, the arts! The Concrete Rose Scholarship will help me move through a class or two, getting me a step closer to completing my bachelor's degree. I can do this, and I am learning from my mistakes but the one thing I won't do is give up on myself!

As a single mom returning to college at the age of 55, my current challenges I face are financial instability and insecurity. I love the arts! I can’t see myself being an educator of anything else. Unfortunately in my early years as an adult I ran from my calling because I was groomed to believe that the arts would not be beneficial for me as a career choice and that graduating from high school and getting a job was all that was necessary for me to make it in the world. What I learned was that although my grandmother loved the arts, she had no education past the 6th grade and maybe was afraid of what she didn’t know about a good education. My mother never made it past the 8th grade. If my mother had been encouraged to pursue college, I would have been encouraged as well. I attended at technical college in St. Louis and completed the program in Computer Science but the school filed bankruptcy and closed before I was to receive my degree. I felt like maybe grandma was right. I didn’t try college again until years later. I floated through constantly listening to counselors tell me the major I should pursue instead of going with what I loved, the arts. I could no longer avoid what I was destined to be, a dance educator. Life continued to life, death of husband, birth of children, relocation to Mississippi which is not my home and eventually received my associate degree in the arts, specifically dance. I never learned how to make the right decisions in college and as a result, I am struggling to continue and earn my bachelor’s degree in education with emphasis in performing arts. Financially I do not earn enough to pay for my educational expenses and scholarships have been my target without let up. No success yet but I refuse to quit. My long term goals for my career, is to stay in my dream field of performing arts in an elementary school setting, which is what I have been blessed by God to currently do. I only earn $13.50 an hour but I love what I do, being the educator of over 700 beautiful children! Earning my bachelor will increase my earnings within the position I currently hold. I have been in education for the past 13 years within the same school district. I am proud of my accomplishments no matter how behind I might be degree wise, my experience and passion definitely keeps me grounded and hopeful for the competition of my degree. I am 55 years old in age wise close to retirement, but in reality nowhere near it. My degree at this point in my life means everything it’s a chance for me to travel many places that I want to go. It’s a chance for me to Take my daughter to see a Broadway musical, dance classes at the Ailey school, and taste New York style pizza. My income currently does not allow us to enjoy life in that manner. My career field has been the same for years and I am very happy with it.

As a single mom returning to college at the age of 55, my current challenges I face are financial instability and insecurity. I love the arts! I can’t see myself being an educator of anything else. Unfortunately in my early years as an adult I ran from my calling because I was groomed to believe that the arts would not be beneficial for me as a career choice and that graduating from high school and getting a job was all that was necessary for me to make it in the world. What I learned was that although my grandmother loved the arts, she had no education past the 6th grade and maybe was afraid of what she didn’t know about a good education. My mother never made it past the 8th grade. If my mother had been encouraged to pursue college, I would have been encouraged as well. I attended at technical college in St. Louis and completed the program in Computer Science but the school filed bankruptcy and closed before I was to receive my degree. I felt like maybe grandma was right. I didn’t try college again until years later. I floated through constantly listening to counselors tell me the major I should pursue instead of going with what I loved, the arts. I could no longer avoid what I was destined to be, a dance educator. Life continued to life, death of husband, birth of children, relocation to Mississippi which is not my home and eventually received my associate degree in the arts, specifically dance. My natural focus when I moved to Mississippi was about community service, although I didn’t view it that way. I was interested in teaching African dance and I wanted to share what I learned back home in East St. Louis Illinois. I started teaching free community classes in 1998 and continued teaching African dance community classes across Mississippi until roughly 2006. My passion has always been to share the gifts that were given to me. I never learned how to make the right decisions in college and as a result, I am struggling to earn my bachelor’s degree in education with emphasis in performing arts. Financially I do not earn enough to pay for my educational expenses and scholarships have been my target. No success yet but I refuse to quit. My long term goals for my career, is to stay in my dream field of performing arts in an elementary school setting, which is what I have been blessed by God to currently do. I only earn $13.50 an hour but I love what I do, being the educator of over 700 beautiful children! Earning my bachelor will increase my earnings within the position I currently hold. I have been in education for the past 13 years within the same school district. I am proud of my accomplishments no matter how behind I might be degree wise, my experience and passion definitely keeps me grounded and hopeful for the competition of my degree. I share my gifts as a dance educator in an elementary school setting. I want to give students the opportunity to experience the performing arts, regardless of their backgrounds, abilities, etc. I have created an awesome performing arts program within our school and I will continue to do so, in order for our students to realize that they have so much to choose from as they grow up and make decisions about their lives and careers. Will find that hidden artist within my job, my passion and my duty to help them uncover that hidden artist!

As a single mom returning to college at the age of 55, my current challenges I face are financial instability and insecurity. I love the arts! I can’t see myself being an educator of anything else. Unfortunately in my early years as an adult I ran from my calling because I was groomed to believe that the arts would not be beneficial for me as a career choice and that graduating from high school and getting a job was all that was necessary for me to make it in the world. What I learned was that although my grandmother loved the arts, she had no education past the 6th grade and maybe was afraid of what she didn’t know about a good education. My mother never made it past the 8th grade. If my mother had been encouraged to pursue college, I would have been encouraged as well. I attended at technical college in St. Louis and completed the program in Computer Science but the school filed bankruptcy and closed before I was to receive my degree. I felt like maybe grandma was right. I didn’t try college again until years later. I floated through constantly listening to counselors tell me the major I should pursue instead of going with what I loved, the arts. I could no longer avoid what I was destined to be, a dance educator. Life continued to life, death of husband, birth of children, relocation to Mississippi which is not my home and eventually received my associate degree in the arts, specifically dance. I never learned how to make the right decisions in college and as a result, I am struggling to continue and earn my bachelor’s degree in education with emphasis in performing arts. Financially I do not earn enough to pay for my educational expenses and scholarships have been my target without let up. No success yet but I refuse to quit. My long term goals for my career, is to stay in my dream field of performing arts in an elementary school setting, which is what I have been blessed by God to currently do. I only earn $13.50 an hour but I love what I do, being the educator of over 700 beautiful children! Earning my bachelor will increase my earnings within the position I currently hold. I have been in education for the past 13 years within the same school district. I am proud of my accomplishments no matter how behind I might be degree wise, my experience and passion definitely keeps me grounded and hopeful for the competition of my degree.

Honestly, I chose to attend an HBCU because I live in Jackson, Mississippi and all you see around the city is tribute to JSU or Jackson State University. I also lived right around the corner from Jackson State University. That really blew my mind when I got to go to a State University football game in Atlanta they call it the SWAC, we were given VIP tickets and it was amazing. I still don’t know much about the rules of football, but I was definitely excited to be there. There was cheering for Jackson State football team and I had no clue how the game was played. All I know is I wanted them to win as I sat in the VIP sipping on lemonade and eating cheesecake! Also we walked around the tailgate with great food and good people. It was so cool because we ran into the speech and theater department at Jackson State University, Director, Dr. Henderson, and we snapped a picture! Awesome day!!!

I’m the daughter of a single parent who never completed high school and my grandmother didn’t complete past the 6th grade. I’m the first to graduate high school and also obtain an associates degree. I am a single parent of three children who inspire me everyday. My eldest daughter has her masters degree and my son owns his own business. My youngest daughter is 13 years old, A-B honors and a dancer since the age of 2 1/2. I am proud and I was able to support my children in their educational goals now it’s my turn to finish what I started. I am a dance educator by experience, education and knowledge (Over 35 years). I absolutely love the arts and have my entire life degree standards. This has been my dream since early childhood. My grandmother said I danced before I walked. My mother was committed to a school for wayward girls called Geneva in Illinois. She gave birth to me and my grandparents came to get me but my mother had to stay behind. I lived with my grandparents until I was 2 years old. I went to live with my mother. My life was unstable until I went back to live with my grandparents at the age of 11. I could not read, I didn’t know my first name and I didn’t talk before coming back to my grandparents. I was placed in SPED, ridiculed and bullied by students and a teacher. I was the victim of sexual abuse by a teen sitter and beaten by my mother. I grew up thinking my mother hated me. The one thing I had was my love for dance. I danced to escape my life. No one believed in me, cared for me or looked after me but God because I honestly should not be alive today. I believe my grandmother’s prayers keep me safe. She is my strength even to this day. When I went to live with my grandparents I learned how to live. I have many challenges still but I know that completing my bachelors degree will improve my living situation. I am considered a teacher assistant, but I successfully run a performance arts program at Gary Road intermediate school and I am very proud of that. Earning My bachelors degree will increase my income significantly. I am in the career of my choice and I am working at the school of my choice and have been for the last 8 1/2 years. I love working with children and they are also my inspiration. I not only teach dance theater arts but also I am a mentor and I work diligently to help my students to resolve conflicts, organize their lives so that they are able to commit to their studies and enjoy extra curricular activities. I have watched my students grades go from low to Honor roll because of being in performing arts at our school. I am a proud Performing Arts educator. I have often conducted free community African dance classes whenever I could find space to do so. My students are my community as well. They have to grow and go and create communities for themselves and being a teacher means I am a full participant in their growth and success. I see myself when I was a child in many of my students. I have always taught my children and my students that we don’t let our situations define our outcome in life but use our experiences and our struggles to help strengthen us to persevere and reach our goals.

Balancing the roles of a dance teacher and caregiver presents a complex set of challenges and has profoundly influenced my career goals. Both roles demand significant emotional and physical investment, but they also provide a unique synergy that has shaped my approach to education and personal growth. As a dance teacher, the responsibility to nurture and inspire students requires a deep commitment to their development. Crafting engaging lessons, addressing individual needs, and maintaining a positive learning environment are essential. This role demands creativity, patience, and adaptability. The challenge lies in continuously evolving one's teaching methods to accommodate varying student needs while managing the administrative aspects of the job, such as scheduling and organizing performances. Caregiving adds another layer of complexity. Whether providing support to a family member, managing a household, or addressing personal health issues, caregiving requires flexibility and resilience. The unpredictability of caregiving duties can sometimes conflict with the structured demands of teaching, creating a balancing act that tests time management and emotional stamina. There are days when the responsibilities of caregiving might interfere with the energy and focus required for teaching, leading to increased stress and potential burnout. Despite these challenges, the experience of managing both roles has deeply influenced my career aspirations. The caregiving role has instilled a heightened sense of empathy and patience, which directly enhances my effectiveness as a teacher. Understanding the intricacies of balancing personal responsibilities with professional demands has made me more sensitive to my students' individual circumstances. This empathy drives my goal to create a supportive and inclusive classroom environment where students feel valued and understood. Furthermore, juggling these roles has reinforced the importance of self-care and efficient time management. Recognizing the necessity of maintaining my own well-being has led to the development of better organizational strategies, which are crucial in both caregiving and teaching. This experience has also prompted me to advocate for greater support systems and resources for educators who may be balancing similar responsibilities. In terms of career goals, this dual experience has guided me towards a focus on integrating wellness and support into educational frameworks. I aspire to develop programs that not only enhance students' artistic abilities but also support their overall well-being. This includes incorporating mindfulness practices into dance education and advocating for policies that offer support to educators facing personal challenges. In summary, the intersection of being a dance teacher and a caregiver has been both challenging and enlightening. It has shaped my career goals to emphasize empathy, support, and holistic development, ultimately aiming to create a more balanced and compassionate educational environment.

My career in the performing arts has inspired me to make a difference in the lives of children. I have been teaching for the last 35 years. I made the decision around age of seven, that I wanted to be a teacher and dancer. Unfortunately, I did not have the support and I grew up in a very hostile environment, but my dream never went away and when I turn 13 I found a way to pursue my love of dance my local community center is pivotal in my quest to become a dancer, they offered free African dance classes and every week I will go and watch the classes from beginning to end through window. I was invited to come in. I was nervous because I didn’t know anything, but I didn’t realize that all those times that I’ve sat and watched the class I was learning. I did so well that by the time I was 17 I was given a class to teach during the summer months. I remember begging my grandmother to put me in ballet, Modern, and jazz classes at the Katherine Dunham Museum but she said no. I was determined to make my dream happen the best way I could, and it was through the African dance classes. I Went on to perform with the African dance ensemble and I loved it! I eventually moved To Vicksburg, Mississippi, and the first thing I looked for was dance classes for adults. I was told that no African dances were offered in Vicksburg so I sat out on a quest to bring African dance to Vicksburg Mississippi. I became a substitute dance teacher in the school district in Vicksburg and began combing the community to find people interested in the arts. Through my connections, I was able to start teaching African dance in Vicksburg. I made connections in Jackson, Mississippi, and that led to teaching African dance in Jackson. Throughout my experiences, I remain of substitute teacher once I moved to Jackson. I’ll begin to be a substitute teacher in the Jackson Public Schools system. Eventually landed a temporary job in the Hinds County Public school system in the summer 2012. Right before the summer ended I applied for a permanent position as a kindergarten teacher’s assistant and was hired. In that position I was also a tier 3 reading teacher and math tutor for first grade. I enjoyed my work and I enjoyed working with the children and I was still able to use my creativity within my work. I was given the opportunity to teach a dance class once a week at the school. The superintendent at the time heard about me and the work that I was doing and offered me a permanent spot as a dance educator at another school in the district. I moved to intermediate school in 2016 and I am still there to this day. To see the lightbulb light up in my students when they are able to express themselves artistically is a highlight of my day. I have seen grades go from failing to passing and behavior from poor to great through my performing arts program in our school. I am making a difference and I see it every day. There’s not a day that I do not come to work with a smile on my face and leave work with a smile on my face, sure there Is a lot of stress during the day but when you have 700+ students it’s expected. But I see the impact and it’s well worth it!

When love is absent, horror lives. As a child I didn’t know that being beaten and hit with objects was domestic abuse. For me, I was confused because I never knew why this was happening to me. My mother never laid a finger on my sister so that left me totally confused and alone. I loved my mother. I got married young, 19 years of age. My husband was my best friend. I lost my best friend 3 weeks after we were married. I was pregnant at the time with my first child. I moved to Indiana hoping to jumpstart my life. I eventually started dating. I met a young man and God only knows why I was trying to show love and fix a broken man. Was it because I was broken myself? Nevertheless I did what no young woman should ever do, try to fix a broken man. I let him move in and the terror began. Why didn’t I just make him leave? I didn’t know how and with each day I thought it would get better. It started with him taking my car and returning when he felt like it and when I addressed it I was cussed out. I began to realize later that things were not going to get better and then I couldn’t get rid of him. Of course, yes I was pregnant and this time with twins which I later found out because I miscarried at home after being raped by him. I ended up in the ER and that’s when I was told it was twins. One twin survived and I was put on complete bed rest with a visiting home health aid. After having my son the abuse picked back up. I was pushed down stairs, threatened with a gun in my mouth, slapped, punched and raped often. I ran with my children only to be convinced he would change and that never happened. My last run was after being raped repeatedly, he fell into a heavy drunken sleep. I grabbed my children and left. I drove to Illinois to my grandparents home and that’s where I stayed. Today my life is so much better. My children are adults. That surviving twin is 32 years old, associate degree and has his own business and is a proud father of a son. My daughter from my marriage is 35 no children and has her master’s degree. I’m one proud mom! I am a dance educator and I use dance as therapy and mentoring my students. I see my child-self in many of them and I know they have to grow up and become young ladies and young men. I teach 700 students plus within the school year. Believe in equity and inclusion and I want all my students that I teach to embrace the creativity, uniqueness, and their capabilities. I teach my students how to problem solve, Expressing their feelings and being someone that they can trust to talk to. Many of our students are in abusive homes or have seen violence or been a part of violence in the home between family members and relatives and the community. I teach my students that we don’t let our environment or our situations define who we are or will be in the future, but we need to connect with those who have my best interest. I do this through the performing arts and I’ve definitely seen the success of it. I want to continue to be a mentor To my students so that they will progress on to becoming successful adults.

I am the product of a single parent home. My mother was committed to a school for wayward girls in Geneva in Illinois when she was pregnant with me. My life was unstable living with mother until I went to live with my grandparents at the age of 11. I could not read, I didn’t know my first name and I didn’t talk and I missed 79 1/2 days of school in one year. I was placed in SPED, ridiculed and bullied by students and a teacher. I was the victim of sexual abuse and beaten by my mother. I myself a single parent of three children didn’t want the same for my children. My eldest daughter has her masters degree and my son owns his own business. My youngest daughter is 13 years old, A-B honors and a dancer since the age of 2 1/2. I fought to support my children in their educational goals and teach them the value of an education, now it’s my turn to focus on me! I am a dance educator by experience and knowledge (Over 35 years), and within the last five years, I have added theater arts to the list. I absolutely love the arts and this has been my dream since early childhood and that was to be a dance educator and work in the performing arts. Today I successfully run a performance arts program at Gary Road intermediate school and I am very proud of that. Earning My bachelors degree will increase my income significantly and allow me to get licensed in education. I have always taught my children and my students that we don’t let our situations define our outcome in life but use our experiences and our struggles to help strengthen us to persevere and reach our goals.

Believe it or not, try and true Starbucks Sumatra coffee drinker. I don’t have to have coffee with different flavors that represent seasons because just the hot cup of coffee no matter when summer spring winter fall is so comforting and nostalgic. A hot cup of coffee reminds me of my grandparents and their love for each other sitting at the table drinking out of green 4 ounce coffee cups and conversation was the norm in my grandparents home. Although we didn’t have Keurig back then and they were not drinking Starbucks, but in fact, they were drinking Taster’s Choice, and it was the experience that meant the world to me. Coffee has definitely become a character in my life narrative. My first time tasting Coffey was at the tender age of two years old. My grandfather would sneak and give me a teaspoon full of coffee. I didn’t understand Coffee as a child, but it was something about it. That was so comforting and soothing. I got to the point Where I would convince my grandfather Make some coffee And Then break out the teaspoon. As I got older, I ended up getting my own cup. I thought I had arrived and began to make my own coffee to my taste and liking and I’ve been drinking coffee ever since. Coffee Means Family, friends, warmth, Love, conversation, contentment, smiles every day. Coffee is a character who was able to relax my soul when I am undergoing stress. I understand about caffeine, but I have always been able to find peace and solace in drinking coffee. Coffey does not keep me wired or unable to rest. The few of the smoothness and the nuttiness of the flavor is very soothing. Starbucks may be popular to many my first experience with Starbucks was actually in England. Prior to that I had no experience with Starbucks. I’ve always loved coffee shops because they’re so quaint so personal and most of the time the people that go into these mom and pop coffee shops are regular customers and people that love to read and just sit and have conversation over a good cuppa coffee. Is that place because you can go and have a good cuppa coffee and conversation or do homework catch up on work that you didn’t do with the office or just sit in a corner and read a book, Just you and your hot cup of peace and love.

I love working with children! I not only teach dance, theater arts but also I am a mentor and I work diligently to help my students to resolve conflicts, organize their lives so that they are able to commit to their studies and enjoy extra curricular activities. I have watched my students grades go from low to Honor roll because of being in performing arts at our school. I am a proud Performing Arts educator. I have often conducted free I love working with children! I not only teach dance, theater arts but also I am a mentor and I work diligently to help my students to resolve conflicts, organize their lives so that they are able to commit to their studies and enjoy extra curricular activities. I have watched my students grades go from low to Honor roll because of being in performing arts at our school. I am a proud Performing Arts educator. I have often conducted free community African dance classes whenever I could find space to do so. My students are my community as well. They have to grow and go and create communities for themselves and being a teacher means I am a full participant in their growth and success. I see myself when I was a child in many of my students. I have always taught my children and my students that we don’t let our situations define our outcome in life but use our experiences and our struggles to help strengthen us to persevere and reach our goals. I taught community African dance classes for years. I found great joy in teaching free community classes because I was able to teach children and adults from various backgrounds and situations. I was able to mentor and inspire on a great scale. My students are my community as well. They have to grow and go and create communities for themselves and being a teacher means I am a full participant in their growth and success. I see myself when I was a child in many of my students. I have always taught my children and my students that we don’t let our situations define our outcome in life but use our experiences and our struggles to help strengthen us to persevere and reach our goals. When I have completed my bachelors degree, being that I am already in the career of my choice, I will continue to serve the children and my community and school district as an educator. I want to move on to obtain my masters degree and dance education.

I’m the daughter of a single parent who never finish school. My mother did not make it past the 8th grade, my grandmother didn’t make it past the sixth grade. Both are now deceased. I’m the first to graduate high school and also obtain an associates degree. I am a single parent of three children. My eldest daughter has her masters degree and my son owns his own business. My youngest daughter is 13 years old, A-B honors and a dancer since the age of 2 1/2. I am proud and I was able to support my children in their educational goals now it’s my turn to finish what I started. I am a dance educator by experience and knowledge (Over 20 years), and within the last five years, I have added theater arts to the list. I absolutely love the arts and have my entire life degree standards. This has been my dream since early childhood. My grandmother said I danced before I walked. My mother was committed to a school for wayward girls called Geneva in Illinois. She gave birth to me and my grandparents came to get me but my mother had to stay behind. I lived with my grandparents until I was 2 years old. I went to live with my mother. My life was unstable until I went back to live with my grandparents at the age of 11. I could not read, I didn’t know my first name and I didn’t talk before coming back to my grandparents. I was placed in SPED, ridiculed and bullied by students and a teacher. I was the victim of sexual abuse and beaten by my mother. I grew up thinking my mother hated me. I was left at home alone with my little sister starting at the age of 4. We lived in the housing projects in Chicago. The one thing I had was my love for dance. I danced to escape my life. No one believed in me, cared for me or looked after me but God because I honestly should not be alive today. I believe my grandmother’s prayers keep me safe. She is my strength even to this day. When I went to live with my grandparents I learned how to live. I have many challenges still but I know that completing my bachelors degree will improve my income. I am considered a teacher assistant, but I successfully run a performance arts program at Gary Road intermediate school and I am very proud of that. Earning My bachelors degree will increase my income significantly. I am in the career of my choice and I am working at the school of my choice and have been for the last 8 1/2 years. I love working with children! I not only teach dance, theater arts but also I am a mentor and I work diligently to help my students to resolve conflicts, organize their lives so that they are able to commit to their studies and enjoy extra curricular activities. I have watched my students grades go from low to Honor roll because of being in performing arts at our school. I am a proud Performing Arts educator. I see myself when I was a child in many of my students and I want to be to them what my grandmother was to me. I have always taught my children and my students that we don’t let our situations define our outcome in life but use our experiences and our struggles to help strengthen us to persevere and reach our goals. I need my degree!

I’m the daughter of a single parent who never finish school. My mother did not make it past the 8th grade, my grandmother didn’t make it past the sixth grade. Both are now deceased. I’m the first to graduate high school and also obtain an associates degree. I am a single parent of three children. My eldest daughter has her masters degree and my son owns his own business. My youngest daughter is 13 years old, A-B honors and a dancer since the age of 2 1/2. I am proud and I was able to support my children in their educational goals now it’s my turn to finish what I started. I am a dance educator by experience and knowledge (Over 20 years), and within the last five years, I have added theater arts to the list. I absolutely love the arts and have my entire life degree standards. This has been my dream since early childhood. My grandmother said I danced before I walked. My mother was committed to a school for wayward girls called Geneva in Illinois. She gave birth to me and my grandparents came to get me but my mother had to stay behind. I lived with my grandparents until I was 2 years old. I went to live with my mother. My life was unstable until I went back to live with my grandparents at the age of 11. I could not read, I didn’t know my first name and I didn’t talk before coming back to my grandparents. I was placed in SPED, ridiculed and bullied by students and a teacher. I was the victim of sexual abuse and beaten by my mother. I grew up thinking my mother hated me. I was left at home alone with my little sister starting at the age of 4. We lived in the housing projects in Chicago. The one thing I had was my love for dance. I danced to escape my life. No one believed in me, cared for me or looked after me but God because I honestly should not be alive today. I believe my grandmother’s prayers keep me safe. She is my strength even to this day. When I went to live with my grandparents I learned how to live. I have many challenges still but I know that completing my bachelors degree will improve my income. I am considered a teacher assistant, but I successfully run a performance arts program at Gary Road intermediate school and I am very proud of that. Earning My bachelors degree will increase my income significantly. I am in the career of my choice and I am working at the school of my choice and have been for the last 8 1/2 years. I love working with children! I not only teach dance, theater arts but also I am a mentor and I work diligently to help my students to resolve conflicts, organize their lives so that they are able to commit to their studies and enjoy extra curricular activities. I have watched my students grades go from low to Honor roll because of being in performing arts at our school. I am a proud Performing Arts educator. I see myself when I was a child in many of my students and I want to be to them what my grandmother was to me. I have always taught my children and my students that we don’t let our situations define our outcome in life but use our experiences and our struggles to help strengthen us to persevere and reach our goals and I’m doing the same.

I’m the daughter of a single parent who never finish school. My mother did not make it past the 8th grade, my grandmother didn’t make it past the sixth grade. Both are now deceased. I’m the first to graduate high school and also obtain an associates degree. I am a single parent with a daughter has her masters degree. I am proud and I was able to support her in her educational goals now it’s my turn to finish what I started . I am a dance educator by experience and knowledge (Over 20 years), and within the last five years, I have added theater arts to the list. I absolutely love the arts and have my entire life degree standards. This has been my dream since early childhood. My grandmother said I danced before I walked. My mother was committed to a school for wayward girls called Geneva in Illinois. She gave birth to me and my grandparents came to get me but my mother had to stay behind. I lived with my grandparents until I was 2 years old. I went to live with my mother. My life was unstable until I went back to live with my grandparents at the age of 11. I could not read, I didn’t know my first name and I didn’t talk before coming back to my grandparents. I was placed in SPED, ridiculed and bullied by students and a teacher. I was the victim of sexual abuse and beaten by my mother. I grew up thinking my mother hated me. I was left at home alone with my little sister starting at the age of 4. We lived in the housing projects in Chicago. The one thing I had was my love for dance. I danced to escape my life. No one believed in me, cared for me or looked after me but God because I honestly should not be alive today. I believe my grandmother’s prayers keep me safe. She is my strength even to this day. When I went to live with my grandparents I learned how to live. I have many challenges still but I know that completing my bachelors degree will improve my income. I am considered a teacher assistant, but I successfully run a performance arts program at Gary Road intermediate school and I am very proud of that. Earning My bachelors degree will increase my income significantly. I am in the career of my choice and I am working at the school of my choice and have been for the last 8 1/2 years. I love working with children! I not only teach dance, theater arts but also I am a mentor and I work diligently to help my students to resolve conflicts, organize their lives so that they are able to commit to their studies and enjoy extra curricular activities. I have watched my students grades go from low to Honor roll because of being in performing arts at our school. I am a proud Performing Arts educator. I see myself when I was a child in many of my students and I want to be to them what my grandmother was to me. I am where I want to be, teaching and impacting the lives of my students but with a bachelors degree I can get my teaching license and improve my living and financial situation. I want to take my daughter to New York to experience a musical on Broadway.

Wow! It was March 2008, the year that changed my life. I had the opportunity of going to Somerset, England, to study dance. In Somerset, England, I attended Bridgewater College. The house host was the school director. Every moment spent in England was amazing. I had a chance to watch other educators and students work to see how differently they approach dance in an educational setting. I felt so connected every day, I cannot believe that I was in England, the air, food, the people so different, yet I felt so at home. That was my first experience with Keurig. We don't have those here in the United States. I thought the coffee machine was amazing and it also serves tea and cocoa. The house hosted wonderful meals every day. As a child I've always been fascinated with British comedy and I know they always had tea and crumpets, toast, and fish and chips. I got to visit Stonehenge, and it literally took my breath away! In fact, I ended up with bronchitis. I visited so many cathedrals that I got tired, but they were so beautiful and majestic. I kneeled at the grave of William Shakespeare, I climbed the Tor, and I got to actually go inside a home with a thatched roof. I visited the global theater, and the Roman baths. I visited Oxford University, and I got to peak through the door that inspired by the Alice in Wonderland story. I took a trip to London, got on the London Eye, saw Big Ben and walked across the River Thames. It rained a lot while I was in England, but that did not damp my spirits to see all I could see, learn all I could learn, and everything that I could experience. I was also fascinated with the fact that I was only eight hours away from Africa, which is on my bucket list, God willing. Last but not least, I got to go to Buckingham Palace and watch the changing of the guards. Something to truly be respected. I even did something I shouldn't have done and that was to try to distract a guard at a building as we were walking down the street and sightseeing. But that guard never blinked such discipline that I totally lacked that moment. I even took a picture next to the iconic Red Telly. I also got to see my very first musical, Wicked, in London! ​To this very day, I have never stopped thinking about England. Going on that trip out of the country made me realize that the world is so much bigger than what I see in front of me. Someone such as myself deserves to go and explore the world, regardless of my financial situation or my status. They gave me a greater appreciation for God giving what he created for us that we take for granted.

I am very close to obtaining my bachelor’s degree in Multi-Interdisciplinary Studies. I chose Multi-Interdisciplinary Studies as my major because the degree is flexible and to me, dance education is a multi-interdisciplinary study. Once I am finished with my bachelor's degree, I plan to pursue my master's degree in Dance Education k-12. I am currently within my career as a dance teacher serving the students of Gary Road Intermediate School in Byram, Mississippi. I have a sincere passion for what I do for my students. With service to over 850 students, I focus on career and skill development through dance education. I encourage my students that they can chose any career they want and dance can be a dominant choice or something they choose to do on the side. My student’s emotional development is important in their dance educational experience at Gary Road Intermediate School. I want to continue to serve at Gary Road Intermediate School. It is important for me to earn my degree to compliment my career choice. With a degree, I have more opportunities available to me via the school I work or possible future endeavors. Earning my degree will increase my income and allow me to ear a salary versus hourly pay. I have been employed through the Hinds County School District for 9.5 years with 6.5 of those years spent at Gary Road Intermediate School. My passion is in my work and my students. I often substitute in academic teacher classes when needed and I continue to educate in dance pedagogy, create choreography and create performance opportunities for my students. I provide costumes and materials need for performances using my personal income to do so because I am not given financial support for my dance program. This scholarship would help me get that much closer to earning my degree and improving my economic livelihood. My grades have been good since becoming a student at Jackson State University. I am trying to pick up the pieces. I want to make my family proud of me and my accomplishments. I know I can do it because I have the work ethics and the determination. Earning my degree will open doors for further training in dance education that otherwise I would not qualify for without a bachelor’s degree or higher. My education very important to me. I am 53 years old and It has taken many life struggles to bring me to this point and I am not giving up. I have lost a lot in my life and my children are my gifts that I gained through it all. I don’t have living parents or grandparents. I have nothing but Jehovah to rely on and the blessings of this scholarship.

My favorite superfoods are beans. I am a vegetarian so I rely on superfoods to give me the fuel I need for my day. I also love blueberries and blue Spirulina. I drink Kombucha that have the blue Spirulina in it. I also eat oatmeal with blueberries and blue Spirulina. For my salads I use Kale, Spinach and micro greens. I like to add blueberries, cranberries and raisins in my salads as well. I like superfood colors and that helps me when trying to identify them in the supermarket. I use olive oil as my oil base when I cook. Superfoods like nuts are a great superfood when my pantry is low. Sometimes I grab a jar and a spoon and eat nut butter or peanut butter for a quick pick-me-up. When I became a vegetarian I had no clue about superfoods importance yet I was eating them all along. Through the years I learned a lot about superfoods. Superfoods have cancer fighting properties, they have the ability to protect our cells, and reduce inflammation. Avocados are that superfood that are rich in healthy fats that we need in our diets. I love Avocados, tomatoes on wheat bread. It is amazing to create meals with superfoods and most of the time we have the superfoods in our refrigerators and pantries with little effort. New superfoods are being added to the list as nutrition is being researched everyday. Superfoods are super good, compact and provides good nutrition and fuel.

I am very close to obtaining my bachelor’s degree in Multi-Interdisciplinary Studies. I am currently within my career as a dance teacher serving the students of Gary Road Intermediate School in Byram, Mississippi. I have a sincere passion for what I do for my students. With service to over 850 students, I focus on career and skill development through dance education. My student’s social, emotional and learning l development is important in their dance educational experience at Gary Road Intermediate School. I want to continue to serve at Gary Road Intermediate School. It is important for me to earn my degree to compliment my career. Earning my degree will increase my income and allow me to make a decent salary to support my family. I need every scholarship I can get. I have been employed through the Hinds County School District for 9.5 years with 6.5 of those years spent at Gary Road Intermediate School. My passion is in my work and my students. I contribution to making my community richer in the arts starts in my classroom with my students. My students are taught responsibility, ownership and freedom of expression with respect. Through dance and dance education my students are taught that their thoughts, ideas, feelings and emotions matter in this world. My students demonstrate their ownership by helping their peers and family. My positive impact starts within my classroom. Earning my degree will open doors for further training in dance education that otherwise I would not qualify for without a bachelor’s degree or higher. My education very important to me and being able to provide the best dance/arts education for my students is my everyday goal. I am 53 years old and It has taken many life struggles to bring me to this point and I am not giving up and that is what I teach my students everyday!

Oh my goodness! Dance is my passion and not only that, educating students about dance, dance history, respect and admiration for the Arts as well. I knew from the age of about 7 that I wanted to be a dancer and dance teacher. I had a very rough upbringing but the one thing that I found peace in was dancing. At the age of 9 or 10 I began living with my grandmother. My grandmother told me that as a baby I loved music. She said that I would dance in my own way to music. She said I danced before I could walk. My grandmother passed away in 2017. Those words stuck with me from my childhood to today. Her words motivated me. However, she would not pay for dance classes because she thought that I could not make a decent living for myself as a dancer and or dance teacher. All she knew is I loved to dance. My first encounter with a dance class with within my neighborhood. It was West African Dance. I would watch class religiously every week through a window and this went on for a while. Eventually, the teacher invited me into class. They called him "Sunshine," and he insisted I participate in the dance progressions. I was invited back and he told me that I danced well. Eventually I was invited to perform with his ensemble. I also did some secretarial work for the ensemble. I didn't care because I was participating in a dance class weekly and it didn't cost me a cent but was the most valuable to me! Eventually after talking with Sunshine and learning the history of his dance and drumming training. I learned that Katherine Dunham was his teacher! I remember my grandmother sitting me down to watch a movie called, "Stormy Weather," and who was the choreographer, none other than Katherine Dunham! I was floored! Later I learned that Katherine Dunham had a museum in the area not to far from my house. I had to visit this museum. I began to study this woman. I wanted to dance like her! Eventually I learned that there were yearly dance workshops that specialized in Dunham Technique that Katherine Dunham codified. I started attending the workshops when I could afford them. I took classes under Katherine Dunham and I was mesmerized! I was actually being taught by Katherine Dunham. I am a dance educator in a public school where I service over 850 students with my passion for dance. I am in school earning my bachelor's degree which will allow my income to increase and I will be able to go back to school to earn my master's degree in dance education K12. I love my job and all that comes with it, the struggles and the triumphs and that to me is passion!

My mother passed away in 2014 and my grandmother, her mother, passed away in 2017. They won't be able to see me earn my degree and that hurts. I have been on this educational journey alone with the exception of my 11 year old, my two adult children and God. I have no financial support. I work full-time earning Assistant Teacher pay here in Mississippi. Working to finish earning my bachelor's degree is a prayerful adventure. My adult children have their own lives and I do not burden them. They are there if I need them but I choose to do this alone and not hang on them. I have supported my eldest daughter in her educational endeavors and she completed her master's degree. My son is a certified welder an has his associates degree. My eleven year old just passed to the 6th grade and is a A-B Honor-roll student. It's my turn now! I am considered a Teacher Assistant but I do more than that! I consider myself a Dance Educator. I service over 850 students at the school where I work. My goal is to be a great dance educator and role-model for my students. I am there for my students everyday. I address issues with bullying, confidence and overall student success. I encourage my students to be the best they can be and that it is ok to fail sometimes but not to become a failure. I believe we have failures in life to gage successes against. We are not perfect. I tell my students that as long as they do their best, that is all that is needed. Although we want our children to earn all A's, some kids A's are really C's. C's are passing grades too. I encourage my students to get involved in the Arts because I believe the Arts helps students to become well rounded students by developing their creativity. I let my students know that I am there to support them and help them reach their educational goals but they have to set goals and commit to meeting their goals. I am sort of a stand-in parent for a lot of my students who are going through difficult times in their personal lives. My dance classroom is not only a place to create, choreography, move and enjoy dance, but my classroom is a safe place where my students can get the encouragement they need and help to build their confidence and their willingness to be great!

1. Why do I deserve this scholarship? I'm so broke I can't pay attention and I sleep most of the time anyway! I'm 53 and showing a little leg is out of the question! I can't do college on credit and college ain't free. 2. What are my academic and/or career goals? I want to earn "A's" all the time even when I don't try. 3. Tell you about a time I've overcome an obstacle. I overcame an obstacle by just stepping over it. I don't get people sometimes, life is not that hard and obstacles are not that hard to step over. THE REAL ME: I am very close to obtaining my bachelor’s degree in Multi-Interdisciplinary Studies. I am currently within my career as a dance teacher serving the students of Gary Road Intermediate School in Byram, Mississippi. I have a sincere passion for what I do for my students. With service to over 850 students, I focus on career and skill development through dance education. My student’s emotional development is important in their dance educational experience at Gary Road Intermediate School. I want to continue to serve at Gary Road Intermediate School. It is important for me to earn my degree to compliment my career choice.

I am very close to obtaining my bachelor’s degree in Multi-Interdisciplinary Studies. I am currently within my career as a dance teacher serving the students of Gary Road Intermediate School in Byram, Mississippi. I have a sincere passion for what I do for my students. With service to over 850 students, I focus on career and skill development through dance education. I encourage my students that they can chose any career they want and dance can be a dominant choice or something they choose to do on the side. My student’s emotional development is important in their dance educational experience at Gary Road Intermediate School. I want to continue to serve at Gary Road Intermediate School. It is important for me to earn my degree to compliment my career choice. With a degree, I have more opportunities available to me via the school I work and future endeavors. Earning my degree will increase my income and allow me to earn a salary. I have been employed through the Hinds County School District for 9.5 years with 6.5 of those years spent at Gary Road Intermediate School. My passion is in my work and my students. I often substitute in academic teacher classes when needed and I continue to educate in dance pedagogy, create choreography and create performance opportunities for my students. I provide costumes and materials need for performances using my personal income to do so because I am not given financial support for my dance program. My income is very limited and it is very difficult but I do my best. My degree will allow me to provide my students with various opportunities that they otherwise would not have such as participating in competition dance and dance workshops and fieldtrips. I want to provide materials to my students such as dance books and dance related materials. This scholarship would help me get that much closer to earning my degree and improving my economic livelihood. My grades have been good since becoming a student at Jackson State University. I am only a few points away from being able to apply to Phi Theta Kappa. I want to travel with my little girl and show her the world and bring my dance experiences back to my students. I have had the privilege of watching my students go to college and continue to pursue dance, work for Disney and travel the world. I am trying to pick up the pieces. I want to make my family proud of me and my accomplishments. I know I can do it because I have the work ethics and the determination. I just need the financial assistance to accomplish my goal of Phi Theta Kappa and ultimately my degree. Earning my degree will open doors for further training in dance education that otherwise I would not qualify for without a bachelor’s degree or higher. My education very important to me. I am 53 years old and It has taken many life struggles to bring me to this point and I am not giving up. I have lost a lot in my life and my children are my gifts that I gained through it all. I don’t have living parents or grandparents. I am alone with the exception of a couple of friends. I have nothing but Jehovah to rely on and the blessings of this scholarship to help me to continue.

My education is important because I am the first in my family to earn a degree. I have an associate's degree. I am in school to earn my bachelor's degree with seven classes remaining. I have purged from my classes this second term due to a lack of funding. I am 53 years old and a mother of 3 beautiful children. I have raised two children on my own and my youngest, the 3rd child is 11 years old. Both my adult children are doing well. My eldest daughter has a master's degree. Yes, she beat me, but she had me to support her through it. My middle child owns his own transportation company. My youngest is doing great in school, in the school band, and is a competitive dancer. It's my turn to invest in my bachelor's degree. My children are a great source of encouragement to me. I am also a dance educator to over 850 students at Gary Road Intermediate School. I have been with the same school for 6 1/2 years and 9 1/2 years total with the same school district. I enjoy my career to the fullest. Without my bachelor's degree, I am considered an assistant. I teach anywhere from 6 to 7 classes per day. I started a performing arts company within the school called, The Rhythm Kidz Performing Arts. I teach Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Modern, African and Hip-Hop dance. I educate my students on the history of dance and pedagogy. I am an educator and movement facilitator. I give 100 percent to my students. Creating the performing arts company gives my students a platform to express themselves. I provide everything my students need from Tap shoes to ballet tights. Rarely do I ask parents to purchase anything for their children. I spend my money to help my students and they do not miss a beat! Education is important to me because it leads to the sustainability of my career and my goals. I want to be the greatest example for my students. I want my students to see that no matter what their background is or where they come from, they can reach their goals and maximize their education by using their education to benefit them. I had a very rough childhood until the age of 9 or so. My mother did not value education. My sister and I missed 79 1/2 days of school in one year. I dreamed of becoming a dance educator and a dancer. I did not have the support to go to college after high school. My grandmother raised me after my mother gave up. My grandmother did not finish the 6th grade. Graduating from high school was the ultimate for me as far as she was concerned. She did her best. When I came to live with her, I could not read, and I did not know my first name. I made it through. I will continue to work hard because that degree is mine! I am a mother, a student, and an educator!

"If I knew back then what I know now," I would have never developed a relationship with the "guy" in the first place. Things seemed great until I allowed him to move in with me. Wrong move! I honestly thought I could fill the void of losing my husband who was my everything. I became pregnant by this "guy". Of course, like many women, I thought he would do what was right. This guy would not leave. He made my life a living hell. It started off with not actively looking for work and I supported him and my daughter from my marriage. He would steal my car when I was asleep so I started hiding my key in the body of one of my daughter's stuffed animals. He enjoyed things like jumping out of the closet and scaring me. He told me he often felt like pushing me down the stairs so that I would lose the child I was carrying. Sex was forced on me daily. One evening I was forced into sex and all I could do was cry because the pain was unbearable. I began to bleed profusely and I passed a large tissue mass. The bleeding would not stop and I had to go to the hospital. After being examined it was determined that I miscarried. I was filled with so many emotions. I went to my gynecologist appointment for a follow-up. I was advised to go on bed rest and come back for another follow-up. I was not allowed to rest and heal physically or emotionally. Sex was still being forced and the "guy" said he was glad I lost the baby. I went again for the next follow-up and my gynecologist did an ultrasound. On the ultrasound, the screen appeared a fetus that was moving. A little boy. It was determined that I was still pregnant but lost a twin baby. I was completely confused. My surviving baby started trying to make his way into the world very early due to abuse both physical and mental of me. I was placed on complete bed rest because I was in pre-term labor for 3 months. The abuse did not stop. I went in and out of the hospital because of the abuse and my doctors could tell something was not right with me. The "guy" put a gun in my mouth and told me that I could not leave and if I tried, he would kill me and himself. He would push me, grab me, choke me and he punched me one night outside of a club and I blacked out. I was scared. I would not allow the ambulance to transport me to the hospital because I was scared of what he would do to me. After coming home in a drunken stupor, he raped me. Early that morning I grabbed my daughter and son and a diaper bag and quietly with the help of God, put my children in the car and left never to return. I lived in constant fear He would call my grandmother's house and leave death threats on the answering machine. God has been my protector through it all. That survivor I carried is now 30 years old and is doing awesome. My son has a son now and he is a beautiful father. I am using my career as a dance educator to be support to children of all backgrounds where I work. I am giving them a platform to express themselves and their pain through dance performance. I am interested in earning a degree in counseling.

I am considered a teacher's assistant because I only have an associate's degree. I am in school working hard to earn my bachelor's degree. I only have 5 classes left! Unfortunately, because I do not have any financial aide left and I am relying on scholarships to get through, scholarships are how I made it through the past year. Graduating is so important to me because I will be first generation college graduate. My mother dropped out of school in the 8th grade, her mother didn't make it pass the 6th grade. I have no knowledge of my father but my mother's father didn't ever attend school in his life. So, it seems like genetically I am predisposed to not earn my bachelor's degree. I am a dance educator and refuse to be called a teacher's assistant. I service over 850 students at our school Gary Road Intermediate School. I have started a performing arts program at our school as well. I have given our students the gift of dance and performance. I encourage reading and writing skill building through dance as well. I teach my students how to solve problems and differences of opinions and promote self-love and respect. I teach my students to never give up on their dreams and to not wish for things to be easy but pray for the strength to work through everything. Graduating will allow me to walk across that stage and hold my degree in my hand and allow my children to watch their mom, age 53, finally get her bachelor's degree. My income will improve as well. I have serviced our children for almost 7 years, working full-time and earning less than 13.00 per hour. I will continue to work where I am because I enjoy my job no matter how much stress I encounter, I leave on a positive note and I return the next morning with a smile on my face, greeting and hugging students as they walk through the door. I am not tired yet. I want to be proud for never giving up just like I teach my students!

Artist: SHANK Playlist Name: CAREER STUDENT 1. The Struggle Continues........ 2. Book Brain 3. Virtual Visionary 4. I Cram to Understand 5. Midnight Oil Burning 6. Time and Tears 7. Smooth Sailing

Up until recently, Edgar Degas' Little Dancer aged Fourteen was my favorite piece of art. I like the fact that many of Degas' paintings depicted ballet dancers. I am a dance educator, dancer, dance mom and choreographer. Degas' Little Dancer was created in 1880. This past spring 2021 I got a chance to actually see Degas' Little Dancer sculpture at an art museum in Jackson Ms. I could not believe that the sculpture was actually there. It was amazing. However, recently I learned that Degas' was a bit of a sordid man. I also learned that a ballerina's life often included sex work and prostitution in order to gain main dance roles. I was disturbed by this information and the fact that the Little Dancer might have been subjected to the same cruelty since her mother and sister were both sex workers.

Most of us are students who live below poverty level including myself. Education should not just be available but affordable and attainable for anyone wanting to improve their quality of life. Many times we do have access to federal funding such as Pell Grant but without the proper guidance as to how to use the funding to complete their degree goals, many end up using refunds from grants to live off of. Proper education about funding use and how to make grants and funding work for the student should be a part of the college experience and not just some quick advice and paperwork that many students will not read anyway.

Quincy Jones once said, " The process is the most beautiful part." I really loved this quote because I know that it is smart to think with the end in mind, however, Quincy Jones' quote helped me to see that the "process" is sometimes taken for granted in an effort to get to the end result. I am helping my students to appreciate their process in dance class. The hard work and dedication is so beautiful and they should be in the moment.

I see myself educating others about Substance Use Disorder through dance. Choreographing about substance abuse and getting support to overcome it would be very challenging. Substance abuse isn't a topic many would like to talk about and you have to be very careful addressing it especially in middle school and high school. I work in an elementary school setting and I am not sure how I would address the topic but I do think that with the assistance of school counselors I could make an artistic endeavor.

I am a dance educator who loves teaching. I love the Arts! The Arts are what kept us afloat during the early events of the pandemic. I don't think people realized this, of course, we artists did. Most people turned to the Arts to improve themselves when we were locked down in our homes. We took dance classes, painting classes, worked on our degrees, etc. I teach at a public school. There is an appreciation to some degree for the Arts. However, that appreciation can be improved upon. We all have room to grow. When we need substitute teachers, the principal will pull from the Arts department to sub for the day. The Arts are important for my students. I am 52 years old and I am working on my bachelor's degree. My degree will keep me working in the public school setting where the need is great. I have been committed to working in the Arts (dance) for the past 10 years, 6 of those years devoted to dance. I have seen students that were in dire straits when it came to their grades and behaviors, make a complete turn-around and start to excel and part of that is because of dedicated teachers and my dance program. This scholarship will help me earn my degree (I will graduate in 2022). My degree will keep me working with my kids! I have no money for school so I am applying for scholarships to support my goal of completing my degree.

Being born a black infant who grows up to be a black woman has had it's challenges and triumphs. I have always been proud to be black starting from infancy literally! My grand mother told me my favorite song as a baby was, "Is It Because I'm Black" by Syl Johnson. Even as an enfant I connected to my black skin. I was so proud when my grandmother told me that. I never knew my father and my sister's father stepped in. Grannis never treated me different from my sister, his biological daughter. I remember days of Grannis taking us girls to visit his mom, his brothers and his friends. Grannis' friends were beautiful people. They looked like the brothers and sisters on Soul Train, and I LOVED Soul Train!! The afros, dashikis, the greetings, "Soul brotha number one, what it be like"? I loved all of it! I wore an afro as a small child. The brothas would fist pound and embrace from the side. Sistahs respected themselves and each other and the brothas respected the sistahs too. They would greet, "Jambo!" I though being black was the truth!!! I have experienced police brutality when it wasn't as popular especially for women. I was traumatized but I had to move past it. I have experienced great things as well. I am a dance teacher with a great passion to teach children and adults. I love teaching my students on how to discover their greatness starting with their name and asking questions as to why their parents named them the name they have. I encourage my students to believe in themselves no matter the color of their skin. My brown-skin girls I encourage them them to live their dreams and believe that they are beautiful inside and out. I encourage my brown-skin boys to embrace their kingships! I do believe I have been blessed to have been born in the skin I am in so that I can participate in being an asset to the world starting in my classroom. Yes, "It Is Because I'm Black!"