I plan to be involved in the personal and professional development of youth audiences or prospective college students to help them reach their ultimate long-term career goals. My passion for this is for a force much bigger than myself. Potential. It lies in us all yet, it is such a massive thing that we often shy away from it. Or, maybe sometimes it just isn’t triggered at the most influential stages in our lives (younger years) so, we neglect its power. My natural dedication and eagerness to insert myself in the shoes of the younger generation (our future partners and leaders) generates the energy I bestow in sharing with younger audiences the steps in navigating their own individual successes. I believe if you can tackle the minds of young people by reaching them not only in regard to academics, but their emotions will allow them to take themselves to higher places like never before. I have had the privilege of discovering my potential throughout my high school and college experiences. Now, I want nothing more but to influence others so that they too can discover their own and become even more advanced than I was at their age. I am interested in working with a technology company known as Curriculum Associates, which has created a community with the mission to incorporate these forces. With the belief in the potential that lies within young boys and girls being the root of their thought. This is the team mindset I have been searching for. Helping cultivate change for a stronger generation of leaders. Not only do I stand for those who are victimized by the education system, I stand with them because I too was where they are today. Growing up as a Black female in a PW school had its disadvantages: Favoritism, stereotypes, etc. Speaking through my experiences, after a certain grade level we are already labeled through the eyes of our teachers (smart/class clown) and it clouds our judgment of ourselves. It is not always openly stated but shown through their actions and lack of interest to aid in our growth. This passion all started from my senior presentation where I provided my peers with guidelines for becoming successful young people. I was then asked to present to 2 other schools. At the time, I didn’t realize how impactful my words could be. I had a hidden desire that I didn’t even discover until years later. I performed well in my high school classes because I had a motive. I wanted to make my parents proud and ultimately receiving good grades made me proud. There’s no secret that there lies a population of students who either care or don’t care. I have discovered that many of the ones that do not care often do not have a motive. They don’t have parents they care to impress, and they can care less about themselves or making teachers happy. So, how do we change this? Well, for starters, we must meet them where they are. Most young people are living for the now. I believe if we introduce students to futuristic possibilities, they will see that life can be bigger than their present moment and that they have the power to create that for themselves. They will uncover their own motives.