Although my cousin passed away before I was able to meet him, his presence has always been a part of my life. He was my mother's closest cousin, more like a brother to her, and his life and death shaped the way I understand myself, my mind, and my purpose. He was killed by gun violence early Christmas morning at a club in Washington, D.C., a tragedy that remains an open case. That loss to my family deeply affected my mother, and in many ways, it became a lesson she passed on to me with care, honesty, and intention. Like my cousin, I have Attention Deficient Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). From a young age, my mother, a psychotherapist, taught me about my diagnosis and helped me understand how ADHD can impact decision-making, impulsivity, and emotional regulation. She often spoke about my cousin's struggles, how his ADHD sometimes got him into trouble, how he moved quickly without always slowing down, and how those patterns may have placed him in unsafe situations. Learning about him helped me see ADHD not as a flaw, but as something that requires awareness, patience, and guidance. Growing up, Christmas was always a reminder of my cousin's loss, but instead of allowing grief to overwhelm us, my family, along with my mother, used that pain to teach me tools for grounding and self-reflection. My mother introduced me to meditation, breathing techniques, and understanding my emotions. At first, journaling felt messy; my thoughts looked jumbled and disconnected on paper. Over time, through mindfulness and consistent practice, I learned how to organize my thoughts, regulate my reactions, and approach situations with clarity rather than impulse. These practices have helped me make better choices and navigate complex situations by pausing before responding. Meditation taught me that slowing down is powerful, and journaling helped me discover my inner voice. Through these tools, I learned resilience, self-awareness, and compassion for myself and others. Through this experience, I have had to navigate emotions such as sadness, confusion, empathy, and responsibility. Although my cousin passed before I was born, learning about his life and the impact of his loss helped me understand how deeply our choices of mental health can affect ourselves and those we love. I learned that I am capable of growth, self-discipline, and turning pain into purpose by slowing down, reflecting, and choosing thoughtful actions. The biggest influence in my life have been my mother and the memory of my cousin. My mother's guidance, patience, and dedication to teaching me mindfulness and self-awareness shaped how I manage my ADHD and approach life with intention. My cousin's story continues to motivate me to live consciously and to use my creativity to support others. They have inspired me to pursue higher education. I believe that my creativity can make a difference. I have been accepted into Bowie State University's Animation and Motion Graphics performing arts program, where I plan to use my art to reach individuals facing mental health challenges. In honor of my cousin, I want my work to spread positive energy, understanding, and hope. Through animation, I want to create stories that inspire healing, encourage mindfulness, and remind others that their lives matter.

My name is De'Yana and I'm passionate about using my journey with ADHD and anxiety to help others navigate their own mental health challenges. I was officially diagnosed with both Attention-Deficient Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)by my psychotherapist and psychiatrist, and I take medication to help manage my symptoms. When I was first diagnosed, it was tough. Focusing in class felt like trying to catch a hundred thoughts at once, and my attention span was super short. Even though I was advanced in many areas, just juggling schoolwork and things like sleepovers with friends sometimes felt overwhelming. However, I've found that creativity is a huge part of my toolkit for thriving. Ever since I was little, creativity has been my language, and now I want to turn that into a career that empowers others. I've been drawing since I was two years old. As a child, I was always telling stories- whether it was through My Little Pony figurines or dolls, I'd create my own video blogs and turn my toys into characters in my own mini-worlds. Storytelling through art has always been my way of making sense of the world, and it's also been a huge help in managing my anxiety. At 15 the age of years old, I took a summer course in storyboarding and comic writing with a local artist at the library, which really honed my ability to tell stories visually. I've carried those skills into my current studies at Crossland High School, where I'm in the Interactive Media Production/Program focusing on animation. This program is helping me blend all these elements-art, storytelling, and technology- into tools I can use to support mental health. Now, I'm excited to take it a step further by incorporating character building in virtual reality for the creative immersive environments in VR Chat and the Meta. I plan to use these skills to craft supportive virtual spaces where people can explore mental health themes in a creative, engaging way. I can see my future career as a blend of helping others emotionally and using my artistic talents to make mental health support more accessible and relatable. Whether it's through animation or virtual reality, I want to empower students, adults, and educators to feel seen, understood, and supported. My goal is to turn my creative passions into a way to help others find their own paths to mental wellness.

Hi! My name is De'Yana. I'm a 12th grader at Crossland High School, and I want to share a little bit about how living with ADHD has shaped my education and my life. For a long time, my ADHD felt like this wild, unpredictable wave that kept crashing into my plans, especially when it came to staying on top of schoolwork. There were times when living with ADHD felt like juggling a lot at once. I have what's known as Type III ADHD, which means I experience both inattentiveness and hyperactivity. It's like having two sides of my brain pulling me in different directions- sometimes I get lost in my thoughts, and other times I have energy buzzing like a live wire. This moderate to severe form of ADHD made it a real challenge to concentrate, especially when the obstacles I faced in the classroom. There were times when my behavior got in the way of my own potential. I was advanced in certain areas, but my focus would scatter and it felt like I was tripping over my own feet. But I did not let that stop me. Working with my therapist and treatment, I received a whole lot of self-understanding. I started to see my ADHD not just as a challenge, but as a different way my brain works. And that's when I turned to my art. I learned to navigate my own mind, got the support I needed, and turned my focus toward something that lights me up: art and animation. Art became my go-to outlet. When words got tangled or focus slipped away, drawing and animating helped me find my center. It's like my creativity was the key to not just surviving school, but thriving in it. I learned to turn my hyper-focus into a superpower when I'm working on a project I love. One of the pivotal moments for me came when I was 13. During my eighth-grade year, at Accokeek Academy, I put together a 2D animation series. It was the highlight of that year for me. I created a 15-minute presentation on 2D animation that tackled issues like bullying and the challenges early teens faced. I received a standing ovation and instead of being the problem student, I was able to share with my classmates and teachers my creativity and to speak up and connect with others. Now, I'm channeling everything I've learned into my passion for animation. ADHD may have been a curveball, but it taught me resilience, creativity, and how to shine in my own way. I've turned it into my unique strength, and I'm thrilled to share that I've been accepted into Bowie State University to pursue animation and digital art. Now, I'm just looking for the support to make that journey possible and keep sparkling and succeeding, both in school and in life.

Art has been the heartbeat of my life for as long as I can remember. I remember seeing a video that my mother showed me when I was 2 years old. I was holding a pencil strapped to a board and was drawing. I drew my first picture, a fish with fins, before I was even able to tie my shoe. I am sure that I saw the fish on television, since I was a huge Nickelodeon fan (Nick Jr.). But from watching myself at that young age, I believe that I was born to create. From then on, every class that I've taken in school has challenged me to become better at understanding basic concepts of lines, colors, and shapes to create visual masterpieces. Art education took what I was doing and gave my work structure, confidence, and community. It gave me teachers who believe in expression, who taught me that there's no single right way to create. They taught me that the mess, the mistakes, the exploration is the art. I continue to learn to see beauty in imperfection, to think critically, and to tell my story. I enjoy learning new ways to achieve and accomplish my work of art. Art is a language that I understand dearly. My inspiration is my mother. I was blessed to grow up with a mother who is an oil paint artist, a woman who could turn a white canvas into a story, a mood, or a world. Through her, I learned that art wasn't just something you do, it's something you feel. Growing up with my mother and seeing her artwork gave me an escape when life felt overwhelming, and I learned to use that in my own form of art- digital animation. I used it to provide a safe space to process my emotions- joy, loss, identity, and love. I carry my mother's same creative spirit with me and now, in everything I do. Art has grounded me, making me more empathetic, more curious, and more connected to others. Since I have ADHD, I can hone in on my artwork to show me the pathway to having more patience with friends and family. It helps to shape my confidence, my career path, and my voice. Art is not about just making something beautiful; it's about understanding the world around you and daring to reimagine and create what you believe is right for you. So when I think about art education and how it has affected my life, I can say that it taught me how to see, how to feel, and how to be.

When I was little, I remember that I was different. I spoke loudly and talked too much to those around me. I missed out on social cues and did not follow instructions well when told to do something. I was bullied because I could not make any friends since I did not have the patience to hear others' opinions and ideas. I could only hear my many thoughts in my head. I came to understand that I was dealing with Attention Deficient Hyperactivity Disorder, Type III (ADHD-Both types). Some people do not understand that with both types of ADHD, at a severe level, it is very difficult to grasp reality. At times, I am in my own world, and I lose grip of the important points that help maintain ongoing relationships with friends and family. It's been hard for me to keep friends, and I struggle at times with adjusting to life changes. I have reminders on my cell phone to assist me; however, at times, I feel so lazy and impulsive that I cannot maintain the concept of wanting to use the assistance. Sometimes, I would like to have a day where nothing is in order and everything is just...out of order and spontaneous. That way, I can just be me. But I do know that with the world as it is today, it is not possible if I am to focus on my dreams. I dream of becoming the greatest digital animator and utilizing my skills to make a great impact on those who struggle with mental health. Laughter is what I would like to hone and conquer for my audience. I believe that my animation and creativity are my aspirations in hopes that I can reach others who would like to take that break out of order and just.... laugh.