If you asked 100 teenagers what led them to volunteer in their community, most would probably say they started volunteering because of a parent or mentor. For me, it was my mom. I’ve watched my mom serve as a mentor for her sorority’s youth group, sing in the church choir, and be a part of the church’s events and at my school. She also made me volunteer and help at our church, even when I didn’t want to. It was only later in life that I realized that giving my time and serving others without getting anything in return can still come back to help me in greater ways. I’m grateful that my mother led me to that conclusion early on and taught me to care about something other than myself. Community service is an opportunity to meet new people, gain new skills, build connections, and find networking opportunities. Community service has helped shape who I am. I have been volunteering at my church since I was little. Being active in my church allowed me to see how leadership begins with serving others. One of my favorite activities within my church is helping the technology team. We provide live-stream services for people in our community who are unable to attend in person. Volunteering with my church's technology team allowed me to see how technology can connect people. I also learned many valuable skills, such as teamwork, responsibility, and dependability. This experience helped me decide to pursue a career in technology. In college, I plan to major in Computer Science. Technology has always interested me ever since I was younger. At home, I am the “IT guy.” I have been doing schoolwork on computers for years and telling my mom to shut down her computer before calling the IT guy at work for help. I love the logical thinking that comes with working with technology. I enjoy troubleshooting and solving problems. I also find it fun to set something up and learn how everything connects. After college, I would like to teach children to code or develop computer skills, especially to kids who do not have access to computers or the internet, like I did growing up. I want to show how technology and technology skills can create opportunities and open doors that they thought were closed, and give them the confidence to have faith in their gifts and abilities. I have strived to maintain a strong work ethic in school, to stay accountable in my leadership, and to serve those around me. The Aserina Hill Memorial Scholarship will validate all that I have been working toward, motivate me to reach for even greater heights, and be key in helping me accomplish my college and long-term goals. With this scholarship, I will not only achieve my own success but also continue the legacy of this scholarship and help lift and inspire those in my community. As I focus on my goals, I’ve learned not to take opportunities for granted and to do my best in all that I do. It would be incredibly inspiring to know that the Aserina Hill Memorial Scholarship Committee believes in me. Receiving a scholarship would reduce some of the stress of paying for college and allow me to focus on reaching my goals.

If you were to ask 100 teenagers what led them to volunteer in their community, most would probably say they started volunteering because of a parent or mentor. For me, it was my mom. Growing up with a single mother, I've had the blessing of being taught many valuable lessons. She has taught me how hard work and perseverance pay off in the end. From her, I've learned the importance of an education and the doors it can open to a better life. She has given up so much to make sure I do well and can learn more than I could have imagined. Seeing her go to work, be in charge of so much, and always come home for me has taught me never to take any opportunity for granted and to always do my best. I’ve watched my mom serve as a mentor for her sorority’s youth group, sing in the church choir, and be a part of the church’s events and at my school. She also made me volunteer and help at our church, even when I didn’t want to. It was only later in life that I realized that giving my time and serving others without getting anything in return can still come back to help me in greater ways. I’m grateful that my mother led me to that conclusion early on and taught me to care about something other than myself. I use my time to volunteer and serve at Kent Baptist Church, where I am a part of the Technology Team. On Youth Sundays, I assist with streaming services for members of our congregation who are not able to attend in person. Behind the cameras and the soundboard, I have learned how important it is to work to ensure that everyone remains connected to the message. I have volunteered in holiday programs, prepared Thanksgiving baskets for families in need, and supported our children’s ministries, all of which taught me how giving your time can make a real impact on people’s lives. After college, I would like to work with children to teach them to code or build computer skills. I would like to teach especially to kids who do not have the opportunities to use a computer or access the internet, like I did growing up. I want to show them how technology and technology skills can be a door opener, creating opportunities they might not have thought possible, and give them the confidence to have faith in their gifts and abilities. Watching my mom go to work every day and carry so much responsibility on her shoulders, yet still come home for me and be there for me, has shown me not to take any opportunity for granted and to give my best in everything I do. As I focus on my goals, I’ve learned not to take opportunities for granted and to do my best in all that I do. It would be incredibly inspiring to know that the Kalia D. Davis Memorial Scholarship Committee believes in me. Receiving a scholarship would reduce some of the stress of paying for college and allow me to focus on reaching my goals. Thank you for the opportunity to share my story. I would be honored to receive the Kalia D. Davis Memorial Scholarship.

Being involved in extracurricular activities allows me to use my talents and abilities for a purpose beyond learning in a classroom. By being an active member of my school, church, and community, I am able to serve and further my academic and personal development. These activities have taught me about service, commitment, and teamwork and have encouraged me to continue to make a positive impact on others. One of my most impactful experiences to date has been as a member of the Kappa League. In this program, I serve on the board and help facilitate major decisions. Kappa League has pushed me to take on leadership positions and improve my public speaking skills, an area where I once felt very weak. Between meetings, presentations, and service opportunities, I have learned how to better express myself, lead by example, and help empower my peers to give their best. Kappa League’s mentorship and structure have allowed me to become a more focused, confident, and service-oriented leader. I am also on the technology team at my church, where I help stream the services and provide technical assistance as needed. This role allows me to combine my interest in technology with helping others in a meaningful way. Members of my church are unable to attend in-person services for a variety of reasons, and I help ensure they can still access and stream the virtual services. By providing virtual access, I help create an inclusive environment where all members of my church community can worship and be a part of something together, regardless of physical limitations. In school, I am very involved in Traditional African Music and Dance, where I play the drums. This has allowed me to use my talent to uplift my community through performance. We showcase our cultural heritage while spreading joy and knowledge and bringing people together. Our performances create an environment of unity, pride, and appreciation for cultural traditions, which strengthens the community and allows for a greater understanding and respect for the generations before us. My extracurricular activities help my community in a variety of ways. Activities like Kappa League and the technology team at my church are platforms of leadership, inclusivity, skills, and service. My musical involvement creates a sense of pride, joy, and unity in my community, helping to create an atmosphere that is both welcoming and service-oriented. I also plan to use my experiences and interests to attend college to study Computer Science so I can one day teach technology skills to students who otherwise would not have access to or resources to do so. As I focus on my goals, I’ve learned not to take opportunities for granted and to do my best in all that I do. It would be incredibly inspiring to know that the Sammy Meckley Memorial Scholarship Committee believes in me. Receiving a scholarship would reduce some of the stress of paying for college and allow me to focus on reaching my goals.

As a child of a single mother, I have learned many valuable lessons on hard work and perseverance. My mother has always encouraged the value of education and its potential to open doors to a better life. She made the sacrifice of sending me to private school, where I could focus and be surrounded by the best opportunities for success, but in 2024, she lost her job. My mom has taught me so much just by experiencing this with her. She ended up finding another job, but it paid less than her previous job. Those few weeks and months that we went through were difficult for our family. But my mom remained so strong and positive, which helped everything seem less stressful. She taught me the value of working hard, never quitting, and always doing my best. She showed me how education can change your life. I am a hardworking student who is determined to use my education to create a great life for myself and help others do the same. I've watched my mom volunteer for many years as a mentor for her sorority's youth group, sing in the church choir, and help with events at my school. She often made me volunteer to help at our church, even though I would rather not have. I later realized that helping others without getting something in return can still benefit me greatly. I'm grateful that my mother guided me to that realization early on and that she taught me to care about something other than myself. Community service is an opportunity to meet new people, gain new skills, build connections, and find networking opportunities. Community service has helped shape who I am. I have been volunteering at my church since I was little. Being active in my church allowed me to see how leadership begins with serving others. One of my favorite activities within my church is helping the technology team. We provide live-stream services for people in our community who are unable to attend in person. Volunteering with my church's technology team allowed me to see how technology can connect people. I also learned many valuable skills, such as teamwork, responsibility, and dependability. This experience helped me decide to pursue a career in technology. In college, I plan to major in Computer Science. Technology has always interested me ever since I was younger. At home, I am the “IT guy.” I have been doing schoolwork on computers for years and telling my mom to shut down her computer before calling the IT guy at work for help. I love the logical thinking that comes with working with technology. I enjoy troubleshooting and solving problems. I also find it fun to set something up and learn how everything connects. After college, I would like to teach children to code or develop computer skills, especially to kids who do not have access to computers or the internet, like I did growing up. I want to show how technology and technology skills can create opportunities and open doors that they thought were closed, and give them the confidence to have faith in their gifts and abilities. As I focus on my goals, I’ve learned not to take opportunities for granted and to do my best in all that I do. It would be incredibly inspiring to know that the Raise Me Up to DO GOOD Scholarship Committee believes in me. Receiving a scholarship would reduce some of the stress of paying for college and allow me to focus on reaching my goals.

In 2024, my mom lost her job. Going through this with my mom taught me a lot. She finally got reemployed, but at a fraction of the salary she used to make. I believe those months and weeks of struggling were difficult for our family. However, my mom’s strength and positivity during this hardship made it much more bearable. A little over a year later, her salary is nearly where it used to be. As a child of a single mother, I have learned many lessons about hard work and perseverance. My mother has always preached the virtues of an education and its potential to open the doors to a better life. It was with that in mind that she made the sacrifice to send me to a private school, where I could focus and be surrounded by the best opportunities for my success. In that, she sacrificed so much for me to do well and learn more than I ever thought possible. I've watched my mom volunteer for many years as a mentor for her sorority's youth group, sing in the church choir, and help with events at my school. She often made me volunteer to help at our church, even though I would rather not have. I later realized that helping others without getting something in return can still benefit me greatly. I'm grateful that my mother guided me to that realization early on and that she taught me to care about something other than myself. In college, I plan to major in Computer Science. I view computer science as a gateway to problem-solving and creativity. It is not only the study of how to create code, but the understanding of the process of creating the code and using that knowledge and understanding to create something new. Computer Science is one of those careers where I can use my skill set to solve difficult problems while staying creative. After college, I would like to teach children to code or develop computer skills, especially to kids who do not have access to computers or the internet, like I did growing up. I want to show them how technology and technology skills can create opportunities and open doors they might have thought were shut, and give them the confidence to have faith in their gifts and abilities. Watching my mom go to work and take on so many responsibilities, always coming home for me, has taught me not to take opportunities for granted and to do my best in all that I do. As I focus on my goals, I’ve learned not to take opportunities for granted and to do my best in all that I do. It would be incredibly inspiring to know that the Evangelist Nellie Delores Blount Boyce Scholarship Committee believes in me. Receiving a scholarship would reduce some of the stress of paying for college and allow me to focus on my education and reaching my goals.

Receiving the Marlene Manning scholarship would significantly impact my ability to reach my future goals. I've watched my mom volunteer for many years as a mentor for her sorority's youth group, sing in the church choir, and help with events at my school. She often made me volunteer to help at our church, even though I would rather not have. I later realized that helping others without getting something in return can still benefit me greatly. I'm grateful that my mother guided me to that realization early on and that she taught me to care about something other than myself. It is an opportunity to meet new people, gain new skills, build connections, and find networking opportunities. As a child of a single mother, I have learned many valuable lessons on hard work and perseverance. My mother has always pushed the value of education and its potential to open doors to a better life. She made the sacrifice of sending me to private school, where I could focus and be surrounded by the best opportunities for success, but in 2024, she lost her job. My mom has taught me so much just by experiencing this with her. She ended up finding another job, but it paid less than her previous job. Those few weeks and months that we went through were difficult. But my mom remained so strong and positive, which helped everything seem less stressful. She taught me the value of working hard, never quit and to always do my best. My Mom also showed me how education can change my life. As my graduation from Bishop McNamara High School quickly approaches, I feel extremely blessed to have the opportunity to attend college. I am a hardworking student who is determined to use my education to create a great life for myself and help others do the same. Community service has also helped shape who I am. I have been volunteering at my church since I was little. Through that, I have learned to help others and step up when needed. Being active in my church allowed me to see how leadership begins with serving others. One of my favorite activities within my church is helping the technology team. We run live stream services for people in our community who are unable to attend in person. Volunteering with my church's technology team allowed me to see how technology can connect people. I also learned many valuable skills, such as teamwork, responsibility, and dependability. This experience helped me decide to pursue a career in technology. After college, I would like to teach children to code or develop computer skills, especially to kids who do not have access to computers or the internet, as I did growing up. I want to show how technology and technology skills can create opportunities and open doors they thought were closed, and give them the confidence to have faith in their gifts and abilities. As I focus on my goals, I’ve learned not to take opportunities for granted and to do my best in all that I do. It would be incredibly inspiring to know that the Marlene Manning Scholarship Committee believes in me. Receiving a scholarship would reduce some of the stress of paying for college and allow me to focus on my education and reaching my goals.

When I performed as Michael Jackson in the Motown Review Spring Concert in second grade, I learned how to prepare, practice, and perform. As a child of a single mother, I have learned many valuable lessons on hard work and perseverance. My mother has always instilled the value of an education and how it has the potential to open doors to a better life. She made the sacrifice to send me to private school where I could focus and be surrounded by the best opportunities for success. She sacrificed so much for me to do well and to learn more than I ever thought possible. Watching her go to work and take on so many responsibilities, always coming home for me, has taught me to not take opportunities for granted and to do my best in all that I do. My mother is a woman of many talents and I have watched her wear many hats. I have seen her be a youth mentor in her sorority. I have also seen her sing in gospel groups and even lead songs in our church. She has always made time for me even while she was pouring herself out for others. Her strength, grace, and love have inspired me to be better in all that I do. She has always taught me that success is not only what you can achieve for yourself but how you help others to achieve as well. I would love nothing more than to make her proud by showing her that the sacrifices she made for me did not go unnoticed and that I took the lessons she instilled in me to heart. At home, I am the “IT guy.” I have been doing school work on computers for years and telling my mom to shut down her computer before calling the IT guy at work for help. As a kid, I was curious and just tried to figure out how things worked. As I got older, I realized what started as helping the family with tech problems turned into a genuine interest and passion for computers. So with that in mind, I knew Computer Science was the major I was meant to have. To me, computer science is more than just learning to code; it is about understanding the process behind the code and using that to create something new. Computer Science is one of those paths where I can solve complex problems and be creative at the same time. I would like to teach coding or computer skills to children who may not have access to technology or the internet like I did growing up. I want to be able to show them how technology and tech skills can provide opportunities that will open doors they may have thought were closed and give them the confidence to believe in their gifts and abilities. If I can impact one student in such a way, then I will have been successful. I have learned about confidence, preparation, hard work, responsibility, and service. I will take what I learn and find avenues to use it for others and that will be the success that I measure my life by. As I take this next step, I will continue to grow and learn from all the opportunities around me. I can look back on my life so far and see how every experience shaped me. From performing as a young Michael Jackson to being the “IT guy” at home, I have found values and lessons that will help me on my college journey.

If you were to ask 100 teenagers what leads them to volunteer in their community, most of them would probably say that they started volunteering because of a parent or a mentor. For me, it was my mom. I've watched my mom volunteer for many years as a mentor for her sorority's youth group, sing in the church choir, and help with events at my school. She often made me volunteer to help at our church, even though I would rather not have. I later realized that helping others without getting something in return can still benefit me greatly. I'm grateful that my mother guided me to that realization early on and that she taught me to care about something other than myself. Community service is more than just something I do to graduate from high school. It is an opportunity to meet new people, gain new skills, find networking opportunities, and build a connection with your community. The neighborhoods I pass through keep me aware of the need in my community. I also sometimes do community service at Heaven's Tender Touch Daycare, the daycare I grew up in. Being able to work with children at such a young age taught me to be patient and to not lose my temper when dealing with others, which is a skill that still helps me today. Service also helps me stay connected to my community, which teaches me that my power lies in helping others, and that is why I want to use my degree to help others. I plan to receive a bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Music, or both, and I am confident that this is the path that I want to pursue. Knowing that service is a lifelong commitment, I feel it would be helpful to have the resources to one day, once I have furthered my education, to go back to my community and teach coding, give music lessons, and or tutor, to help someone see their value and help them step out with courage to pursue their dreams. Through my research, I have found the life of Bishop Ron O. Beazer Sr. inspirational. The fact that he was willing to show up and give his time and energy to people is the core of what I hope to do, and I would be honored to have my name and works written alongside Bishop Ron O. Beazer Sr.