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Hobbies and interests
Photography and Photo Editing
Acting And Theater
Music Production
Songwriting
Isaiah Taylor
315
Bold Points1x
Finalist1x
Winner![user profile avatar](https://static.bold.org/profilePictures/dscn2672623d839bf77f495c86f4637b80ee1596.webp)
Isaiah Taylor
315
Bold Points1x
Finalist1x
WinnerBio
My name is Isaiah Jordan Taylor and I am a 17-year-old high school graduate from St. Louis, Missouri. I attended STEAM Academy at McCluer South-Berkeley High School from 9th to 12th grade and along those four years, I earned many honors and awards, including recently graduating as a Salutatorian. I have been awarded and honored by the Missouri State High School Activities Association (MSHSAA) for exemplary vocal performance in solo and group ensembles six times. In my junior year, I became the first student ever in my school’s history to receive a state honor for a vocal solo. I recently finished out my senior year with another state honor in vocal solo performance. I was an active member of my school’s National Honor Society chapter and while I didn’t hold an official office position, I was recognized and regarded by the chapter for my leadership ability during community service alongside assisting with the induction process of new members.My biggest achievement thus far was the opportunity to perform at Carnegie Hall this past Spring. I performed alongside Damon Davis for the premiere of his self-composed radio opera podcast “Ligeia Mare”, in which I star as the main character. The full podcast is set to be released later this year.
Education
Belmont University
Bachelor's degree programMajors:
- Music
Miscellaneous
Desired degree level:
Master's degree program
Graduate schools of interest:
Transfer schools of interest:
Majors of interest:
Career
Dream career field:
Music
Dream career goals:
Jacob Irven Johnson Memorial Book Scholarship
WinnerWhen I reflect on my community, I think about how it has always served as a driving force to do great things. I see community as a team; one that looks to uplift and drive others to strive for greatness. A powerful community strengthens in the face of opposition, prays together in times of need, and most importantly, they keep the faith. I have been blessed to grow up surrounded by a powerful community that has rallied behind me.
My church had a very powerful influence on my expression. From a young age, I was given the opportunity to spread the gospel through the youth groups, and when I was 7 years old, they put me front and center to lead the youth choir. It was the biggest opportunity I had ever gotten and I was eager to prove to my superiors that I could handle the task. In short, I took this task very seriously and worked very tirelessly with the other children to make sure we presented ourselves well in front of our congregation. And to this day, I believe being given that opportunity has resulted in my ambition to perform.
Through working with my church, I was able to discover a passion for the arts, specifically music and theatre. Over the years, I have been able to participate in many concerts and productions and in every single one of them, I have always worked my hardest to make sure my cast alongside myself has been able to give the very best performance possible. With every group I have worked with, we have built a community: one that sticks together in the time of need and works to preserve the nature of the circumstance. Alongside working in groups, I have been driven to strive for perfection when working by myself.
In high school, I was a part of the Honors Choir which would compete in festivals for titles. Our group was a community, cheering each other on as we worked to compete. My sophomore year was the first time I competed as a soloist. While they loved my vocals, they believed I needed to work on my techniques, which had never been mentioned to me up until this point. I took this to heart and spent my junior year working with my teacher on perfecting my musical technique, driving to qualify for the state competition. Eventually, I went to compete at the district level again with my new training, which led me to qualify for the state competition, where with my community accompanying and rallying behind me on this trip, I not only received the 1st place medal in the competition, but also became the first vocal soloist in my school’s history to receive a gold medal.
Throughout my life, my community has pushed me to go for what I want and has stood behind me every time, whether the outcome was positive or negative. Upon entering college this fall, I plan to study Music Production with an emphasis in Songwriting. If I was blessed to receive the Jacob Irven Johnson Scholarship, I will obtain the assistance necessary to attend school, work hard, and obtain knowledge and insight about the music industry. I will work to build a resume and pursue my goals to become a singer-songwriter and producer. My hope is to inspire young creatives to work towards their dreams and aspirations - believing anything is possible with the backing of a benevolent community.