My journey from Haiti to the USA reflects Walt Disney’s saying: ‘If you can dream it, you can do it.’ Haiti’s turmoils led me to believe that education was the key to change, but due to chaos created by government corruption, kidnapping, lack of work and resources, inflation and, the violent protestations people in the street I left for a better future and to pursue my dream of becoming an animation director. I arrived in the United States in 2019 at the age of 16, and the transition was a culture shock with daily challenges, especially on a mental level. My biggest challenge was the language barrier; I didn’t have relatives nearby, and I couldn’t speak English. I was left with strangers as a host family in a state I never visited before, but I adapted by observing and paying attention. I learned words and their context by listening to conversations, and actively engaging in family conversations and I learned about the different cultural habits of the population there. I was able to fully express myself wishing a year and am still learning new words every day. Entering college, I hoped for improvement, but my primary challenge remains the affordability of my education and materials. As an undergraduate from the poorest country in the Americas, I’m both an only child of a single parent, my mother, and an international student hailing from an economically challenged nation. I attend the Savannah College of Art and Design, with a staggering tuition of $64,637 a year. As an international student, I’m limited to on-campus employment with wages of $8 to $10 per hour for a maximum of 20 hours. Regardless of how long I stay, I’m obligated to pay out-of-state tuition and have restricted access to financial resources designed for U.S. citizens, such as the FAFSA. I am currently uncertain of my future. As an international, if I were to take a break from my college year, I would have to come back to Haiti since my F1 visa contract would be terminated at that very moment, and coming back to Haiti at this time would be close to sending a refugee back on the war zone. I also often look for other colleges at lower prices, but with my major, and the competitive industry in which I decided to be part, I am not sure that I am ready to trade the quality of my portfolio. I truly believe that price matter, but what you get from it matter even more. My second challenge is trying to balance my college, financial issues, and my family in Haiti. Since I moved to the U.S., my family assumed everything was going well for me and their interactions with me have become strained. They never called and and expressed concerns about my connection to my Haitian culture, and about me being ‘Haitian or Black enough.’ Especially after introducing them to my Caucasian boyfriend. On top of that, listening to my family’s troubles, especially my mother’s sacrifices to support my education, can be emotionally draining. I sometimes even feel guilt, as if their economic troubles, was also caused by my presence at SCAD. Navigating a dual culture has become challenging. Yet with all those challenges, I am still going forward. I recently applied for authorization to work from the USCSS, I am also working on scholarship applications to be able to afford my materials and tuition and one day have to direct my own movie and inspire others to attack their challenges right on; because " If you can dream it, you can do it".

My story is a story of hope, sacrifice and perseverance. It is a story that I like to put one day through the screen of televisions and streaming services all around the world. It is a reminder that a simple dream can bring a person way further than they could ever imagine. When I was younger, I loved cartoons and animated films. I still do now, to be honest. I am the single daughter of a single mother, who was working all week long to be able to offer to me and my ill grandmother and better life. Since life in Haiti did not offer many opportunities to go out safely and I was the youngest of our household, I often found most of my joy in animated movies and cartoons. When I needed to forget my worries, escape my reality, look for inspiration and most importantly, when I needed hope, cartoons were my go-to. I wanted my life to one day be as eventful, happy and interesting as the characters on the screen. This feeling of fun and excitement is something that I would like to produce in homes and cinemas. I love it when a movie is capable of lifting and teleporting the viewer to the world in which the story takes place. I find that beautiful and freeing. For that reason, I decided to pursue a bachelor's in 3D animation at the Savannah College of Art and Design, located in Atlanta. At the age of 16, I fled my home country, Haiti, to pursue my education in the US. I thought at the time that I escaped all of my struggles. At the time, I had left behind all my friends and family members for a new country and state where I knew no one and had to quickly learn the language as I went along through my new classes. As an international student status (legal immigrant with an F1 visa) and the daughter of a single mother located in a poor country, my major struggle at the time was money and the many restrictions keeping me away from getting a job and certain scholarships for college. At the time, I was happy with what I had. I had won many academic awards, and a few scholarships and was beloved by many of my teachers. For those reasons, I thought things in college would go for the better. I was wrong; things went downhill from my first quarter. When I started my college year in September 2022, criminal activities such as kidnappings, murders, shootings and many other violations of human rights, had increased at an alarming rate. Currently, gangs control 80% of the Haitian territory, making it many times more dangerous than it was when I left the country. Inflation put down Haitian currency to 0.0074HGT for $1 and on October 18, my mother's boyfriend died of renal cancer. He was a huge emotional support for my mother and I and he was going to be supporting her with the payment of my education. As an international student, I am unable to work out of campus for a better wage. Because of that, international student mostly depends upon their parents for scholarships for the payment of their tuition. On my first year, my attendance fee was at $61,722.00. This year, the tuition, housing and meal plan went up, bring the attendance fee up to $64,637. Therefore, it would not be an exaggeration to say that the Barbara J. DeVaney Memorial Scholarship Fund will be a huge help toward paying for my tuition and my future.

Growing up in Haiti, I rarely left home because of the high rate of criminal activities, riots overall danger created by the low economy of the country. Therefore, I had to find a way to entertain myself and forget about the problems of the world around me. I found solstice in the field of Animation. Living in a country unable to satisfy its supply and demand, I understood the difference between a need and a want. Yet, when it came to watching cartoons, it was both a need and a want. When I wanted to laugh, forget and be uncertain Cartoon were there. When I needed to laugh watching the horrible news, cartoons were there. When I needed to forget my worries or was looking for inspiration, cartoons were there. More importantly, I needed hope. I needed the hope that things would be better. I wanted my life to one day be as eventful, happy and interesting as the characters on the screen. This feeling of fun and excitement is something that I would like to produce in homes and cinemas. I love it when a bunch of people who never met each other, feel comfortable sitting and laughing along with you. I find that beautiful. For that reason, I decided to pursue a bachelor's in 3D animation at the Savannah College of Art and Design, located in Atlanta. The Bright Light scholarship would be very useful to me, especially this year. It is my second year at SCAD and I don’t know if I will be able to continue the academic year and as a result, be able to uphold my F-1 Visa requirements. If I can not hold my F-1 visa, I would have to go back to Haiti, which is a near-death sentence because the whole republic is overtaken by gangs and even the police are unable to help and can not be trusted. The Bright Light scholarship would be a huge help and savior. Currently I am working on getting an authorization to work out of campus for a better pay. I definitely plan on stay in the USA, mostly because I plan of working in Dream Works or Disney. I plan on try on there stay at SCAD because of the many opportunities they offers. The SCAD tuition attendance fee is $65,745 a year, and 500$ from this scholarship would be 500$ closer to an other semester of needed education. After college, I plan of doing my OPT and hopefully get a job within the animation industry and eventually Dream Works or Disney. If things do not go my way, I plan of finding a small simple job, the time the build up my portfolio. Then I will go forwards my dream job once I gathered enough to money to move. To sum up, I plan on becoming an animator, spread hope, joy and imagination, and I would really appreciate your help getting there. Thank you for you time and consideration.

A leader is someone with the capacity to listen, encourage, and set an example for others to follow. An example of a leader in my life is my mother. She was also a leader to many other people. Seeing her being a hard-working woman, capable of helping others, and being the very pillar of our family, taught me many things. First, is self-reliance. Many times, when we think of a leader, we always imagine them working in a team. Making great achievements after being a source of encouragement for many others. But as the person being led, wouldn’t it be encouraging to know that the people leading the way, not because they simply believe in my capacities, but because my leader knows that it is achievable? It would be nice to know that my leaders if left alone, would not simply give up on our goals but do it on their own. Be self-reliant. Being self-reliant came from often being alone, it allowed me to figure things out for myself, and find solutions to problems I encountered through creative ways. Being an only child, it was through self-reliance, ambition, creativity, and a lot of trial and error, that I learned how to cook, draw, craft, and many others. One of my favorite memories of when I had to use such skills happened during my senior year. I was to make a team presentation with one of my classmates. The goal of the presentation was to practice our capacity to analyze a demographic, find what subject is dear to them, use the data found from our research, and use it to advertise a product. In our case, it was a test, and our demographic was older women. Second, being understanding, empathetic, and patient. Empathy is something I simply noticed I had. During arguments, especially heated ones, I have never been the one who tries to take a side or answer back. Especially not if I could see in the person’s eyes and facial expression, that their mind was already decided. However, since I started to understand people being able to put myself in their shoes, I became a family therapist. When an argument would break out between my family members, I would be the one to patiently talk to them, listen to their view, and explain the view of the other person, explaining to them where their train of thought might have gotten wrong, or where they might have a point. If I can listen to people and be able to see the world from their point of view. There is nothing stopping me from finding a solution that works for the person, myself, and anyone else involved. Therefore, creating effective compromises. And third, I am a hard worker. I am sure that in the many applications being read today, hard work is one of these qualities that comes back a lot, but there is a reason. There is something satisfying in a job well done, the smile of satisfaction from a customer or someone you volunteered to help. A sense of pride I would say, and that is something I like personally. My grandmother and my mother always had been hard workers, and I had been raised by both women. So I am a leader by is self-reliant, empathetic, and patient as well as a hard-working person.

I will let you know in advance, I write as I talk. Therefore, my essay will not be an official letter with words that can only be found in the depths of a dictionary, but a conversation between you and me. You see, when applying for the Carlos F. Garcia Muentes, and reading the statement about them, I felt like it was simply summarizing my story, leaving many struggles in the search for a better life, and facing new obstacles, especially now in my college years, and I will tell you why. My name is Christelle Poteau, and I am a first-generation student of my family studying in the United States I am originally from Haiti. In Haiti, things get worse every year for the population. We had a big problem with inflation, lack of resources and access to education. There is also a constant problem with corruption, which keeps on persevering again and again. All of those problems combined led to a lot of riots and kidnappings. Those violent riots, affected everyone, including the school I used to go to, which had been shut down many times. That became a problem since it meant that we were not able to have a stable education. On top of a high crime rate and interrupted education, I wanted to become an animator, especially after seeing many animated movies that could impact my mood and help me forget about my troubles. In Haiti, there were no animation studios, just an extreme lack of jobs. For those reasons, my mother and I thought it was best for me to leave the country. When I first came to Vermont, I was basically on my own, I was in a new country, was placed in a family I never met before, and had to continue my education in language a barely knew. Yet it never stops me from doing my best at school. No matter what we went through, my mother always told me and proved to me that staying positive was the best way to "make an order to the universe for good things to happen, This prayer and determination". No matter all that happened, she was still able to send her baby to a safer country and get her a great education. After graduation, I thought that I was ready for college, but during my first college year, things got really hard. My mother never got married, but she had a boyfriend who was like a father to me, In the middle of the night, as I was trying to finish up my assignments, I got a call announcing that he passed away from cancer. That same semester things got even harder. The situation in Haiti got worse, making it very dangerous to a point that we never dared imagine. As an international student, I can't fill out the FAFSA, and can't fill out the State Grands and many other scholarships requiring me to be a US citizen, I also can not work out of the school campus. For those, I fully depend upon my mother and scholarships for my tuition. With the country in bad shape, it became harder and more dangerous for my mother to work and find the money for my tuition which is at $64,637. Things have also been emotionally bad, with many people we used to know going away in moments of need I am taking animation as a major and can't afford the computer to take the classes. How crazy is that!

"What about you chose to take care of the napkins and cups when they ask you for something to bring to your class party this Friday?” It was a reminder that money did not grow on trees. « Honey, unfortunately, Santa can only offer you one thing for Christmas this year, so choose wisely…” was the moment I understood how bad it was getting. And being single made it even harder. I was sixteen when I understood what a dad was about. When I was put in a host family consisting of a host mother and host father, I started to think about how my family was not as balanced as it was supposed to be, and how the only influence I had in my life so far was from single mothers. Before that, I always thought of my family life as common. My family was me, my grandmother, my older cousins whose mom left under my mother’s care, and of course, the one taking care of all of us, my mother, Marie Lucie Poteau. My father left a few months after my birth and since then my mother had been entirely on her own. She went to work from Mondays to Fridays, and when not outside she was mostly in her room, making calls and organizing stuff for work. And since she would be working or busy, I would often be left alone with the TV. l got most of my ethics and values from her. When I was younger, we would get out of the house for vacation and go to the beach, and the waterfalls. However, as I grew older, those times made themselves rare. When we had the time or when there were no riots against the government outside, we would often have what we called “Mother-Daughter Day”. It would mostly happen after a doctor’s appointment, or a Friday after school with a perfect test score. I loved those days because I would have the opportunity to be with her for the entire day, see how she does her job, the people she works with, sometimes stop at the library, always stop at a restaurant or the supermarket, a bakery for a dessert. Those times made me value both hard work and simple moments with others. As for the days she was too busy, and my imagination did not spark. I would spend most of the days with my grandmother. Learning from her made me self-reliant and more informed about customs and nature. I would help her, help her in the kitchen, and make her food for the days she did not cook. We would grab cherries, oranges, limes, mangos, and “Kachiman”, one of my favorite fruits, to later make jelly or juice. She even told me how to harvest almonds, and since then I have been bringing her fresh almonds and seeds. She was warm caring and full of great stories. I learned a lot from my grandmother, mostly about leaving life without technology and enjoying it as it comes to you. Between us, I think that I am her favorite grandchild. Growing up with a single mother meant that things were harder for us, but it taught me how to make compromises, thought me the difference between what I need and what I want, as well as think of the consequences of my actions not only on me but on everyone else in our household. Having only one parent is challenging, but it made me who I am and taught me what I need to be on my own.

My name is Christelle Poteau, I am applying for the Mohamed Magdi scholarship. As an artist with a dream of becoming an animator, coming to the United States was a way to create something that would not only help my nation, but also the rest of the world.  Something that would come as a joyous daybreak to end the long night of misinformation, confusion and blind actions in the search for a positive response. As a young girl watching the dark clouds of smoke rise to the sky escorted by gunfire, and terrified citizens, animated cartoons have been a relief for me. The knowledge I gained from these shows as well as the feeling of relief and safety inspired me to pursue the creation of an animated show that is entertaining and educational. “C'est pas Sorcier” which means “It’s not that Hard” was one of my favorite shows. It was an educational French show about science, animals, the human’s inner workings, geology and the formation of earthquakes. To distribute a show like this around the world, each household would need 1 TV and parents who are willing to allow their children to use them for 1 hour a day. Yet again, those are questions for later. I still have to be able to afford the education to make that possible. When starting my senior year at Stafford Technical Center in Vermont, I didn't think that my art was going to touch so many people. However, when creating my first comic book PSA, I saw how much my art had an impact in my community. It made my class circle around it in silence, thinking about the world they live in. It won me a scholarship due to its educational and impactful nature, which was a huge help in paying part of my tuition at the Savannah College of Art and Design. This comic book was about the September 2021 Haitian immigration at the borders of Texas, which was a subject that was dear to me. The subject of my art does not stop at my nation. It extends to issues with society and world politics as well. For example, my piece “Mistakes are made to be learned from'' which is about the reluctance to teach the history of slavery in Texas as well as my piece against Vaping for the thruth.org art competition. Another example would be my animated short “A Moment to Remember” which is about appreciating people who are there for you. I am ecstatic to see how my art can bring people together, agreeing with each other and understanding each other. My art reflects a part of who I am, my love for my country, my community, my work, and my curiosity to understand the views of others and my dreams. Hence my piece “Dream it, Prepare it, Live it”, which is a summary of my life and an encouragement to others to pursue the dreams they have in life. To conclude, everyone wants to make the world better, but many forget that for a society to work, it will require love, respect and open-mindedness. The world needs a message and I am here to remind people that life is never Black and white. Everyone can find relief at the end of the day for everyone. I am proud to say that I am an “UP-Stander” through my art and through the messages I am capable of sharing to the world. I stand up for my beliefs and accept and protect the right for anyone to do the same in a safe productive way

My name is Christelle Poteau, and when I tell you that I was born in the middle of a rioting country, it is no exaggerating. I was born on the day they expelled one of the presidents at the time, “laTortue”. My mother had to urgently find herself a friend to drive her to the hospital despite the angry and violent mob. It was a miracle that the hospital was still functioning on this day. In the delivery room were 4 women, my mother, her friend, her sister and another woman who also happened to deliver a baby. It was a baby boy and the first person I ever had to share a baby bottle with. So yes, since I was born, I never had the occasion of knowing what a peaceful and ordered country was like, but it never stopped me from dreaming big. Because of the extreme insecurity which affected our lives and my education, I came to the United States when I was 16 to study At Mount Saint Joseph Academy. I am the first daughter in my family to study in the U.S.A ( that I know of) The transition was not easy. The language was a struggle, the change of environment, the people and their way of life and view of the world were all different, and I was sent alone to figure it all out. From there, I went to a technical center to learn more about digital art which is related to my current major. Now I am going to Savannah College of Art and Design, where I had been a Dean student three times during my first year. During my entire journey in the US, I keep the values of my family which helped me succeed, "Work is Freedom"-my grandma.

Hi, my name is Christelle Poteau, and I am not your average Disney fan. Disney is the reason why I am now in Savannah College of Art and design studying animation. The reason is quite simple; I am inspired to become like Walt Disney, yes… I am referring to the creator of the Walt Disney studios. Walt Disney is now well known as an entrepreneur and creative mind. His name is seen in the logos of movies, animated films and the entertainment industry including Disney World. He had played a big part in the childhood of many men and women alike. Yet, we always seem to forget, Disney was just an average human being like all of us, the difference is that he made something that no one was expecting, something that people needed, especially with the Great Depression. With “SteamBoat Willie", the first appearance of our beloved mouse now known as “Mickey mouse” he started an empire that is still standing after his death, and inspired many animators, some from his own studio such as Don Bluth. As a kid, I was always a big Disney fan. The classics such as Snow White, the Lion King, and Peter Pan could be watched over and over again without ever getting tired of them. Disney is a company that creates dreams and brands everything around it. When I was younger, I could see the passion and love in those movies. It was the type of dedication that could bring a movie to life! That passion and these emotions that were able to reach me through the television’s screen were the reason why I became an animator. Born an only child, and the youngest at home compared to my mother and grand-mother, I was often left alone or bored. The best way for me at the time to have fun was to sit and watch cartoons. The reason why, was that when watching animated movies and series, I no longer felt alone, I was no longer in a room by myself; I could sing with the snow-White and the dwarfs, move the water with Moana, fight Davy Jones with Captain Jack Sparrow or sing with Timon and Pumba from the Lion king. Those movies brought me to want to offer kids and adults from the future generation the same fun and feeling of comfort, belonging and most of all escapism that Disney offered me. I want them to know that whatever reality they are living through, they are never alone and that the world around them still has its bit of magic and surprises in it.. So to answer the question, what I like about Disney is the wonder, creativity and overall magic that it spread. The feeling of nostalgia after watching a Disney classic, the laughter and memories that each one of us, old and young associate with the brand “Disney”. To me, it means that history can be written through cinema, that life’s can be changed thanks to a movie the same way mine has thanks to the “Lion King”. To me, it means that I don’t have to find a job only based upon the salary it offered, but that I can find a job that I love. A job that influenced the person I am today and offers me the assurance that thanks to me, a child, teenager or adult somewhere in the world, had a better day.

As a child, watching cartoons was not only a pastime but an escape from the world I lived in at the time. In the same way that Disney and many more artists offered me that escape and opportunity to grow my imagination. I wanted to do the same for the upcoming generation. I want to be the animation director that outdoes the expectations of the public, I wanted to be the creator of a studio capable of challenging Disney. I know that it is a very bold ambition to have, but if Disney did it, so can I. It is because of many days sitting alone in front of my mother’s television, that I began to wonder, "How does Disney make drawings feel real?”. This is how I discovered “animation” and started my journey toward the goal of becoming an animator. Many times I heard that animation was simply for kids, yet we had been proven wrong multiple times. An animated movie does not need to be obscene to be considered mature, it simply needs to be able to talk to both younger and older audiences. A show like “Bleuy” and a movie like “Spiderman Into the Spider-Verse”, are different, but they are both able to capture the younger and older audience, and emotionally absorb their attention. Shows like these are amazing, and can influence the way of thought of so many people. I am certain that I do not talk only for myself when saying that all of us at some point in our lives watched a movie or a cartoon and thought “I wish I could do that”. Those TV shows made you want to be an astronaut, a firefighter, a scientist, a Disney Princess, and so forth. The reason is that the movie takes you from your seat to a world that you are not leaving in. You become part of this world and that is the best way to experience it. If a movie or cartoon can keep you in a chair for hours, make you cry or laugh, or change your life around; imagine what it can do for the whole world! They can inspire people to live their dream. And if I am capable of helping so many people by doing what I love, then it is what I am going to do

Hello, my name is Christelle Poteau, and I didn't want to read my bedtime stories, till my mother forced me to. When reading the prompt for this scholarship, I had a hard time thinking of something in particular that my mother did to influence my choice as an artist. To be honest I did not think she directly did. Since I was an only child, and my mom was often at work, I would often be alone with the TV and a twelve-pack of crayons to draw. To me what influenced me to be an artist was the fact that once she left for work, I would be alone with the TV for hours watching cartoons. And since the country was always in a civil war, I rarely got out. Therefore my only way to live out of the house was through animated movies. In the same way, Disney and many more artists offered me that escape and opportunity to grow my imagination. I wanted to do the same for the upcoming generation. That is how I decided to one day become an animation director. I thought that having a single parent was not what insured me to be an artist, but it was one of the things that led to it. Since my mother had to go to work, my grandma would be either cooking or sleeping and my cousins saw my interests as ‘’childish’’, I was left to entertain myself. Now that I think about it, It was not fully true As a younger child, I loved bedtime stories, they were great! Many times it would be the same stories but I never would be bored of them; but everything changed the day mother told me that I was a big girl now and needed to read my bedtime stories on my own. She required me to read at least one book every day once she was gone. I still remember those thin “Martine” books. Eventually, I upgraded from three books a day to one day choosing my own novels at the books store. My mother is the person who helped me grow my love for books and stories. On top of that, my mother was the person who would offer you a book as a birthday gift or as a “congratulation for passing the exams first place”, and to be honest, I do not complain. My mother not only helped with my love for stories, but she also helped me to ameliorate my drawing skills by hiring a Saturday drawing teacher who taught me about lighting, space and realism. This only showed me that she believed in my ability to be an artist. She did not know what kind, but she knew that I loved to draw and that I could make myself a future out of it. And she was right. My mother also supported my path toward college. Coming from a household with a very low income, where my mother was the one to take care of me, her mother and until recently children of her siblings, I was surprised and proud to see that she was still able to help me assure me a year of classes at the Savannah College of Art and design, which is the college that I am currently attending. Unfortunately, our resources in Haiti are cutting short. The inflation is to the roof and she can barely afford my academic semester this year. With about 15,678 $ to pay this semester, it is hard for both of us to find the money

Hi, my name is Christelle Poteau, women in STEM, and my field of study, women are only 20% of the industry. I am originally from Haiti, and came to the United States 4 years ago in 2019, due to the constant Civil war going on in the country. At the time, due to the violence, schools would be shut down all the time, it could even be going on for up to many months. I can still remember my cousin coming back from school with red eyes from the lacrymogènes gas which were thrown over the wall of her school. Yet, students just like me, would still back up their bad on a Saturday. That day would be a calm day, and be on their way to take their final exam after weeks of receiving homework and sending them through the computer or optional class day according to the state of the streets. I was very bad to say the least, but now it has gotten worse . When I first came to the United States, it was an enormous culture shock for me. I Had been sent to Vermont, a state I never been to, toschool I never heard of and had been shosen by my mother and one of her friend who already had her son there for me to attend, and I was place in a host family I never met before and with whom I had a hard time adjusting at first. On top of that I had a shy personality in front of strangers, and the world around me was anything but familiar. I had a hard time with the language and culture, I would often find myself depressed in my room. I was very much obsessed with my homework, I felt like it was my only purpose to be in the US. Thought that that if I had the best grades possible, the sacrifice of having me here would be worth it and I would make my mother proud, and took interruptions as a obtacle to this purpose. I was even threatened once to have my homework be taken away if I did not try to socialize more, which to be honest, I was quite surprised and confused about that. As for my time at my high school, I was never able to fully adjust. I only had two friends, and since I was terrible at sports, kids never got interested in me from the very beginning, The constant competitive environment that was created made me uncomfortable around them. And then, in my senior year I went to Stafford Technical school, in the Digital Art program, there I was truly able to thrive for the better. I made myself friends, had a teacher who was a ball of joy and was very encouraging. There I was able to learn a lot. The moment I got to Stafford, my path towards what I would like to do for the rest of my life. That is why I came to Savannah College of Art and Design. Reading the description of scholarships, I noticed that the women expected to apply are engineers, Yet I am an animator, which i don’t think is too much away from engineering since 3D animation uses mathematics and science (mostly for the VFX which I would like to minor in once I get enough money for it) And what exite me the most about is is both the 3D modeling process and the moving of the models. There are so many things that can be done!

While getting into college, I noticed a problem with the use of the word “equality”. The problem with that word is that offering equal opportunity to everyone without thinking about the starting point of each person, is not actually offering equality. Let me explain further. Imagine people on a race track, but each runner is placed at a certain point on that race track. They all have to run towards the same finish line. As an equal opportunity to win, you offer them all a boost. No matter what you offer to the racers, the one that had been placed closer to the finish line is most likely to win first, why so, because of the opportunity that had been offered to him before the race even started. As for the one that had been placed behind, well they are less likely to get there first unless they try even harder than anybody else to get there. You as the person in charge of the racing event might have given them an equal boost, but not just one. As for the race, it was not fair from the beginning. Now let's see how it affects students. I can attest to it. I am a 19-year-old black girl, daughter of a single mother and currently on a student visa from Haiti. I had been in the United States since 2019 (4 years now), and because of my low-income background, things were now easy. But my mother, with the help of her boyfriend at the time, was able to keep me in school, but when I started college, he passed away due to lung cancer. He never told us; therefore, when it happened it took all of us by surprise. When it happened, I was in my second semester of college. After talking with my adviser about my situation, she proposed to me a situation-based scholarship. And that is what I did, yet I had been denied. I then searched for other ways to help to pay. In my third semester, I got a job at the school museum and was paid 8$/hour. Just enough to take care of myself while my mother focused on my tuition. When April came around, I applied for the scholarship offered by the school. After applying I asked my adviser if a student could personally apply for a scholarship based upon their needs, their answer was “ Sorry, but not. Here at SCAD, we are trying to offer the same opportunity to everyone". Those words stuck with me. Why? Because as long as they do not recognize the position of the student, whatever the opportunity they offer, things will not be truly “equal”. It was unjust. To some of the students around me, money was not a problem. To others, it is. I fully depend on exterior scholarships. Why? As an international student, I do not have credits in the US to sign loans and would need a co-signer. None of my American relations want to co-sign because of the fear of indebtment. The media always talk about equality, but for real change to happen, we need both. If the government gives money to people, please also offer them jobs! Offer their kids as much safety as they would theirs. Use those taxes to benefit the people paying them. A great way to do that is to help those kids and families before they become "a problem". So yes, I do believe that Society must change its way of responding to the problems of the disadvantaged.

Animation is not graffiti art, but did you know that they can also be combined? A good example of that would be the artist of the name ‘’INSA’’. He mixes graffiti art and animation. He even created the largest animated graffiti art visible from a satellite. Impressive to say the least, but this is not why I am talking about him. This is an artist who challenged himself to create something different, and when he did, his ambition grew even larger. I believe that he is quite similar to Walt Disney. Walt Disney created something impressive for his time, and his ambitions also led to a legacy that is still remembered today. I want to do the same. Hello, my name is Christelle Poteau, and as a child, I was bitten by a radioactive spider full of ambition; now I believe that one day I will create an animation studio good enough to challenge Disney, Sony and DreamWorks all together. You see as a child, watching cartoons was not only a pastime but an escape from the world I lived in at the time. In the same way that Disney and many more artists offered me that escape and opportunity to grow my imagination, I want to do the same for the upcoming generation. I want to be the animation director that outdoes Spider-man Into the Spider-Verse. I want to be the creator of a studio capable of challenging Disney. I know that it is a very bold ambition to have, but I believe that it is “Canon”. Right now, I am studying 3D modeling and Character Animation at Savannah College of Art and Design, which is very expensive. By the beginning of September, I will be starting my sophomore year at SCAD. However, I am currently having a hard time coming up with the money for both my tuition and my materials. This includes a new laptop that could properly render 3D animation. This scholarship will also help pay the tuition for an animation class, a motion media class and a business class. My tuition for this year will be $13,680 and so far I have $5,167 assured. By winning this scholarship, I will be $5000 closer to paying my tuition and focusing on the required materials for the new year. Therefore, this scholarship will be very useful and put to good use. My name is Christelle Poteau and my goal is to one day inspire the upcoming generation of creatives with my work.

I grew up in the Republic of Haiti, which is a half-island in the Caribbeans, neighbor to the Republic Dominican. Contrarily to its neighbor, Haiti is very poor, and the ever-growing inflation and constant violent protest and riots make it a dangerous place for everyone, no matter who they are, their age, or where they come from. When I was younger, I had a vivid imagination, and started drawing pretty young; it was for me an escape from the loneliness and isolation caused by constant threats of danger, which was “the usual”. My imagination also made me resourceful. If there was a toy or food I wanted, but could not afford, I would try to do it myself. One day, sitting in front of the TV in my mother’s room, watching The Lion King, as tears rolled down my little cheeks at Mufasa’s death, the question that started it all came up to my mind, "How does Disney make drawings move?” I did some research, and what I learned made me passionate about Animation. Since that day, I knew what would be my career path, and that I would work at Disney, Pixar, Dream Works or Cartoon Network. I had big dreams, but Haiti has no Animation studios where I could go work. But I never stopped drawing, practicing, and hoping to be one. Because of the problems in Haiti, I had to leave behind everything I grew up with, and come to Rutland, to be able to get a more stable education and pursue my dreams. Once I got here, I could barely express myself. Not only did I leave all I knew behind, but I was an introvert put into a strangers’ house. I could barely understand them! It was very difficult, but I kept in mind that a good education was a privilege that not every kid could enjoy; that I had to let my family behind; that my mother who does not earn a lot had to work hard only to get me to a safe school, and that soon, I will be going to college which is also expensive and where I will be entirely alone. Therefore, I tried my best to understand any words that were said to me. I tried to communicate and accepted any correction on my pronunciation or use of words. I went on Google a lot and asked a lot of questions. I tried to keep up good grades while learning the new language. When Covid hit, it blew away my chances to see family for the holidays for more than two years. But it allowed me to spend more time in an English-speaking entourage, to be less shy than I was, and express myself even more. During my senior year, with the language no longer being a problem, I decided to go to a Technical school to learn more about the digital art industry. Later in life, when I will be done working in the animation industry, I wish to be able to make an animated series that would be accessible to all kids of any age, especially the ones of Haiti. I am hoping that it will push their curiosity, make them analyze the world around them, make them think about the good thing to do for the good of all of the population, and start making the changes themselves; because I learn that, if you don’t try hard enough, it won’t be happening at all.

Before, each time that I received a grade, I did not think about it as a way to show how well I understood my classes. To me, it determined if my mother would be proud of me, if we would stop for Ice cream or at the book store, or if I would get beat. Since I started school, I always had amazing grades, and I can perfectly remember how much I work hard in school, how proud I felt when it paid off, and how I used to cry and fear my mother when I got a grade lower than 80. When I got my report card, I used to be recompensed with a gift and a smile. But one day, she stopped with the gifts, and I remember asking myself that day, “Did I work hard for nothing?”. Later in life, I came to the US. I was on my own and was soon to prepare for college. There, I realized that even if I want my mother to be proud. My education is not simply about her, but mostly about my future and what I want my life to become. The grade was not a way to say that my mother was wasting money or that I was stupid, it simply meant that I have a few skills to work on. By then, I already knew what I wanted to do later in life, and once I had chosen my top colleges, I started to care more than ever. And this time, I wasn’t because of recompenses. It was because I had a goal that I really wanted to achieve for myself and my future. And as for my mother, I can’t thank her enough for keeping me on track until I realize it on my own.

My mother never graduated college and my grandmother never put a foot in a school. They therefore always told me that education was privileged. I am originally from Haiti, therefore, every day, I witnessed the effect of the lack of accessibility to education in my community. Most of the Haitian population is poor and encounters many adversities. The people believed that the problem is the lack of money, but I believe that the lack of education is the soul problem. Because the people focus on money and survival, they do not see the bigger picture and keep pulling themselves and their entourage into a hole. When something, go wrong, people do not know better than to start a violent riot; and recently it got worse. I was affected by this auto-destructive behavior. Because of rioters, I could not go to school for weeks and even months. It simply could not continue as such. Therefore, my mother and I decided that it would be best to go to a country with a stable education system. That is how I came to the U.S. I came here to continue my education, and achieve my dream to become an animator in a big studio like Pixar, Disney, Marvel, or Dreamwork, which is something I could not have access to back in Haiti. My whole family stayed in Haiti, and I could not speak English. That was one of the biggest challenges I had to face during my education. I was used to the riots, used to take homework from teachers through social media, but never did I have to take all my classes in a language that I did not speak. Yet, even though it was difficult and I could use that as an excuse for no longer trying to do my best, I did not. I knew that education was a privilege that every kid could enjoy. Therefore, I tried to identify the meaning of words by their context. I tried to communicate and accepted any correction on my pronunciation or use of words. I went on Google a lot and asked a lot of questions. I tried to keep up good grades while learning the new language and developed a love for literature and the stories from US History class. When Covid hit, it blew away my chances to see family for the holidays for more than two years. But it allowed me to spend more time in an English-speaking entourage, to be less shy than I was, and express myself even more. During my senior year, with the language no longer being a problem, I decided to go to a Technical school to learn more about the digital art industry. Later in life, when I will be done working in the animation industry, I plan to be able to make an animated series that would be accessible to all kids of any age, especially the ones of Haiti. I am hoping that it will teach them many things and push their curiosity, make them analyze the world around them, make them think about the good thing to do for the good of all of the population, and start making the changes themselves. I would like to be able to share with these kids the privilege of education through their TV screen; because to me, education is not all about the grade, but about learning enough information to learn how to think logically, new skills, and make a positive change within your life and community. What does it mean to you to get a college education? To me, getting a college education means that I would be able to expand my knowledge on what I would like to do later in life, which is Animation. Having a college education means that I could become an expert on the subject and that I will be most likely be hired by one of the companies that I would like to work for later in life, and once retired, created my own show. Nowadays, it is hard to get a job without a degree, that is why I would recommend to anyone to get a college education. Tell me about a typical day or week in your life outside of school. Outside of school and schoolwork, I sometimes go out with my host family and go on a road trip, grocery shopping, restaurants, college basketball matches, we go in a walk, to the movie theater, etc. I speak to my mom on the phone every Saturday and Sunday and any other free days when I am out of school, like snow days. I do some sports like Tennis and Cross Country. I help my neighbor and do community service. I do art and animation. I read, I sometimes cook and try new combinations. I also listen to music and clean up around. Tell me how you feed your curiosity inside and/or outside of school. Before, when I wanted to know something, I looks through my encyclopedia, which I remember was something I asked as a birthday gift to my mom. Or I asked an adult, other students, or went on the internet once I get connected to it. Now I read books, go on Google and YouTube, and sometimes do experiences Hand-on or ask my teachers for information.

Hello, my name is Christelle, and I am an artist. When I was little, I was rarely allowed to go because of how dangerous the streets were. I was an only child and my mother would spend most of her time working. I was, therefore, alone and could be easily bored, but something that kept me distracted and happy was to draw, make my own toys, try out new technics of art and listen to music… I don’t know if you ate one of those people, but when I read, draw or listen to music, I am capable of imagining and experiencing the feeling that is being expressed. It is like a little movie going on inside my head as I listen or read the story that is being told, not that I am observing an image illustrating a scene or moment of some sort. Yet, art is not restricted to music, sculptures, and drawings. What all pieces of art have in common, is that they start from your imagination. Art is therefore everywhere, in many forms, it is beauty and emotions expressed in a way that can evoke certain feelings in people. Whether something is considered art or not just depends on what you think is art. For example, to you, a building may look like something common, a simple stack of bricks and metal. But for the one who designed the building, it is a piece of art, a majestic and beautiful piece of art that they worked hard on and that has a purpose. The same thing with every piece of art! Not everyone might see their purpose, but they all do. Art is important for the development of society, and every day we witness what it does, but rarely think about it. Art helps people to communicate their feelings and ideas. It brings communities closer together. For example, people might create clubs to be able to share their passion or love for a particular piece of art. Many kids nowadays are closer than ever only after playing video games together. In clubs and parties, you might be able to blend in with other people and feel more comfortable only because you know the full lyric of a song, or in Carnaval when many people meet just to see the wonderful defile of costumes and bands and dancers. To random people might become best friends only because they love the same designer clothes or brand. It helps to make life more efficient and interesting. For example, objects used in our everyday life, like buildings, clothes, technology (graphic design work on social media, industrial design results…), furniture and house decor and renovation, photographs of memories ( like your family picture), culinary arts, etc… is art, even though it is not always a person who made the product. But the thing to think about at that point is that someone had to imagine what it would look like and how it would work and bring it to life before making it a product of mass production. It also helps people from different generations to share their stories and culture and preserve them through books, movies, fabric, songs or/and other media. That is what some sounds, songs, stories, symbols, or art styles might automatically recall you a certain population from a certain time.

I never lost my love for drawings, watching cartoons, and the ability to create the impossible out of imagination. As an artist, I like my work to have meaning behind it, a little story that comes with it, or simply speak to people and lead people to see themselves in my work. I like to include many details or layers in my pieces; each layer and detail have a purpose and meaning to it. For example, a piece that I made and is currently in an exhibition at the Chaffee Art Center for Black history month is called “Colored Rainbow”. I am very inspired by current events and at the time I was inspired by the BLM and LGBTQ movements that were going on in 2020. The illustration is filled with quotes and statements commenting on inequality and homophobia. When you look at the color palette used in my pieces, the colors are vibrant, dreamy, warm, and tropical; that color palette was influenced by the art of my country of origin, Haiti. Through art, so much can be said, so many topics can be openly discussed in a world where there are avoided. We can learn so much from a simple piece of art. I had been to many art museums and have always been stunned by the many ways people found the express themselves and preserve their culture throughout time and imperialism. Any type of art can connect people around the globe, and that is why I am so open to trying any type of art. My favorite of them all is animation because I can take a still piece of art and bring it to life. Animation brought me, a little girl from a poor country, so close to my dreams. And I am not letting it go.

Walt Disney said, “All our dreams can come true if we have the courage to pursue them.” He was right. I grew up in Haiti, and that half Island has an insane amount of violent riots. As a result, I spent a lot of time at home, watching Animated movies and drawing. It is because of these days alone, with my imagination and curiosity, that I began to wonder, "How does Disney make drawings feel real?” Animation was the answer, and I fell in love with it. I would watch different types of animation, from the 1800s to the most current ones, and try to understand and learn from them. In 2019, because of safety and the inability to access my education, I made the difficult decision to leave Haiti and come to America, to pursue my education. It was an enormous change; the language, sudden change of life, and home environment were stressful barriers at first. And for me, the greatest way to cope with it was to express myself through art. I taught myself how to make digital 3D Models and Animations, by doing research, watching videos, and reading books. In 2021, I started a Digital Arts program at Stafford Technical Center to expand my skills and learn more about how the industry works. Every day, I work hard towards my goal of working at Pixar, Dream Work, Sony Picture, or Disney. A simple animated movie brought me all the way here. This is proof that what I want to do in life could change someone else positively. One day I want my kids to watch an animated movie that I worked on, and proudly know that their Mom had the courage to pursue her dreams and therefore so could they.