I was taught when I was little ( by my mom who is disabled) that the hardest battles that I would ever have to fight is between who I am now and who I want to be in the future and at the age of 17, that battle between being a child, becoming an adult, and battling an extreme migraine condition since the age of 10 years old has shown me who I am, who I can become and how I know that I will be successful in the future. I am a Jani'a Grant, I am 17 years old and I am currently a rising senior at Frank H. Peterson Academies of Technology.  I have battled so much with my health in the past 6 years, but I use those struggles as fuel to move me to higher levels in my life. I have been battling a severe migraine condition since the age of 10 years old (365 days per year and 24/7). I have been hospitalized so many times that I can not count but I don't allow them to stop my me from being great. I have worked hard since middle school to not allow tthem to control my life and  currently I am a Senior with a 3.9 weighted GPA, an honor roll student, National Honor Society,  Communities in School , Future Farmers of America, and have been an employee of Publix Supermarket since the age of 14 years old. I was recently selected as the only student in Florida to the Hurricane Island Outward Bound Experience this summer. For the past 3 years, I have also volunteered as a Lead Youth Counselor at 2nd Mile Summer Camp which is a summer camp for under-priviledge youth and I make it my goal to push them to be the best that they can be regardless of their circumstances by telling them my story. Though I am dealing with this obstacle in my life, I look at it as a speed bump, where I continue to move forward and if I have to slow down at the next obstacle then I do, but I can still cross it and keep going, instead of a road block. A road block is something that is going to stop you, turn around and send you in anothrer direction and in life there may be times where I have had to do that but I try to take every battle as it comes. Having this issue so young, and never having relief is hard, like an emotional roller coaster but I use the ups and downs to see the horizen and see what else is out there for me that I can achieve. I understand that everything happens for a reason. Maybe the cards that I have been dealt were to be a test for me, so that I could be a testimony to someone else that giving up is not an option. There is no OTC or prescription medicine on the market that can help relieve the migraines, and II have to get 32 injections of botox in my head every three months, injections behind my eyes and an infusion in my arm to keep the pain at a lower level, but I am never out of pain. Monthly trips to the hospital are my only recourse, but I will keep pushing, keep striving, keep reaching regardless of my circumstance because tomorrow is not promised to any of us, but I will make the most of today and every day that I am given to reach beyond my goals.

I have multiple situations that I could talk about regarding mental healrh in my family, but the one that I think I need to address is one that is close to home for me because it involved my 12 year old friend (who we always considered our cousin because our families are so close) of an extended family member, took pills and killed herself due to constant bullying through social media, Alayla was 12 years old. That is the part that hurts me the most. That she did not feel that she had any other choice. That in this society, adults tell us to come to them with our problems, but when we come, we find out that they are just as powerless as us. I was 13 at the time and I could relate to what she was going through. Though I was not getting bullied in high school, kids are cruel in this day and age and I was seeing it with other students. I would always be the one to stand up to the bullies if I would see them picking on other people, especially my friends. We were getting ready to go out of town when my dad got a phone call from my auntie ( his sister) in Georgia ( we live in Florida) that Alayla was gone and he sat me and my brother down to tell us. I had a flood of emotions that I could not control. I felt like why, why would she do that, why was she alone, why didn't she talk to somebody, why didn't her mom do something to get the bullying to stop, but most of all why would she not want to live anymore at 12 years old. She was beautiful, she has a voice of an angel, and so smart. I thought about the "why" every day, through my grief, the why was eating me alive. After about a week and more information was coming in, we learned that this group of girls at her school had been bullying her for about 2 years. Her mother had been to the school numerous times, spoken to the principal, vice-principal, and had even gone to the school board about the bullying, and even though ir stopped in school, it continued online. These girls were daily taunting her online to kill herself, that she was not worth anything, ugly, fat ( she was petite), dumb and regarsless of how many times she changed her profile to hide from them, they always found her again. As I learned about this informatiin, the flood of emotions that I had were unexplainable. I felt a hate for these girls that was unlike any feeling that I had ever experienced and it had me in a depression until my mom recognized it and got me some professiinal help. Mental health is real in teenagers, and for some teenagers, suicide is the end to the anguish because as kids they see no other way out. Adults don't understand that until its too late. If you see a change in your childs normal behavior patterns, talk to them or have someone else ( a professional talk to them), if the school won't listen, find somebody who will and talk to your own children about the effects of bullying. I wish somebody would have done that with Alayla. She would have been 18 this year.

I was taught when I was little ( by my mom who is disabled) that the hardest battles that I would ever have to fight is between who I am now and who I want to be in the future and at the age of 17, that battle between being a child, becoming an adult, and battling an extreme migraine condition since the age of 10 ywars old has shown me who I am, who I can become and how I know that I will be successful in the future. I am a Jani'a Grant, I am 17 years old and I am currently a rising senior at Frank H. Peterson Academies of Technology.  I have battled so much with my health in the past 6 years, but I use those struggles as fuel to move me to higher levels in my life. I have been battling a severe migraine condition since the age of 10 years old (365 days per year and 24/7). I have been hospitalized so many times that I can not count but I don't allow them to stop my me from being great. I have worked hard since middle school to not allow tthem to control my life and  currently I am a Senior with a 3.9 weighted GPA, an honor roll student, National Honor Society,  Communities in School , Future Farmers of America, and have been an employee of Publix Supermarket since the age of 14 years old. I was recently selected as the only student in Florida to the Hurricane Island Outward Bound Experience this summer. For the past 3 years, I have also volunteered as a Lead Youth Counselor at 2nd Mile Summer Camp which is a summer camp for under-priviledge youth and I make it my goal to push them to be the best that they can be regardless of their circumstances by telling them my story. Though I am dealing with this obstacle in my life, I learned that this obstacle s a speed bump, where I continue to move forward and if I have to slow down at the next obstacle then I do, but I can still cross it and keep going, instead of a road block. A road block is something that is going to stop you, turn around and send you in anothrer direction and in life there may be times where I have had to do that but I try to take every battle as it comes. Having this issue so young, and never having relief is hard, like an emotional roller coaster but I use the ups and downs to see the horizen and see what else is out there for me that I can achieve. I understand that everything happens for a reason. Maybe the cards that I have been dealt were to be a test for me, so that I could be a testimony to someone else that giving up is not an option. There is no OTC or prescription medicine on the market that can help relieve the migraines, and II have to get 32 injections of botox in my head every three months, injections behind my eyes and an infusion in my arm to keep the pain at a lower level, but I am never out of pain. Monthly trips to the hospital are my only recourse, but I will keep pushing, keep striving, keep reaching regardless of my circumstance because tomorrow is not promised to any of us, but I will make the most of today and every day that I am given to reach beyond my goals.

I am a Jani'a Grant and I am 17 years old. I am a senior at Frank H. Peterson Academy of Technology and a student in the Agri-Science Academy. The reason that I chose agri-science is because animals are first loves and I want to learn everything there is to know about them so that I can be an asset to bring about new discoveries in animal research and care.  A little bit about myself, I currently have a 3.9 GPA unweighted,  have been an honor roll student since 6th grade, a proud member of the Honor Society, have completed numerous AP courses, clubs include Communities in School member and Future Farmers of America, and have been an employee of Publix Supermarket since the age of 14 years old. I was recently selected as the only student in Florida to the Hurricane Island Outward Bound Experience (on a $7000 scholarship) this summer in which I will further push myself to learn and experience new adventures and text my skills and abilities in an 30 foot open sailboat learning charting, navigation, sailing, and leadership skills. For the past 3 years, I have volunteered as a Youth Counselor at 2nd Mile Summer Camp which is a summer camp for under-priviledge youth.  The field of study that I am passionate about is the field of Veterinary Medicine,  because animals ,for me, are my happy place. I currently have a poodle named Princess,  a chihuahua named Patches ( he thinks he is a Rottweiler) and I have 2 huge rabbits named Royal and Royalty and they are my babies. I want to know everything there is to know about them, I study their patterns and behaviors ( and rabbits can get very mean when they are mad), I love to learn what they can and can not eat and what effect certain foods have on their systems. I study their exercise habits and track their sleeping patterns. I want to get hands on experience working closely with all types of animals, zoo animals, exotic species, large animals, and marine animal I want to learn the why certain animals thrive and some are at the brink of extinction. How has deforestation affected thr animal population and how are animals changing and adapting to new and changing environments? I currently only have 2 classes to complete in my senior year to graduate, so I am working toward getting my certification as a veterinary assistant upon graduation through an internship program that my school offers, which will allow me to wotk in a veterinarian office during school hours to gain my hours toward certification. Upon graduating high school, i would like to attend the University of Florida Gainsville as a Biomedical science major with a minor in business law, and ultimately work toward being accepted into Veterinary School after my 4 years of undergraduate study. Recieving a degree in Biomedical Science can open so many doors to my future in medicine and veterinary science .I will then go on to Veterinarian School and become Jani'a Grant DVM ( Doctor of Veterinary Medicine) and start my own animal research foundation and veterinarian practice which is my ultimate goal. This scholarship will help me to achieve a dream ( currently on 1.2 percent of veterinarians in the US are african american). I want to become one of the leading experts in veterinary medicine, while incorporating an eductational component to bring animal awareness into the school systems. I would network with other veterinarians and schools across the country to bring much needed assembies to promote animal safety, awareness, and education.

I was reflecting on the the essay prompt, describe how you have been impacted by one of the folliwing mental health, suicide, or LGBTQIA experiences and I was torn on which onr to write about. One reason is because I have been touched in one way or another by all three. In mental health, my cousin who was diagnosed paranoid schitzophrenic who was hearing voices, shot an killed his father. In suicide, the 12 year old daughter of an extended family member, took pills and killed herself due to constant bullying through social media, and for LGBTQIA I have a few family members who have come out as gay and it is not accepted by all. The one that I can say that I have been effected by the most was the death of Alayla ( 12 years old) by suicide because I was 13 at the time and I could relate to what she was going through. Though I was not getting bullied in high school, kids are cruel in this day and age and I was seeing it with other students. I would always be the one to stand up to the bullies if I would see them picking on other people, especially my friends. We were getting ready to go out of town when my dad got a phone call from my auntie ( his sister) in Georgia ( we live in Florida) that Alayla was gone and he sat me and my brother down to tell us. I had a flood of emotions that I could not control. I felt like why, why would she do that, why was she alone, why didn't she talk to somebody, why didn't her mom do something to get the bullying to stop, but most of all why would she not want to live anymore at 12 years old. She was beautiful, she has a voice of an angel, and so smart. I thought about the "why" every day, through my grief, the why was eating me alive. After about a week and more information was coming in, we learned that this group of girls at her school had been bullying her for about 2 years. Her mother had been to the school numerous times, spoken to the principal, vice-principal, and had even gone to the school board about the bullying, and even though ir stopped in school, it continued online. These girls were daily taunting her online to kill herself, that she was not worth anything, ugly, fat ( she was petite), dumb and regarsless of how many times she changed her profile to hide from them, they always found her again. As I learned about this informatiin, the flood of emotions that I had were unexplainable. I felt a hate for these girls that was unlike any feeling that I had ever experienced and it had me in a depression until my mom recognized it and got me some professiinal help. Mental health is real in teenagers, and for some teenagers, suicide is the end to the anguish because as kids they see no other way out. Adults don't understand that until its too late. If you see a change in your childs normal behavior patterns, talk to them or have someone else ( a professional talk to them), if the school won't listen, find somebody who will and talk to your own children about the effects of bullying. I wish somebody would have done that with Alayla. She would have been 16 this year.

An innovative, self-initiated project that I have been involved in that was intended to meet the needs of marginalized and underserved populations was my Covid-19 mask initiative " Mask It Up by Nia." During the pandemic, I was very concerned about the spread of Covid, because there was so little information out there about how to slow down the virus, aside from wear a mask. The information advised by news sources seemed to change on a daily basis and it was very frustrating. Many deaths occurred due to misinformation and a lack of adequate protection and effective resources amongst the lower income and homeless communities in my city ( Jacksonville, Fl) were where the numbers were the highest. One night, after a conversation with my parents, I made a decision that I was not going to continue to sit around and watch while innocent people died. I wanted to do something to make a difference. After purchasing a number of masks and conducting research, I found that the masks that were most effective outside of N95 masks ( which were very scarce at the time) were the 3 layer masks with insertable 6 layer charcoal filters. That mask would provide 9 layers of protection , had a metal nose guard to push down on the sides of the nose and had ear loops that kept the mask flush against the face. After a presentation to my parents (who helped me finance the start-up of the initiative), I started “Mask it Up.” Mask It Up was a business that I created at the age of 15. I used a Cricut machine, created positive sayings and quotes on the masks (words of hope and faith) and sold them in low-income communities for only a few dollars over what I paid for them (so that I would have additional monies to buy more supplies). I was not concerned about profit; for me, consistent and sustainable access for underserved populations was all that mattered. For those who were unable to pay, I provided them with free masks, and every week, I would take 100 masks and filters to the various homeless shelters. We (my family) would go out to the underserved areas, low-income areas in our communities and distribute the masks and blankets to the homeless, so that we could show them how to use the masks effectively with the filter. By the end of the mask mandate, I had sold, given away and donated over 7,000 masks and filters. I believe although I could not stop Covid-19, that I could at least help those in need—at least 7000 people—to find a semblance of safety during one of the most horrific pandemics of our lifetime.

Disability I am a Jani'a Grant, I am 17 years old and I am a rising senior.  I have battled so much with extreme migraines in the past 6 years, but I use those struggles as fuel to move me to higher levels in my life. I have been battling a severe migraine condition since the age of 10 years old that is constant (365 days per year and 24/7). I have been hospitalized so many times that I can not count (including twice last month) but I don"t see this condition as a disability, but as motivation to push myself to be greater, beyond what my mind is capable of achieving.  I currently finished my junior year with a 3.9 weighted GPA, have been an honor roll student since 6th grade, numerous AP courses, a proud member of the Honor Society,  Communities in School member, Future Farmers of America, and have been an employee of Publix Supermarket since 14. I was recently selected as the only student in Florida to the Hurricane Island Outward Bound Hurricane Island Expedition this summer in which I will further push myself to learn and experience new adventures and test my skills and abilities in an 30 foot open sailboat ,learning charting, navigation, sailing, and leadership skills. For the past 4 years, I have volunteered as a Youth Counselor at 2nd Mile Ministries Summer Camp which is a summer camp for in which I serve as a counselor and mentor  for under-priviledged youth in one of the roughest parts of our city. The field of study that I am passionate about is the field of Veterinary Medicine, because I have a passion ( not just a love) for animals. I currently attend Frank H. Peterson Academies of Technology in Jacksonville, Fl and I am a part of the Agri-Science Academy. I currently have a poodle named Princess,  a chihuahua named Patches and I have 2 huge rabbits named Royal and Royalty. I study and try to learn everything there is to know about them from their patterns, behaviors , eating habits, what effect certain foods have on their systems, their exercise habits and track their sleeping patterns. I want to get hands on experience working closely with all types of animals. Upon graduation, i would like to attend the University of Florida Gainsville as a Biomedical Science major and to ultimately be accepted into their Veterinary School after my recieving my Bachelors of Science degree. Upon completiion of Veterinary School, I plan to start my own animal research foundation, inner-city animal education initiave for inner-city youth and "Animals Mattter" veterinarian clinic in Jacksonville, FL. Maybe the cards that I have been dealt were to be a test for me, so that I could be a testimony to someone else that giving up is not an option, regardless of what cards you are dealt in life. There is no medicine on the market that can help relieve this pain. I have to get 32 botox injections in my head every three months, injections behind my eyes and an infusion in my arm to keep the pain at a lower level, but I am never out of pain. Regardless of the issues that I encounter in life, I will continue to push and work my hardest to be the best that I can be, because I made a decision that I am going to be a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine and I will not stop until that goal is not only achieved, but surpassed.

The dream version of my future self is to start my own animal research foundation, inner-city animal education initiave for inner-city youth, "Animals Mattter" veterinarian clinic in Jacksonville, FL., and to become Dr. Jani'a Lashel Grant DVM.

I am a Jani'a Grant, I am 17 years old and I am a rising senior.  I have batting extreme migraines for the past 6 years, and though many may not see migraines as a learning disability, the constant pain makes me have to work 20 times harder to remain focused on anything I do. I have been battling a severe migraine condition since the age of 10 years old that is constant (365 days per year and 24/7). I have been hospitalized so many times that I can not count, but I have had to change my way of thinking , to see this condition not as a disability, but as motivation to push myself to be greater, beyond what my mind is capable of achieving.  I currently finished my junior year with a 3.9 weighted GPA, have been an honor roll student since 6th grade, numerous AP courses, a proud member of the Honor Society,  Communities in School member, Future Farmers of America, and have been an employee of Publix Supermarket since 14. I was recently selected as the only student in Florida to the Hurricane Island Outward Bound Hurricane Island Expedition this summer in which I will further push myself to learn and experience new adventures and test my skills and abilities in an 30 foot open sailboat ,learning charting, navigation, sailing, and leadership skills. For the past 4 years, I have volunteered as a Youth Counselor at 2nd Mile Ministries Summer Camp which is a summer camp for in which I serve as a counselor and mentor  for under-priviledged youth in one of the roughest parts of our city. The field of study that I am passionate about is the field of Veterinary Medicine, because I have a passion ( not just a love) for animals. I currently attend Frank H. Peterson Academies of Technology in Jacksonville, Fl and I am a part of the Agri-Science Academy. I currently have a poodle named Princess,  a chihuahua named Patches and I have 2 huge rabbits named Royal and Royalty. I study and try to learn everything there is to know about them from their patterns, behaviors , eating habits, what effect certain foods have on their systems, their exercise habits and track their sleeping patterns. I want to get hands on experience working closely with all types of animals. Upon graduation, i would like to attend the University of Florida Gainsville as a Biomedical Science major and to ultimately be accepted into their Veterinary School after my recieving my Bachelors of Science degree. Upon completiion of Veterinary School, I plan to start my own animal research foundation, inner-city animal education initiave for inner-city youth and "Animals Mattter" veterinarian clinic in Jacksonville, FL. Maybe the cards that I have been dealt were to be a test for me, so that I could be a testimony to someone else that giving up is not an option, regardless of what cards you are dealt in life. There is no medicine on the market that can help relieve this pain. I have to get 32 botox injections in my head every three months, injections behind my eyes and an infusion in my arm to keep the pain at a lower level, but I am never out of pain. I am the best candidate, , because I made a decision that I am going to be a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine and I will not stop until that goal is not only achieved, but surpassed. Winning this scholarship will be my stepping a stepping stone to accomplish greatness.

I am a Jani'a Grant, I am 17 years old and I am a rising senior.  I have battled so much with extreme migraines in the past 6 years, but I use those struggles as fuel to move me to higher levels in my life. I have been battling a severe migraine condition since the age of 10 years old that is constant (365 days per year and 24/7). I have been hospitalized so many times that I can not count (including twice last month) but I don"t see this condition as a disability, but as motivation to push myself to be greater, beyond what my mind is capable of achieving.  I currently finished my junior year with a 3.9 weighted GPA, have been an honor roll student since 6th grade, numerous AP courses, a proud member of the Honor Society,  Communities in School member, Future Farmers of America, and have been an employee of Publix Supermarket since 14. I was recently selected as the only student in Florida to the Hurricane Island Outward Bound Hurricane Island Expedition this summer in which I will further push myself to learn and experience new adventures and test my skills and abilities in an 30 foot open sailboat ,learning charting, navigation, sailing, and leadership skills. For the past 4 years, I have volunteered as a Youth Counselor at 2nd Mile Ministries Summer Camp which is a summer camp for in which I serve as a counselor and mentor  for under-priviledged youth in one of the roughest parts of our city. The field of study that I am passionate about is the field of Veterinary Medicine, because I have a passion ( not just a love) for animals. I currently attend Frank H. Peterson Academies of Technology in Jacksonville, Fl and I am a part of the Agri-Science Academy. I currently have a poodle named Princess,  a chihuahua named Patches and I have 2 huge rabbits named Royal and Royalty. I study and try to learn everything there is to know about them from their patterns, behaviors , eating habits, what effect certain foods have on their systems, their exercise habits and track their sleeping patterns. I want to get hands on experience working closely with all types of animals. Upon graduation, i would like to attend the University of Florida Gainsville as a Biomedical Science major and to ultimately be accepted into their Veterinary School after my recieving my Bachelors of Science degree. Upon completiion of Veterinary School, I plan to start my own animal research foundation, inner-city animal education initiave for inner-city youth and "Animals Mattter" veterinarian clinic in Jacksonville, FL. Maybe the cards that I have been dealt were to be a test for me, so that I could be a testimony to someone else that giving up is not an option, regardless of what cards you are dealt in life. There is no medicine on the market that can help relieve this pain. I have to get 32 botox injections in my head every three months, injections behind my eyes and an infusion in my arm to keep the pain at a lower level, but I am never out of pain. Regardless of the issues that I encounter in life, I will continue to push and work my hardest to be the best that I can be, because I made a decision that I am going to be a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine and I will not stop until that goal is not only achieved, but surpassed.

I have to say that I thought my whole life that I was under-priviledged. We lived in a small house in a historic neighborhood ( built in 1928), I went to a schools where all the students got free or reduced lunch, and my mom has been telling us since we were in elementary school that she if we wanted to go to college " We can not afford to send you to college, so you need to either be a great athlete, have an exceptional talent or get excellent grades". I tried basketball in middle school for 6th through 8th grade and our team lost every game (didn't even win one), so I knew that sports was not going to be an option. I love art and singing, but I couldn't sell tickets to an art show (I'm ok, but no Picasso) or a music concert (definitely no Beyonce) so I knew that academics was going to be my only option and so I started working hard early. I have set and accomplished all of my academic goals so far. I started volunteering in middle school at Florida No More Homeless Pet, and I was surprused that people did not even have enough monry to feed their animals, but they loved them so much that they were willing to stand in line for hours to get a small bag of food for their pets. When we would volunteer for the food giveaways, we would see old people, young people, families, and homeless people who would stand in line for hours to receive some small amount of food, but to them it was huge. We would hear stories about people who had no food at all and that food they receive was going to be the only food they would have that week ( made me want to sneak them another bag of food, but I couldn't). I have also been volunteering for the past 3 years at 2nd Mile Summer Camp Ministry with under-priviledged youth and that has really been my wake up call. These kids have taught me that your circumstance don't dictate your outcome. I have seen some of the happiest kids come in hungry and they will tell you they did not eat dinner but they knew they would eat when they got to camp so they were happy. You can see kids who come to camp wearing the same clothes but their clothes did not dim their bright personalitie. To them, they were not under-priviledged, like they were labeled, they were just kids who had good days and bad days. Their circumstances did not dictate who they were in their minds, they were just kids. Labels placed on people are societies way of putting people in categories of importance and I have never liked that because everybody is important and deserves the same respect as someone who is a millionaire. The reason that I need this scholarship is because my mom and I are disabled. My mom has cervical dystonia ( on social security) and I have an extreme migraine condition that has had me hospitalized multiple times. Due to having to pay all of these the hospital bills over the past few years, it has left my parents unable to cover my college tuition. They are only able to pay the household bills. I want to do my part to get as much scholarship money, to cover my tuition, room and board and books so that they do not have to take on any more debt. Thank you so much for considering my submission.

In the United States, there are only 1.2 % of veterinarians that are African Americans. That number was mind blowing to me because in this day and age, because animals are such an important part of the majority of US households. Animals are also an essential all parts of the ecosystem and agriculture, whether marine animals, livestock, farm animals, zoo animals, wildlife on gaming preserves every animal was put on this earth for a purpose. I believe that my purpose is to help change the face of veterinary medicine by becoming one of the leading Doctors of Veterinary Medicine and incorporating an education component that would include networking with other African American Veterinarians in other states to connect them with inner city schools so that other minority students can see a mirror image of themselves in a profession that for so many years 99% white. That their dream can become their reality and the Stacy T. Mosley Jr Educational scholarship would be the first step to my dream becoming a reality. I am a Jani'a Grant and I am 17 years old. I am a senior year at Frank H. Peterson Academy of Technology and a student in the Agri-Science Academy. The reason that I chose agri-science is because animals are my first love and I want to learn everything there is to know about them, to become an asset to animal science and bring about new discoveries in animal research and care.  A little bit about myself, I currently have a 3.9 GPA weighted,  an honor roll student, a proud member of the Honor Society, have completed numerous Advance Placement courses, Communities in School member, Future Farmers of America, and have been an employee of Publix Supermarket since the age of 14 years old, and the only 2023 recipient (from the state of Florida) of the Outward Bound Hurricane Island Expedition Summer trip. For the past 3 years, I have volunteered as a Lead Youth Counselor at 2nd Mile Summer Camp which is a summer camp for under-priviledge youth in some of the roughest parts of Jacksonville, Florida. I chose to keep coming back every summer because I have seen the positive impact that I can have on these chidren and I can introduce my love of animals to them and allow them to experience animals that they may never get an opportunity to see, outside of on television or the zoo. The field of study that I am passionate about is the field of Veterinary Medicine,  because animals, for me, are my happy place. I currently have a poodle named Princess,  a chihuahua named Patches and I have 2 huge rabbits named Royal and Royalty (they are my babies). I want to know everything there is to know about them, I study their patterns and behaviors, I love to learn what they can and can not eat and what effect certain foods have on their systems. I study their exercise habits and track their sleeping patterns. I want to get hands on experience working closely with all types of animals, zoo animals, exotic species, large animals, and marine animal I want to learn the why certain animals thrive and some are at the brink of extinction. How has deforestation affected their animal population and how are animals changing and adapting to new and changing environments? I am working toward getting my certification as a veterinary assistant upon graduation through an internship program that my school offers. This internship will allow me to work in a veterinarian office during school hours to gain my hours toward certification.   Upon graduating high school, I would like to attend the Florida A&M University as a animal science/ Pre-Vet major with a minor in business law, and upon graduation go on to Veterinary School. Upon completiion of Veterinary School, I plan to start my own animal research foundation, inner-city veterinarian education initiave, veterinarian practice and become Dr. Jani'a Lashel Grant, DVM.

Hard work is just that hard, but ever since I can remember, my mother has been saying to me " We can not afford to send you to college, so you need to either be a great athlete, have an exceptional talent or get excellent grades". I tried basketball in middle school for 7th and 8th grade and our team lost every game (didn't even win one), so I knew that sports was not going to be an option. I love art and singing, but I couldn't sell tickets to an art show (I'm ok, but no Picasso) or a music concert (definitely no Beyonce) so I knew that academics was going to be my only option and so I started working hard early. Elementary school I did good, but I really started excelling in middle school. I made it my goal to get on the honor roll every quarter and to work as hard as possible to keep my grades up as I wanted to take honors courses in high school. I accomplished that goal, as my first year in high school I was placed in honors courses. I completed all honors courses, A/B honor roll every semester, and AP courses in my Sophomore and Junior year. As a result of my hard work, I will only have 1 1/2 credits to complete and I will be taking dual enrollment courses in my senior year. As a senior, I was also selected to do an internship in a veterinarian office to gain certification as a veterinarian assistant upon graduation. When I think back on how that one statement that my mother made, unexpectedly sparked my journey to self-discovery of my abilities I am greatful. That one statement made me set goals that I do not know whether I would have done had she not said that and made me explore my abilities and focus on my academic achievements. I can honestly say that my mother has been my biggest cheerleader out of everyone. She has been motivating me academically ( I have been getting paid for A's and B's since elementary school), she has been my pain in the backside ( don't tell her I said that though) when I don't want to do things that I know I am suppose to do or when I want to slack, she pushes me to do my best. She celebrates my accomplishments and she is always there with a hug and words of encouragement if I fell short on something. She was all in on my crazy science fair projects in middle school, regardless of how crazy they were and when I battle extreme migraines, she comes and sits outside of my school.for hours, just in case they get so bad that I have to go to the hospital. She stays by my bedside in the hospital and when I get out ( if I feel up to it), she will take me back to school (because she knows I hate missing school). She is so determined to see me succeed in everything, that she became the volunteer assistant basketball coach at my middle.school because my team was losing every game. She pushed the team to believe in themselves again. I don't always tell her, but I really do appreciate and love her. I have friends who don't have the support of their parents and their parents don't care what they do. I have both of my parents and that is rare today. I want to make them both proud and so I am going to continue to push myself.

In the United States, there are only 1.2 % of veterinarians that are African Americans. That number was mind blowing to me because in this day and age, because animals are such an important part of the majority of American households, the ecosystem agriculture. Every animal was put on this earth for a purpose. I believe that my purpose is to help change the face of veterinary medicine by becoming one of the leading Doctors of Veterinary Medicine and incorporating an educational component that would include networking with other minority veterinarians in other states to connect them with inner city schools so that other minority students can see a mirror image of themselves in a profession that for so many years has not been diverse or inclusive. I want then to see that their dream can become their reality. Winning this prestigiuos scholarship would be the first step to my dream becoming a reality. I am Jani'a Lashel Grant, 17 years old, a rising senior year at Frank H. Peterson Academy of Technology and a student in the Agri-Science Academy. The reason that I chose agri-science is because animals are my first love and II want to become an asset to animal science and bring about new discoveries in animal research and care.  A little bit about myself, I currently have a 3.9 GPA (weighted), an honor roll student, National Honor Society, Advance Placement courses, clubs include Communities in School member and Future Farmers of America, and an employee of Publix Supermarket since 14 years of age, and the only 2023 recipient (from Florida) of the Outward Bound Hurricane Island Expedition Summer trip. For the past 3 years, I have volunteered as a Lead Youth Counselor at 2nd Mile Summer Camp which is a summer camp for under-priviledge youth.  The obstacles that I believe I might face in college is a medical condition that I have been dealing with since the age of ten years old, which is extreme migraines. I have been hospitalized too many times to count and there is no medication on the market that have helped at all. i currently have to get 32 injections in my forehead and neck (botox) and infusions every three months at an infusiin center. Though this has been an ongoing issue for the past 7 years, and I have continued to push through the pain, to achieve academic excellence in spite of my condition. I use the pain as motivation to push harder and succeed at all costs. The field of study that I am passionate about is the field of Veterinary Medicine, because animals, for me, are my happy place. I currently have a poodle named Princess,  a chihuahua named Patches and I have 2 huge rabbits named Royal and Royalty. I want to know everything there is to know about them. I study their patterns and behaviors, what effect certain foods have on their systems, their exercise habits and tracking their sleeping patterns. I want to get hands on experience working closely with all types of animals, zoo animals, exotic species, large animals, and marine animals. I want to learn why certain animals thrive and some are at the brink of extinction. I am working toward getting my certification as a veterinary assistant upon graduation, through an internship program that my school offers. Upon graduating high school, I would like to attend the University Florida Gainsville as a animal science major, and upon graduation go on to Veterinary School. Upon completiion of Veterinary School, I plan to start an animal research foundation, inner-city education initiave and veterinarian practice.

I was taught when I was little ( by my mom who is disabled) that the hardest battles that I would ever have to fight is between who I am now and who I want to be in the future and at the age of 17, that battle between being a child, becoming an adult, and battling an extreme migraine condition since the age of 10 ywars old has shown me who I am, who I can become and how I know that I will be successful in the future. I am a Jani'a Grant, I am 17 years old and I am currently a rising senior at Frank H. Peterson Academies of Technology.  I have battled so much with my health in the past 6 years, but I use those struggles as fuel to move me to higher levels in my life. I have been battling a severe migraine condition since the age of 10 years old (365 days per year and 24/7). I have been hospitalized so many times that I can not count but I don't allow them to stop my me from being great. I have worked hard since middle school to not allow tthem to control my life and  currently I am a Senior with a 3.9 weighted GPA, an honor roll student, National Honor Society,  Communities in School , Future Farmers of America, and have been an employee of Publix Supermarket since the age of 14 years old. I was recently selected as the only student in Florida to attend the Hurricane Island Outward Bound Experience this summer. For the past 3 years, I have also volunteered as a Lead Youth Counselor at 2nd Mile Ministry Summer Camp, which is a summer camp for under-priviledge youth and I make it my goal to push them to be the best that they can be regardless of their circumstances by telling them my story. Though I am dealing with this obstacle in my life, I look at it as a speed bump, where I continue to move forward and if I have to slow down at the next obstacle then I do, but I can still cross it and keep going, instead of a road block. A road block stops you, turns you, and reroutes you. I have had moments that I have had to reroute, but as long as I kept moving forward, that is what counts. In the United States, there are only 1.2 % of veterinarians that are African Americans. That number was mind blowing to me because in this day and age, because animals are such an important part of this world. I believe that my purpose is to help change the face of veterinary medicine by becoming one of the leading Doctors of Veterinary Medicine and incorporating an education component that would include networking with other African American Veterinarians in other states to connect them with inner city schools so that other minority students can see a mirror image of themselves in a profession has not been inclusive of minorities. Learning about and carng for animals is my happy place. I want to get hands on experience working closely with all types of animals. I am working toward getting my certification as a veterinary assistant upon graduation through an internship program that my school offers. Upon graduating high school, I would like to attend the North Carolina A&T University as a Pre-Vet major and upon graduation, go on to Veterinary School. Upon completiion of Veterinary School, I plan to start my own animal research foundation, inner-city education initiave and veterinarian practice.

I was taught when I was little ( by my mom who is disabled) that the hardest battles that I would ever have to fight is between who I am now and who I want to be in the future and at the age of 17, that battle between being a child, becoming an adult, and battling an extreme migraine condition since the age of 10 ywars old has shown me who I am, who I can become and how I know that I will be successful in the future. I am a Jani'a Grant, I am 17 years old and I am currently a rising senior at Frank H. Peterson Academies of Technology.  I have battled so much with my health in the past 6 years, but I use those struggles as fuel to move me to higher levels in my life. I have been battling a severe migraine condition since the age of 10 years old (365 days per year and 24/7). I have been hospitalized so many times that I can not count but I don't allow them to stop my me from being great. I have worked hard since middle school to not allow tthem to control my life and  currently I am a Senior with a 3.9 weighted GPA, an honor roll student, National Honor Society,  Communities in School , Future Farmers of America, and have been an employee of Publix Supermarket since the age of 14 years old. I was recently selected as the only student in Florida to the Hurricane Island Outward Bound Experience this summer. For the past 3 years, I have also volunteered as a Lead Youth Counselor at 2nd Mile Summer Camp which is a summer camp for under-priviledge youth and I make it my goal to push them to be the best that they can be regardless of their circumstances by telling them my story. Though I am dealing with this obstacle in my life, I look at it as a speed bump, where I continue to move forward and if I have to slow down at the next obstacle then I do, but I can still cross it and keep going, instead of a road block. A road block is something that is going to stop you, turn around and send you in anothrer direction and in life there may be times where I have had to do that but I try to take every battle as it comes. Having this issue so young, and never having relief is hard, like an emotional roller coaster but I use the ups and downs to see the horizen and see what else is out there for me that I can achieve. I understand that everything happens for a reason. Maybe the cards that I have been dealt were to be a test for me, so that I could be a testimony to someone else that giving up is not an option. There is no OTC or prescription medicine on the market that can help relieve the migraines, and II have to get 32 injections of botox in my head every three months, injections behind my eyes and an infusion in my arm to keep the pain at a lower level, but I am never out of pain. Monthly trips to the hospital are my only recourse, but I will keep pushing, keep striving, keep reaching regardless of my circumstance because tomorrow is not promised to any of us, but I will make the most of today and every day that I am given to reach beyond my goals.

In the United States, there are only 1.2 % of veterinarians that are African Americans. That number was mind blowing to me because in this day and age, because animals are such an important part of the majority of American households. Animals are also an essential all parts of the ecosystem and agriculture, whether marine animals, livestock, farm animals, zoo animals, wildlife on gaming preserves, every animal was put on this earth for a purpose. I believe that my purpose is to help change the face of veterinary medicine by becoming one of the leading Doctors of Veterinary Medicine and incorporating an educational component that would include networking with other African American Veterinarians in other states to connect them with inner city schools so that other minority students can see a mirror image of themselves in a profession that for so many years was dominated by white males. That their dream can become their reality and winning this prestigiuos scholarship would be the first step to MY dream becoming a reality. I am Jani'a Lashel Grant and I am 17 years old. I am a senior year at Frank H. Peterson Academy of Technology and a student in the Agri-Science Academy. The reason that I chose agri-science is because animals are my first loves in life. I want to become an asset to animal science and bring about new discoveries in animal research and care.  A little bit about myself, I currently have a 3.9 GPA weighted,  I am an honor roll student, a proud member of the Honor Society, have completed numerous Advance Placement courses, club memberships include Communities in School member and Future Farmers of America, and I have been an employee of Publix Supermarket since the age of 14 years old, and the only 2023 recipient (from the state of Florida) of the Outward Bound Hurricane Island Expedition Summer trip. For the past 3 years, I have volunteered as a Lead Youth Counselor at 2nd Mile Summer Camp which is a summer camp for under-priviledge youth.  The field of study that I am passionate about is the field of Veterinary Medicine,  because my family and animals, for me, are my happy place. I currently have a poodle named Princess,  a chihuahua named Patches and I have 2 huge rabbits named Royal and Royalty (they are my babies). I want to know everything there is to know about them. I study their patterns and behaviors, I love to learn what they can and can not eat and what effect certain foods have on their systems. I study their exercise habits and track their sleeping patterns. I want to get hands on experience working closely with all types of animals, zoo animals, exotic species, large animals, and marine animal I want to learn why certain animals thrive and some are at the brink of extinction. How has deforestation affected their animal population and how are animals changing and adapting to new and changing environments. I am working toward getting my certification as a veterinary assistant upon graduation, through an internship program that my school offers. This internship will allow me to work in a veterinarian office during school hours to gain my hours toward certification.   Upon graduating high school, I would like to attend Florida A&M University or North Carolina A&T University as a animal science/ Pre-Vet major with a minor in business law, and upon graduation go on to Veterinary School. Upon completiion of Veterinary School, I plan to start my own animal research foundation, inner-city education initiave and veterinarian practice and become Dr. Jani'a Lashel Grant, DVM.