For as long as I can remember, I have aspired to become a doctor, with a particular focus on either anesthesiology or OB-GYN. My passion for helping others drives my ambition to pursue a career in medicine. As I entered high school and began contemplating college, I was acutely aware of the high cost of higher education. Realizing I would need loans or scholarships, I decided not to impose a significant financial burden on my family. Consequently, I set a goal to graduate college debt-free. Understanding the dedication required to become a physician, I have worked hard to build a strong foundation. Throughout middle and high school, I have challenged myself with rigorous academics, taking nine AP classes in addition to honors courses. I have also engaged in extracurricular activities that support my career aspirations. My school offers many opportunities that align with my goals. I am an active member of the HOSA club, where I have participated in special projects, community service, and health-related competitions. A particularly significant accomplishment was being selected for the Honor’s Mentorship program, which allowed me to shadow physicians and nurses in clinical and hospital settings. Over the past two years, I have gained hands-on experience in the Emergency Department and an OB-GYN office, observed surgeries, and developed a deeper understanding of patient care. This experience has been invaluable, helping me build a network of mentors and gaining real-world insights into healthcare. As I prepare to enter college, I am eager to apply my knowledge and continue gaining practical experience. I plan to immerse myself in both academic and extracurricular activities, joining healthcare-related organizations and pursuing internships that will enhance my studies. I am also excited about participating in study and service abroad programs. Exposure to different cultures and healthcare systems will broaden my perspective on global health challenges and improve my adaptability and empathy. By combining academic learning with practical experience and diverse cultural insights, I aim to become a well-rounded healthcare professional capable of making a meaningful impact. Once I become a doctor, I aspire to work with organizations like Doctors Without Borders to advocate for underserved communities. My commitment to community service aligns closely with my career goals. Programs such as Doctors Without Borders offer an ideal platform to merge my passion for helping others with my professional aspirations. Serving in underserved areas will allow me to provide essential medical care where it is most needed, and both OB-GYNs and anesthesiologists play crucial roles in these settings. I am eager to use my skills to positively impact global health and improve access to quality care in under-resourced communities. Being part of such organizations would fulfill my professional ambitions and allow me to make a meaningful contribution to healthcare access and quality. This scholarship is vital to my journey as it represents a significant step toward realizing my dreams. I have invested countless hours balancing rigorous academics, extracurricular activities, and hands-on experiences. Receiving this scholarship would alleviate the financial burden of college expenses, allowing me to focus on my studies and professional development without the constant worry of accumulating debt. It would enable me to fully engage in my college experience, seize valuable opportunities, and pursue my goal of becoming a physician dedicated to serving others. By easing financial constraints, this scholarship would empower me to remain committed to my educational and professional aspirations and ultimately contribute meaningfully to the field of medicine.

For as long as I can remember, I have wanted to be a doctor, and when people would ask me why, I would always say because I want to help people. While this answer is the truth, it always felt very surface level; I felt like I was missing a deeper, more personal reason for why I wanted to help people. I finally found my deeper reason, the summer going into my senior year. This summer, I had the opportunity to participate in a service abroad trip to Belize. During our trip, I was able to serve in a multitude of different ways. I painted a church, built a computer lab, and provided food to the homeless; in conjunction with Habitat for Humanity, we were able to help build a house for a needy family. Of all the things we did, the most impactful was being able to wash feet. I was nervous about washing the people’s feet. I was not anxious about the act itself, but mainly because I had to have personal conversations with the Belizean people. On the first day, I got lucky. We went to wash feet at a school with young children, and it was not so hard to talk to them. I asked about their favorite colors and subjects at school. The next day, we went to a small community called Majestic Alley. In this community, there were people of all different ages and to say I was nervous was an understatement. I did not know what to expect, but this ended up being one of the best days of the trip. There was one story in particular that helped me find my deeper meaning Her name was Maria, and she was initially reluctant to wash her feet. She said l she only needed a pair of shoes for her and her daughter. We soon convinced her to sit down and participate in the feet washing. As I washed Maria’s feet, I asked her about her daughter. She told me that she was sick and could not make it. I went on to ask her what was wrong, and with tears in her eyes, she shared that she did not know. They had been waiting to get a doctor’s appointment for weeks but, unfortunately, could not get access. At that moment, I felt useless; there was nothing I could do to help, and I felt horrible. All I could do was tell her how sorry I was and how I hoped her daughter would get the care she needed and pray for her and her daughter. When we returned to the hotel, I decided to research the healthcare systems in places like Belize and how I could help. I found that there was a massive need for doctors in these underdeveloped countries and that there were programs where doctors could volunteer to serve those in need who otherwise would have no access to healthcare. With this new knowledge and experience, I finally found my deeper reasoning. I want to be a doctor to help people, not because that is what doctors do but because I am genuinely passionate about it. I want to do everything I can to ensure there are fewer Maria’s out there in the world. That feeling of helplessness was life-changing and solidified my plans to pursue a pre-med track in college. I know I can make a difference through giving and volunteering my time.

Colleen Hoover once said, “I’ve noticed when I fear something, if I just end up doing it, I’m grateful in the end.”My biggest fear is talking to new people. This past July I realized how wonderful it can be to meet and talk to people and how important it is to overcome your fears. This summer I had the opportunity to participate in a service abroad trip to Belize. One of our service projects was washing feet. I was so nervous about this ; not about the act itself, but because I was gonna have to have personal conversations with the Belizean people. On the first day, I got lucky. We went to wash feet at a school with young children, and there was so much laughter from the kids around us and us tickling them that there wasn’t much room for conversation. The next day we went to a small community called Majestic Alley. In this community, there were people of all different ages and to say I was nervous was an understatement. This ended up being one of the best days of the trip. There was one person in particular I spoke to who really showed me the beauty of overcoming my fears and meeting new people. I just finished washing a young girl's feet and looked up to see who my next person would be. Her name was Maria, and at first, she was reluctant to get her feet washed. She said, all she needed was shoes for her and her daughter. They soon convinced her to sit down. I looked around and saw that I was the only one available. Panic began to set in, my heart beating so rapidly, I swear those around me could hear it. As she made her way it felt like everything was going in slow motion. When she finally reached me and sat down I said hello, introduced myself and she did the same. I asked for her foot and began washing. Silence filled the air, I began to feel suffocated. As I finished her first foot I knew this silence could not continue. I put her foot down and she gave me the other, I took deep breaths to keep my voice from shaking and told her that I heard her talking about her daughter and wanted to know where she was. She told me that she was sick and couldn’t make it. I asked her what was wrong and she shared, she doesn’t know. They had been waiting for a doctor's appointment for weeks, but unfortunately hadn’t been able to get access. She told me about how unsure she was about everything and as she spoke tears began to form in her eyes which caused the same to happen to me. All I could say was I was sorry and hope her daughter gets the care she needs. When I got back to the hotel I decided to research Belize’s healthcare system and what I found was heartbreaking. I also found that there were programs where doctors could volunteer to help people in these places get the lifesaving care they need. With this new knowledge and experience, I felt a spark light up in me. I wanted to do more to help people like Maria’s daughter get the care they need. Had I just sat there and not spoken to Maria, I would not have learned about these programs to help thousands of people. The advice I would give is to overcome your fears because there is so much you can from talking to new people.

For as long as I can remember I have wanted to be a doctor and when people would ask me why I would always say because I want to help people. While this answer is the truth it always felt very surface level, I felt like I was missing a deeper more personal reason for why I wanted to help people. I finally found my deeper reason, the summer going into my senior year. This summer I had the opportunity to participate in a service abroad trip to Belize. The trip was sponsored by the Young Black Leadership Alliance (YBLA) in partnership with the non-profit organization, Samaritan’s Feet. During our trip to Belize, I was able to serve in a multitude of different ways. I painted a church, built a computer lab, provided food to the homeless, and in conjunction with Habitat for Humanity, we were able to help build a house for a family in need. Of all the things we did, the most impactful was being able to wash feet in a small community called Majestic Alley. There I got to hear so many different stories about people’s lives, including their struggles and triumphs. There was one story in particular that helped me find my deeper meaning Her name was Maria, and she was initially reluctant to wash her feet. She said l she only needed a pair of shoes for her and her daughter. We soon convinced her to sit down and participate in the feet washing. As I washed Maria’s feet, I asked her about her daughter. She told me that she was sick and could not make it. I went on to ask her what was wrong and with tears in her eyes, she shared that she does not know. They had been waiting to get a doctor's appointment for weeks, but unfortunately had not been able to get access. At that moment I felt useless; there was nothing I could do to help and I felt horrible. All I could do was tell her how sorry I was and how I hoped her daughter would get the care she needed, and pray for her and her daughter. When we got back to the hotel I decided to research the healthcare system in Belize. I learned that healthcare in Belize was free but most of the funding went to hospitals in the main city. It could take weeks, if not months, to get a doctor's appointment. Even when they finally see a doctor, it can take another few weeks to get test results and a proper plan of treatment. Learning all of this sparked something in me. I went on to do more research about the healthcare systems in different underdeveloped countries. I found that there was a huge need for doctors and that there were programs where doctors could volunteer to serve those in need, who otherwise would have no access to healthcare. With this new knowledge and experience, I finally found my deeper reasoning. I want to be a doctor to help people not because that is what doctors do but because I am truly passionate about it. I want to do everything I can to make sure there are a lot less Maria’s out there in the world. That feeling of helplessness was life-changing and solidified my plans to pursue a pre-med track in college. I know I can make a difference through giving and volunteering my time.

Passion; is a strong and intractable or barely controllable emotion or inclination with respect to a particular person or thing. What am I passionate about? A question that I have asked myself many times over the years, and until this summer I have never really had a true answer. This summer I had the opportunity to participate in a service abroad trip to Belize. The trip was sponsored by the Young Black Leadership Alliance (YBLA) in partnership with the non-profit organization, Samaritan’s Feet. During our trip to Belize, I was able to serve in a multitude of different ways. I painted a church, built a computer lab, provided food to the homeless, and in conjunction with Habitat for Humanity, we were able to help build a house for a family in need. Of all the things we did, the most impactful was being able to wash our feet. To be honest, I was actually nervous about washing my feet. I was not anxious about the act itself, but mainly because I had to have personal conversations with the Belizean people. On the first day, I got lucky. We went to wash feet at a school with young children, and it was not so hard to talk to them. I asked about their favorite colors and subjects at school. The next day we went to a small community called Majestic Alley. In this community, there were people of all different ages and to say I was nervous was an understatement. I did not know what to expect, but this ended up being one of the best days of the trip. I got to hear so many different stories about people’s lives, including their struggles and triumphs. There was one story in particular that gave me the answer to my question regarding passion. Her name was Maria, and at first, she was reluctant to get her feet washed. She said that all she needed was a pair of shoes for her and her daughter. We soon convinced her to come sit down and participate in the feet washing. As I washed Maria’s feet, I asked her about her daughter. She told me that she was sick and could not make it. I went on to ask her what was wrong and she shared that she does not know. They had been waiting to get a doctor's appointment for weeks, but unfortunately had not been able to get access. I told her how sorry I was and how I hoped her daughter would get the care she needed, and then I prayed for her. When we got back to the hotel I decided to research the healthcare system in Belize. I learned that healthcare in Belize was free but most of the funding went to hospitals in the main city. It could take weeks, if not months, to get a doctor's appointment. Even when they finally see a doctor, it can take another few weeks to get test results and a proper plan of treatment. Learning all of this sparked something in me. I went on to do more research about the healthcare systems in different underdeveloped countries. I found that there was a huge need for doctors and that there were programs where doctors could volunteer to serve those in need, who otherwise would have no access to healthcare. With this new knowledge and experience I finally had the answer to my question, what am I passionate about? I am passionate about service. It was so fulfilling to serve and support the communities in Belize. I wanted to do more, figuring out a way to get Maria’s daughter, and those like her, the care they needed. Combining my newfound passion and dreams of becoming a physician to serve those in need, has solidified my plans to pursue a pre-med track in college. I know can make a difference through giving, and volunteering my time.

Colleen Hoover once said, “I’ve noticed when I fear something, if I just end up doing it, I’m grateful in the end.” My biggest fear is talking to new people. I am not sure what I’m so afraid of; maybe I’ll embarrass myself or say the wrong thing. This past July, I realized how wonderful it can be to meet and talk to people and how important it is to overcome your fears. This summer, I had the opportunity to participate in a service abroad trip to Belize. One of our service projects was washing feet. I was so nervous about this; not about the act itself, but because I was going to have personal conversations with the Belizean people. On the first day, I got lucky. We went to wash feet at a school with young children, and there was so much laughter from the kids around us and us tickling them that there wasn’t much room for conversation. The next day, we went to a small community called Majestic Alley. In this community, there were people of all different ages, and to say I was nervous was an understatement. This ended up being one of the best days of the trip. There was one person in particular I spoke to who really showed me the beauty of overcoming my fears and meeting new people. I had just finished washing a young girl's feet and looked up to see who my next person would be. Her name was Maria, and at first, she was reluctant to get her feet washed. She said all she needed was shoes for her and her daughter. They soon convinced her to sit down. I looked around and saw that I was the only one available, so they sent her my way. Panic began to set in, my heart beating so rapidly; I swear those around me could hear it. As she made her way, it felt like everything was going in slow motion. When she finally reached me and sat down, I said hello, introduced myself, and she did the same. I asked for her foot and began washing. Silence filled the air; I began to feel suffocated. As I finished her first foot, I knew this silence could not continue. I put her foot down, and she gave me the other. I took deep breaths to keep my voice from shaking and told her that I heard her talking about her daughter and wanted to know where she was. She told me that she was sick and couldn’t make it. I asked her what was wrong, and she shared she didn’t know. They had been waiting for a doctor's appointment for weeks, but unfortunately hadn’t been able to get access. She told me about how unsure she was about everything, and as she spoke, tears began to form in her eyes, which caused the same to happen to me. All I could say was I was sorry and hoped her daughter gets the care she needs. When I got back to the hotel, I decided to research Belize’s healthcare system, and what I found was heartbreaking. I also found that there were programs where doctors could volunteer to help people in these places get the lifesaving care they need. With this new knowledge and experience, I felt a spark light up in me. I wanted to do more to help people like Maria’s daughter get the care they need. Had I just sat there and not spoken to Maria, I would not have learned about these programs to help thousands of people.

I am a hardworking and highly self-motivated student who hopes to major in Biology or Biomedical Engineering. For as long as I can remember, I have dreamed of becoming a doctor. I want to be a doctor someday because I have a true passion for helping others and would love to do so through medicine. For a while, I was not exactly sure what field I wanted to go into, until my healthcare teacher brought an Anesthesiologist in to speak with us. Hearing all that they do and how they get to see and help with a variety of different cases piqued my interest. This year, I have also had the opportunity to learn more about OBGYN and am interested in this field as well. I understand the amount of time and commitment it takes to become a physician, and I have already begun to set a good foundation for achieving my goal. Throughout middle school and high school, I have challenged myself by taking rigorous classes, including nine AP classes in addition to my honors classes. I am also involved in many extracurricular activities that support my career goal. I am an active member of my school's HOSA club, which is an organization for students that plan to pursue a career in medicine. Another activity is the Honor’s Mentorship program, which has provided the amazing opportunity for me to shadow physicians and nurses in both the clinic and hospital settings. Over the past two years, I have gained real-life hands-on experience in the Emergency Department and within an OBGYN office. I have also had the opportunity to observe physicians in the operating room and gain a better understanding of the work that goes into providing high-quality health care to patients. I plan to continue gaining as much real-world experience as I can in college to help further prepare me for my career. I also plan to be involved in extracurricular activities during college to help build up my network and help my community. Once I become a doctor, I want to participate in organizations like Doctors Without Borders and become a healthcare advocate for underserved communities. I have a true passion for service, and when I learned about programs like Doctors Without Borders, I saw a way to combine my career aspirations and my passion. I want to be able to help those in need by using my talents and expertise. Both OBGYNs and Anesthesiologists are needed around the world in underserved communities, and I would love to help wherever and whenever I am needed.

This summer I had the opportunity to participate in a service abroad trip to Belize. The trip was sponsored by the Young Black Leadership Alliance (YBLA) in partnership with the non-profit organization, Samaritan’s Feet. During our trip to Belize, I was able to serve in a multitude of different ways. I painted a church, built a computer lab, provided food to the homeless, and in conjunction with Habitat for Humanity, we were able to help build a house for a family in need. Of all the things we did, the most impactful was being able to wash our feet. To be honest, I was actually nervous about washing my feet. I was not anxious about the act itself, but mainly because I had to have personal conversations with the Belizean people. On the first day, I got lucky. We went to wash feet at a school with young children, and it was not so hard to talk to them. I asked about their favorite colors and subjects at school. The next day we went to a small community called Majestic Alley. In this community, there were people of all different ages and to say I was nervous was an understatement. I did not know what to expect, but this ended up being one of the best days of the trip. I got to hear so many different stories about people’s lives, including their struggles and triumphs. There was one story in particular that showed me how rewarding serving others is. Her name was Maria, at first, she was reluctant to get her feet washed. She said that all she needed was a pair of shoes for her and her daughter. We soon convinced her to come sit down and participate in the feet washing. As I washed Maria’s feet, I asked her about her daughter. She told me that she was sick and could not make it. I went on to ask her what was wrong and she shared that she does not know. They had been waiting to get a doctor's appointment for weeks, but unfortunately had not been able to get access. I told her how sorry I was and how I hoped her daughter would get the care she needed, and then I prayed for her. When we got back to the hotel I decided to research the healthcare system in Belize. I learned that healthcare in Belize was free but most of the funding went to hospitals in the main city. It could take weeks, if not months, to get a doctor's appointment. Even when they finally see a doctor, it can take another few weeks to get test results and a proper plan of treatment. Learning all of this sparked something in me. I went on to do more research about the healthcare systems in different underdeveloped countries. I found that there was a huge need for doctors and that there were programs where doctors could volunteer to serve those in need, who otherwise would have no access to healthcare. With this new knowledge and experience I finally had the answer to my question, what am I passionate about? I am passionate about service. It was so fulfilling to serve and support the communities in Belize. I wanted to do more, figuring out a way to get Maria’s daughter, and those like her, the care they needed. Combining my newfound passion and dreams of becoming a physician to serve those in need, has solidified my plans to pursue a pre-med track in college. I know can make a difference through giving, and volunteering my time.

I am a hardworking and highly self-motivated student who hopes to major in Biology or Biomedical Engineering. For as long as I can remember, I have dreamed of becoming a doctor. I want to be a doctor someday because I have a true passion for helping others and would love to do so through medicine. For a while, I was not exactly sure what field I wanted to go into, until my healthcare teacher brought an Anesthesiologist in to speak with us. Hearing all that they do and how they get to see and help with a variety of different cases piqued my interest. This year, I have also had the opportunity to learn more about OBGYN and am interested in this field as well. I understand the amount of time and commitment it takes to become a physician, and I have already begun to set a good foundation for achieving my goal. Throughout middle school and high school, I have challenged myself by taking rigorous classes, including nine AP classes in addition to my honors classes. I am also involved in many extracurricular activities that support my career goal. I am an active member of my school's HOSA club, which is an organization for students that plan to pursue a career in medicine. Another activity is the Honor’s Mentorship program, which has provided the amazing opportunity for me to shadow physicians and nurses in both the clinic and hospital settings. Over the past two years, I have gained real-life hands-on experience in the Emergency Department and within an OBGYN office. I have also had the opportunity to observe physicians in the operating room and gain a better understanding of the work that goes into providing high-quality health care to patients. I plan to continue gaining as much real-world experience as I can in college to help further prepare me for my career. I also plan to be involved in extracurricular activities during college to help build up my network and help my community. Once I become a doctor, I want to participate in organizations like Doctors Without Borders and become a healthcare advocate for underserved communities. I have a true passion for service, and when I learned about programs like Doctors Without Borders, I saw a way to combine my career aspirations and my passion. I want to be able to help those in need by using my talents and expertise. Both OBGYNs and Anesthesiologists are needed around the world in underserved communities, and I would love to help wherever and whenever I am needed.

For as long as I can remember I have wanted to be a doctor and when people would ask me why I would always say because I want to help people. While this answer is the truth it always felt very surface level, I felt like I was missing a deeper more personal reason for why I wanted to help people. I finally found my deeper reason, the summer going into my senior year. This summer I had the opportunity to participate in a service abroad trip to Belize. The trip was sponsored by the Young Black Leadership Alliance (YBLA) in partnership with the non-profit organization, Samaritan’s Feet. During our trip to Belize, I was able to serve in a multitude of different ways. I painted a church, built a computer lab, provided food to the homeless, and in conjunction with Habitat for Humanity, we were able to help build a house for a family in need. Of all the things we did, the most impactful was being able to wash feet in a small community called Majestic Alley. There I got to hear so many different stories about people’s lives, including their struggles and triumphs. There was one story in particular that helped me find my deeper meaning Her name was Maria, and she was initially reluctant to wash her feet. She said l she only needed a pair of shoes for her and her daughter. We soon convinced her to sit down and participate in the feet washing. As I washed Maria’s feet, I asked her about her daughter. She told me that she was sick and could not make it. I went on to ask her what was wrong and with tears in her eyes, she shared that she does not know. They had been waiting to get a doctor's appointment for weeks, but unfortunately had not been able to get access. At that moment I felt useless; there was nothing I could do to help and I felt horrible. All I could do was tell her how sorry I was and how I hoped her daughter would get the care she needed, and pray for her and her daughter. When we got back to the hotel I decided to research the healthcare system in Belize. I learned that healthcare in Belize was free but most of the funding went to hospitals in the main city. It could take weeks, if not months, to get a doctor's appointment. Even when they finally see a doctor, it can take another few weeks to get test results and a proper plan of treatment. Learning all of this sparked something in me. I went on to do more research about the healthcare systems in different underdeveloped countries. I found that there was a huge need for doctors and that there were programs where doctors could volunteer to serve those in need, who otherwise would have no access to healthcare. With this new knowledge and experience, I finally found my deeper reasoning. I want to be a doctor to help people not because that is what doctors do but because I am truly passionate about it. I want to do everything I can to make sure there are a lot less Maria’s out there in the world. That feeling of helplessness was life-changing and solidified my plans to pursue a pre-med track in college. I know I can make a difference through giving and volunteering my time.

Colleen Hoover once said, “I’ve noticed when I fear something, if I just end up doing it, I’m grateful in the end.” My biggest fear is talking to new people. I am not sure what I’m so afraid of; maybe I’ll embarrass myself or say the wrong thing. This past July, I realized how wonderful it can be to meet and talk to people and how important it is to overcome your fears. This summer, I had the opportunity to participate in a service abroad trip to Belize. One of our service projects was washing feet. I was so nervous about this; not about the act itself, but because I was going to have personal conversations with the Belizean people. On the first day, I got lucky. We went to wash feet at a school with young children, and there was so much laughter from the kids around us and us tickling them that there wasn’t much room for conversation. The next day, we went to a small community called Majestic Alley. In this community, there were people of all different ages, and to say I was nervous was an understatement. This ended up being one of the best days of the trip. There was one person in particular I spoke to who really showed me the beauty of overcoming my fears and meeting new people. I had just finished washing a young girl's feet and looked up to see who my next person would be. Her name was Maria, and at first, she was reluctant to get her feet washed. She said all she needed was shoes for her and her daughter. They soon convinced her to sit down. I looked around and saw that I was the only one available, so they sent her my way. Panic began to set in, my heart beating so rapidly; I swear those around me could hear it. As she made her way, it felt like everything was going in slow motion. When she finally reached me and sat down, I said hello, introduced myself, and she did the same. I asked for her foot and began washing. Silence filled the air; I began to feel suffocated. As I finished her first foot, I knew this silence could not continue. I put her foot down, and she gave me the other. I took deep breaths to keep my voice from shaking and told her that I heard her talking about her daughter and wanted to know where she was. She told me that she was sick and couldn’t make it. I asked her what was wrong, and she shared she didn’t know. They had been waiting for a doctor's appointment for weeks, but unfortunately hadn’t been able to get access. She told me about how unsure she was about everything, and as she spoke, tears began to form in her eyes, which caused the same to happen to me. All I could say was I was sorry and hoped her daughter gets the care she needs. When I got back to the hotel, I decided to research Belize’s healthcare system, and what I found was heartbreaking. I also found that there were programs where doctors could volunteer to help people in these places get the lifesaving care they need. With this new knowledge and experience, I felt a spark light up in me. I wanted to do more to help people like Maria’s daughter get the care they need. Had I just sat there and not spoken to Maria, I would not have learned about these programs to help thousands of people.

I am an Ambassador for the Young Black Leadership Alliance (YBLA), a youth leadership organization that empowers young black teens to become the next great leaders of the world by providing college and career guidance, public speaking training, international community service activities and national opportunities for networking. This summer, YBLA in partnership with the nonprofit organization Samaritans Feet ,provided me the opportunity to go on a service abroad trip to Belize. On this trip we distributed shoes to the homeless, painted a church, and gave bags of food to families in need. We also worked with Habitat for Humanity to build a house for a family displaced by a hurricane. Many of the people that I served were around my age and being able to listen to their stories, their hopes and dreams and see how happy they were no matter their circumstances was truly meaningful and impactful. One girl I met during my time there, while I was distributing shoes and washing feet, was a 19 year old named Yuri. During my time with Yuri I learned that she was in school and had dreams of becoming a doctor just like me. I also learned that while working to pay for school, she is the oldest of 5 and helps her mom to take care of her younger siblings. Hearing her story really caused me to shift my values and views on life. I far too often take the opportunities that I have so easily available to me for granted. There are so many people out there like Yuri who don’t have as much as I do and have to work three times harder to achieve their hopes and dreams. She helped me see that you don’t need to have all these resources and opportunities available to you to accomplish your goals and that you shouldn’t take it all for granted. I now try not to use all that I have access to as an excuse to not work as hard, but as something that is an addition to my own hard work. I want my hard work and drive and passion to be what gets me to where I want to go. When people meet me I want them to know that I got to where I am not because I had these things available to me, but because I worked hard for it and everything else just helped add to my hard work.

I am an Ambassador for the Young Black Leadership Alliance (YBLA), a youth leadership organization that empowers young black teens to become the next great leaders of the world by providing college and career guidance, public speaking training, international community service activities and national opportunities for networking. This summer, YBLA in partnership with the nonprofit organization Samaritans Feet ,provided me the opportunity to go on a service abroad trip to Belize. On this trip we distributed shoes to the homeless, painted a church, and gave bags of food to families in need. We also worked with Habitat for Humanity to build a house for a family displaced by a hurricane. Many of the people that I served were around my age and being able to listen to their stories, their hopes and dreams and see how happy they were no matter their circumstances was truly meaningful and impactful. One girl I met during my time there, while I was distributing shoes and washing feet, was a 19 year old named Yuri. During my time with Yuri I learned that she was in school and had dreams of becoming a doctor just like me. I also learned that while working to pay for school, she is the oldest of 5 and helps her mom to take care of her younger siblings. Hearing her story really caused me to shift my values and views on life. I far too often take the opportunities that I have so easily available to me for granted. There are so many people out there like Yuri who don’t have as much as I do and have to work three times harder to achieve their hopes and dreams. She helped me see that you don’t need to have all these resources and opportunities available to you to accomplish your goals and that you shouldn’t take it all for granted. I now try not to use all that I have access to as an excuse to not work as hard, but as something that is an addition to my own hard work. I want my hard work and drive and passion to be what gets me to where I want to go. When people meet me I want them to know that I got to where I am not because I had these things available to me, but because I worked hard for it and everything else just helped add to my hard work.