Volunteering has played an integral role in my life and has instilled in me a strong moral compass. My mother has always stressed the importance of selflessness and the act of giving to others. Coming from a low-income family there have been total strangers that have shown my family kindness through the act of volunteering. When my mother and I were struggling, people who volunteered helped us by giving us food and other necessities, which was a total blessing. Because of the way I’ve been impacted by volunteers and was able to impact others by volunteering, I consider volunteering a crucial act that everyone should participate in. In times when my selfishness can get the better of me, I try to remember the times that volunteering helped me and others. My earliest memories of volunteering take place at our town's local salvation army. The day before Christmas the salvation army had a volunteer opportunity to wrap presents for the homeless, which my mom and I volunteered at. At first, I wasn’t that excited to go because I didn't see the importance of what I was doing, I was too focused on what I wanted to do instead of seeing how I could serve others. As the time ticked on as we wrapped presents I realized I was having fun. My mom and other family members were there which enabled me to spend time with them as we did this good deed for others. I also began to have more fun as I realized the impact these presents would have on those less fortunate than me. I vividly remember looking at a Barbie doll I was about to wrap and thinking of the joy the person who would get to unwrap this present would have, and that thought filled me with so much joy. After volunteering that Christmas we made wrapping presents for the homeless a tradition. I got to volunteer even more of my time when I was a part of NJROTC. Community service was one of the pillars of our program and was highly encouraged. In the program, there was a community service ribbon and aiguillette which required over 50 hours of community service. While a part of the program I amassed over two-hundred hours of community service which is one of my proudest accomplishments. Our volunteering opportunities ranged from setting up for our high school sporting events to going out in our community and doing roadside clean-ups. I truly enjoyed being able to go with friends in the program to the different volunteer opportunities and make an impact in the community. Volunteering has impacted my life so much and has made me realize my purpose is to give back. By utilizing my education that's exactly what I plan to do. This scholarship would aid me in being able to affect change within my community. I am a political science student and plan on studying law to create change within our legal system that would help the African American people of this country. This scholarship would help me achieve this dream by making college more affordable.

In my time as a college student, I have learned the importance of having a strong mind, body, and soul. In college, it can feel like there are so many circumstances being thrown at you all at once which can create a reality of anxiety, sadness, depression and so much more. I have experienced all of those feelings at varying intensities throughout my college journey but I have learned how to maneuver through those feelings. My college has done a great job of providing so many clubs and resources that helped me get back on my feet when I felt the ground fall from under me. In the times when I thought the world would end I mustered up enough energy and courage to attend my college's paint nights. I always thought the campus paint nights were a great way to destress and tap into a creative outlet. When I would be having a bad day during the week that was a school activity that brought me a lot of joy. I also look forward to being back at my university's gym which has also been an outlet for me to release stress as well as just having a fun place to go. My best friend and I often go to the gym together and encourage each other while also managing to have an amazing time full of laughter. When I’m not with a friend working out I go by myself to get a good workout in. I originally started going as a way to cheer myself up while I was going through something. I didn’t like the feeling of just lying around and decided to turn my laziness into productivity in the gym. Because of that decision to jumpstart my fitness journey, I now go every day and feel amazing doing so. Getting myself in the gym has made me more confident and energized as well as helping my mental state. I am much happier with this new lifestyle. The last activity I will remain doing while in college is mediation. I started meditating when I was depressed to bring some balance into my life and it was a great decision. My first intro to meditation was through the school's wellness program. I was admittedly very nervous as I had never tried yoga before, but the instructor was amazing and left me feeling accomplished, relaxed, and restored. Since then I have been meditating when times get rough to calm myself down and release negative energy from my body, and I thank my university for introducing me to that alternative. This upcoming year I want to maintain these healthy lifestyle habits to become a better version of myself who is kind, balanced, and motivated. Most of these habits I have implemented started in my time at college and I am very grateful for the resources that are readily available to me at my university. I cannot wait to continue the growth of my mind, body, and soul as I finish my college journey.

There are so many elements that go into what I believe is a healthy lifestyle. In my twenty years on this planet, I have implemented numerous health changes into my routine that I think have brought me a long way. I’ve enjoyed my health journey because of the trial and error process. With starting anything new you start at the baby stage. You are trying a new activity and are taking things slow, learning the do’s and don’ts as well as the consequences of the choices you make. The baby stage started my sophomore year when my mom decided to increase her workouts and eat a more plant-based diet. At the time I was already doing three sports but knew the nutrition in my diet was poor. My mother told me her decision was based on a Netflix documentary that shared the secrets of the meat industry and the health problems caused by meat. Influenced by my mom, I too watched the same documentary and it completely changed my outlook on meat. Because of that documentary and my mom's influence, I was able to take various baby steps in the right direction toward a healthier diet. From that day forward I have only been eating meat once a day to slowly wean myself off of eating meat entirely. I have been in the toddler stage of my health journey since my freshman year of college to the present day. In the toddler stage, I know the better alternative to live a healthier life but I’m still testing the waters and seeing what works best for me. In my freshman year of college, I was adjusting to the feeling of being active constantly with sports to not being occupied with any. I knew I wanted to stay fit and maintain a healthy lifestyle so I started going to the gym. Going to the gym regularly is one of the best things I’ve done for myself. It gives me the ability to be active and create goals for myself that I can fulfill and feel gratified with the results I see from working out. When I first started going it was intimidating at points but I knew what I wanted to accomplish and I couldn’t let others' opinions hold me back from doing so. What started as going twice a week has now developed to seven days a week. I look forward to going to the gym because I believe it keeps me balanced, energized, and confident. The last method I have introduced to my health journey is meditation. In my freshman year of college, I became very depressed, and along with fitness, meditation allowed me to channel my energy into something beneficial. When I meditate it allows me to calm down and let my thoughts go. I can take deep breaths and just close my eyes and level out. Since I have started meditating I notice I have a new gratitude for life in all forms, and I’m a lot happier. Since implementing a new diet and some methods such as going to the gym and meditation my health has only gotten better. I find myself making more conscious decisions based on my diet and am motivated to go to the gym every day. My advice to those that want to become healthier is to not wait. Doing little changes gradually can go a long way because I know it did for me.

Along the journey of life, everyone will experience some degree of adversity. Adversity can be defined as a misfortune or difficulty one experiences. Unfortunately, some people will go through more difficulties than others. My whole life has been about overcoming adversity. Not only do I come from a low-income family but my race has also attracted adversity. Growing up my mom was extremely transparent about our financial situation. When I was four she was laid off from her job and that created substantial turmoil in our lives. From then on she did her best to find work in the form of temp jobs with assistance from the government so we could stay afloat. I knew that we were struggling and that affected me as a kid because I felt helpless. My mom was my hero and here I was not able to help someone I loved. Eventually, we overcame this struggle, that for so long held us back. My mom finally got a steady job that allowed her to support us and I didn't feel so helpless watching her struggle to make ends meet. As an African American woman, I have faced countless adversity just for the way I was born. This ranges from learning how to shut down racists to learning how to deal with the effects of those harsh words. Growing up black I started realizing that the world had a certain image of me before I was even able to make an impression. People thought they knew me through the stereotypes of others which didn't reflect who I truly am. These dangerous stereotypes are responsible for the countless deaths in the black community. Black teenage boys are being shot for knocking on the wrong doors or wearing hoodies. Young black girls are being shot for being seen as "aggressive". Knowing this could happen to me and my people is scary but ultimately frustrating. To take a stand against this I organized a BLM protest to show our town that we will not stand for the injustice going against my community. I firmly believe things will only change if we are brave enough to stand up and show our leaders that we need change, and that protest was only my first step in fighting adversity. My goal is to positively impact the black community across the United States by trying to change legislation. I plan on doing that by finding a seat in politics in either the House of Representatives or the Senate. My goal and drive are clear and unwavering because my mission is bigger than just me. I love my community and want to see this country take a turn for the better and I know that I could help affect change on a global level With the use of the scholarship money, I will continue my education at Duquesne University and finish with my double major in Political science and philosophy and apply what I have learned to create waves of change.

When I attend college I plan on studying Political Science. I have noticed since sixth grade my gradual leaning towards this major. Politics has always piqued my interest as I have realised my passion is social activism. With my time in college I will strive to create change in reforming the government for the greater good, that is why political science is the perfect match for me. My initial steps when deciding to major in Political Science stemmed from devastation in my own personal life. As I’m nearing my house from getting off the bus I see a swarm of police cars. I was overcome with emotions of sadness, and confusion. I knew that day was going to change my life forever. My father had been arrested that day on charges of murder. It was detrimental for my family and I. Ultimately that day and my dad have fueled me to be interested in Political science. When I knew of his charges I got extremely curious, and in my own special way I wanted to be of help to him, and I wanted to be educated on what we were going through. My internet history went from slime tutorials to criminal justice. I researched the severity of his charges, and that led me down the path to indulge in government. As a little girl, knowing the struggles of African American people, I knew the justice system was broken. While researching my dad's case, and measuring his odds for him, I knew he might get charged excessively, because there has always been a pattern where Black men are charged more than white men for the same crime. Did you know that an innocent Black man is seven times more likely to be convicted than an innocent white man? Now the next question from there is why? Obviously this is not just an anomaly, this is a recurring issue with atrocious consequences for the Black community. One would think this an error in which our government is built and runs on. These questions further led me to research our government on the national and state level and how it functions, and looking at where parts of our government are broken. Over quarantine I got to further indulge in my research. Twenty four hour coverage of protests throughout America for victims of police brutality victims, led me to having debates over politics and basic human rights. With my prior knowledge of government and law I was well equipped to educate some ignorant people on the current events of the times.During that time I watched various documentaries on the subject of injustice towards Black lives, and I truly got to see how past laws on the state and national levels still affect our community today. My political influences also led me to plan a protest in my town for Black Lives Matter. That time opened my eyes to the truth that we as a whole country need to fight for change, and we can no longer live under a system that is oppressive and a country that is not free for all. Let's also not forget about the families being horribly mistreated in ICE detention centers, and the thousands of kids that have gone ‘missing’. Political science will be able to teach me the ins and outs of our government. My passion is getting justice for those who are unable to fight on their own. The opportunity to go to college would be a blessing. I have proven time and time again to be very ambitious and hardworking.I have also established myself as a leader throughout the high school building and continue to set the example outside of school as well. My ability to stand tall in the face of adversity is a testament to my hardwork and dedication.The chance to go to college would not only help further develop the skills I have but equip me with numerous others that will lead to my success.

“BLACK LIVES MATTER” I screamed at the top of my lungs. It’s June 7, 2020 and I’m down town protesting for what I believe in. This protest was important to me not only because I was a leader in organizing it, but it gave myself and others an outlet to speak up for what we believed in. In my opinion this is a bold act. To go out in your community and face others that may not have the same opinion is a courageous step towards change. The people in the images are pioneers towards a better future for all.

When I attend college I plan on studying Political Science. I have noticed since sixth grade my gradual leaning towards this major. Politics has always piqued my interest as I have realised my passion is social activism. With my time in college I will strive to create change in reforming the government for the greater good, that is why political science is the perfect match for me. My initial steps when deciding to major in Political Science stemmed from devastation in my own personal life. As I’m nearing my house from getting off the bus I see a swarm of police cars. I was overcome with emotions of sadness, and confusion. I knew that day was going to change my life forever. My father had been arrested that day on charges of murder. It was detrimental for my family and I. Ultimately that day and my dad have fueled me to be interested in Political science. When I knew of his charges I got extremely curious, and in my own special way I wanted to be of help to him, and I wanted to be educated on what we were going through. My internet history went from slime tutorials to criminal justice. I researched the severity of his charges, and that led me down the path to indulge in government. As a little girl, knowing the struggles of African American people, I knew the justice system was broken. While researching my dad's case, and measuring his odds for him, I knew he might get charged excessively, because there has always been a pattern where Black men are charged more than white men for the same crime. Did you know that an innocent Black man is seven times more likely to be convicted than an innocent white man? Now the next question from there is why? Obviously this is not just an anomaly, this is a recurring issue with atrocious consequences for the Black community. One would think this an error in which our government is built and runs on. These questions further led me to research our government on the national and state level and how it functions, and looking at where parts of our government are broken. Over quarantine I got to further indulge in my research. Twenty four hour coverage of protests throughout America for victims of police brutality victims, led me to having debates over politics and basic human rights. With my prior knowledge of government and law I was well equipped to educate some ignorant people on the current events of the times.During that time I watched various documentaries on the subject of injustice towards Black lives, and I truly got to see how past laws on the state and national levels still affect our community today. My political influences also led me to plan a protest in my town for Black Lives Matter. That time opened my eyes to the truth that we as a whole country need to fight for change, and we can no longer live under a system that is oppressive and a country that is not free for all. Let's also not forget about the families being horribly mistreated in ICE detention centers, and the thousands of kids that have gone ‘missing’. Political science will be able to teach me the ins and outs of our government. My passion is getting justice for those who are unable to fight on their own. The opportunity to go to college would be a blessing. I have proven time and time again to be very ambitious and hardworking.I have also established myself as a leader throughout the high school building and continue to set the example outside of school as well. My ability to stand tall in the face of adversity is a testament to my hardwork and dedication.The chance to go to college would not only help further develop the skills I have but equip me with numerous others that will lead to my success.

When I attend college I plan on studying Political Science. I have noticed since sixth grade my gradual leaning towards this major. Politics has always piqued my interest as I have realised my passion is social activism. With my time in college I will strive to create change in reforming the government for the greater good, that is why political science is the perfect match for me. My initial steps when deciding to major in Political Science stemmed from devastation in my own personal life. As I’m nearing my house from getting off the bus I see a swarm of police cars. I was overcome with emotions of sadness, and confusion. I knew that day was going to change my life forever. My father had been arrested that day on charges of murder. It was detrimental for my family and I. Ultimately that day and my dad have fueled me to be interested in Political science. When I knew of his charges I got extremely curious, and in my own special way I wanted to be of help to him, and I wanted to be educated on what we were going through. My internet history went from slime tutorials to criminal justice. I researched the severity of his charges, and that led me down the path to indulge in government. As a little girl, knowing the struggles of African American people, I knew the justice system was broken. While researching my dad's case, and measuring his odds for him, I knew he might get charged excessively, because there has always been a pattern where Black men are charged more than white men for the same crime. Did you know that an innocent Black man is seven times more likely to be convicted than an innocent white man? Now the next question from there is why? Obviously this is not just an anomaly, this is a recurring issue with atrocious consequences for the Black community. One would think this an error in which our government is built and runs on. These questions further led me to research our government on the national and state level and how it functions, and looking at where parts of our government are broken. Over quarantine I got to further indulge in my research. Twenty four hour coverage of protests throughout America for victims of police brutality victims, led me to having debates over politics and basic human rights. With my prior knowledge of government and law I was well equipped to educate some ignorant people on the current events of the times.During that time I watched various documentaries on the subject of injustice towards Black lives, and I truly got to see how past laws on the state and national levels still affect our community today. My political influences also led me to plan a protest in my town for Black Lives Matter. That time opened my eyes to the truth that we as a whole country need to fight for change, and we can no longer live under a system that is oppressive and a country that is not free for all. Let's also not forget about the families being horribly mistreated in ICE detention centers, and the thousands of kids that have gone ‘missing’. Political science will be able to teach me the ins and outs of our government. My passion is getting justice for those who are unable to fight on their own. The opportunity to go to college would be a blessing. I have proven time and time again to be very ambitious and hardworking.I have also established myself as a leader throughout the high school building and continue to set the example outside of school as well. My ability to stand tall in the face of adversity is a testament to my hardwork and dedication.The chance to go to college would not only help further develop the skills I have but equip me with numerous others that will lead to my success.

When I attend college I plan on studying Political Science. I have noticed since sixth grade my gradual leaning towards this major. Politics has always piqued my interest as I have realised my passion is social activism. With my time in college I will strive to create change in reforming the government for the greater good, that is why political science is the perfect match for me. My initial steps when deciding to major in Political Science stemmed from devastation in my own personal life. As I’m nearing my house from getting off the bus I see a swarm of police cars. I was overcome with emotions of sadness, and confusion. I knew that day was going to change my life forever. My father had been arrested that day on charges of murder. It was detrimental for my family and I. Ultimately that day and my dad have fueled me to be interested in Political science. When I knew of his charges I got extremely curious, and in my own special way I wanted to be of help to him, and I wanted to be educated on what we were going through. My internet history went from slime tutorials to criminal justice. I researched the severity of his charges, and that led me down the path to indulge in government. As a little girl, knowing the struggles of African American people, I knew the justice system was broken. While researching my dad's case, and measuring his odds for him, I knew he might get charged excessively, because there has always been a pattern where Black men are charged more than white men for the same crime. Did you know that an innocent Black man is seven times more likely to be convicted than an innocent white man? Now the next question from there is why? Obviously this is not just an anomaly, this is a recurring issue with atrocious consequences for the Black community. One would think this an error in which our government is built and runs on. These questions further led me to research our government on the national and state level and how it functions, and looking at where parts of our government are broken. Twenty four hour coverage of protests throughout America for victims of police brutality victims, led me to having debates over politics and basic human rights. With my prior knowledge of government and law I was well equipped to educate some ignorant people on the current events of the times.During that time I watched various documentaries on the subject of injustice towards Black lives, and I truly got to see how past laws on the state and national levels still affect our community today. My political influences also led me to plan a protest in my town for Black Lives Matter. That time opened my eyes to the truth that we as a whole country need to fight for change, and we can no longer live under a system that is oppressive and a country that is not free for all. Political science will be able to teach me the ins and outs of our government. My passion is getting justice for those who are unable to fight on their own. The opportunity to go to college would be a blessing. My ability to stand tall in the face of adversity is a testament to my hardwork and dedication.The chance to go to college would not only help further develop the skills I have but equip me with numerous others that will lead to my success.

When I attend college I plan on studying Political Science. I have noticed since sixth grade my gradual leaning towards this major. Politics has always piqued my interest as I have realised my passion is social activism. With my time in college I will strive to create change in reforming the government for the greater good, that is why political science is the perfect match for me. My initial steps when deciding to major in Political Science stemmed from devastation in my own personal life. As I’m nearing my house from getting off the bus I see a swarm of police cars. I was overcome with emotions of sadness, and confusion. I knew that day was going to change my life forever. My father had been arrested that day on charges of murder. It was detrimental for my family and I. Ultimately that day and my dad have fueled me to be interested in Political science. When I knew of his charges I got extremely curious, and in my own special way I wanted to be of help to him, and I wanted to be educated on what we were going through. My internet history went from slime tutorials to criminal justice. I researched the severity of his charges, and that led me down the path to indulge in government. As a little girl, knowing the struggles of African American people, I knew the justice system was broken. While researching my dad's case, and measuring his odds for him, I knew he might get charged excessively, because there has always been a pattern where Black men are charged more than white men for the same crime. Did you know that an innocent Black man is seven times more likely to be convicted than an innocent white man? Now the next question from there is why? Obviously this is not just an anomaly, this is a recurring issue with atrocious consequences for the Black community. One would think this an error in which our government is built and runs on. These questions further led me to research our government on the national and state level and how it functions, and looking at where parts of our government are broken. Over quarantine I got to further indulge in my research. Twenty four hour coverage of protests throughout America for victims of police brutality victims, led me to having debates over politics and basic human rights. With my prior knowledge of government and law I was well equipped to educate some ignorant people on the current events of the times.During that time I watched various documentaries on the subject of injustice towards Black lives, and I truly got to see how past laws on the state and national levels still affect our community today. My political influences also led me to plan a protest in my town for Black Lives Matter. That time opened my eyes to the truth that we as a whole country need to fight for change, and we can no longer live under a system that is oppressive and a country that is not free for all. Let's also not forget about the families being horribly mistreated in ICE detention centers, and the thousands of kids that have gone ‘missing’. Political science will be able to teach me the ins and outs of our government. My passion is getting justice for those who are unable to fight on their own. The opportunity to go to college would be a blessing. I have proven time and time again to be very ambitious and hardworking.I have also established myself as a leader throughout the high school building and continue to set the example outside of school as well. My ability to stand tall in the face of adversity is a testament to my hardwork and dedication.The chance to go to college would not only help further develop the skills I have but equip me with numerous others that will lead to my success.