Growing up as the middle child in a household with three brothers and one sister taught me that competition was a part of everyday life. My siblings constantly pushed me to become better, whether through sports, academics, or simply trying to keep up with one another. However, my perspective on family and responsibility changed when my parents divorced, and my mother became my primary guardian. After the divorce, I watched my mother adjust to the emotional and financial responsibilities of raising our family. I noticed changes in her routine, the sacrifices she made, and the effort she put into making sure my siblings and I continued to have opportunities despite our circumstances. Seeing those changes at a young age gave me a sense of responsibility that extended beyond myself. I began to understand that the people who care for us can carry burdens we may not always see. More importantly, I developed a level of empathy that has shaped the way I view other people and their struggles. That experience motivated me to become more independent and intentional about my future. I wanted my mother’s sacrifices to mean something, so I challenged myself to take advantage of every opportunity available to me. In high school, that drive led me to wrestling. After being cut from multiple sports in middle school, wrestling allowed me to prove to myself that setbacks did not define me. It taught me discipline, resilience, and the importance of continuing forward when circumstances are difficult. My junior year tested that mindset when I underwent surgery to remove a subdural hematoma and missed the beginning of my wrestling season. Watching my teammates compete from the sidelines was difficult, but I returned midway through the season with a renewed appreciation for the opportunity to compete. I ultimately put together one of the best seasons of my career. That same determination carried into my education. I earned Honor Roll, took the ACT and SAT a combined twelve times to reach my goal score, earned the Bright Futures Scholarship, and was accepted to the University of Central Florida. Today, as an Advertising major, I serve on the Executive Boards of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. and the NAACP, where I use leadership and service to positively impact others. Being raised by my mother after my parents’ divorce taught me that resilience is not only about overcoming personal challenges; it is also about recognizing the sacrifices others make for you and using those sacrifices as motivation. My goal is to build a successful career in advertising while creating opportunities for others who may face circumstances similar to mine. I want my education to become more than a personal achievement, it is a way to honor my mother’s sacrifices, serve my community, and help level the playing field for those coming after me.

Growing up in a low-income household taught me that success is not always about having the most resources; sometimes, it is about making the most of what you have. As the middle child in a family with three brothers and one sister in my household, I watched my parents find ways to make what they had stretch across all of us. I did not always understand the financial challenges my family faced when I was younger, but as I grew older, I began to recognize the sacrifices my parents made to give their children a stable and meaningful childhood. That became especially clear after my parents divorced. My mother suddenly had to carry the responsibility of providing for her children as a single parent. Rather than allowing our financial circumstances to drastically change the opportunities we had, she worked year-round as a teacher, including during the summer, to make sure she could continue providing for us. I could see the moments when she was struggling to make everything work. What stayed with me most, however, was not the struggle itself. It was her determination to keep moving forward for her children. Watching my mother taught me to appreciate things that I might otherwise have taken for granted. It taught me that opportunities come with a responsibility to make something of them. Her example also changed the way I view hard work. I learned that perseverance is not always dramatic; sometimes it looks like showing up every day, continuing to work, and putting your family before yourself even when things are difficult. I carried those values into high school. When I struggled with confidence after returning to school from the COVID-19 pandemic, I found a new sense of purpose through wrestling. The sport taught me that setbacks do not determine your future, your response to them does. I brought that same mindset into my academics, taking the ACT and SAT a combined twelve times to reach my goal score, earning Honor Roll recognition, receiving the Bright Futures Scholarship, and eventually being accepted to the University of Central Florida. Today, I am pursuing a degree in Advertising at UCF because I want to combine creativity, technology, and communication to create meaningful work. My interest in art and technology gives me a way to tell stories, connect people, and communicate ideas that can have an impact beyond myself. I also want to use the opportunities I have been given to help others, which is why I continue to pursue leadership and service through organizations such as Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. and the NAACP. My mother's determination is one of the biggest reasons I am ambitious today. I know firsthand that circumstances can make the path forward more difficult, but I also know that difficult circumstances do not have to determine where you end up. I want to honor the sacrifices my family made by making the most of my education, building a career that allows me to create and serve, and eventually giving others the opportunities that my parents worked so hard to provide for me. Growing up with financial limitations taught me to value every opportunity, work for what I want, and never lose sight of the people who helped me get there. My goal is not simply to succeed despite where I came from, but to use that success to make a difference for others. Lastly, thank you to the Pereira Foundation for supporting students like me and creating opportunities for those who have faced financial challenges while pursuing their dreams.

Growing up as the middle child in a household of seven taught me that competition wasn't reserved for the playing field it was part of everyday life. With three brothers and one sister living under the same roof, we challenged one another constantly, whether through sports, academics, or simply trying to keep up with each other. Those experiences taught me resilience, accountability, and the drive to become better each day. While my siblings fueled my competitive spirit, my parents shaped my character through their sacrifices. Despite limited financial resources, they worked tirelessly to provide opportunities for our family, teaching me to value hard work, perseverance, and every opportunity I receive. Those lessons became especially important when I entered high school. My freshman year was spent entirely online because of the COVID-19 pandemic, leaving me disconnected from classmates and struggling to find my place when I returned to campus. At the same time, I was living with a 100 mm subdural hematoma that created a visible bulge on my head. The constant questions and attention made me self-conscious and caused me to withdraw from others. Everything changed when I joined the wrestling team during my sophomore year. Wrestling gave me something I had been searching for: confidence. On the mat, appearances didn't matter. Success depended on discipline, determination, and the willingness to outwork your opponent. After being cut from multiple sports in middle school, wrestling taught me that setbacks don't define you, your response to them does. Before my junior season, I underwent surgery to remove the hematoma. Although the surgery was necessary, it forced me to miss the beginning of the season. Watching from the sidelines while my teammates competed was one of the hardest moments of my high school career, but their encouragement reminded me that wrestling is more than an individual sport it is a family. When I returned midway through the season, I competed with a renewed appreciation for every practice and every match, ultimately putting together one of the best seasons of my career. That experience reinforced a lesson I still carry today: perseverance turns obstacles into opportunities. The discipline I developed through wrestling carried into every area of my life. I earned Honor Roll, took the ACT and SAT a combined twelve times to reach my goal score, earned the Bright Futures Scholarship, and was accepted to the University of Central Florida. As a senior, I was honored to be selected for Homecoming Court, featured individually on my senior yearbook cover, and named Athlete of the Year over several college commits. Today, I continue challenging myself as an Advertising major while serving on the Executive Boards of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. and the NAACP, using leadership and service to positively impact others. The values that defined Stephan L. Wolley's life family, competition, and striving to become your best have also shaped my journey. My family taught me to compete with humility, and wrestling taught me to persevere through adversity. Together, those lessons continue to guide me as I pursue my education, serve my community, and work toward making a meaningful impact on others. Thank you to the Stephan L. Wolley Memorial Scholarship Committee for honoring Stephan's legacy by investing in student-athletes who embody these values. I sincerely appreciate your time and consideration, and it would be an honor to carry forward the principles of family, perseverance, competition, and service that this scholarship represents!

The first thing people noticed about me in high school wasn't my personality, it was the 100mm subdural hematoma that left a visible bulge on my head. Questions like, "What is that?" and "Does it hurt?" became part of my daily routine. Before almost every conversation, I found myself hoping people would look me in the eyes instead of at my hairline. Over time, I began to feel defined by something I could not control. The embarrassment made me withdraw, believing people saw my condition before they ever saw me. Everything changed when I joined the wrestling team. The wrestling room became the one place where appearance meant nothing. No one cared about the hematoma, only whether I was willing to outwork the person across from me. Wrestling taught me that confidence is earned through perseverance, not appearance. After being cut from multiple sports in middle school, I refused to let failure or my appearance determine my future. Instead, I discovered that the obstacles we carry can become the very things that shape our strength. That mindset transformed every part of my life. I became involved in clubs, earned Honor Roll, and took the ACT and SAT a combined twelve times before achieving the score I needed to attend the University of Central Florida. Every setback reinforced the same lesson: growth comes from refusing to quit. Today, I am studying Advertising because I believe stories shape the way people see the world. Growing up, I understood what it felt like to be judged before anyone knew my story. That experience inspires me to use communication not simply to sell products, but to challenge stereotypes, amplify overlooked voices, and create campaigns that inspire empathy and action. My commitment to serving others extends beyond the classroom. As an Executive Board member of my university's Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. chapter and the NAACP, I help organize service initiatives, mentor students, and advocate for communities that are too often overlooked. Whether volunteering, planning events, or supporting fellow students, I have learned that leadership is not measured by recognition it is measured by the opportunities you create for others. The people who inspire me most are those who quietly invest in others without expecting anything in return. They remind me that meaningful change begins with compassion and grows through consistent service. Their example motivates me to use every opportunity I have to help someone else feel supported, encouraged, and capable of achieving more than they imagined. My vision is to combine creativity with service throughout my career. I want to work in advertising and strategic communications to help nonprofits, educational organizations, and community initiatives tell stories that inspire action and expand opportunities for underserved communities. Whether the message promotes educational access, youth mentorship, or minority representation, I want my work to create meaningful change by helping people recognize the value in themselves and in one another. My experiences taught me that being seen is about more than visibility it is about being understood. Through my education and service, I hope to ensure that others feel heard, valued, and empowered to pursue opportunities they may have once thought were out of reach. If I can use my voice and platform to help someone else discover theirs, I will know I have made the impact I set out to create.