My name is Noah Graham and I’m an incoming freshman at Georgetown University. A few years ago, I wouldn’t have thought that this was possible. At the beginning of high school, I was dealing with emotional abuse at the hands of my mother. She would tell me that I wasn’t old enough to have my own thoughts, feelings, or opinions. She would belittle me until I didn’t have any self‑worth. For years, I struggled with depression and anxiety because of this, while having ADHD to begin with. I was also in the closet because she was homophobic, which made me resent myself even more. At that point, I was ready to take my own life. Eventually, I found the courage to tell someone how I was feeling, and that changed everything. After being hospitalized, going through therapy, and moving in with my father full‑time in a safe and supportive environment, I was finally able to start rebuilding my life. I recently graduated from Long Reach High School while also completing two associate degrees at Howard Community College, one in Cybersecurity and one in General Studies STEM. I finished both degrees with a 4.0 and graduated high school with a 4.65 weighted GPA. These accomplishments came from finally being in an environment where I could grow. My academic journey also shaped the way I got involved in my community. I joined several honor societies because I’ve always valued a broad education, but also because they gave me opportunities to participate in meaningful service. Through them, I helped with food drives, tutoring, period product drives, a walkathon for the Grassroots Crisis Center, and other projects that allowed me to support people in my community. Outside of school, the Boys and Girls Club has been one of the most important parts of my life. I am a member of my local Club and the elected treasurer of our Keystone Teen Leadership Program. Through the Keystone program, I’ve helped organize service projects, create anti‑bullying initiatives, participate in discussions about real‑world issues, and assist staff with planning and setting up events. I also mentor younger members and try to be someone that they can rely on, because I know how much it means to show up and support someone. During the summer of 2025, I served as a Junior Leader for the Club’s summer camp program, where I helped supervise groups of children and acted as a positive role model for the younger members. All of these experiences helped me understand the kind of impact I want to make in the future. As I look ahead, my vision for the future is to become a computer scientist who focuses on protecting people who are vulnerable online. While studying cybersecurity, I realized that cybersecurity was only one part of computer science. I want to understand how technology works at a deeper level so I can help create safer digital environments. I also plan to study policy/law, because technology and policy go hand in hand. My goal is to work at the intersection of both fields and help shape policies that are ethical, effective, and clear. Service has always been important to me, and I want my career to reflect that. The support I received from my community helped me get through some of the hardest moments of my life. Because of that, I want to use my education to give back. Whether through creating safer technologies, guiding policies, or helping people understand technology, I want to protect others and open doors for people who might not have the same support I did. I want to take the opportunities I’ve been given and turn them into opportunities for someone else. However, finances are still a major challenge. We have dealt with hardships that have made it difficult to afford college. While I am proud of my progress, the cost of attending Georgetown is expensive. This scholarship would allow me to focus on my education instead of worrying about how to pay for it. It would let me continue to move toward my goals and to build a future where I can contribute to my community and support the people who need it most.

Initially, computer science wasn’t something that was on my radar. Going into high school, I wanted to be a mechanical engineer. Computer science first grabbed my interest when I began taking dual-enrollment courses at my local community college. At the time, I was trying to follow the “buzzword” degrees, the ones everyone seemed to be talking about. I started taking cybersecurity courses because I thought it would be a strong field to enter, and I genuinely enjoyed the material. However, I learned that cybersecurity was only a small part of computer science, so I decided to branch out and expand my options rather than narrowing myself into a single specialization. In my final semester at Howard Community College, I took an Introduction to Computer Science course and I really enjoyed it. Addressing complex problems with well‑thought‑out solutions was something I both liked and excelled at, and as I move forward in college, I want to continue learning how technology works and how to utilize it effectively. While I plan on earning a degree in computer science, I also want to dual-major in government or policy. From my experience in my cybersecurity coursework, I noticed that a significant portion of the field is policy‑related. The technologies we rely on to keep ourselves and others safe online are ineffective without strong policies and procedures to support them. When I graduate, I want to be in a role where I can use my technical knowledge to help guide both public and private policy making it more effective, efficient, and clear. I love technology and science, but I also know there are many people like me who want to enter the field and are being held back. Instead of watching others struggle to pursue the career of their dreams, I want to help protect them so they can learn and adapt to the new age of computer science. I’ve always had a passion for debate, so earning a law degree after graduation is something I’m seriously considering. In an age of AI, misinformation, and rapid technological change, having laws and regulations that are ethical, reasonable, and transparent is more important than ever. With the potential for technology to be abused, it’s essential to stand up for what’s right and protect people from harm while still advancing research in the field. In that position, I ‘d also be able to help create policies that protect everyday individuals from online threats and digital harm. I believe I’m the best candidate for this scholarship because my goal is to succeed in college so I can use my success to help others. I want to guide people toward opportunities, protect them from the challenges that come with emerging technologies, and contribute to a future where technology is used responsibly and ethically. I believe it’s a core human responsibility to care for others and support those in need, and this scholarship would help me continue on a path where I can do exactly that.

Higher education matters to me because school and family were the two things that helped me move forward when everything else in my life felt unstable. After dealing with ADHD, depression, anxiety, social isolation, and a difficult home environment, education became the structure that helped me rebuild my confidence. My family supported me when I needed it most, and school showed me what I was capable of. College is the next step in continuing my growth and putting myself in a position where I can make a positive change in society. I want to use computer science to protect people who are vulnerable online. Technology is connected to everything now, and many people, especially the elderly or those without technical experience, are at risk of scams, privacy violations, and exploitation. Through my coursework, I’ve already started learning how to address these issues. College will let me go deeper, specialize in the areas that matter most to me, and eventually work in roles where I can help create safer digital environments for everyone. My academic journey has shown me what I can accomplish when I commit myself to success. I earned two associate degrees through full time dual enrollment at Howard Community College, maintaining a 4.0 GPA while completing 83 credits in subjects ranging from computer science and cybersecurity to calculus, physics, economics, and ethics. That took discipline, time management, and resilience. Those skills came from overcoming earlier challenges in my life, and higher education will let me keep building on that momentum. My goals aren’t only academic. I’ve received a lot of support from family, mentors, teachers, and my community, especially during the hardest parts of my life. Their belief in me helped me move forward even when I didn’t believe in myself. Because of that, giving back has become one of my core values. Through the Boys and Girls Club, the Keystone Teen Leadership Program, and the National Honor Society, I’ve learned how powerful consistency, patience, and compassion can be. Whether I’m mentoring younger members, helping with homework, or supporting service projects, I’ve seen how small actions can change someone’s day or even their direction. College will give me the platform to have a larger impact. With a degree in computer science, I can work to protect people who are vulnerable online. With the leadership skills I’ve developed through service, I can continue uplifting others in my community. And with the stability that education provides, I can build a future where my success creates opportunities for others. I didn’t get where I am today by myself, and I don’t want anyone else to feel like they have to either. My goal is to use my education and career to support people who are struggling, whether their challenges look like mine or not. I want to make it big, but not to keep everything for myself. I want to use whatever influence I build to amplify the impact I have on society. Higher education is the path that will allow me to do that and become the person I want to be

My “awkward” thing is that I’ve always had a level of drive and long-term focus that made me feel out of place among many of my peers. While most people my age were navigating high school in a fairly typical way, I was taking dual-enrollment classes at Howard Community College. By the time I graduated high school, I had already earned two associate degrees. It was something I was proud of, but it also created a strange distance between me and the people around me. What made it awkward was looking around and realizing that many of my classmates didn’t feel empowered to aim for the futures they actually wanted. During senior year, I had conversations with friends who chose UMBC or UMD, both excellent schools, but admitted they didn’t apply anywhere else, even to places they would have preferred. It wasn’t because they weren’t capable of it, but because they didn’t think they would get in, didn’t have anyone encouraging them to try, or didn’t see how great they could be. Seeing that made me realize how easy it is for talented people to limit themselves when they don’t have support, confidence, or guidance. Being at HCC opened my eyes even more. I learned alongside seniors, working adults, parents, and other high schoolers. Some were still figuring things out, but many of them were there with purpose. They knew what they wanted and were willing to work for it. It showed me how powerful it is to have direction, and how different someone’s path can look when they believe in their own potential. It also made me reflect on my own journey. Even with all my accomplishments, there were times when I felt unsure of where I was going. For a while, I felt caught between two worlds, not fully a high school student, but not quite an adult with a clear plan either. I didn’t even fully realize the significance of my own success until I graduated, and it slapped me in the face. I didn’t fully see how I could use my prior success to create future success until that moment. Feeling the same way my peers did helped me relate to them, because without the support of my family, academic advisors, and friends, I would be just like them. I saw how many of them simply didn’t have someone pushing them or helping them see what they were capable of. If I didn’t have people helping me, I would have been one of the students who settled for the safest option too. In the future, I want to be the person who gives others that encouragement. I want to help people stop treating their goals like distant dreams and start taking real steps toward them. I want to reach out to the people around me and remind them that they can go where they truly want to go. If someone helped me believe I could achieve more, then I want to pass that forward to the next person.

One of the projects that I was most passionate about was in my Introduction to Computer Science course at Howard Community College. Throughout the semester, we were assigned many required labs and assignments, but near the end, our professor offered an optional extra‑credit project. Even though it wasn’t mandatory, I immediately treated it like it was. I’ve always taken pride in doing my work thoroughly, and I’m the type of person who feels compelled to give my full effort, whether something is required or not. The project involved building a gradebook manipulation program in C++. We were given ten possible features to implement, each worth five points, and we could choose to complete as many or as few as we wanted. Instead of only selecting the easiest options, I decided to do all ten, regardless of difficulty. When I commit to something, I want to do it right, and for me, that meant pushing myself to complete the entire set. What I didn’t anticipate was just how challenging it would be. Since it was an introductory course, our programming toolkit was very limited. I had to figure out how to structure the program, manage data, and implement each feature using only the fundamentals we had learned so far. Some parts of the assignment required me to step back and rethink my logic entirely. Other parts broke in ways I couldn’t immediately explain, forcing me to slow down, debug extremely carefully, and learn from each mistake. It was frustrating, but that made it all the more rewarding when I was done. The effort paid off academically as well. I earned full credit on the project, and because I had completed every other extra‑credit opportunity throughout the semester, I had accumulated so many points that even failing the final wouldn’t have dropped me below a 95. I ended up acing the final anyway, finishing the course with a 105. More importantly, the project helped me realize what inspires me about working in technology. Technology is challenging. It forces you to think critically, to be creative, and to keep pushing through. There’s something exciting about knowing that with enough effort, you can make something work from nothing, and reflect problem‑solving, persistence, and growth. The gradebook project was small, but it showed me how much I enjoy the process of building and improving my code. It affirmed that technology is something I’m genuinely passionate about, and it motivates me to keep learning and creating.

My name is Noah Graham, and I am a senior at Long Reach High School completing full time dual enrollment coursework at Howard Community College. By the time I graduate, I will have earned two associate’s degrees, one in General Studies STEM and one in Cybersecurity, while maintaining a 4.0 GPA. Education has been a driving force in my life. I enjoy learning, but education has also given me direction during times when I felt lost. School has shown me what I am capable of, and it has helped me build the confidence and stability I once struggled to find. My long term goal is to pursue a bachelor’s degree in computer science and eventually work in a role where I can strengthen digital safety. Technology is becoming more deeply connected to every part of society, and I want to use my skills to protect people, especially those who may not have the resources or knowledge to protect themselves. Think of the scams that target the elderly, or the overly generous. I want to make a meaningful impact by ensuring that safety, privacy, and security are accessible to everyone. My motivation to pursue higher education is shaped by the challenges I’ve overcome. I have struggled with ADHD, depression, anxiety, social isolation, and periods of instability, but I have also been surrounded by people who believed in me when I didn’t believe in myself. Their support helped me rebuild my life. I believe that everyone deserves support from their community, and that it is a human responsibility to care for others. That belief guides what I do, from my involvement in the Boys & Girls Club to my work in the National Honor Society. Mentoring younger members, leading service projects, and helping create a positive environment have shown me how powerful consistency and compassion can be. However, despite my academic achievements and commitment to service, the financial burden of college remains a significant obstacle. My family has limited resources, and although I have been accepted to Georgetown University, the cost of attendance is still a burden. This scholarship would not only help relieve that financial pressure, but it would allow me to continue pursuing the goals I have worked so hard to reach. It would give me the opportunity to step into higher education with stability, confidence, and the ability to focus on my education rather than on finances. Furthering my education will allow me to build the skills, knowledge, and professional foundation I need to succeed in the security workforce. More importantly, it will allow me to continue giving back to my community on a larger scale. I want to use my career to support others, protect those who are vulnerable, and create opportunities for people who may feel overlooked, the same way that others did for me. This scholarship would support my education; it would help me continue becoming the kind of person who lifts others up. It would allow me to turn my goals into reality and step into the world ready to make a meaningful, lasting impact.

Giving back to my community is important to me because I have received a lot of help from others. I have struggled with ADHD, depression, anxiety, and social isolation, but I have overcome these challenges with the help of others. Receiving so much help and having people believe in me, even when I didn’t believe in myself, inspired me to help others in that same way. I want to be able to one day help others who are going through the same struggles, and also the people whose struggles I never had. I believe that everyone deserves support from their community, and that it is a human responsibility to care for others. That belief has driven me to become involved in my community and why I want to stay involved in the future. One of the most meaningful ways I give back to my community is through my involvement at the Boys & Girls Club. As a member of the Keystone Teen Leadership Program and the elected treasurer of our Keystone club, I’ve had the opportunity to support service projects, mentor younger members, and help create a positive environment for everyone who walks through our club doors. At the club, I’ve learned that leadership is about consistency, respect, and listening to others. By showing up every day, listening, and being someone that younger kids can rely on, I’ve been able to make a positive difference in their lives. Whether I’m helping a younger member navigate conflict with their friends, encouraging them to stay focused during homework time, or simply being a reliable and helpful presence, I’ve seen how small acts of patience and compassion can change the tone of an entire room. My service extends beyond the Club as well. Through the National Honor Society, I’ve participated in community initiatives such as a period product drive, organizing a bingo night for elementary school students, and fundraising for the Grassroots Crisis Center through our NHS Walkathon. These projects have shown me how many people in my community face challenges that often go unseen, such as lack of necessities, food insecurity, or simply the need for a safe place to be heard. Being part of efforts that directly address those needs has strengthened my belief that service is one of the most powerful tools we have to build stronger, more connected communities. Ultimately, giving back matters to me because it represents the kind of future I want to build. A future where no one feels alone in their struggles and where communities support one another through compassion and action. The help I received changed the direction of my life, and I want to create that same impact for others. Whether through mentoring, service projects, or future work, I plan to continue using my time, skills, and experiences to uplift the people around me. My goal is to make sure my success creates opportunities and support for others as well. That is what giving back means to me, and why it will always remain a priority in my life.

My freshman year of high school was one of the most challenging periods of my life. A few years earlier, my parents had gone through a contentious divorce that created lasting tension within my family. During that time, my biological mother frequently spoke negatively about my father in front of my brother and me, which placed significant emotional strain on both of us. Over time, however, I began to question her claims and develop my own understanding of the situation. When I expressed my perspective, I was consistently dismissed and told that I was too young to have independent thoughts or that my views were merely influenced by my father. This environment made it increasingly difficult to feel heard or respected. At the same time, responsibilities within the household became uneven. My brother often neglected his schoolwork and other obligations, staying up late using his Chromebook for non-academic activities. These behaviors were largely unaddressed by my mother, and as a result, I was expected to take on additional responsibilities at home. While the additional work itself was manageable, the lack of accountability and fairness was difficult, particularly because I remained consistently responsible for my own obligations. The differences in expectations and behavior between households further complicated the situation. My brother’s portrayal of our father shifted depending on the environment. At my father’s home, he spoke positively of him; however, at my mother’s, he frequently complained about being required to complete schoolwork and adhere to basic expectations. Actions taken by my father—such as monitoring my brother’s browser history to ensure academic accountability—were characterized as excessive or controlling. Meanwhile, my own concerns and experiences were regularly dismissed. Over time, this contributed to a growing sense of isolation and uncertainty about whether I could rely on others to listen or understand my perspective. By the end of my freshman year, the situation had significantly affected my well-being. After an extended period of feeling dismissed, criticized, and unsupported, I reached a breaking point. While staying at my father’s home, I disclosed the full extent of what I had been experiencing. Although doing so was extremely difficult, it marked a critical turning point. My father and his partner responded with immediate support, helping me access professional care and speak with medical specialists. Based on these evaluations, it was determined that remaining in my mother’s household was not in my best interest at that time. Following this period, I focused on stabilizing my mental health and rebuilding a sense of direction. Through consistent support, reflection, and time, I was able to regain a sense of control and begin moving forward. Rather than allowing these experiences to define me, I used them as motivation to strengthen my resilience and personal growth. Since then, I have made significant academic and personal progress. I have completed my first associate’s degree in General STEM at Howard Community College and am currently finishing the requirements for a second associate’s degree in Cybersecurity. Pursuing two degrees simultaneously has required discipline, time management, and persistence—skills I developed through overcoming earlier challenges. In addition to my academic work, I am actively involved in my local Boys & Girls Club, where I participate in the Keystone Teen Leadership Program. I was elected treasurer of our Keystone Club, a role in which I manage club finances and contribute to organizational planning. I am also a member of the National Honor Society and have participated in multiple service initiatives, including a period product drive, organizing a bingo night for elementary school students, and fundraising for Grassroots Crisis Center. As someone who has experienced ADHD, financial hardship, social isolation, and depression, my primary goal for attending college is to position myself to make a meaningful, positive impact on society. I have benefited from the support of others throughout my journey, and I am committed to paying that forward. I believe that everyone deserves support from their community, and that there is a shared responsibility to care for others. Looking ahead, I aim to build a successful career not only as a measure of personal achievement, but as a platform for broader impact. I do not intend to measure success solely by financial gain, but by the extent to which I can use my education, skills, and opportunities to support others. I did not reach this point on my own, and I am committed to ensuring that others have access to the same support and opportunities that helped me move forward. For these reasons, I believe I am a strong candidate for this scholarship, not only because of what I have accomplished, but because of how I intend to use those accomplishments to contribute to others.

What inspires me most about Jack Terry’s story is his resilience. The way he pushed forward after surviving the Holocaust speaks volumes about his character; arriving in the U.S. with nothing, he persevered to accomplish great things. His life is a testament to the fact that adversity does not have to prevent us from living life to the fullest. My own journey has been shaped by similar themes of overcoming hardship. During my freshman year of high school, I found myself in an unhealthy environment that was extremely taxing to my well-being and mental health. This situation eventually led to a hospitalization for my own safety, followed by a transition to a more stable environment. In the period that followed, I focused on rebuilding my sense of direction. Through consistent support and deep reflection, I regained control of my life and began moving forward. Rather than allowing these experiences to define me, I used them as motivation to strengthen my personal growth. Since then, I have made significant academic and personal progress. I have already earned an associate’s degree in General STEM from Howard Community College and am currently finishing a second degree in Cybersecurity. Pursuing these two degrees simultaneously has required intense discipline and time management—skills I forged through my earlier challenges. Beyond the classroom, I am actively involved in the Keystone Teen Leadership Program at my local Boys & Girls Club. As the elected treasurer, I manage club finances and contribute to organizational planning. I am also a member of the National Honor Society and have led various service initiatives, including a period product drive, a bingo night for elementary students, and fundraising for the Grassroots Crisis Center. However, my family struggles with affording the costs of college. I've been accepted to many wonderful schools, but I don't have the funds to attend them. Having navigated ADHD, financial hardship, and depression, my primary goal in attending college is to position myself to create positive social change. Because I have received so much help on my journey, I am driven to support others—both those facing familiar struggles and those facing challenges I’ve never known. I believe it is a fundamental human responsibility to care for one another. While I aspire to achieve great success, I have no intention of hoarding wealth; instead, I want to leverage my education and career to uplift my community. I didn’t get where I am today by myself, and I want to ensure that no one else has to, either.

One of the most meaningful ways I have inspired change in my community is at my Boys & Girls Club through consistency. Rather than trying to lead through authority, I focused on showing up every day as someone younger members could rely on. Over time, my consistency built trust and allowed me to influence others in a positive, more meaningful way. During the summer of 2025, I served as a Junior Leader at camp, where I worked closely with younger children in both structured activities and spontaneous events. The point of the summer program, for the Junior Leaders, wasn't to have fun, but to be a positive influence and strong leader for the other kids in the program. I quickly learned that effective leadership was about listening, understanding, and guiding others instead of simply giving instructions. Many of the kids looked up to me for support, whether they were struggling with friendships, self-confidence, or adjusting to the group environment. By taking the time to engage with them individually, I was able to help them work through challenges and help them feel more included. There were moments that required patience and self-control, especially when situations quickly became frustrating or chaotic. In those moments, I understood that my behavior set the standard for everyone else. Choosing to remain calm and supportive helped create a more positive environment and encouraged others to respond in the same, caring way. If I had lost my composure in the moment, then the situation would have only escalated and become worse for everyone. Through this experience, I learned that leadership is rooted in example. By being dependable, respectful, and engaged, I was able to motivate younger members to treat each other with the same level of care. Helping the kids learn how to care for each other was the start in helping them build a stronger community. Seeing that shift in behavior showed me that even small, consistent actions can create meaningful changes in our communities. Working with younger kids continues to be one of the most rewarding parts of my involvement at the Boys & Girls Club. Children are the future, and it is no understatement to say that how we raise and teach children impacts their future, but also our own. It has shown me that leadership is about having a positive impact - helping others grow, feel supported, and become better versions of themselves.