Growing up in gymnastics for over 16 years, I learned how to be both tough and graceful. Gymnastics isn’t just a sport it’s a mental and physical battleground. Every time I walked into the gym, I was expected to flip, twist, and land with precision, all while maintaining perfect form and composure. What people don’t often see is the pressure that comes with it, especially as a girl constantly fighting through fear, self-doubt, body image and the expectation to be perfect. Throughout my gymnastics journey, I faced fears, injuries and setbacks. I’ve trained through pain, competed when I was mentally drained, and pushed myself beyond what I thought was possible. These moments didn’t break me, they built me. They taught me that strength doesn’t always look like muscles or medals. Sometimes, strength is walking into practice the day after a fall and attempting the skill again. It’s holding your head high when you didn’t perform your best. The mental strength, the kind that keeps you going despite the pressures has made me into the confident young lady I am today. As an athlete and a high school student I practiced 40 hours a week, went to school 7 hours a day, and worked 3 hours a week. With those time constraints I still made time to get my homework done, hang out with my friends, and give back to my community any chance I was given. Being an athlete is something I take pride in and will never take advantage of. Every day I made hard choices staying up late to finish a school assignment or getting to practice early to perfect a skill. My dedication to gymnastics taught me the importance of time management, responsibilities and sacrifice. Although gymnastics has instilled perseverance, mental and physical strength in me, my mom is the reason I keep pushing. I’m lucky to have grown up with a strong female role model. My mom is the perfect example of grace under pressure. She juggles being a full-time mom of 2, full time supervisor and a part time employee. My mom works two jobs sacrificing her time for my dreams without ever letting me feel like I was a burden. My dad showed me the importance of hard work, but watching my mom carry the emotional and mental load of our family taught me what it means to be a strong woman. In a world where women are often underestimated, I’ve learned to own my power. Gymnastics showed me that the mental strength required of female athletes is often unmatched. We are expected to smile through the pain and still deliver perfection. That expectation has prepared me to stand firm in male-dominated spaces in leadership and my future career choice in medicine and or advocating for myself and others. As I prepare to study nursing with the goal of becoming a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, I know I’m ready. I’ll bring with me everything I’ve learned the discipline of an athlete, the balance of a student-worker, and the resilience of a strong Black woman. I’m not just entering the next chapter of my life with big dreams, I’m stepping into it with confidence, courage, and the belief that there is no space I don’t belong in. I am ready to take a seat at the table!

Cheerleader by day, gymnast by heart, future pediatric nurse practitioner by purpose. If you ever meet me, you’ll see I’m someone who believes in the power of effort, faith, and knowing your “why.” I’m the girl who encourages everyone before my warmup and high-fives a friend for passing a test, conquering a fear, or landing a big skill. My “why” has always been to uplift others to make sure they feel seen, heard, and understood, just as I’ve needed that same encouragement. I’ve always had a passion for kids, and working as a coach showed me how much kids need comfort, strength, and someone to believe in them. For 16 years, gymnastics was my world. It taught me discipline, how to land on my feet literally and figuratively and how to show up even when things got hard and I didn’t feel seen or supported. I learned how to push through mental blocks and bet on myself. There were moments when my body was capable, but my mind wasn’t. I learned to not let fear become a roadblock and to fight for what I knew I could do, even when no one else believed. Showing up for myself, everyday helped me turn doubt into confidence. Even when I lacked support from coaches, I had the encouragement of my mom and teammates. I never stopped showing up and achieved the highest level in my sport competing as a Level 10 USA gymnast. Now, I’m fulfilling another dream: becoming a collegiate athlete. I’ll be a member of the inaugural Acro and Tumbling team at La Salle University. Achieving this goal taught me to never give up and how to fight quietly. It also gave me the empathy I carry today, especially for kids dealing with fear, pressure, or pain they don’t know how to explain. I’ve turned that empathy into purpose. I’ll be studying biochemistry and nursing at La Salle on both academic and athletic scholarships. My goal is to become a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner who leads with care and compassion. I want to be the calm in someone’s storm. Whether I’m administering medicine or offering a smile to a scared child, I’ll show up fully just like I did as a gymnast. Beyond my career path, I’m passionate about being a light for others. I live by affirmations my mom installed in me: “You are enough,” “Impress yourself before anyone else,” and “Speak up for yourself.” I carry those words with me and share them with others who need reminders of their strength. I’ve faced doubt. I’ve felt pressure. I’ve worked through mental blocks and setbacks. But every time, I chose to rise. That’s who I am: resilient, joyful, driven by service, and forever fueled by my “why.” So here I am cheerleader, gymnast, future pediatric nurse practitioner, believer in kindness, and proof that obstacles don’t define you. How you grow through them does.

Islanders please get ready for tonight’s game FAMILY TIES #familyknowsbest #yourchoice Each couple will get text from their families telling them what the public thinks and what they think. There families will give reasons they love the couple your in and reasons they don’t like the couple your in. Islanders will then decide whether they want to stay in there current couple or recouple with someone new! Text: Hi Islander we miss you so much! The public absolutely loves you but we don’t love the couple your in we feel you should couple up with this Islander. - You guys communicate well but your communication is also surfaced. Text: Hi Islander we love you! The public doesn’t see you in the best light but we love the couple you’re in. - You guys laugh together and enjoy each others company but your partner has a wandering eye and you need someone that will be faithful to you. Just based off of this information the couples must then decide whether they would like to stay in the couple they are in or if they would like to recouple with someone else. If they choose to stay in there couple then they will remain a couple. If they choose to recouple if the islander you want to recouple with also wants to recouple with you after there turn then you will be a couple but if they do not then that islander will be single and vulnerable. In the end all single islanders will be vulnerable and it will be up to the public to decide who should stay or be dumped from the island.