From a young age, I learned that knowledge is most meaningful when it uplifts others. In eighth grade, math became more than a subject I excelled in and it became my first tool for change. I watched classmates struggle with equations that I found intuitive. Rather than letting their frustration grow, I stepped in, tutoring during recess, after school, and whenever I could. My teacher, who had recognized my skill early on, was surprised by my ability to break down difficult concepts for others and help unite our class through understanding. This experience planted the seed for my belief that learning should always serve a greater purpose and it marked the beginning of my journey toward medicine. Now, as a high school student and proud member of the Math National Honor Society and HOSA, I continue helping peers with math and healthcare topics. But my passion for using knowledge to serve others has grown far beyond the classroom. At Perry Hall High School, I’m also an active member of our Environmental Club and Greenhouse Committee, where we advocate for sustainability through tree planting, energy-efficient initiatives, and community education. I care deeply about the well-being of all living things - humans, ecosystems, and communities alike. This drive to improve the world around me naturally led me to explore careers in healthcare. My curiosity in medicine began with simple questions: How does the body work? How do doctors know how to treat disease? But over time, it evolved into something deeper: a calling to become a physician who not only treats illness, but listens, understands, and advocates for those often unheard. As a pre-med student, I’ve spent time volunteering at hospitals, exploring healthcare environments, and immersing myself in experiences that reflect both the science and soul of medicine. Every opportunity, whether shadowing physicians or working behind the scenes in pharmacy or lab settings, has confirmed that I belong in this field. My ultimate goal is to become an educational physician who serves underrepresented communities and uses my knowledge to drive health equity. I want to work in underserved areas where patients often face barriers not just to treatment, but to trust barriers built over decades of systemic inequity. I believe that increasing racial diversity in healthcare is crucial to breaking these barriers. Patients deserve to see themselves reflected in the people caring for them. Representation fosters trust, communication, and dignity. When patients feel seen, they are more likely to seek care, follow medical advice, and ultimately experience better outcomes. As a Black student pursuing medicine, I understand the importance of visibility. I didn’t grow up seeing many doctors who looked like me but I want to be that person for someone else. I want young students from marginalized backgrounds to look at me and realize that they, too, belong in labs, clinics, and operating rooms. I want them to know their knowledge and compassion can change lives. This scholarship would not only support my educational journey, it would fuel my mission. I am diligent, innovative, and compassionate. I believe that medicine is not just a science, but a human service. I carry with me every math problem I’ve solved, every tree I’ve helped plant, and every patient story that has inspired me. And I bring them with me into a future where I will strive for greatness, not for myself alone, but for the communities I hope to serve and empower.

I recall a time when I was in eighth-grade at my elementary school. It was then I first understood the significance of having knowledge and using that knowledge for the benefit of others. Math was a subject I took great interest in and did not appear challenging. In fact, throughout my school experience, I have gotten all A's in math classes. Even though I understood math concepts without minimal difficulty, I watched helplessly as my classmates struggled with math and were intimidated by the complexity of the subject. It was as though they let their fear consume their eagerness to exceed and challenge themselves with equations they had already yielded to as overcomplicated. Watching my classmates struggle, I saw the need to help them and began tutoring some friends, even during recess and after school. My teacher, who had already acknowledged my excellence in math, was astounded at my approach to teaching my peers. He was even more appreciative because he saw my actions as a way that involved other students in learning and ensured the class was united in academic understanding. My classmate's inability to comprehend math was not due to my eighth-grade teacher's lack of proper teaching or that the topics were just absurdly complex, but was, as I believe, the student's lack of focus on keeping up with the teacher. I assisted my classmates with math topics, thoroughly explaining unfamiliar concepts or parts they struggled with. My assistance helped improve my classmates' comprehension of math and brought up their grades, and soon, I was dubbed "second teacher." Mathematics tutoring not only helped my classmates improve their understanding but also promoted a stronger educational connection in the classroom. That experience taught me that having knowledge in any area of life is important because it can change other people's perceptions and lives. I learned that helping others with one's given talent is key to unison or otherwise knowledge for self-interest is pointless. Even today, I help my high school classmates with math and am a prominent member of the Math National Honor Society. My interest in math continues to grow as I expand my expertise in more math topics.

I am passionate about the math and environmental club organizations the most. My involvement in the Math National Honor society is due to my eagerness and curiosity for the subject and an aspiring career in STEM. I recall a time when I was in eighth-grade at my elementary school. It was then I first understood the significance of having knowledge and using that knowledge for the benefit of others. Math was a subject I took great interest in and did not appear challenging. In fact, throughout my school experience, I have gotten all A's in math classes. Even though I understood math concepts without minimal difficulty, I watched helplessly as my classmates struggled with math and were intimidated by the complexity of the subject. It was as though they let their fear consume their eagerness to exceed and challenge themselves with equations they had already yielded to as overcomplicated. Watching my classmates struggle, I saw the need to help them and began tutoring some friends, even during recess and after school. My teacher, who had already acknowledged my excellence in math, was astounded at my approach to teaching my peers. He was even more appreciative because he saw my actions as a way that involved other students in learning and ensured the class was united in academic understanding. My classmate's inability to comprehend math was not due to my eighth-grade teacher's lack of proper teaching or that the topics were just absurdly complex, but was, as I believe, the student's lack of focus on keeping up with the teacher. I assisted my classmates with math topics, thoroughly explaining unfamiliar concepts or parts they struggled with. My assistance helped improve my classmates' comprehension of math and brought up their grades, and soon, I was dubbed "second teacher." Mathematics tutoring not only helped my classmates improve their understanding but also promoted a stronger educational connection in the classroom. That experience taught me that having knowledge in any area of life is important because it can change other people's perceptions and lives. I learned that helping others with one's given talent is key to unison or otherwise knowledge for self-interest is pointless. Even today, I help my high school classmates with math and am a prominent member of the Math National Honor Society. My interest in math continues to grow as I expand my expertise in more math topics. I am also an environmentally friendly activist. As a member of the environmental club and greenhouse advocate at Perry Hall High School, I truly believe in the well-being of inhabitants in and around my local community. My goal is to increase environmental awareness and protection. We as a team also strive to make the Perry Hall community one hundred percent sustainable and clean directly through the planting of trees and the promotion of energy-efficient products. With my knowledge, I will continue to maintain a clean environment outside my area, cooperating with any university I am to attend to become one more step toward environmental sustainability.

The idea behind this piece was to explore the distinct yet interrelated subjects that make us humans living, universal creatures. There is a contrast between the smallest unit of life within us (cells - represented in the portrait figure) and a broader concept heavily beyond us (outer space - represented in the background.) This juxtaposition of the smaller and bigger picture is what prompts the title, “Infinite Without, Infinite Within.” Watercolor and color graphic markers were the mediums used for this art piece. I made this during my junior year in high school. This piece was the outcome of several art making process. Having an idea or inspiration is one of the first steps of the art making process. I struggled with coming up with ideas sometimes, especially in this portrait unit, and didn't know what to do for a final. Eventually, I was inspired by my artist mentor, Riso Chan, who creates surreal portraits, and I decided to make a portrait final similar to hers. Practicing with materials and sketching multiple perspectives of the idea is another thing I do that helps me create a unique and creative final piece. Throughout my experience in GT Art class, I've noticed that I work best with watercolor in both my sketches and final works. My work appears smoother and cleaner whenever I use watercolor because I practice a lot with it at home. Almost all of my pieces have a strong theme of nature which is something part of identity. My love for plants, the natural world, and even concepts of life can be seen throughout my works. My mentor, Riso Chan, who inspired me in my portrait final, Infinite Without Infinite Within, also conveys nature and botanical aspects in her portraits. Infinite Within Infinite Without was my most successful piece because I learned much more throughout the process. Ultimately, my idea developed into something I didn't expect, transforming it from a piece regarding surrealism to a larger juxtaposing concept of human cells and the universe. The cell patterns on the figure represent the smallest unit of life, while the explosive background represents this universe. It is my most successful because it has a strong idea behind it and not only reveals my aspects of my identity but conveys an effective and artistic composition. A weakness during this art making process was maintaining the water color shade and texture. And even though I work best with water color, I plan to incorporate collages, charcoal, oil paint, and other forms of media to convey my future art.