My name is Jaden Flowers, and I am 18 years old. I attend Phillip O. Berry Academy of Technology in Charlotte, NC. At my school, I have been very fortunate to do well in my academic and athletic career. Through it all, I have had to overcome challenges as a student with Autism. I was diagnosed at age three and have learned over the years that autism is not a disability, but a unique and different ability. For me, being autistic does not mean I cannot be successful, but I had to go through the challenges along the way. My classmates, coaches, and teachers have accepted me for who I am, and they would not know I have autism unless I told them. This allows me to be my best in the classroom and in my sport. During the pandemic, I earned A/B Honor Roll for all 4 quarters of my junior year. I am very proud because this was my first time accomplishing this in high school. I worked very hard to improve my GPA from a 2.4 in my sophomore year to a 3.1 by the beginning of my senior year. Though online learning was challenging, I was able to focus more and did not need as much support from my parents and teachers. I saw my growth as a student during this time, and I know that I can make A’s and B’s with the proper supports in place. I am also proud to say I made A/B Honor Roll the first two semesters of my senior year. As a student with Autism, sports are engaging to me because they helped me to be active, part of a team, and become more social. I have participated in cross country and track (indoor and outdoor) since my freshman year of high school. The events I run are the 5k for cross country, and the 500m, 800m, 1000m, 1600m, 3200m, and 4x800m relay for track. I have lettered three times (2018-2019, 2021) and received the Coach’s Award (2019), and the Senior Award (2021-2022). Also, I am a member of a track club that my parents started in 2018, and I competed at the Amateur Athletic Union Regional Qualifier and Junior Olympics Nationals that year. Another reason sports interest me is my participation in a summer program. Over the past three summers, I have attended Sports Biz Camps, an organization for high school students that are interested in careers in sports. I signed up for this program to learn more about this opportunity and will be choosing a sports major because of this experience. My career goals are to graduate high school in June 2022 and to attend a Historically Black College University majoring in Recreational Sports Management. I hope to develop skills to gain experience in Media, Marketing, and E-sports. Also, I would like to continue being a student-athlete in college competing in cross country and track and field. Upon graduation, I would like to work for a professional sports team or manage my own sports agency. Continuing my education will advance my career goals by allowing me to achieve my dreams to be in the sports industry. I have made contributions to my community and my church by serving in the following ways: The Park Church (2018-Present) • Summer Feeding Program - Cleaned eating areas and played games with children being served meals • Angel Tree Celebration (2018) - Cleaned eating areas and helped distribute gifts to 100 families in the community Alpha Academy Mentoring Program with the Beta Nu Lambda Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated (2018-2021) • Christmas Service Project with Hero Box organization (2020) - Bought toiletries and snack items to pack and send to deployed military service members overseas • MLK Day of Service (2020) - Made numbers and shapes flashcards for preschool children • Operation Sandwich with Urban Ministry (2018-2019) - Made 1000 sandwiches with a team of volunteers for the homeless served through the Urban Ministry • Christmas Service Project with Saint Paul Baptist Church (2018) - put together 50 bicycles for children in the community • New Balance Invitational (2019) - Volunteered at national meet with over 5300 athletes; worked with Pole Vault officials by managing event equipment and communicating safety procedures to athletes • Second Harvest Mobile Food Pantry at Thomasboro Academy (2019) - Distributed fresh fruits and vegetables, canned goods, meats, eggs, and other pantry items to 100 families • Charlotte Mecklenburg Public Library (West Boulevard Branch) with Odd Sock Organization (2018) - Sorted and paired over 900 pairs of socks to be given to homeless people around the world I have made the decision to attend North Carolina Central University (NCCU) in Durham, North Carolina. NCCU has a community service requirement, and students are required to do 120 service hours to graduate. As a student with Autism, the university provides many resources for Student Accessibility through Student Support Services. They provide tutoring, technology, peer and academic mentoring, social events, scholarships, career planning, and will be starting an Autism support group in the fall. I have also been selected for the African American Male Initiative. This is a cohort of 40 Freshman that will live in the same residential facility. There will be opportunities for brotherhood, leadership, community service, and peer and faculty mentoring. Through these activities, I will continue to serve the university and the Durham community. If selected for a scholarship, I would use this opportunity to empower others by sharing my story. I would share my journey and the challenges I had to overcome as a student on the Autism spectrum. I would like to inspire others and encourage them to achieve their dreams and goals even with Autism. I would like to be an example for others to see that with support you can be successful.

My name is Jaden Flowers, and I am 18 years old. I attend Phillip O. Berry Academy of Technology in Charlotte, NC. At my school, I have been very fortunate to do well in my academic and athletic career. Through it all, I have had to overcome challenges as a student with Autism. I was diagnosed at age three and have learned over the years that autism is not a disability, but a unique and different ability. For me, being autistic does not mean I cannot be successful, but I had to go through the challenges along the way. After my diagnosis, I started to receive more therapy services to include play therapy to help me with my social skills and transitions. When I was in elementary school, I received speech and occupational therapy weekly. I also received services from my Exceptional Children’s (EC) teacher to help me with my classwork and social skills. I was placed in inclusion classrooms with my peers and still attended special area classes. My EC teacher also helped me with social cues and redirection when I was hand flapping. Sometimes my classmates would make fun of me or think it was funny when I flapped my hands. I have always had to work hard academically, and even when I did not get the best grades at times. I did not let it get me down and always kept a positive attitude. In middle school, my social skills continued to improve. I went to a charter school for three years, and it was a smaller setting which allowed me to have more personal attention. I continued to receive my services at the charter school and occupational therapy was added back to help with organization and note taking. Music has helped me with my diagnosis. In elementary school, I learned how to play the violin and sang in some school productions. In middle school, I learned how to play the congas, participated in digital band, and acted in school plays. In high school, I continued to show growth academically and socially. My classmates, coaches, and teachers have accepted me for who I am, and they would not know I have autism unless I told them. This allows me to be my best in the classroom and in my sport. During the pandemic, I earned A/B Honor Roll for all 4 quarters of my junior year. I am very proud because this was my first time accomplishing this in high school. I worked very hard to improve my GPA from a 2.4 in my sophomore year to a 3.1 by the beginning of my senior year. Though online learning was challenging, I was able to focus more and did not need as much support from my parents and teachers. I saw my growth as a student during this time, and I know that I can make A’s and B’s with the proper supports in place. If selected for a scholarship, I would use this opportunity to empower others by sharing my story. I would share my journey and the challenges I had to overcome as a student on the Autism spectrum. I would like to inspire others and encourage them to achieve their dreams and goals even with Autism. I would like to be an example for others to see that with support you can be successful.

Submitted

My name is Jaden Flowers, and I am 18 years old. I attend Phillip O. Berry Academy of Technology in Charlotte, NC. At my school, I have been very fortunate to do well in my academic and athletic career. Through it all, I have had to overcome challenges as a student with Autism. I was diagnosed at age three and have learned over the years that autism is not a disability, but a unique and different ability. For me, being autistic does not mean I cannot be successful, but I had to go through the challenges along the way. When I was in elementary school, I received speech and occupational therapy weekly. I also received services from my Exceptional Children’s (EC) teacher to help me with my classwork and social skills. I was placed in inclusion classrooms with my peers and still attended special area classes. My EC teacher also helped me with social cues and redirection when I was hand flapping. I have always worked hard and kept a positive attitude, even when I did not get the best grades at times. In middle school, my social skills continued to improve. I went to a charter school for three years, and it was a smaller setting which allowed me to have more personal attention. Music has also helped me with my diagnosis. In elementary school, I learned how to play the violin and sang in some school productions. In middle school, I learned how to play the congas, participated in digital band, and acted in school plays. In high school, I continued to show growth academically and socially. My classmates, coaches, and teachers have accepted me for who I am, and they would not know I have autism unless I told them. This allows me to be my best in the classroom and in my sport. As a student with Autism, sports are engaging to me because they helped me to be active, part of a team, and become more social. I have participated in cross country and indoor/outdoor track since my freshman year of high school. I run the 5k, middle- and long-distance races, and relays. I have lettered three times and received the Coach’s and Senior awards. Also, I am a member of my parents’ track club started in 2018, and I competed at the Amateur Athletic Union Regional Qualifier and Junior Olympics Nationals that year. During the pandemic, I earned A/B Honor Roll for my junior year. I am very proud because this was my first time accomplishing this in high school. I worked very hard to improve my GPA from a 2.4 in my sophomore year to a 3.1 by the beginning of my senior year. Though online learning was challenging, I was able to focus more and did not need as much support from my parents and teachers. I saw my growth as a student during this time, and I know that I can make A’s and B’s with the proper supports in place. My career goals are to graduate high school in June 2022 and attend a Historically Black College University majoring in Recreational Sports Management. I hope to develop skills to gain experience in Media, Marketing, and E-sports. Also, I would like to continue being a student-athlete in college competing in cross country and track and field. With dedication and devotion, I would like to work for a professional sports team or manage my own sports agency. Continuing my education will advance my career goals by allowing me to achieve my dreams to be in the sports industry.

My name is Jaden Flowers, and I am 18 years old. I attend Phillip O. Berry Academy of Technology in Charlotte, NC. At my school, I have been very fortunate to do well in my academic and athletic career. Through it all, I have had to overcome challenges as a student with Autism. I was diagnosed at age three and have learned over the years that autism is not a disability, but a unique and different ability. For me, being autistic does not mean I cannot be successful, but I had to go through the challenges along the way. My classmates, coaches, and teachers have accepted me for who I am, and they would not know I have autism unless I told them. This allows me to be my best in the classroom and in my sport. As a student with Autism, sports are engaging to me because they helped me to be active, part of a team, and become more social. I have participated in cross country and track (indoor and outdoor) since my freshman year of high school. The events I run are the 5k for cross country, and the 500m, 800m, 1000m, 1600m, 3200m, and 4x800m relay for track. I have lettered three times (2018-2019, 2021) and received the Coach’s Award (2019), and the Senior Award (2021-2022). Also, I am a member of a track club that my parents started in 2018, and I competed at the Amateur Athletic Union Regional Qualifier and Junior Olympics Nationals that year. Another reason sports interest me is my participation in a summer program. Over the past three summers, I have attended Sports Biz Camps, an organization for high school students that are interested in careers in sports. I signed up for this program to learn more about this opportunity and will be choosing a sports major because of this experience. My family and friends have influenced and inspired my goals because they have shown me the importance of college. My aunts and my grandmother were educators for over 60 years. Other family members are nurses, engineers, and business owners. I want to become a college graduate like them, too. Over the years, I have gone to homecoming and alumni events to experience college life. From this experience, I have seen that college was an important time in their lives and their connections remain today. Going to college will allow me to use this opportunity to empower others by sharing my story. I would share my journey and the challenges I had to overcome as a student on the Autism spectrum. I would like to inspire others and encourage them to achieve their dreams and goals even with Autism. I would like to be an example for others to see that with support, you can push and persevere to be successful. I am true to myself, and I can accomplish things that I put my mind to. My career goals are to graduate high school in June 2022 and attend a Historically Black College University majoring in Recreational Sports Management. I hope to develop skills to gain experience in Media, Marketing, and E-sports. Also, I would like to continue being a student-athlete in college competing in cross country and track and field. With dedication and devotion, I would like to work for a professional sports team or manage my own sports agency. Continuing my education will advance my career goals by allowing me to achieve my dreams to be in the sports industry.

My career goals are to graduate high school in June 2022 and to attend a four-year college majoring in Sports Management. I hope to develop skills to gain experience in Sports Media, Sports Marketing, and E-sports. Also, I would like to continue being a student-athlete in college competing in cross country and track and field. Upon graduation, I would like to work for a professional sports team or manage my own sports agency. Continuing my education will advance my career goals by allowing me to achieve my dreams to be in the sports industry. As a student with Autism, sports are engaging to me because they helped me to be active, part of a team, and become more social. Since I was a young boy, I have played basketball, soccer, tee-ball, flag football, golf, and ran track, and my dad was a volunteer coach for many of these activities. He has helped me the most with running cross country and track. My dad was a track athlete in high school and college, and he uses his experience to give me tips on how to improve my form. My mom is a triathlete and has run half-marathons, and she helps me with strength, conditioning, and nutrition. Not only have my parents coached me in my sport, but they have given me life lessons as well. My high school coaches have pushed me to excel in cross country and track, and I have seen improvements in my times that allowed me to participate in a regional championship. My classmates, coaches, and teachers have accepted me for who I am, and they would not know I have autism unless I told them. At my school, I have been very fortunate to do well in my academic and athletic career. I was diagnosed at age three and have learned over the years that autism is not a disability, but a unique and different ability. I have participated in cross country and track (indoor and outdoor) since my freshman year of high school. The events I run are the 5k for cross country, and the 800m, 1600m, 3200m, and 4x800m relay for track. I have lettered three times (2018-2019, 2021) and received the Coach’s Award (2019), and the Senior Award (2021). Also, I am a member of a track club that my parents started in 2018, and I competed at the Amateur Athletic Union Regional Qualifier and Junior Olympics Nationals that year. Over the past three summers, I have attended Sports Biz Camps, an organization for high school students that are interested in careers in sports. If selected I would use this opportunity to empower others by sharing my story. I would share my journey and the challenges I had to overcome as a student on the Autism spectrum. I would like to inspire others and encourage them to achieve their dreams and goals even with Autism. I would like to be an example for others to see that with support you can be successful.

My name is Jaden Flowers, and I am 18 years old. I attend Phillip O. Berry Academy of Technology in Charlotte, NC. At my school, I have been very fortunate to do well in my academic and athletic career. Through it all, I have had to overcome challenges as a student with Autism. I was diagnosed at age three and have learned over the years that autism is not a disability, but a unique and different ability. For me, being autistic does not mean I cannot be successful, but I had to go through the challenges along the way. After my diagnosis, I started to receive more therapy services to include play therapy to help me with my social skills and transitions. When I was in elementary school, I received speech and occupational therapy weekly. I also received services from my Exceptional Children’s (EC) teacher to help me with my classwork and social skills. I was placed in inclusion classrooms with my peers and still attended special area classes. My EC teacher also helped me with social cues and redirection when I was hand flapping. Sometimes my classmates would make fun of me or think it was funny when I flapped my hands. I have always had to work hard academically, and even when I did not get the best grades at times. I did not let it get me down and always kept a positive attitude. In middle school, my social skills continued to improve. I went to a charter school for three years, and it was a smaller setting which allowed me to have more personal attention. I continued to receive my services at the charter school and occupational therapy was added back to help with organization and note taking. Music has helped me with my diagnosis. In elementary school, I learned how to play the violin and sang in some school productions. In middle school, I learned how to play the congas, participated in digital band, and acted in school plays. In high school, I continued to show growth academically and socially. My classmates, coaches, and teachers have accepted me for who I am, and they would not know I have autism unless I told them. This allows me to be my best in the classroom and in my sport. During the pandemic, I earned A/B Honor Roll for all 4 quarters of my junior year. I am very proud because this was my first time accomplishing this in high school. I worked very hard to improve my GPA from a 2.4 in my sophomore year to a 3.1 by the beginning of my senior year. Though online learning was challenging, I was able to focus more and did not need as much support from my parents and teachers. I saw my growth as a student during this time, and I know that I can make A’s and B’s with the proper supports in place. If selected for this scholarship, I would use this opportunity to empower others by sharing my story. I would share my journey and the challenges I had to overcome, and I would like to inspire others and encourage them to achieve their dreams and goals even with Autism. I would like to be an example for others to see that with support you can be successful.

A time when I used persistence to overcome an obstacle as a student with Autism. At my school, I have been very fortunate to do well in my academic and athletic career. I have overcome challenges as a student with Autism. I was diagnosed at age three and have learned over the years that autism is not a disability, but a unique and different ability. For me, being autistic does not mean I cannot be successful. My classmates, coaches, and teachers have accepted me for who I am, and they would not know I have autism unless I told them. This allows me to be my best in the classroom and in my sport. During the pandemic, I earned A/B Honor Roll for all 4 quarters of my junior year. I am very proud because this was my first time accomplishing this in high school. I worked very hard to improve my GPA from a 2.4 in my sophomore year to a 3.1 by the beginning of my senior year. I am true to myself, and I can accomplish things that I put my mind to. If selected I would use this opportunity to empower others by sharing my story. I would share my journey and the challenges I had to overcome as a student on the Autism spectrum. I would like to inspire others and encourage them to achieve their dreams and goals even with Autism. I would like to be an example for others to see that with support you can be successful.

I practice bravery and live boldly as a student with Autism. At my school, I have been very fortunate to do well in my academic and athletic career. I have overcome challenges as a student with Autism. I was diagnosed at age three and have learned over the years that autism is not a disability, but a unique and different ability. For me, being autistic does not mean I cannot be successful. My classmates, coaches, and teachers have accepted me for who I am, and they would not know I have autism unless I told them. This allows me to be my best in the classroom and in my sport. During the pandemic, I earned A/B Honor Roll for all 4 quarters of my junior year. I am very proud because this was my first time accomplishing this in high school. I worked very hard to improve my GPA from a 2.4 in my sophomore year to a 3.1 by the beginning of my senior year. I am true to myself, and I can accomplish things that I put my mind to. If selected I would use this opportunity to empower others by sharing my story. I would share my journey and the challenges I had to overcome as a student on the Autism spectrum. I would like to inspire others and encourage them to achieve their dreams and goals even with Autism. I would like to be an example for others to see that with support you can be successful.

I relax and take care of my mental health by playing sports. As a student with Autism, sports are engaging to me because they helped me to be active, part of a team, and become more social. My classmates, coaches, and teachers have accepted me for who I am, and they would not know I have autism unless I told them. At my school, I have been very fortunate to do well in my academic and athletic career. I was diagnosed at age three and have learned over the years that autism is not a disability, but a unique and different ability. I have participated in cross country and track (indoor and outdoor) since my freshman year of high school. The events I run are the 5k for cross country, and the 800m, 1600m, 3200m, and 4x800m relay for track. I have lettered three times (2018-2019, 2021) and received the Coach’s Award (2019), and the Senior Award (2021). Also, I am a member of a track club that my parents started in 2018, and I competed at the Amateur Athletic Union Regional Qualifier and Junior Olympics Nationals that year. Over the past three summers, I have attended Sports Biz Camps, an organization for high school students that are interested in careers in sports. I also relax and take care of my mental health by playing basketball, going bowling with family and friends, and playing video games and golf with my brothers. Also, I like to listen to and make music at home. I also participate in activities at my church like Youth Bible study and Friday Night Live for my spiritual health. These are the things I do to relax and take care of my mental health.

My academic and career goals are to graduate high school in June 2022 and to attend a four-year college majoring in Sports Management. I hope to develop skills to gain experience in Sports Media, Sports Marketing, and E-sports. Also, I would like to continue being a student-athlete in college competing in cross country and track and field. Upon graduation, I would like to work for a professional sports team or manage my own sports agency. Continuing my education will advance my career goals by allowing me to achieve my dreams to be in the sports industry. As a student with Autism, sports are engaging to me because they helped me to be active, part of a team, and become more social. My classmates, coaches, and teachers have accepted me for who I am, and they would not know I have autism unless I told them. At my school, I have been very fortunate to do well in my academic and athletic career. I was diagnosed at age three and have learned over the years that autism is not a disability, but a unique and different ability. I have participated in cross country and track (indoor and outdoor) since my freshman year of high school. The events I run are the 5k for cross country, and the 800m, 1600m, 3200m, and 4x800m relay for track. I have lettered three times (2018-2019, 2021) and received the Coach’s Award (2019), and the Senior Award (2021). Also, I am a member of a track club that my parents started in 2018, and I competed at the Amateur Athletic Union Regional Qualifier and Junior Olympics Nationals that year. Over the past three summers, I have attended Sports Biz Camps, an organization for high school students that are interested in careers in sports. I love sports, and I signed up for this program to learn more about this opportunity. My family and friends have influenced and inspired my goals because they have shown me the importance of college. My aunts and my grandmother were educators for over 60 years; other family members are nurses, engineers, and business owners. I want to become a college graduate like them, too. Over the years, I have gone to homecoming and alumni events to experience college life. From this experience, I have seen that college was an important time in their lives and their connections remain today. For me, being autistic does not mean I cannot be successful, but I had to go through the challenges along the way. If selected for this scholarship, I would use this opportunity to empower others by sharing my story. I would share my journey and the challenges I had to overcome, and I would like to inspire others and encourage them to achieve their dreams and goals even with Autism. I would like to be an example for others to see that with support you can be successful.

As a student with Autism, sports are engaging to me because they helped me to be active, part of a team, and become more social. My classmates, coaches, and teachers have accepted me for who I am, and they would not know I have autism unless I told them. At my school, I have been very fortunate to do well in my academic and athletic career. I was diagnosed at age three and have learned over the years that autism is not a disability, but a unique and different ability. I have participated in cross country and track (indoor and outdoor) since my freshman year of high school. The events I run are the 5k for cross country, and the 800m, 1600m, 3200m, and 4x800m relay for track. I have lettered three times (2018-2019, 2021) and received the Coach’s Award (2019), and the Senior Award (2021). Also, I am a member of a track club that my parents started in 2018, and I competed at the Amateur Athletic Union Regional Qualifier and Junior Olympics Nationals that year. Over the past three summers, I have attended Sports Biz Camps, an organization for high school students that are interested in careers in sports. My career goals are to graduate high school in June 2022 and to attend a four-year college majoring in Sports Management. I hope to develop skills to gain experience in Sports Media, Sports Marketing, and E-sports. Also, I would like to continue being a student-athlete in college competing in cross country and track and field. Upon graduation, I would like to work for a professional sports team or manage my own sports agency. Continuing my education will advance my career goals by allowing me to achieve my dreams to be in the sports industry.

Encouraging those around me is important because of my life challenges. I have overcome challenges as a student with Autism. I was diagnosed at age three and have learned over the years that autism is not a disability, but a unique and different ability. For me, being autistic does not mean I cannot be successful. At my school, I have been very fortunate to do well in my academic and athletic career. My classmates, coaches, and teachers have accepted me for who I am, and they would not know I have autism unless I told them. This allows me to be my best in the classroom and in my sport. During the pandemic, I earned A/B Honor Roll for all 4 quarters of my junior year. I am very proud because this was my first time accomplishing this in high school. I worked very hard to improve my GPA from a 2.4 in my sophomore year to a 3.1 by the beginning of my senior year. Though online learning was different, I was able to focus more and did not need as much support from my parents and teachers. I saw my growth as a student during this time, and I know that I can make A’s and B’s with support. So, I encourage others for being who they are no matter their ability. I also encourage others by letting them know that they can do anything they put their minds to. This is what others have done for me as a student with autism, and why encouraging others is important to me.

Showing empathy is important to me because of my life challenges. I have overcome challenges as a student with Autism. I was diagnosed at age three and have learned over the years that autism is not a disability, but a unique and different ability. For me, being autistic does not mean I cannot be successful. At my school, I have been very fortunate to do well in my academic and athletic career. My classmates, coaches, and teachers have accepted me for who I am, and they would not know I have autism unless I told them. This allows me to be my best in the classroom and in my sport. During the pandemic, I earned A/B Honor Roll for all 4 quarters of my junior year. I am very proud because this was my first time accomplishing this in high school. I worked very hard to improve my GPA from a 2.4 in my sophomore year to a 3.1 by the beginning of my senior year. Though online learning was different, I was able to focus more and did not need as much support from my parents and teachers. I saw my growth as a student during this time, and I know that I can make A’s and B’s with support. So, I show empathy by accepting others for who they are no matter their ability. I also encourage others by letting them know that they can do anything they put their minds to. This is what others have done for me as a student with autism, and why showing empathy is important to me.

At my school, I have been very fortunate to do well in my academic and athletic career. Through it all, I have had to overcome challenges as a student with Autism. I was diagnosed at age three and have learned over the years that autism is not a disability, but a unique and different ability. For me, being autistic does not mean I cannot be successful, but I had to go through the challenges along the way. In elementary school, I received speech and occupational therapy weekly. I also received services from my Exceptional Children’s (EC) teacher to help me with my classwork and social skills. I was placed in inclusion classrooms with my peers and still attended special area classes. My EC teacher also helped me with social cues and redirection. I have always had to work hard academically, and even when I did not get the best grades at times. I did not let it get me down and always kept a positive attitude. My social and academic skills continued to improve throughout middle school to high school. My classmates, coaches, and teachers have accepted me for who I am, and they would not know I have autism unless I told them. This allows me to be my best in the classroom and in my sport. During the pandemic, I earned A/B Honor Roll for all 4 quarters of my junior year. I am very proud because this was my first time accomplishing this in high school. Though online learning was challenging, I was able to focus more and did not need as much support from my parents and teachers. I saw my growth as a student during this time, and I know that I can make A’s and B’s with the proper supports in place.

I want my legacy to be about giving back to others. Giving is important to me because of my family. I come from a family of college graduates, and college is important to them. My aunts and my grandmother were educators for over 60 years; other family members are nurses, engineers, and business owners. I want to become a college graduate like them, too. Over the years, I have gone to homecoming and alumni events to experience college life. From this experience, I have seen that college was an important time in their lives and their connections remain today. My family gives back to their colleges by providing scholarships. My father, along with his fraternity brother, established a scholarship for computer science majors, and he also gives back to the university as a professor in the computer science department. My aunt is a lifetime member of her alumni association, and she established a scholarship for nursing majors with other nursing alumni. My grandmother passed away in January, and she was very active with her alumni. In honor of her memory, my family established a scholarship in her name to provide financial support for students. This has shown me the importance of helping others with financial support to complete their education. Through their giving, I am extending the legacy, and I want this to be my legacy, too.

My name is Jaden Flowers, and I am 17 years old. I attend Phillip O. Berry Academy of Technology in Charlotte, NC. At my school, I have been very fortunate to do well in my academic and athletic career. Through it all, I have had to overcome challenges as a student with Autism. I was diagnosed at age three and have learned over the years that autism is not a disability, but a unique and different ability. For me, being autistic does not mean I cannot be successful. My classmates, coaches, and teachers have accepted me for who I am, and they would not know I have autism unless I told them. This allows me to be my best in the classroom and in my sport. During the pandemic, I earned A/B Honor Roll for all 4 quarters of my junior year. I am very proud because this was my first time accomplishing this in high school. I worked very hard to improve my GPA from a 2.4 in my sophomore year to a 3.1 by the beginning of my senior year. Though online learning was different, I was able to focus more and did not need as much support from my parents and teachers. I saw my growth as a student during this time, and I know that I can make A’s and B’s.

Giving is important to me because of my family. I come from a family of college graduates, and college is important to them. My aunts and my grandmother were educators for over 60 years; other family members are nurses, engineers, and business owners. I want to become a college graduate like them, too. Over the years, I have gone to homecoming and alumni events to experience college life. From this experience, I have seen that college was an important time in their lives and their connections remain today. My family gives back to their colleges by providing scholarships. My father, along with his fraternity brother, my father established a scholarship for computer science majors, and he also gives back to the university as a professor in the computer science department. My aunt is a lifetime member of her alumni association, and she established a scholarship for nursing majors with other nursing alumni. My grandmother passed away in January, and she was very active with her alumni. In honor of her memory, my family established a scholarship in her name to provide financial support for students. This has shown me the importance of helping others with financial support to complete their education. Through their giving, I am extending the legacy.

Educational inequity is something we should all stand for because educational levels the playing field. Education provides access to resources and tools, and when inequity exists, access is limited. Let me share some data from my senior paper on this topic. “A Pew Research analysis of census data estimates that a college graduate earns $550,000 more than the typical high school graduate (even when factoring in the cost of going to college) in the course of a 40-year working life” (Adam). “Most students who finish a U.S. higher education have trained minds that can handle a variety of positions and occupations” (Allen). Some college students receive internships that give them opportunities to get work experience and skills to obtain a job. If students have a chance to earn money while being in college to get better job opportunities and receive more income, then college is worth it. The cost of college will pay out once you graduate because college graduates make more money, more jobs are requiring college degrees, and college graduates have more opportunities to advance in their careers. The solution to solve educational inequity is to provide more opportunities for scholarships to help with college tuition costs. About 44 million Americans owe more than $1.5 trillion in student debt, and 45% of those people with student loan debt say college was not worth it (ProCon.org). To change this opinion, college needs to be more affordable, and scholarships like this help.

My name is Jaden Flowers, and I am 17 years old. I attend Phillip O. Berry Academy of Technology in Charlotte, NC. Being patient is important to me because of my life challenges. Through it all, I have been patient while overcoming challenges as a student with Autism. I was diagnosed at age three and have learned over the years that autism is not a disability, but a unique and different ability. For me, being autistic does not mean I cannot be successful. At my school, I have been very fortunate to do well in my academic and athletic career. My classmates, coaches, and teachers have accepted me for who I am, and they would not know I have autism unless I told them. This allows me to be my best in the classroom and in my sport. During the pandemic, I earned A/B Honor Roll for all 4 quarters of my junior year. I am very proud because this was my first time accomplishing this in high school. I worked very hard to improve my GPA from a 2.4 in my sophomore year to a 3.1 by the beginning of my senior year. Though online learning was different, I was able to focus more and did not need as much support from my parents and teachers. I saw my growth as a student during this time, and I know that I can make A’s and B’s with support. This is why being patient is important to me.