Growing up I have always had a fascination with all things science.I always had endless questions about why or how something came to be. It was because of my endless curiosity that I knew I wanted to pursue college. A place where I could choose what to learn sounded like a dream to me. My mama knew from the very start where my passion lied. I wanted to pursue science even if it wasn't as well paying as something in the medical or law field. I use to have doubt and worried about our finances even though my mama tried to shield my younger sister and I from her struggles. She refused to let me pursue something I wouldn't enjoy in an effort to support her latter in life. I was and still am forever grateful that she encouraged my love for science so much. For the most part I dithered between doing something I know I would like and doing something that I knew would pay well and would help other people. I lost my mama to COVID shortly before my 16th birthday. My entire world felt upside down. Watching my mama be loaded into an ambulance was the 3rd hardest thing I ever had to do in my life. Watching her fade away in a hospital bed, not even able to be in the same room as her was the second. Hearing my gran tell me my mama was gone was the worst day of my life. Two months after, on my 16th birthday I still felt discombobulated. I walked around the house expecting her to be there and she wasn't. I moved in with my older sister shortly after. It took a very long time before I felt normal. Even longer for me to stop feeling guilty for feeling normal. Every milestone she missed was like I lost her again. Even still I refused to disappoint her. She never really expressed it in words, but I know she wanted great things for me. My passion for science may have dimmed, but only temporarily. I took my sophomore and junior year in the span of 5 months. I took a forensic science and investigation class and immediately fell in love. I made friends , got a job, and graduated on time. I did everything I could to be prepared to face my next challenges. I still think about my mama when I watch movies or her an old song on the radio. It still makes me sad, but it also makes me smile cause I know exactly what she would say if she could see me now.

Going to college has always been a dream I wanted to share with my mama. No one else in my family has ever completed their college education. My mama and older sister started but were never able to finish due to lack of funding. Now even though my mama won't see me graduate high school or college I know she would be proud of me for continuing our dream. That is why this scholarship is so important to me. It's a way to get closer to my mama and the dream we shared. My family has always just managed to make ends meet, but I always wanted to help my mama and siblings more. Unfortunately, my mama passed a few months before I turned 16. Though I am grateful to still be able to live with close family(my oldest sister) I am still in a place where paying for college on my own is not at all possible. I currently live with my older sister, younger sister, nephew, and family friend. After my mama passed my older sister took in my younger sister and I. She couldn't afford to take care of both of us and her son by herself, so Jared; her close friend, also moved in to help take care of us. The two of them completely changed their lives to take care of my younger sister and I. I'm still not sure how I can ever repay them. However, I believe being able to take care of them in return in the future is a good start. Jared went from a single man living alone to a single man living with 2 teenagers and a toddler. Nevertheless, in the time we've lived together, he has made us feel more than welcome. He even helped me find my passion for science when I thought I had lost it. Without him I don't believe I would ever have tried to continue my Mama's dream or strive for my career goals. Though he didn't do it all by himself. My oldest sister has always encouraged my ambition and she even goes out of her way to detail some of her experiences with deciding her major and career when she tried college. She has been the inspiration I needed to firmly decide on the career I want to have. These influences during the hardest time of my life are why I'm able to pursue this scholarship. I plan to become a Forensic DNA analyst. I want to use the skills I learned to help people when they feel helpless or at the lowest point in their lives. As well as helping those who have so greatly sacrificed for my benefit and well-being. I want to become so good at what I do that I inspire others to do the same!

Going to college has always been a dream I wanted to share with my mama. No one else in my family has ever completed their college education. My mama and older sister started but were never able to finish due to lack of funding. Now even though my mama won't see me graduate high school or college I know she would be proud of me for continuing our dream. That is why this scholarship is so important to me. It's a way to get closer to my mama and the dream we shared. My family has always just managed to make ends meet, but I always wanted to help my mama and siblings more. Unfortunately, my mama passed a few months before I turned 16. Though I am grateful to still be able to live with close family(my oldest sister) I am still in a place where paying for college on my own is not at all possible. I currently live with my older sister, younger sister, nephew, and family friend. After my mama passed my older sister took in my younger sister and I. She couldn't afford to take care of both of us and her son by herself, so Jared; her close friend, also moved in to help take care of us. The two of them completely changed their lives to take care of my younger sister and I. I'm still not sure how I can ever repay them. However, I believe being able to take care of them in return in the future is a good start. Jared went from a single man living alone to a single man living with 2 teenagers and a toddler. Nevertheless, in the time we've lived together, he has made us feel more than welcome. He has taught me many things from taxes to how to fill out a job application. He even helped me find my passion for science when I thought I had lost it. Without him I don't believe I would ever have tried to continue my Mama's dream or strive for my career goals. Though he didn't do it all by himself. My oldest sister has always encouraged my ambition and she even goes out of her way to detail some of her experiences with deciding her major and career when she tried college. She has been the inspiration I needed to firmly decide on the career I want to have. These influences during the hardest time of my life are why I'm able to pursue this scholarship. Receiving this scholarship will be beneficial to achieving my goal of becoming a Forensic DNA analyst. As well as helping those who have so greatly sacrificed for my benefit and well-being.

Growing up I have always had a fascination with all things science.I always had endless questions about why or how something came to be. It was because of my endless curiosity that I knew I wanted to pursue college. A place where I could choose what to learn sounded like a dream to me. It wasn't until I met my 7th grade teacher that I knew for sure that I wanted to pursue science even if it wasn't as well paying as something in the medical field. My teacher often went out of her way to help me conduct small experiments to help answer my many questions about the world. I was and still am forever grateful that she encouraged my love for science so much. Still at that point in time I really wanted to be able to support my mama with the career I chose. For the most part I dithered between doing something I know I would like and doing something that I knew would pay well and would help other people. It wasn't until my mama passed and I had to move in with my sister that I made up my mind. Jared was my sister's roommate who helped take care of my younger sister and I after our mama passed. Losing my mama just before I turned 16 was extremely hard for me. I had lost so much of my passion and love for science that I used to have. On top of that I felt like I owed Jared and my sister a debt for taking my sister and I when they were already swamped with their own financial situation. At that point I was considering dropping science in order to pursue a more financially beneficial career. I had confided in Jared about my indecision and in turn he told me his story of finding both something he was passionate about and good at after a lot if trial and error. Now he is doing something he loves and he encouraged me to do the same. At the same time I was taking a forensic science and investigation class and I quickly became enamored. It was still hard but I no longer felt guilty for having moments of happiness in my time of mourning. Forensics was a neet combination of all my interests. Being a forensic DNA analyst involves helping people, biology, and chemistry. I was excited that I had found my niche just like Jared had. I knew then that forensic scientist was what I wanted to be and biology was the major I needed to pursue it. After I had found my determination my oldest sister encouraged my ambition. We often joke about the big house I will buy her when I make more money than her. She even goes out of her way to detail some of her experiences with deciding her major and career when she started college. She was another inspiration I needed to firmly decide on the career I want to have. Now my interest, passion, and ability are better than ever and I know studying to be a DNA analyst is a goal i am more than ready to accomplish.

Growing up I have always had a fascination with all things science.I always had endless questions about why or how something came to be. It was because of my endless curiosity that I knew I wanted to pursue college. A place where I could choose what to learn sounded like a dream to me. It wasn't until I met my 7th grade teacher that I knew for sure that I wanted to pursue science even if it wasn't as well paying as something in medical. She often went out of her way to help me conduct small experiments to help answer my many questions about the world. I was and still am forever grateful that she encouraged my love for science so much. Still at that point in time I really wanted to be able to support my mama with the career I chose. For the most part I dithered between doing something I know I would like and doing something that I knew would pay well and would help other people. It wasn't until my mama passed and I had to move in with my sister that I made up my mind. Jared was my sister's roommate who helped take care of my younger sister and I after our mama passed. Losing my mama just before I turned 16 was extremely hard for me. I had lost so much of my passion and love for science that I used to have. I felt like I owed Jared and my sister a debt for taking my sister and I when they were already swamped with their own financial situation. At that point I was considering dropping science in order to pursue a more financially beneficial career. I had confused in Jared about my indecision and in try he told me his story of finding both something he was passionate about and good at after a lot if trial and error. Now he is doing something he loves and he encouraged me to do the same. At the same time I was taking a forensic science and investigation class and after I quickly became enamored. It was still hard but I no longer felt guilty for having moments of happiness in my time of mourning. Forensics was a neet combination of all my interests. It involves helping people, biology, and chemistry and quickly become my favorite class. I was excited that I had found my niche just like Jared had. I knew then that forensic scientist was what I wanted to be and biology was the major I needed to pursue it. After I had found my determination my oldest sister encouraged my ambition. We often joke about the big house I will buy her when I make more money than her. She even goes out of her way to detail some of her experiences with deciding her major and career when she started college. She was another inspiration I needed to firmly decide on the career I want to have. Now my interest, passion, and ability are better than ever and I know studying biology is what I am ment to do.

Going to college has always been a dream I wanted to share with my mama. No one else in my family has ever completed their college education. My mama and older sister started but were never able to finish due to lack of funding. Now even though my mama won't see me graduate high school or college I know she would be proud of me for continuing our dream. That is why this scholarship is so important to me. It's a way to get closer to my mama and the dream we shared. My family has always just managed to make ends meet, but I always wanted to help my mama and siblings more. Unfortunately, my mama passed a few months before I turned 16. Though I am grateful to still be able to live with close family(my oldest sister) I am still in a place where paying for college on my own is not at all possible. I currently live with my older sister, younger sister, nephew, and family friend. After my mama passed my older sister took in my younger sister and I. She couldn't afford to take care of both of us and her son by herself, so Jared; her close friend, also moved in to help take care of us. The two of them completely changed their lives to take care of my younger sister and I. I'm still not sure how I can ever repay them. However, I believe being able to take care of them in return in the future is a good start. Jared went from a single man living alone to a single man living with 2 teenagers and a toddler. Nevertheless, in the time we've lived together, he has made us feel more than welcome. He has taught me many things from taxes to how to fill out a job application. He even helped me find my passion for science when I thought I had lost it. Without him I don't believe I would ever have tried to continue my Mama's dream or strive for my career goals. Though he didn't do it all by himself. My oldest sister has always encouraged my ambition and we often joke about the big house I will buy her when I make more money than her. She even goes out of her way to detail some of her experiences with deciding her major and career when she started college. She has been the inspiration I needed to firmly decide on the career I want to have. These influences during the hardest time of my life are why I'm able to pursue this scholarship. Receiving this scholarship will be beneficial to achieveing my goal of becoming a Forensic DNA analyst. As well as helping those who have so greatly sacrificed for my benefit and well-being.