Mississippi has a population of 2.95 million people. Out of those 2 million, 5,857 are active physicians and out of that 5,867 only 296 are anesthesiologists. Mississippi has given me so much but I have always wondered what I could ever give back to it. We often get a bad reputation here in Mississippi. No good news comes from us which is very frustrating. Whenever we make a national headline it is depressing or dangerous. I have thought about leaving a lot but as I'm getting older and the world is becoming more and more real, I am debating my decision. Instead of moving away from the problem, what is stopping me from changing and nurturing the problem? Every place has its vices. When I was a little girl I loved snow cones and I still do to this day. I loved the summer because to me it was unlimited snow cones. I took walks by the lake with my grandmother, I rode my bike around, and I swam in the pool that is in my neighborhood. All of this took place in Mississippi. We do not have much but we have just enough to create great memories that will last us a lifetime. We do not have much money and we didn't back then but my parents always made sure I didn't feel different than the other kids. They made sure Mississippi gave me as much as it could offer me. I have always had a love for chemistry and biology. I love it because it never changes. Each year I just go more in-depth but it is the same concept. The same goes for Mississippi. Sure we get new buildings, new restaurants, etc, but the soul stays the same. It never goes out of style. I hope to give back to this beautiful state once I establish myself. I would like to raise my family here and show them the comfort of silence. The slow pace of Mississippi is something that you can not find anywhere else. I plan on attending school In-state during Fall 2023. I will have to rely heavily on loans because tuition is extremely high even with the academic scholarships added. I have applied to various scholarships with zero luck so far but I am keeping my head up regardless. I pour my heart out because I am passionate about my interests and I am confident in what I can do in the future.

My favorite song on '1989' is by far 'Syle'. 2014 was the year of tumblr girls, Pinterest boards, Coachella outfits and unicorn frappuccinos. Growing up in a small town in Mississippi, all you could do was pray that God would bless you with the lifestyle of an LA teenager. Seeing 'Syle' pop up on my YouTube homepage changed my life forever and I promise I'm not being dramatic. I play that song till this day wheather it be in the car or on a speaker while im in the shower. I'm now 18 and I still wish that I could've grown up in LA during 2014-2016, but I am also greatful I didn't. The way I consumed this song just wouldn't have been the same it I got the life I wished for. The summer afternoons I spent laying on the trampoline with my eyes closed listening to this song were worth more than anything I could've asked for. We all want things we cant have but just having those moments where I could walk around the countryside and experience my own 2014 summer with the help of this amazing song was one of my most fondest memories. Of course now that people are getting older and I see how many other girls yearned for that experience, it even more special than before. We all bond in the comment section of Tik Tok about begging our moms to take us to buy Kylie Lip kits and crying that the unicorn frappe wasn't available in our small town with no Starbucks for miles. 'Style' was the reason I had an interest in my moms matte red lipstick and a huge obsession with her drama with Harry Styles. Now my favorite song by Taylor is 'Afterglow' which I feel is the perfect transition song into adulthood from 'Style'. It has the same glowing essence but it focuses in on the less dreamy aspects of relationships. 'Style' shows us the toxicness for her relationship but in a dreamy way that's easy to consume but 'Afterglow' shows us the downsides of her relationship but she now owns up to how its affecting her life and her feelings. Her albums grow up with us and that is yet another reason why I love the '1989' album so much. '1989' pulls you back to that kid you were and just lets you live in it. There isn't a single dull moment on the album and none of the songs grow old as if you're looking into a picture frame. Overall just like the song insists 'Style' will never go out of style and for that reason It is my favorite song.

Being a good example for other people has always been a goal of mine. Playing softball has given me amazing opportunities to give back to my community and campus in ways I have never thought of. I didn't think I could make an impact on people's lives by just doing simple tasks and it only fueled me to do much more. Service has become a passion of mine and it has sparked old interests within me. It sparked my love of the arts and it gave me healthy hobbies. Being a leader has shown me that it only takes a little bit of love for what you do to change a person's entire life for the better. It has also connected me to people of different backgrounds such as the deaf community and also given me the motivation to learn new languages. Whether it be sports or going to elementary schools and helping the children get out of their cars. Overall leadership has made an amazing impact on my life and my school's campus. I was caught in a shooting at my local mall and that incident gave me more insight into what I wanted to do in my life. Growing up I was never thoroughly warned of the wrath that other humans around me could possess. I knew of shootings and crime but I never thought that things of that nature could make their way to me. It was almost surreal and it made me interested in the minds of others. Why would they do something like this? How did they conclude that this is the only solution to their problem? I stayed up for the rest of that week thinking of those things and I wondered how things like that could alter your life for better or worse. It completely altered my life path. From that day forward I wanted to live my life with no regrets. I have always been scared about going to college and being on my own. I spent some much time being depressed over something that many kids didn’t get to experience because of gun violence. I want to be an anesthesiologist and go to school to major in biochemistry. Black areas have been stigmatized and riddled with crime due to the systematic racism we face. I want to do my part in my career by helping people who have been injured due to this. I would love to be a part of life-saving operations and send our people back home safe and healthy. That day in the mall was the scariest day of my life and to this day it's hard to share with others. Sharing this right now and having the opportunity to change people's lives makes it all worth it. Ever since the beginning I wanted to make an impact on my new community.

105-degree heat is what we had to play in all summer long. We finished our spring season in May and had to jump right into a new season in the fall. Weather practice was at 6 am or 9 pm I was there. Through rain sleet and hail I brought myself up to the softball field to play the best softball I knew how. I started my softball career as a 2nd baseman. Everything on that field must be earned. That concept was hard to grasp for some people but growing up with a baseball coach as a parent that’s all I heard. We must earn a spot in this life. The world knows nothing of handouts. People often overlook what struggles student-athletes have to face. We are bombarded with tough competition but we push through with a smile on our faces every day. We are pushed to our absolute limit all for it to end in the blink of an eye. All the hard work we put in, all the late practices, all the workouts, and all the arguments with fellow teammates will all just be a memory no matter how far you reach. Playing softball gave me some of the best experiences. It also taught me how to preserver through hardships. I started softball late. Just like ballet or basketball, you must start early. Having a baseball coach as a dad you may be wondering why I didn’t play. I was more interested in music and dance. I picked up gymnastics and I sang my heart out for the longest time till my eyes landed on softball. Something about it just compelled me to try it out. They were under the leadership of a new coach that year and I ended up making the cut. Being a good example for other people has always been a goal of mine. Playing softball has given me amazing opportunities to give back to my community and campus in ways I have never thought of. I didn't think I could make an impact on people's lives by just doing simple tasks and it only fueled me to do much more. Service has become a passion of mine and it has sparked old interests within me. It sparked my love of the arts and it gave me healthy hobbies. Being a leader has shown me that it only takes a little bit of love for what you do to change a person's entire life for the better. It has also connected me to people of different backgrounds such as the deaf community and also given me the motivation to learn new languages. Overall softball has made an amazing impact on my life and my school's campus.

Moving to a new school during freshman year was tough. You move away from your support systems and all of the bonds that you have worked so hard to build. Ever since the beginning I wanted to make an impact on my new community. Whether it be sports or going to elementary schools and helping the children get out of their cars. Being a good example for other people has always been a goal of mine. Reading Novels has given me amazing opportunities to give back to my community and campus in ways I have never thought of. I didn't think I could make an impact on people's lives by just doing simple tasks and it only fueled me to do much more. Service has become a passion of mine because of reading and it has sparked old interests within me. It sparked my love of the arts and it gave me healthy hobbies. Being a leader has shown me that it only takes a little bit of love for what you do to change a person's entire life for the better. It has also connected me to people of different backgrounds such as the deaf community and also given me the motivation to learn new languages. Reading has helped me find ways to connect with people all over the world. It has given me an interest in new things as well. When you can't speak with words then you can find a common place within books. Virginia Woolf once said, “Lock up your libraries if you like; but there is no gate, no lock, no bolt that you can set upon the freedom of my mind.” I firmly believe in what she is saying. Virginia is a pioneer of women's novels and she has inspired me to read more as well. Women have worked so hard to give us the rights we have today and the overlook of reading and books after all that hardship would be a waste. We should help out in our communities and learn more along the way. My goals have changed in ways such as the career I would like to have in the future, which is anesthesiology. I want to use my love of learning and books to help the people around me and help others get to where they would like to go as well. Overall reading has made an amazing impact on my life and my school's campus.

I live in a house with three other siblings and we are close in age. Once one of us graduates the other is headed off through high school or off to college so there will be constant expenses for my parents for a while. This scholarship would help my parent's financial burdens and make life a tad bit easier as I transition into college life and my brother into high school life. My parents have always encouraged me to play sports, join clubs, and volunteer so this would be an amazing surprise for them and a blessing. Moving to a new school during freshman year was tough. You move away from your support systems and all of the bonds that you have worked so hard to build. Ever since the beginning I wanted to make an impact on my new community. Whether it be sports or going to elementary schools and helping the children get out of their cars. Being a good example for other people has always been a goal of mine. I was a shy kid but I also had a lot of things to say so I wanted to find a way to make my mark. Once I moved schools my dad encouraged me to play softball and I instantly fell in love with it. It gave me something to do and a community that participates and gave me a voice. Playing softball has given me amazing opportunities to give back to my community and campus in ways I have never thought of. I didn’t think I could make an impact on people's lives by just doing simple tasks and it only fueled me to do much more. Service has become a passion of mine and it has sparked old interests within me. It sparked my love of the arts and it gave me healthy hobbies. Being a leader has shown me that it only takes a little bit of love for what you do to change a person’s entire life for the better. It has also connected me to people of different backgrounds such as the deaf community and also given me the motivation to learn new languages. I have learned French and Spanish on top of the Korean that I have already been studying for a while. Overall leadership has made an amazing impact on my life and my school’s campus. It has also allowed me to encourage others to get up and help out as well.

The community can be many things but to me, community means to be as one in a time of need. My school has a great sense of community, Sure there are things we don't agree on and not everyone likes each other all the time but when we come together as a community to resolve issues I feel strong. I feel seen by them and feel like my words matter and everyone else's matters just the same. When we come together for our many food drives, fundraisers, football games, etc I feel like I belong. There aren't many of us but we make it work and we make sure we make an impact wherever we go. Seeing how my teachers love and care for us has given me a lot of insight into the type of career I want to pursue. I also come from a long line of teachers, so growing up I constantly heard stories of my family and how they made an impact on their students both in school and outside of school. A lot of them even adopted students to help them have better lives. I plan on teaching while getting my master's degree. I would love t grow minds and help my students realize that they have a lot in store for them and that school is a key part of getting you there. I want to be the teacher that I wish I had growing up. I have amazing teachers now as a high schooler but I wish I had a teacher who was dedicated to shaping my mind into the best I can be. The teachers in my family helped me as much as they could when they had time and I will forever be thankful for them and the way they inspired me to do good in my community on my own. They grew a love of service within me. They changed my way of thinking and they gave a quote that I use often now that I am older and understand it, "You cannot receive God's gifts for you with your hands held closed." So now I give and being a teacher will be the ultimate gift that I can give the world. Hopefully, I can inspire and child to do the same in their life and community. Children deserve to be heard and it is up to us to pass the torch to them and make them amazing individuals.

Not knowing what else to do, I drop my things and run towards the corner of the store. My friends Chloe and Salayka are beside me shivering. More shots ring out as we shiver in fear praying that we aren't trapped inside the building with a mass shooter. My hands are so shaky that I can't even write a text to my mother. I sit in silence while the occasional sound of gunshots pierces my ears. All of a sudden the back door opens and everyone runs out. Salayka slips on the floor and I drag her along with me so she won't be left behind. We rush out of the back exit and we stand there and cry. Salayka calls her parent speaking in a frantic tone in Spanish. I hear her dad on the phone panicking. Chloe calls her mother laughing, this is a different laugh. It's not a laugh of humor but a coping mechanism that both me and her share. I just stand in the parking lot shocked. Growing up I was never thoroughly warned of the wrath that other humans around me could possess. I knew of shootings and crime but I never thought that things of that nature could make their way to me. It was almost surreal and it made me interested in the minds of others. Why would they do something like this? How did they conclude that this is the only solution to their problem? I stayed up for the rest of that week thinking of those things and I wondered how things like that could alter your life for better or worse. That incident gave me more insight into what I wanted to do in my life. It completely altered my life path. From that day forward I wanted to live my life with no regrets. The next week I joined tons of clubs and started getting more into community service. I have always been scared about going to college and being on my own. I spent some much time being depressed over something that many kids didn’t get to experience because of gun violence. I want to be an anesthesiologist and go to school to major in biochemistry. Black areas have been stigmatized and riddled with crime due to the systematic racism we face. I want to do my part in my career by helping people who have been injured due to this. I would love to be a part of life-saving operations and send our people back home safe and healthy. That day in the mall was the scariest day of my life and to this day it's hard to share with others. Sharing this right now and having the opportunity to change people's lives makes it all worth it.

"In a world full of lies who can you run to?" This is something I heard often from my family as a child. In my house something as small as my brother taking a cookie from the cookie jar without permission turned into a lecture but looking back I am tremendously thankful that my parents taught us integrity early on. Honor to me is doing the right thing even when no one is watching and never letting anyone take you astray from your path. Growing up and being different it's not a secret that you will want to find ways to fit in. No one wants to be the girl sitting with the teachers in a lunchroom with 1000+ students. Blending in is a hard thing to do especially if you were never taught how to do so. I grew up in a constant spotlight. I loved to dance so I did gymnastics and I loved to sing so I went with my grandma to her recording studio. Being surrounded by music is what I love. The mean girls of the schoolyard would poke and prod me a lot of the time. When your peers tell you that you aren't normal it hurts. As a grew older I thought to myself: "What is normal?" There are 8 billion people on this planet and there are not that are perfectly you. Your DNA is unmatched by any other human even if you're a twin! Crazy right? Honoring yourself and your gifts is the greatest thing you can do in this life. Honoring your beliefs and doing the right thing will most likely be one of the biggest accomplishments you achieve. There is no such thing as normal. There is no such thing as a standard because we all strive for the same type of fulfillment in different ways. I strive to show honor and integrity within my community by volunteering for as many organizations as I can. My goal is to make people feel special despite what it hears have to say. I've worked with people of old age to newborns and none are comparable. Each of the people I go out into the community and look after has their own stories and wishes. I hope to be a stepping stone for other people to do great things in their life as well. A college education will put me and my work just one step closer to achieving that goal. Invest in me and you will feel my impact ripple through this world.

105 degree heat. 105 degree heat is what we had to play in all summer long. We finished our spring season in May and had to jump right into a new season in the fall. Weather practice was at 6am or 9pm I was there. Through rain sleet and hail I brought myself up to the softball field to play the best softball I knew how. I started my softball career as a 2nd baseman. I was top of the lineup for JV and I sat patiently on the bench for a spot. Everything on that field must be earned. That concept was hard to grasp for some people but growing up with a baseball coach as a parent that’s all I heard. We must earn a spot in this life. The world knows nothing of handouts; but when you’ve given your all to something and its swept under the rug, what do you do then? People often overlook what struggles student athletes have to face. We are bombarded with tough competition but we push through with a smile on our face everyday. We are pushed to our absolute limit all for it to end in the blink of an eye. All the hard work we put in, all the late practices, all the workouts, all the arguments with fellow teammates will all just be a memory no matter how far you reach. Playing softball gave me some of the best experiences. It also taught me how to preserver through the hardships. I started softball late. Just like ballet or basketball you must start early. Having a baseball coach as a dad you may be wondering why I didn’t play. I was more interested in music and dance. I picked up gymnastics and I sang my heart out for the longest time till my eyes landed on softball. Something about it just compelled me to tryout. They were under the leadership of a new coach that year and I ended up making the cut. I was a natural. I quickly became a star on the JV team. I practiced after school and I eventually got a few innings of varsity playing time my sophomore year. That season ended and our school decided to move into a new district. We got a week off and we resumed practicing the following week. The heat wave that summer was unbearable. Most days I would be one of the four kids that would show up to practice. I vowed to never miss. I gradually got better at my game and I earned a full time varsity spot in the outfield junior year. Games started and all the girls who wouldn’t show up started complaining to coach. There is rule that if you miss you don’t play but in order to keep them happy I was benched and we started falling down a rabbit hole. I considered quitting but then I realized that the world values hard work but it also values silence as well. Eventually a new coach was put into place and I got my spot back right away. I ended up having the best season during my senior year with a batting average of .320 to end it. Being an athlete requires a lot of mental toughness and patience. Players have voices and they matter. Players deserve to be heard and treated fairly. Favorites only make the athlete feel as though their efforts aren’t being seen which can lead to problems off the field and/or court as well. Watch out for your athletes and let them know that they’re seen and appreciated.

Have you ever looked around your classroom to see everyone else staring back at you. My pencil was hard at work while I was using the noise in the background to keep me focused. Everything was fine until I heard nothing but silence. “Joiya can you see from there”, my teacher asked as I looked up from my paper. “Yes I can”, was my only response. I didn’t realize I was being made out to be the butt of a joke until I was finally told after class what she had meant. I sat in the very front of her class so I had a bit of a right to be confused. I have small almond eyes that I get from my father and to this day I do not know where we get them from. I have been the victim of harsh ridicule from peers and that day I could add faculty to my list. I’ve always been ok with myself because I had no other choice. I had already been called every slur you could name already. I had no one to confide in besides my family. I had no one like ME to protect me in my school environment. But there was one women that I had grown to love in elementary school and her name was Mrs. Smith. I don’t know where Mrs. Smith is now but she always made sure that I was at the top of my game. She knew i was gifted and she treated me as such. She fixed my curls when they fell out of place. She held me when i needed to cry and no else cared to see about me. She was the only black active teacher at the school. The only teacher that I felt safe to be vulnerable with. I live in the suburbs in an upper middle class household. I go to a private catholic school. In most of my classes I am one of two black girls if I am lucky. I’m going to college to major in Biochemistry. I’m planning on becoming an orthodontist. I want to open a practice and open doors to other black women who would like to peruse a career in dentistry. I want black children to feel safe when they walk into a clinic, dentist office, school, or any place of importance. I know that just like I did, they would like to see more people like us succeeding. I am confident that I can make that happen. I would like to be the role model that little girls look up to. I would like to help spark the drive that every little black girl needs to get out there and be their smart and beautiful selves.