I was always fond and good at using my creativity, math, building, and problem-solving. Considering my talents I decided to try engineering. Since I attend a math and information technology charter high school, there were a lot of STEM opportunities to partake in. Sophomore year, I chose to take a computer programming AP course and I joined NSBE FIRE JR. VEX Robotics. I already had prior experience with computer science in middle school, but this was my first time taking an advanced placement course. The class was difficult and I enjoyed the challenge. In VEX Robotics, I led programming and had my first experience with autonomy and building a robot. Successfully designing a program and building a robot makes me feel accomplished. I gained a passion for computer science and robotics, so I decided to choose computer science as my area of study. I am planning to pursue a career path in Engineering, specifically using computer science skills to excel in the field of Robotics. Ever since I joined a robotics club in my sophomore year of high school, I practiced and developed autonomy programs and gained a passion for robotics and programming. Since then, I knew I wanted to be a Robotics Engineer with computer science skills. I enjoy using my creativity and problem-solving skills to complete tasks and solve problems. After successfully completing a code and the robot functions correctly, I gain a sense of accomplishment that has no equivalent. I am planning on attending a four-year university to major in computer science, and study robotics either through a minor or research initiatives. In addition, I plan on interning at engineering companies during summer vacations. The combination of my academic preparation coupled with my experience from research programs and internships will prepare me to achieve my career goal. Upon earning my degree in Computer Science, I will become a Robotics Engineer and Computer Scientist. I am interested in this career because I believe robotic technology will increase the efficiency of human functions at work. This increased efficiency may subsequently lead to the improvement of our economy, which would benefit our nation. My long-term goal is to develop robotics and computer science technology that would improve human efficiency worldwide.

“Be a leader, not a follower.” My mother said this to me each morning upon departing her car and entering the school building. Though I listened to these words every morning since Kindergarten, their meaning did not register with me till I started high school. My mother has three autoimmune diseases. She was diagnosed when she was pregnant with me and continues to live with these diseases today. As a child, I knew she had illnesses and noticed her multiple hospital visits, but in my freshman year of high school, in this specific hospital visit, I witnessed things that made me change my character and goals for the future. This event took place over a weekend, and I did not expect anything out of the ordinary. My mother was ill at the time but to me it was normal. It is only my mother and me in the household, so I am her caretaker when she is sick. She started throwing up and crying in pain, so in what my mom says felt like thirty seconds, I packed clothes and items and called family members to bring us to a hospital. I was able to get my mother to the hospital, but witnessing all the pain my mother went through made me feel like my job was not done. Seeing my mom in the hospital in pain for a week every day after school and her choice to go to work right afterward was very inspirational. My mother continuing to work to provide for me made me realize I want to be able to return the favor in the future. I want to be able to tell her to quit her job and give her the keys to her new house. I understood setting the goal to buy my mother a house was only a part of the process. I set personal short term goals that will help me achieve my future endeavor. For my short-term goals, I focus on academics. I strive to get high marks in all of my classes and track my progress over the course of the semester. I am also involved in extracurricular activities that prepare me for my future career in computer science and robotics. The activities give me a chance to strengthen my leadership capabilities, learn new skills, make friends, and have fun. Lastly, I have set a goal to stop holding back and attempt to fulfill the ideas I have. For example, during the summer I started a clothing brand. I designed some shirts that are Black Lives Matter inspired, and the profits of the sales are split between my college fund, and the Black Lives Matter movement. This is a movement I feel very passionate about, and am working hard to inspire others to get involved.

I have two inspirations in life: provide a better life for my mother, and provide more opportunities for diversity in the area of STEM. Diversity leads to better problem-solving, expands the talent pool and is important for long-term economic growth. I feel it's important for minorities to be represented in STEM fields because in STEM related fields, minorities are severely underrepresented, as Blacks only represent 6 percent of the total population, and Hispanics 9.4 percent. STEM fields are essential to the progression of society, and it’s critical that all underrepresented groups have a hand in creating what will be our reality a few weeks, months, years, and decades from now. By being more inclusive, the likelihood of scientific success is higher, promoting economic growth and competitiveness. As an Afro-Latino male, I want to represent STEM to other individuals, especially children. I joined NSBE (National Society of Black Engineers) because none of my teachers at school looked like me, and were able to guide me in the direction in which I wanted to take my education and career. As I embark on this new chapter in my life, I hope to educate myself in the field of computer science and robotics, and give back to the community so that more children that look like me can be excited about STEM and what it has to offer. Ever since I joined a robotics club in my sophomore year of high school, I practiced and developed autonomy programs and gained a passion for robotics and programming. I enjoy using my creativity and problem-solving skills to complete tasks and solve problems. After successfully completing a code and the robot functions correctly, I gain a sense of accomplishment that has no equivalent. I am planning on attending a four-year university to major in computer science, and study robotics either through a minor or research initiatives. In addition, I plan on interning at engineering companies during summer vacations. The combination of my academic preparation coupled with my experience from research programs and internships will prepare me to achieve my career goal. My mother is a special educator, who solely provides for the family on a teacher's salary. My mother also suffers from three autoimmune diseases; so when she gets sick, money in the household becomes depleted. We do the best that we can, but for me to further my education and study computer science so I can become a programmer and provide for my family, I need financial help. We live in a one bedroom apartment to lower cost, and my mother has always taught me to work hard so that I can have a better future and not live check to check. My mother and I do not receive any outside financial help from family, friends, or programs. I need this scholarship to assist with achieving my goals by paying for my education.

“Be a leader, not a follower.” My mother said this to me each morning as I departed her car and entered the school building. Though I heard these words every morning since Kindergarten, their meaning did not register with me until I started high school. My mother has three autoimmune diseases. She was diagnosed when she was pregnant with me and continues to live with these diseases today. As a child, I knew she had illnesses and was aware of her multiple hospital visits, but they did not really affect me until my freshman year of high school. That year there was one particular hospital visit when I witnessed and experienced events that strengthened my character and caused me to reevaluate my goals for the future. This incident took place over a weekend, and I did not expect anything out of the ordinary to happen. My mother was ill at the time, but to me that was normal. It is only my mother and me in the household, so I am her caretaker when she is sick. Suddenly, my mother started regurgitating and crying in pain so, in what my mom says felt like thirty seconds, I packed clothes and necessary toiletries, and called relatives to bring us to a hospital. I was able to get my mother to the hospital but, after having witnessed all the pain my mother experienced, it made me feel like my job was not done. Seeing my mom in the hospital in pain for a week, on my daily visits with her after school, and observing her decision to go back to work right after being discharged, was very inspirational. My mother continuing to work to provide for me, despite her personal ailments, made me realize that I want to be able to provide for her in the future. I want to be able to tell her to quit her job and give her the keys to her new house. Achieving short-term goals will lead to the accomplishment of my long-term goal of providing for my mother. It will give me the experience and knowledge that will improve my confidence and comfort in what I do. I am striving to become an entrepreneur and owning a robotic engineering company. I have a love for robotics, building, programming, working within a group, and implementing new ideas. This does not seem like “work” for me; rather it is fun, and that is why I know that it is my ideal career. Every skill I learn, every award I win, every course I take, brings me closer to reaching this long-term goal. In conclusion, despite her health challenges, my mother has provided a life for me where joy, love, and laughter were always present, and education, morals, and ethics were always stressed. Using all the lessons she taught me to map out a life that I want for myself. I am grateful for every experience, positive or negative, and am excited about what the future will hold.

I am planning to pursue a career path in Engineering, specifically using computer science skills to excel in the field of Robotics. Ever since I joined a robotics club in my sophomore year of high school, I practiced and developed autonomy programs and gained a passion for robotics and programming. Each year of competition, my VEX Robotics team would have the, or one of, best autonomous functions. Since then, I knew I wanted to be a Robotics Engineer with computer science skills. I enjoy using my creativity and problem-solving skills to complete tasks and solve problems. After successfully completing a code and the robot functions correctly, I gain a sense of accomplishment that has no equivalent. I am planning on attending a four-year university to major in computer science, and study robotics either through a minor or research initiatives. In addition, I plan on interning at engineering companies during summer vacations. The combination of my academic preparation coupled with my experience from research programs and internships will prepare me to achieve my career goal. Upon earning my degree in Computer Science, I will become a Robotics Engineer and Computer Scientist. I am interested in this career because I believe robotic technology will increase the efficiency of humanly functions at work. This increased efficiency may subsequently lead to the improvement of our economy, which would benefit our nation. My long-term goal is to develop robotics and computer science technology that would improve human efficiency worldwide.

Takeo Kanade is a Japanese computer scientist and one of the world’s foremost researchers in computer science and robotics. He is U.A and Helen Whitaker Professor at Carnegie Mello University. Kanade works in multiple areas of robotics like computer vision, multi-media, manipulators, autonomous mobile robots, medical robots and sensors. He has written more than 400 technical papers and reports in these areas and holds more than 20 patents. Kanade designed the world’s first robotics arm in 1981. The arm contained all of its motors within the robot assembly itself and this eliminated long transmissions. He is one of my idols, and someone I aspire to be upon my completion of my education.

“Be a leader, not a follower.” My mother said this to me each morning upon departing her car and entering the school building. Though I listened to these words every morning since Kindergarten, their meaning did not register with me till I started high school. My mother has three autoimmune diseases. She was diagnosed when she was pregnant with me and continues to live with these diseases today. As a child, I knew she had illnesses and noticed her multiple hospital visits, but in my freshman year of high school, in this specific hospital visit, I witnessed things that made me change my character and goals for the future. This event took place over a weekend, and I did not expect anything out of the ordinary. My mother was ill at the time but to me it was normal. It is only my mother and me in the household, so I am her caretaker when she is sick. She started throwing up and crying in pain, so in what my mom says felt like thirty seconds, I packed clothes and items and called family members to bring us to a hospital. I was able to get my mother to the hospital, but witnessing all the pain my mother went through made me feel like my job was not done. Seeing my mom in the hospital in pain for a week every day after school and her choice to go to work right afterward was very inspirational. My mother continuing to work to provide for me made me realize I want to be able to return the favor in the future. I want to be able to tell her to quit her job and give her the keys to her new house. I understood setting the goal to buy my mother a house was only a part of the process. I set personal short term goals that will help me achieve my future endeavor. For my short-term goals, I focus on academics. I strive to get high marks in all of my classes and track my progress over the course of the semester. I am also involved in extracurricular activities that prepare me for my future career in computer science and robotics. The activities give me a chance to strengthen my leadership capabilities, learn new skills, and have fun. Lastly, I have set a goal to stop holding back and attempt to fulfill the ideas I have. For example, during the summer I started a clothing brand. These short-term goals will lead to the accomplishment of my long term goal of taking care of my mother. It will give me the experience and knowledge that will improve my confidence and comfort in what I do. I am working toward becoming an entrepreneur owning a robotic engineering company. I have a love for robotics, building, programming, working within a group, and implementing new ideas. This does not seem like “work” for me; rather it is fun. Every skill I learn, every award I win, every course I take, brings me closer to reaching this goal. In conclusion, so many people have stories of triumph and defeat. My mother provided a life for me where joy, laughter, education, morals, and ethics were stressed upon. I use all of the lessons she taught me to map out a life that I want for myself. I am grateful for every experience, good or bad, and am excited about what the future will hold.

I plan to obtain my bachelor’s degree in computer science, with a minor in robotics, while having an internship in these fields. My career goal is to become a computer programmer that uses my programming skills to develop autonomous robotic technology. I plan to own a robotics company that will provide help with everyday living. I believe it is important to make life easier for those who need it, particularly for those whose daily physical activities may be a bit challenging. I was inspired by the career of Elon Musk, who motivated and taught me that an engineering business can work. I enjoy programming and want this to be a part of my everyday life and career. When I code, and the robot moves and follows the directions of the code; it is an amazing feeling! It is a feeling of accomplishment. This scholarship will help me tremendously to continue my education and start my path to a great future. People often find themselves in situations where they are uncomfortable, in danger, or experiencing peer pressure; but they lack the excuse to leave, or call for help without alerting their attacker. I developed as a solution to this problem, an app that sends the user simulated calls and texts. The simulated calls and texts provide a manufactured emergency that allows one to dismiss oneself from an uncomfortable situation. To make the simulated calls and the text seem realistic, the app will have its own phone number to text or call the user’s phone. It will change the contact name to the simulated name inputted by the user, then will send the message or voice recording the user asked for. If a user is in danger, there will be a section in the app that alerts the police. The location of your phone will be sent to the police station. Although this app primarily helps people have simulated emergencies, it also allows people to notify emergency stations without alerting an attacker. Upon earning my degree in Computer Science, I will become a Robotics Engineer and Computer Scientist. I am interested in this career because I believe robotic technology will increase the efficiency of humanly functions at work. This increased efficiency may subsequently lead to the improvement of our economy, which would benefit our nation. My long-term goal is to develop robotics and computer science technology that would improve human efficiency worldwide.

In 2020, I displayed leadership while preparing for the VEX competitions. My VEX Robotics programming coach was not able to attend some meetings. As the programming leader, I believed it was my responsibility to make sure the team was kept on track. I displayed leadership by structuring a schedule and task list for us to complete before the following meetings. I took into consideration my teammates' strengths and gave them roles that suit them best. As a result, we were able to perpetuate our outstanding progress without the supervision of our coach.

I am planning to pursue a career path in Engineering, specifically using computer science skills to excel in the field of Robotics. Ever since I joined a robotics club in my sophomore year of high school, I practiced and developed autonomy programs and gained a passion for robotics and programming. Each year of competition, my VEX Robotics team would have the, or one of, best autonomous functions. Since then, I knew I wanted to be a Robotics Engineer with computer science skills. I enjoy using my creativity and problem-solving skills to complete tasks and solve problems. After successfully completing a code and the robot functions correctly, I gain a sense of accomplishment that has no equivalent. I am planning on attending a four-year university to major in computer science, and study robotics either through a minor or research initiatives. In addition, I plan on interning at engineering companies during summer vacations. The combination of my academic preparation coupled with my experience from research programs and internships will prepare me to achieve my career goal. Upon earning my degree in Computer Science, I will become a Robotics Engineer and Computer Scientist. I am interested in this career because I believe robotic technology will increase the efficiency of humanly functions at work. This increased efficiency may subsequently lead to the improvement of our economy, which would benefit our nation. My long-term goal is to develop robotics and computer science technology that would improve human efficiency worldwide. I am a child of a single parent household. My mother is a special educator, who solely provides for the family on a teacher's salary. My mother also suffers from three autoimmune diseases; so when she gets sick, money in the household becomes depleted. We do the best that we can, but for me to further my education and study computer science so I can become a programmer and provide for my family, I need financial help. We live in a one bedroom apartment to lower cost, and my mother has always taught me to work hard so that I can have a better future and not live check to check. My mother and I do not receive any outside financial help from family, friends, or programs. I need this scholarship to assist with achieving my goals by paying for my education.

Since I was in Kindergarten, my mom would tell me everyday, before I left her, to be a leader, and not a follower. I always thought she meant to not let anyone influence my decisions. As I got older though, I realized that leadership plays a large role in my future, and that leadership separates those who are unique from the ordinary. The principles of scholarship, service, and character also plays a large role in my future. I committed myself to these principles and in doing so made me successful thus far in high school and put me on the right path to reach my goal. My postsecondary goal is to own a robotic engineering business. My commitment to leadership will prepare myself for when I lead my company, and I will have enough leadership skills to make it successful. I gained leadership roles in different environments with different people, teaching me how to lead in different ways. My character is what keeps me dedicated to my goal. I’m a very hardworking , creative, respectful and dedicated individual. My character gets witnessed by my teachers and coaches and I gain a good reputation from it. I believe that with my work ethic and creativity, nothing will stop me from achieving my post secondary goal. Since success as a high schooler depends on grades I try my hardest to make sure my grades are above par. My dedication to scholarship led to many academic awards in high school. My scholarship will help me gain knowledge in mathematics, science, mechanics, programming, and business. All subjects I need expertise in to own a robotic engineering business. For service I assisted my diverse church. I had to speak to people with different accents and ages. My experience gave me practice with patience and leadership. Now I have no difficulty taking classes with teachers with accents. America is very diverse so being able to understand the different accents will help me communicate engineering ideas with those of different ethnicities. I believe I am capable of making the world a better and safer place. I will always be the most hardworking person in the room, I am determined to become the best version of myself so I can be able to support myself and my family. All of this confidence in what I will do in the future came from a failure. I will not allow a failure to determine who I am or what my future will be.

“Be a leader, not a follower.” My mother said this to me each morning I entered the school building. It is only my mother and me in the household, so I am her caretaker when she is sick. She started vomiting, crying in pain, then fainted.Within seconds, I packed her clothes, necessary toiletries, and called a family friend to bring us to a hospital. I was able to get my mother to the hospital, but having witnessed all the pain my mother experienced, it made me feel like my job was not done. Seeing my mom in the hospital in pain for a week, on my daily visits with her after school, and observing her decision to go back to work right after being discharged, was very inspirational. My mother continuing to work to provide for me, despite her personal ailments, made me realize that I want to be able to provide for her in the future. I want to be able to tell her to quit her job and give her the keys to her new house. I recognized that I needed personal goals to help provide for my mother. For my short-term goals, I focus on academics. I strive to get high marks in all my classes and track my progress over the course of the semester. I am also involved in extracurricular activities that prepare me for my future career in Computer Science and Robotics. The activities give me a chance to strengthen my leadership capabilities, learn new skills, and have fun. Lastly, I have set a goal to stop holding back and empower myself to achieve objectives. An example of fulfilling my goals, is that I started a clothing brand during the summer. I am a huge fan of fashion, and for the last few years I had been thinking of clothing designs, but had never actually tried to create them. Officially starting my brand was one of my proudest moments. I appreciate having a platform that presents my artistic talents. Achieving these short-term goals will lead to the accomplishment of my long term goal of providing for my mother. I am striving to become an entrepreneur, and owning a robotic engineering company. I have a love for robotics, building, programming, working within a group, and implementing new ideas. This does not seem like “work” for me; rather it is fun, and that is why I know that it is my ideal career. Every skill I learn, every award I win, every course I take, brings me closer to reaching this long-term goal. In conclusion, many people have stories of triumph and defeat. My mother has provided a life for me where joy, love, and laughter were always present, and education, morals, and ethics were always stressed. I use all the lessons she taught me to map out a life that I want for myself. I am grateful for every experience, positive or negative, and am excited about what the future will hold.