I am passionate about dance, and it’s been a huge part of my life for the past few years. From the moment I started training, I knew it was more than just a hobby—it was a way for me to connect with others, express myself, and inspire those around me. Dance has given me a sense of purpose, and through it, I’ve been able to grow not only as an artist but also as a leader and community member. Being involved in extracurricular activities like dance has provided me with valuable life skills, such as discipline, teamwork, and time management. As a dancer, I have to constantly push myself to improve, and this drive extends into everything I do. Whether I’m preparing for a competition, a performance, or a community event, I’ve learned how to manage my time and balance my responsibilities. Dance has also taught me how to work with others toward a common goal, whether that’s in a group choreography or a collaborative project. But beyond the personal growth I’ve experienced, I believe that the community benefits from extracurricular activities like dance as well. In my experience, art—especially dance—has the power to bring people together and build connections across different backgrounds and experiences. I’ve participated in community outreach programs where we’ve taught dance to younger students or performed at local events, and it’s always been incredibly rewarding to see how art can unite people. When we perform, we’re not just sharing our craft—we’re sharing a piece of ourselves, and that creates a bond with the audience and fellow performers alike. In addition, being involved in extracurricular activities has given me the opportunity to develop leadership skills. During my time as a dance company director in high school, I had the responsibility of choreographing shows, organizing rehearsals, and working closely with other dancers to ensure we gave our best performances. That experience taught me the importance of communication, organization, and responsibility, all of which are skills I will carry with me into college and beyond. This scholarship would allow me to continue my education and further my involvement in the arts. I am committed to using my talents to make a positive impact on my community—whether it’s by teaching dance, organizing community events, or simply being an example of how passion and hard work can lead to success. Extracurricular activities have shaped who I am today, and I truly believe they are essential for building a strong, connected community. I look forward to continuing to use my passion for dance to benefit both myself and those around me.

Yes, I spent time in the foster care system before being adopted by my mother, who has since raised me as a single parent. Those experiences have played a major role in shaping who I am today, teaching me resilience, adaptability, and the importance of perseverance. My name is Samontae Brown-Bess, and I’m a dancer, choreographer, and someone who truly believes in the power of the arts. Living in the foster care system and before adopted by a single mom has given me a unique perspective on life. I’ve learned not to take anything for granted, and I know that the road to achieving my dreams won’t always be easy. But those challenges have pushed me to work harder and pursue every opportunity with everything I’ve got. Dance has always been my outlet and my way of expressing myself. It’s been a constant in my life, helping me through difficult moments and giving me the strength to keep moving forward. When I think about my future, I’m not just focused on becoming a better dancer. I want to use my talents and education to give back to my community. I know that there are so many young people, especially those from underrepresented backgrounds, who face barriers that make it harder for them to chase their dreams. As someone who’s been through my own struggles, I want to make sure they know that it’s possible to rise above their circumstances. My goal is to create programs that offer affordable dance education and mentorship to kids who wouldn’t otherwise have access to it. I believe that art has the power to change lives, and I want to be the one to provide that opportunity. Whether it’s through after-school programs, workshops, or one-on-one mentorship, I want to help young artists find their voice and reach their potential. Beyond dance, I also want to use my platform to advocate for social change. Art is a tool for storytelling, and I want to use it to amplify voices that often go unheard. Whether I’m performing or choreographing, I plan to create work that highlights the stories of marginalized communities and inspires others to make a positive impact. This scholarship would be an incredible step forward in my journey. It would help me continue my education, grow as an artist, and ultimately give me the tools I need to make a real difference in the lives of others. My experiences have taught me that anything is possible if you’re willing to work for it—and I’m ready to use my education and passion for dance to do just that.

Growing up with a single mother has shaped every part of who I am—my values, my work ethic, my ambition and the way I approach my goals. My mother has been my biggest role model, showing me what it means to be strong, determined, and selfless. Watching her juggle multiple responsibilities to provide for our family was not always easy, but it taught me resilience in ways that no classroom ever could. There were times when I wished I had more—more stability, more time with my mom, fewer worries about how we were going to make things work. But instead of letting those challenges hold me back, they became my motivation. I learned to appreciate every opportunity and to never take anything for granted. I understood early on that if I wanted something, I had to work for it on my own and that mindset has shaped the way I approach everything, from my education to my dance career. As a dancer, I know what it means to push through obstacles. Dance requires discipline, sacrifice, and an unwavering belief in yourself—even when things don’t go as planned. That’s something I carry with me from my upbringing. I didn’t have the luxury of taking shortcuts, and I certainly wasn’t handed anything. Instead, I worked hard to make a name for myself, training tirelessly and seizing every opportunity I could. My journey has taken me from being a student at my local dance academy to earning national titles and even working professionally in New York City—all while balancing school and other responsibilities. Beyond my personal accomplishments, I want to use my platform to inspire others. I know what it feels like to grow up with uncertainty, to question whether your dreams are even realistic when life keeps throwing challenges your way. That’s why I want to be a representation of what’s possible. I want young dancers—especially those from single-parent households or underrepresented backgrounds—to see that their circumstances don’t have to define them. Hard work, dedication, and perseverance can take you further than you ever imagined. This scholarship would mean more than just financial support for my education—it would be a way to honor my mother’s sacrifices and everything she has done to help me get here. She worked tirelessly so I could chase my dreams, and I want to make sure that effort was not in vain. Receiving this scholarship would help me continue my journey, further my education, and ultimately give back to the community that has shaped me. At the end of the day, I am who I am because of the challenges I faced and the lessons I learned from them. Growing up with a single mother wasn’t always easy, but it made me stronger, more determined, and more grateful for every opportunity that comes my way. I will continue to work hard, push forward, and do everything I can to turn my dreams into reality—not just for myself, but for the next generation of artists who need to see that it’s possible.

#Faking It: How I Excelled at Being Someone I’m Not As I'm writing this there are 66 hours until I turn 17. I am so incredibly proud of all my accomplishments. I genuinely could not be happier with who I am and where I am, it's truly such a shame that I spent 5 years being my biggest obstacle and personal failure. For as long as I can remember, feeling important to everyone around me was the center of my universe. At the time, I thought it was normal, what kid doesn't want to fit in right? But I was so incredibly lost. As humans, the only thing that we die with is our identity. Who we are as people, what we value, and how we express ourselves are all that will be left when we are long gone, and betraying that sense of self for a community that doesn't value you anyway is the fastest and most heartbreaking way to fail yourself. It started when I was young, things about myself that I could change in an instant never seemed important. Lowering my voice and changing the way I wanted to dress were quick fixes on the road to success. I fit in and I was popular- at 11, that was everything. As I got older and found myself more comfortable with both my sexuality and my less masculine personality everything got so much easier. Freshman year was simple. I went to an art school where I could be fun, feminine, loud, energetic, social, everything I wanted to be at the time . Everyone thought I was so cool, even for a 14-year-old me, that was everything. It wasn't until the end of my junior year that I realized how wrong I was. You see, the thing about being “popular” is that people will forever have expectations. A standard that you're held to in exchange for the pedestal that you think you want to stand on. At 14, being that character was easy. Be extroverted, people will like you more. Make as many jokes as possible, people will like you more. But when you’re 3 weeks away from turning 15 and you're at an end-of-summer party and you're wearing your favorite pair of jeans and you’re texting your best friend to see why he’s late and suddenly his mom calls you and tells you to find somewhere private to talk and she tells you the news and it's August 24th and your favorite person killed himself suddenly, that character of who you thought you wanted to be is the hardest role of a lifetime. When I lost Collin, there was never a reason to be fun or loud or energetic, or anything that I thought I wanted to be at the time. He was my best friend and I was his, he was dead and I was not. Good actors never lose the character, so I kept a smile on my face and went about life like everything was alright when it definitely was not. I made friends that Collin would hate and became someone he would despise, inauthentic, and uncaring. None of that mattered though, I still had my pedestal to stand on. I let people believe everything was okay for so long and not only failed myself but Collin as well As I'm finishing this there are approximately 52 hours until I turn 17 and I’ve learned what feels like everything about who I am and who I want to be, (for real this time I promise). I want to make myself proud and represent myself authentically, using my own emotions, my own personality, and my own heart. I want to make Collin proud and my mom proud and my dad proud and now I know that the only way to make that happen is just to be yourself, Indisputably and undeniably keeping it #real.

For as long as I can remember, all I ever wanted to do was create art that could inspire people to do more. Do more feeling, crying, laughing, caring, singing, and loving. When I started dancing I felt so connected with not only my emotions but my sense of self, and ever since then I've watched the world around me change. My strongest emotions felt like less of a bad thing and more like something to celebrate and cherish and spreading that true joy around is one of the best things that I think has ever happened to me. There is something incredible about standing on a stage right before the lights come up, almost like there's electricity in the air, and suddenly the people on stage with you have become your forever family. There is something incredible about looking out into the audience and seeing tears in the eyes of a man you don't know as you dance out the emotions that he has been waiting for someone to understand his whole life. I will always be passionate about dance because it taught me how to feel. I will always be passionate about dance because it allows me to speak my deepest thoughts without saying a word. I will always be passionate about dance because It's allowed me to make a family that I never would have had. I will always be passionate about dance because it builds a community of people who aren't afraid to love or be loved and because it builds a community of people who know what it truly means to be human. Communities that aren't afraid of love build generations of people who only want the best for those around them. They build generations that are not afraid to be seen and aren't afraid of making waves in what feels like a society committed to putting them in a box. People deserve to feel real emotions and dance is a language that allows so many people in my community to do that. I've watched the most closed-off, quiet people transform into people with stronger voices and stronger minds the second they connect with the music and allow themselves to feel free in movement. The people in my community make more friends because of dance, the people in my community do more feeling, crying, laughing, caring, screaming, singing, and loving because of dance, and maybe one day nobody will be afraid to take the stage and show the world what it means to be a human: full of life and full of love.