Prompt 1: Nonfiction Writing Prompt My grandmother has been one of the most powerful influences in my life, shaping my understanding of strength, resilience, and faith. From an early age, she faced immense challenges but always rose above them, teaching me how to persevere through adversity and how to see myself as part of a larger story of survival and hope. At nine years old, my grandmother fell from her home's porch, injuring her leg. Her father, distrustful of doctors who treated Black patients, refused to seek medical care. By the time her mother took her to a doctor after her parents divorce, one of her legs had grown longer than the other, leaving her with a permanent limp. Rather than letting this “handicap” define her, she pushed forward, living a full and meaningful life. She married, raised three children, and created a warm home outside Chicago. Despite her physical limitations and lack of formal higher education, she became a pillar of her community, volunteering at church and schools, cooking for others, and offering help wherever she could. Even when she couldn’t assist my mother with homework, she would find someone else who could. Her resourcefulness and commitment to her family and community have always inspired me. Her resilience did not appear out of nowhere, it was rooted in the strength of the women who came before her, especially her grandmother, born in 1862. These women, living in a time when African-Americans faced intense legal and social barriers, built a legacy of hard work and determination. They acquired 396 acres of land, an extraordinary achievement for Black families in that era and passed down their skills and values through generations. When I visit the old farmhouse where my grandmother grew up, I feel a deep connection to these women and their quiet strength. The quilts they hand-sewed and the furniture they crafted stand as tangible reminders of their perseverance and creativity. Knowing this history helps me understand the deep well of resilience from which my grandmother draws. Her strength is not only physical but spiritual and emotional. When my mother battled cancer and was given only six months to live, my grandmother, then 82 years old, moved in with us. Despite her own health challenges, she cared for my mother through chemotherapy by cooking, cleaning, and sitting by her side when she was too weak to move. In those months, I watched my grandmother turn our fear into faith, reminding us daily that we were not alone. Her selflessness and quiet courage showed me what it means to love someone through their darkest moments. At 93, my grandmother continues to inspire me. Despite the pain and limitations that come with age, she faces each day with resilience and a calm sense of hope. She often tells me, “The rain will pass, and the sun will come out,” reminding me to be patient and trust that challenges are temporary. Because of her, I see myself differently. For a long time, I struggled with confidence, doubting whether I was pretty enough, smart enough, or worthy enough to belong at a university like Northwestern. When those doubts appear, I think of my grandmother, of her limp, her sacrifices, her faith, and the generations of women who refused to give up. Their stories remind me that my worth is not measured by perfection or fear but by how I keep moving forward. My grandmother has taught me that I carry their strength within me, and that I, too, can endure, achieve, and thrive.

My name is Elle Myers, and I recently graduated from high school in Dallas, Texas. I come from a legacy of strength, determination, and love. My family history, rooted in resilience, has shaped my outlook and ambitions. In 1902, my great-great-grandparents, an uneducated Black couple, purchased 396 acres of land in Louisiana. For a Black family in that era, this was nearly unimaginable. That land remains in our family to this day, symbolizing the power of vision, sacrifice, and hard work. Their courage inspires me to honor their legacy through a life of purpose. Growing up, my parents nurtured an environment where I could explore my passions and speak my truth respectfully. I have three siblings, and our home is mostly filled with laughter, encouragement, and the freedom to dream big. From a young age, I felt the importance of pushing beyond limitations, both imposed by others and those I placed on myself. In high school, I found my voice through journalism. I joined the school newspaper and rose to the role of Managing Editor. I also chaired the Student Diversity Board, where I helped foster inclusion and open dialogue. I discovered that storytelling could be a powerful tool for advocacy especially for voices often unheard. This passion fueled my Girl Scout Gold Award project, where I educated families about harmful food additives like Red Dye No. 3 and advocated for healthier, affordable alternatives. Seeing the surprise on parents’ faces when they learned these ingredients, banned in Europe, were in everyday products here deepened my commitment to public awareness and policy reform. I also found growth through athletics, participating in varsity rowing, swimming, and junior varsity tennis. These experiences taught me resilience and teamwork. Singing became another creative outlet. I rediscovered it in high school and it reminded me of the joy that comes from self-expression. Service has always been at my core. For the past four years, I’ve led a monthly initiative preparing and delivering meals to the Austin Street Center for the homeless. Coordinating volunteers, managing donations, and engaging directly with those in need has been both humbling and empowering. I believe true impact comes from both grassroots service and systemic change. My aspiration is to pursue Journalism and then attend law school, focusing on public policy, especially health care reform. This calling stems from deeply personal experiences. In 2015, when I was just eight, my mother was diagnosed with cancer. At the time, cancer to me meant death. But through faith, family, and an incredible support network, she survived. Her journey and my 92-year-old grandmother’s ongoing struggles to access quality care, opened my eyes to the inequities in our health system. I want to be a part of changing that, making care more understandable, affordable, and accessible to all. This Fall, I will attend Northwestern University, majoring in Journalism with a minor in Economics on a Pre-Law track. I’m excited to grow as a writer, advocate, and future policymaker. With your support through the FIAH Scholarship, I can focus on my education and service without the overwhelming burden of cost. I hope one day to pay it forward, creating a scholarship in honor of my grandparents who paved the way for me. I would like to sincerely thank the FIAH Scholarship Committee for offering this scholarship and for reviewing my application. Fitness is my primary outlet when I'm stressed, anxious or simply a ritual to take care of my personal health.

I come from a family rooted in strength, heritage, and perseverance. As a senior in high school and one of four siblings, I have been blessed with parents who not only support me but also encourage me to speak my truth, pursue my passions, and dream boldly. My family’s legacy traces back to 1902, when my great-great-grandparents; Black, uneducated, but visionary, purchased 396 acres of land in Louisiana. That bold move was more than a financial investment; it was a declaration of hope and resilience in the face of overwhelming odds. Their sacrifice built the foundation of strength and unity that continues to shape our family to this day. It is this legacy that inspires me to step outside my comfort zone, honor their journey, and make my own mark on the world. In high school, I discovered a passion for storytelling. I became fascinated with transforming oral histories into written narratives, preserving the stories that might otherwise be forgotten. This led me to journalism, where I now serve as Managing Editor of our school newspaper. I’ve also embraced leadership through my role as Chair of the Student Diversity Board, where I advocate for inclusivity and representation. These positions have helped me find my voice and understand the importance of using it for the benefit of others. Athletics have also played a meaningful role in my growth. As a member of the varsity rowing, swimming and tennis teams, I have learned discipline, mental endurance, and how to push past self-imposed limitations. Each challenge has strengthened my confidence, and every finish line has reaffirmed my belief in perseverance. Outside of school, my heart is in service. I’ve spent the past three years leading monthly outreach sessions to feed the homeless. I have earned my Girl Scout Gold Award, the highest honor in Girl Scouts, by addressing our food sources and how food in the US impacts health. These experiences have reinforced my belief that the most meaningful life is one lived in service to others. One of the most defining moments of my life occurred when I was eight years old, and my mother was diagnosed with cancer. Though I didn’t fully understand her illness, I knew I had to be strong so she wouldn’t worry. My world changed overnight. I witnessed the strength of community: family members moved in, friends drove us to activities, and my mom’s support network held us up. Miraculously, after being told she might not survive six months, my mom is thriving today. That experience taught me life’s fragility and the immeasurable value of prayer and resilience. I’ve learned not to take time or people for granted. My friendships have evolved, some faded, some fractured, and some revealed their true worth. I’ve come to accept that some people are not meant to stay in the “VIP section” of our lives. And that’s okay. These reflections have also influenced my future. I will attend Northwestern University, Medill School of Journalism in the fall. After earning my journalism degree, I plan to pursue law school with a focus on public policy, particularly healthcare. Watching my mother navigate cancer and seeing my 92-year-old grandmother struggle with the rising costs of care sparked a passion to advocate for those burdened by our healthcare system. Overall, I strive to honor the strength and sacrifice of those who came before me. As I prepare to take my next steps, I remain grounded in who I am: a writer, a leader, a daughter, a sister, and above all, a child of God who believes in the power of faith, love, resilience, and service.

My Journey of Faith, Food, and Service As a Girl Scout pursuing my Gold Award, the highest honor in the program, I am leading a project focused on food awareness and its link to chronic illnesses like cancer, diabetes, and hypertension. This initiative reflects my passion for health, wellness, and community service. I want to educate families, especially parents, about the impact of food choices and the presence of harmful additives still allowed in U.S. foods but banned elsewhere. As an African American teen, I’ve grown up with delicious but often unhealthy family recipes passed down through generations. I’m not trying to erase these traditions, but rather to reimagine them in healthier ways, without losing the soul in soul food. This mission became even more personal in 2015, when my mother was diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer and given just six months to live. I was only eight years old. Cancer, to me, meant death. My world changed overnight. I tried to be strong, continuing my schoolwork and extracurriculars while my mom was in and out of treatment. Our extended family and my mom’s friends stepped in to help, but I missed her deeply. I had to grow up quickly and take on responsibilities at home alongside my siblings. My mom’s journey was long, nine years of surgeries, radiation, and chemotherapy, but today, by God’s grace, she is thriving. Her battle taught me resilience, faith, and the power of community. I’ve since deepened my relationship with God. Now, I attend a Bible study group with friends at a local Starbucks, where we reflect on scripture and encourage each other through the challenges of high school and college applications. Faith grounds me, especially in times of uncertainty. The experience of watching my mom fight for her life inspired me to learn more about the root causes of cancer and other chronic illnesses. I discovered that many of these diseases are preventable, or at least manageable, with better nutrition. Food became my passion and my platform. I began researching harmful additives, such as red dye no. 3 and brominated vegetable oil, and I was encouraged to see California take a stand by banning several of them in the 2023 Food Safety Act. Through my Gold Award project, I hope to bring this knowledge to families who may not be aware of what’s in the foods we eat every day. I want to teach others how to read labels, choose wisely when buying food, and rethink how we prepare traditional meals. My goal is not perfection, but progress. With all of this, I have primarily focused my volunteer efforts on hunger, homelessness, and promoting access to healthy food sources, totaling over 300 hours of community service during high school. These experiences have deepened my commitment to service and strengthened my belief that change begins at the community level. Attending Northwestern University in Fall 2025, is the next step in this journey. I will get a major in Journalism on the Pre-Law Track. I want to study public policy, specifically healthcare policy, to bring about change on a larger scale. My dream is to educate and empower others, and to be a part of creating a healthier future, one meal, one family, one generation at a time.

My life's greatest aspiration is to serve my family, community and hopefully the world. One of the most significant challenges I have encountered thus far was when my mother was diagnosed with cancer in 2015, given 6 months to live. As my mother concentrated on her health, she emphasized the need for better nutrition for our family, highlighting the unhealthy eating habits we had developed over time. Her diagnosis, in combination with her determination to change her dietary choices, inspired my project for the Girl Scout Gold Award, which is the highest honor attainable within Girl Scouts. In light of my mother's and other immediate family members ongoing struggles with health issues—many of which are preventable—I aspire to facilitate positive change through heightened awareness and education regarding nutrition. As a teenager, I acknowledge that I am not infallible in my food choices. I continuously seek to expand my understanding of nutrition in order to minimize or eliminate the consumption of foods containing certain additives, artificial dyes, processed ingredients, and high fructose corn syrup. My Girl Scout Gold Award project, titled “TIP: Food Choices Matter,” is centered on this mission. I have family members with chronic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, obesity, ADHD and cancer. The causes of these diseases are multifactorial but diet is highly important in their prevention and management. My grandmother passed down recipes, from our Black culture, heavily seasoned with love containing salt, fried foods, dyes, processed cheese, unhealthy oils of butter and Crisco and lots of sugar. My aspiration is to help make changes through education for our next generation to potentially reduce the instances of chronic diseases. The United States continues to allow foods banned in other countries to be sold. These foods are banned due to additives or engineered ingredients. On October 7, 2023, Governor Gavin Newsom signed the California Food Safety Act, making it the first state to ban 4 food and color additives starting in January 2027. The additives banned are BVO (brominated vegetable oil), potassium bromate, propylparaben, and red dye no. 3. The 5th chemical, titanium dioxide, was dropped from the bill during the legislative process, possibly since its included in popular candies like Skittles. The 4 banned additives have been shown to increase risk for cancer, liver disease, heart conditions, infertility, as well as neurodevelopmental concerns. A recent victory occurred on July 3, 2024 when BVO was banned by the FDA. This went into effect August 2, 2024 and manufacturers have 1 year to comply with the new regulations. I want to help bring awareness to parents and communities as they shape the future generations habits of food selections. My Gold Award has offered education in verbal, social media and written forms to multiple organizations and schools. I published an article, December 2024, reaching over 1200 families offering education and healthier food options. Lastly, I created a petition at change.org that will hopefully continue to grow with signatures and bring about national change to our food supply. The link to my petition is - https://chng.it/zmjgmYWxht. As it relates to our country's food choices, I will continue to be an advocate and educate people regarding healthier foods. My mother continues to thrive and has certainly lived beyond what doctors predicted. I know her survival centers around her faith and willingness to make health conscious changes with diet and stress management. With my law or medical degree, I aim to work in public service, aiding policy changes like the Governor of California has done with food manufacturing laws. Thank you for this opportunity to submit to your scholarship.

When I was in primary school my father introduced me to a cousin who chose to be homeless in Dallas, TX. He was a very intelligent man with a level of mental challenges and I remember him being interesting to talk to and filled with so much information on current events. He never asked my father for much but my father would check on him and help when asked. I think due to his mental challenges and immediate family dynamics he chose a life he felt was less stressful and one that he could try to control. When driving to school or riding with my father to work, it's visible the magnitude of homelessness and hunger in Dallas County. I wish that hunger and homelessness never existed in our society, especially in the United States in 2024, rich in its resources. In primary school I vividly remember focus being on feeding those less fortunate for Thanksgiving and Christmas but never was there a consistency during the entire year. When asked to bring nonperishable items to school or various organizations, I would almost clean out our pantry because I felt no one should be without food. In addition, I would volunteer with my family and classmates at Feed My Starving Children to help prepare meals for families in other countries. During that time I always felt I had to do more. Then an opportunity presented where I could lead efforts on the 3rd Saturday of every month to get volunteers to make sandwiches, boiled eggs and provide fruit to Austin Street Homeless program. I've been volunteering for 3.5 years and have recruited others to do so as well. Over these years, I along with my sister prepare sandwiches, eggs and purchase fruits. Being of service is rewarding and I have learned that my coordination and donations, although small in the big scheme of things, are a tremendous and consistent help. I'm proud of the work of Austin Street and my contribution. The change my actions create regarding hunger teaches those around me to also be a vessel for change in whatever their passions may be. My parents have always taught me this life is about service and to use may talents. My sister and I have been exposed to so many opportunities to learn about giving back. I have played the piano at nursing homes, fed the homeless at Jonathan's Place, set up an ice cream bar at Family Gateway and led a toy drive in which over 100 gifts were donated for children during the Christmas holiday. When a volunteer finds their passion in community service, it is never a chore. With a passion for something, there is an eagerness to lead, talk about it and rally others to help. Finding opportunities to give back involves open discussions, research, talking to church members, colleagues and friends because there is no shortage of people needing help. Giving back is our civic responsibility and it promotes my personal growth and gives me a sense of purpose. Thank you for considering my application.

My name is Elle Myers, from Dallas, TX and I come from a family of strong heritage, love, determination and hard work. I am currently a Senior in High School and I have 3 siblings. My supportive parents have allowed me the ability to explore my passions, to express my thoughts and perspective without much judgment, and I dream big and am determined to work hard. I believe my ancestors established our family strength based on my great-great grandparents work ethic and love of family. In 1902, my great-great grandparents purchased 396 acres of land in Louisiana as heir property and for a black couple with no education, that was incomprehensible. I come from a heritage, although hard, that saw possibilities. Thus during my tenure in high school, my goal is to reach beyond my comfort level and to honor my ancestors with my future conduct. I became fascinated with converting oral history into written words to chronicle stories. As a result, I developed a passion for journalism and became a writer for my school’s newspaper. Being involved in competitive sports has allowed me to overcome my self-imposed limitations. I participated in varsity rowing, varsity swimming and junior varsity tennis. I also have a passion for the vocal arts. I started singing again during high school. My current leadership experience is Managing Editor of the school newspaper and Chair of the Student Diversity Board. Additionally, I am working on my Girl Scout Gold Award, which is the highest honor achieved. Lastly, I am strongly passionate about those who may not have a relationship with their caring families. Over the past 3 years, I continue to lead efforts in monthly sessions to feed the homeless. Based on my past experiences, my educational goal is a degree in Journalism and then law school. A major obstacle I faced in life was when my mother was diagnosed with cancer in 2015. I was only 8 years old and to me cancer meant death. I didn’t understand the magnitude of her diagnosis but I knew she was extremely ill. During this time, I felt I had to be strong and continue to do my work so she wouldn’t worry. I learned through her illness the power of prayer, family and friends. My cousins and grandmother came to live with us, my mother's friends helped get us to extracurricular activities and checked our homework. We didn’t miss any monumental events with school or friends. My mom was only given 6 months if therapy didn’t work but by God’s grace and mercy she is thriving.

First, thank you for offering a scholarship. I am not from Kentucky or California but please consider my application. In 2020, I asked my parents if I could apply to a private school in Dallas, TX. I wanted a school that was more academically challenging and offered more extracurricular activities and exposure to a real high school experience. My parents allowed me to apply knowing that we needed a scholarship to help with tuition. I was accepted and awarded a scholarship for the 2021 Freshman class. The summer before starting my Freshman year, I pondered how to make friends because I didn’t know anyone at the school. Thus I decided to attend a rowing camp and then try-out for the rowing team to start making friends prior to the start of the school year. I made the team and was eager to train to be in one of the top boats. Keep in mind that this school is a predominantly white all girl school and cliques and strong bonds had already been formed. While training and taking advanced classes the pressure hit like a ton of bricks. Some days at practice I would try to strike up conversation and I would either be ignored or simply not included in any conversations. This same experience was translated into the classroom. And for classes where old tests could be reviewed as a study guide to understand the teachers testing style, my peers would not share what they had access to. However, I felt if I shared my detailed notes and information that I had access to, it would reciprocated but that didn’t happen. These obstacles in sports and in the classroom have taught me a few lessons. First, I had to find my tribe and develop friendships that I felt were genuine. As a Junior in high school, it has finally come together and I have developed friendships that I feel are hopefully lasting and supportive. Secondly, I listen more and try to understand others perspective because I realize we all have struggles, insecurities and trying to thrive in a competitive environment. Lastly, I continue to help others if I have access to study materials because I choose kindness and I will be rewarded. I give because I choose to and know that it may not be reciprocated. I will use my education as a physician to give back to my community by simply being a voice for changes in healthcare. Research shows that black patients do better when receiving care from a black physician. I want our communities to receive better care as it relates to treating high blood pressure, diabetes, asthma, cancer, and maternal health. In addition, I want to be a mentor for children for advancements in reading and math. In high school I have tutored at an elementary school and it is rewarding to see when they understand and want to continue learning.