“The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires,” said William Arthur Ward. Mrs. Hagan, my 11th grade AICE Literature teacher, in my opinion, is a great teacher! She has impacted my life tremendously as she not only taught me eye-opening, intellectually stimulating concepts, but she also taught me valuable life lessons that will stay with me forever. My name is Druann Clarke, a senior at Seminole Ridge Community High School. I plan to attend the University of South Florida this Fall. This scholarship would go a long way in helping me to fulfill my ambition of becoming an outstanding healthcare professional. I am diligent, motivated and always strive for excellence. Mrs. Hagan taught me that everyone should make sure that their own lives are enjoyable. She taught me that you should not deliberately put yourself in situations that are too tough. Even if something bad happens, we should still be excited and hope for the best. She is the eternal optimist! She is very cheerful and always taught us meaningful life lessons. Some of her most impactful sayings include the following: “Life is what you make of it,” “Every day has the potential of being a good day,” “Stand up for yourself in times of need,” and “Treat others better than they treat you.” Throughout my time in her class, I learned that I shouldn’t lose myself trying to live up to others’ expectations or pretending to be who I am not, which applies both academically and socially. I now know that I cannot forget to still live in the moment even as I strive for excellence and greatness. Mrs. Hagan did not only give great advice, but she lived what she taught. She is a very happy person, generally. Even though she severely injured her foot twice and had many personal challenges, she always has a smile on her face and shows up for her students. I can wholeheartedly say that she gives 10000% of herself to her students, just to ensure that they are learning comfortably and are more than prepared. Mrs. Hagan has had a positive influence on me and has shaped my outlook on life. I tend to be a perfectionist and get very upset when things do not go well or if they don’t go as I’d expected. I do not handle failure very well as I am an overachiever, but Mrs. Hagan has taught me not to take myself so seriously and to see the bright side of every disappointment or setback. I aspire to be like her and to get to the place where I stop pressuring myself to always be at the top of my class. She has taught me that my failures do not define me and that I control my destiny. I have learned from this remarkable teacher that I cannot control people and events around me, so I should just do the best I can, live life to the fullest and take life one day at a time. These life lessons will serve me well as I move on to college and seek to navigate the challenges that naturally come with pursuing higher education. With this optimistic outlook, I am confident that I will be able to overcome all the obstacles that lie ahead. I owe it all to this inspiring teacher, Mrs. Hagan, who showed me that the world is brighter and less scary than it may seem at times.

Life is full of challenges that can either make you or break you! One of the biggest adversities that I have experienced to date, is dealing with the death of my “second” grandmother, as I would regard her. Although we were not blood-related, our bond was as strong as blood because she encouraged and impacted me in so many important and different ways. She was and is my inspiration that the sky is truly the limit because with hard work and the guidance of God, all things are possible! With that said, my name is Druann Clarke, and I am currently a senior at the Seminole Ridge Community High School. I committed to attend the University of South Florida, starting in the Fall, to complete a Bachelor's degree in Kinesiology as my goal is to become a medical doctor, who specializes in child healthcare. My dream career in life is to become a successful pediatrician, by the grace of God! Before my second grandmother developed dementia, she was very kind, loving and supporting of me. She “poured” into me and made me feel so special. She affirmed me with every opportunity she got. It was sad watching her health deteriorate as she developed dementia as it was almost like she became like a small child. Eventually, she passed away, and I was devastated! I truly could not stop crying, no matter how hard I tried because it was the first time in my life that I had lost someone so dear to me. I later viewed this adversity as another mountain to climb. Dealing with grief and loss to me is like climbing up a steep mountain. The journey seems daunting at times, but with God’s help and the support of my family, I can and will get to the top. Getting to the top, for me, was finally accepting the fact that she was gone forever! My plan of action included allowing myself to pass through all the stages of grief and allow myself time to heal. Whenever I feel sad, I immerse myself in action. For instance, I like to dance, so dancing is one activity through which I express my emotions and release stress. I listened and laughed with my aunts when they recounted funny stories about the things my second grandma used to do in the years when she was active. I also prayed, since I find that talking to God about my feelings helps me to feel comforted and safe. Going through this experience of grief has changed my perspective on life completely. I now have a better appreciation of the brevity and uncertainty of life. I have learned that we should give the people we love the “roses” while they are alive and can appreciate it. It’s essential to live in the moment and not stress over smaller things that will pass, as our loved ones will not be here forever. Thus, I now seize every opportunity I get to express my love and appreciation for my family and everyone around me!

I stood on the stage at my eighth grade graduation, valedictorian, class president, and surrounded by applause and a feeling of belongingness! But when I got home, the house was quiet. I was left with the overwhelming reality that my family was relocating, I had to pack up my whole life and move from New York to Florida, a place I’d never lived before. My name is Druann Clarke. I am a senior at the Seminole Ridge Community High School. I’ve maintained a 4.0+ GPA throughout my high school career. I’m grateful to now be on the cusp of another graduation, being reminded of many adversities I overcame to get here. The greatest adversity was relocating to Florida. This was life changing and threatened to destabilize me. I had no friends! I felt awfully lonely. As I struggled with the overwhelming loneliness, I reflected on a movie I’d seen and it had a deep impact on me. The movie was “Wonder,” and it tells the story of a ten year old boy, August Pullman, (Auggie) who had Treacher Collins syndrome, a genetic disorder. He underwent several medical treatments, twenty-seven surgeries and still had this odd face. He was home schooled, but his parents, wanting to integrate him into society, decided to send him to school at age 10. Thrust into this new environment, Auggie faced many challenges, including bullying and isolation. Eventually Auggie overcame his challenges, made friends and inspired his community by his kindness and his mental strength. I was inspired by Auggie’s kindness, he didn’t allow the meanness of others to shape who he became. Instead he chose to be kind, which eventually won the respect of his adversaries. When I started school in Florida, I felt isolated like Auggie. I experienced severe isolation, but forged my way by staying focused on my goal to succeed and maintain a 4.0 GPA throughout high school. I worked hard, showed keen interest in classes, and began to fit in. I joined many service clubs like Key Club, National Honor Society, Helping the Homeless, among others, where we take care of people who are less fortunate. Like Auggie in the movie, I learned to be confident and resilient in spite of the adversities that I faced. This was what I loved in the movie, Auggie knew who he was and did not allow his circumstances to influence his behavior. Today I’m a proud senior graduating in the top 10% of my class. It’s said that “kindness begets kindness” This was the reality in the movie “Wonder” and I have proven it true in my own experience. Not only was I touched by Auggie’s resilience, but I was in sympathy with his sister, Via. Auggie seemed to get all of their parent’s attention, and a good amount of their financial resources also, to pay his medical bills and to pay for private schools. Even though she felt left out or neglected, still she loved and protected her little brother. As I reflected on Via’s attitude, it led me to question my attitude to my siblings. The movie also helped me to appreciate the sacrifices parents make for their children, and in particular, the sacrifices my parents make for me. I’ve learned not to take the love of my family for granted. After watching this movie, I started looking out for kids that are isolated at my school. I am motivated to take action where I see bullying happening and to use my influence among my peers to help kids who see themselves as "outsiders" to fit in.

“The heights of great men reached and kept were not attained by sudden flight, but they, while their companions slept, were toiling upward through the night.” This gem was instilled in me, when I was very young, and has stayed with me, becoming my mantra. My name is Druann Clarke, a senior at the Seminole Ridge Community High School. I am very focused, hardworking, diligent, and driven, and have maintained a 4.0+ GPA throughout my high school years. As a minority black student, I recognize that I must work doubly hard to accomplish my dream of becoming an outstanding medical doctor. I pledge to continue to strive for excellence as I continue my academic journey and in everything I do! I have been taught the value of giving back and serving others as I journey through life, and so I founded a book club in my community that serves young children, some of whom are special needs children. I meet with them, read books, and play interactive games, among other activities. This Book Club has taught the children social skills, like sharing and communicating with each other. They are better able to express themselves as they were very shy and unable to do so, prior to my club. At school, I serve as the President of the National Honor Society, and one important pillar of this club is Service. I’m also the leader of Key Club and our Safe School Ambassadors Club, and member of the Helping the Homeless Club. In these clubs, I help to organize and participate in activities such as collecting and distributing food, clothing, school supplies, hygiene items and care packages to shelters and nursing homes. We also volunteer and clean up local parks and our school community. This fall, I will be pursuing a Bachelors of Science degree on the pre-medical track to becoming a pediatrician. I am passionate about children’s health and plan to work extremely hard to equip myself in an effort to preserve the health of children, especially those living in underserved communities who are unable to afford medical care. I recognize that no man is an island, and that we all need each other. We are blessed so that we can, in turn, be a blessing to others. I plan to give back to society by volunteering my service in church groups, and community outreach activities, like health fairs, to help to educate families on good health practices. I will organize mentorship programs for schools in underserved communities in an effort to model characteristics such as hard work, commitment and service from a young age. It is my hope that they in turn will continue the cycle of success and of giving back! This scholarship would help me to achieve my goals, and in the future, when I become an established, successful pediatrician, I will in turn offer a scholarship to hardworking students, who may be experiencing financial challenges, so that they too can be assisted in their quest for a successful future.

I was being pulled in every direction! Tiny hands grabbed my hands and pleaded “come play with me!” My name is Druann Clarke, and I am a senior at the Seminole Ridge Community High School. My family relocated from New York, after I graduated from eighth grade. At our first community barbecue, I was overwhelmed by children, many of whom I observed had challenges. I later learned that some of them were autistic. I felt deeply motivated to help these children, and soon I organized, with the help and support of my parents, a book club. This gave me the opportunity to interact with these children in a small group setting, as we read and played games. It opened up a new world for them, and now they express their feelings freely and communicate more effectively! I firmly believe that God blesses us, so that we, in turn, can be a blessing to others. I carry this mantra with me, and it has truly motivated me to get involved in many community outreach projects in an effort to give back to society. I currently serve as the President of my school’s chapter of the National Honor Society, and one of the pillars is Service. We collect and distribute helpful hygiene items and care packages to shelters as well as children’s homes, and we help to tutor students. As president of my school’s Key Club, I participate in service activities, such as donating food items and clothing. I also organize and participate in clean-up drives at local parks and on campus. We make posters to spread awareness on issues and make greeting cards to spread joy to surrounding communities on Christmas and other holidays. Since my freshman year, I have volunteered in the Records Department at my school to help with sorting and organizing student files, to make it easier to retrieve when needed. I have volunteered in the Student Government Association in welcoming activities for new students. I’ve also assisted in making crafts for the community, spirit day activities, donations, drives, and orientation tours. I enjoy volunteering as it gives a sense of satisfaction. I continually commit myself, my time, and my resources to improve the lives of others. As I prepare to enter college, I plan to continue my service activities wherever I can in my new community. In my quest to become a pediatrician, helping children has always been my dream! I plan to start a charity with the mission of reaching out to children physically, mentally and otherwise, especially for children from lower income households. I'll collaborate with friends and work through a church-affiliated group to provide clothing and care packages to these children, whose families may not be able to afford proper clothing. We'll solicit mildly-worn and brand new clothing. I believe that providing them with nice clothing and self-care items will help to boost their confidence and self-esteem. We'll seek to provide counseling for parents of special needs children and fun, motivational activities for the children. My ultimate goal, when I complete my medical studies and gain the funds and resources, is to establish a center that would provide tender, loving care and the necessary tools to equip these children to lead productive lives in society and be able to give back as well!

I stood on the stage at my eighth grade graduation, valedictorian, class president, and surrounded by applause and a feeling of belongingness! But when I got home, the house was quiet. I was left with the overwhelming reality that my family was relocating, and I had to pack up my whole life and move from New York to Florida, a place I’d never lived before. Soon I was in a different state, a different house, and a different neighborhood. My name is Druann Clarke, and I am a senior at the Seminole Ridge Community High School. I am an African-American student, who strives for excellence, always. I have maintained a 4.0+ GPA throughout my high school career. I am grateful to be here now on the cusp of another graduation, being reminded of the many adversities I had to overcome to get here. The greatest adversity was relocating to Florida. This was life changing for me and threatened to destabilize me. I had no friends! I knew no one, and even though my parents were loving and supportive, I felt awfully lonely. School was a culture shock for me as I was moving from a small school with a population of under 200 students who all looked like me, to a school with over 2,000 students, majority of whom were of different nationalities! The volume of work felt overwhelming but I was always a diligent student and knew what I had to do. It was the lack of peer companionship that was the greatest challenge. I decided, however, not to give in to the fear of the unknown deep inside me or the forces of depression that were hovering over me and fight to make the best of my new reality. I had to adjust fast! I listened, I observed, I asked questions, and I worked really hard to do all that was required of me. As an only child, I depended on my home base for support, and my parents and grandmother fully gave that to me. One of my favorite hobbies is dancing, so I joined the dance program. This became an avenue to make new friends and to release some of the emotional stress that came with adjusting to my new environment. I became involved in service activities and was inducted into the National Honor Society, of which I now serve as the President. I serve as an officer in the Math and Science Honor Societies, the Black Student Union, Key Club and Safe School Ambassadors. I enjoy the ability to give back, especially to underserved communities, and many of these clubs afforded me that opportunity, since we plan for, and distribute food and care packages to the homeless, various shelters and children’s homes. I initiated and still conduct a book club in my community for younger children who are challenged, and they now benefit from small group activities where they get to express themselves freely and interact with each other. This experience has positively impacted me, and I’ve developed resilience and determination to pursue my goal to become a pediatrician and serve the needs of children. Having experienced the adversities I did, I would advise my peers who may be facing their own adversities to be proactive, to get involved, to work hard, and to draw on the inner strength and the support of family and others. Finally, I learned to lean on God, and I now know that we are not alone when we face adversity.

The year was 2022! I was completing my final year of middle school in New York, but I was bracing myself for a life-changing move as my family planned to relocate to Florida at the end of the school year! My name is Druann Clarke, I am an African-American female and senior at Seminole Ridge Community High School. I strive for excellence always and have maintained a 4.0+ GPA throughout high school. I am a role model and a source of both inspiration and resilience for my peers, especially my cousin, Tyler! As I anticipated my whole world turning upside down, I experienced deep fear for the unknown and often expressed my fears to Tyler, who shared my fear. Everything happened really quickly and I was only able to overcome it by the grace of God. Florida was very different from New York, and school was a culture shock for me. I was now thrust into a school with a population of over 2,000 students of all races, whereas my former school was less than 200 students who all looked like me. The volume of work was challenging and often seemed overwhelming, but soon I settled in, accepted the challenge and worked hard to achieve my goals. Perhaps, the most difficult adjustment I had to make was finding new friends. As an only child, I depended on my friends for peer companionship, and I was leaving the friends I’d known all of my life in New York. I decided not to give in to the fear of the unknown deep inside me or the forces of depression that were hovering over me. Instead, I fought to stay positive and make the best of my new reality. Today, I am a proud senior graduating in the top 10% of my class! I successfully navigated this frightening experience with the support of my parents and grandmother, who prayed for me constantly. I formed new friendships and became active in extra-curricular activities. One of my favorite hobbies is dancing, so I joined the dance program, and this became an avenue to make new friends and also to release some of my emotional stress of adjusting to my new environment. Now as a high school senior, I have many solid friendships that I have forged over the past four years. I have also developed greater self confidence. I currently serve as the President for my school’s chapter of the National Honor Society and hold offices in other clubs such as Science Honor Society, Mu Alpha Theta, Key Club, and Safe School Ambassadors Club. I’ve also been accepted into the University of South Florida to pursue a degree in Kinesiology as a path to a career in Medicine. My journey has been impactful especially to my cousin Tyler, who lacked interest in school and success. I share each step of my journey with him, and he’s always in awe of all I’m able to accomplish, irrespective of the challenges I’ve faced. He is doing much better in school and tells everyone that I am his great motivator and inspiration! Tyler is now determined to work hard and follow my grit and resilience, and I thank God for the positive impact I’ve had on him. I am about to face another big hurdle in the fall of this year as I go off to college, but I am confident that the same God who helped me to successfully navigate high school will guide me through college. I hope to continue being a positive role model to my cousins, friends and everyone I’ll encounter!

It has been said, “you must stand for something, or you will fall for anything!” I have proven the truth of this statement throughout my academic journey so far. I’ve been able to withstand negative peer pressure only because of my Christian upbringing and firm moral grounding. While many of my friends were involved in immoral behaviors, by God’s grace I managed to stay focused on my school work and maintain my excellent GPA, while my peers were distracted and allowed their academic performance to decline. Even though I don’t approve of the behavior of some of my peers, as a Christian, I don’t judge or condemn. Rather, I try to encourage them to seek God as that is the only way to true happiness and fulfillment. My name is Druann Clarke, a senior at Seminole Ridge Community High School in Florida. I was privileged to attend a Christian elementary and middle school, which helped to reinforce the Christian virtues I was taught at home. I love God and recognize that He is the source of my strength and all that I am, I owe to Him. I have been blessed with a good singing voice which I’ve used to minister at school and church. I’ve been very active in my school choirs and singing groups, which is one way I share my faith. Through the years, I’ve developed a personal relationship with Jesus which has strengthened my faith. In everything I do, I seek God’s guidance. I pray before submitting every assignment or before taking a test or exam, I pray before submitting my college applications, and I pray before moving my car. I truly believe in the power of prayer! Every day, I use the Bible App to read God’s Word, and I share these verses on my social media platforms as well. I invite close friends to meet me and we study the Bible together. Because I am in constant communication with God, I trust Him to reward my diligence. I study hard and trust Him to give me academic success, which He has been doing up to this point. I am graduating high school with above a 5.2 HPA. As I prepare to go off to college, I plan to continue to lean upon God. In fact, I believe I will need to lean upon Him much more because for the first time in my life, I’ll be away from my family. I will no longer have their emotional and physical support, I have to trust that God will see me through this new phase of my academic journey. I plan to spend more time in my private devotion and attend church regularly. I plan to become involved in Christian fellowship groups at college and in selecting a roommate, I sought out girls who were also Christians so that together we can grow in our faith. As I study the life of Jesus, I discovered that He spent most of His time while He was on earth healing sick people. I plan to be a medical doctor. I believe Jesus will work through me in my profession to heal and restore people. As I care for the sick, I will help them to understand that Jesus is the Great Physician. I have to rely on Him to grant me wisdom to diagnose and treat illnesses. My mission as a Christian is to model Jesus, and to relieve human suffering through medical ministry. As healing flowed from Jesus’ Hands, I want healing to flow from my hands to every patient I'll be privileged to treat.

“An estimated 17,000 children in the United States might have died unnecessarily over nearly two decades because they didn't have health insurance,” says an ABC News report at Johns Hopkins Children's Center in Baltimore. If I can help it, never will another black child have to die or contract preventable diseases because their parents cannot afford proper health care. I’m Druann Clarke, a senior at Seminole Ridge Community High School in Westlake, Florida. My grandmother instilled strong Christian values of kindness and compassion within me. I attended a Christian elementary and middle school, which further reinforced the moral values taught at home, including giving back to society and living a life of service. At just five years old, my kindergarten class made and sent cards to shut-in members of our church and donated care packages to children’s homes. As a Christian, I believe that my purpose in life is to help alleviate suffering and uplift humanity. In college, I plan to pursue a Bachelor’s in Kinesiology, on my quest to become a pediatrician. My heart aches when I see sick children, so I was the first student to volunteer and raise the most funds for St. Jude’s Hospital every year. Oftentimes, I’d be the only one taking up the challenge due to my strong desire to help make healthcare accessible and affordable, especially to black families. My parents are originally from the Caribbean, so I’ve heard of the horrible atrocities families face, including children being refused healthcare because their parents had no insurance. This drive to make things better for children has stayed with me throughout my high school years! During high school, I led and was involved in several clubs that foster caring for the less fortunate! I’m the President of my school’s chapter of the National Honor Society and an important pillar is Service, which includes donating items to elementary schools. Other clubs include the Science and Math Honor societies, where I tutor students after school. I’m also the president of my school’s Safe Schools Ambassadors Club and Key Club, where we create activities to ensure that kids aren’t bullied or feel left out as well as organizing drives for shelters. The common denominator for these clubs is service to others. I’m committed to pursuing further studies because having a college education will ensure I develop the skills and earning power necessary to make a meaningful contribution to society, especially the underserved and under privileged. My family greatly values education, and they’re a constant motivation to aim for the highest academic achievement. To be in a position to help the less fortunate, I have to be qualified to earn a good income to take care of both my needs and others’. After becoming a medical practitioner, I plan to go into private practice, where I’ll have the liberty of providing medical service at a free or reduced cost to poor black children in inner city communities. I also plan to initiate educating families on proper health care through my church’s outreach programs. I am excited about the prospect of making such a meaningful contribution to society! As I enter college, I do so with the determination to serve God and be of service to mankind! I’m a committed, hard working individual with a keen sense of purpose and drive. These qualities, coupled with my sound Christian background and sincere desire to better the lot of others, especially under served black children, are the springboard I intend to use to achieve my goals. I cannot wait to see how God uses my life to bless others!

“There is no substitute for hard work”, says Thomas Alva Edison. I truly believe this, so I’ve adopted this quote as my mantra. My name is Druann Clarke, and I’m a senior at Seminole Ridge Community High School in Westlake, Florida. Throughout my high school career I’ve maintained a GPA of 4.0 and above. I intend to maintain this high academic achievement throughout college. I’m confident I can do this because I’m a hard worker, focused, and never settle for mediocrity! I aim for excellence in everything I do. As I prepare for college, I know there will be challenges ahead. I’ve never shied away from obstacles because I face them with grit and resolve, keeping my goal in view, always. I anticipate being lonely and homesick, since it’s my first time away from home. I faced a similar challenge four years ago, when my family relocated to Florida. I felt that I was extracted from everything familiar, and I didn’t know how I’d adjust to this move. I dedicated time and energy into taking challenging advanced classes and engaging in extra-curricular activities, which helped my adjustment. I know one important decision I’ll have to make is my choice of a roommate. I’ll have to choose my friends in college wisely, as I know the effect of negative peer pressure. I’m not easily distracted usually, but being so far from home, loneliness could become challenging. At home, I usually depend on my mother to wake me for school. I’ll now have to devise a strategy to ensure that I don’t oversleep. Another challenge I anticipate is the financial burden that comes with college, so I’m preparing for this by applying for this scholarship, in the hopes that it could potentially go a long way in adding some level of financial security. I know I’ll encounter challenges in college, but I will overcome them. I’ve already started to practice independence and self care by learning to prepare my own meals and working out a strategy to get adequate rest. Additionally, I’ll do what I have always done to get me through my challenges by continuing to use prayer, hard work and emotional support from my family. I’ve been accepted into the University of South Florida and will major in Kinesiology, on the pre-med track. I’ve been taught the value of giving back to society, so it’s my plan to positively impact healthcare. I intend to do this by informing parents of the need for healthy dietary practices and the importance of preventative care through proper vaccines and exercise, in order to reduce the occurrence of diseases in children. I love children, and I hate to see them ill. So, I have pledged to dedicate my talents to make healthcare more affordable. Children are the most vulnerable group in society, and so they need our protection and care. I plan to use my voice and expertise to advocate for preserving the health of our children. I’m committed to pursuing further studies because I’ve discovered that having a college education will help me acquire skills and resources to make a meaningful contribution to society. My family greatly values education, and they are a constant motivation for me to aim for the highest possible academic achievement. To be in a position to help the less fortunate, I’d have to be qualified to be able to take care of myself and help those in need. I also plan to volunteer with my church’s outreach programs to bring awareness to childhood health. I’m extremely excited about the prospect of making a meaningful contribution to society!