I've been without a Grandfather for 4 years now. Growing up, he was the one who always consistently took me to church and tried his best to raise me with the Lord. I remember we used to go to church with him most Sundays, and sitting there, listening to words I barely understood, seemed pointless and repetitive. But after his death, I started to understand the power of faith over a person's life, and just how powerful Jesus is in our lives. When he passed, I couldn't understand. Why did it have to be my grandfather who had to go? That why, if the lord himself was so powerful, why did he refuse to spare a man who dedicated so much of his life to serving him? The confusion and disappointment over my grandfather started to flood into other parts of my life. It impacted my schoolwork, my relationship with my family, and the relationships of those around me. I couldn't see the point in trying to build my future and continue to endure life . If a man who did so much good to better the lives of the people around him couldn't be spared a long and painful battle with cancer, what could possibly save me? My grades continued to drop. I started neglecting friends and ignoring relationships that were important parts of my life. 4 months later, I was lying in my bed, with the lights off, feeling alone and hopeless, when the most amazing revelation just came to me. It was my grandfather's words. "We can't always understand why the lord does the things he does. We simply follow his teachings, as his decisions are always in the best interest of his beautiful creations. We don't live to stay in constant comfort without struggle. If he gave us everything we wanted, we'd never learn to grow and adapt to changes! Never forget that." The words repeated, cycling in my head like the wheels of the Golden Nissan Murano he used to drive. He had a laugh, one that came after every wise sentence he said, that stretched a smile across my face. Quiet tears ran down my cheeks. I laughed, thinking about how even in death, my grandfather was influencing my thoughts, pushing thoughts of the power of the lord into my life like the lectures he would give me after church. I now remember how important this event was in strengthing my relationship with the lord, starting to restore my faith in control over my life, and the rebuilding of my relationships with my family and academics were. Dealing with his sudden passing was extremely hard, but it pushed me out of my comfort zone in order to adapt to significant changes in my life, without completely giving up and breaking down. I am so thankful to my grandfather, but even more thankful to the Lord's teachings, which were passed down throughout the world for generations to guide the next generation of innovators, advocates, lawyers, and other types of people who draw their values from the words of morality and hopefulness in the bible, which will carry us into the bright and honest future.

To the Scholarship Committee, Hello! My name is Xavier Lyons, and I currently attend Bronx River High School, located in the Bronx in New York City. I am a 17-year-old high school early graduate, skipping my junior year to graduate a bit ahead of schedule. I love playing basketball and chess, and I frequently compete either on my school’s basketball team or at my local chess club. Through my chess mentor, I began my journey in volunteering and community service. About once every two weeks, I go to my local YMCA in the Bronx to help with whatever event is taking place. I have helped distribute turkeys during Thanksgiving, give away food during Christmas, and most recently packed boxes to send aid to Jamaican citizens struggling in the wake of Hurricane Melissa. My plans after high school are to turn my clothing business into a successful company, which is why I plan to major in Business Administration in college. As an African American student, my parents strongly encouraged me to apply to Historically Black Colleges and Universities. As a result, I have been accepted into colleges such as Morehouse College, Clark Atlanta University, and Morgan State University. However, these schools are known for being expensive, and since my brother and I will be attending college at the same time, the financial burden will be overwhelming for my mother to manage alone. My mother faced a similar challenge when she was my age, wanting to attend Hampton University but unable to afford the price. Her experience lights a fire in me. After building a successful business, I want to start a charity focused on helping students afford college without accumulating overwhelming debt and loans. My organization will serve juniors and seniors preparing to transition into higher education. My charity would mainly hold sessions, meetings, and seminars that provide students with knowledge about college pathways, as well as conveying the importance of scholarships. One of the biggest common struggles my peers and I face is simply finding scholarships to apply for, so we would provide students with personalized scholarship opportunities aligned with their strengths and achievements. Additionally, we would create multiple scholarships each year, supporting a larger number of students rather than awarding only one or two recipients like most foundations. My overall goal would be to prepare students to thrive during and after college without being heavily burdened by financial stress. There is much more that can be done in our society to address the challenges students face when pursuing higher education. I strongly believe that this scholarship would not only help me continue my own educational journey, but it would also bring me one step closer to creating opportunities for others. I want to use my success to open doors for students like my mother and myself to have a fair chance to pursue their dreams without crushing debt. Thank you for your time and consideration!

To the Scholarship Committee, Hello! My name is Xavier Lyons, and I currently attend Bronx River High School, located in the Bronx in New York City. I am a 17-year-old high school early graduate, skipping my junior year to graduate a bit ahead of schedule. I love playing basketball and chess, and I frequently compete either on my school’s basketball team or at my local chess club. Being an African American student growing up in the Bronx, I was always raised to understand the importance of community support and making sure that I always look out for others. My chess mentor especially influenced me by introducing me to volunteering and community service. I think the best thing he ever taught me was that success is not only measured by personal achievement, but by how we uplift the people in our environment and beyond. About once every two weeks, I volunteer at my local YMCA, helping out at any community event that's taking place. I helped distribute turkeys during Thanksgiving, give away food during Christmas, and most recently, packed boxes of supplies sent to Jamaican citizens recovering from Hurricane Melissa. These experiences taught me that compassion is more than just being sympathetic. Compassion takes effort. And by organizing supplies, assisting families, and by showing up consistently to help others, it's become apparent to me that even small efforts over time can make a really meaningful difference in people’s lives. My plans after high school are to turn my clothing business into a successful company, which is why I plan to major in Business Administration in college. As an African American student, my parents strongly encouraged me to apply to Historically Black Colleges and Universities. As a result, I have been accepted into colleges such as Morehouse College, Clark Atlanta University, and Morgan State University. However, these schools are known for being expensive, and since my brother and I will be attending college at the same time, the financial burden will be overwhelming for my mother to manage alone. My understanding of compassion really is strengthened by my mother's story. When she was my age, she dreamed of attending Hampton University but was unable to afford it. Watching her encourage me to pursue opportunities she once had to set aside has shown me the sacrifices parents make to create better futures for their children. Her story has inspired my long-term goal of starting a charity dedicated to helping students afford college without overwhelming debt. My charity would mainly hold sessions, meetings, and seminars that provide students with knowledge about college pathways, as well as conveying the importance of scholarships. One of the biggest common struggles my peers and I face is simply finding scholarships to apply for, so we would provide students with personalized scholarship opportunities aligned with their strengths and achievements. Additionally, we would create multiple scholarships each year, supporting a larger number of students rather than awarding only one or two recipients like most foundations. My overall goal would be to prepare students to thrive during and after college without being heavily burdened by financial stress. There is much more that can be done in our society to address the challenges students face when pursuing higher education. Compassion to me means finding challenges in my community and effectively responding to those issues with the ideals of effort and creativity. Receiving this scholarship would allow me to continue turning my compassion into a real-world impact. I want to be able to carry forward the lessons I have learned from my family, mentors, and community by making sure that the opportunities and virtues I hold will become opportunities I help to create for others in the future. Thank you for your time and consideration!

To the Scholarship Committee, Hello! My name is Xavier Lyons, and I currently attend Bronx River High School, located in the Bronx in New York City. I am a 17-year-old high school early graduate, skipping my junior year to graduate a bit ahead of schedule. I love playing basketball and chess, and I frequently compete either on my school’s basketball team or at my local chess club. Through my chess mentor, I began my journey in volunteering and community service. About once every two weeks, I go to my local YMCA in the Bronx to help with whatever event is taking place. I have helped distribute turkeys during Thanksgiving, give away food during Christmas, and most recently packed boxes to send aid to Jamaican citizens struggling in the wake of Hurricane Melissa. My plans after high school are to turn my clothing business into a successful company, which is why I plan to major in Business Administration in college. As an African American student, my parents strongly encouraged me to apply to Historically Black Colleges and Universities. As a result, I have been accepted into colleges such as Morehouse College, Clark Atlanta University, and Morgan State University. However, these schools are known for being expensive, and since my brother and I will be attending college at the same time, the financial burden will be overwhelming for my mother to manage alone. My mother faced a similar challenge when she was my age, wanting to attend Hampton University but unable to afford the price. Her experience lights a fire in me. After building a successful business, I want to start a charity focused on helping students afford college without accumulating overwhelming debt and loans. My organization will serve juniors and seniors preparing to transition into higher education. My charity would mainly hold sessions, meetings, and seminars that provide students with knowledge about college pathways, as well as conveying the importance of scholarships. One of the biggest common struggles my peers and I face is simply finding scholarships to apply for, so we would provide students with personalized scholarship opportunities aligned with their strengths and achievements. Additionally, we would create multiple scholarships each year, supporting a larger number of students rather than awarding only one or two recipients like most foundations. My overall goal would be to prepare students to thrive during and after college without being heavily burdened by financial stress. There is much more that can be done in our society to address the challenges students face when pursuing higher education. I strongly believe that this scholarship would not only help me continue my own educational journey, but it would also bring me one step closer to creating opportunities for others. I want to use my success to open doors for students like my mother and myself to have a fair chance to pursue their dreams without crushing debt. Thank you for your time and consideration!

Hello! My name is Xavier Lyons, and I currently attend Bronx River High School, located in the Bronx in New York City. I am a 17-year-old early high school graduate, having skipped my junior year to graduate ahead of schedule. While high school has been an important part of my life journey, some of the most meaningful lessons I have learned have come from understanding compassion between individuals. I've learned where it comes from and how to use it to help others. I first learned compassion through the example that my family and mentors showed me. Being an African American student growing up in the Bronx, I was always raised to understand the importance of community support and making sure that I always look out for others. My chess mentor especially influenced me by introducing me to volunteering and community service. I think the best thing he ever taught me was that success is not only measured by personal achievement, but by how we uplift the people in our environment and beyond. About once every two weeks, I volunteer at my local YMCA, helping out at any community event that's taking place. I helped distribute turkeys during Thanksgiving, give away food during Christmas, and most recently, packed boxes of supplies sent to Jamaican citizens recovering from Hurricane Melissa. These experiences taught me that compassion is more than just being sympathetic. Compassion takes effort. And by organizing supplies, assisting families, and by showing up consistently to help others, it's become apparent to me that even small efforts over time can make a really meaningful difference in people’s lives. Compassion is also constantly shaping my personal interests and goals. Basketball and chess throughout the years have been the reasons that I have learned patience and teamwork. One of the most important things I've learned is to hold respect for others’ growth and challenges. These sports have shown me that in life, everyone grows at different paces, and that supporting others helps to not only strengthen your bonds, but even strengthen yourself. These qualities are part of the reason I plan to major in Business Administration while continuing to grow my clothing business into a successful company. I want not only to embody core entrepreneurship values but also to demonstrate social responsibility and compassion. My understanding of compassion really is strengthened by my mother's story. When she was my age, she dreamed of attending Hampton University but was unable to afford it. Watching her encourage me to pursue opportunities she once had to set aside has shown me the sacrifices parents make to create better futures for their children. Her story has inspired my long-term goal of starting a charity dedicated to helping students afford college without overwhelming debt. Compassion to me means finding challenges in my community and effectively responding to those issues with the ideals of effort and creativity. Receiving this scholarship would allow me to continue turning my compassion into a real-world impact. I want to be able to carry forward the lessons I have learned from my family, mentors, and community by making sure that the opportunities and virtues I hold will become opportunities I help to create for others in the future. Thank you for your time and consideration!

Hello! My name is Xavier Lyons, and I currently attend Bronx River High School, located in the Bronx in New York City. I am a 17-year-old early high school graduate, having skipped my junior year to graduate ahead of schedule. While high school has been an important part of my life journey, some of the most meaningful lessons I have learned have come from understanding compassion between individuals. I've learned where it comes from and how to use it to help others. I first learned compassion through the example that my family and mentors showed me. Being an African American student growing up in the Bronx, I was always raised to understand the importance of community support and making sure that I always look out for others. My chess mentor especially influenced me by introducing me to volunteering and community service. I think the best thing he ever taught me was that success is not only measured by personal achievement, but by how we uplift the people in our environment and beyond. About once every two weeks, I volunteer at my local YMCA, helping out at any community event that's taking place. I helped distribute turkeys during Thanksgiving, give away food during Christmas, and most recently, packed boxes of supplies sent to Jamaican citizens recovering from Hurricane Melissa. These experiences taught me that compassion is more than just being sympathetic. Compassion takes effort. And by organizing supplies, assisting families, and by showing up consistently to help others, it's become apparent to me that even small efforts over time can make a really meaningful difference in people’s lives. Compassion is also constantly shaping my personal interests and goals. Basketball and chess throughout the years have been the reasons that I have learned patience and teamwork. One of the most important things I've learned is to hold respect for others’ growth and challenges. These sports have shown me that in life, everyone grows at different paces, and that supporting others helps to not only strengthen your bonds, but even strengthen yourself. These qualities are part of the reason I plan to major in Business Administration while continuing to grow my clothing business into a successful company. I want not only to embody core entrepreneurship values but also to demonstrate social responsibility and compassion. My understanding of compassion really is strengthened by my mother's story. When she was my age, she dreamed of attending Hampton University but was unable to afford it. Watching her encourage me to pursue opportunities she once had to set aside has shown me the sacrifices parents make to create better futures for their children. Her story has inspired my long-term goal of starting a charity dedicated to helping students afford college without overwhelming debt. Compassion to me means finding challenges in my community and effectively responding to those issues with the ideals of effort and creativity. Receiving this scholarship would allow me to continue turning my compassion into a real-world impact. I want to be able to carry forward the lessons I have learned from my family, mentors, and community by making sure that the opportunities and virtues I hold will become opportunities I help to create for others in the future. Thank you for your time and consideration!

To the Scholarship Committee, Hello! My name is Xavier Lyons, and I currently attend Bronx River High School, located in the Bronx in New York City. I am a 17-year-old high school early graduate, skipping my junior year to graduate a bit ahead of schedule. I love playing basketball and chess, and I frequently compete either on my school’s basketball team or at my local chess club. Through my chess mentor, I began my journey in volunteering and community service. About once every two weeks, I go to my local YMCA in the Bronx to help with whatever event is taking place. I have helped distribute turkeys during Thanksgiving, give away food during Christmas, and most recently packed boxes to send aid to Jamaican citizens struggling in the wake of Hurricane Melissa. My plans after high school are to turn my clothing business into a successful company, which is why I plan to major in Business Administration in college. As an African American student, my parents strongly encouraged me to apply to Historically Black Colleges and Universities. As a result, I have been accepted into colleges such as Morehouse College, Clark Atlanta University, and Morgan State University. However, these schools are known for being expensive, and since my brother and I will be attending college at the same time, the financial burden will be overwhelming for my mother to manage alone. My mother faced a similar challenge when she was my age, wanting to attend Hampton University but unable to afford the price. Her experience lights a fire in me. After building a successful business, I want to start a charity focused on helping students afford college without accumulating overwhelming debt and loans. My organization will serve juniors and seniors preparing to transition into higher education. My charity would mainly hold sessions, meetings, and seminars that provide students with knowledge about college pathways, as well as conveying the importance of scholarships. One of the biggest common struggles my peers and I face is simply finding scholarships to apply for, so we would provide students with personalized scholarship opportunities aligned with their strengths and achievements. Additionally, we would create multiple scholarships each year, supporting a larger number of students rather than awarding only one or two recipients like most foundations. My overall goal would be to prepare students to thrive during and after college without being heavily burdened by financial stress. There is much more that can be done in our society to address the challenges students face when pursuing higher education. I strongly believe that this scholarship would not only help me continue my own educational journey, but it would also bring me one step closer to creating opportunities for others. I want to use my success to open doors for students like my mother and myself to have a fair chance to pursue their dreams without crushing debt. Thank you for your time and consideration!

Since the day I was born, my parents have instilled the ideas and thoughts of an entrepreneur in me. I remember sitting on the couch with my brother often, as my dad would put on shows and podcasts that allowed us to soak up information about the way the world operates and sustains itself through value. My father taught me at a young age what money truly represents. Through his constant teachings, I realized that money was simply a tool we use to measure value, and that the substance of a paper bill is just a representation of this. Even though I knew this, I kept envisioning myself with an endless supply of it, never worrying about paying the bills or putting food on the table. I realized that this specific state was what I truly wanted to strive for. Living in New York City only emphasized this need, as living in the Bronx will show you the lack of financial literacy among a vast number of people. Others around me often struggle to control their income and finances, and seeing this makes me want to do better. I don't want to be stuck in a single apartment, living off welfare, going paycheck to paycheck, when I have been raised and taught to operate to be above that standard If you've heard of New York City, you're likely to be aware that one of the most creative and entrepreneurial places in the world is right in the heart of the city, on Wall Street. I've visited this place hundreds of times because it's such a powerful inspiration for individuals who come from nothing to build something special and significant. Seeing that street for the first time was an experience I'll never forget. The buildings and just the way the streets looked symbolized the lifestyle I want to live perfectly. Powerful, Timeless, Influential, and Confident. That day made me realize that I wanted to become a founder. Not just any founder, but the founder of a company that is influential, timeless, confident, elegant, and creative. Drawing reference from my love of fashion and art, I created my own clothing brand, SWAG!. Swag to me represents one of these traits. I started my brand because the world I was raised in is competitive, and it forces individuals to constantly achieve and grow to new heights. In the world we live in, owning your own business is one of the best ways to thrive within this environment, and going to college to learn and hone my practices and knowledge on how to manage and grow my business will certainly allow me to grow into the founder I envision myself to be in the near future. I hope that the light from my creative innovation and unique mindset will inspire others to create their own ideas and use those ideas to solve problems to make life better for every single human on planet earth. I want my story and journey through entrepreneurship to inspire my own kids to follow their own dreams, because the next generation will need the same amount, if not more, of the inspiration that I draw from artists and creatives/founders who are well known. I truly believe that I can become a flame that will spark the success and revolution of an entire generation.

My mother has always been a hopeful person. In fact, so hopeful, that one of my most cherished memories with her is based on a hopeful proposition in which she would always start off by saying that I was sure to leave for college at any cost. At first, I tuned out the words she spoke with such eagerness, but eventually, her buoyant attitude broke through. When I started listening, I started to understand. My mother was a near perfect student in high school, managing a 3.75 GPA while being president of her cheer club, greatly influencing a vast amount of others with her optimism and cheerfulness. She loved her teachers. Her teachers loved her. Her path was arguably the brightest out of any kid in her class, despite barely being beaten out of valedictorian. But when her time came to seek a quality higher education, the system and village set up to support and take her through the next stage of life let her down. She applied to many schools, but at the top of her list, were just two schools. James Madison University, and Hampton University. Both great schools, but great schools cost a vast amount of money, money that my mother didn't really have. But she expected this. She was told, “The better your grades, the more money you'll get.” However, even with such a good track record, she couldn't manage to pull together the $55,000 cost to attend either school. She was desperate, determined to find a way. She went to the government, she went to her parents, her relatives, her friends, her schools, extra scholarships, anything to get the money she needed. But in the end, the government couldn't give her what she needed. Her parents simply couldn't afford to pay such a high cost. And that was it. She never got to go away, and she ended up taking loans out to pay what she could to go to community college. Even being let down by the system that promised her a future couldn't stop her from getting her education. But she never forgot, never forgot that the system wasn't fair, and wasn't easy. So when she had kids, she decided she would do whatever it took to send them away. Her story inspires me. Her dedication to giving her all to obtain a better life makes me eager and determined to get my education. Her accomplishment in finding a way to obtain her education sparked a fire under me. I want to see the look on her face when she isn't tens of thousands of dollars in debt, watching me go off to college and do what she couldn't. To carry on her hopes and dreams, to carry on that will to go explore and find the best possible life I can for myself and the ones around me. Thinking about her story inspires me every single day, and I hope it will inspire you, too.

Since the day I was born, my parents have instilled the ideas and thoughts of an entrepreneur in me. I remember sitting on the couch with my brother often, as my dad would put on shows and podcasts that allowed us to soak up information about the way the world operates and sustains itself through value. My father taught me at a young age what money truly represents. Through his constant teachings, I realized that money was simply a tool we use to measure value, and that the substance of a paper bill is just a representation of this. Even though I knew this, I kept envisioning myself with an endless supply of it, never worrying about paying the bills or putting food on the table. I realized that this specific state was what I truly wanted to strive for. Living in New York City only emphasized this need, as living in the Bronx will show you the lack of financial literacy among a vast number of people. Others around me often struggle to control their income and finances, and seeing this makes me want to do better. I don't want to be stuck in a single apartment, living off welfare, going paycheck to paycheck, when I have been raised and taught to operate to be above that standard If you've heard of New York City, you're likely to be aware that one of the most creative and entrepreneurial places in the world is right in the heart of the city, on Wall Street. I've visited this place hundreds of times because it's such a powerful inspiration for individuals who come from nothing to build something special and significant. Seeing that street for the first time was an experience I'll never forget. The buildings and just the way the streets looked symbolized the lifestyle I want to live perfectly. Powerful, Timeless, Influential, and Confident. That day made me realize that I wanted to become a founder. Not just any founder, but the founder of a company that is influential, timeless, confident, elegant, and creative. Drawing reference from my love of fashion and art, I created my own clothing brand, SWAG!. Swag to me represents one of these traits. I started my brand because the world I was raised in is competitive, and it forces individuals to constantly achieve and grow to new heights. In the world we live in, owning your own business is one of the best ways to thrive within this environment, and going to college to learn and hone my practices and knowledge on how to manage and grow my business will certainly allow me to grow into the founder I envision myself to be in the near future. I hope that the light from my creative innovation and unique mindset will inspire others to create their own ideas and use those ideas to solve problems to make life better for every single human on planet earth. I want my story and journey through entrepreneurship to inspire my own kids to follow their own dreams, because the next generation will need the same amount, if not more, of the inspiration that I draw from artists and creatives/founders who are well known. I truly believe that I can become a flame that will spark the success and revolution of an entire generation.

My mother has always been a hopeful person. In fact, so hopeful, that one of my most cherished memories with her is based on a hopeful proposition in which she would always start off by saying that I was sure to leave for college at any cost. At first, I tuned out the words she spoke with such eagerness, but eventually, her buoyant attitude broke through. When I started listening, I started to understand. My mother was a near perfect student in high school, managing a 3.75 GPA while being president of her cheer club, greatly influencing a vast amount of others with her optimism and cheerfulness. She loved her teachers. Her teachers loved her. Her path was arguably the brightest out of any kid in her class, despite barely being beaten out of valedictorian. But when her time came to seek a quality higher education, the system and village set up to support and take her through the next stage of life let her down. She applied to many schools, but at the top of her list, were just two schools. James Madison University, and Hampton University. Both great schools, but great schools cost a vast amount of money, money that my mother didn't really have. But she expected this. She was told, “The better your grades, the more money you'll get.” However, even with such a good track record, she couldn't manage to pull together the $55,000 cost to attend either school. She was desperate, determined to find a way. She went to the government, she went to her parents, her relatives, her friends, her schools, extra scholarships, anything to get the money she needed. But in the end, the government couldn't give her what she needed. Her parents simply couldn't afford to pay such a high cost. And that was it. She never got to go away, and she ended up taking loans out to pay what she could to go to community college. Even being let down by the system that promised her a future couldn't stop her from getting her education. But she never forgot, never forgot that the system wasn't fair, and wasn't easy. So when she had kids, she decided she would do whatever it took to send them away. Her story inspires me. Her dedication to giving her all to obtain a better life makes me eager and determined to get my education. Her accomplishment in finding a way to obtain her education sparked a fire under me. I want to see the look on her face when she isn't tens of thousands of dollars in debt, watching me go off to college and do what she couldn't. To carry on her hopes and dreams, to carry on that will to go explore and find the best possible life I can for myself and the ones around me. Thinking about her story inspires me every single day, and I hope it will inspire you, too.

My mother has always been a hopeful person. In fact, so hopeful, that one of my most cherished memories with her is based on a hopeful proposition in which she would always start off by saying that I was sure to leave for college at any cost. At first, I tuned out the words she spoke with such eagerness, but eventually, her buoyant attitude broke through. When I started listening, I started to understand. My mother was a near perfect student in high school, managing a 3.75 GPA while being president of her cheer club, greatly influencing a vast amount of others with her optimism and cheerfulness. She loved her teachers. Her teachers loved her. Her path was arguably the brightest out of any kid in her class, despite barely being beaten out of valedictorian. But when her time came to seek a quality higher education, the system and village set up to support and take her through the next stage of life let her down. She applied to many schools, but at the top of her list, were just two schools. James Madison University, and Hampton University. Both great schools, but great schools cost a vast amount of money, money that my mother didn't really have. But she expected this. She was told, “The better your grades, the more money you'll get.” However, even with such a good track record, she couldn't manage to pull together the $55,000 cost to attend either school. She was desperate, determined to find a way. She went to the government, she went to her parents, her relatives, her friends, her schools, extra scholarships, anything to get the money she needed. But in the end, the government couldn't give her what she needed. Her parents simply couldn't afford to pay such a high cost. And that was it. She never got to go away, and she ended up taking loans out to pay what she could to go to community college. Even being let down by the system that promised her a future couldn't stop her from getting her education. But she never forgot, never forgot that the system wasn't fair, and wasn't easy. So when she had kids, she decided she would do whatever it took to send them away. Her story inspires me. Her dedication to giving her all to obtain a better life makes me eager and determined to get my education. Her accomplishment in finding a way to obtain her education sparked a fire under me. I want to see the look on her face when she isn't tens of thousands of dollars in debt, watching me go off to college and do what she couldn't. To carry on her hopes and dreams, to carry on that will to go explore and find the best possible life I can for myself and the ones around me. Thinking about her story inspires me every single day, and I hope it will inspire you, too.

My mother has always been a hopeful person. In fact, so hopeful, that one of my most cherished memories with her is based on a hopeful proposition in which she would always start off by saying that I was sure to leave for college at any cost. At first, I tuned out the words she spoke with such eagerness, but eventually, her buoyant attitude broke through. When I started listening, I started to understand. My mother was a near perfect student in high school, managing a 3.75 GPA while being president of her cheer club, greatly influencing a vast amount of others with her optimism and cheerfulness. She loved her teachers. Her teachers loved her. Her path was arguably the brightest out of any kid in her class, despite barely being beaten out of valedictorian. But when her time came to seek a quality higher education, the system and village set up to support and take her through the next stage of life let her down. She applied to many schools, but at the top of her list, were just two schools. James Madison University, and Hampton University. Both great schools, but great schools cost a vast amount of money, money that my mother didn't really have. But she expected this. She was told, “The better your grades, the more money you'll get.” However, even with such a good track record, she couldn't manage to pull together the $55,000 cost to attend either school. She was desperate, determined to find a way. She went to the government, she went to her parents, her relatives, her friends, her schools, extra scholarships, anything to get the money she needed. But in the end, the government couldn't give her what she needed. Her parents simply couldn't afford to pay such a high cost. And that was it. She never got to go away, and she ended up taking loans out to pay what she could to go to community college. Even being let down by the system that promised her a future couldn't stop her from getting her education. But she never forgot, never forgot that the system wasn't fair, and wasn't easy. So when she had kids, she decided she would do whatever it took to send them away. Her story inspires me. Her dedication to giving her all to obtain a better life makes me eager and determined to get my education. Her accomplishment in finding a way to obtain her education sparked a fire under me. I want to see the look on her face when she isn't tens of thousands of dollars in debt, watching me go off to college and do what she couldn't. To carry on her hopes and dreams, to carry on that will to go explore and find the best possible life I can for myself and the ones around me. Thinking about her story inspires me every single day, and I hope it will inspire you, too.

Since the day I was born, my parents have instilled the ideas and thoughts of an entrepreneur in me. I remember sitting on the couch with my brother often, as my dad would put on shows and podcasts that allowed us to soak up information about the way the world operates and sustains itself through value. My father taught me at a young age what money truly represents. Through his constant teachings, I realized that money was simply a tool we use to measure value, and that the substance of a paper bill is just a representation of this. Even though I knew this, I kept envisioning myself with an endless supply of it, never worrying about paying the bills or putting food on the table. I realized that this specific state was what I truly wanted to strive for. Living in New York City only emphasized this need, as living in the Bronx will show you the lack of financial literacy among a vast number of people. Others around me often struggle to control their income and finances, and seeing this makes me want to do better. I don't want to be stuck in a single apartment, living off welfare, going paycheck to paycheck, when I have been raised and taught to operate to be above that standard If you've heard of New York City, you're likely to be aware that one of the most creative and entrepreneurial places in the world is right in the heart of the city, on Wall Street. I've visited this place hundreds of times because it's such a powerful inspiration for individuals who come from nothing to build something special and significant. Seeing that street for the first time was an experience I'll never forget. The buildings and just the way the streets looked symbolized the lifestyle I want to live perfectly. Powerful, Timeless, Influential, and Confident. That day made me realize that I wanted to become a founder. Not just any founder, but the founder of a company that is influential, timeless, confident, elegant, and creative. Drawing reference from my love of fashion and art, I created my own clothing brand, SWAG!. Swag to me represents one of these traits. I started my brand because the world I was raised in is competitive, and it forces individuals to constantly achieve and grow to new heights. In the world we live in, owning your own business is one of the best ways to thrive within this environment, and going to college to learn and hone my practices and knowledge on how to manage and grow my business will certainly allow me to grow into the founder I envision myself to be in the near future. I hope that the light from my creative innovation and unique mindset will inspire others to create their own ideas and use those ideas to solve problems to make life better for every single human on planet earth. I want my story and journey through entrepreneurship to inspire my own kids to follow their own dreams, because the next generation will need the same amount, if not more, of the inspiration that I draw from artists and creatives/founders who are well known. I truly believe that I can become a flame that will spark the success and revolution of an entire generation.

Since the day I was born, my parents have instilled the ideas and thoughts of an entrepreneur in me. I remember sitting on the couch with my brother often, as my dad would put on shows and podcasts that allowed us to soak up information about the way the world operates and sustains itself through value. My father taught me at a young age what money truly represents. Through his constant teachings, I realized that money was simply a tool we use to measure value, and that the substance of a paper bill is just a representation of this. Even though I knew this, I kept envisioning myself with an endless supply of it, never worrying about paying the bills or putting food on the table. I realized that this specific state was what I truly wanted to strive for. Living in New York City only emphasized this need, as living in the Bronx will show you the lack of financial literacy among a vast number of people. Others around me often struggle to control their income and finances, and seeing this makes me want to do better. I don't want to be stuck in a single apartment, living off welfare, going paycheck to paycheck, when I have been raised and taught to operate to be above that standard If you've heard of New York City, you're likely to be aware that one of the most creative and entrepreneurial places in the world is right in the heart of the city, on Wall Street. I've visited this place hundreds of times because it's such a powerful inspiration for individuals who come from nothing to build something special and significant. Seeing that street for the first time was an experience I'll never forget. The buildings and just the way the streets looked symbolized the lifestyle I want to live perfectly. Powerful, Timeless, Influential, and Confident. That day made me realize that I wanted to become a founder. Not just any founder, but the founder of a company that is influential, timeless, confident, elegant, and creative. And since I loved fashion and art, I created my own clothing brand, SWAG!. Swag to me represents one of these traits. I started my brand because the world I was raised in is competitive, and it forces individuals to constantly achieve and grow to new heights. In the world we live in, owning your own business is one of the best ways to thrive within this environment, and going to college to learn and hone my practices and knowledge on how to manage and grow my business will certainly allow me to grow into the founder I envision myself to be in the near future.

Both of my parents had a rocky relationship with money at first. At no real fault of their own, due to the fact that their parents hadn't taught them about it much at all. Everything they knew about it basically boiled down to "Make a lot, spend as much as you can." My mother and father had significant family struggles because of bad financial management. In fact, a few years ago, I learned a shocking truth in which my grandfather, who was a very well-known soca artist through the 1980s and 1990s, blew the millions he made throughout his career in a matter of a few years, through the use of cocaine and other substances. Because of this, my dad grew up in poverty with my grandmother in Trinidad, as she worked as basically a single mother to support him through his early years. He tells me this story as a warning about the dangerous effects of poor money management, as my grandfather's mistake changed the course of my dad's life for the worse, rather than for the better. Proper money management would have ensured that the wealth would have spread down to future generations, supporting the family to come, including my siblings and me. Instead, my grandfather's family was forced to struggle to survive, and could not afford to obtain better lives and better education for themselves. Thankfully, my father broke the cycle. I know that discipline and consistency are the keys to a humble but wealthy lifestyle, and I can build these habits by properly saving and investing my money. This will help me start providing for my education and future family, so that my children and my children's children will not have to worry about being born at a disadvantage in life. And in addition, learning to conserve my money makes me a more aware and considerate person. Finding new ways to grow and invest my resources teaches me to be creative, optimistic, and hopeful. I hope to build these qualities as well in order to create the best type of person I can be, being respected by the people I love most as a reliable and responsible person. As I'm growing up, starting my first job, and finally getting a taste of large amounts of money, I'm slowly learning to implement these habits into my life daily. I admit, it isn't easy to control your urges to buy food every day, or purchase the first cool thing I see, but when I think about my dad's words, I know that every "no" I give myself is a step in the right direction. If I keep walking, I know I'll create the life I want to live.

As a kid, I used to be very good at math. The thing about math is that it is a system that is intertwined with the natural world. Things like logic and measurements are based on our understanding of reality, and as a kid, I was blessed with being able to observe and learn to solve problems at an accelerated rate. However, that talent didn't last forever. As equations and concepts of math got more and more complex, I started to struggle. It made me resent the idea of math as a whole. I felt like learning these ideas was a waste of time, as I would never use them in real life. At the end of my high school journey, reflecting on my experience when dealing with the class, I realize how amazing the concept of math really is. Even though ridiculously complex at times, the things we've learned to do and structure because of our understanding of math allow us to make life better and more comfortable for every single person living on the planet today. Our accomplishments as an intelligent and unique race come from our natural curiosity to understand our environment, even today. Thinking about its effect on my life, I come to see that math is the driving force for innovation and creativity for humans in the modern-day era, not a thing to fear out of lack of understanding. I can't see how a single person on the planet couldn't love math for these very special reasons.

My mother has always been a hopeful person. In fact, so hopeful, that one of my most cherished memories with her is based on a hopeful proposition in which she would always start off by saying that I was sure to leave for college at any cost. At first, I tuned out the words she spoke with such eagerness, but eventually, her buoyant attitude broke through. When I started listening, I started to understand. My mother was a near perfect student in high school, managing a 3.75 GPA while being president of her cheer club, greatly influencing a vast amount of others with her optimism and cheerfulness. She loved her teachers. Her teachers loved her. Her path was arguably the brightest out of any kid in her class, despite barely being beaten out of valedictorian. But when her time came to seek a quality higher education, the system and village set up to support and take her through the next stage of life let her down. She applied to many schools, but at the top of her list, were just two schools. James Madison University, and Hampton University. Both great schools, but great schools cost a vast amount of money, money that my mother didn't really have. But she expected this. She was told, “The better your grades, the more money you'll get.” However, even with such a good track record, she couldn't manage to pull together the $55,000 cost to attend either school. She was desperate, determined to find a way. She went to the government, she went to her parents, her relatives, her friends, her schools, extra scholarships, anything to get the money she needed. But in the end, the government couldn't give her what she needed. Her parents simply couldn't afford to pay such a high cost. And that was it. She never got to go away, and she ended up taking loans out to pay what she could to go to community college. Even being let down by the system that promised her a future couldn't stop her from getting her education. But she never forgot, never forgot that the system wasn't fair, and wasn't easy. So when she had kids, she decided she would do whatever it took to send them away. Her story inspires me. Her dedication to giving her all to obtain a better life makes me eager and determined to get my education. Her accomplishment in finding a way to obtain her education sparked a fire under me. I want to see the look on her face when she isn't tens of thousands of dollars in debt, watching me go off to college and do what she couldn't. To carry on her hopes and dreams, to carry on that will to go explore and find the best possible life I can for myself and the ones around me. Thinking about her story inspires me every single day, and I hope it will inspire you, too.

I've been without a Grandfather for 4 years now. Growing up, he was the one who always consistently took me to church and tried his best to raise me with the Lord. I remember we used to go to church with him most Sundays, and sitting there, listening to words I barely understood, seemed pointless and repetitive. But after his death, I started to understand the power of faith over a person's life, and just how powerful Jesus is in our lives. When he passed, I couldn't understand. Why did it have to be my grandfather who had to go? That why, if the lord himself was so powerful, why did he refuse to spare a man who dedicated so much of his life to serving him? The confusion and disappointment over my grandfather started to flood into other parts of my life. It impacted my schoolwork, my relationship with my family, and the relationships of those around me. I couldn't see the point in trying to build my future and continue to endure life . If a man who did so much good to better the lives of the people around him couldn't be spared a long and painful battle with cancer, what could possibly save me? My grades continued to drop. I started neglecting friends and ignoring relationships that were important parts of my life. 4 months later, I was lying in my bed, with the lights off, feeling alone and hopeless, when the most amazing revelation just came to me. It was my grandfather's words. "We can't always understand why the lord does the things he does. We simply follow his teachings, as his decisions are always in the best interest of his beautiful creations. We don't live to stay in constant comfort without struggle. If he gave us everything we wanted, we'd never learn to grow and adapt to changes! Never forget that." The words repeated, cycling in my head like the wheels of the Golden Nissan Murano he used to drive. He had a laugh, one that came after every wise sentence he said, that stretched a smile across my face. Quiet tears ran down my cheeks. I laughed, thinking about how even in death, my grandfather was influencing my thoughts, pushing thoughts of the power of the lord into my life like the lectures he would give me after church. I now remember how important this event was in strengthing my relationship with the lord, starting to restore my faith in control over my life, and the rebuilding of my relationships with my family and academics were. Dealing with his sudden passing was extremely hard, but it pushed me out of my comfort zone in order to adapt to significant changes in my life, without completely giving up and breaking down. I am so thankful to my grandfather, but even more thankful to the Lord's teachings, which were passed down throughout the world for generations to guide the next generation of innovators, advocates, lawyers, and other types of people who draw their values from the words of morality and hopefulness in the bible, which will carry us into the bright and honest future.

I've been without a Grandfather for 4 years now. Growing up, he was the one who always consistently took me to church and tried his best to raise me with the Lord. I remember we used to go to church with him most Sundays, and sitting there, listening to words I barely understood, seemed pointless and repetitive. But after his death, I started to understand the power of faith over a person's life, and just how powerful Jesus is in our lives. When he passed, I couldn't understand. Why did it have to be my grandfather who had to go? That why, if the lord himself was so powerful, why did he refuse to spare a man who dedicated so much of his life to serving him? The confusion and disappointment over my grandfather started to flood into other parts of my life. It impacted my schoolwork, my relationship with my family, and the relationships of those around me. I couldn't see the point in trying to build my future and continue to endure life . If a man who did so much good to better the lives of the people around him couldn't be spared a long and painful battle with cancer, what could possibly save me? My grades continued to drop. I started neglecting friends and ignoring relationships that were important parts of my life. 4 months later, I was lying in my bed, with the lights off, feeling alone and hopeless, when the most amazing revelation just came to me. It was my grandfather's words. "We can't always understand why the lord does the things he does. We simply follow his teachings, as his decisions are always in the best interest of his beautiful creations. We don't live to stay in constant comfort without struggle. If he gave us everything we wanted, we'd never learn to grow and adapt to changes! Never forget that." The words repeated, cycling in my head like the wheels of the Golden Nissan Murano he used to drive. He had a laugh, one that came after every wise sentence he said, that stretched a smile across my face. Quiet tears ran down my cheeks. I laughed, thinking about how even in death, my grandfather was influencing my thoughts, pushing thoughts of the power of the lord into my life like the lectures he would give me after church. I now remember how important this event was in strengthing my relationship with the lord, starting to restore my faith in control over my life, and the rebuilding of my relationships with my family and academics were. Dealing with his sudden passing was extremely hard, but it pushed me out of my comfort zone in order to adapt to significant changes in my life, without completely giving up and breaking down. I am so thankful to my grandfather, but even more thankful to the Lord's teachings, which were passed down throughout the world for generations to guide the next generation of innovators, advocates, lawyers, and other types of people who draw their values from the words of morality and hopefulness in the bible, which will carry us into the bright and honest future.