To me, a "Trades Make The World Go 'Round" scholarship means supporting brown women of color, such as myself, in obtaining an education we may not have access to otherwise. Any scholarship received means more than just financial aid to me. I see it as a reward and motivation for the volunteer work I’ve done with carpentry and will do as I move into my new construction career. I attend the Diploma of Carpentry Program and will add to my course of study the Furniture-making Intensive at North Bennet Street School in Boston. I will be leaving my current full-time paid position as a teacher and filmmaker to pursue these programs full-time. This means I will not be making any income during my studies. I will live off a small amount of savings and still have a mortgage. A scholarship would make attending the program affordable. North Bennet Street School has generously provided me with a partial scholarship, but it is not enough to attend without taking on another significant financial burden. I am still short $4,000 in tuition. Carpentry interests me because it is a solution to this national crisis. As a volunteer builder with Habitat for Humanity, I assisted in building not just houses but decent and affordable homes for single mothers in my community. My contributions demonstrated my solidarity with everything a home stands for, which is why I wish to pursue carpentry: family, safety, self-reliance, financial health, and growth. Narrow streams of water sprang from her eyes. She was happy—and so was I. What I thought was a simple favor of building my elderly neighbor a chicken coop was, to her, the happiest moment of her life. I stem from a long family lineage of carpenters and have realized building is in my DNA. What I hope to learn during my time at North Bennett Street School is not so much what my purpose in life is, but what the purpose of life is. My current profession teaching filmmaking to college students does not provide me with the creative outlet and sense of societal impact I long for. This is where carpentry comes into play. Whether serving as the neighborhood “handywoman” or building a shed for the community garden, constructing something utilitarian to better my community is why I desire to transition to a career in carpentry. What I will contribute to the field of carpentry is a renewed outlook on trade schools and blue-collar jobs. In addition, as a Ph.D. and university professor making a career shift to carpentry, I will serve as an ambassador, mentor, and cheerleader for others in vocational programs. I have witnessed too many students pushed into college because careers not requiring higher education—such as carpentry—are devalued. I am out to change this, one chicken coop at a time. Although I am leaving higher education, I still enjoy teaching and remain open to teaching carpentry and woodworking—especially to other girls or women such as myself. If more women were involved in this field where they are underrepresented, the world would be a better place, and our surroundings would look much different (more balanced) than they do now. I'm also interested in a permanent position with Habitat for Humanity or a similar charity, as I still very much hope to contribute to easing America’s housing crises by building free or affordable homes for my neighbors.

I am writing to apply for the John Geremia Memorial Trades Scholarship. To me, this scholarship means supporting brown women of color, such as myself, in obtaining an education we may not otherwise have access to. Any scholarship received means more than just financial aid to me. I see it as a reward and motivation for the volunteer work I’ve done with carpentry and will do as I move into my new construction career. I'm attending the carpentry program at North Bennet Street School in Boston. I will be leaving my current full-time paid position as a teacher to pursue this carpentry program full-time. This means I will not be making any income during my studies. I will live off a small amount of savings and still have a mortgage. A scholarship would make attending the program affordable. North Bennet Street School has generously provided me with a partial scholarship, but it is not enough to attend without taking on another significant financial burden. I am still short $21,000 in tuition, and your scholarship will greatly help me. In addition to tuition, parking around North Bennet Street School is extremely expensive (as is the commuter rail). Predicted costs are $4,200 for transportation. Books and tools are an additional $3,900, further adding to my inability to attend school without additional financial support. I am choosing to pursue a career in carpentry because the US has not built enough homes in recent decades, causing a housing shortage and making home ownership unaffordable for many Americans. Carpentry interests me because it is a solution to this national crisis. By serving as a volunteer builder with Habitat for Humanity, I aided in completing roofing, flooring, and framing work for three projects. By lending my time, a helping hand, and expressing empathy, I assisted in building not just houses--but homes that are decent and affordable for single mothers in my community. The outcome of my contributions to building these homes led to affordable shelter for my neighbors and relieved these needy families of stress. Showing up daily and nailing, hammering, and sawing wood was more than just manual labor; it was active allyship. My contributions demonstrated my solidarity with everything a home stands for: family, safety, self-reliance, financial health, and growth. My participation in the home-building process using my carpentry skills means involvement in decisions that positively affect the lives of others. For me, genuine, active participation means personal (people) action. I view my work as a carpenter building homes as a form of “citizen power,” which means a true partnership, delegated power, and citizen control. I hope to pursue full-time work with Habitat for Humanity or a similar organization. As a Ph.D., published author, award-winning filmmaker, and university professor making a career shift to carpentry, I will serve as an ambassador, mentor, and cheerleader for others in vocational programs. I have witnessed too many students pushed into college because careers not requiring higher education—such as carpentry—are devalued. I am out to change this.

1. What skilled trade are you studying, and why have you chosen it? I am pursuing carpentry because the US has not built enough homes in recent decades, causing a housing shortage and making home ownership unaffordable for many Americans. Carpentry is my passion because I see it as a solution to this national crisis. By serving as a builder with Habitat for Humanity, I aided in completing roofing, flooring, and framing projects. By lending my time, a helping hand, and expressing empathy, I assisted in building not just houses--but homes that are decent and affordable for single mothers in my community. The outcome of my contributions to building these homes leads to affordable shelter for my neighbors and relieves these needy families of stress. I view my work as a carpenter building homes as a form of “citizen power,” which means a true partnership, delegated power, and citizen control. 2. Why have you planned a career in this chosen trade? Narrow streams of water sprang from her eyes. She was happy—and so was I. What I thought was a simple favor of building a chicken coop for my elderly neighbor was, to her, the happiest moment of her life. My current profession (university professor) does not provide me with the creative outlet and sense of societal impact I long for. Whether serving as the neighborhood “handywoman” or building a shed for the community garden, constructing something utilitarian to better my community is why I desire to transition to a career in carpentry. Upon graduation from North Bennet Street School, I hope to pursue full-time work with Habitat for Humanity or a similar organization. As a Ph.D., published author, award-winning filmmaker, and university professor making a career shift to carpentry, I will serve as an ambassador, mentor, and cheerleader for others in vocational programs. I have witnessed too many students pushed into college because careers not requiring higher education—such as carpentry—are devalued. I am out to change this, one chicken coop at a time. 3. What does a successful life look like, and why will you be successful? Success is all about overcoming adversity—something I’ve been doing since I was 9 years old. I grew up with various articulation disorders, meaning I had trouble pronouncing certain sounds, which meant I was constantly bullied. I never thought I’d grow up to be successful. To make things worse, I found out it was mandatory that I’d perform lines in a school play. Living with a speech impediment can be challenging. I faced social stigma and discrimination and had difficulty communicating with others. However, like many successful people, I was determined to change. I had an opportunity to speak with a speech therapist and chose to get treatment. Working on speaking takes time and effort, and while I didn’t see immediate results, I did not give up. Never giving up is the cornerstone of success. I kept on practicing and working hard, and eventually not only overcame my articulation disorder, I became a success in the world of speaking. As for the school play, I stole the show and went on to pursue a professional career in acting and voiceovers. I was also a California State Speech and Debate Champion. effective communication is essential for successful carpentry projects, contributing to safety, collaboration, problem-solving, quality assurance, client satisfaction, and professional reputation. In conclusion, overcoming adversity by never giving up is a principle that is essential to achieving success, and I’ve known and practiced this since I was 9 years old.

Narrow streams of water sprang from her eyes. She was happy—and so was I. What I thought was a simple favor of building my elderly neighbor a chicken coop was, to her, the happiest moment of her life. I stem from a long line of Polynesian canoe builders and have realized building is in my DNA. My current profession teaching filmmaking to college students does not provide me with the sense of societal impact I long for. This is where carpentry comes into play. The US has not built enough homes in recent decades, causing a housing shortage and making home ownership unaffordable for many Americans. Carpentry interests me because it is a solution to this national crisis. By serving as a volunteer builder with Habitat for Humanity, I assisted in building not just houses--but homes that are decent and affordable for single mothers in my community. My skills serving as the neighborhood “handywoman” or building a shed for the community garden, constructing something utilitarian to better my community is why I desire to transition to a career in carpentry. To me, being awarded this bursary means supporting brown women of color, such as myself, in obtaining an education we may not have access to otherwise. Any scholarship received means more than just financial aid to me. I see it as a reward and motivation for the volunteer work I’ve done with carpentry skills and will continue to do as I move into my new construction career. Although I am leaving higher education, I still enjoy teaching and would like to use my skillset in teaching to serve as an instructor of carpentry to other females. Girls Garage, a non-profit out of Berkeley, CA, is an organization I admire. Their goal is mine: to see females build our towns because if more women were involved in this field where they are currently underrepresented, the world would be a better place, and our surroundings would look much different (more balanced) than they do now. Another idea is a permanent position with Habitat for Humanity, as I still very much hope to contribute to easing America’s housing crises. I possess writing skills and I am a published author and would love to publish books for girls and women all about carpentry and construction. I will use my time at North Bennet Street School to explore all avenues of carpentry and allow my curiosity to lead the way to the most appropriate career path. As a female Ph.D. and university professor making a career shift to carpentry, I will serve as a skilled ambassador, experienced mentor, and practiced cheerleader for other women in vocational programs. I have witnessed too many women pushed into college because careers not requiring higher education—such as carpentry—are devalued. I will use my skills to change this, one chicken coop at a time.

My earliest experiences with the trades were in my garage with my grandfather. He was a master carpenter and built everything from rocking horses to houses. I fondly remember the smell of sawdust on Saturday mornings and felt honored when he let me hammer a nail into a project. He inspired me to go into the trades because he taught me that by using my hands, I can change lives. I spent my teens building sets with the local community theater group and 20s volunteering with Habitat for Humanity. Sawdust is in my blood, I guess! What is driving my passion to pursue a career in carpentry is the fact that the US has not built enough homes in recent decades, causing a housing shortage and making home ownership unaffordable for many Americans. Carpentry interests me because I see it as a solution to this crisis. By serving as a volunteer builder with Habitat for Humanity, I aided in completing roofing, flooring, and framing work for three projects. By lending my time, a helping hand, and expressing empathy, I assisted in building not just houses--but homes that are decent and affordable for single mothers in my community. The outcome of my contributions to building these homes led to affordable shelter for my neighbors, relieving them of stress. I learned that hammering nails and sawing wood was more than manual labor; it was active allyship. My contributions demonstrated my solidarity with everything a home stands for: family, safety, self-reliance, financial health, and growth. Time to make a career out of this! My current profession teaching filmmaking to college students does not provide me with the creative outlet and sense of societal impact I long for. This is where carpentry comes into play. Whether serving as the neighborhood “handywoman” or building a shed for the community garden, constructing something utilitarian to better my community is why I desire to transition to a career in carpentry. YouTube videos, a woodworking course, and volunteering with Habitat for Humanity have taught me a great deal about carpentry. However, hands-on instruction at North Bennet Street School will give me the confidence and skill necessary to be a changemaker in the homebuilding field. Now all I need is the money to fund this worthwhile endeavor. Regarding professional goals, although I am leaving my current position in higher education, I still enjoy teaching and remain open to teaching carpentry—especially to other girls or women such as myself. Girls Garage, a non-profit out of Berkeley, CA, is a non-profit that I admire. Their goal is mine: to see females build our cities and town because if more women were involved in this field where they are underrepresented, the world would be a better place, and our surroundings would look much different (more balanced) than they do now. Another idea is a permanent position with Habitat for Humanity or a similar charity, as I still very much hope to contribute to easing America’s housing crises. I will use my time at North Bennett Street School to explore all avenues of carpentry and allow my curiosity to lead the way to the most appropriate career path. What I will contribute to the field of carpentry is a renewed outlook on trade schools and blue-collar jobs. As a Ph.D. and university professor making a career shift to carpentry, I will serve as an ambassador, mentor, and cheerleader for others in vocational programs. I have witnessed too many students pushed into college because careers not requiring higher education—such as carpentry—are devalued. I am out to change this.

My earliest experiences with the trades were in my garage with my grandfather. He was a master carpenter and built everything from rocking horses to houses. I fondly remember the smell of sawdust on Saturday mornings and felt honored when he let me hammer a nail into a project. He inspired me to go into the trades because he taught me that by using my hands, I can change lives. I spent my teen years building sets with the local community theater group, and by the time I was in college, I was already volunteering with Habitat for Humanity. Sawdust is in my blood, I guess! What is driving my passion to pursue a career in carpentry is the fact that the US has not built enough homes in recent decades, causing a housing shortage and making home ownership unaffordable for many Americans. In particular, carpentry interests me because I see it as a solution to this national crisis. By serving as a volunteer builder with Habitat for Humanity, I aided in completing roofing, flooring, and framing work for three projects. By lending my time, a helping hand, and expressing empathy, I assisted in building not just houses--but homes that are decent and affordable for single mothers in my community. The outcome of my contributions to building these homes led to affordable shelter for my neighbors, relieving them of stress. Hammering, and sawing wood was more than just manual labor; it was active allyship. My contributions demonstrated my solidarity with everything a home stands for: family, safety, self-reliance, financial health, and growth. Time to make a career out of this! My current profession teaching filmmaking to college students does not provide me with the creative outlet and sense of societal impact I long for. This is where carpentry comes into play. Whether serving as the neighborhood “handywoman” or building a shed for the community garden, constructing something utilitarian to better my community is why I desire to transition to a career in carpentry. YouTube videos, a woodworking course, and volunteering with Habitat for Humanity have taught me a great deal about carpentry. However, hands-on instruction at North Bennet Street School will give me the confidence and skill necessary to be a changemaker in the homebuilding field. Regarding professional goals, although I am leaving my current position in higher education, I still enjoy teaching and remain open to teaching carpentry—especially to other girls or women such as myself. Girls Garage, a non-profit out of Berkeley, CA, is a non-profit that I admire. Their goal is mine: to see females build our cities and town because if more women were involved in this field where they are underrepresented, the world would be a better place, and our surroundings would look much different (more balanced) than they do now. Another idea is a permanent position with Habitat for Humanity or a similar charity, as I still very much hope to contribute to easing America’s housing crises. I will use my time at North Bennett Street School to explore all avenues of carpentry and allow my curiosity to lead the way to the most appropriate career path. Now all I need is the money to fund this worthwhile endeavor.