As I reflect on the type of person that I try to be, I think in terms of the values of perseverance, service, and joy. These are the values that I have tried to live out in my own life, and they resonate strongly with the memory of Kalia D. Davis. As she was, I am a student-athlete who has balanced academics, athletics, and service, and I believe this scholarship would not only help me to continue my education but also motivate me to keep alive the spirit of excellence which she embodied.
Sports have been at the center of my development as a young person. I tried out for the track team in ninth grade, not so much because I was the fastest runner, but because I wanted to challenge myself. I finished toward the back of every race initially, but I refused to quit. I trained early in the morning before school, with my coaches on form, and I pushed myself to grow stronger both physically and mentally. By my junior year, I was a member of the varsity team and competed at the regional level. I learned through track that success is not always immediate—it comes from discipline, patience, and perseverance despite adversity. These are lessons that I continue to carry with me to this day, not just in athletics, but in academics and life.
Academics have been a high priority to me, and I, too, have strived for excellence in the classroom. I presently have a 3.9 GPA and stand in the top ten in my graduating class. My strongest subjects are English and biology, and I plan to major in nursing when I leave for college this fall. I want to pursue nursing because I see nursing as a career that combines science, service, and caring. My mother is a nurse, and I have seen the impact she has on her patients' lives. I would like to follow in her footsteps, bringing both skill and compassion to my own future practice.
In addition to school and sports, service has made me who I am. I have been volunteering at my local community center for the past three years where I tutor elementary school children in math and reading. I also help coordinate food drives with my church, where we deliver food to families in need.
Academics, sports, and service have not always been simple to balance. There were times I felt overwhelmed, especially when I was studying for exams and preparing for competition. But as with Kalia, I . I also trusted my sense of happiness, pushing myself to relish the process—to laugh with teammates at practice, to rejoice in small victories at school, and to be joyful in the beauty of life's ordinary moments, like sunsets after long days.
Receiving this scholarship would be more than a monetary assistance, though that would be amazingly important to me and my family. It would be a reminder to live in a way as to honor the values of hard work, compassion, and persistence.
Kalia D. Davis's life motivates me because it is a testament to the strength of living life to the fullest, loving unconditionally, laughing with abandon, and learning every step of the way. Should I be granted this scholarship, I will take her legacy forward with me as I go on to study nursing, continue serving my community, and try to make an impact wherever I am. I will not forget that excellence lies not just in what we do for ourselves, but in how we raise others in the process.