My all-time favorite slogan is "Do it for you." It's simple, but it shouldn’t be overlooked. When your vision becomes blurry, and it feels like everything is falling apart, remember to do it for yourself. At the end of the day, you only have yourself. So, to rephrase: do it for your future. A slogan that could be viewed as selfish really means believing that everything you do to work towards your future is worth fighting for, especially through tough seasons. Attending higher education as a first-generation black male will facilitate what I hope to achieve in the future by opening the door for what I'm passionate for. Being brought up by a hard-working single mother, I often learned lessons by watching her spread her love, passion, and talents, despite what she was going through. In my big family tree and among family friends, my mother has always been known for giving, even when she didn't receive. Little did they recognize that she gave her all at times when she had nothing left. Witnessing my mother putting in intense effort on a daily basis to support family, friends, and me from a young age has directed my heart, mind, and spirit to follow in her footsteps. So I began to walk. Choosing to attend higher education won't only open doors for what I'm passionate about, but also to a future where giving back feels more like an instinct than a task. As an accounting major attending South-Carolina State University this fall, my plans to continue spreading my passions and talent are nothing close to slowing down. I plan to make a positive impact in the near future by building a career early on that focuses on serving my community, sharing the knowledge I've gained in the classroom, and practicing what I preach and teach to my peers on a daily basis. I've been inspired to reach past the skies, break limits set on me, and spread my love and dedication just as my mother did. Taking this risk of moving to another state, being away from what I've always known. and adapting to the new is a step I know is cruel to my future success. Attending a higher education isn't just about me only doing it for myself, but in many ways doing it for the ones who supported me from the start, and doing it so I can continue the legacy my mother demonstrated throughout my entire life.

We cannot control the cards we we're dealt, nor can we control the cards dealt to our peers, all we can do is play the hand. As a young man coming from a single parent household in section eight housing, I've gotten used to working so hard for something that I see others get so easily. But despite of the constant waves of comparison that lingered in my mind, I choose to push on day by day. High achieving students from disadvantaged backgrounds deserve opportunities such as scholarships or grants because determination, passion, and academic potential shouldn't be overlooked because of financial needs. The hardest obstacle in my life was losing my brother my sophomore year. It was almost a week after Christmas when my brother passed away. A wave of emotions rushed through me, to the point I ended up isolating myself from the world. Weeks after his funeral, I struggled to keep up with my everyday life, my grades were slipping, performed poorly during football season, and ran horribly during track season, wanting to give up on everything, until one day my pastor told me that the Lord gives his toughest battles to his strongest soldiers, and at this point I knew it was my time to fight back with intention and pursue in a better version of me. Thinking back, every setback, every lost friend, and every quiet moment, have helped me to realize that I can survive in the battlefield of life. Me countering my setbacks with new goals and ambitions also helped me realize that my experiences was my key to success, making every moment since then feel so pure, true, and purposeful. This obstacle changed me in the best way possible because it allowed me to grow and learn many valuable lessons, like the true power of determination and focus, and how to turn pain into purpose. Support through this grant would help me achieve my goals because it would give me an opportunity to show my peers and my family how no matter the cards w we're dealt, there's always a chance to win.

Incarceration has impacted my life even though I have never personally experienced it. Growing up, I have had multiple family members who were incarcerated. Because of that, I have seen how incarceration affects not just one person, but an entire family. It changes relationships, creates hardships, and leaves people wishing they could get time back. One thing that has stayed with me is listening to my family members talk about their experiences. Through their testimony, I was able to learn lessons without having to make the same mistakes myself. They have been honest about the decisions they made and the consequences that followed. Hearing their stories helped me understand that every choice matters and that one bad decision can have a lasting impact on your future. A common thing I noticed was that many of the people around me who ended up incarcerated did not have a clear plan for their future. They often talk about opportunities they missed and things they wish they had done differently. Seeing that motivated me to create a plan for myself and stay focused on my goals. I try to leave as little room for error as possible and focus on improving every day. One lesson that stands out the most is the value of time. My family members often describe incarceration as losing years of their lives that they can never get back. Because of that, I do not take my time for granted. I work hard in school, stay involved in sports and leadership opportunities, and keep my attention on what I want to accomplish in life. These experiences have also influenced my academic and career goals. As a senior from Washington, D.C., I plan to major in Accounting because I want a career that provides stability and opportunities for growth. I want to build a successful future for myself and be an example for younger family members who may be facing similar challenges. Instead of letting the experiences around me define me, I have used them as motivation to do better. Although incarceration has affected my family, it has also taught me valuable lessons about responsibility, planning, and making wise decisions. Most importantly, it has taught me that my future is determined by the choices I make today. Those lessons continue to guide me as I prepare for college and work toward my goals.

Throughout my life, I have learned that being a positive force in society is not always about making headlines or changing the world overnight. Often, it starts with the small choices we make every day—how we treat others, how we respond to challenges, and how we use our experiences to help people around us. I believe I am a positive force in society because I strive to lead by example, encourage those around me, and use my personal experiences to inspire others to overcome obstacles and pursue their goals. Growing up in a single-parent household taught me the importance of responsibility, perseverance, and gratitude. Watching my mother work hard to provide for our family showed me what true strength looks like. Her sacrifices motivated me to take my education seriously, become involved in my community, and work toward creating a better future for myself and those around me. Rather than allowing difficult circumstances to limit my potential, I chose to use them as motivation to push myself further. As a student-athlete, I have had opportunities to develop leadership skills both on and off the field. Serving as a captain in football and track taught me that leadership is about more than giving instructions. It is about setting an example through hard work, accountability, and dedication. I learned how to support teammates during difficult moments, encourage them when they doubted themselves, and help create an environment where everyone felt valued. These experiences showed me that positive influence often comes from consistency and character rather than words alone. My involvement in my ministry club has also shaped the way I view my role in society. Through service and fellowship, I have learned the importance of compassion and giving back to others. Whether it is volunteering, mentoring younger students, or simply being someone people can depend on, I understand that even small acts of kindness can have a lasting impact. I believe communities become stronger when people are willing to invest in one another, and I strive to contribute to that kind of environment wherever I go. One of the most influential experiences in my life has been losing my brother. His passion for art and music left a lasting impression on me and taught me the importance of appreciating every opportunity life provides. His memory continues to motivate me to make the most of my education, pursue my goals with purpose, and create a legacy that would make him proud. Through this loss, I developed resilience and a deeper understanding of how important it is to support others who may be facing struggles of their own. Looking toward the future, I plan to attend South Carolina State University and continue developing as both a student and a leader. My goal is to build a successful career that allows me to give back to my community and create opportunities for others. I want to mentor young people, especially those who come from backgrounds similar to mine, and show them that their circumstances do not define their future. I hope to be someone who encourages others to believe in themselves and pursue their dreams despite challenges. Current social norms have also influenced my thinking. Today, society places a strong emphasis on individual success, but I believe true success includes helping others succeed as well. Social media often highlights achievements while overlooking the hard work and sacrifices behind them. This has taught me the importance of staying grounded, remaining authentic, and focusing on meaningful contributions rather than recognition. I believe society needs more people who are willing to lead with integrity, empathy, and service.

Growing up, I was raised by a single mother who worked hard every day to provide for me and shape the person I am today. Alongside her, my late brother played a huge role in my life. He had a deep love for art and music, and he expressed himself in ways that inspired everyone around him. Losing him was one of the hardest things I’ve ever experienced, but it also gave me a new sense of purpose. I carry his creativity and passion with me, and it pushes me to make something meaningful out of my own life. In high school, I worked to become a leader both on and off the field. As a captain of my football and track teams, I learned discipline, accountability, and how to motivate others even during difficult moments. Leadership taught me that people look to you not just for performance, but for energy and direction. I also took part in my ministry club, where I was able to give back and grow spiritually. These experiences helped me become someone who leads with both confidence and purpose. Looking ahead, I plan to major in business, with the goal of building my own brand or company in the future. I want to combine creativity—something I got from my brother—with leadership and strategy to create something that not only brings success, but also inspires others. Whether it’s through entrepreneurship, marketing, or another area of business, I want to build something that represents who I am and where I come from. Receiving the Marlene Manning Scholarship would make a real difference in my journey. Paying for college is a challenge, and this support would allow me to focus more on my education and less on financial stress. More importantly, it would be a reminder that my story, my goals, and my hard work matter. Furthering my education will give me the tools I need to step into the real world prepared and confident. It will help me turn my vision into reality and create opportunities not just for myself, but for my family and community. I want to be successful not only in my career, but also in the impact I leave on others. Everything I’ve been through—from being raised by a strong single mother to losing my brother—has shaped me into someone who is determined to succeed. I’m ready to take the next step, and I’m committed to making the most of every opportunity in front of me.

Growing up with a single mother played a big role in shaping the person I am today. From an early age, I saw how hard my mom worked to take care of everything on her own. She had to handle responsibilities that most people share, and she did it without complaining. Whether it was paying bills, making sure I had what I needed, or simply being there for me after a long day, she always found a way to show up. Watching her manage so much at once showed me what real strength, sacrifice, and dedication look like. Because of that, I learned how to be independent pretty quickly. There were times when my mom was busy working or taking care of important things, so I had to make sure I stayed on top of my responsibilities. I learned how to manage my time, stay organized, and handle things without being reminded. Whether it was school, helping out at home, or figuring things out on my own, I understood that I had to be accountable for myself. That mindset has stuck with me and helped me stay focused and motivated, especially when things get difficult. It also taught me how to be resilient. Things weren’t always easy, and there were moments when life felt stressful or uncertain. There were times when I could tell my mom was tired or overwhelmed, but she never gave up. She kept pushing forward no matter what, and that left a lasting impression on me. Seeing her handle challenges with strength made me realize that struggles are a part of life, but they don’t have to define you. Instead of giving up, you have to keep going, even when things don’t go your way. Another important lesson I learned is the value of appreciation. I know that everything my mom did was for me, and I don’t take that lightly. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve started to understand the sacrifices she made, even the ones she never talked about. That has made me more grateful for everything I have and more aware of the effort it takes to provide for others. It also taught me to value hard work, because I’ve seen firsthand how much it takes to build a stable life. Growing up in this environment also shaped how I view relationships and responsibility. It showed me how important it is to be reliable, supportive, and present for the people you care about. I’ve learned that actions matter more than words, and that being there for someone consistently is one of the most important things you can do. In the future, I want to carry those same values into my own life by being someone others can depend on. Overall, being raised by a single mother didn’t just influence me—it helped build my character and my mindset. It taught me independence, resilience, discipline, and appreciation. Most importantly, it showed me what true strength looks like, and that’s something I will carry with me for the rest of my life as I continue to grow and work toward my goals.

If I had the opportunity to start a business with my late brother, I would choose something centered around creativity—specifically a space that blends both art and music. My brother had a deep passion for both, and they were a big part of who he was. He used them as a way to express himself and connect with others, so I would want the business to reflect that same energy. The business would be a creative studio that functions as both an art gallery and a music hub. During the day, it could be a place where local artists showcase their work, hold painting sessions, or teach classes to younger kids interested in art. There would also be a space for musicians to practice, record, and collaborate. In the evenings, it could turn into a spot for live performances, open mic nights, and community events that bring people together through creativity. I would choose this type of business because it represents more than just profit—it would honor my brother’s legacy. Art and music allow people to express emotions and tell stories in ways words sometimes can’t. By creating a space like this, I would be continuing something he loved and sharing that passion with others. Giving back would also be important. I would want to offer free or affordable programs for kids who may not have access to creative opportunities, so they can explore their talents. Overall, the business would be about more than success—it would be about purpose, remembrance, and turning something painful into something meaningful.

It was almost a week after Christmas when I found out my brother had passed. A wave of emotions rushed through me. I felt isolated from the world, wasn’t getting any sleep, didn’t hang out with friends, I couldn’t control my emotions, and the last time I spoke to him replayed in the back of my mind a countless number of times. After this realization, I began to open a new mindset. Weeks after his funeral, I struggled to keep up with my everyday life, my grades were slipping, I stopped hanging around friends, I ran horribly during track season, and performed poorly during football season. I wanted to give up on everything. Experiencing the loss of a family member left me deeply wounded. Until one day, I sat and came across a video of a motivational speaker saying that the lord gives his toughest battles to his strongest soldiers, and at this point, I knew it was my time to fight back. So then I began to think about the past year, which is where I finally noticed how strong I really am, because I never gave in. This experience taught me true devotion and forced upon me a level of resilience I’ve never had before. Every setback, every lost friend, every quiet moment, and even nights I’ve drowned in tears, have helped me to realize that I can survive on the battlefield. After this realization, I began to open a new mindset. I came to school knowing that I was strong enough to make it through the day, and I ran on the track knowing I was fast enough to finish the race. I countered my setbacks with new goals and stronger ambitions, which led to my success as a student and as an athlete. This drastic change in my life made every moment feel so pure, true, and purposeful. Every moment I’ve had, had a purpose. During this time, I also learned how to trust myself to lead myself and the people around me, who no longer could deceive my perspective on life. Eventually, I no longer felt Isolated, but instead I felt free, free from fear, free from anxiety, free from depression, and free from my negative thoughts. I felt as if the sky was the beginning of the limits that I could break. This event changed me in the best way possible because it has and still is allowing me to grow and learn many valuable lessons, like the true power of determination and focus, and how my pain turned into my purpose. Now I have faith that every obstacle thrown my way, I can face them, every rock in the road I’d kick, and every hole in the ground I’d climb out of. The loss of my brother helped me to know who I am, what I stand for and all the more that I can be. The most important lesson I’ve learned in my life so far is that you can turn your pain into success.

It was almost a week after Christmas when I found out my brother had passed. A wave of emotions rushed through me. I felt isolated from the world, wasn’t getting any sleep, didn’t hang out with friends, I couldn’t control my emotions, and the last time I spoke to him replayed in the back of my mind a countless number of times. After this realization, I began to open a new mindset. Weeks after his funeral, I struggled to keep up with my everyday life, my grades were slipping, I stopped hanging around friends, I ran horribly during track season, and performed poorly during football season. I wanted to give up on everything. Experiencing the loss of a family member left me deeply wounded. Until one day, I sat and came across a video of a motivational speaker saying that the lord gives his toughest battles to his strongest soldiers, and at this point, I knew it was my time to fight back. So then I began to think about the past year, which is where I finally noticed how strong I really am, because I never gave in. This experience taught me true devotion and forced upon me a level of resilience I’ve never had before. Every setback, every lost friend, every quiet moment, and even nights I’ve drowned in tears, have helped me to realize that I can survive on the battlefield. After this realization, I began to open a new mindset. I came to school knowing that I was strong enough to make it through the day, and I ran on the track knowing I was fast enough to finish the race. I countered my setbacks with new goals and stronger ambitions, which led to my success as a student and as an athlete. This drastic change in my life made every moment feel so pure, true, and purposeful. Every moment I’ve had, had a purpose. During this time, I also learned how to trust myself to lead myself and the people around me, who no longer could deceive my perspective on life. Eventually, I no longer felt Isolated, but instead I felt free, free from fear, free from anxiety, free from depression, and free from my negative thoughts. I felt as if the sky was the beginning of the limits that I could break. This event changed me in the best way possible because it allowed me to grow and learn many valuable lessons, like the true power of determination and focus, and how my pain turned into my purpose. Now I have faith that every obstacle thrown my way, I can face them, every rock in the road I’d kick, and every hole in the ground I’d climb out of. The loss of my brother helped me to know who I am, and all the more that I can be. The most important lesson I’ve learned in my life so far is that you can turn your pain into success.

It was almost a week after Christmas when I found out my brother had passed. A wave of emotions rushed through me. I felt isolated from the world, wasn’t getting any sleep, didn’t hang out with friends, I couldn’t control my emotions, and the last time I spoke to him replayed in the back of my mind a countless number of times. After this realization, I began to open a new mindset. Weeks after his funeral, I struggled to keep up with my everyday life, my grades were slipping, I stopped hanging around friends, I ran horribly during track season, and performed poorly during football season. I wanted to give up on everything. Experiencing the loss of a family member left me deeply wounded. Until one day, I sat and came across a video of a motivational speaker saying that the lord gives his toughest battles to his strongest soldiers, and at this point, I knew it was my time to fight back. So then I began to think about the past year, which is where I finally noticed how strong I really am, because I never gave in. This experience taught me true devotion and forced upon me a level of resilience I’ve never had before. Every setback, every lost friend, every quiet moment, and even nights I’ve drowned in tears, have helped me to realize that I can survive on the battlefield. After this realization, I began to open a new mindset. I came to school knowing that I was strong enough to make it through the day, and I ran on the track knowing I was fast enough to finish the race. I countered my setbacks with new goals and stronger ambitions, which led to my success as a student and as an athlete. This drastic change in my life made every moment feel so pure, true, and purposeful. Every moment I’ve had, had a purpose. During this time, I also learned how to trust myself to lead myself and the people around me, who no longer could deceive my perspective on life. Eventually, I no longer felt Isolated, but instead I felt free, free from fear, free from anxiety, free from depression, and free from my negative thoughts. I felt as if the sky was the beginning of the limits that I could break. This event changed me in the best way possible because it allowed me to grow and learn many valuable lessons, like the true power of determination and focus, and how my pain turned into my purpose. Now I have faith that every obstacle thrown my way, I can face them, every rock in the road I’d kick, and every hole in the ground I’d climb out of. The loss of my brother helped me to know who I am, and all the more that I can be. The most important lesson I’ve learned in my life so far is that you can turn your pain into success

It was almost a week after Christmas when I found out my brother had passed. A wave of emotions rushed through me. I felt isolated from the world, wasn’t getting any sleep, didn’t hang out with friends, I couldn’t control my emotions, and the last time I spoke to him replayed in the back of my mind a countless number of times. After this realization, I began to open a new mindset. Weeks after his funeral, I struggled to keep up with my everyday life, my grades were slipping, I stopped hanging around friends, I ran horribly during track season, and performed poorly during football season. I wanted to give up on everything. Experiencing the loss of a family member left me deeply wounded. Until one day, I sat and came across a video of a motivational speaker saying that the lord gives his toughest battles to his strongest soldiers, and at this point, I knew it was my time to fight back. So then I began to think about the past year, which is where I finally noticed how strong I really am, because I never gave in. This experience taught me true devotion and forced upon me a level of resilience I’ve never had before. Every setback, every lost friend, every quiet moment, and even nights I’ve drowned in tears, have helped me to realize that I can survive on the battlefield. After this realization, I began to open a new mindset. I came to school knowing that I was strong enough to make it through the day, and I ran on the track knowing I was fast enough to finish the race. I countered my setbacks with new goals and stronger ambitions, which led to my success as a student and as an athlete. This drastic change in my life made every moment feel so pure, true, and purposeful. Every moment I’ve had, had a purpose. During this time, I also learned how to trust myself to lead myself and the people around me, who no longer could deceive my perspective on life. Eventually, I no longer felt Isolated, but instead I felt free, free from fear, free from anxiety, free from depression, and free from my negative thoughts. I felt as if the sky was the beginning of the limits that I could break. This event changed me in the best way possible because it allowed me to grow and learn many valuable lessons, like the true power of determination and focus, and how my pain turned into my purpose. Now I have faith that every obstacle thrown my way, I can face them, every rock in the road I’d kick, and every hole in the ground I’d climb out of. The loss of my brother helped me to know who I am, and all the more that I can be. The most important lesson I’ve learned in my life so far is that you can turn your pain into success

Not long ago at all, I caught myself watching Spider-Man, and before his uncle Ben passed on he told him, with great power comes great responsibility, and those words are what Spider-Man lived by. now being the superhero he is he had an image to up hold, and with that image came choices! Choices made in order to uphold his image in being a righteous superhero. Now as children of God, we have a mere image to uphold in order to be righteous! And to be righteous means to be morally upright and to act accordingly to divine law! and to uphold the image of being righteous there are choices to be made, amen From the moment we wake up, to the moment we close our eyes to lie down there are choices to be made that will either uphold our image or bring our image down, don’t be mad at the messenger. When you wake up you have the choice to pray or get on that phone, when we go throughout our day was have the choice to walk in the spirit or to walk in the flesh, when trials and tribulations come our way we have the choice to lean unto the lord or lean into our own understanding! With great power comes great responsibility.there’s power in the choices we make, because with every choice we make we will be held accountable for. The good and the bad! Now I know that there was only one perfect man to walk the earth, and that’s Jesus, amen. And us being born into sin we often don’t make the right choices, hidden or public. But how many know our God is good, greater than good, because he sent his only begotten Son to die on the cross so that we may have a right to the kingdom of heaven, but ima put it like this, He died so that we may have a right to make the right choices, because before Jesus came people didn’t know what to do! If you go in thee Old Testament u can see They worshipped idols and all things of that nature. They did anything with the choices they made. But with great power comes great responsibility, how many know that there’s power in the name of Jesus, power and the spirit of Christ, power in the gospel of the living and all mighty God. Will somebody said, well what do I do when I come across a choice I don’t know how to make? How do I know if the choice is right? BY USING YOUR POWER? Well how do I do that? BY CALLING ON HIS NAME. By referring to his scripture, by seeking his spirit. Jeremiah 29:11 tells us that he has it all laid out for us , so that means all we have to do is use it, use the power that God has provided to his children! But let me break it down some more. Before Spider-Man was Spider-Man he was just, Peter Parker. Before we were saved and born again through Christ Jesus we were sinners!

It was almost a week after Christmas when I found out my brother had passed. A wave of emotions rushed through me. I felt isolated from the world, wasn’t getting any sleep, didn’t hang out with friends, I couldn’t control my emotions, and the last time I spoke to him replayed in the back of my mind a countless number of times. After this realization, I began to open a new mindset. Weeks after his funeral, I struggled to keep up with my everyday life, my grades were slipping, I stopped hanging around friends, I ran horribly during track season, and performed poorly during football season. I wanted to give up on everything. Experiencing the loss of a family member left me deeply wounded. Until one day, I sat and came across a video of a motivational speaker saying that the lord gives his toughest battles to his strongest soldiers, and at this point, I knew it was my time to fight back. So then I began to think about the past year, which is where I finally noticed how strong I really am, because I never gave in. This experience taught me true devotion and forced upon me a level of resilience I’ve never had before. Every setback, every lost friend, every quiet moment, and even nights I’ve drowned in tears, have helped me to realize that I can survive on the battlefield. After this realization, I began to open a new mindset. I came to school knowing that I was strong enough to make it through the day, and I ran on the track knowing I was fast enough to finish the race. I countered my setbacks with new goals and stronger ambitions, which led to my success as a student and as an athlete. This drastic change in my life made every moment feel so pure, true, and purposeful. Every moment I’ve had, had a purpose. During this time, I also learned how to trust myself to lead myself and the people around me, who no longer could deceive my perspective on life. Eventually, I no longer felt Isolated, but instead I felt free, free from fear, free from anxiety, free from depression, and free from my negative thoughts. I felt as if the sky was the beginning of the limits that I could break. This event changed me in the best way possible because it allowed me to grow and learn many valuable lessons, like the true power of determination and focus, and how my pain turned into my purpose. Now I have faith that every obstacle thrown my way, I can face them, every rock in the road I’d kick, and every hole in the ground I’d climb out of. The loss of my brother helped me to know who I am, and all the more that I can be. The most important lesson I’ve learned in my life so far is that you can turn your pain into success