Dreams are where we build our hopes, which lead us to strive and be successful in life. However, it comes with obstacles meant to facilitate growth. The struggles I endured in life encouraged me to never give up. I have dealt with bullying, moved to another country, and struggled economically growing up. Although these may appear to be disappointments in my life, it is what encouraged me to strive for success. The first obstacle that I recall occurred when I attended school in Jamaica, my home country. I had a very socially awkward personality and barely had friends. Therefore, it caused me to be a target for bullying. My pencils, homework, and lunch money were stolen continuously. Despite this, I still had hope that my Lord Jesus would not allow me go through this in vain. I learned how to stand up for myself by saying no, talk more confidently, and command presence in a room where people didn’t believe I belonged. I was able to show resilience in a manner that I had never been able to express in the past. The second struggle was leaving my country in 2020. I was very fortunate to come to this beautiful country; however, I now had the challenge of adapting to American culture. Adapting was very difficult because I spoke differently, which was very ostracizing because people had difficulty understanding me. In addition, I struggled with adapting to American schools due to the language barrier. With diligence and patience, I learned to speak English better. It assisted me greatly in being able to comprehend what was being taught in order to complete my coursework. I refused to allow my disadvantages hinder me from the opportunities presented to me. The third obstacle I endured was growing up in impoverished conditions. In Jamaica, the government does not provide relief to needy families. It took an emotional toll on me to see my mother work three jobs to put food on the table, and my father work and barely get paid. There were times my parents did not eat to ensure I did not go hungry. We lived in a small board house in what you might call the ghetto. When it rained, we had to get buckets to catch the water dripping through the roof. Experiencing these difficulties and setbacks provided me the determination to rise above my circumstances and focus on my education. Finance is the study of the future in business, where you make strategic planning based on the future. It is the reason I chose to major in Finance. My future is bright, so I want to make my plans based upon what I want for the future. This scholarship would help me because I would be able to complete the American dream of earning a degree. Obtaining a scholarship for my education would help me with independence and give me the confidence that I am able to achieve my goals. My goal is to obtain a degree in business finance and accounting with a minor in criminal justice. I would like to help others with their finances so they can manage their money well. In addition, I would like to teach people about investing in themselves and their future. My aspirations include working for a financial firm, then leaving that job after I save enough money to start my real estate business. My hopes for the future is that I can accomplish any goal that I put my mind to.

Dreams are where we build our hopes, which lead us to strive and be successful in life. However, it comes with obstacles that are meant to facilitate growth. The struggles I endured in life encouraged me to lean closer to jesus. I have dealt with bullying, moved to another country, and struggled economically growing up. Although these may appear to be disappointments in my life, it is what encouraged me to strive for success and know that if god is for you who can be against you. The first obstacle that I recall occurred when I attended school in Jamaica, my home country. I had a very socially awkward personality and barely had friends. Therefore, it caused me to be a target for bullying. My pencils, homework and lunch money were stolen continuously. Despite this, I still had hope that my Lord Jesus would not allow me go through this in vain. I learned how to stand up for myself by saying no, learned how to talk more confidently, and command presence in a room where people didn’t believe I belonged. I was able to show resilience in a manner that I had never been able to express in the past. The second struggle was leaving my country in 2020. I was fortunate to come to this beautiful country, however I now had a new challenge of adapting to American culture. Adapting was difficult because I spoke differently, which was ostracizing at the time because people had difficulty understanding me. In addition, I struggled with adapting to American schools due to the language barrier. With diligence and patience, I learned to speak English better. It assisted me greatly in being able to comprehend what was being taught in order to complete my coursework. I refused to allow my disadvantages hinder me from the opportunities presented to me. The third obstacle I endured was growing up in impoverished conditions. In Jamaica the government does not provide relief to needy families. It took an emotional toll on me to see my mother work three jobs to put food on the table, and my father work and barely get paid. There were also times my parents did not eat to ensure I did not go hungry. We lived in a small board house in what you might call the ghetto. When it rained, we had to get buckets to catch the water dripping through the roof. Experiencing these difficulties and set backs provided me the determination to rise above the circumstances and enabled me to focus on my education. Even through our struggles, I can still remember every Sunday morning my mom used to wake me up at 8:39 to get ready for church because even though they were going through life, they knew that without Jesus there is no way out. My favorite Bible verse is Psalm 34:8: “Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed are those who take refuge in Him,” and I a testimony of that today. I will be the first person to go to college and get a degree. I will be studying business finance at University of North Florida, and I know it’s going to be hard, but I have no fear because I serve a God who saved Noah from the great flood, who gave Abraham’s wife a child at 90 years of age, who led Moses and the Israelites out of Egypt by splitting the Red Sea. He is the God that created the heavens and the earth, and all men shall bow down to Him.

Dreams are where we build our hopes, which lead us to strive and be successful in life. However, it comes with obstacles meant to facilitate growth. The struggles I endured in life encouraged me to never give up. I have dealt with bullying, moved to another country, and struggled economically growing up. Although these may appear to be disappointments in my life, it is what encouraged me to strive for success. The first obstacle that I recall occurred when I attended school in Jamaica, my home country. I had a very socially awkward personality and barely had friends. Therefore, it caused me to be a target for bullying. My pencils, homework, and lunch money were stolen continuously. Despite this, I still had hope that my Lord Jesus would not allow me go through this in vain. I learned how to stand up for myself by saying no, talk more confidently, and command presence in a room where people didn’t believe I belonged. I was able to show resilience in a manner that I had never been able to express in the past. The second struggle was leaving my country in 2020. I was very fortunate to come to this beautiful country; however, I now had the challenge of adapting to American culture. Adapting was very difficult because I spoke differently, which was very ostracizing because people had difficulty understanding me. In addition, I struggled with adapting to American schools due to the language barrier. With diligence and patience, I learned to speak English better. It assisted me greatly in being able to comprehend what was being taught in order to complete my coursework. I refused to allow my disadvantages hinder me from the opportunities presented to me. The third obstacle I endured was growing up in impoverished conditions. In Jamaica, the government does not provide relief to needy families. It took an emotional toll on me to see my mother work three jobs to put food on the table, and my father work and barely get paid. There were times my parents did not eat to ensure I did not go hungry. We lived in a small board house in what you might call the ghetto. When it rained, we had to get buckets to catch the water dripping through the roof. Experiencing these difficulties and setbacks provided me the determination to rise above my circumstances and focus on my education. Finance is the study of the future in business, where you make strategic planning based on the future. It is the reason I chose to major in Finance. My future is bright, so I want to make my plans based upon what I want for the future. This scholarship would help me because I would be able to complete the American dream of earning a degree. Obtaining a scholarship for my education would help me with independence and give me the confidence that I am able to achieve my goals. My goal is to obtain a degree in business finance and accounting with a minor in criminal justice. I would like to help others with their finances so they can manage their money well. In addition, I would like to teach people about investing in themselves and their future. My aspirations include working for a financial firm, then leaving that job after I save enough money to start my real estate business. My hopes for the future is that I can accomplish any goal that I put my mind to.

Dreams are where we build our hopes, which lead us to strive and be successful in life. However, it comes with obstacles that are meant to facilitate growth. The struggles I endured in life encouraged me to never give up. I have dealt with bullying, moved to another country, and struggled economically growing up. Although these may appear to be disappointments in my life, it is what encouraged me to strive for success. The first obstacle that I recall occurred when I attended school in Jamaica, my home country. I had a very socially awkward personality and barely had friends. Therefore, it caused me to be a target for bullying. My pencils, homework, and lunch money were stolen continuously. Despite this, I still had hope that my Lord Jesus would not allow me to go through this in vain. I learned to stand up for myself by saying no, to talk more confidently, and to command a room where people didn’t believe I belonged. I was able to show resilience in a manner that I had never been able to express in the past. The second struggle was leaving my country in 2020. I was very fortunate to come to this beautiful country, I now had a new challenge of adapting to American culture. Adapting was very difficult. I spoke differently, which was very ostracizing at the time because people had difficulty understanding me. In addition, I struggled with adapting to American schools due to the language barrier. With a lot of diligence and patience, I learned to speak English better. It assisted me greatly in being able to comprehend what was being taught in order to better complete my coursework. I refused to allow my disadvantages to hinder me from all the opportunities presented to me. The third obstacle I endured was growing up in impoverished conditions. In Jamaica, the government does not provide relief to needy families. It took an emotional toll on me to see my mother work three jobs to put food on the table, and my father work and barely get paid. . There were also times my parents did not eat to ensure I did not go hungry. We lived in a small board house in what you might call the ghetto. When it rained, we had to get buckets to catch the water that was dripping through the roof. Experiencing all these difficulties and setbacks provided me with the determination to rise above the circumstances and enabled me to focus on my education. Obstacles are put in our way to make us stronger. Difficulties have encouraged me to become resilient and face my education with confidence and determination. The Bible says, “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I shall fear no evil” (Psalm 23:4). I am grateful for the temporary setbacks. They set me up for permanent success.

Success is the foundation of what you work for throughout your life and what people are often judged by. My definition of success is focusing on school and gaining real-life experience that I will need in the near future, especially as I prepare for adulthood and long-term goals. My determination in school comes from being an immigrant and experiencing hardship, including times without clean water and watching my parents sacrifice meals so I could eat. Those experiences shaped my mindset and taught me the value of education. When I got the opportunity to come to America, I saw it as a chance to start over and build a better future. I study, go to school, and try my best to keep up with other students, even when it is difficult. For example, when I took Criminal Justice at Charlotte Technical College, it was a challenging class for me. I had to think critically, stay quick on my feet, and speak in front of my class to explain a murder case or other topics. However, I refused to give up on something I started because I have been given a second chance and I want to make the most of it. In school, I have joined many clubs such as Environmental Club, Pickleball Club, Key Club, and Student Government. These activities have helped me become more responsible, social, and confident in leadership situations. I am also involved in two sports: swimming and tennis, both of which help me stay disciplined and focused while also teaching teamwork and perseverance. In my free time, I love to volunteer at my uncle’s job in a nursing home. At first, I thought I might dislike it because of the stories my uncle told me about patients being rude, but it turned out to be one of my favorite experiences. I help serve food to residents while they share stories about their younger lives. I especially enjoy hearing about World War II, the Vietnam War, and other historical events that shaped their lives. One of my favorite residents is Mr. Bob, which probably is not his real name, but everyone calls him that. He is a Vietnam War veteran and shared how soldiers were treated when they returned home, as well as how many friends he lost during the war, which was very emotional and eye-opening for me. I wanted to ask him more personal questions, but I was afraid I might be overstepping. I also help in storage by cleaning, fixing, and organizing supplies. Even on Christmas, I helped put up the lights, and I often drove past the nursing home just to see them glowing. In my free time, I also enjoy hanging out with friends, cooking, and making funny videos that nobody else seems to find funny. During the summer of 2024, I traveled to Arkansas to visit my family and worked a summer job at a hotel. I worked at the front desk, where I checked in guests and kept track of room availability and occupancy. This experience taught me responsibility and customer service skills. There, I met the owner, Pete, who taught me the ins and outs of running a business and managing operations. That experience sparked my interest in business and gave me the motivation to one day own my own company. Even though school is stressful, especially when you have plans for your future, it is where we first learn our ABCs and 123s. Because of that, it helps prepare us for the future and what lies ahead. School teaches us how to be prepared, arrive on time, and try our hardest every day because every effort counts. Teachers are like bosses that you try to impress, while classmates are like coworkers you must work with to solve problems and challenges. This teaches teamwork, responsibility, and resilience in a way that many people do not fully realize until they enter the real world. After graduating college, I want to become a financial advisor and eventually save enough money to invest in real estate, including houses, apartment hotels, and bars. Each day for me is a “pursuit for success,” as my principal says every morning, reminding me to stay focused and disciplined. I want to be able to say I came from nowhere and built something meaningful through hard work and persistence. This scholarship would help me complete the American dream of earning a degree. It would provide me with financial support and the confidence that I can achieve my goals even when challenges arise. I plan to earn a degree in business finance and accounting with a minor in criminal justice. I want to help others manage their finances so they can make better financial decisions and avoid financial struggles. In addition, I hope to teach people the importance of investing in themselves and their future. My long-term goal is to work for a financial firm and then leave once I have saved enough money to start my own real estate business. My hope for the future is to accomplish every goal I set for myself and continue growing no matter where life takes me.

Dreams are where we build our hopes, which lead us to strive and be successful in life. However, it comes with obstacles that are meant to facilitate growth. The struggles I endured in life encouraged me to never give up. I have dealt with bullying, moved to another country, and struggled economically growing up. Although these may appear to be disappointments in my life, it is what encouraged me to strive for success. The first obstacle that I recall occurred when I attended school in Jamaica, my home country. I had a very socially awkward personality and barely had friends. Therefore, it caused me to be a target for bullying. My pencils, homework and lunch money were stolen continuously. Despite this, I still had hope that my Lord Jesus would not allow me go through this in vain. I learned how to stand up for myself by saying no, learned how to talk more confidently, and command presence in a room where people didn’t believe I belonged. I was able to show resilience in a manner that I had never been able to express in the past. The second struggle was leaving my country in 2020. I was very fortunate to come to this beautiful country, however I now had to new challenge of adapting to American culture. Adapting was very difficult because I spoke differently, which was very ostracizing at the time because people had difficulty understanding me. In addition, I struggled with was adapting to American schools due to the language barrier. With a lot of diligence and patience, I learned to speak English better. It assisted me greatly in being able to comprehend what was being taught in order to better complete my coursework. I refused to allow my disadvantages hinder me from all the opportunities presented to me. The third obstacle I endured was growing up in impoverished conditions. In Jamaica the government does not provide relief to needy families. It took an emotional toll on me to see my mother work three jobs to put food on the table, and my father work and barely get paid. . There were also times my parents did not eat to ensure I did not go hungry. We lived in a small board house in what you might call the ghetto. When it rained, we had to get buckets to catch the water that was dripping through the roof. Experiencing all these difficulties and set backs provided me the determination to rise above the circumstances and enabled me to focus on my education. Obstacles are put in our way to make us stronger. Difficulties have encouraged me to become resilient and face my education with confidence and determination. The Bible says, “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I shall fear no evil” (Psalm 23:4). I am grateful for the temporary setbacks. They set me up for permanent success.

Dreams are where we build our hopes, which lead us to strive and be successful in life. However, it comes with obstacles meant to facilitate growth. The struggles I endured in life encouraged me to never give up. I have dealt with bullying, moved to another country, and struggled economically growing up. Although these may appear to be disappointments in my life, it is what encouraged me to strive for success. The first obstacle that I recall occurred when I attended school in Jamaica, my home country. I had a very socially awkward personality and barely had friends. Therefore, it caused me to be a target for bullying. My pencils, homework, and lunch money were stolen continuously. Despite this, I still had hope that my Lord Jesus would not allow me go through this in vain. I learned how to stand up for myself by saying no, talk more confidently, and command presence in a room where people didn’t believe I belonged. I was able to show resilience in a manner that I had never been able to express in the past. The second struggle was leaving my country in 2020. I was very fortunate to come to this beautiful country; however, I now had the challenge of adapting to American culture. Adapting was very difficult because I spoke differently, which was very ostracizing because people had difficulty understanding me. In addition, I struggled with adapting to American schools due to the language barrier. With diligence and patience, I learned to speak English better. It assisted me greatly in being able to comprehend what was being taught in order to complete my coursework. I refused to allow my disadvantages hinder me from the opportunities presented to me. The third obstacle I endured was growing up in impoverished conditions. In Jamaica, the government does not provide relief to needy families. It took an emotional toll on me to see my mother work three jobs to put food on the table, and my father work and barely get paid. There were times my parents did not eat to ensure I did not go hungry. We lived in a small board house in what you might call the ghetto. When it rained, we had to get buckets to catch the water dripping through the roof. Experiencing these difficulties and setbacks provided me the determination to rise above my circumstances and focus on my education. Finance is the study of the future in business, where you make strategic planning based on the future. It is the reason I chose to major in Finance. My future is bright, so I want to make my plans based upon what I want for the future. This scholarship would help me because I would be able to complete the American dream of earning a degree. Obtaining a scholarship for my education would help me with independence and give me the confidence that I am able to achieve my goals. My goal is to obtain a degree in business finance and accounting with a minor in criminal justice. I would like to help others with their finances so they can manage their money well. In addition, I would like to teach people about investing in themselves and their future. My aspirations include working for a financial firm, then leaving that job after I save enough money to start my real estate business. My hopes for the future is that I can accomplish any goal that I put my mind to.

Growing up knowing you are loved is one of the most important things any child can feel. Love is the foundation of what every one of us works so hard to accomplish. Growing up with a single mother is not easy to witness. I saw my mother work two jobs, take care of her parents, and keep her faith in God. Even through all of her struggles, my mother, Melanie Runble-Smith, came out resilient. When I was in third grade, my dad left my mom to marry another woman. He had cheated on my mother and abused her throughout their relationship. Still, because we lived in Jamaica—a place where this type of behavior was often normalized—my mother stayed until he finally left. When he walked away, my mom was crushed. She did not know what our next move would be, but as an independent woman, she refused to give up. She worked two jobs—one at the airport as a security guard, and during her free time, she started her own hair business, braiding hair to earn extra money so I could go to school. Even with both jobs, there were times she did not make enough money to feed both of us. She would buy one box of food at work, eat a small portion for herself, and bring the rest home for me. As I got older and understood our situation, I refused to eat her lunch because I wanted her to have something to eat the next day. My mom’s life was never easy. Even in her younger years, she grew up with an abusive father and a shy, loving mother. Despite everything, she took care of both of her parents. In 2005, my grandmother’s diabetes became worse, and even while pregnant, my mother stepped up to care for her. I watched my mom bathe, feed, and clothe her mother until she passed away on April 2, 2011. My mother was devastated and carried the pain of losing her mom. Still, life did not give my mother a break. In 2013, my grandfather was diagnosed with stage four lung cancer. My grandfather passed away on the night of my birthday party, July 20, 2013. Even though both of them died when I was very young, my mom is always surprised that I still remember them. I tell her stories about my grandmother and grandfather, and it amazes her because one of her greatest fears was that I would grow up without remembering them. One of the things that my mother taught me, and that I still carry, is my faith in God. My mom is a strong believer in God. When she was going through her hard times, I saw her pray, and forget it if we did not go to church every Sunday. My mom’s favorite Bible verse is the Book of Psalms 23:4. She always says that the reason why this Bible verse is her favorite is because, “Every day, I felt like I was walking in the valley of the shadow of death. Somehow, I made it through.” My mom, even though she was going through a hard time, never gave up because she realized that if she gave up, she would also give up on my future. She is a strong, independent woman—a woman that was fearless but had fear, that was strong but yet weak, that was intelligent but yet decisive. She was a woman of many colors, and that woman is my mom, Melanie Runble-Smith.

Ever since I was I small kid I wanted to own my own business, which in this case everyone wanted to work for them self. I find myself pondering why doesn’t every one make that dream come true? I am determined to make my dream a reality. In my eyes I can do anything if I put my mind to it. When I was 15 I went to visit my mom and got a summer job. I was responsible for front desk tasks and booking the guests’ reservations. The owner Mr Pete was impressed with my self-motivation and took a liking to me. I began to glean his knowledge regarding his business acumen to which he would respond, “Business is about always taking the risk, but also whether the risk that you’re taking makes sense to do. Your risk might not make sense to other people, but that’s why it’s your risk not theirs so take it.” He also told me about his other companies like bars, rentals and other hotels. That’s when I realize I want to go into the real estate business. Of course, I know I may not be able to immediately start my own business out of college. Initially, I plan to be a financial advisor working for a company so I can save up money buy houses then rent them out. Then I plan to proceed to buy apartment complex, hotels, and invest my income. Finance in a sense is the study of the future in business where you make strategic planning based on the future. It is the reason I chose to major in Finance. My future is bright so I want to make my plans based upon what I want for the future. This scholarship would help to benefit me because I would be able to complete the American dream of earning a degree. Obtaining a scholarship for my education would help me with independence as well as give me the confidence that I am able to achieve my goals. My goal is to obtain a degree in business finance and accounting with a minor in criminal justice. I would like to help others with their finances so that they can manage their money well. In addition, I would like to teach people about investing not only in themselves but also in their future. I am very good with money and have always used my resources to help others. This scholarship would enable me to be able to help more people by teaching them fiscal responsibility. My aspirations include working for a financial firm where I can utilize my knowledge to help more families become financially independent then leave that job after I save up enough money to start my real estate business. My hopes for future is that i can accomplish any goal that I put my mind to.

Ever since I was a small kid I wanted to own my own business, which in this case everyone wanted to work for themselves. I find myself pondering why doesn’t everyone make that dream come true? I am determined to make my dream a reality. In my eyes, I can do anything if I put my mind to it. When I was 15 I went to visit my mom and got a summer job. I was responsible for front desk tasks and booking the guests’ reservations. The owner Mr Pete was impressed with my self-motivation and took a liking to me. I began to glean his knowledge regarding his business acumen to which he would respond, “Business is about always taking the risk, but also whether the risk that you’re taking makes sense to do. Your risk might not make sense to other people, but that’s why it’s your risk not theirs so take it.” He also told me about his other companies like bars, rentals, and other hotels. That’s when I realized I want to go into the real estate business. Of course, I know I may not be able to immediately start my own business out of college. Initially, I plan to be a financial advisor working for a company so I can save up money to buy houses, and then rent them out. Then I plan to proceed to buy an apartment complex, hotels, and invest my income. Finance in a sense is the study of the future in business where you make strategic planning based on the future. It is the reason I chose to major in Finance. My future is bright so I want to make my plans based on what I want for the future. This scholarship would help to benefit me because I would be able to complete the American dream of earning a degree. Obtaining a scholarship for my education would help me with independence as well as give me the confidence that I am able to achieve my goals. My goal is to obtain a degree in business finance and accounting with a minor in criminal justice. I would like to help others with their finances so that they can manage their money well. In addition, I would like to teach people about investing not only in themselves but also in their future. I am very good with money and have always used my resources to help others. This scholarship would enable me to be able to help more people by teaching them fiscal responsibility. My aspirations include working for a financial firm where I can utilize my knowledge to help more families become financially independent then leave that job after I save up enough money to start my real estate business. My hopes for the future are that I can accomplish any goal that I put my mind to.

Dreams are where we build our hopes, which lead us to strive and be successful in life. However, it comes with obstacles that are meant to facilitate growth. The struggles I endured in life encouraged me to lean closer to Jesus. I have dealt with bullying, moved to another country, and struggled economically growing up. Although these may appear to be disappointments in my life, they are what have encouraged me to strive for success and to know that if god is for you, who can be against you. The first obstacle that I recall occurred when I attended school in Jamaica, my home country. I had a very socially awkward personality and barely had friends. Therefore, it caused me to be a target for bullying. My pencils, homework, and lunch money were stolen continuously. Despite this, I still had hope that my Lord Jesus would not allow me to go through this in vain. I learned to stand up for myself by saying no, to talk more confidently, and to command a room where people didn’t believe I belonged. I was able to show resilience in a manner that I had never been able to express in the past. The second struggle was leaving my country in 2020. I was very fortunate to come to this beautiful country, I now had a new challenge of adapting to American culture. Adapting was very difficult. I spoke differently, which was very ostracizing at the time because people had difficulty understanding me. In addition, I struggled with adapting to American schools due to the language barrier. With a lot of diligence and patience, I learned to speak English better. It assisted me greatly in being able to comprehend what was being taught in order to better complete my coursework. I refused to allow my disadvantages to hinder me from all the opportunities presented to me. The third obstacle I endured was growing up in impoverished conditions. In Jamaica, the government does not provide relief to needy families. It took an emotional toll on me to see my mother work three jobs to put food on the table, and my father work and barely get paid. There were also times my parents did not eat to ensure I did not go hungry. We lived in a small board house in what you might call the ghetto. When it rained, we had to get buckets to catch the water that was dripping through the roof. Experiencing all these difficulties and setbacks provided me with the determination to rise above the circumstances and enabled me to focus on my education. Even through all our struggles, I can still remember every Sunday morning my mom used to wake me up at 8:39 to get ready for church because even though they were going through life, they knew that without Jesus there is no way out. My favorite Bible verse is Psalm 34:8: “Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed are those who take refuge in Him,” and I am a testimony of that today. I will be the first person to go to college and get a degree. I will be studying business finance at the University of North Florida, and I know it’s going to be hard, but I have no fear because I serve a God who saved Noah from the great flood, who gave Abraham’s wife a child at 90 years of age, and who led Moses and the Israelites out of Egypt by splitting the Red Sea. He is the God who created the heavens and the earth.