Entering into an underrepresented field as a minority, both in race and gender, is a form of trailblazing. For centuries, inequality has been a global issue with assumed and even mandated standards. The disparity ranges from school systems to communities and developing negative impacts on mental health and the degradation of society. Computer science is one of the many majors underrepresented by minority groups. With me being an African American woman, I am becoming a part of the growing number of minority women entering this major. The lack of participation from African Americans hasn’t been because of disinterest, but rather due to the lack of access to resources as well as education surrounding it. Having diverse representation within STEM careers is one of many ways to advance towards an inclusive technological culture. It involves greater accessibility, higher representation, and increased awareness regarding this overall topic. Regarding me personally, I believe that I can make use of computer science as an incentive for positive change through social awareness. STEM specifically can provide a foundation to make a more equitable society. Through social awareness, it'd be possible to heighten the education awareness of STEM, therefore gaining this higher representation that is needed. Thinking of my current generation, I've heard a multitude of people get discouraged to enter a specific career because "they didn't see people who looked like them". This is what we want to strongly avoid with future generations. That's why it's so important to advocate for further diversity so that these future leaders will have the chance to see others who look like themselves and then potentially see themselves working in that career. It's important to have diverse representation among color, background, gender, ideas, points of view, etc. This will allow you to maximize creativity as well as break these barriers that have been built around the non-inclusivity within STEM. Just as I saw the need for more diverse representation in STEM, this idea should be implemented in other scholars as well. We are the future generation, therefore everyone should believe that they are suitable for any career they may want to pursue. It is very unfortunate how much diversity lacks in the STEM field. Societal standards have placed such misconceptions into the minds of many young people, causing some to get discouraged. Though, progress is being made to expand the STEM field and welcome individuals of various backgrounds. History must be continuously defied in the idea that science, technology, engineering, math, or the arts are solely for particular populations such as men or non-people of color. With my intended major being computer science, I can incorporate social justice into this by promoting diversity and inclusiveness within the field, which has been known to be dominated by white males. This is my passion, so I ultimately aspire to make a positive impact in the world by utilizing my passion for the greater good. I believe in taking action and becoming an influential figure for many other individuals in society, most importantly other African American women who wish to enter the STEM field. It's ultimately important to have this diverse representation so that future generations are inspired, societal standards are defied, and the statistics include more diverse individuals. The 9% of STEM workers who are African American is bound to make a drastic increase within the next few years. We are/I am the future, therefore we must all make a difference and I plan to do this through STEM!

Like most students, navigating the early stages of the Covid-19 pandemic and quarantine impacted us both mentally and emotionally. For me, there’d soon be an unexpected change. In early 2020, my mother was in a severe car accident and my father was traveling back to Africa at the same time. The reality of life being short and precious was magnified. It was undoubtedly an emotional time for me as I had to constantly be reassured that my mother was going to be okay. Not only was I in emotional turmoil, but I then also held the responsibility of caring for my mother while transitioning to online schooling. I’m still amazed at how I was able to maintain my strong work ethic and remain diligent within myself. I went from a structured routine to uncertainty and multiple roles. I realized that I need to create time and space for myself. I became more focused, achievement-driven and even took the opportunity to get involved in virtual extracurricular activities such as a five-week job readiness program, which focused on developing professional characteristics. I was also inducted into the National Society of High School Scholars which recognizes academic achievement on a national level. Beginning in 2020, I could have chosen to not fight for my future and just be overwhelmed, but I chose to advocate for myself and create a space of peace, hope, and gratitude. The hardships actually do help you know just how strong you are. This was one specific challenge that seemed to have the most impact on me and my education. College has always been on my spectrum as the main priority, but it was this experience that soon allowed me to get deeper in touch with my future goals and aspirations. I was one who would always be indecisive and didn't necessarily have definitive future goals for myself, but I overcame that and began to write out these plans. During these moments with everything that I had going on, I used any spare time to my advantage. I started to build a brand for myself, tapped more into my creative, intellectual, and emotional side. There were also minor things that I did such as utilize schedules and calendars, but this was something important for me since I never typically used them and finally held myself accountable for making full use. I eventually came to realize that certain challenges can soon turn into your successors. Overcoming these particular challenges can sometimes be the hard part, but once you cross that bridge, there's nothing but advancement on the other side. College had always been on the other side for me, especially since I'll be a first-generation college student. Though, this experience caused me to become more motivated and make decisions on things I'd been pondering on for some time. I "turned it up to 11" by maintaining perseverance and went above and beyond to turn this adversity into something that did eventually become fundamental to my success. Through everything, I realized that resilience is key and that I'll be able to continuously adapt in the face of adversity. It's true that everyone faces challenges, but it's the way you choose to approach and overcome these challenges that truly matter. In my case, I took my situation and used it as a building block for the next stages in my life. This involved personal matters as well as my academic/future endeavors which I will continue to build upon and succeed within.

Steve Jobs once said, “Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do”. Many circumstances have shaped my life decisions and academic endeavors. I find myself continuously asking myself: “What impact do I eventually want to leave on the world with my education?”. I have always been a high achiever, but I yearn to make an impact. I found my passion for computer science/STEM through extracurricular involvement such as my “Tech Scholars” program where I successfully completed 50+ hours of Python coding then eventually led to me receiving my Microsoft Office Excel certification. This was a huge accomplishment of mine which allowed me to create a deeper appreciation for ideas surrounding STEM. I believe that I can make use of computer science as an incentive for positive change through social awareness. It is evident that technology has impacted society, however, I would ideally strive to increase society utilizing technology for social good. Entering into an underrepresented field as a minority, both in race and gender, is a form of trailblazing. For centuries, inequality has been a global issue with assumed and even mandated standards. Now, we are in a time where technology aspires to be an equalizer. This idea undoubtedly requires the need to think big and I believe technology has the utmost potential to give rise to social change and be used for social advancements. The disparity ranges from school systems to communities and developing negative impacts on mental health and the degradation of society. However, technology also has the opportunity to be a catalyst for change as modern tactics for social change develop. Computer science will ultimately become a solution for the problem as technology is ever-growing to promote this issue and increase the education awareness surrounding it. It'll provide a foundation to make a more equitable society. I ultimately aspire to make a positive impact in the world by utilizing my passion for the greater good. I am a driven young woman dedicated to my success, my community, and my environment. I plan to live a life full of grit, dedicated to helping others and creating stepping stones for others to also make a positive impact on the world. As I enter into my postsecondary life, this is a new beginning for something phenomenal. I want to exceed these expectations, defy the odds, and live out the dreams that my passion will lead me to. Knowing that I was a trailblazer for others will allow me to live an unfettered and successful life. I believe in taking action and becoming an influential figure for many other individuals in society. We are/I am the future, therefore we must all make a difference and I plan to do this through STEM!

Steve Jobs once said, “Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do”. Many circumstances have shaped my life decisions and academic endeavors. I find myself continuously asking myself: “What impact do I eventually want to leave on the world?”. I have always been a high achiever, but I yearn to make an impact. I would describe myself as someone who possesses a strong work ethic, and an open-minded young woman with ample focus on my education. Similar to Ms. Konatsotis, I am attending an all-girls college preparatory high school and have been continuously thriving throughout my 4 years of high school. I have remained class Valedictorian from the start of high school while balancing numerous academic and non-academic extracurricular activities. I love how innovative the idea of STEAM is and I have planned to pursue higher education within this field for as long as I can remember. I found my passion for computer science/technology through extracurricular involvement and I believe that I can make use of computer science as an incentive for positive change through social awareness. It is evident that technology has impacted society, however, I would ideally strive to increase society utilizing technology for social good. Entering into an underrepresented field as a minority, both in race and gender, is a form of trailblazing. For centuries, inequality has been a global issue with assumed and even mandated standards. Now, we are in a time where technology aspires to be an equalizer. This idea undoubtedly requires the need to think big and I believe technology has the utmost potential to give rise to social change and be used for social advancements. The disparity ranges from school systems to communities and developing negative impacts on mental health and the degradation of society. However, technology also has the opportunity to be a catalyst for change as modern tactics for social change develop. Computer science will ultimately become a solution for the problem as technology is ever-growing to promote this issue and increase the education awareness surrounding it. It'll provide a foundation to make a more equitable society. I ultimately aspire to make a positive impact in the world by utilizing my passion for the greater good. I am a driven young woman dedicated to my success, my community, and my environment. I plan to live a life full of grit, dedicated to helping others and creating stepping stones for others to also make a positive impact on the world. As I enter into my postsecondary life, this is a new beginning for something phenomenal. I want to exceed these expectations, defy the odds, and live out the dreams such as those of Ms. Konatsotis. Knowing that I was a trailblazer for others will allow me to live an unfettered and successful life. I believe in taking action and becoming an influential figure for many other individuals in society. We are/I am the future, therefore we must all make a difference!

Steve Jobs once said, “Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do”. Many circumstances have shaped my life decisions and academic endeavors. I find myself continuously asking myself: “What impact do I eventually want to leave on the world?”. I have always been a high achiever, but I yearn to make an impact. I found my passion for computer science/technology through extracurricular involvement and I believe that I can make use of computer science as an incentive for positive change through social awareness. It is evident that technology has impacted society, however, I would ideally strive to increase society utilizing technology for social good. Entering into an underrepresented field as a minority is a form of trailblazing. For centuries, inequality has been a global issue with assumed and even mandated standards. Now, we are in a time where technology aspires to be an equalizer. This idea undoubtedly requires the need to think big and I believe technology has the utmost potential to give rise to social change and be used for social advancements. The disparity ranges from school systems to communities and developing negative impacts on mental health and the degradation of society. However, technology also has the opportunity to be a catalyst for change as modern tactics for social change develop. Computer science will ultimately become a solution for the problem as technology is ever-growing to promote this issue and increase the education awareness surrounding it. It'll provide a foundation to make a more equitable society. I ultimately aspire to make a positive impact in the world by utilizing my passion for the greater good. Just like Ms. Cronin was, I am a driven young woman dedicated to my success, my community, and my environment. I plan to live a life full of grit, dedicated to helping others and creating stepping stones for others to also make a positive impact on the world. As I enter into my postsecondary life, this is a new beginning for something phenomenal. I want to exceed these expectations, defy the odds, and live out the dreams such as those of Ms. Cronin. Knowing that I was a trailblazer for others will allow me to live an unfettered and successful life. I believe in taking action and becoming an influential figure for many other individuals in society. We are/I am the future, therefore we must all make a difference!