Integrity for me means the self-awareness and determination that helped me go from an illiterate nomad herding goats and sheep in the semi-desert oasis of Somaliland, East Africa, to becoming a U.S. boarding school scholar at La Lumiere School in Indiana, and now a college student in Vermont. At the beginning of the fall of 2012, my dad decided to take me to live with my aunt in town. At that time, I could not read or write in any language. I could only speak Somali. I started from scratch, learning the English, Somali, and Arabic alphabets. I also began learning mathematics from people in mosques and community centers. I was bold and determined to seize knowledge by any means necessary. Later, I taught myself to code, and today Python is my favorite programming language. Learning under poor conditions was not easy. Sometimes we did not even have electricity. Yet I always remained optimistic about the future. Looking back on those difficult years reminds me of my versatility and my ability to persevere through every challenge. To me, integrity is doing the right thing even when no one is watching, staying committed to my goals despite obstacles, and refusing to let my circumstances define my future. Those values of perseverance and excellence brought me to college, where I have continued studying mathematics, algorithms, and computer science. My dream is to attend graduate school, deepen my understanding of algorithms, and use technology to help solve pressing challenges such as the education crisis in my country. I also want to be honest about where I am today. I work hard to pay for the college expenses that my scholarship does not cover. There are many costs I did not anticipate when I chose to study in the United States. I divide my time between academics and campus jobs just to afford health insurance and pay taxes on my scholarship because there is no tax treaty between my country and the United States. It is difficult, but I cannot lose sight of my goal. I want to prove to my parents that I did it. They never had the opportunity to earn a degree because their education did not go beyond first grade. This scholarship would give me the helping hand I need to finish my bachelor's degree strong, spend more time learning and less time worrying about work, and move one step closer to using technology to create opportunities for others.

The greatest challenge I faced when I was coming here is not being able to obtain US visa. I had to wait months just because there are terrorism issues in my country. I faced a long questionnaire and so much doubt from the team at the embassy just because I am Muslim. I respect their work and how they are working hard to make the US a safe place. However, some of the questions I thought were unnecessary. This challenge shaped me today because it made me more mature and respectful towards the people I meet daily. I learn to not make assumptions about people's background and to not judge anyone for their culture, religion, and background. I am grateful for the opportunity to come here and attend a boarding school freely because of my achievements. I value humanity and I would love to continue the great work that some people are doing for the world for the sake of humanity. I love technology and engineering. I see a great potential in these fields combined with my passion to move humanity forward. I code for computer programs and education games, and websites. I am working on building programs that help students learn freely. Thank you 'Cyrilla Olapeju Sanni Scholarship Fund' for the opportunity to apply to this scholarship.

I love the story of the microwave. Percy Spencer fascinates me with his experiments that led to him noticing radiowaves melted a chocolate he had nearby. It makes me think of the different possibilities of using electricity to make something that hasn't been seen before with is important for our lives. It motivates me learn more chemistry and physics. I am almost determined that there is still technology out there somewhere which is waiting for us to discover and utilize. It takes time and it needs passion, learning, and perseverance. One way, this story moves me forward into the future is how it makes me code more and more. I love coding and building websites and games. There is a great potential that some revolutionary technology can be made or coded for using computer instructions. Programming is a field of creativity. Creativity is what leads to great inventions and new outcomes. I also love engineering. I am planning to take electrical engineering and computer science in the future. These knowledge from these two fields combined can lead to technologies that are helpful for us. Currently, I am conducting a research on artificial intelligence. I am fascinated by how engineering and coding these new technologies is connecting the world and improving productivity and memory. When I say memory, I am referring to new technologies that are in progress. That is the processing-in-memory technologies. Our computers now have running memory and a memory for storing data that is not in-use at that time. But that creates a data handling bottleneck. Computer scientists and engineers are using coding and engineering to solve this problem. I am hopeful that these technologies come to reality soon. Lastly, I appreciate the opportunity to apply to this scholarship. If I win, it will help me with college.

I am very proud of the fact that I went from an illiterate nomad herding goats and sheep in the semi-desert oasis of Somaliland, East Africa, to a US boarding school scholar at La Lumiere school in Indiana. At the beginning of the fall 2012, my dad decided to take me to the town to stay with my aunt who lived in the town. I could not read or write in any language. I could only speak Somali. I started from scratch learning the English, Somali and the Arabic alphabet. I also started learning Math from people in the mosques and other community centers. I was bold and determined to seize knowledge by all means necessary. I learned to code. I love coding with Python. It was a challenge to learn under poor conditions and sometimes lack of electricity. But I was always optimistic about the future. When I look back on those tough days I experienced, it reminds me of my level of versatility and my ability to persevere with difficult phases of life. I would like to study computer science and electrical engineering. I love technology and I aspire to contribute to the field. Currently, I am conducting a research on Artificial Intelligence which is a topic that greatly intrigues me. My prime goal is to bring progressive technology and clean energy to my country. My country receives direct sunlight all year long, and it is my intent to harness that free energy to supply the electricity demand in my country, and innovate with that energy. Lastly, this scholarship will open the doors for me to enter the platform to acquire the skills and expertise needed to tackle my dreams. It will allow me to attend a college in the United States.

The biggest lesson I learned over the years is to invest. It hurts to buy expensive items that are not necessary. The best way to grow your personal finance is to learn and invest. That is why I am now studying different markets to see where I want to invest with my savings from my pocket money. I do not use all the pocket money that I get from people who help me. I keep 30% of whatever I get. Sometimes it is pretty tight but most of the time, I find a way to save some of my pocket money. I cannot work because international students at US high schools cannot work. So, I try to be smart about my pocket money and I reduce my costs as much as I can. Lastly, if I win this scholarship, it will help me go to college since my college education deepens on how much scholarships I received. I appreciate the opportunity to apply to this scholarship.

I am very proud of the fact that I went from an illiterate nomad herding goats and sheep in the semi-desert oasis of Somaliland, East Africa, to a US boarding school scholar at La Lumiere school in Indiana. At the beginning of the fall 2012, my dad decided to take me to the town to stay with my aunt who lived in the town. I could not read or write in any language. I could only speak Somali. I started from scratch learning the English, Somali and the Arabic alphabet. I also started learning Math from people in the mosques and other community centers. I was bold and determined to seize knowledge by all means necessary. A year passed by and I was ready to enroll in third grade. Three years later, I was in 6th grade learning algebra and great deal of English. I took an entrance exam to US boarding school in my country that takes the top 50 students from all across the country. Two weeks later, my aunt received a call from Abaarso School telling her that I was the only student who passed the exam in my region. Not only that, but she was told that I made to the top ten of the test takers which meant that I did not have to pay a yearly tuition of $2400. I could not afford that anyway. During my years at Abaarso, I focused on Mathematics, English, and Computer Science. I learned how to code. I took part in several programming competitions and I came first in one of those while I also came second in another programming contest. I love coding with Python. When I look back on those tough days I experienced, it reminds me of my level of versatility and my ability to persevere with difficult manners in life. I would like to study computer science and electrical engineering. I love technology and I aspire to contribute to the field. Currently, I am conducting a research on Artificial Intelligence which is a topic that greatly intrigues me. My prime goal is to bring progressive technology and clean energy to my country. My country receives direct sunlight all year long, and it is my intent to harness that free energy to supply the electricity demand in my country, and innovate with that energy. Lastly, this scholarship will open the doors for me to enter the platform to acquire the skills and expertise needed to tackle my dreams. It will allow me to attend a college in the United States.

Mohamed Ahmed is a first generation degree seeker from a very illiterate part of the world, Somaliland to be exact. He was raised as a nomad, herding goats and sheep alongside with his only younger sister and two parents. It was early 2012 that Mohamed's father decided to bring Mohamed to the town where he could stay with his aunt and start school. Five months later, Mohamed enrolled in third grade. He was very passionate about learning new Math and new vocabulary. In fact, he was always accompanied by a big English-to-Somali dictionary. Three years later in 2015, Mohamed took an entrance exam for an American School in the country called Abaarso School. It is the only school of such kind in the country. Two blessed months later, his aunt got a call from Abaarso School that informed her of the news that Mohamed was the only test taker from the whole Sanaag region who passed the test. Not only that, but he made to the top ten in the country. For that reason, he was admitted for full scholarship. That was a great relief because his parents would have been able to pay for his tuition. Mohamed kept thriving in school, taking the hardest Math classes available and dipping into every computer Science related class that was available. In his 11th grade, Mohamed decided to pursue even higher education by looking into schools in the United States. He applied to two schools. One day, he woke up to an email that would change Mohamed's life for the better. La Lumiere School in Indiana accepted him and offered him a full scholarship for the next two years. Covid-19 hit and Mohamed could not get to the States in that year. He continued with his Abaarso School studies. And the following year, Mohamed could be seen boarding a flight destined for O'Hare International Airport in Chicago. Mohamed has so many goals including leading an electric vehicles company one day. He also worries about the lack of technological innovations in his country. For that reason, Mohamed wants to get a Undergraduate Degree and possibly Masters Degree in the United States, and go back to the country with the knowledge and skills necessary to become a prolific tech leader. Mohamed has learned to feed his curiosity and he has not failed to ace his AP classes.

I am passionate about Artificial Intelligence. I love Physics and Math. I like yo code and create small simulations online. I build websites. I am currently learning about Javascript and Python which I want to start my big education website. I want to build a website where student who only speak Somali can go and learn about different topics just like I could do in KhanAcademy and similar online Academies.

I am passionate technology and Science. Outside of classes, I spend my time either coding, Mathematics, or Physics. I am very optimistic about the future of technology. I am currently researching on Artificial Intelligence systems such as Natural Language Processing. I am also fascinated by the power of robotics and machine learning. I love engineering and I always think about ways to use technology to better humanity. Physics and Mathematics are basis of whatever I do. Coding is a way that I want to present my talent. I enjoy building computer systems such as calculators. I like when I can build a system that makes me do a task easier. In my sophomore year I was studying combinations and permutations and I was given really big numbers to calculate the combinations of them. I could use a graphing calculator but that gave me answers as scientific notation only because numbers were too big to be shown in the screen. So I built a combinations and permutations calculators which I could run in my computer and it showed all the numbers because the computer has a wider screen. This was a way for me to connect two of my hobbies which are solving mathematics problems and coding. Coding is something that I enjoy. The reason I like it so much is that it can be applied to many other areas. One big motivation that makes me code all the time is my goal of building a big educational website. In my country, students do not have websites they can learn school subjects from. Schools in my country are taught in Somali and most of the good websites present knowledge through the English language. I love physics. I never get tired about studying physics topics deeply. There are really good channels on YouTube that help me study physics and engineering. I work hard to understand physics concepts that will help me understand engineering better. I have a plan to work for electric cars companies, and then start my own company. Solar energies is another topic that fascinates me. I yearn for and work towards a future where everyone lives in a save and healthy environment. Moving towards a future where we fully harness the energy from the Sun is one way to save the earth from global world. This makes me to focus on learning solar energy systems and the way they operate. I would like to take the opportunity of this scholarship to continue pursuing my education since my parents are herders in the plateaus of Somaliland, East Africa.

Question 1. To get a college education is a dream for me. My family are herders in the semi-desert landscapes of Somaliland. They never thought that their child would go to a school let alone a US high school. I work hard to maintain my scholarships that I am already enjoying here in the US. I also work hard to get more scholarships for college because there is no way I can pay for a college education. I have big dreams. I love technologies, Maths, and Sciences especially Physics. I am researching tech systems such as robotics and machine learning as I am thinking about bigger projects that can be accomplished in my country. I am also looking into energy systems. Solar energy is where my focus is right now as a senior in high school. So, getting a college education means bringing all these dreams to life.

I am lucky to come from a country that is growing and catching up with the modern world of technology. However, my country, Somaliland, is unlucky to lack electrical engineers who can build the country’s technological infrastructure. Both the public and private sectors hire foreign engineers to build and set up their electronic systems. Oftentimes, these engineers come from faraway countries, and their demand is very high which causes them to rush in the process. That results in the failure of the systems which costs the country a lot of money. This need combined with my interest drove me to study Electrical Engineering. I have a plan to bring electric cars to my country. That would save the environment, and it would be less expensive in the long run. I am optimistic about the fact that my country receives direct sunlight all-year. That would make it easier to harvest free energy from the sun, and power homes, vehicles, and offices with affordable electricity. I think about how it will take trillions of dollars to supply the world with equipment that produces electricity from renewables. That initial capital cost is going to transform the world with 0% cuts in greenhouse gas emissions. That is why I feel strong about electrical engineering. My motivation for electrical engineering started with my tactile childhood behavior. When I was young, I lived in the countryside until 2012. I used to herd goats and sheep with my dad, mom and sister. At nights, we used flashlights to scare away the hyenas and foxes. During the day, when my dad and mom were not around, I used to dismantle the flashlights and a small radio that my dad had. I used to make screwdrivers from stainless steel mandrel wires that I found near the roads. It was a really bad idea because for the first few years, I incorrectly assembled the flashlights and the radio parts and they would not work. My dad would then throw them away and buy new ones next time he visited the town. Of course, I used to get whipped by my father for this mess all the time. The best part was that when he threw them away, they were all mine. I then would do the same thing with the new ones. Later years, I learned how most of the components worked even though I did not learn the reasons behind it. For example, I knew which parts of the radio were responsible for the sound, which wires connected the outer antenna to the inner antenna and other physical components inside the radio. I started fixing radios and flashlights for other people in the area which was a big deal. They did not pay me because it was against the culture. My dad used to say “We are here to help each other,” and I did not expect money either.  Things changed when my dad brought me to the town to stay with my aunt. I started school there. I stopped dismantling flashlights and old radios because in the town things were more modern. Other kids would laugh at me when I picked up an old radio that was thrown away from the trash, so I refrained from doing so. But not entirely. I learned how to set up TVs for families and added channel frequencies to receivers. This time though, I used to get paid around $3 for each fix. It was a really rewarding experience for me. Now, when I look back to those memories of experimenting with my aunt's TV, connecting satellite dishes to receivers and programming TVs, the electrical engineer in me rises up and reaches a new height. I want to pursue a career in electrical engineering which has the potential to change my life for the better. My goal is to fulfill my dream of bringing electric vehicles to Somaliland.