For as long as I can remember I have had a passion for healthcare and taking care of others. As a child I would watch “A baby story” on TLC everyday. Watching those doctors deliver babies should not have excited me at 5 years old but I can remember thinking that is going to be me one day. Unfortunately, even tho I have had dreams and aspirations of becoming a doctor for a long time the odds have been stacked against me for just as long. I’ve tried to persevere but I always seem to come up short. At the young age of 12 I was faced with the reality of becoming a teen mother due to an unfortunate situation. At twelve I was just a kid myself scared, hopeless, not knowing what to do. I just remember thinking I did not ask for this, why would someone do this to me. I could not see myself ending a child’s life though. One look at my baby and I knew I made the right decision, from that moment on I decided to give everything my all. In the 8th grade, trying to stay on top of my studies, keep my secret from my friends, all while being a kid trying to raise a kid was hard work. I had support from my mom but she still let me know this was my baby. I had to grow up faster than every one else and learn how to become an adult before I was done being a child. Fast forward 6 months later I lost someone that meant the world to me, my father. My dad had suffered from a stroke then congestive heart failure when I was just 13. This almost broke me, but instead I let it fuel my passion for healthcare even more. I started doing research on the heart and human body, how foods affect our body, even if heart attacks are hereditary. I used my experiences in life to help me learn and educate myself. I pushed myself through high school entering the International Baccalaureate program and graduating. Of course after high school life was still throwing curve balls at me. After graduating high school I moved back to Texas to attend Baylor University. This crazy movie I call life had other plans for me. I was in an abusive relationship and had to drop out of school. Still I was not able to run away from my dreams. I would not take back any of my past experiences. I feel as though they have mold me into the fearful and relentless woman I am today. Everyday I strive to be a better mom and a better woman to provide a life for my two children. I want them to know anything is possible and to never give up on your dreams that is why I am still fighting for mine. My dream is to become a NICU nurse with my perseverance and determination I know I have what it takes. A scholarship would help me obtain these goals by lifting a financial burden so I can finally go back to school without the tournament of having to be even more in debt. As a single mom debt has been another thing that has detoured me from my goals.

My name is D’Kayjiia Richardson, I am a 28 year old Texas native with 2 children. I come from a generation of strong mothers that just so happen to not make the right choices in their childhood causing them to grow up faster than usual. No one in my family, mom or dad side has ever graduated college. When I graduated high school I moved back to Texas from Florida with high hopes of being the first in my family to graduate college. I thought by moving away from a fast paced city that that would help. Unfortunately, things did not go as planned. I fell in love with a boy and got sidetracked. I ended up stopping my studies after a year and got pregnant in 2018. After having my daughter I realized I have to be better than the example I was given growing up. I wanted to be someone my kids looked up to and thought wow my mom is superwoman, she can do it all. After having my daughter, I decided it was time to go back to school. After doing some research online I found Ultimate Medical Academy. This was an online school where I took up Health and Human Services. After two long years I had finally seen those words I had been longing for, “you are eligible for graduation”. The most exciting moment in my life turned into the saddest very fast. 2020 was hard for everyone but it was especially hard for me because I had worked so hard towards my education only to not be able to walk because of Covid. After all of that in 2022 I decided to go back for my bachelors only to apply to Florida State College at Jacksonville and find out the school I attended was not accredited. I was devastated to know I worked so hard and now would have to be starting over again from scratch as none of my credits were transferable. After 2 weeks of going back and forth with myself I decided to go through with starting over. I want to show my children that you don’t just give up when life gets hard, you fight back.I am now taken my prerequisites for nursing at Florida State College at Jacksonville. I have two more classes to complete before I can apply for the nursing program but I have ran out of Financial Aid assistance. With this scholarship I would be able to finish my prerequisites and apply for the nursing program with high hopes of becoming a NICU nurse. Since a kid I knew I wanted to work in the healthcare field and I knew I wanted to work with children. I used to watch “A delivery story” on TLC all the time. With my children 6 and 15 now I have finally found the courage to push myself for nursing school. People that look like me often face more challenges and have to work 10 times as hard as others that is why I am determined to stay in the fight. I want to give my people representation; I want one of my patient to walk in and see that I have thick curly hair, dark brown eyes, a heavy southern accent, and beautiful chocolate skin just like them so they can know if I did it so can they.

When I’m alone at night I often catch myself thinking about the past, the present, and the future. Could I have taken a different route ? Why am I not where I want to be? Where is it that I should be? How can I be better than yesterday? All these questions flood my mind, my therapist always reminds me I don’t give myself enough credit for the things I have already accomplished. My name is D’Kayjiia Richardson, I am a 28 year old Texas native with 2 children. I come from a generation of strong mothers that just so happen to not make the right choices in their childhood causing them to grow up faster than usual. No one in my family, mom or dad side has ever graduated college. When I graduated high school I moved back to Texas from Florida with high hopes of being the first in my family to graduate college. I thought by moving away from a fast paced city that that would help. Unfortunately, things did not go as planned. I fell in love with a boy and got sidetracked. I ended up stopping my studies after a year and got pregnant in 2018. After having my daughter I realized I have to be better than the example I was given growing up. I wanted to be someone my kids looked up to and thought wow my mom is superwoman, she can do it all. After having my daughter, I decided it was time to go back to school. Since a kid I knew I wanted to work in the healthcare field and I knew I wanted to work with children. After doing some research online I found Ultimate Medical Academy. This was an online school where I took up Health and Human Services. After two long years I had finally seen those words I had been longing for, “you are eligible for graduation”. The most exciting moment in my life turned into the saddest very fast. 2020 was hard for everyone but it was especially hard for me because I had worked so hard towards my education only to not be able to walk because of Covid. Furthermore, after all of that in 2022 I decided to go back for my bachelors only to apply to Florida State College at Jacksonville and find out the school I attended was not accredited. Here I was once again one of my greatest accomplishments turning out to be yet another sad moment. I was devastated to know I worked so hard and now would have to be starting over again from scratch as none of my credits were transferable. After 2 weeks of going back and forth with myself I decided to go through with starting over. I wanted to throw in the towel and give up. It was like no matter how hard I tried to climb up the wall, the bricks kept crumbling from underneath me. Like I said I want to be a better example to my children. I want to show my children that you don’t just give up when life gets hard, you fight back. Learning that the degree I thought I had was not accredited taught me to research more, reach out to advisors, and to go with schools that are known. I am now taken my prerequisites for nursing at Florida State College at Jacksonville. I have two more classes to complete before I can apply for the nursing program but I have ran out of Financial Aid assistance. With this scholarship I would be able to finish my prerequisites and apply for the nursing program with high hopes of becoming a NICU nurse. People that look like me often face more challenges and have to work 10 times as hard as others that is why I am determined to stay in the fight. I want to give my people representation; I want one of my patient to walk in and see that I have thick curly hair, dark brown eyes, a heavy southern accent, and beautiful chocolate skin just like them so they can know if I did it so can they.