I can honestly say perseverance should be my middle name as I was born with a rare genetic disorder which led to my mom and I immediately having a single parent household. My father could not handle my illness and the responsibility of a sick child. My father had been through a horrible car accident as a teenager which shattered all bones from his pelvis to his ankle. This traumatic experience not only shattered his body, his dream of attending college on a full ride basketball scholarship was shattered as well. My mother, the epitome of strength, continued to see me through my health battles while working full time. This would be our first battle however this battle was not to be our last. We faced black mold that almost killed me, being unhoused due to the black mold, a traumatic car accident that left me with a permanent scar on my face and several more battles after these. We would never have made it without faith. My mother taught and showed me to live in faith and this has carried me through. As a single parent and being born into poverty, she knew that an outstanding education would set me on a path to achieving my dreams. Being determined, she sought out the best schools in my area. This led me to attend 2 public schools, 1 magnet school and 1 charter school and having to repeat the 4th grade. None of these schools met her rigorous standards for the education she wanted me to receive. Knowing that her next decision would put a severe financial burden on her, I was enrolled in a Catholic school where I excelled. I was inducted into the National Honor Society for my hard work. Living through such trials and having such a strong parent by my side showed me that I can make it through anything. I know many don’t have at least 1 person to cheer them on or stick with them through hard times and I plan to do just that by mentoring as many young people that I can. It doesn’t take money to show others you care. Giving a listening ear or just a hug can do so much for someone, and I will be that person. My service to the community led to me being awarded the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Model of Justice Award which I will always treasure. I will take the strengths and lessons my mother taught me to stand on my own and support myself through college as I intend to blaze a path into Archeology. As an African American male who stand 6’2, the first question I get asked is if I play basketball. I was too sick to play any sport however my mother made sure I was saturated in dinosaurs and dig kits. We spent hours watching Land Before Time so I knew I wanted to discover an unknown animal or change the physical scientific world in some way and travel the world. I also want to share my passion with children as well. I feel that If children could fall in love with learning about others, I believe we would all care about each other more today. Mentoring and volunteering by helping youth and sharing my passion about history has helped me pass on some cool history knowledge to the kids I have tutored. Our past can certainly teach us that we are all the same and we will not have a very good future if we don’t realize it soon.

Dr. Terry’s life and struggles truly inspire one to persevere. And honestly my journey can in no way compare to Dr. Terry’s journey however I have persevered in my own way. I can honestly say perseverance should be my middle name as I was born with a rare genetic disorder which led to my mom and I immediately having a single parent household. My father could not handle my illness and the responsibility of a sick child. My father had been through a horrible car accident as a teenager which shattered all bones from his pelvis to his ankle. This traumatic experience not only shattered his body, his dream of attending college on a full ride basketball scholarship was shattered as well. My mother, the epitome of strength, continued to see me through my health battles while working full time. This would be our first battle however this battle was not to be our last. We faced black mold that almost killed me, being unhoused due to the black mold, a traumatic car accident that left me with a permanent scar on my face and several more battles after these. As a single parent and being born into poverty, she knew that an outstanding education would set me on a path to achieving my dreams. Being determined, she sought out the best schools in my area. This led me to attend 2 public schools, 1 magnet school and 1 charter school and having to repeat the 4th grade. None of these schools met her rigorous standards for the education she wanted me to receive. Knowing that her next decision would put a severe financial burden on her, I was enrolled in a Catholic school where I excelled. Living through such trials and having such a strong parent by my side showed me that I can make it through anything. I know many don’t have at least 1 person to cheer them on or stick with them through hard times and I plan to do just that by mentoring as many young people that I can. It doesn’t take money to show others you care. Giving a listening ear or just a hug can do so much for someone, and I will be that person. I will take the strengths and lessons my mother taught me to stand on my own and support myself through college as I intend to blaze a path into Archeology. As an African American male who stand 6’2, the first question I get asked is if I play basketball. I was too sick to play any sport however my mother made sure I was saturated in dinosaurs and dig kits. We spent hours watching Land Before Time so I knew I wanted to discover an unknown animal or change the physical scientific world in some way and travel the world. I also want to share my passion with children as well. I feel that If children could fall in love with learning about others, I believe we would all care about each other more today. Mentoring and volunteering by helping youth and sharing my passion about history has helped me pass on some cool history knowledge to the kids I have tutored. Our past can certainly teach us that we are all the same and we will not have a very good future if we don’t realize it soon.

“Not today stomach, not today lungs” these are words I repeat to myself to keep on going. In 2006, I happened to be one of a few unlucky kids in the US to be born with Jejunal Atresia. While forming in my mother’s stomach, my intestines decided they wanted to be several balloon animals and not the smooth intestines almost everyone else is born with. I had surgery at 4 days old and that is when my mom got to meet me for the first time as well. Surgery went well but things have never been smooth sailing for me. The intestines play the important role of pulling the vitamins and minerals from your food to support a healthy individual. The stomach is the powerhouse of the body. My powerhouse only works at 75% and I take many supplements like vitamins/ fruit/veggie caps and magnesium to keep things running smoothly. I also have many food aversions that Occupational Therapy did not cure. I usually stick too certain foods that I like and I am learning to incorporate more as I discover new things. I am like one big old picky eater and I am ok with that. I just have to be careful with what I do eat which is not a lot and never makes sense like my french fries (first solid food I ever ate at the age of 2 ½) and steam broccoli lunches. But I can’t stop there at all. As unfortunate as this was, my mom and I happened to move into an apartment that had black toxic mold. This was horrible as my immune system was already compromised and I had no fight in me. The mold caused tremendous havoc with my lungs and I developed asthma, sinus issues and ocular allergies. I was fortunate to have my primary doctor as Chief over Pediatrics at a major children’s hospital here in my town as I was put in a study that supplied tremendous support for my mother to take care of me. As an African American male who stand 6’2, the first question I get asked is if I play basketball. I was too sick to play any sport so I knew that education would be extremely important for my future. My mother knew that an outstanding education would set me on a path to achieving my dreams as well. Being determined, she sought out the best schools in my area. This led me to attend 2 public schools, 1 magnet school and 1 charter school and having to repeat the 4th grade. None of these schools met her rigorous standards for the education she wanted me to receive. Knowing that her next decision would put a severe financial burden on her, I was enrolled in a Catholic school where I excelled. It is my great desire to become an Anthropologist/Archeologist. Like most kids, I went through a massive dinosaur phase which I never really shook off even to this day. My mom even brought me several toy excavation kits to dig out plastic dinosaurs. My favorite film is The Land Before Time. I've had hundreds of dinosaur toys all throughout my life, much of which I have to this day. I want to share with others the awe-inspiring journey of our distant past. If children could fall in love with learning about others, I believe we would all care about each other more today. Our shared past can certainly teach us that we are all the same and we will not have a very good future if we don’t realize it soon.

I can honestly say perseverance should be my middle name as I was born with a rare genetic disorder which led to my mom and I immediately having a single parent household. My father could not handle my illness and the responsibility of a sick child. My father had been through a horrible car accident as a teenager which shattered all bones from his pelvis to his ankle. This traumatic experience not only shattered his body, his dream of attending college on a full ride basketball scholarship was shattered as well. My mother, the epitome of strength, continued to see me through my health battles while working full time. This would be our first battle however this battle was not to be our last. We faced black mold that almost killed me, being unhoused due to the black mold, a traumatic car accident that left me with a permanent scar on my face and several more battles after these. As a single parent who was born into poverty, she knew that an outstanding education would set me on a path to achieving my dreams. Being determined, she sought out the best schools in my area. After attending more than 4 schools and having to repeat the 4th grade, I was enrolled in a Catholic school where I excelled. This was a severe financial burden on her. My mother is my motivation, and I will stand on my own and support myself through college as I intend to blaze a path into Archeology and will attend the University of Iowa to pursue a degree in Anthropology/Archeology. I also want to share this passion with children as well. I feel that If children could fall in love with learning about others, I believe we would all care about each other more today.

I can honestly say perseverance should be my middle name as I was born with a rare genetic disorder which led to my mom and I immediately having a single parent household. My father could not handle my illness and the responsibility of a sick child. My father had been through a horrible car accident as a teenager which shattered all bones from his pelvis to his ankle. This traumatic experience not only shattered his body, his dream of attending college on a full ride basketball scholarship was shattered as well. My mother, the epitome of strength, continued to see me through my health battles while working full time. This would be our first battle however this battle was not to be our last. We faced black mold that almost killed me, being unhoused due to the black mold, a traumatic car accident that left me with a permanent scar on my face and several more battles after these. As a single parent and being born into poverty, she knew that an outstanding education would set me on a path to achieving my dreams. Being determined, she sought out the best schools in my area. This led me to attend 2 public schools, 1 magnet school and 1 charter school and having to repeat the 4th grade. None of these schools met her rigorous standards for the education she wanted me to receive. Knowing that her next decision would put a severe financial burden on her, I was enrolled in a Catholic school where I excelled. Living through such trials and having such a strong parent by my side showed me that I can make it through anything. I know many don’t have at least 1 person to cheer them on or stick with them through hard times and I plan to do that by mentoring as many young people that I can. It doesn’t take money to show others you care. Giving a listening ear or just a hug can do so much for someone, and I will be that person. My mother taught and showed me how to live in faith and this has carried me through. I did not have to stand on my own and lean on my own faith until recently as we have been targeted by neighbors due to illegal activities they are pursuing. Due to law enforcement being brought in, my mother and I are under constant surveillance. I am unable to live the life of a normal teenager, and this would have shattered me if I didn’t have faith that we are given trails in our lives. I will take the strengths and lessons my mother taught me to stand on my own and support myself through college as I intend to blaze a path into Archeology. As an African American male who stand 6’2, the first question I get asked is if I play basketball. I was too sick to play any sport however my mother made sure I was saturated in dinosaurs and dig kits. We spent hours watching Land Before Time so I knew I wanted to discover an unknown animal or change the physical scientific world in some way and travel the world. I also want to share my passion with children as well. I feel that If children could fall in love with learning about others, I believe we would all care about each other more today. Mentoring and volunteering by helping youth and sharing my passion about history has helped me pass on some cool history knowledge. Our past can certainly teach us that we are all the same and we will not have a very good future if we don’t realize it soon. The love, strength and determination that has been passed on to me by my mother will no doubt get me through anything I can face in this lifetime. Through all of our ups and downs, there hasn’t been one time that we have given up. I wouldn’t change one part of my life, not even for $1 million dollars.

In 2006, I happened to be one of a few unlucky kids in the US to be born with Jejunal Atresia. While forming in my mother’s stomach, my intestines decided they wanted to be several balloon animals and not the smooth intestines almost everyone else is born with. Needless to say, I had surgery at 4 days old and that is when my mom got to meet me for the first time as well. Surgery went well but things have never been smooth sailing for me. The intestines play the important role of pulling the vitamins and minerals from your food to support a healthy individual. The stomach is the powerhouse of the body. My powerhouse only works at 75% and I take many supplements like vitamins/ fruit/veggie caps and magnesium to keep things running smoothly. I also have many food aversions that Occupational Therapy did not cure. I usually stick too certain foods that I like and I am learning to incorporate more as I discover new things. I am like one big old picky eater and I am ok with that. I just have to be careful with what I do eat which is not a lot and never makes sense like my french fries (first solid food I ever ate at the age of 2 ½) and steam broccoli lunches. As long as things run smoothly, I am a happy camper. But I can’t stop there at all. As unfortunate as this was, my mom and I happened to move into an apartment that had black toxic mold. This was horrible as my immune system was already compromised and I had no fight in me. The mold caused tremendous havoc with my lungs and I developed asthma, sinus issues and ocular allergies. I was fortunate to have my primary doctor as Chief over Pediatrics at a major children’s hospital here in my town as I was put in a study that supplied tremendous support for my mother to take care of me. Living through such trials and having such a strong parent by my side showed me that I can make it through anything. There is absolutely nothing in this world that can keep me down and out. I have the strength to keep on fighting for my goals and dreams for my future. I will be taking full financial responsibility for my college education as my mother has done all she possibly can to ensure that I have a strong educational foundation. My mother has worked tirelessly to see me through a wonderful private education as the public education system failed me several years of my educational life. I know that she is worn from the responsibilities that are on her shoulders as she takes care of my grandmother and is responsible for my mentally disabled uncle as well. I am persevering, and I will continue to move forward with my education as my mother worked hard to get me this far.

“Not today stomach, not today lungs” these are words I repeat to myself to keep on going. In 2006, I happened to be one of a few unlucky kids in the US to be born with Jejunal Atresia. While forming in my mother’s stomach, my intestines decided they wanted to be several balloon animals and not the smooth intestines almost everyone else is born with. Needless to say, I had surgery at 4 days old and that is when my mom got to meet me for the first time as well. Surgery went well but things have never been smooth sailing for me. The intestines play the important role of pulling the vitamins and minerals from your food to support a healthy individual. The stomach is the powerhouse of the body. My powerhouse only works at 75% and I take many supplements like vitamins/ fruit/veggie caps and magnesium to keep things running smoothly. I also have many food aversions that Occupational Therapy did not cure. I usually stick too certain foods that I like and I am learning to incorporate more as I discover new things. I am like one big old picky eater and I am ok with that. I just have to be careful with what I do eat which is not a lot and never makes sense like my french fries (first solid food I ever ate at the age of 2 ½) and steam broccoli lunches. As long as things run smoothly, I am a happy camper. But I can’t stop there at all. As unfortunate as this was, my mom and I happened to move into an apartment that had black toxic mold. This was horrible as my immune system was already compromised and I had no fight in me. The mold caused tremendous havoc with my lungs and I developed asthma, sinus issues and ocular allergies. I was fortunate to have my primary doctor as Chief over Pediatrics at a major children’s hospital here in my town as I was put in a study that supplied tremendous support for my mother to take care of me. My lungs are getting better as I grow older however don’t ask me to run a mile or run at all really. Physical athletics are not my jam. My lungs refuse to handle that type of exertion. So instead of me pushing my body to the limit, I push my mind to the limit as I am a member of my high school Scholar Bowl Team. And yes, Scholar Bowl is considered a sport and my teammates and I are hanging up in our school gym! These issues of mine will not stop me and my goal being an Anthropologist/Archeologist. Like most kids, I went through a massive dinosaur phase which I never really shook off even to this day. My mom even brought me several toy excavation kits to dig out plastic dinosaurs. My favorite film is The Land Before Time. I've had hundreds of dinosaur toys all throughout my life, much of which I have to this day. I want to share with others the awe-inspiring journey of our distant past. If children could fall in love with learning about others, I believe we would all care about each other more today. Our shared past can certainly teach us that we are all the same and we will not have a very good future if we don’t realize it soon. I will not let my stomach or my lungs keep me from reaching this goal. Being the sick kid has strengthened me beyond measure.

"Littlefoot, let your heart guide you. I'll be with you, even if you can't see me.” These words were spoken by Littlefoot’s mother in my favorite movie Land Before Time. I was completely devastated as a child to see the small dinosaur lose his mom as she was the only parent he had. It was the exact same for me having only one parent. However, this dinosaur, his friends and their adventures completely captivated me and I wanted to learn so much more about dinosaurs and our past. Like most kids I had a massive dinosaur phase which I never really shook off even to this day. My mom even brought me several toy excavation kits to dig out plastic dinosaurs and poured into me the love of all things dinosaur. I've had hundreds of dinosaur toys all throughout my life, many of which I have to this day. Then when I first started to really use the internet in elementary school, I would just spend hours searching out different ancient civilizations and how they made an impact on the world as it is now. Throughout my life I've always enjoyed learning through historical documentaries. Just seeing the stories unfold on screen has always made them come alive to me. Film has also been central in my life as a way to escape into a brand-new story and grow as the characters do. This love has led me to pursue a degree in Anthropology/Archaeology at the University of Iowa with possible minors in Cinema and History. I truly believe that in my life History and Film have gone hand and hand. In one way or another these subjects tend to feed into the other. Films such as National Treasure definitely sparked my interest in historical figures, their lives and ways to research. History offers me millions of stories from thousands of different cultures. It gives me a view that even though people have become vastly different in so many ways, once you just take a peek into their past and what events took place, you can really see that there are more things that are the same in all of us then. This interest of mine really gives me a sort of outside looking in view of the world as it is now. It guided me to see humanity's shared journey throughout our time on Earth.

Ever since I first started learning about the history of animal evolution, I just became completely captivated in learning more about it. Like most kids I had a massive dinosaur phase which I never really shook off even to this day. My mom even brought me several toy excavation kits to dig out plastic dinosaurs. My favorite film is The Land Before Time. I've had hundreds of dinosaur toys all throughout my life, much of which I have to this day. Then when I first started to really use the internet in elementary school, I would just spend hours searching out different ancient civilizations and how they made an impact on the world as it is now. Throughout my life I've always enjoyed learning through historical documentaries. Just seeing the stories unfold on screen has always made them come alive to me. Film has also been central in my life as a way to escape into a brand-new story and grow as the characters do. I truly believe that in my life History and Film have gone hand and hand. In one way or another these subjects tend to feed into the other. Films such as National Treasure definitely sparked my interest in historical figures, their lives and ways to research. History offers me millions of stories from thousands of different cultures. It gives me a view that even though people have become vastly different in so many ways, once you just take a peek into their past and what events took place, you can really see that there are more things that are the same in all of us then. This interest of mine really gives me a sort of outside looking in view of the world as it is now. It guided me to see humanity's shared journey throughout our time on Earth. Due to film and photography, we have been able to permanently capture any event in modern History forever. Capturing once in a lifetime events on film is just one of the most amazing things to happen. The introduction of film into our lives has truly changed everything, the fact that anyone can capture the most impressive of Battles won or just the common everyday things of your average Joe or Josephine both of which I find just as valuable as the other. Anything that is filmed gives a clear view of how we as people are doing at that specific moment in time which could likely become very useful to future generations. I want to share with others the awe-inspiring journey of our distant past. If children could fall in love with learning about others, I believe we would all care about each other more today. Mentoring and volunteering by helping youth and sharing my passion about history has helped me pass on some cool history knowledge. Our past can certainly teach us that we are all the same and we will not have a very good future if we don’t realize it soon. My love of dinosaurs and history is still strong to this day. I have been fortunate to be accepted at the University of Iowa to pursue a degree in Anthropology/Archeology. Whether I discover a new dinosaur or teach children about our past, I am so excited to be close to living out my childhood dreams.

Ever since I first started learning about the history of animal evolution, I just became completely captivated in learning more about it. Like most kids I had a massive dinosaur phase which I never really shook off even to this day. My mom even brought me several toy excavation kits to dig out plastic dinosaurs. My favorite film is The Land Before Time. I've had hundreds of dinosaur toys all throughout my life, much of which I have to this day. Then when I first started to really use the internet in elementary school, I would just spend hours searching out different ancient civilizations and how they made an impact on the world as it is now. Throughout my life I've always enjoyed learning through historical documentaries. Just seeing the stories unfold on screen has always made them come alive to me. Film has also been central in my life as a way to escape into a brand-new story and grow as the characters do. I truly believe that in my life History and Film have gone hand and hand. In one way or another these subjects tend to feed into the other. Films such as National Treasure definitely sparked my interest in historical figures, their lives and ways to research. History offers me millions of stories from thousands of different cultures. It gives me a view that even though people have become vastly different in so many ways, once you just take a peek into their past and what events took place, you can really see that there are more things that are the same in all of us then. This interest of mine really gives me a sort of outside looking in view of the world as it is now. It guided me to see humanity's shared journey throughout our time on Earth. Due to film and photography, we have been able to permanently capture any event in modern History forever. Capturing once in a lifetime events on film is just one of the most amazing things to happen. The introduction of film into our lives has truly changed everything, the fact that anyone can capture the most impressive of Battles won or just the common everyday things of your average Joe or Josephine both of which I find just as valuable as the other. Anything that is filmed gives a clear view of how we as people are doing at that specific moment in time which could likely become very useful to future generations. I want to share with others the awe-inspiring journey of our distant past. If children could fall in love with learning about others, I believe we would all care about each other more today. Mentoring and volunteering by helping youth and sharing my passion about history has helped me pass on some cool history knowledge. Our past can certainly teach us that we are all the same and we will not have a very good future if we don’t realize it soon.

I can honestly say faith should be my middle name as I was born with a rare genetic disorder which led to my mom and I immediately having a single parent household. My father could not handle my illness and the responsibility of a sick child. My father had been through a horrible car accident as a teenager which shattered all bones from his pelvis to his ankle. This traumatic experience not only shattered his body, his dream of attending college on a full ride basketball scholarship was shattered as well. My mother, the epitome of strength, continued to see me through my health battles while working full time. This would be our first battle however this battle was not to be our last. We faced black mold that almost killed me, being unhoused due to the black mold, a traumatic car accident that left me with a permanent scar on my face and several more battles after these. We would never have made it without faith. At no time did we ever think that we would not be covered and carried by our heavenly father. My mother taught and showed me to live in faith and this has carried me through. I did not have to stand on my own and lean on my own faith until recently as we have been targeted by neighbors due to illegal activities they are pursuing. Due to law enforcement being brought in, my mother and I are under constant surveillance. I am unable to live the life of a normal teenager, and this would have shattered me if I didn’t have faith that we are given trails in our lives. As long as we rely on our heavenly father, nothing on this earth matters and all is done to praise him and his goodness. I am not saying that I haven’t had breakdowns and haven’t wanted to get out of bed many days. I truly miss not being able to work like normal teens or hang out with friends or even have friends come over and play games. I want to be able to walk to our local library or just make snow angels in the park across from our home. My life has been turned upside down and it was no fault of our own. During all of this, faith has shown me that my school community loves and supports me and they make sure I have the best day at school every day. My school administrators have made sure I am safe and have worked with law enforcement to keep me that way. The church where I volunteer also surrounds me with love and safety. I can help, love and serve our community when they need us most. I am also loved on and kept safe as well. My faith in my heavenly father has certainly carried me through this trying time as a young person. Our father has surrounded me with loving friends and so many are here to see me through this trying journey. I can only remain positive as my faith has manifested an abundance of love and support that keeps coming my way. These lyrics about faith by Jeremy Camp (Walk by Faith) has sustained and keeps me strengthened— Would I believe you when you would say Your hand will guide my every way Will I receive the words You say Every moment of every day Well I will walk by faith Even when I cannot see Well because this broken road Prepares Your will for me

Ever since I first started learning about the history of animal evolution, I just became completely captivated in learning more about it. Like most kids I had a massive dinosaur phase which I never really shook off even to this day. My mom even brought me several toy excavation kits to dig out plastic dinosaurs. My favorite film is The Land Before Time. I've had hundreds of dinosaur toys all throughout my life, much of which I have to this day. Then when I first started to really use the internet in elementary school, I would just spend hours searching out different ancient civilizations and how they made an impact on the world as it is now. Throughout my life I've always enjoyed learning through historical documentaries. Just seeing the stories unfold on screen has always made them come alive to me. Film has also been central in my life as a way to escape into a brand-new story and grow as the characters do. I truly believe that in my life History and Film have gone hand and hand. In one way or another these subjects tend to feed into the other. Films such as National Treasure definitely sparked my interest in historical figures, their lives and ways to research. History offers me millions of stories from thousands of different cultures. It gives me a view that even though people have become vastly different in so many ways, once you just take a peek into their past and what events took place, you can really see that there are more things that are the same in all of us then. This interest of mine really gives me a sort of outside looking in view of the world as it is now. It guided me to see humanity's shared journey throughout our time on Earth. Due to film and photography, we have been able to permanently capture any event in modern History forever. Capturing once in a lifetime events on film is just one of the most amazing things to happen. The introduction of film into our lives has truly changed everything, the fact that anyone can capture the most impressive of Battles won or just the common everyday things of your average Joe or Josephine both of which I find just as valuable as the other. Anything that is filmed gives a clear view of how we as people are doing at that specific moment in time which could likely become very useful to future generations. I want to share with others the awe-inspiring journey of our distant past. If children could fall in love with learning about others, I believe we would all care about each other more today. Mentoring and volunteering by helping youth and sharing my passion about history has helped me pass on some cool history knowledge. Our past can certainly teach us that we are all the same and we will not have a very good future if we don’t realize it soon.

My mother did not get to meet me until 4 days after I was born, only minutes before I was wheeled into surgery. It would be another two weeks after that when she would next see me. It was a month before I was healed and able to take in a few milliliters of milk. After spending close to two months in the NICU, I was due to be released to go home when I came down with a staph infection and had to spend a further two weeks in the hospital. My birth changed many things for my mother and I. We became a single parent household as my father could not handle my illness and the responsibility of a sick child. My father had been through a horrible car accident as a teenager which shattered all bones from his pelvis to his ankle. This traumatic experience not only shattered his body, his dream of attending college on a full ride basketball scholarship was shattered as well. My mother, who embodies the epidemy of strength, continued to see me through my health battles while working full time. This would be our first battle however this battle was not to be our last. We faced black mold that almost killed me, being unhoused due to the black mold, a traumatic car accident that left me with a permanent scar on my face and several more battles after these. As a single parent and being born into poverty, she knew that an outstanding education would set me on a path to achieving my dreams. Being determined, she sought out the best schools in my area. This led me to attend 2 public schools, 1 magnet school and 1 charter school and having to repeat the 4th grade. None of these schools met her rigorous standards for the education she wanted me to receive. Knowing that her next decision would put a severe financial burden on her, I was enrolled in a Catholic school where I excelled. I will take the strengths and lessons my mother taught me to stand on my own and support myself through college as I intend to blaze a path into Archeology. As an African American male who stand 6’2, the first question I get asked is if I play basketball. I was too sick to play any sport however my mother made sure I was saturated in dinosaurs and dig kits. We spent hours watching Land Before Time so I knew I wanted to discover an unknown animal or change the physical scientific world in some way and travel the world. Having someone dedicate and love me so well has driven me to excel at all that I try to accomplish. Experiencing such selflessness has taught me how to give back by volunteering at a local food pantry and tutoring students. Living in such a loving environment has taught me how to be empathetic and sympathetic to my fellow students and people I meet. I have learned that giving of myself is it’s own reward and I don’t need pats on the back for praise for being a decent and kind individual. In my future, an older version of me will dedicate time to mentor young men of all races who come from single parent households where the mom is their caregiver. I look forward to helping guide them and show them that women can raise remarkable men all on their own. I hope to teach and show them that strong men are also compassionate and caring. Strong men can love and be loved.

My mother did not get to meet me until 4 days after I was born, only minutes before I was wheeled into surgery. It would be another two weeks after that when she would next see me. It was a month before I was healed and able to take in a few milliliters of milk. After spending close to two months in the NICU, I was due to be released to go home when I came down with a staph infection and had to spend a further two weeks in the hospital. My birth changed many things for my mother and I. We became a single parent household as my father could not handle my illness and the responsibility of a sick child. My father had been through a horrible car accident as a teenager which shattered all bones from his pelvis to his ankle. This traumatic experience not only shattered his body, his dream of attending college on a full ride basketball scholarship was shattered as well. My mother, the epitome of strength, continued to see me through my health battles while working full time. This would be our first battle however this battle was not to be our last. We faced black mold that almost killed me, being unhoused due to the black mold, a traumatic car accident that left me with a permanent scar on my face and several more battles after these. My mother has worked to support us with no help my entire life. Due to my health issues, no family member ever asked to have me stay over to relieve my mom. All the doctor appointments, therapist appointments, school appointments were all handled by my mother. My mother has not only taken care of me my entire life, but she has also taken care of my grandmother (physically & financially) since the death of my grandfather 16 years ago. My mother was also granted legal guardianship of her adult brother due to him being a diagnosed schizophrenic. Having someone dedicate and love me so well has driven me to excel at all that I try to accomplish. Experiencing such selflessness has taught me how to give back by volunteering at a local food pantry and tutoring students. Living in such a loving environment has taught me how to be empathetic and sympathetic to my fellow students and people I meet. I have learned that giving of myself is it’s own reward and I don’t need pats on the back for praise for being a decent and kind individual. I will also take the strengths and lessons my mother taught me to stand on my own and support myself through college as I intend to blaze a path into Archeology. As an African American male who stand 6’2, the first question I get asked is if I play basketball. I was too sick to play any sport however my mother made sure I was saturated in dinosaurs and dig kits. We spent hours watching Land Before Time so I knew I wanted to discover an unknown animal or change the physical scientific world in some way and travel the world. In my future, an older version of me will dedicate time to mentor young men of all races who come from single parent households where the mom is their caregiver. I look forward to helping guide them and show them that women can raise remarkable men all on their own. I hope to teach and show them that strong men are also compassionate and caring. Strong men can love and be loved

My mother first met me when I was 4 days old and on my way to surgery due to a rare genetic disorder called Jejunal Atresia. Due to my intestines being misshapen, I was taken immediately to a children’s hospital for corrective surgery. My mother had not recovered from the emergency cesarean surgery herself, therefore she didn’t get to see me until I was 4 days old. I spent almost 2 months in the NICU and had to fight a Staph infection prior to being able to go home. This would be our first battle however this battle was not to be our last. We faced black mold that also killed me due to me having asthma and allergies. Had I not been in a medical study and monitored heavily at the time, I would have died. With the severity of the mold in our apartment, my mother and I had to move while she still had to pay rent to the apartment complex. This led to us being unhoused and we were fortunate to be able to sleep on the floors of many family members’ homes. And as long as we were together, we would always be ok. My mom and I were blessed to be able to make it through this even though I still suffer with mild asthma, ocular and nasal allergies. We were able to get a safe apartment and life was as good as can be. However, things would then take another turn as we were struck by a speeding car running a red light while we were coming home from my first Christian music concert. My mother was injured and I received a permanent scar on my head from the air bag. We had to leave our home to stay with my grandmother until we were able to afford another car. My mother made sure that as soon as she was healed to provide me with trauma counseling, yet I still suffer tremendous anxiety while being in cars today. The battles kept coming, however the greatest battle we fought was for me to receive a quality education. As a single parent and being born into poverty, she knew that an outstanding education would set me on a path to achieving my dreams. Being determined, she sought out the best schools in my area. This led me to attend 2 public schools, 1 magnet school, 1 charter school and having to repeat the 4th grade. None of these schools met her rigorous standards for the education she wanted me to receive and knowing that her next decision would put a severe financial burden on her, I was enrolled in a Catholic school where I excelled. Therefore, going to college will allow me to build on the strong educational foundation I have received thus far. I will be able to study in a field which will allow me to assist humanity and will provide financial stability for myself and my mother. As I will hopefully be going to a university out of state, going to college will help me prove to myself that I can do anything I put my mind too and stand on my own two feet. Going to college will mean that all of the battles were worth it and all of the hard work my mother put into me was not in vain. I will pursue a degree in Biology that will take me anywhere I want to go as the global citizen my mother has raised me to be and as the well-rounded man I become due to the life I build at university. I will be able to financially and personally assist less fortunate youths who do not have a parent or parents to fight for and provide them with an exceptional education. I will love, support and encourage them to seek their dreams. I will also accomplish the educational goals my mother was never able to achieve for herself. With the strong foundation my mother set for me, I will stand on my own to provide myself with a college education by winning a scholarship such as this one. This scholarship would assist me on my college journey, hopefully to attend the University of Dayton. In addition, my mother has supported me every step of the way financially, physically, emotionally and with a great measure of love. This hard-fought dream of a college education will one day help me repay my mother for all that she has done for me.

My mother first met me when I was 4 days old and on my way to surgery due to a rare genetic disorder called Jejunal Atresia. Due to my intestines being misshapen, I was taken immediately to a children’s hospital for corrective surgery. My mother had not recovered from the emergency cesarean surgery herself, therefore she didn’t get to see me until I was 4 days old. This would be our first battle however this battle was not to be our last. We faced black mold that also killed me, being unhoused due to the black mold, a traumatic car accident that left me with a permanent scar on my face and several more battles after these. As a single parent and being born into poverty, she knew that an outstanding education would set me on a path to achieving my dreams. Being determined, she sought out the best schools in my area. This led me to attend 2 public schools, 1 magnet school and 1 charter school and having to repeat the 4th grade. None of these schools met her rigorous standards for the education she wanted me to receive and knowing that her next decision would put a severe financial burden on her, I was enrolled in a Catholic school where I excelled. Therefore, going to college will allow me to build on the strong educational foundation I have received thus far. I will be able to study in a field which will allow me to assist humanity and will provide financial stability for myself and my mother. As I will hopefully be going to a university out of state, going to college will help me prove to myself that I can do anything I put my mind too and stand on my own two feet. Going to college will mean that all of the battles were worth it and all of the had work my mother put into me was not in vain. As for what I will accomplish, I will have a degree in Biology that will take me anywhere I want to go as the global citizen my mother has raised me to be and the well-rounded man I become due to the life I build at university. I will be able to financially and personally assist less fortunate youths who do not have a parent or parents to fight for and provide them with an exceptional education. I will love, support and encourage them to seek their dreams. I will also accomplish the educational goals my mother was never able to achieve for herself. With the strong foundation my mother set for me, I will stand on my own to provide myself with a college education by winning a scholarship such as this one. This scholarship would assist me on my college journey, hopefully to attend Xavier University. In addition, my mother has supported me every step of the way financially, physically, emotionally and with a great measure of love. This hard fought for dream of a college education will one day help me repay my mother for all that she has done for me.