Indigenous individuals face more disparaging health inequities than any other group of Americans. A fundamental right of man is the right to equitable healthcare. A right that many Indigenous people are acquitted of. As an indigenous woman (although white-passing), I find it disheartening that my people are forced to conquer their ailments in silence while the United States' healthcare system fails them. Unfortunately, this is a common theme within the indigenous community, being oppressed and forced into silence. I aim to fight this disparity by entering the healthcare force and becoming a cardiologist. A leading cause of death for Indigenous individuals is cardiovascular illness. So, I plan to enter the healthcare field as a cardiologist within an area with an increased population of indigenous peoples. I am from a town roughly 30 minutes from the tribal seat of North Carolina's state-recognized, Lumbee tribe. So, as a homebody and the granddaughter of a founding member of the tribe, I plan to work in this area. I hope that my efforts within local Indigenous communities will act as a stepping stone for other indigenous women within the healthcare field.

What if we could "cure" cancer? AIDS? Blindness? Now we can through genetic modification, also known as genome editing. These types of technology have been used to improve crop yields, study illnesses, and manufacture medical-grade drugs. This is why genome editing, specifically CRISPR, is one of my favorite scientific discoveries/innovations. This technology has been and can be used for an array of conditions. CRISPR could be the future of preventative and therapeutic medicine; it has shown promising results in several clinical trials. In addition, this technology has demonstrated apparent effectiveness in modifying/engineering cancer-linked genes and developing embryonic stem cells. Finally, it has improved humans' understanding of cancer-cell/tumor development gene functions. Although human-based research with CRISPR is minimal, there is significant advancement occurring every day within the scientific field. Genome engineering could potentially decrease mortality risks for individuals with cancer, blood-related disorders, immunodeficiencies, blindness, and other genetically modifiable disorders. Career-wise, this could be an instrumental technology for the field I want to pursue. I want to pursue an education in biology and attend medical school to possibly become a Pediatric Oncologist (I have not officially decided the particular field of medicine I want to adventure, however, medicine has always been an aspiration). However, my primary goal in life is to help others, so I chose medicine, and CRISPR is the future of medicine.

The first time I tried baking something by myself, I was six years old. I tried baking ‘Million Dollar Muffins.’ It was from a tiny, old cookbook that my grandma gave to all of the women in our family. The pages were wrinkled and torn, some folded at the corner of the page, bookmarking a flavorful recipe. Unfortunately, the ‘Million Dollar Muffins’ recipe was not one of those pages. These muffins were horrendous: lacking sugar, flavor, and soul. I put my heart into making those muffins: whisking the ingredients with my tiny arms, picking the remnants of eggshells from the batter, and maybe adding a little more than a dash of salt. I remember the excitement of pulling them out of the oven with my grandma’s red oven mitt, so happy to try something I created for the first time. Which was short-lived by the unsavory taste that met my mouth, and my dad asking, “Did you use salt instead of sugar?”. So, this is where my love of baking began, through the taste of a horrible muffin recipe. My love of baking must be hereditary. Sometimes, my grandma would allow me and my brother to help her in the kitchen when baking. She would pull out these wrinkled notes from a recipe book concealed by the mounting number of other recipe books. These notes were recipes left by her grandmother, mother, and mother-in-law. They were always written in an exquisite cursive that neither my brother nor I could read at the time. They ranged from banana pudding to her favorite, my great-grandmothers’ secret family recipe, oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. I always loved helping her make desserts, as I knew they wouldn’t taste like those horrible muffins from my past. Instead, these recipes were from the heart and tastefully curated through generations. One winter, she decided to share one of those recipes with me, one of my favorites, Congo Squares. I was so excited that I cracked out all of the ingredients and got to work as soon as I got home. I whisked and whisked and whisked some more until my heart was content. Then, I popped them into the oven and watched them the entire 45 minutes they baked, just waiting to try my first go at one of my grandma’s recipes. When I tried them, I was delighted. I had finally made something by myself that was close to perfection. My confidence in my baking skills was restored, which led me to where I am today. Thankfully I no longer have to bake out of that cookbook that crafted those horrible muffins. Instead, I use the recipes that my grandma grants me, or I source them from the internet. Now, I can make my desserts with the same heart and soul that my family has been doing for generations, making me closer to the women in my family. Thanks to my grandma and her recipes, I am now very confident with my skills as a baker.

I am Jessica Lighthall, a graduating senior at Scotland Early College High School. I am an individual with several hobbies. I enjoy playing sports such as softball and volleyball, so naturally, I am an avid runner. I also like to partake in more grandma-ly activities like knitting and crocheting. But, my ultimate hobby/life skill is cooking and baking; I love to try new recipes and share my gift with others. I would describe myself as outgoing, detail-oriented, competitive, and ambitious as an individual. I always have been determined to do my best and be the best version of myself in everything I've done. I have excelled in high school and college classes due to this persistence. I am a driven student and soon to be valedictorian (if I keep consistent grades). Throughout my time in high school, I have devoted much of my life to making straight A's, building life skills, playing sports, and participating in clubs. I am currently involved in two clubs NASA (Native American Student Association) and the BETA club. As a member of these clubs, I have participated in numerous volunteer activities, including several American Red Cross Blood Drives, local food drives, and community outreach programs. During these activities, I have learned the value of helping others, a value that I want to exude within my future career as a Pediatrician. I have always wanted to be a doctor, but recently I discovered that working with children is something I love. After graduation, in May, I plan to attend the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where I will major in Biology with a minor in Medical Anthropology. In hopes of attending medical school. Becoming a doctor is an enormous feat that comes with significant debt. So, of course, I hope to graduate debt-free, but this may not be accomplishable. My first step in reducing debt was attending an early college, where I acquired an associate degree in science—reducing my future college debt by 50%, as I will only have to attend university for two years. My second course of action is applying for scholarships like this one. I have applied for well over 50 scholarships since my junior year of high school. I have also applied for numerous school-oriented scholarships and grants. Thirdly, I plan to get a job or participate in a work-study program to pay for my degree. I hope to engage in a program that helps pay for my college and helps build my skills in the future, such as a lab assistant. Finally, I hope that the steps I take within the next two years help me avoid college debt, but more than that, I hope these experiences provide the skills necessary for me to excel in the future.

Henrietta Swan Leavitt, a woman of perseverance, desire, and genius. During her career, she was undermined in the STEM field due to outdated gender structures (misogyny). Leavitt worked without compensation for over seven years, all while upholding a leadership position. She is truly an astronomist of her time – with over 2400 discoveries in her field.

Instagram: okiejess; The thing that makes me most proud to be an LGBTQ+ member is the community that stands up for the rights of others. Throughout history, we have overcome hardships and continue to do so. Standing for justice is just the LGBTQ+ way, and I am truly proud to call myself a member of this community.

Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics have always been predominantly male subjects; men have prevailed in these subjects, while women have been thrown on the back-burner. After experiencing programs in school that are crowded with men, such as TSA (a club that competes with innovative technology), I have developed a desire to eradicate gender norms in these subjects. I hope that I can advocate for a more equal future, in a field that is accepting of all races and genders. Along with this desire, I aspire to help those that are in need through medicine; to aid those that are in underprivileged and poverty-stricken areas. With my inclination to help others it is indisputable I am invested in delving into the STEM field. I believe that my STEM studies will prepare me for a successful career as my go-getting and determined character does not allow me to accept failure. With my future collegiate and doctorate studies, I will be able to start my own clinics and fulfill my desire to help those in need. Another reason I believe a successful career is in my future is due to the job opportunities that STEM allows. Although I am particularly interested in a job in medicine, STEM studies would allow me to pursue other interests like finance or engineering. In my collegiate studies, I plan to take advantage of the plethora of courses offered. This will allow me to experience the true nature of the STEM field and learn hands-on about the field I truly want to pursue. Overall, I am confident that my abilities and learned skills will prepare me for a future STEM career.