In the middle of my eighth grade school year, I was identified as a person with a disability. Initially, I was told that I had a processing disability, and later found out that it was specifically a learning disability, with some ADHD mixed in. Even though I was eligible for extra help, and had to work twice as hard as my friends, I never allowed that to stop me from excelling in school or whatever I set my mind to do. I made it a priority to set goals for myself, both academically and personally. The love of dance, was my first passion as a kid growing up. Throughout my high school career, my perseverance paid off, as I had the privilege of participating in my school’s dance magnet, and competing in multiple dance competitions throughout the state of Florida. I also have a passion for giving back to those less fortunate, which is why I signed up to volunteer to work with Prek students with autism in my junior year. I understood what it felt like to be different and wanted to help children learn how to turn their challenge into triumph from an early age. Working alongside the teacher, I helped 4 year old students use play to develop communication and social skills. I recognized, early in life, how important it is to my future to obtain a college degree, so I began mapping out an educational plan for myself. I realize that higher education offers each generation the opportunity to exceed the accomplishments of the generations that came before it. I set my sites on enrollment at Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (FAMU) to pursue my career goal of one day becoming a broadcast journalist. Now, as I navigate my college years, staying encouraged and maintaining my focus becomes more and more difficult, due to the many distractions that I face on a daily basis. During my first few semesters at FAMU, I have worked extremely hard to become an active part of our student body, while maintaining a GPA of 3.8 and building my resume to reflect my personal and professional efforts, such as serving as the Copy Editor for Journey Magazine, the anchorwoman for the weather and entertainment segments for the school’s news outlet, as a resident assistant for on-campus housing, while also participating, as an active member of the Mahogany Dance Theater. Because I have such passion for giving back to the generation coming up behind mine, I am hoping to make my stamp on the world, through the gifts that I have been given, and will encourage others from similar upbringings to recognize their own potential. With this opportunity, I will continue to be an advocate for giving back to my community, specifically to young people, like myself, who often set goals but feel as if they're constantly unnoticed and or not good enough. I want to represent those voices and be the example for others to continue to keep persevering and following your dreams, no matter what challenges are thrown in your path. Earning a degree will not only help me to become a productive citizen in society, but it will also allow me to give back to a community that has given so much to me. As once stated by Benjamin Franklin, “An investment in knowledge pays the best interest.” I appreciate your consideration of me as a recipient of the Robert Lee, Sr. and Bernice Williams Memorial Scholarship Fund opportunity, and look forward to hearing from you soon.

The definition of a goal is the object of a person's ambition or effort. We as humans develop the process of setting goals at a young age, whether it be long term or short. When I think of the goals that i have set for myself, I think of a race. I am constantly running full speed ahead to a never ending finish line of purpose. It is the goal itself that keeps me running, and the overall benefit and impact of that goal that instills in me the stamina to finish the race beyond what I believe to be my own limitations. My immediate goals are to successfully complete my undergraduate studies and to enter the world of journalism. College life provides students with more than an opportunity for higher learning in academics, it also provides opportunities for higher learning about life. It is the safe place for teenagers to truly transition into adulthood. This critical time in life is where young adults, like myself, can apply the methods that were taught to us by our parents and teachers, in the real world setting. Now as onlookers, parents can celebrate with us when we get things correct, while walking us through it when we get them wrong. I have chosen the field of journalism because I enjoy and value the art of written expression. I have always possessed a vivid imagination, while converting such color into words, and having the ability to play on words (while breaking some of the rules to convey a point) has provided me with a sense of rebellion during my teenage years. I enjoy providing the reader with the tools and the foundation that he/she needs to derive their own personal meeting from a text that I have composed, so the results or outcome of my writing has always been my reward. On my continuous journey of pursuing the goals that I have set for myself, I am super excited about the opportunities that lie before me. As a journalist major, I will continue to be an advocate for giving back to my community, specifically to young people, like myself, who often set goals but feel as if they’re constantly unnoticed and considered a minority in society. I want to represent those voices and be the example for others to continue to keep persevering and following their dreams. As Michelle Obama once said, “Success isn’t about how much money you make, it’s about the difference you make in people’s lives.”

The biggest problem facing the world right now is that we have lost our sense of community. The human race has always excelled and navigated through past issues or injuries because the desire to come together and support and love each other as humans was a critical part of our existence. Problem solving and holding each other accountable was the responsibility of the masses. Individualism is now the new priority. We live in a society today where self preservation is not the 1st law of nature, but "only" law of nature, and the current climate in which we are living is evidence of this type of mentality. We are now reaping the benefits of the seeds that we are planting, thru an ongoing world pandemic, violence at an all time high, compassion and tolerance at an all time low. The answer in solving this issue is to reestablish a sense of community. Reemphasizing and reinforcing that "you are indeed your brothers' keeper) would help change the global mentality. Because social media is the new way of life, and allows images and concepts to be communicated to the masses, I believe that flooding our mass communications portals with images of intact families, and communities working together would be the start of reversing the direction that we traveling. Involving the news media in supporting such images would also be helpful as they play a vital role in telling stories and shaping concepts in an effort to reestablish a culture of togetherness, instead of maintaining one of separation.

In the middle of my eighth grade year, I was identified as a person with a disability. Initially, I was told that I had a processing disability, and later found out that it was specifically a learning disability, with some ADHD mixed in. Even though I was eligible for extra help, and had to work twice as hard as my friends, I never allowed that to stop me from excelling in school, nor would I use it as a crutch to not go over and beyond my very best! I made it a priority to set goals for myself, educationally and personally. Goals are important because they become the object of a person's ambition and/or effort. The love of dance, was my first passion as a kid growing up. Throughout my high school career, my efforts paid off, as I had the privilege of participating in my school’s dance magnet, and competing in multiple dance competitions throughout the state of Florida. During the summer months, I shared my love of dance by working with my studio’s dance camp and teaching small children the art of dance, which was no easy task!!! I embraced the passion of my 1st dance teacher and wanted to provide quality dance instruction to urban girls, who would otherwise not be able to afford such formal training. My hope was that one day they too would be able to use dance as an outlet to overcome the many barriers that life would throw at them, as it had done for me. Because I have such passion for giving back to the generation coming up behind mine, I also signed up to volunteer to work with prekindergarten students on the spectrum of autism. I understood what it felt like to be different and wanted to help children learn how to turn their challenge into triumph, from an early age. Working alongside the teacher, I helped 4 year old students in using creative play to develop communication/social skills, which can be extremely hard for this population of children. While teaching them, I learned a lot about my own strengths and vulnerabilities. Their ability to trust, combined with their willingness to take risks, inspired me to reflect inward and celebrate the best parts of myself while continuing to strive for greatness. As a college student I am super excited about the opportunities that lie before me. On my continuous journey of pursuing my goals, I am looking forward to earning a college degree. With this given opportunity, I will continue to be an advocate for giving back to my community, specifically to young people, like myself, who often set goals but feel as if they’re constantly unnoticed and considered a minority in society. I want to represent those voices and be the example for others to continue to keep persevering and following their dreams. As Michelle Obama once said, “Success isn’t about how much money you make, it’s about the difference you make in people’s lives.”

In the middle of my eighth grade year, I was identified as a person with a disability. Initially, I was told that I had a processing disability, and later found out that it was specifically a learning disability, with some ADHD mixed in. Even though I was eligible for extra help, and had to work twice as hard as my friends, I never allowed that to stop me from excelling in school, nor would I use it as a crutch to not go over and beyond my very best! I made it a priority to set goals for myself, educationally and personally. Goals are important because they become the object of a person's ambition and/or effort. The love of dance, was my first passion as a kid growing up. Throughout my high school career, my efforts paid off, as I had the privilege of participating in my school’s dance magnet, and competing in multiple dance competitions throughout the state of Florida. During the summer months, I shared my love of dance by working with my studio’s dance camp and teaching small children the art of dance, which was no easy task!!! I embraced the passion of my 1st dance teacher and wanted to provide quality dance instruction to urban girls, who would otherwise not be able to afford such formal training. My hope was that one day they too would be able to use dance as an outlet to overcome the many barriers that life would throw at them, as it had done for me. Because I have such passion for giving back to the generation coming up behind mine, I also signed up to volunteer to work with prekindergarten students on the spectrum of autism. I understood what it felt like to be different and wanted to help children learn how to turn their challenge into triumph, from an early age. Working alongside the teacher, I helped 4 year old students in using creative play to develop communication/social skills, which can be extremely hard for this population of children. While teaching them, I learned a lot about my own strengths and vulnerabilities. Their ability to trust, combined with their willingness to take risks, inspired me to reflect inward and celebrate the best parts of myself while continuing to strive for greatness. As an African American college student, breaking into the world of Journalism, I am super excited about the opportunities that lie before me. On my continuous journey of pursuing my goals, I am looking forward to earning a college degree. With this given opportunity, I will continue to be an advocate for giving back to my community, specifically to young people, like myself, who often set goals but feel as if they’re constantly unnoticed and considered a minority in society. I want to represent those voices and be the example for others to continue to keep persevering and following their dreams. As Michelle Obama once said, “Success isn’t about how much money you make, it’s about the difference you make in people’s lives.”

In the middle of my eighth grade year, I was identified as a person with a disability. Initially, I was told that I had a processing disability, and later found out that it was specifically a learning disability, with some ADHD mixed in. Even though I was eligible for extra help, and had to work twice as hard as my friends, I never allowed that to stop me from excelling in school, nor would I use it as a crutch to not go over and beyond my very best! I made it a priority to set goals for myself, educationally and personally. Goals are important because they become the object of a person's ambition and/or effort. The love of dance, was my first passion as a kid growing up. Throughout my high school career, my efforts paid off, as I had the privilege of participating in my school’s dance magnet, and competing in multiple dance competitions throughout the state of Florida. During the summer months, I shared my love of dance by working with my studio’s dance camp and teaching small children the art of dance, which was no easy task!!! I embraced the passion of my 1st dance teacher and wanted to provide quality dance instruction to urban girls, who would otherwise not be able to afford such formal training. My hope was that one day they too would be able to use dance as an outlet to overcome the many barriers that life would throw at them, as it had done for me. Because I have such passion for giving back to the generation coming up behind mine, I also signed up to volunteer to work with prekindergarten students on the spectrum of autism. I understood what it felt like to be different and wanted to help children learn how to turn their challenge into triumph, from an early age. Working alongside the teacher, I helped 4 year old students in using creative play to develop communication/social skills, which can be extremely hard for this population of children. While teaching them, I learned a lot about my own strengths and vulnerabilities. Their ability to trust, combined with their willingness to take risks, inspired me to reflect inward and celebrate the best parts of myself while continuing to strive for greatness. As a college student I am super excited about the opportunities that lie before me. On my continuous journey of pursuing my goals, I am looking forward to earning a college degree. With this given opportunity, I will continue to be an advocate for giving back to my community, specifically to young people, like myself, who often set goals but feel as if they’re constantly unnoticed and considered a minority in society. I want to represent those voices and be the example for others to continue to keep persevering and following their dreams. As Michelle Obama once said, “Success isn’t about how much money you make, it’s about the difference you make in people’s lives.”

In the middle of my eighth grade year, I was identified as a person with a disability. Initially, I was told that I had a processing disability, and later found out that it was specifically a learning disability, with some ADHD mixed in. Even though I was eligible for extra help, and had to work twice as hard as my friends, I never allowed that to stop me from excelling in school, nor would I use it as a crutch to not go over and beyond my very best! I made it a priority to set goals for myself, educationally and personally. Goals are important because they become the object of a person's ambition and/or effort. The love of dance, was my first passion as a kid growing up. Throughout my high school career, my efforts paid off, as I had the privilege of participating in my school’s dance magnet, and competing in multiple dance competitions throughout the state of Florida. During the summer months, I shared my love of dance by working with my studio’s dance camp and teaching small children the art of dance, which was no easy task!!! I embraced the passion of my 1st dance teacher and wanted to provide quality dance instruction to urban girls, who would otherwise not be able to afford such formal training. My hope was that one day they too would be able to use dance as an outlet to overcome the many barriers that life would throw at them, as it had done for me. Because I have such passion for giving back to the generation coming up behind mine, I also signed up to volunteer to work with prekindergarten students on the spectrum of autism. I understood what it felt like to be different and wanted to help children learn how to turn their challenge into triumph, from an early age. Working alongside the teacher, I helped 4 year old students in using creative play to develop communication/social skills, which can be extremely hard for this population of children. While teaching them, I learned a lot about my own strengths and vulnerabilities. Their ability to trust, combined with their willingness to take risks, inspired me to reflect inward and celebrate the best parts of myself while continuing to strive for greatness. As a college student I am super excited about the opportunities that lie before me. On my continuous journey of pursuing my goals, I am looking forward to earning a college degree. With this given opportunity, I will continue to be an advocate for giving back to my community, specifically to young people, like myself, who often set goals but feel as if they’re constantly unnoticed and considered a minority in society. I want to represent those voices and be the example for others to continue to keep persevering and following their dreams. As Michelle Obama once said, “Success isn’t about how much money you make, it’s about the difference you make in people’s lives.”

In the middle of my eighth grade year, I was identified as a person with a disability. Initially, I was told that I had a processing disability, and later found out that it was specifically a learning disability, with some ADHD mixed in. Even though I was eligible for extra help, and had to work twice as hard as my friends, I never allowed that to stop me from excelling in school, nor would I use it as a crutch to not go over and beyond my very best! I made it a priority to set goals for myself, educationally and personally. Goals are important because they become the object of a person's ambition and/or effort. The love of dance, was my first passion as a kid growing up. Throughout my high school career, my efforts paid off, as I had the privilege of participating in my school’s dance magnet, and competing in multiple dance competitions throughout the state of Florida. During the summer months, I shared my love of dance by working with my studio’s dance camp and teaching small children the art of dance, which was no easy task!!! I embraced the passion of my 1st dance teacher and wanted to provide quality dance instruction to urban girls, who would otherwise not be able to afford such formal training. My hope was that one day they too would be able to use dance as an outlet to overcome the many barriers that life would throw at them, as it had done for me. Because I have such passion for giving back to the generation coming up behind mine, I also signed up to volunteer to work with prekindergarten students on the spectrum of autism. I understood what it felt like to be different and wanted to help children learn how to turn their challenge into triumph, from an early age. Working alongside the teacher, I helped 4 year old students in using creative play to develop communication/social skills, which can be extremely hard for this population of children. While teaching them, I learned a lot about my own strengths and vulnerabilities. Their ability to trust, combined with their willingness to take risks, inspired me to reflect inward and celebrate the best parts of myself while continuing to strive for greatness. As a college student I am super excited about the opportunities that lie before me. On my continuous journey of pursuing my goals, I am looking forward to earning a college degree. With this given opportunity, I will continue to be an advocate for giving back to my community, specifically to young people, like myself, who often set goals but feel as if they’re constantly unnoticed and considered a minority in society. I want to represent those voices and be the example for others to continue to keep persevering and following their dreams. As Michelle Obama once said, “Success isn’t about how much money you make, it’s about the difference you make in people’s lives.”

With the ever changing economy, and the current times that we are living through, staying encouraged and maintaining one's focus becomes more and more difficult. As a college sophomore, from a single family home, I am constantly having to find creative ways to finance a higher education. I recognized, early on, how important it is to my future to obtain a college degree, so I began planning. I participated in a dual-enrollment program during high school and took Advanced Placement (AP) courses, so that I could take advantage of getting an early start on my collegiate pathway, and minimizing the number of courses that I would have to finance after graduation. This scholarship would assist in furthering my efforts to obtain my Bachelors of Science degree in Journalism, while ultimately affording me the opportunity to prepare myself for the future, without the limitation of having a lack of funding, as a barrier. I made it a priority to set goals for myself, both educationally and personally. Goals are important because they become the object of a person's ambition and/or effort. The love of dance, was my first passion as a kid growing up, and though I still enjoy dancing, my focus and passion have evolved into that of using my voice to make a difference in the world, through the art of Journalism. Because I have such passion for giving back to the generation coming up behind mine, I am hoping to make my stamp on the world, through the gifts that I have been given, will encourage others from similar upbringing to recognize their own potential. With this given opportunity, I will continue to be an advocate for giving back to my community, specifically to young people, like myself, who often set goals but feel as if they're constantly unnoticed and considered a minority in society. I want to represent those voices and be the example for others to continue to keep persevering and following their dreams. As Michelle Obama once said, "Success isn't about how much money you make, it's about the difference you make in people's lives." I appreciate your consideration of me as a recipient of this scholarship opportunity.

I made it a priority to set goals for myself, educationally and personally. Goals are important because they become the object of a person's ambition and/or effort. The love of dance, was my first passion as a kid growing up. During the summer months, I shared my love of dance by working with my studio’s dance camp and teaching small children the art of dance, which was no easy task!!! I wanted to provide quality dance instruction to urban girls, who would otherwise not be able to afford such formal training. My hope was that one day they too would be able to use dance as an outlet to overcome the many barriers that life would throw at them, as it had done for me. Because I have such passion for giving back, I also signed up to volunteer to work with prekindergarten students on the spectrum of autism. I understood what it felt like to be different and wanted to help children learn how to turn their challenge into triumph, from an early age. Working alongside the teacher, I helped 4 year old students in using creative play to develop communication/social skills. While teaching them, I learned a lot about my own strengths and vulnerabilities. Their ability to trust, combined with their willingness to take risks, inspired me to reflect inward and celebrate the best parts of myself. I am looking forward to earning a college degree. With this opportunity, I will continue to be an advocate for giving back to my community, specifically to young people, like myself, who often set goals but feel as if they’re constantly unnoticed and considered a minority in society.

In the middle of my eighth grade year, I was identified as a person with a disability. Initially, I was told that I had a processing disability, and later found out that it was specifically a learning disability, with some ADHD mixed in. Even though I was eligible for extra help, and had to work twice as hard as my friends, I never allowed that to stop me from excelling in school, nor would I use it as a crutch to not go over and beyond my very best! I made it a priority to set goals for myself, educationally and personally. Goals are important because they become the object of a person's ambition and/or effort. The love of dance, was my first passion as a kid growing up. Throughout my high school career, my efforts paid off, as I had the privilege of participating in my school’s dance magnet, and competing in multiple dance competitions throughout the state of Florida. During the summer months, I shared my love of dance by working with my studio’s dance camp and teaching small children the art of dance, which was no easy task!!! I embraced the passion of my 1st dance teacher and wanted to provide quality dance instruction to urban girls, who would otherwise not be able to afford such formal training. My hope was that one day they too would be able to use dance as an outlet to overcome the many barriers that life would throw at them, as it had done for me. Because I have such passion for giving back to the generation coming up behind mine, I also signed up to volunteer to work with prekindergarten students on the spectrum of autism. I understood what it felt like to be different and wanted to help children learn how to turn their challenge into triumph, from an early age. Working alongside the teacher, I helped 4 year old students in using creative play to develop communication/social skills, which can be extremely hard for this population of children. While teaching them, I learned a lot about my own strengths and vulnerabilities. Their ability to trust, combined with their willingness to take risks, inspired me to reflect inward and celebrate the best parts of myself while continuing to strive for greatness. As an existing college student, I am super excited about the opportunities that lie before me. On my continuous journey of pursuing my goals, I am looking forward to earning a college degree. With this given opportunity, I will continue to be an advocate for giving back to my community, specifically to young people, like myself, who often set goals but feel as if they’re constantly unnoticed and considered a minority in society. I want to represent those voices and be the example for others to continue to keep persevering and following their dreams. As Michelle Obama once said, “Success isn’t about how much money you make, it’s about the difference you make in people’s lives.”