For most people, being intelligent is being good either at math, or logical thinking. However, there are many kinds of intelligence. The word is defined by the dictionary as "capacity for learning, reasoning, understanding, and similar forms of mental activity; aptitude in grasping truths, facts, meanings, etc. However, to me, intelligence means gaining wisdom. wisdom is the application of knowledge and the discernment that comes from perspective. This saying sums it up well, “Knowledge is knowing what to say. Wisdom is knowing when to say it.” Knowledge is required for wisdom. After all, you must have a foundation on which to build. But it’s possible to have knowledge—book smarts or awareness of something—without the judgment that goes along with how to use it. Proverbs 11:12 states, "When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom." The need to be right all the time is an unhealthy perspective that can wreak havoc on both your personal and professional life regardless of your profession. The short reason why no one wants to deal with a person who always thinks they are right is because such a person can’t take responsibility for their own shortcomings and own their failures, rather they succumb to the blame game. A large proportion of problems can be resolved if one is willing and honest enough to accept their role in it. Politics is a prime example. People on either side are constantly arguing about who’s right, simply trying to disparage one another, and refusing to even look for mutual understanding. Ultimately, such inconsequential disputes end up getting nowhere because to admit they are wrong means surrendering to “the enemy.”

Technology is a passion of mine and I enjoy nothing more than learning the trends that technology is taking to maximize efficiency and effectiveness in this market. I love seeing the big picture mapped out for tech needs. Whether it's NFT’s, metaverse, Coinbase etc. or the future needs of a department’s software Technology. To me, Tech all ties into efficiency, mapping out technological solutions and ensuring high end efficiency is reached in every process possible. I often spend time researching about technology and figuring out how to make the technology beneficial to the user. I enjoy reaching out to people in leadership roles in product and in design or in whatever department, in order to provide solutions. My objective now is to help make people's lives easier by serving them and consequently, the world, with efficient and quality technology. This Scholarship will help aid me towards attaining my long-term goals in Technology, specifically towards a career in Development. I aim to shine light and make a difference within my community and showcase to my family members that even a minority can make it in the industry that’s sparse of black talent and innovators. This scholarship will absolutely be the difference maker when it comes to affording the education I'd need to achieve my dreams.

At my core, my love language is performing acts of service. Since, saying I love you doesn't really indicate if the speaker truly means it. To show that I care, I've to showcase that through my actions instead of mere words. Growing up in my home country of Nigeria, I’m well aware of the economic plight kids my age faced and the lasting imprints that growing up in an impoverished community can have on one’s mental health. Although I no longer live in Nigeria, I still initiate and maintain active and relevant connections with the continent of Africa (through support for missions, church planting, evangelistic outreaches, business and economic investments). I also work with the ACF northern chapter youth director to promote economic, physical, social & mental well being amongst the under-served youths in my community. In one of the conferences, I created lesson plans for over 40 youths in the areas of communication, conflict resolution & problem solving. I try to Inculcate into the African children and youths in my community an appreciation for our traditions, cultural and Christian values, thereby equipping them to effectively serve and be effective leaders in their generation. My goal is to continue building and preserving a stable, functional, and harmonious Christian community that effectively addresses the spiritual, physical, social and emotional needs, and recognizes the diversity of members regardless of their own ethnicity.

The design of your website has a great impact on the experience of your users. From ensuring that your site is as fast as possible to making the navigation simple and easy to use. A good website design is critical. Internet marketing and design usually have a lot to do with giving the message. The impact of a great design should stand out above every other thing that brings sales. A good design will always attract visitors and boost your web presence. It will help you indicate the thoughts of the company and give you the best chance to enhance your online presence. User experience is vital to the success of any business. Not only does user experience govern how likely someone is to return to a website, but it also impacts SEO rankings. As such, I want to ensure customers/clients have a good experience on the website. After all, customer service is paramount for a business success, and for most businesses, sometimes the website is the only way customers interact with the product. The main aspect of designing is to pass an important message to the clients and get some response. With carefully chosen words and images, you can get a result-oriented response that your company needs and also educate your customers on various creative processes. The attractive look and the framing design can also make clients get inclined towards your business. In my favorite project, I was tasked with creating a restaurant website for a small business. I enjoyed being part of the meetings with the client and hearing about their vision for the website, then bringing it to life. The challenge was to create a fun, dynamic, responsive and usable website that would appeal predominantly towards vegan eaters. I understand people access the web using a wide variety of browsers and devices, so I conducted thorough testing to make sure the end-user experience is consistent. As the user experience designer on the project, I followed these methods for UX design research to create a wireframe: I created a rough draft proposition, created the website layout strategy, interviewed end-users and used their answers to influence the layout of the user interface. By doing this, I was able to quickly complete a first draft of the website, including many of the valuable features. The end result of the project was an accessible, responsive, and functional user interface that allowed visitors on any device to have the same perfect user experience. This process increased the number of UX reviews and traffic rates by 50%. Link to my project website source: https://jlife24.github.io/food/

The game of basketball is essentially a child's game but watching great athletes display their gift is like watching a picasso art piece. Watching the rambunctious crowd sheer and serenade the displays of these athletes is a joy to experience. Since the invention of the slam dunk the game of basketball has been growing with popularity, people are picking up the sport and playing more than ever. There is nothing like the play of the slam dunk when a player goes for a dunk in traffic and dunks over their competition, the bouncing of the ball on the hardwood and the swish sound when the basketball goes perfectly through the net. Those plays are enough for fans to get their money's worth as it doesn’t happen all that often. I started watching basketball due to the late great Kobe Bryant. I admindered his maniacal drive and passion to be the best version of himself. He established his goals of striving for the best and battled to achieve them despite whatever obstacles. His career chronologizes his highs and lows, the determination to step back into the court even through injuries such as torn ligaments or tendons through the years. Kobe wasn’t born gifted, he attained success through his relentless pursuit of excellence and that was made eminent from his adopted moniker, “Mamba Mentality”.

"If you don't fight, you can't win." This quote is a recurring theme in Attack on Titan. It symbolizes the need to never give up and keep fighting in the face of adversity. Most characters have something that is currently out of their reach: Eren and Armin want to be free from the walls, but can't because of the Titans. Mikasa wants a peaceful life, but can't be happy unless Eren is safe. Levi and Erwin want a better tomorrow for humanity, but conspiracy factions are holding humanity back. Annie, Reiner and Bertolt want to return home to their village, but can't until they complete their mission. In the past, Hange wanted to learn more about the Titans, but the military refused to support Titan research. Historia wants to live for herself, but other people keep controlling her destiny. Each character has something they want, but they can never reach their goals if they sit down and do nothing. Humanity as a whole represents complacency. After 100 years, they are no closer to defeating the Titans because the powers within the walls no longer have any interest in doing so. The common people have largely dismissed the existence of Titans prior to Wall Maria's breaching. Humanity cannot win against the Titans because they no longer wish to fight. The main characters fight, and struggle, and some are even willing to offer their lives & hearts while pursuing change. Though the odds might seem insurmountable, nothing will ever change once you’ve given up. Those who seek change have to fight and endure till the manifestation of their hope is fulfilled.

On the night of 23 October 2002, Kanye West's life took a horrible wrong turn—literally. But it was a wrong turn that, after just barely failing to kill him, somehow ended up launching the rapper to megastardom. Kanye was exhausted by the time he finally began driving his rented Lexus back to his hotel, kanye fell asleep behind the wheel, veered into oncoming traffic, and smashed head-on into another car. At the time of the wreck, Kanye was one of the hottest producers in hip-hop—but he was having a hard time getting anyone to take him seriously as a rapper. Just a few weeks after the accident, Kanye was back in the studio. His jaw still wired shut—literally forced to spit rhymes "through the wire"—he recorded the song that would become his first hit single, the song that would prove he could really make it as a rapper: "Through The Wire." Like kanye, I was involved in a serious car accident but thankful nothing serious happened to me. So I’m always happy and thankful for life & being able to continue the pursuits of my dreams that also brings further happiness to me.

Edward Kennedy once said, “What defines us pales in comparison to what unites us.” This quote exemplifies the importance of embracing diversity in a classroom learning environment. As a teacher, I endeavor to spread the message to my students that we’re all equal regardless of their religious beliefs, sexual orientation, race, gender, and gender identity. Although this is an important principle, I try to teach my students that this doesn’t mean everybody in the classroom is treated the same way. Occasionally, it means that people require extra help so that they are provided with the same opportunities and outcomes as others. My goal is to foster an environment where differences are respected, recognised, and valued because diversity is a strength. In my classes, all differences are taken into account as we all work collectively to eliminate the disadvantages and barriers with which some people are faced. These differences may relate to ethnicity, gender, faith, disability, or sexual orientation. I believe that diversity is a strength, and it should be celebrated and respected by all the school’s students, teachers, faculty and parents.

Back when I was in high school, Jefferson Township high, you could count the number of black people in my grade with 1 hand. Teachers, students subtly talked about race, societal inequalities that plagued black people and disenfranchised communities. Of course, we had US history classes that touch on the subject matter but I wouldn't classify them as revolutionary on black history. As an immigrant I didn't quite understand the concept of race relations until I read 'To kill a mockingbird', this book enlightened me on race & race relations in America. Like Scout, from 'To kill a mockingbird', I learned those lessons from outside sources. When Scout approaches her father with questions pertaining human behavior, he doesn't offer her counsel on what to say or do. Alternately, he tells her that the trick to understanding another person is to take into account things from their point of view. If you don’t share someone’s pain, you can never understand them. But just because you understand them doesn’t mean you can come to an agreement. That was the message he wanted her to understand. Like my teachers, Scout's teacher missed an opportunity to trust her students with the complexities of history and human behavior. Scout spent the majority of her lone time looking out the window, assured that school is a gimmick and inapplicable. It didn't help her reckon with the preconceptions that engulfed her community during the trial of Tom Robinson, a black man her father defended in court after Robinson was falsely accused of raping a white young woman. Present day, history is still repeating itself because we are still failing with equipping our children with the right knowledge.

The Lion Monument or Löwendenkmal is a sculpture in Lucerne, Switzerland, designed by Bertel Thorvaldsen and hewn in 1820–21 by Lukas Ahorn. It is basically a War Memorial that commemorates the Swiss Guards who were massacred in 1792 during the French Revolution, when revolutionaries stormed the Tuileries Palace in Paris, France. The lion was to symbolize the soldiers’ courage, strength, and willingness to die rather than to betray their oath of service. The symbolic meaning of lions, as one might imagine, primarily deals with strength. The fact that it is a nocturnal creature means that the lion is a symbol of authority and command. Juxtaposing the symbolism of a lion and the art piece by Ahorn, you can see the mighty lion is vulnerable, lifeless and dying. I find the piece of art tantalizing because even the mightiest of us, all face different circumstances in our lives that make us feel powerful and vulnerable.

One of the best pieces of financial advice I received is to live below your means. Social media's rise in prominence has made people, especially young people like myself, feel the urge to splurge and showcase to everyone their economic statuses. Everyone wants to impress strangers and "keep up with the Joneses." But that's a quick way to end up in a lot of debt. Instead, I learned the importance of prioritizing, saving and investing for the future — things that can help me reach financial freedom — over upgrading your car, jewelry, clothes etc because they'd naturally depreciate overtime. A lot of people have no savings due to overspending on unnecessary upgrades. These people can end up in trouble when they're faced with an unexpected outcome. Another valuable lesson I wished I learned at an earlier age is you are never too young to save. One of the most common mistakes young people make is that they think they don't need to start saving until they get older. This rationale is completely wrong. Getting an early start on savings or investments can pay off in a massive way. The gift of time and compound interest is one of the greatest you can invest into yourself from an early age.

If there was any passage of scripture that encapsulates my mom, it'd be Proverbs 31. Like the woman described in that passage, I don't think my mom began to exhibit those virtuous traits from motherhood, rather it took years of intentional practice. While I can’t relate to the aspect of motherhood, I can draw parallels from my mom’s life and apply it to my own. My mom learned the art of diligence from the trials she endured from her early teen years. As the first born of six siblings, She lost her dad in her early teens and assumed responsibility for taking care of the family along with her mother. She played multiple roles: bread-winner, parent, sibling and emotional support while maintaining her countenance despite her tremendous loss. My mom was compassionate and caring for her family, the poor and needy despite not being affluent financially. My stubbornness didn’t derail my mom from bestowing upon me words of affirmation and patience when it was within her right to yell and get enraged with my obstinate tendencies. Not to be misunderstood, my mom didn’t spare the rod in regards to correcting and disciplining me when I strayed; she did it with an explanation and always in love. She was a motherly figure to countless others. My home was always full because we hosted and fed a lot of people who were in worse condition than ours because mommy truly got joy from lending a helping hand and serving others. She truly believed that it’s better to give than to receive. The bible admonishes christians to pursue wisdom and my mom had a lot of wise counsel to give. Typically the only way a person can speak wisdom is if they gain wisdom in their hearts. Out of the abundance of her heart, wisdom followed through her lips because she had this insatiable appetite for knowledge biblically. She gained such profound insight from her constant studying, observing, meditation and intentional learning. And at my adult age, she is still one of the few people I seek counsel from when making pertinent decisions. The proverbs 31 woman is a kind mother. Perhaps, kindness is one of the greatest gifts a mom can pass on to her children, kind affection, both in speech and actions. This is something I try to portray daily because it doesn’t always come easy when the days are long and challenging. As her child, I can rise up and bless her because she is virtuous and worthy to be praised and lifted up. There are so many things I can glean from my mom but the most impactful lesson I learned and hope to continue to apply to myself is her indomitable and unrelenting spirit. Despite all the trials she had to undergo, she didn’t let go of her JOY, like her name denotes.

My passion for coding started over the pandemic and that created an opportunity for me to learn how to program. I picked up on web development using JavaScript and I loved it. The challenge, the thrill and the thought, an imagination can come to life was worth the countless number of hours that I put in. From the “Hello World!” to my recent work as a web developer, I have developed an insatiable appetite for turning lines of code into real life applications. The World Wide Web is everywhere and everyone is on the World Wide Web. If the web didn’t exist, you won’t be able to post this question and I wouldn’t get an opportunity to respond to your question. As a developer you can either be a frontier and lead with your vision or serve, by helping someone else's goals. Both goals are admirable because you can serve as a precursor of the next revolution. My objective now is to help make people's lives easier by serving them and consequently, the world, with efficient and quality technology. Technology is a passion of mine and I enjoy nothing more than learning the trends that technology is taking to maximize efficiency and effectiveness in this market. I love seeing the big picture mapped out for tech needs. Whether it's NFT’s, metaverse, Coinbase etc. or the future needs of a department’s software Technology. To me, Tech all ties into efficiency, mapping out technological solutions and ensuring high end efficiency is reached in every process possible. For example, I often ponder: Are cryptocurrencies just a fad that will be gone in five years? This Scholarship will help aid me towards attaining my long-term goals in Technology, specifically towards a career in Development. I aim to shine light and make a difference within my community and showcase to my family members that even a minority can make it in the industry that’s sparse of black talent and innovators. I'm aware that my continuous growth in my education could open endless opportunities to approach these changes and have a fluidity of work going on in the workplace. It also offers different perspectives on the things that I already know.This Scholarship will significantly help aid me towards attaining my long-term goals in Technology, specifically towards a career in Development. Thank you for your consideration!

Winston Churchill once said, “Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm.” While I never define my roadblocks as ‘failures,’ I mark my success by my repeated perseverance through adversity. I have faced my share of challenges, from moving to the US without my parents, and little financial or moral support at age thirteen, to being homeless and still working side gigs to ensure my family back home are being cared for.I was not born a gifted student. Testing was always difficult for me; Although, I studied the course material, my anxiety would kick in during testing and the pressure of coming from a traditional African background, high level education was a mandate not an option. My family always wanted me to choose a career path in science; exclusively, one in Engineering or Medicine. However, I struggled with my science courses in high school, but I still went on to study Engineering at Essex County College and Electrical Engineering at New Jersey Institute of Technology. As you can tell, I wasn’t quite as passionate about that path, hence the need for me to switch into Tech. My passion for coding started over the pandemic and that created an opportunity for me to learn how to program. I picked up on web development using JavaScript and I loved it. The challenge, the thrill and the thought, an imagination can come to life was worth the countless number of hours that I put in. From the “Hello World!” to my recent work as a web developer, I have developed an insatiable appetite for turning lines of code into real life applications. Persistence and perseverance are core values in life because it has shaped me to have an unrelenting spirit regardless of my challenges.

To me, a community is a safety net, a place where you can be your authentic self, where you are seen, heard and respected. It's a group of people that work towards a common goal, interest, specialty, role, concerns and help each other out during difficult periods because they share common beliefs or experiences. When compassion is the common derivative in the community, everyone strives to elevate each because what good is attaining ‘success’ when a member is hurting. Fellowship is another aspect of any tight-knitted community. But in this covid inflicted years, can we still have a community? Quite often, physical locations and close proximities create communities; however, they are not a requirement due to the ever advancing nature of technology. I’m a beneficiary of having various different communities that help inspire me in life. My family keeps me sane, a group of developers help me with my professional career and my church and the charitable organizations I'm a part of, help me get out of my self-absorption and into ways of services that can be rendered to impact someone else's life. As a member of the charitable organization (African Christian Fellowship) and one of the Youth directors, my objectives for our annual conference is how can I impact vulnerable aged youths and bring awareness to the social issues that threaten to derail the youths from my turbulent community. It is not only important to feed them physically but also engage with them spiritually and emotionally. My passion for coding started over the pandemic and that created an opportunity for me to learn how to program. I picked up on web development using JavaScript and I loved it. The challenge, the thrill and the thought, an imagination can come to life was worth the countless number of hours that I put in. From the “Hello World!” to my recent work as a web developer, I have developed an insatiable appetite for turning lines of code into real life applications. World Wide Web is everywhere and everyone is on the World Wide Web. If the web didn’t exist, you won’t be able to post this question and I wouldn’t get an opportunity to respond to your question. As a developer you can either be a frontier and lead with your vision or serve, by helping someone else's goals. Both goals are admirable because you can serve as a precursor of the next revolution. My objective now is to help make people's lives easier by serving them and consequently, the world, with efficient and quality technology. This Scholarship will help aid me towards attaining my long-term goals in Technology, specifically towards a career in Development. I aim to shine light and make a difference within my community and showcase to my family members that even a minority can make it in the industry that’s sparse of black talent and innovators. This scholarship will absolutely be the difference maker when it comes to affording the education I'd need to achieve my dreams.

Technology is a passion of mine and I enjoy nothing more than learning the trends that technology is taking to maximize efficiency and effectiveness in this market. I love seeing the big picture mapped out for tech needs. Whether it's NFT’s, metaverse, Coinbase etc. or the future needs of a department’s software Technology. To me, Tech all ties into efficiency, mapping out technological solutions and ensuring high end efficiency is reached in every process possible. For example, I often ponder: Are cryptocurrencies just a fad that will be gone in five years? I'm aware that my continuous growth in my education could open endless opportunities to approach these changes and have a fluidity of work going on in the workplace. It also offers different perspectives on the things that I already know.This Scholarship will significantly help aid me towards attaining my long-term goals in Technology, specifically towards a career in Development.

Winston Churchill once said, “Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm.” While I never define my roadblocks as ‘failures,’ I mark my success by my repeated perseverance through adversity. I have faced my share of challenges, from moving to the US without my parents, and little financial or moral support at age thirteen, to being homeless and still working side gigs to ensure my family back home are being cared for. I was not born a gifted student. Testing was always difficult for me; Although, I studied the course material, my anxiety would kick in during testing and the pressure of coming from a traditional African background, high level education was a mandate not an option. My family always wanted me to choose a career path in science; exclusively, one in Engineering or Medicine. However, I struggled with my science courses in high school, but I still went on to study Engineering at Essex County College and Electrical Engineering at New Jersey Institute of Technology. As you can tell, I wasn’t quite as passionate about that path, hence the need for me to switch into Tech. My passion for coding started over the pandemic and that created an opportunity for me to learn how to program. I picked up on web development using JavaScript and I loved it. The challenge, the thrill and the thought, an imagination can come to life was worth the countless number of hours that I put in. From the “Hello World!” to my recent work as a web developer, I have developed an insatiable appetite for turning lines of code into real life applications. World Wide Web is everywhere and everyone is on the World Wide Web. If the web didn’t exist, you won’t be able to post this question and I wouldn’t get an opportunity to respond to your question. As a developer you can either be a frontier and lead with your vision or serve, by helping someone else's goals. Both goals are admirable because you can serve as a precursor of the next revolution. My objective now is to help make people's lives easier by serving them and consequently, the world, with efficient and quality technology. Technology is a passion of mine and I enjoy nothing more than learning the trends that technology is taking to maximize efficiency and effectiveness in this market. I love seeing the big picture mapped out for tech needs. Whether it's NFT’s, metaverse, Coinbase etc. or the future needs of a department’s software Technology. To me, Tech all ties into efficiency, mapping out technological solutions and ensuring high end efficiency is reached in every process possible. For example, I often ponder: Are cryptocurrencies just a fad that will be gone in five years? This Scholarship will help aid me towards attaining my long-term goals in Technology, specifically towards a career in Development. I aim to shine light and make a difference within my community and showcase to my family members that even a minority can make it in the industry that’s sparse of black talent and innovators. This scholarship will absolutely be the difference maker when it comes to affording the education, I’d need to achieve my dreams. Thank you for your consideration!

My passion for coding started over the pandemic and that created an opportunity for me to learn how to program. I picked up on web development using JavaScript and I loved it. The challenge, the thrill and the thought, an imagination can come to life was worth the countless number of hours that I put in. From the “Hello World!” to my recent work as a web developer, I have developed an insatiable appetite for turning lines of code into real life applications. World Wide Web is everywhere and everyone is on the World Wide Web. If the web didn’t exist, you won’t be able to post this question and I wouldn’t get an opportunity to respond to your question. As a developer you can either be a frontier and lead with your vision or serve, by helping someone else's goals. Both goals are admirable because you can serve as a precursor of the next revolution. My objective now is to help make people's lives easier by serving them and consequently, the world, with efficient and quality technology. Technology is a passion of mine and I enjoy nothing more than learning the trends that technology is taking to maximize efficiency and effectiveness in this market. I love seeing the big picture mapped out for tech needs. Whether it's NFT’s, metaverse, Coinbase etc. or the future needs of a department’s software Technology. To me, Tech all ties into efficiency, mapping out technological solutions and ensuring high end efficiency is reached in every process possible. For example, I often ponder: Are cryptocurrencies just a fad that will be gone in five years? This Scholarship will help aid me towards attaining my long-term goals in Technology, specifically towards a career in Development. I aim to shine light and make a difference within my community and showcase to my family members that even a minority can make it in the industry that’s sparse of black talent and innovators.

My family is my biggest source of motivation. I am very thankful that my parents brought me into this world and had enough courage to send me to the US at age 14. Growing up my parents always emphasized the need for discipline and hard work. Although we weren't rich, my dad always believed in Education and he would gladly give up his last dollar to provide education for his kids. One of the hardest things that I had to accept was that I could not have everything I wanted. There were times when my parents spoiled me but I was always taught to be thankful for the things that I had and to not be so selfish. Being the oldest of two other siblings helped me prevent the want of being selfish. I knew I was supposed to lead and show them the way and help them to prevent the same pitfalls that happened to me. I do not know what I would do without my family. My family is very inspiring because they show me all aspects on how I should live my life through their experiences like education, guidance and work ethic. My family’s past experiences also teach me how to live my life the best way possible. For example, my parents did not finish college, so they were not able to obtain lucrative careers. Not finishing or not even going to college can take a toll on your life. If my parents finished college our life would have been more successful financially. My entire objective now, is to make sure my parents and siblings are well taken care of in every aspect of life.

Winston Churchill once said, “Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm.” While I never define my roadblocks as ‘failures,’ I mark my success by my repeated perseverance through adversity. I have faced my share of challenges, from moving to the US without my parents, and little financial or moral support at age thirteen, to being homeless and still working side gigs to ensure my family back home are being cared for. I was not born a gifted student. Testing was always difficult for me; Although, I studied the course material, my anxiety would kick in during testing and the pressure of coming from a traditional African background, high level education was a mandate not an option. My passion for coding started over the pandemic and that created an opportunity for me to learn how to program. I picked up on web development using JavaScript and I loved it. The challenge, the thrill and the thought, an imagination can come to life was worth the countless number of hours that I put in. From the “Hello World!” to my recent work as a web developer, I have developed an insatiable appetite for turning lines of code into real life applications. World Wide Web is everywhere and everyone is on the World Wide Web. If the web didn’t exist, you won’t be able to post this question and I wouldn’t get an opportunity to respond to your question.

Back when I was in high school, Jefferson Township high, you could count the number of black people in my grade with 1 hand. Teachers, students subtly talked about race, societal inequalities that plagued black people and disenfranchised communities. Of course, we had US history classes that touch on the subject matter but I wouldn't classify them as revolutionary on black history. Like Scout, from 'To kill a mockingbird', I learned those lessons from outside sources. When Scout approaches her father with questions pertaining human behavior, he doesn't offer her counsel on what to say or do. Alternately, he tells her that the trick to understanding another person is to take into account things from their point of view. If you don’t share someone’s pain, you can never understand them. But just because you understand them doesn’t mean you can come to an agreement. That was the message he wanted her to understand. Like my teachers, Scout's teacher missed an opportunity to trust her students with the complexities of history and human behavior. Scout spent the majority of her lone time looking out the window, assured that school is a gimmick and inapplicable. It didn't help her reckon with the preconceptions that engulfed her community during the trial of Tom Robinson, a black man her father defended in court after Robinson was falsely accused of raping a white young woman. Present day, history is still repeating itself because we are still failing with equipping our children with the right knowledge.

Winston Churchill once said, “Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm.” While I never define my roadblocks as ‘failures,’ I mark my success by my repeated perseverance through adversity. I have faced my share of challenges, from moving to the US without my parents, and little financial or moral support at age thirteen, to being homeless and still working side gigs to ensure my family back home are being cared for. I was not born a gifted student. Testing was always difficult for me; Although, I studied the course material, my anxiety would kick in during testing and the pressure of coming from a traditional African background, high level education was a mandate not an option. My family always wanted me to choose a career path in science; exclusively, one in Engineering or Medicine. However, I struggled with my science courses in high school, but I still went on to study Engineering at Essex County College and Electrical Engineering at New Jersey Institute of Technology. As you can tell, I wasn’t quite as passionate about that path, hence the need for me to switch into Tech. My passion for coding started over the pandemic and that created an opportunity for me to learn how to program. I picked up on web development using JavaScript and I loved it. The challenge, the thrill and the thought, an imagination can come to life was worth the countless number of hours that I put in. From the “Hello World!” to my recent work as a web developer, I have developed an insatiable appetite for turning lines of code into real life applications. World Wide Web is everywhere and everyone is on the World Wide Web. If the web didn’t exist, you won’t be able to post this question and I wouldn’t get an opportunity to respond to your question. As a developer you can either be a frontier and lead with your vision or serve, by helping someone else's goals. Both goals are admirable because you can serve as a precursor of the next revolution. My objective now is to help make people's lives easier by serving them and consequently, the world, with efficient and quality technology. Technology is a passion of mine and I enjoy nothing more than learning the trends that technology is taking to maximize efficiency and effectiveness in this market. I love seeing the big picture mapped out for tech needs. Whether it's NFT’s, metaverse, Coinbase etc. or the future needs of a department’s software Technology. To me, Tech all ties into efficiency, mapping out technological solutions and ensuring high end efficiency is reached in every process possible. For example, I often ponder: Are cryptocurrencies just a fad that will be gone in five years? This Scholarship will help aid me towards attaining my long-term goals in Technology, specifically towards a career in Development. I aim to shine light and make a difference within my community and showcase to my family members that even a minority can make it in the industry that’s sparse of black talent and innovators. This scholarship will absolutely be the difference maker when it comes to affording the education, I’d need to achieve my dreams. Thank you for your consideration!

Winston Churchill once said, “Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm.” While I never define my roadblocks as ‘failures,’ I mark my success by my repeated perseverance through adversity. I have faced my share of challenges, from moving to the US without my parents, and little financial or moral support at age thirteen, to being homeless and still working side gigs to ensure my family back home are being cared for. I was not born a gifted student. Testing was always difficult for me; Although, I studied the course material, my anxiety would kick in during testing and the pressure of coming from a traditional African background, high level education was a mandate not an option. My family always wanted me to choose a career path in science; exclusively, one in Engineering or Medicine. However, I struggled with my science courses in high school, but I still went on to study Engineering at Essex County College and Electrical Engineering at New Jersey Institute of Technology. As you can tell, I wasn’t quite as passionate about that path, hence the need for me to switch into Tech. My passion for coding started over the pandemic and that created an opportunity for me to learn how to program. I picked up on web development using JavaScript and I loved it. The challenge, the thrill and the thought, an imagination can come to life was worth the countless number of hours that I put in. From the “Hello World!” to my recent work as a web developer, I have developed an insatiable appetite for turning lines of code into real life applications. World Wide Web is everywhere and everyone is on the World Wide Web. If the web didn’t exist, you won’t be able to post this question and I wouldn’t get an opportunity to respond to your question. As a developer you can either be a frontier and lead with your vision or serve, by helping someone else's goals. Both goals are admirable because you can serve as a precursor of the next revolution. My objective now is to help make people's lives easier by serving them and consequently, the world, with efficient and quality technology. Technology is a passion of mine and I enjoy nothing more than learning the trends that technology is taking to maximize efficiency and effectiveness in this market. I love seeing the big picture mapped out for tech needs. Whether it's NFT’s, metaverse, Coinbase etc. or the future needs of a department’s software Technology. To me, Tech all ties into efficiency, mapping out technological solutions and ensuring high end efficiency is reached in every process possible. For example, I often ponder: Are cryptocurrencies just a fad that will be gone in five years? This Scholarship will help aid me towards attaining my long-term goals in Technology, specifically towards a career in Development. I aim to shine light and make a difference within my community and showcase to my family members that even a minority can make it in the industry that’s sparse of black talent and innovators. This scholarship will absolutely be the difference maker when it comes to affording the education, I’d need to achieve my dreams. Thank you for your consideration!

Winston Churchill once said, “Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm.” While I never define my roadblocks as ‘failures,’ I mark my success by my repeated perseverance through adversity. I have faced my share of challenges, from moving to the US without my parents, and little financial or moral support at age thirteen, to being homeless and still working side gigs to ensure my family back home are being cared for. I was not born a gifted student but i view failure as an opportunity to begin again, this time more intelliegntly.

I believe I deserve this scholarship because it will aid me towards attaining my long-term goals in IT, specifically towards a career in Software Engineering. I aim to shine light and make a difference within my community, and showcase to my family members that even a minority can make it in the industry that's is sparse of black talent and innovators. This scholarship will absolutely be the difference maker when it comes to affording the education I'd need to achieve my dreams. Technology is a passion of mine and I enjoy nothing more than learning the trends that technology is taking in order to work maximize efficency and efficiently see progress and success. I love seeing the big picture mapped out for technology needs. Whether its NFT's, metaverse, coinbase etc or the future needs of a department’s software technology. Efficiency is huge to me, and I have a passion for finding new and more productive ways to reach goals. Mapping out the technological solutions for the future is an important way to ensure efficiency is reached in every process possible.

I was managing a project for one of our biggest clients in my previous company, and I was so eager to please them that I told them I could finish the project within 3 weeks. I thought this was doable, but it ended up taking four weeks and the client were not happy. Looking back, I realized I should have been more conservative in my estimate to the client. My overzealousness was detrimental at first because I didn't entirely prepare before I accepted a project. Consequently, I've learned to be more careful and not rush my decisions and to speak with others who have far more experience if I’m entirely unsure of something. Throughout disappointing experiences, there's always an opportunity to learn from and working with various clients taught me valuable lessons when approaching people. Understanding that people come over product or any financial exploitation is a great starting point when engaging nd fostering good and healthy relationships. A client isn’t going to be upset if you’re clear and concise about the timeline in advance, but they are going to be disappointed if you promise something and then don’t deliver. So I took this experience and used it to become much better at managing the expectations of clients during projects I oversee. For example, on the next project with a different client, I told them it’d take three weeks and we finished in two. They were very happy about this.