1. What trade are you pursuing and why are you passionate about it? I am pursuing a career in healthcare through my Patient Care Technician (PCT) program this upcoming senior year . I have always been passionate about helping others, and this trade allows me to make a meaningful difference in people’s lives every day. I enjoy learning the skills needed to care for patients with compassion, respect, and professionalism. Earning certifications such as CPR and EKG my junior year has strengthened my confidence and confirmed that healthcare is the career path I want to follow. Knowing that I can provide comfort and support to someone during a difficult time motivates me to continue growing in this field knowing I can be the reason a family smiles and just be a pure soul in the healthcare felid is rare and needed and to be apart of the 5% of black healthcare workers is a blessing. 2. What are your future plans after your trade education? After completing my Patient Care Technician program, I plan to work in a hospital or healthcare facility to gain valuable hands-on experience while continuing my education. My long-term goal is to become a registered nurse / Nurse practitioner working with mothers and babies continue advancing my career in healthcare. I hope to use my knowledge and experience to provide high-quality patient care, advocate for others, and make a positive impact in my community. I believe this trade is the first step toward a lifelong career dedicated to serving others. 3. Describe a time in your life when you overcame adversity. How did you work through it? One of the biggest challenges I have overcome is the time I was diagnosed with a condition that stoped my ability to be able to walk eat write and continue my education , I had to regain my strength by going to physical therapy and more at the ripe young age it was hard not being able to write being weak It was a time in my life that tested my strength, resilience, and determination. Although it was difficult, I refused to let that experience define who I was or limit what I could accomplish. Instead, I used it as motivation to work harder and focus on building a better future for myself now I’m the president of my class I graduated from college while being in high school taking college classes and more is a blessing I worked through that adversity by staying committed to my education, becoming involved in leadership opportunities, and surrounding myself with people who encouraged me to keep moving forward. Rather than allowing setbacks to discourage me, I learned how to adapt, remain positive, and keep my goals at the center of everything I did. Looking back, that experience taught me perseverance, maturity, and the importance of believing in myself even during difficult times. It shaped the person I am today and inspired me to pursue a career where I can help others through their own challenges with compassion and understanding.

I rise I remember the moment my life shifted, even if I did not fully understand it at the time. I was in third grade, an age meant for playground games and learning multiplication tables, but instead of sitting in a classroom, I was going in and out of hospitals. It started suddenly. I began walking differently, like my body no longer belonged to me. My balance was off, my head tilted downward, and I could not keep food down. My mother took me from hospital to hospital searching for answers, but each time doctors insisted nothing was wrong. Still, she knew better. She watched me lose weight, fall into walls, and grow weaker by the day. Refusing to accept uncertainty, she remained persistent until I was finally admitted to a children’s hospital. One of my earliest memories from that time is a CAT scan. I was dressed in a thin blue hospital gown and led into a room with a large machine shaped like a dome. The nurses told me to lie completely still and handed me a red button in case I wanted to stop. Determined to be brave, I said I did not need anesthesia. But inside the machine, the silence felt overwhelming. It was just me, the low hum of the scanner, and my thoughts. A radio played softly in the background, and I remember staring up and wondering if I was going to be okay. The fear caught up to me, and I pressed the red button. Within seconds, nurses rushed in, placed a mask over my face, and everything faded to black. That moment was only one of many. While other children followed their routines, I spent weeks in hospital rooms. Nurses helped me with simple tasks I could no longer do on my own, and firefighters sometimes visited to lift our spirits. Through it all, my mother never left my side. The hardest part was not just being in the hospital, but losing abilities I had always taken for granted. I struggled to walk, write, and keep up with schoolwork. While classmates moved forward, I felt like I was falling behind in every way. Eventually, we had an answer. I was diagnosed with ataxia, a neurological condition that affects balance and coordination. The diagnosis brought clarity, but not immediate relief. I began physical therapy as the youngest patient in the clinic, spending hours practicing movements such as walking in straight lines, balancing, and rebuilding strength. Progress was slow and often frustrating, but over time, improvements became meaningful victories. Throughout it all, my mother carried a weight of her own. She cared for me while raising my younger brother and managing our daily lives. Even as a child, I recognized her strength and resilience. Her support became my foundation. When I returned to school, my mother arranged a 504 plan that gave me extra time on tests and access to the elevator. Although these accommodations helped, I sometimes avoided using them because I did not want to feel different. I wanted to feel normal again. I still remember calling my mother after a math test to tell her I earned a B. She told me how proud she was. That moment meant more than the grade itself because it represented progress, resilience, and hope. Over time, my health improved, and I regained strength. Today, I thrive academically, earn honor roll, lead my class, and pursue dual enrollment while working toward becoming a nurse. That experience shaped me, instilling resilience, gratitude, and compassion, showing me how to rise through hardship.