I know the obvious answer is to help pay for college but I honestly would use it for that. Right now I am enrolled at Wake Forest and it is indeed a blessing to even say that. Beforehand, I wasn't able to enroll because of the financial situation my family and I are in. Also, I got my acceptance late which resulted in me getting my financial aid late as well. So I was on the path of not going but the Lord blessed me with a miracle. I was able to personally talk to some people at Wake Forest and they gave me more time to receive my financial aid. After about another week or two of trying to figure out different methods and viewing other schools that I've also been accepted to, Wake Forest provided enough money for tuition and a few more things. Even though I was granted a good portion of money there is still some more I need to come up with. Mainly for housing and for my meal plans. This money will help provide another stepping stone towards going to college this upcoming year without debt. I've even tried coming up with other options, for example, living with my mother's friend that lives closer to the college and in that part of the state.

I have many goals for my future and many things that I want to do to promote my career path and my personal life. My main goal is to go to college and get my bachelor's degree and possibly my master's degree. I want to study Kinesiology and also Business. While in college, I would like to play sports mainly volleyball and softball. To also have internships or several different ways to make money. While doing that I would like to study real estate and investing. If I am given the chance to I would love to go overseas to play volleyball or softball professionally and do that for a couple of years. When getting older I would possibly like to have my own personal chiropractic or physical therapy clinic and be able to manage that. I would give services to everyone especially those who need help after accidents or injuries and especially athletes. Being an athlete your body is a priority and taking care of it is very important so I think it is important to also have a place for them to come and be taken care of. When getting out of college, if still being able to I would have the crocheting business but it would be smaller because my main focus would be my chiropractic and physical therapy business. It would really be important for me to network with others so I truly have support to save up the right amount of money and to also have a connection in putting my business out there so others know about it.

A while ago, I didn't care what the meaning of life was because I barely even wanted to live my own life. Went through so many challenges such as my parents divorcing, going into poverty, wondering where my next meal was going to come from, having the lights and water cut off, being bullied at school for so many things, and losing family members left and right. With all of that, my meaning in life started to equate to suffering and pain. I became suicidal and depressed, barely even caring if I woke up to experience the next day or even the rest of my life. Over time, especially during quarantine I was able to spend more time with my family and loved ones, and most importantly myself. During this time I grew at peace and realized how much the connections and relationships I had meant to me. Also, seeing the growth that I've had when in different environments, especially after growing acceptance of the fact that life is going to have challenges but you have control over your own actions and emotions. They helped to shape me into the person that I am and grow the morals and characteristics that I have. When truly thinking about it the trials that I had to face allowed me to be in the mindset and environment that I'm in right now and also helped me meet the people that I do. Overall, my meaning in life is growing that personal mindset and gaining that control over my actions and emotions during those challenging moments in life. Having those different people and environments that you face, then take the life lessons and advice you gain from them and grow. It takes everyone some time to figure out what the meaning of life is.

The word selflessness instantly makes me think of my mother. She is one of the most selfless people that I have ever known and she has taught me to always be selfless because life is fanatical and throws many curveballs to every person in this world. She taught me that if you have it and you see someone that needs it, give it to them. Always help God's children because even if it's your last dollar, He will provide exactly what you need each and every day so you shouldn't worry about it. Many of the things that I do may not be that big such as giving large sums of money and creating whole charity organizations but I know the small things I do such as complimenting anyone that I see, crocheting scarves for the homeless and sending care packages, crocheting premmie hats for babies since there isn't many for them to have, especially since I was one myself, and growing vegetables for other since there is a shortage of food for many can help. I enjoy selflessness, not for my own pleasure but just having the chance to see someone else smile or have them cry tears of joy. I have done that for one of my mother's friends, just including her in prayer once, especially knowing all the things that she was going through. Just seeing her cry and knowing that someone cared for her warmed my heart. I knew there wasn't anything physically that I could do but pray for her and hope that God could do something that I couldn't which gave us peace of mind. Just having the chance to give others a temporary halt from the stress, suffering, or pain that they feel from this world would bring me joy for being selfless.

Friday, August 4, 2017. Four days after my 14th birthday. For 14 years, I had the "luxury" of living a normal, pleasantly uneventful life. Dad and Mom. Three brothers. A sister-in-law. Nephew. A cat. Extracurricular activities. Good grades. Friends. Church. I could check all of the "Good Life" boxes. On August 4th, my life changed. I had to learn the power of prayer, resilience, and determination. It was the day that I learned that in the scheme of success if I could “turn it up to 11” for just one second, I didn’t have to concern myself with all the details nor focus on the future. On August 4, 2017, my mom, my brother, and I walked into what had been my place of solace. Home. A home bustling with activity. A home that held all of the people and things that I loved. Furniture was gone from the dining room. Furniture was gone from the living room. Furniture was gone from the master bedroom. Dad...gone. I burst into tears. Uncontrollable sobbing. I'd heard the arguments. I'd felt the tension. But oh, how despite it all, I'd prayed that this day would never come. It had. On August 4, 2017, my mom was laid off from her job. What was going to happen to us??? Would we lose our home? Would my brothers and I see Dad? Would we have the necessities - food, clothing, and utilities? I felt like my world had ended. Depression set in. I didn't want ANY of this to happen. Where was God? How could He let this happen? How was I going to survive this thing? Seconds count. Fast forward to 2022. With resilience, a lot of determination, and prayer; through all of the ups and downs, disappointments, and heart PAINS, I am here. The seconds counted. I am an achiever at Harding University High School in Charlotte, North Carolina. I am enrolled in the International Baccalaureate Program with a weighted GPA of 4.1458 and an unweighted GPA of 3.5833. I have had the honor of being a member of the basketball, softball, volleyball, and track teams. I have held the position of team captain for the basketball, softball, and volleyball teams; I have lettered in basketball, and softball; I have received All-Conference awards for volleyball, softball, and basketball; I have received additional sports-related awards. I have volunteered for Loaves and Fishes, Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools, and Novant Health; I completed a paid, summer internship with the Road to Hire Program; and I have participated in basketball through the Amateur Athletics Union (AAU). My educational goals center around athletics and sports. I would like to pursue a degree in either pharmacy, kinesiology, or pre-med. I would like to participate in sports at the collegiate level and move on to motivate and assist others in their pursuit to do the same. My life challenges taught me that every second counts. If I can muster the strength to be excellent for just one second, turn it up to 11 for a second, I find that the seconds have yielded a minute, the minutes have yielded an hour, and within the short expanse of time that could have otherwise felt like forever...I am here. Here achieving what I was once afraid was beyond my reach and on my way to what I know I can be!

My name is Morgan Marcus and I am 17 years old. I love learning about the human body and its functions, especially being an athlete and learning about how athletes are able to do the things that they do. As athletes, we push our bodies past many limitations and that can cause us in some situations to be more prone to injuries, especially during games and practices we get injured frequently. Seeing my athletic trainer and being the one getting taped or wrapped in ice, I have seen how big of a role he plays in making sure we are taken care of as athletes and realized I wanted to do similar things. I want to pursue a medical career and throughout that career, I would like to definitely work with other athletes and help them with their bodies. To have the ability to be on the opposite and bring that care to others that have been in my shoes. To help their bodies grow stronger and teach them steps they need to take in order to do that. I would enjoy working with children and especially young athletes as well so they have a headstart in knowing about their bodies and how they have to do other things to keep their bodies strong when playing sports. I want to be a physical therapist and chiropractor when I am done with school. Being a physical therapist, I would enjoy interacting with people and being able to help them in any situation. Having the knowledge and ability to help them heal while also improving their bodies. Telling them what's wrong with their body and explaining to them the steps that we would take in order to help it. Especially as a chiropractor growing that bond with a person while helping them with their neuromusculoskeletal system. Many people have issues with their neck and back, chiropractors are able to help adjust those muscles and ligaments so it's not painful or it is more comfortable for the patient. Chiropractors play a bigger role, especially for athletes, having to use their backs all the time in many of the moves they make in their sports. When having these patients, they put more trust in you than we tend to realize. They trust doctors with their bodies and in them making them feel better when having problems. A lot of patients come from the doctors with even worse issues and I would never want my patients to have to deal with that. I would want them to come to me, comfortable and confident in what I am able to do.

My name is Morgan Marcus and I am 17 years old. I love learning about the human body and its functions, especially being an athlete and learning about how athletes are able to do the things that they do. At a young age, I have always been the one to run around and get injured; broken bones, scraped knees, cut fingers, blisters, etc. Being able to see my body heal from major injuries such as broken wrist and collarbones, then recovering to 100%. Being able to see professional athletes take on career risking injuries but coming back from therapy and being able to play at the same level. Of course, a few still have symptoms and minor issues but they were still able to play on the same level. Having the knowledge about your own body and knowing the changes that it goes through, how your body is able to make those changes. Personally, I have younger siblings, and having the knowledge that I do about the human body and broadening my knowledge on that, allows me to help them especially when they're hurt or don't know what's going on with their bodies. Throughout my medical career, I would try to seek out a change for paying medical bills and how those who are less fortunate in getting help. My family and I have been in positions where it has been hard paying for medical bills and skipping certain annual visits just because we wouldn't be able to pay for them. Being able to provide that for others in the same situation. I want to be a physical therapist and chiropractor when I am done with school. Being a physical therapist, I would enjoy interacting with people and being able to help them in any situation. Having the knowledge and ability to help them heal while also improving their bodies. Telling them what's wrong with their body and explaining to them the steps that we would take in order to help it. Especially as a chiropractor growing that bond with a person while helping them with their neuromusculoskeletal system. Many people have issues with their neck and back, chiropractors are able to help adjust those muscles and ligaments so it's not painful or it is more comfortable for the patient. When having these patients, they put more trust in you than we tend to realize. They trust doctors with their bodies and in them making them feel better when having problems. A lot of patients come from the doctors with even worse issues and I would never want my patients to have to deal with that. I would want them to come to me, comfortable and confident in what I am able to do.

August 4, 2017. A Friday. Four days after my 14th birthday. For 14 years, I had the "luxury" of living a normal, pleasantly uneventful life. Dad and Mom. Three brothers. A sister-in-law. Nephew. A cat. Extracurricular activities. Good grades. Friends. Church. I could check all of the "Good Life" boxes. On August 4th, my life changed. I had to learn the power of prayer, resilience, and determination. On August 4, 2017, my mom, my youngest brother, and I walked into what had been my place of solace. A home bustling with activity. A home that held all of the people and things that I loved. Furniture was gone from the dining room. Furniture was gone from the living room. Furniture was gone from the master bedroom. Dad was...gone. I burst into tears. Uncontrollable sobbing. I'd heard the arguments. I'd felt the tension. But oh, how despite it all, I'd prayed that this day would never come. It had. On August 4, 2017, my mom was also laid off from her job. What was going to happen to us??? Would we lose our home? Would my brothers and I see Dad? Would we have the necessities - food, clothing, and utilities? Approximately, a month later, my eldest brother and his family moved from North Carolina to Texas. Through the devastation of the separation, I'd expected that we would all get through this together. How could they be leaving us? Things became dark. The world that I knew had ended. Depression set in. I contemplated suicide. I didn't want ANY of this to happen. Where was God? How could He let this happen? How was I going to survive these things? Fast forward to 2022. With resilience, a lot of determination, Christian counseling, the love of a cat, and prayer; through all of the ups and downs, disappointments, and heart pain, I am still here. I focused on my studies and participated in several sports. I began relationships with my teachers and became involved in school activities. I found comfort in my cat, Bobby. I never knew the power of the love of an animal. His presence and “knowing” helped me make it through some of the toughest days. He would come and lay by my side. He had no words but his presence and the fact that he loved me and wanted to be with me was what I realized I needed. Currently, I am an achiever at Harding University High School in Charlotte, North Carolina. I am enrolled in the International Baccalaureate Program with a weighted GPA of 4.1458 and an unweighted GPA of 3.5833. I have had the honor of being a member of the basketball, softball, volleyball, and track teams. I have held the position of team captain for the basketball, softball, and volleyball teams; I have lettered in basketball, and softball; I have received All-Conference awards for volleyball, softball, and basketball; I have received additional sports-related awards. I have volunteered for Loaves and Fishes, Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools, and Novant Health; I completed a paid, summer internship with the Road to Hire Program; and I have participated in basketball through the Amateur Athletics Union (AAU). My educational goals center around athletics and sports. I would like to pursue a degree in either pharmacy, kinesiology, or pre-med. I would like to participate in sports at the collegiate level. I dream of assisting athletes achieve optimal performance through holistic methods as well as through the knowledge that I acquire from my background in science.

August 4, 2017. A Friday. Four days after my 14th birthday. For 14 years, I had the "luxury" of living a normal, pleasantly uneventful life. Dad and Mom. Three brothers. A sister-in-law. Nephew. A cat. Extracurricular activities. Good grades. Friends. Church. I could check all of the "Good Life" boxes. On August 4th, my life changed. I had to learn the power of prayer, resilience, and determination. It was the day that I learned that in the scheme of success, seconds mattered. On August 4, 2017, my mom, my brother, and I walked into what had been my place of solace. Home. A home bustling with activity. A home that held all of the people and things that I loved. Furniture gone from the dining room. Furniture gone from the living room. Furniture gone from the master bedroom. Dad...gone. I burst into tears. Uncontrollable sobbing. I'd heard the arguments. I'd felt the tension. But oh, how despite it all, I'd prayed that this day would never come. It had. On August 4, 2017, my mom was laid off from her job. What was going to happen to us??? Would we lose our home? Would my brothers and I see Dad? Would we have the necessities - food, clothing, utilities, and...love? I felt like my world had ended. Depression set in. I had thoughts of suicide. I didn't want ANY of this to happen. Where was God? How could He let this happen? How was I going to survive this thing? Seconds count. At least, we had my older brother, sister-in-law, and nephew living close by. We would all get through this...together. Within a month, the news came that my brother and his family would be leaving North Carolina and moving to Texas. I was living the most horrific nightmare. Unimaginable! This was something from a Lifetime movie. They said that life was stranger than fiction. I didn't believe it but now I was experiencing it firsthand. Seconds count. Fast forward to 2022. With resilience, a lot of determination, and prayer; through all of the ups and downs, disappointments, and heart PAINS, I am here. The seconds counted. I am an achiever at Harding University High School in Charlotte, North Carolina. I am enrolled in the International Baccalaureate Program with a weighted GPA of 4.2 and an unweighted GPA of 3.6. I have had the honor of being a member of the basketball, softball, volleyball, and track teams. I have held the position of team captain for the basketball, softball, and volleyball teams; I have lettered in basketball, and softball; I have received All-Conference awards for volleyball, softball, and basketball; I have received additional sports-related awards. I have volunteered for Loaves and Fishes, Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools, and Novant Health; I completed a paid, summer internship with the Road to Hire Program; and I have participated in basketball through the Amateur Athletics Union (AAU). My educational goals center around athletics and sports. I would like to pursue a degree in either pharmacy, kinesiology, or pre-med. I would like to participate in sports at the collegiate level and move on to motivate and assist others in their pursuit to do the same. My life challenges taught me that every second counts. If I can muster the strength to be excellent for just one second, I find that the seconds have yielded a minute, the minutes have yielded an hour, and within the short expanse of time...I am here. Here achieving what I was once afraid was beyond my reach and on my way to what I know I can be!

Beyond race and gender, societies are becoming increasingly multi-ethnic, multicultural, and multi-religious. To bring ideals representing these groups, to address more common concerns affecting these groups, and to bring about change that is beneficial to the total sum of the people included in these individual groups, STEM careers require diversity and they must be inclusive and representative of the concerns primarily affecting the whole. To do otherwise would mean that we are creating solutions that do not include the separate parts and therefore present no solution at all. Our differences, such as the origin of family and cultural backgrounds, present unique challenges beyond our skin color and gender. For us to live together and for the pot to truly become "the melting pot," we must consider all things that go into the mix. One tradition may affect a particular group while not having the same impact on another. Healthcare concerns create different perspectives for one group versus another. Time-honored gender roles have their place. If we are not considering variables such as these when we do our research, then we have effectively discounted the real issues. We can’t reach a solution without taking into account the impact of the problem on all people who are impacted. You represent the people by including all of the people. We must take into account the specifics when creating solutions that will benefit society in its entirety. To effect a change that will have a positive impact on the majority of the people, we must have organizations that are comprised of individuals who are representative of the concerns and issues surrounding all people and not just some. This is necessary to allow different perspectives and different vantage points thereby permitting a common ground for the creativity necessary to find solutions. A diverse group will permit discussions that yield outcomes and decisions for everyone. Diverse teams can bring about more innovative solutions. The best talent is not simply based on GPA and standardized tests. If those factors are the same across the board, what separates one candidate from another? Essentially, the best candidates will be determined by bringing new concerns, ideas, and solutions. These can only be gained from our separate life experiences and the view of the world from a different set of eyes. Our differences don't make one group superior or inferior to one another. Our differences are what make the entirety complete, beautiful, and whole. One group comprised of all people who all look the same and think the same can't do what is in the best interest of all the people. Diversity permits us to be inclusive of the thoughts and ideas of those who see things very differently, with valid reason, than we do. Diversity is ultimately best summarized as "diversity in thinking." Diversity in thinking is what leads to the solutions that we seek in undertaking careers in STEM. It is this diversity that is the root of STEM.

My name is Morgan Sophia Marcus. I am a 17-year-old, African American female. I am the 3rd of four children and I am the only female. The fact that I was the only female sibling in a male-dominated household, has been a tremendous blessing. My brothers have always disregarded my femininity and my early attempts at being a mermaid. They always roughed me up and treated me like one of the guys. It has made me resilient, toughened me up, and taught me how to thrive in situations and environments that have been traditionally male dominated. I know how to carry myself and I feel completely comfortable maneuvering while in a large male presence and in holding my own when presenting my thoughts from a female perspective. My parents divorced in my last year of middle school. That presented a challenge for my emotionally and mentally. It was extremely difficult in the beginning, but I learned to take the days one at a time. I learned to give my best effort and to stay hopeful no matter what. Tomorrow always has the potential to bring better things. I am currently enrolled in the International Baccalaureate (IB) program at Harding University High School in Charlotte, North Carolina. It is an extremely rigorous and demanding program. I have an unweighted GPA of a 3.5833 and a weighted GPA of a 4.1458. I am ranked in the top 3% of my school. I am extremely interested in the sciences. I have taken IB Theory of Knowledge, IB Biology, and IB Chemistry. I have been a member of several sports teams at my high school since I enrolled as a freshman. I have been on the basketball, volleyball, track, and softball teams. I have held the position of the team captain for softball, basketball, and volleyball. I have received the All-Conference award for basketball, softball, and volleyball. I have lettered in both softball and basketball. I would like to play volleyball and softball on the collegiate level. I have volunteered with Loaves and Fishes (a Christian outreach ministry), Charlotte Mecklenburg schools, and Novant Health. I held a summer job this past summer through the Road to Hire program with Red Ventures. Right now, I am most excited about potentially making a difference in the lives of others by majoring in a STEM field. I am considering several career paths - medicine, psychology, kinesiology, and pharmacy are my top contenders. I trust that in this process of applying to colleges and applying for scholarships, God will direct my path and all of the pieces will fall into place when all factors are considered for each individual college. I have applied to several colleges. My top 3 choices are NC State, UNC Chapel Hill, Purdue, and Baylor University. I have been accepted into Purdue, UNC Charlotte, Fayetteville State, and East Carolina University. I am awaiting notice from the other schools. My life goals are to complete my education, which may include medical school. I would like to travel extensively. I would like to become involved in mission work domestically and possibly abroad. I will impact the world positively because I believe in giving my best at whatever I attempt - academics, athletics, my interpersonal relationships, and in my commitment to being a Christian. I plan to contribute through volunteering and mentoring. I realize the importance of both. I am well-rounded and committed to excellence. I have worked through numerous challenges and have managed to excel.

My name is Morgan Sophia Marcus and I am passionate about STEM and all things scientific that involve the workings of the human mind, the functioning of the human body, and any science related to the study and care of animals. Initially, I was interested in learning about the changes that were occurring within my body during the early stages of adolescence. I wanted to know what to expect as I entered my pre-teens and I wanted to know how to take care of myself. I discovered books in the American Girl book series. I read books from the series such as The Care and Keeping of You: The Body Book for Younger Girls by Valorie Schaefer and The Feelings Book: The Care and Keeping of Your Emotions by Lynda Madison. I realized that I really enjoyed learning about the changes that were occurring within my body and with learning how my mind was affected by the hormones that my body produced. Aside from my curiosity regarding the innerworkings of my body, I also have had an interest in and physical ability for sports. I have been involved in “rough-house” sports (sports with my older brothers) since I was two years old and I have played team sports since I was eight years old. I have been a member of the volleyball, basketball, softball, and track teams since my freshman year of high school. Consequently, I wanted to delve into the significance of proper nutrition and its impact on my performance. I began learning about the need for a balanced diet which included exploring information about the proper amounts of protein, carbohydrates, and fats. I also read about how vitamins and minerals worked to ensure that my body functioned properly, both athletically and in relation to the hormonal changes that served to enhance the other aspects of being a young lady – nice hair, skin, and nails! When I enrolled in the International Baccalaureate (IB) program at Harding University High School, I took advantage of as many of the classes that were offered that would expose me to the workings of the body and the mind. I wanted to see if my interests were directing me to a career that was related in some way to the things that I had learned previously. I enrolled in classes that included IB Biology, IB Theory of Knowledge, IB Chemistry and AP Psychology. These classes confirmed that my passion for science and the workings of the human mind and body extended beyond an introductory level and merited my pursuit of a college degree based on a STEM-related field. In addition to the human body, I am also interested in the health and care of animals. This interest stemmed primarily from my cat, Bobby, whom we adopted from our local shelter, and his expressed love for me. I am referred to as "the Primary" because I have been tasked with taking care of Bobby. I feed him, groom him, dispense his meds, and take care of his litter and messes (ugh!!!). For his part, I am rewarded with unconditional and intentional, directed love - all spoken without a word beyond an occasional "meow." When my parents divorced, Bobby was my main source of comfort. He instinctively loved me in a way that required no words, just his presence. Bobby has taught me the significance of how pets impact our well-being and help calm and comfort the human mind. My passion for STEM is rooted in life experiences and exposure. I want work in a capacity that improves the lives of people and/or animals.

I have many goals for my future and many things that I want to do to promote my career path and my personal life. The main goal is to go to college and get my bachelor's degree and possibly my master's degree. I want to study Kinesiology and also business. While in college, I would like to play sports mainly volleyball and softball. To also have internships or several different ways to make money. While doing that I would like to study real estate and investing. If I am given the chance to I would love to go overseas to play volleyball or softball professionally and do that for a couple of years. When getting older I would possibly like to have my own personal chiropractic or physical therapy clinic and be able to manage that. I would give services to everyone especially those who need help after accidents or injuries and especially athletes. Being an athlete your body is a priority and taking care of it is very important so I think it is important to also have a place for them to come and be taken care of. The role of entrepreneurship plays a huge role in my future goals because one of the main things that I want to do involves it. Not just the goal of having a chiropractic and physical therapy business but also in high school I would like to have small businesses such as crocheting and making jewelry because those are skills that I have. I will be able to base it around my school and have something that I really enjoy doing involved. It would also be another way to have money on the side and be able to save up or take care of myself. I feel as if entrepreneurship also helps you gain a stronger mindset. You learn time management and how to balance out money. I feel like it also takes patience and this mental strength to carry on with the business because sometimes money is going to be way better than other days until your business is more known throughout different platforms. You get the chance to meet different people as well to come up with plans to make the business bigger and to network so you have supporters to help with your business. When getting out of college, if still being able to I would have the crocheting business but it would be smaller because my main focus would be my chiropractic and physical therapy business. It would really be important for me to network with others so I truly have support to save up the right amount of money and to also have connection in putting my business out there so others know about it. Overall, entrepreneurship plays a huge role in what I have planned for in the future and my main goals are kind of based around it and how hard I work for those things. It will give me a chance to see how far I can go and the things that I am capable of.

Recently in high school is when I truly experienced gender equality, especially as a female athlete. Starting off as a freshman when first arriving I never knew about any of the female sports. They only made announcements about men's sports such as football and basketball. I had to go out of my way to ask around to figure out who the coaches were and the different things I had to do in order to play for the teams. Even when trying out, we didn't have the same resources and equipment as the boys. We also didn't have as many girls coming out for some of the teams. Just this senior year playing volleyball, we had plans to create team shirts and had a layout and design for them. We were not able to get them or even shirts in general but a week or two later the football team got the exact shirts that we planned on having even though they barely won any games that year. They almost ruined our senior night too by having construction in there the day before and the same day doing work on the bleachers even though they knew it was our last home game. There are so many things that I can say about just my personal experience with gender inequality and also the things that I've heard my own guy friends saying about females which just blows my mind. How I would prominent this issue is to create different programs for female sports and allow them to have their own supporters and ways to get resources and different necessities as male sports. They would also have the chance to go out and meet with different female athletes and learn about their experiences in sports so they can get an idea of how everything works and what they can do to work on their athletic journey. Female athletes are not granted the same things as male athletes and without having the privilege of going to a really good school they never really know the steps they need to take in order to make it to the next level. Females are already not granted the same amount of scholarships as male sports but meeting other female athletes will give them the chance to learn tips and different ways to increase their chances of getting one. There will also have different creative and fun fundraisers to raise money for their equipment, new uniforms and maybe even have the chance of having extra money in order to get t-shirts and sweatshirts.

Confidence is to be sure of one's self. You have no doubts about who you are and how your life is going to go. Some may say that it can be what you want to do or be but I don't think that's the case. I believe that a person can be confident even when they're not sure about what they want to do. They can be confident about what the future may hold for them or the ideas that they have for the future. In some cases your confidence may be higher than other moments. Confidence is very important because it can help drive you into doing certain things. It allows you to break through that barrier of fear or doubt that you have. Even if you're not completely certain of what your full potential is you can be confident enough to know that you can still try it whether you fail or not. Til this day I am still working on confidence. I feel more sure of myself than other days and that allows me to talk to more people, be open to more opportunities, do things that I really wouldn't do if I didn't have the confidence that I do. For several years I didn't have much confidence at all and it would make me cage myself and prevent myself from figuring out who I am and what I am capable of. I still am figuring out today but I have came a long way from that.

One thing that gives me hope for the future is the people I have been around. Being an athlete and in some of the academic programs that I am in now has allowed me to meet other people that have the same goals as me. We have all had low moments but have been able to overcome and find the strength to keep moving. To not let the events that have happened in the world determine if we're going to achieve our goals but our work and dedication. My generation has such a huge stereotype put on it but a lot of us have broken generational curses or achieved great things. I'm able to be around these people and know that they are going to make a difference. I have been in classes with people from low-income homes and been at one of the worst schools. These same people have skipped 1 or 2 years of college have gotten their bachelor's degrees and are now working on their master's. My brother and sister in law, they have done many things that others haven't been able to do. They have created their own businesses and have broken generational curses, especially with parenthood. They raise my nephews in the best way possible. They are allowed to speak their minds and have fun with their parents. My sister has homeschooled them for several years and they are some of the smartest children I have known. My brother and sister have had to live in their car for certain periods of time but have now been able to buy their house for a couple of years and continue to enjoy the things that they do. Being around all these people have motivated me to do the same things or even better. Also, realize that there are other people that feel the same way and want to do the same things.

Throughout my high school years, I have experienced adversity, especially during my senior year. I do not go to one of the best schools in my city. It is in a very poor area and many of the people there don't care about their education. I have been in the IB and AP program and try extremely hard to stay focused on my education and the goals that I have for myself. Being in the community that I am in makes it a lot harder when you have to deal with gun violence, fights on the campus, police showing up, and having to be on lockdown several times. Many times it has pushed my motivation and drive to do my work almost to the bare minimum. Also, during that time I caught Covid, and then after about a week of going back to school, I caught Covid again. Those were the roughest times because I felt so sick and it was so hard for me to get out of bed. Then trying to keep up with my work with essays and the work I had in classes because it is so hard to get behind in IB and try to stay up to date on due dates. Of course, my teachers would give me extensions on work but balancing out the work I have and the work I need to catch up on is not easy at all. The way that I overcame this is many to keep my goals and the things that I have planned in the future in mind and to not lose sight of that. I would pray a lot to remember that this is my last year of high school and that this is truly the year to fight for what I want when I start my own life. I have experienced things that no teen should experience especially at their school. It makes them feel unsafe at the place they're supposed to get their education. Having to go through these things it's allowed me to gain this mental strength. It's is still tough because I continue to go through these things as of right now but I have learned that they are temporary. This is another time to grow and it just shows that if this was easy it wouldn't be something I was meant to do. I will take all of these experiences and these lessons way into the future. It has taught me to look at the positive sides of things and to keep a leveled head. As life goes on you can't just dwell on the bad things because then you'll just add more stress on yourself and make your life miserable. Life is going to consist of trials and challenges you just have to remember the purpose of going through those things and remind yourself that is going to be worth it when you get to the position that you want to be in.

My relationship with my mother has influenced my decision to attend college because my mother and I for the past couple of years have had a tough relationship. Me being a teenager I have been realizing certain things and just bumping heads with her a lot. After certain fights with her, we have taken the time to sit down and talk a few things out and truly listen to each other even if it is hard and we both have our own opinions. I've always wanted to go to college but talking to my mother I see that she truly wants the best for me. Even though it is hard and rough sometimes I plan to work hard to not only make myself proud but her as well. My mother has had her first child or my oldest brother at the age of 17 and all her life she has worked hard to continue to work for herself and us as well. It may be hard to communicate and sometimes she can't see my point of view but I know she doesn't want the same things for me and doesn't want me to go through the same things she's had to go through. She and I both want me to be an independent African American female and be able to take care of myself through anything. College is one of the best paths for me to get the education to take any route I want. Also, after having my oldest brother, even at the age of 47 she is still trying to earn the degrees that she has always wanted. I see how hard it can be now for her and she talks to me about those things. Telling me to take any opportunity that I can and make the most out of it. "Work harder now or later," is what she always tells me, and even though is it hard, I really want to be able to achieve my goals in the most efficient way possible (college). My parents are divorced, so I live in 2 different households. I have seen my more go through one of the roughest times of her life. She is still struggling with mental illnesses but continues to fight every single day. I've seen how hard her life is and I truly try to the advice that she gives and use it in my life. Learning how college can open up so many different things for me. My mother stopped so many things just to help take care of her family and that just happens sometimes but if my mother had the chance to finish what she started during college I feel like she could be doing so many of the things that she wanted to right now. I have seen one of the outcomes of little decisions that someone has made, even while going to college, can affect you. Talking to my mother and learn different things I have made the decision to go to college and finish everything that I want to before I plan on having a family because having a family I want to be in a good stable position for them and be able to give them the attention they need without and worries about things that I haven't finished from the past.