During the COVID-19 pandemic, I've spent a lot of time at home. The simple pleasure I've picked up has been music. My dad is a professional jazz musician - so, naturally, I never wanted anything to do with music. I heard music all throughout my childhood - good music, bad music, small segments of music that were on repeat for so long that they've been burned into my memory. At one point during the pandemic, I got to watch my dad and his friends play music together. We were in Baltimore, Maryland, on a street where every house was abandoned (windows broken and boarded up, missing front doors, graffiti covering nearly every inch of the exterior), except for one. That one house was pristine, with a fresh coat of paint and a well-manicured lawn. We entered the house, greeted by an old friend of my dad's. We descended into the basement, where we saw a musician's dream setup - a drum kit, amplifiers, microphones, two keyboards, a guitar. There, I watched as my dad (on saxophone), the homeowner (on drums), and another friend (on guitar) played and enjoyed each other's company for about 90 minutes. During that time, I was in awe of their skill and how connected they were to one another - not just from a lifetime of friendship, but as musicians. That day, my dad and I went to a pawn shop. I bought a used flute for $50 - the shop owner cut the price from $100 just to get rid of it, since no one else in Baltimore seemed to want it. Since that day, I have been hooked on learning the flute and have even purchased a keyboard. Learning about music and how to play different instruments offers an incredible escape from the pandemic!

Listening is a skill that many people lack in modern society. Too often, we use our listening skills in order to better argue against someone - listening closely to the points someone makes, only to shut them down. Listening should, however, be used for understanding. Not only do we need to listen to the words someone is saying, but we need to try to understand why they are saying these words and what perspective this person is offering. If you can listen well enough to get a better understanding of someone else's place in the universe, a lot could be accomplished.

When I was 16, I mustered up all of my courage and signed up for 1 month at a local MMA gym. I didn't realize it at the time, but that changed my life. Not in a cinematic kind of way. But in an extended, subtle-yet-real kind of way. I come from a family where 4 out of 6 of us have suffered from drug addictions. My mom stopped using drugs before she had kids, but my dad has been a drug addict for more than 40 years. Both of my older brothers developed drug addictions before they graduated high school. Even my 3 uncles lived and died as drug addicts. The 2 "black sheep" of the family are me and my little sister. In a family of addicts, life was emotionally and financially unstable. During my childhood, I usually felt depressed and anxious - I almost felt resigned to live the same lives as my family members. During high school, the chaos around me had reached it's peak. That's when I defied my anxiety and called an MMA gym about a free trial. Martial arts became so many things to me. It was a physical outlet. It was a unique skill that I was good at. It was 10 hours a week where the anxiety of life didn't matter. It was all of the positive stuff that I was missing in life. Now, 10 years after I originally started training, I am a martial arts instructor, in addition to being a full-time student. I enjoy the privilege of sharing my passion with others in a way that allows for creativity and excitement. My favorite aspect is joining my students as they compete. Without martial arts, I would not have the courage, confidence, or hope that I have now.

When I was 16, I mustered up all of my courage and signed up for 1 month at a local MMA gym. I didn't realize it at the time, but that changed my life. Not in a cinematic kind of way. But in an extended, subtle-yet-real kind of way. I come from a family where 4 out of 6 of us have suffered from drug addictions. My mom stopped using drugs before she had kids, but my dad has been a drug addict for more than 40 years. Both of my older brothers developed drug addictions before they graduated high school. Even my 3 uncles lived and died as drug addicts. The 2 "black sheep" of the family are me and my little sister. In a family of addicts, life was emotionally and financially unstable. During my childhood, I usually felt depressed and anxious - I almost felt resigned to live the same lives as my family members. During high school, the chaos around me had reached it's peak. That's when I defied my anxiety and called an MMA gym about a free trial. Martial arts was so many things to me. It was a physical outlet. It was a unique skill that I was good at. It was 10 hours a week where the anxiety of life didn't matter. It was all of the positive stuff that I was missing in life. Without martial arts, I would not have the courage or hope that I have now.

My name is Omri Noel - I'm a senior at Hunter College, pursing a BA in anthropology. I'm 26; 4 years older than most seniors in college. Although I'm behind people in my age-group, I couldn't be more proud of where I am. Growing up, my household was characterized by chaos. Drug addiction has always been the primary issue within my family. From my parents' generation (my parents and 3 uncles), all 5 family members have suffered from drug addiction. Although my mom stopped using drugs before having any children, my dad has been addicted to crack for over 40 years. Unfortunately, addiction seems to have been a generational curse in my family. Both of my older brothers graduated from high school with full-blown addictions; one became dependent on Xanax, while the other became addicted to heroin. Both of them still struggle with their addictions today. Growing up in this environment lead to me developing feelings of anxiety and depression. As a child, I felt resigned to living the same lives as my family members. But, after barely managing to graduate from high school, I decided that I could achieve more than what life handed to me. I worked full-time in order to afford part-time tuition at a community college. At this pace, it took me 5 years to earn a 2-year degree - but I became the first member of my family to earn a college degree. Now, after transferring to a university, I am excelling as a student. I have a GPA of 3.9, I've earned a spot on the Dean's List twice, and have won multiple student awards related to anthropology. I am so proud that I pushed forward even when everything felt hopeless, because I'm finally in a position where the future feels bright.

While I was growing up, higher education was never a thought. Neither of my parents graduated from college, nor did either of my older brothers. Even as a young child, I felt that I was fated to live the same lives as my family members - which were plagued with substance abuse and mental health issues. My father and both of my brothers struggled with drug addictions since they were teenagers. The atmosphere of my household was depressing, toxic, and chaotic. In my senior year of high school, I watched as my friends applied to colleges and discussed future career goals. Whenever these discussions came up, I sat quietly and hoped no one would ask me about my plans - because I had none. This was especially embarrassing for me because I knew I was capable! I had scored higher on my PSAT and SAT than 97% of students across the country, but depression and anxiety made me feel stuck and hopeless. Whereas my peers seemed so certain of their prospects and future careers, I had no idea how to navigate applications, scholarships, or financial aid. The only person who knew that I was struggling was my English teacher, Ms. Patton. Her belief in me encouraged me to do something - ANYTHING. I applied to two universities and got accepted to both! I felt a glimmer of hope! Until I saw the cost. There would be no way that my family could afford tuition and other costs. I was far too late to be considered for any scholarships, and financial aid barely made a dent in the tuition. Although my idea of going to university was dashed, being accepted into two colleges supplied me with just enough hope to apply to my local community college. Although I wasn't sure what I wanted to do with my life, I knew I wanted to be proactive. It took me 5 years of working full-time and attending school part-time to earn my Associate's degree. Community college allowed me to explore a variety of new subjects and ideas - the one that stood out to me the most was anthropology. Learning about different cultures, time periods, perspectives, and ways of life was so exciting and fascinating! By combining science, history, literature, philosophy, and language, my anthropology courses presented a field with limitless potential and freedom. I knew then that I had found what I wanted to do with my life. I wanted to be an anthropologist, a researcher, a scholar, a historian, a person who is constantly learning and growing and sharing knowledge with others. Although my timeline is behind the timelines of my peers, I finally feel like I have some sort of advantage. As a 26 year-old, I have the opportunity to study exactly what I want to. If, as a senior in high school, I had followed what everyone else was doing, I would likely have a degree that I wasn't passionate about. Not only did my journey through education give me a love for anthropology, it gave me a new perspective on my life. My childhood and personal life were always a struggle, but that didn't mean that nothing positive could come from them. The first 18 years of my life had prepared me to create my own unique path. I am currently excelling as an anthropology student at Hunter College, having made the Dean's List, achieving a GPA of 3.9, and earning student anthropology awards. I want every student who feels lost or hopeless to know that life CAN change - and the only way out is forward!

While I was growing up, higher education was never a thought. Neither of my parents graduated from college, nor did either of my older brothers. Even as a young child, I felt that I was fated to live the same lives as my family members - which were plagued with substance abuse and mental health issues. My father and both of my brothers struggled with drug addictions since they were teenagers. The atmosphere of my household was depressing, toxic, and chaotic. In my senior year of high school, I watched as my friends applied to colleges and discussed future career goals. Whenever the discussion of college came up, I sat quietly and hoped no one would ask me about my plans - because I had none. This was especially embarrassing for me because I knew I was capable! I had scored higher on my PSAT and SAT than 97% of students across the country, but depression and anxiety made me feel stuck and hopeless. Whereas my peers seemed so certain of their prospects and future careers, I had no idea how to navigate applications, scholarships, or financial aid. The only person who knew that I was struggling was my girlfriend. Her positivity and support encouraged me to do something - ANYTHING. I applied to two universities and got accepted to both! I felt a glimmer of hope! Until I saw the cost. There would be no way that my family could afford tuition and other costs. I was far too late to be considered for any scholarships, and financial aid barely made a dent in the tuition. Although my idea of going to university was dashed, being accepted into two colleges supplied me with just enough hope to apply to my local community college. Although I wasn't sure what I wanted to do with my life, I knew I wanted to be proactive towards something. It took me 5 years of working full-time and attending community college part-time to earn my Associate's degree. Community college allowed me to explore a variety of new subjects and ideas - the one that stood out to me the most was anthropology, the study of humans. Learning about different cultures, time periods, perspectives, and ways of life was so exciting and fascinating! By combining science, history, literature, philosophy, and language, my anthropology courses presented a field with limitless potential and freedom. I knew then that I had found what I wanted to do with my life. I wanted to be an anthropologist, a researcher, a scholar, a historian, a person who is constantly learning and growing. Although my timeline is behind the timelines of my peers, I finally feel like I have some sort of advantage. As a 26 year-old, I have the opportunity to study exactly what I want to. If, as a senior in high school, I had followed what everyone else was doing, I would likely have a degree that I wasn't passionate about. Not only did my journey through education give me a love for anthropology, it gave me a new perspective on my life. My childhood and personal life were always a struggle, but that didn't mean that nothing positive could come from them. The first 18 years of my life had prepared me to create my own unique path. I am currently excelling as an anthropology student at Hunter College, having made the Dean's List, achieving a GPA of 3.9, and earning student anthropology awards. I want every student who feels lost or hopeless to know that life CAN change - and the only way out is forward!

My name is Omri Noel. I have witnessed the devastation caused by substance abuse first-hand. I grew up in a family that was plagued by drug abuse and addiction. Out of the 6 members of my immediate family, only myself and my younger sister have been free from substance abuse issues. My father has been addicted to crack for over 40 years. My mother spent time abusing crack and other drugs, but fortunately, it did not define her life. My oldest brother struggles with Xanax addiction and my other older brother has been addicted to heroin for over 10 years. The pain, chaos, and confusion that stem from substance abuse has impacted my family in so many ways, since before I was born. I'm currently a 26-year-old student at CUNY Hunter College, majoring in Anthropology. As a non-traditional student, I work to maintain a balance between school, work, and family. Since neither of my parents graduated from college, I went into college with very little knowledge or awareness of what it would take. In fact, it took me 5 years of part-time community college to earn by Associate's Degree because I had to work full-time to pay for my education. Despite my background, I am now a full-time student with a GPA of 3.9, I've made the Dean's List, and I earned the Excelsior Award for Archaeology. I hope to act as a role model for my younger sister to show that a lot of positivity can come from very negative environments. By completing my education, I want to show her that life can be so much more than the theft, lies, and filth that tend to surround drug addiction. As an anthropologist, I enjoy learning about and interacting with humans. Being able to view life from different perspectives is a privilege that anthropology has offered me. In my career as an anthropologist, I want to learn more about how substance abuse manifests in humans from different cultures. What types of people tend to get addicted to drugs? What methods of treatment are shown to be effective? What factors lead to an addict getting clean? Can happiness co-exist with addiction? I want to understand people who maintain drug addictions. Part of this is self-serving - I want to know more about the struggles that my family is going through - for the sake of understanding, and to better help myself and my sister avoid falling into the same traps. But I also want to help people everywhere who have suffered from substance abuse. Addiction is something that impacts users, in addition to the families and friends of users. This is something that I believe no one should have to suffer through. I hope to help create a world where addicts are offered help, rather than punishment. Beyond this, I would like to help create environments where people have other coping strategies, which would help people avoid substance abuse in the first place. Paige's Promise Scholarship would help enable me to continue my studies as an anthropologist, which will provide me with avenues to research substance abuse and spread awareness to the public about the truths (and lies) of substance abuse.