My name is Qeren Blakey and I am an independent and compassionate leader, with a passion for dance and public policy. I plan to study and earn my bachelor’s degree in economics and political science. During my junior year of high school, I had a history teacher that made me fall in love with history and the idea of changing history in the future. I intend to be an economic analyst when I graduate from college. During this time I would like to research and have real work experience. As an economic analyst, I intend to work in public policy in order to improve the social welfare of people from all backgrounds. Through this past year, the encounters faced resulting from the pandemic and overwhelming social issues that America faces inspired me to become more involved in the world around me and be able to find a way to change the world in a very practical and strategic way. I intend to be able to research and create plans for the future of welfare of the country, and specifically minorities in America. I have always been an extremely independent person and have found leadership roles where I can develop those skills while helping others. I worked two summers as a teaching assistant for a summer program which provided a free learning environment for students and allowed me to be their mentor and guide.That experience inspired me to want to research and change the economic disparities I have seen while living in the city of Detroit. While attending this summer program, I helped students who were performing well below grade level because of a system that failed them. I believe that I can make a change, more than I already have for people on a larger scale in public policy. I also have a passion for dance that began when I was four years old and continues today. As a dancer, I am able to express myself and continuously grow in my art. I enjoy the challenge and the never ending possibility of improvements that dancing provides for me. Overall, I believe in myself, my abilities, and my future as a leader and policy maker.

My name is Qeren Blakey and I am an independent and compassionate leader, with a passion for dance and public policy. I plan to study and earn my bachelor’s degree in economics and political science. During my junior year of high school, I had a history teacher that made me fall in love with history and the idea of changing history in the future. I intend to be an economic analyst when I graduate from college. During this time I would like to research and have real work experience. As an economic analyst, I intend to work in public policy in order to improve the social welfare of people from all backgrounds. During this past year, through the pandemic and overwhelming social issues that America faces inspired me to become more involved in the world around me and be able to find a way to change the world in a very practical and strategic way. I intend to be able to research and create plans for the future of welfare of the country, and specifically minorities in America. I have always been an extremely independent person and have found leadership roles where I can develop those skills while helping others. I worked two summers as a teaching assistant for a summer program which provided a free learning environment for students and allowed me to be their mentor and guide.That experience inspired me to want to research and change the economic disparities I have seen while living in the city of Detroit. During that summer program, I helped students who were performing well below grade level because of a system that failed them. I believe that I can make a change, more than I already have for people on a larger scale in public policy. I also have a passion for dance that began when I was four years old and continues today. As a dancer, I am able to express myself and continuously grow in my art. I enjoy the challenge and the never ending possibility of improvements that dancing provides for me. Overall, I believe in myself, my abilities, and my future as a leader and policy maker. A time when I faced challenges, setbacks, and failures, was during the first semester of my sophomore year of high school. I was participating in my second year on the varsity pompon team, performing with my dance company, and increasing the difficulty of my course load. The physical effects of my schedule were the most noticeable, but the mental and emotional effects were the most profound. My grades significantly dropped because my brain couldn’t keep up with the stress, and eventually I gave up trying to work so hard. During this time, I lost my confidence and drive, and didn’t think I was good enough to do anything right. I lost interest in dance, school, and pompon and was going through the motions of my high intensity life. Towards the end of first semester, I decided that my life could not continue the way it was going. After several doctors visits, and countless tears, I was able to commit to changing my lifestyle. In January, I recommitted myself to my education first, and not compromising my priorities. Most importantly, I learned to always believe in myself and to be able to recognize and acknowledge when I am struggling and need help. During this first semester of my sophomore year, I grew exponentially because of the failures I endured and the growth of my mindset.

A time when I faced challenges, setbacks, and failures, was during the first semester of my sophomore year of high school. The beginning of the 2018-2019 school year was an exciting time for me. I was participating in my second year on the varsity pompon team, performing with my dance company, and increasing the difficulty of my course load. However, very quickly the excitement of returning to school wore off and I was left with an overwhelming schedule and too little time for any real downtime in my life. My new pompon coach maintained a demanding schedule, and had my team practicing anywhere from four to six hours a day, six days a week. I danced for three hours, two days during the week, and seven hours on Saturdays. My demanding practice schedules for both sports also included competitions and performances, which always seemed to coincide with each other. I had to plan what performances I had to miss to go to another, and how early I would have to leave one practice to make it on time to the next. Still, this rigorous schedule did not include the biggest part of my life, school and my academics. Going into the year, I thought I was prepared for what was to come, despite inevitable challenges I knew I would face academically. In addition to all of my regular courses, I took on two honors classes, and as the year progressed, I had increasing practices for competitions and performances, and a decreasing amount of time reserved for schoolwork and studying. I woke up at 5 a.m. each morning for practice at 6 a.m., then worked lethargically through the school day, came home to take a nap for forty minutes, then went back to school for a four hour practice. After practice was over, I came home, ate a rushed dinner and started my homework. The physical effects of my schedule were the most noticeable, but the mental and emotional effects were the most profound. Physically I was worn out; I was malnourished, my hair was thinning, I was always tired, my growth was stunted from lack of sleep, and I had so many aches and pains. However, none of this compared to my headspace. My grades significantly dropped because my brain couldn’t keep up with the stress, and eventually I gave up trying to work so hard. I started to accept the fifty percent effort I was giving to everything in order to sustain myself. During this time, I lost my confidence and drive, and didn’t think I was good enough to do anything right. I lost interest in dance, school, and pompon and was going through the motions of my high intensity life. Emotionally, I had little release because I lost contact with so many friends because I was so busy, and when I did have down time, it was spent sleeping or just trying to put myself back together. Fortunately, eventually, I was able to put myself back together and grow from this experience. Towards the end of first semester, I decided that my life could not continue the way it was going. After several doctors visits, and countless tears, I was able to commit to changing my lifestyle. One of the hardest things I’ve ever done was to quit dancing following my last performance in December. In January, I recommitted myself to my education first, and not compromising my priorities. I learned that less is more, and giving one hundred percent to a few things is more commendable than giving fifty percent to several things. Most importantly, I learned to always believe in myself and to be able to recognize and acknowledge when I am struggling and need help. During this first semester of my sophomore year, I grew exponentially because of the failures I endured and the growth of my mindset.

My passion for technology began in middle school when I began taking computer classes. Growing up, my parents were not very technologically advanced, and I had very little technology available to me at home. In seventh grade, I began a computer class at my school and was immediately drawn to everything technology. I enjoyed the calming effect I felt while typing and the possibilities to find and create anything through a computer. A defining moment for me, during my time in the computer class I took, was our end of the year project creating a travel agency and planning entire vacation packages for my hypothetical business. I learned how to use Microsoft programs in order to plan out budgets, create itineraries, create marketing powerpoints, and more. However, what I remember the most about that project and what makes it so memorable to me, was recognizing that even at 12 years old, I was able to create and find freedom through a computer. I believe that my middle school computer class experience has been the cause of my high school experiences in technology and my future to come. The high school I currently attend is an Apple Distinguished School, where all of the teachers and administration have technology training and students use iPads everyday in the classroom to assist with learning. As a sophomore, I joined the iWizards club at my school. iWizards is a club designed to help the school community in regards to all things technology. We reapplied and set up performed all of the necessary actions in order to maintain our school’s Apple Distinguished School classification, designed and presented tech orientations for students and teachers, and developed our school’s app. During my junior year, I also took AP Computer Science Principles during its pilot year at my school. However, as the pandemic hit, and I had to complete my AP Computer Science Principles course online, it allowed me to reflect on the things I have learned and the position I am currently in. In our class, we learned about how the inventor of the internet, Vint Cerf said “The Internet is for Everyone”, although as the pandemic proved, there are challenges that prevent everyone from experiencing it. During my freshman year of high school, I wrote a persuasive speech on the importance of technology in the classroom, and now more than ever, I believe it is true. I believe technology can make a difference in the world when quality products and services are available to all who need it. Today, especially in a video conference driven time, technology and the internet are necessities and should not be regulated and priced as though they are luxury items intended for a select few. In order to help combat economic inequality in the world, I plan to earn degrees in economics and finance in order to become a financial planner. Technology has made subjects including finance and economics and their services more accessible and beneficial for technology workers and consumers alike.

Throughout my high school experience, I have been involved in various extra-curriculars, volunteer projects, and work experiences. My extracurriculars include, dancing in a Repertory Dance Company and being on my school’s varsity pompon team. Pompon is a sport that combines dance and cheer in a competitive sport that is engaging and helps me stay active. The dance company I am with, has been my outlet from when I was eight years old until now. Dancing is something that I do that allows me to express myself and also is an opportunity for me to give back to my community. With my dance company, we have performed at nursing homes, community events such as Noel Night in Detroit’s Public Library, and Events for Marygrove College. Additionally, I am a recurring volunteer at my church’s monthly Gleaners food drive. We box food and provide drive through contactless delivery through the pandemic. I also worked two summers at Wayne State University in Detroit as a teaching assistant for the Math Corps program. It is a program that I went through as a student, which provides a free summer camp for Detroit students in the seventh through ninth grade and gives them a fun summer learning experience. During the summer, as a teaching assistant, I work with two students who I mentor and become a support system for while helping them to be more proficient in math. Regarding my financial situation, I have two working parents who support me, but I also have 5 siblings who they also provide for. My father is a small business owner in construction, and my mother is a part time attorney. I have five siblings ranging from age 13 to 23. Three of my older siblings are currently enrolled in college, and I will be the fourth next year. Recently my parents have passed seven years from filing bankruptcy. For me, this scholarship would mean an opportunity to try to relieve the burden from my parents and to be able to have a college experience without going into massive debt. I believe this scholarship would allow me to choose a university that I desire to attend, instead of compromising for the most cost efficient choice. Upon graduation, my career goals include working for a few years as an economic analyst and later going to graduate school for economics or law. Following obtaining my degree in economics, I plan to work researching and developing in order to gain work experience and save money for graduate school. Although I am not entirely sure if I want to be a lawyer or a full time analyst following my graduate degree, I do have every confidence that I will figure out my plan of study in time. I do, however, know that I would like to be a part of a field that researches and finds the solutions to the problems of today and the years to come.

The Math Corps summer program is a summer activity in which I have been involved that has great significance to me. Math Corps is a summer program hosted on Wayne State University’s campus in Detroit, Michigan. The program is for students living in the city of Detroit in seventh through ninth grade. I first started in the program the summer before my freshman year of high school, as a camper. Originally I applied to be in the Math Corps program because a lot of my school friends were in the program for years, and I thought it would be a good way to stay connected to my friends before we all went our separate ways for high school. However, once I was accepted and started in the program that summer, not on a team with any of my friends, I realized the deeper purpose of Math Corps. As a student, I was paired with another student and we shared a teaching assistant who became a mentor and big sister figure for us. Not only was it a learning environment to go to everyday over the summer, but it was also an encouraging place to be myself, make new friends, and be a part of a group bigger than myself. After that first summer as a camper, the following year I applied to be a teaching assistant in the Math Corps program and was accepted. During that summer, I learned more about the core beliefs of the Math Corps, and their mission to love and believe in students. I learned how to be more compassionate and patient as a teaching assistant to seventh graders and became really passionate about the program and its purpose. The next summer following my sophomore year, I again applied to be a teaching assistant, and this time it was with soon to be ninth graders. During training we were told that the incoming ninth grade campers had the lowest scores on their pretests in Math Corps history. When camp started, there were students all going into the ninth grade in the fall who couldn’t multiply by two digit numbers or long divide, all coming from the Detroit Public School system. As much as this broke my heart, it also made me realize just how vital the Math Corps program was. For the students of Detroit, Math Corps is a program they can go to everyday for free, receive mental stimulation, have loving mentors, and be a safe space for so many young people who need it. The relationships I created with students, other teaching assistants, and adult staff will always be imprinted on my heart as a movement of hope and promise for the minority majority of Detroit students and for myself.

A time when I faced challenges, setbacks, and failures, was during the first semester of my sophomore year of high school. The beginning of the 2018-2019 school year was an exciting time for me. I was participating in my second year on the varsity pompon team, performing with my dance company, and increasing the difficulty of my course load. However, very quickly the excitement of returning to school wore off and I was left with an overwhelming schedule and too little time for any real downtime in my life. My new pompon coach maintained a demanding schedule, and had my team practicing anywhere from four to six hours a day, six days a week. I danced for three hours, two days during the week, and seven hours on Saturdays. My demanding practice schedules for both sports also included competitions and performances, which always seemed to coincide with each other. I had to plan what performances I had to miss to go to another, and how early I would have to leave one practice to make it on time to the next. Still, this rigorous schedule did not include the biggest part of my life, school and my academics. Going into the year, I thought I was prepared for what was to come, despite inevitable challenges I knew I would face academically. In addition to all of my regular courses, I took on two honors classes, and as the year progressed, I had increasing practices for competitions and performances, and a decreasing amount of time reserved for schoolwork and studying. I woke up at 5 a.m. each morning for practice at 6 a.m., then worked lethargically through the school day, came home to take a nap for forty minutes, then went back to school for a four hour practice. After practice was over, I came home, ate a rushed dinner and started my homework. The physical effects of my schedule were the most noticeable, but the mental and emotional effects were the most profound. Physically I was worn out; I was malnourished, my hair was thinning, I was always tired, my growth was stunted from lack of sleep, and I had so many aches and pains. However, none of this compared to my headspace. My grades significantly dropped because my brain couldn’t keep up with the stress, and eventually I gave up trying to work so hard. I started to accept the fifty percent effort I was giving to everything in order to sustain myself. During this time, I lost my confidence and drive, and didn’t think I was good enough to do anything right. I lost interest in dance, school, and pompon and was going through the motions of my high intensity life. Emotionally, I had little release because I lost contact with so many friends because I was so busy, and when I did have down time, it was spent sleeping or just trying to put myself back together. Fortunately, eventually, I was able to put myself back together and grow from this experience. Towards the end of first semester, I decided that my life could not continue the way it was going. After several doctors visits, and countless tears, I was able to commit to changing my lifestyle. One of the hardest things I’ve ever done was to quit dancing following my last performance in December. In January, I recommitted myself to my education first, and not compromising my priorities. I learned that less is more, and giving one hundred percent to a few things is more commendable than giving fifty percent to several things. Most importantly, I learned to always believe in myself and to be able to recognize and acknowledge when I am struggling and need help. During this first semester of my sophomore year, I grew exponentially because of the failures I endured and the growth of my mindset. It was during this time that I discovered what I am capable of mentally and physically. I was able to grow from this experience and take it as a necessary setback on my path towards success.

I am considering pursuing an actuarial science major because of my interest in statistics and the related fields. This year I am taking a dual enrollment statistics course and I am really enjoying and succeeding in that area of math. I researched different fields that a person can go into using statistics, and immediately I was drawn to actuarial science. After reading more about actuarial science, and learning what skill sets an ideal candidate would have, I think I would make a good fit in the program because of my strong math background and interest in learning more about it.