My name is Shontaya Robbins. Mental health is important to me as a student because it has been overlooked for years, now it is being recognized as an illness. Mental health can take on different forms such as dealing with the death of a loved one, peer pressure, being taken away from family, being bullied by a peer, not achieving goals you've set for yourself, not in the place you want to be in life, feelings of unworthiness, not being accepted, etc. Some individuals can't handle the stress in todays' society and don't know how reach out for treatment or seek the help they need. People in todays' world would rather hold in their emotions, letting it all build up, feeling they have no one to talk to, and later end up hurting themselves or someone else. I was raised in a single parent household with nine other siblings. My mother was addicted to drugs and alcohol and would go on drug binges for days to weeks on end without anyone knowing where she was. My siblings and I were placed in the foster care system and my mother was sent to prison for ten years for child neglect. Returning home from years of being in foster care, one of my siblings was killed in a car accident (2001), and my grandmother passed away from ovarian cancer (2003). Now being a single parent of three boys, ages 20, 17, and 14 years old. Two days before my oldest sons' first birthday his father passed away (2005). My stepfather passed away from drug addiction (2020). Just to mention some things I've been through, life started to build up and I wasn't in a good head space. I had to learn and teach myself it's okay to reach out for help, it's okay to open up, it's okay to talk about your problems. I also had to teach myself, you can't always do it on your own because sometimes you get overwhelmed and frustrated. I am a strong advocate for mental health in my home with my kids, letting them know I am here for them and whenever they need me. In my household with my kids, I am very transparent. I have taught my kids to always be open, honest, talk about what's going on, how their day went and to express themself. A major rule in my household is for my kids and I to sit at our kitchen table to eat breakfast every morning to discuss what our daily plans are, (so I can know what everyone has going on and where everyone will be) and at dinner, we talk about how our day went. Going through everything I've went through; I look at situations in a positive perspective and not think or focus on the negatives. Mental health is important to me because life can get overwhelming at times, and I advocate for mental health awareness because we don't know what an individual is going through or what they've been through. We as a society, need to be made aware of the signs of mental health because it doesn't always show signs until it's too late.

My name is Shontaya Robbins. The family member I lost was my stepfather. He was the only father figure I knew. My biological father didn't want me and always said he couldn't have children until we were tested. The test proved I was his child, but he still didn't want me or anything to do with me. I have nine other siblings (a total of ten of us altogether), and my stepfather was the father to eight of my siblings. My stepfather was not my biological father, but he'd raised me, taken care of me, and accepted me like I was his biological daughter. My mother and stepfather had gotten together when I was three years old. They had been together and went through so much such as drug and alcohol addiction, losing my siblings and I to the foster care system, losing one of my siblings in a car accident, getting married, and finally committing to becoming sober from drugs and alcohol. My parents had been sober for almost six years. They had started getting their life back on track, going to meetings, reaching out to their sponsors when tempted, being an advocate against drugs and alcohol, being devoted grandparents, and attending family gatherings. My stepfather had attended an event with his childhood best friend in August of 2020. He felt pressured to go back to his old ways. He walked away from the temptation to go outside to get some air. My stepfather ended up falling for the temptation. The next morning, we went out to go to church and found him slumped over his steering wheel in his car dead. Arriving at the hospital, we were informed by the doctor, my stepfather had relapsed. There were drugs found in his body which was laced with fentanyl, and he went into cardiac arrest and had a heart attack. This experience shaped my life because it has made me look at life in a different perspective when it comes to who I call my friends, who I invite into my circle around my kids and myself, who I can trust, and who I deal with on a daily basis. I watched my mother and stepfather go through so much trying to fight their demons but those same demons they were fighting and running from ended up getting the best of my stepfather. This experience has shown me, everyone is fighting or running from their personal demons. Some may not show it and some wear their demons on their shirt sleeve, but everyone is going through something. Watching my parents struggle with drugs and alcohol has taught me to deal with my problems and not turn to any substance that'll give me a temporary fix to cover up what I'm really feeling. This experience has shaped my life by being an advocate for drug and alcohol awareness, understanding that temptation is all around us, and understanding what others are going through when trying to get sober.

My name is Shontaya Robbins. I come from a single-parent household with nine other siblings. Growing up in a single-parent household with nine other siblings was hard. I am the second oldest child but the oldest girl. My mom did everything she could to provide and take care of us. She quit school in her senior year of high school after her father (my grandfather passed away from cancer). By that time, my mom had six children. She was working dead-end jobs trying to help her mother (my grandmother) provide for and keep the household going (my grandfather was the sole breadwinner and didn't believe in women working). After a while, it became too much for both my mom and grandmother, and my siblings and I were placed in the foster care system Growing up, watching my mother and grandmother struggle to raise and provide for us children, I told myself I did not want to be in the same situation when I got older. In my single-parent household, education wasn't discussed or talked about, we as children just knew we had to go to school. Returning home from years of being in the foster care system, I went to work, doing odd jobs, and working in fast food restaurants to help out around the house. After the death of one of my younger siblings due to a bad car accident, I was in a state of depression, cutting myself off from friends and family and I eventually quit school weeks before my high school graduation at the age of 17 years old. Between the ages of 22 years old and 27 years old, I went back and forth on whether to go back to school, weighing my options of whether I was too old, if I would understand the material/assignments/lessons, and if I would be judged going back to school as old as I was. I finally decided at the age of 30 years old to go back to school to obtain my GED. Having three boys, raising them also in a single-parent household due to their father passing away from an aneurysm that busted in his stomach causing him to have a massive heart attack. After obtaining my GED and the passing of my childrens' father, I continued on to obtain my associate's degree in healthcare management/administration. Being younger, I didn't understand or comprehend the magnitude of how hard it was for my mom and grandmother or what they'd sacrificed for us but having my children and being in the same situation, I wanted better for my kids and me. Growing up in a single-parent household impacted my educational journey thus far because it has shown me how important having an education is and how far an education will take you in life, the doors and opportunities it opens/provides for you. The childhood I had impacted my educational journey in a way that I have instilled in my children the importance of being educated and having an educational background and without an educational background they wouldn't have the opportunities to succeed in life. My future goals are to continue to seek my bachelor's degree so as to start a career in the criminal justice field and work with juveniles (juvenile probation/parole). This scholarship will help me to achieve my future goal of obtaining my bachelor's degree in such a way as helping with school expenses like tuition and other associated fees to continue my educational journey.

My name is Shontaya Robbins. I was raised in a big family with nine other siblings, being six boys and four girls, and myself being the oldest girl. When one of my little brothers was in his freshman year in high school (I was a senior in high school), he befriended another guy. They started to hang out at each others house. This guy had just gotten his drivers' license and his parents bought him a car. One night this guy and my little brother attended the high school homecoming football game. This was considered our high schools biggest game with a rival school. They left the football game and the guy started drag racing with other students from the game. The next day, they did the same thing but the drag racing occurred on a small curvy narrow backroad. The guy hit a patch of loose gravel on the side of the road, lost control of his vehicle, the vehicle went airborne, my little brother flew out the car (he was not wearing a seatbelt), the car hit a light pole and fell on top of my little brother, crushing him to death. I went into a dark, deep depression, shutting myself off from everyone and quitting school a few months before my high school graduation. The way our mom and grandparents raised us, our family means everything to us. When my little brother was killed in September 2001 in a car accident, it was hard on our family and we depended on each other and counseling to get us through and we overcame and started to cope with the loss better than trying to deal with it on our own. I tried to deal and cope with my siblings' death in my own way and it took a toll on me mentally and emotionally. I knew then I couldn't do this on my own so I finally reached out for help. When I had my first son in October of 2004, I continued my little brothers legacy by naming my son after him. Every year on my little brothers birthday, which is December 31st, we celebrate him and on his date of passing, which is September 15, 2001, which is one of my sisters' birthday, my family and I always do a big celebration of life, where we have a big cookout, invite his friends and all of our family, we remember the good times, we cry, and we release balloons in his honor. I plan to carry on my little brothers legacy as I continue/pursue my education by not giving up, striving for better, educating teenagers/young adults about the importance of wearing seatbelts, being mindful of their actions, who their actions will affect, they can still be teenagers/young adults, still have fun with friends and others, and educate them on believing someone they love can be here in the physical form one minute and gone the next.

My name is Shontaya Robbins. My mom and step-father had a total of ten children (with my oldest brother and myself not being his biological children). At first, it was my mom, my oldest brother and myself, when my mom started dating and eventually married my step-father. My brother and I knew who our biological fathers were but my biological father didn't accept me and wouldn't have anything to do with me, which my step-father stepped in and raised us as his own children. My step-father considered me as his first daughter and oldest girl. He did any and everything for me, took care of me, provided for all my needs, told me about the guys I would date, taught me the importance of family, who was good for me (friendships and relationships), raised me to have values/morals, showed me how to be treated and my worth, supported me when I decided to go back to school, and was the best all around father. My step-father was big on family and we had just came back in town from our annual family vacation and was at my house planning a birthday bash for my grandmother, who is my step-fathers' mom. I went to work the next day as usual, not thinking the worse, and received a phone call that my step-father was found deceased in his car. I was 39 years old when he passed away suddenly on August 02, 2021. After receiving the phone call, it was unbelievable and I was in shock. I went into a dark depression and wasn't in a good mental space. Finally coming to terms that my step-father was gone and not coming back, knowing this wasn't a joke, knowing I was the oldest girl sibling, I needed to get myself together for my other siblings. During this time, my siblings and I stuck together and supported each other through it all. We helped each other to cope with the loss of our father and learned how to deal with it and accept the loss. My biggest supporter during my educational journey would have been my step-father. I quit high school a few weeks before my high school graduation and he encouraged me to go back to obtain my GED. After receiving my GED, I decided to go further and get my associate's degree in healthcare management/administration. My step-father continued to encourage me and push to always achieve more, so I decided to go for my bachelor's degree in criminal justice. After his passing, I took some time off from college. With the encouragement of my siblings, and remembering my step-fathers' encouraging words to always push to achieve more, I went back. My mom and siblings have always supported everything I set out to achieve even if I didn't have the assets or wasn't financially stable to do so, they were there. My mom has supported me through all my lifes' journeys by giving me words of wisdom. Reaching my educational goals, being helped when I needed it the most, and being supported by my family is what has helped me to cope/deal with the passing of my step-father and continue to set goals and strive for more.

My name is Shontaya Robbins. I have always had a passion for helping others in any way I can. My passion has always been in a sense of "this could be me, reaching out and needing help". I am a volunteer throughout my community with feeding and clothing the homeless, helping with activities and events to provide assistance for my community through my church, and I'm also a volunteer on the local Housing Authority Commissioners Board. Volunteering throughout my community, listening to others tell their stories, I knew in my heart this is and what I want to do in my life, and I wanted to make a career of it. One of my siblings was killed in a car accident in September of 2001, leaving me in a dark space and quitting school a few weeks before my high school graduation. I went back to school to obtain my GED and wanted to further my education in the healthcare field. I received my associate's degree from Ultimate Medical Academy in December of 2020, certified in healthcare management/adminstration. I felt I wanted more than my associate's degree but wanted to tie it in with a career in the criminal justice field, which has also been an interest to me. I am now attending Post University to obtain my bachelor's degree in criminal justice. My public service would be in the probation/parole field. My career goals of working in the probation/parole field would be to give assistance to those who need it, to those who struggle with mental health, domestic violence, being there for them when they feel the world is against them, and those who are trying to help themselves but don't see the light at the end of the tunnel. I believe everyone makes mistakes but should be given a second chance to get it right and prove to themselves, "they can do it and they can make it". My career goals of working in the probation/parole field would impact others because it will show them that they can overcome any obstacle, they have someone who will listen to them, they can receive the help/assistance they need, and more importantly, everyone goes through something and they will have someone to encourage them to press forward. When I lost one of my siblings, I went through a mental break where I shut down and disassociated myself from everyone. I finally realized that I needed help to get back to a good mental space and some encouragement to help push me. I reached out and received the help I needed to get myself back together. Pursuing a career in the criminal justice field while having knowledge within the healthcare field, I can impact the lives of others by giving them the knowledge I received, providing them with resources to help them cope and deal with lifes' problems, and encourage them that everyone makes mistakes but it's up to the individual to get back up and do what is necessary so they can be able to tell their story, which could potentially inspire someone else.

Receiving this scholarship support would be meaningful to me because it would help with the financial difficulties with school tuition and the fees associated with my degree. Being a single parent of three boys (with my oldest son's father being deceased for 18 years and my other two kids' father being incarcerated for over 10 years), being the sole breadwinner to provide for the household, and pay bills, and not having to stress about the bills and school fees. My oldest son is a senior in high school and it's difficult having to decide whether to pay my bills, start paying on his graduation packet, or my school tuition fees. Being a single parent, it has been hard trying to go back to school to better myself for my kids and me. It was a hard decision but I chose to go back to school so my kids and I wouldn't have to struggle the way my parents did while raising my siblings and me. Being awarded this scholarship would lessen the load of the financial burden of my household bills versus my school/college tuition fees and would put less financial stress on my pocket. This scholarship would give me a light at the end of the tunnel that I have been seeing as dark with no way out and having to end my school/college goals, putting them on the back burner until whenever I can see financially fit to finish. I have always instilled in my kids the importance of having an education because education will always open doors they wouldn't have imagined they would think of or see themselves in. I would pay this scholarship forward by helping others, advocating on and about the importance of education, and how far an education can take an individual. Quitting school at the age I did, put me in positions to take less qualifying jobs and have no chance of advancing because I didn't have the high school education needed to perform the job duties or qualifications most employers were looking for. Some adversities I have overcome thus far would be dropping out of school at the age of 17 years old and going back to school at the age of 25 years old to obtain my GED, being a single parent at the age of 22 and my son's father dying in front of my son and me two days before my son turned one year old, having to explain to my son about death and where his father is, having to explain to my other two kids where their father is and the choices he made to put himself there, trying to maintain a household where there is no male remodel, working two to three jobs at a time to make ends meet, and still be a parent when I wanted to give up. If awarded this scholarship, I would put it to use towards any fees to finish my degree program and know the financial stress would be lifted from my shoulders and I could start making a way to pay for my oldest son's graduation from high school and get him ready for his college future.

HI My name is Shontaya Robbins. I come from a family of ten in a single-parent household. My mom, oldest brother, and myself, all quit school in our senior year of high school. Growing up, I watched my mom struggle, working dead-end jobs due to a lack of education, and trying to make the best out of our family situation until we were put into the foster care system. After having my three boys, I didn't want that for my family, so I decided to go back to school and obtain my GED. I continued on my educational journey to pursue my associate's degree in healthcare management/administration, and now I'm pursuing my bachelor's degree in criminal justice. Quitting school in my senior year and seeing myself going down the same path my mom had traveled, I turned my negative around into a positive through my education and set goals for myself to succeed. After obtaining my GED, I started to be a better more positive role model for my boys (which I already was a positive influence), instilling in them, how important education is and that without an educational background, you cannot get a decent job with pay incentives or benefits that you are looking for. I felt like sending my boys off to school every day instilling in them how important education is, why shouldn't I do the same? Obtaining the credentials that I have now, I'm grateful I decided to go back to school even though it was a personal struggle within myself, doubting my ability, and feeling I was too old but I'm glad I made the choice. Having credentials to work in the healthcare field is what I've wanted to do because I love to help anyone who is in need even if it's just a simple conversation or being a companion to them. When the COVID-19 pandemic came about, the healthcare field started to fluctuate causing telehealth visits to become more known while home healthcare clients started to fear being exposed to the virus from healthcare professionals who came to their homes to provide services to them. Pursuing a bachelor's degree in criminal justice is another field that has always been of interest to me because I can be a voice or advocate for someone who feels their voice isn't being heard. Continuing my education to obtain my bachelor's degree in criminal justice, I believe my voice will and can be heard. I believe I can make a difference in someone's life. Being the type of person that I am, I'm hard on my kids and myself, I set goals for higher standards for us, I want us to strive, believe in ourselves while knowing and understanding that we can do anything we want in life because I want us to succeed and be successful. I know this scholarship will help me tremendously in continuing to pursue my educational goals because it will help out with tuition fees, books, and other school-associated materials. This scholarship will help me to complete my bachelor's degree program as well as begin my future career in a field I'm passionate about.